Chapter 0010

When I saw Alpha Rik heading toward the bar where I was standing, I immediately moved to go back to the dance floor. Right about that time, the DJ announced the dedication of Who Runs the World to me. All the warriors in my pack begin to cheer. Bastards! I know they did this on purpose to try and embarrass me. Joke’s on them, I’m totally going to own it along with all the other female warriors. Lacey and I take the lead and rock the song. More and more girls join us and it’s total attitude until the song is done. Then, like the rock stars we are, we howl our dominance to our male counterparts.

When I look up, I see Liam smiling at me. Oh Goddess help me, that smolder. Good thing these jeans are dark because a line of heat just went straight south and now there’s most definitely a wet spot giving away my desire for that sexy man.

I dance through another couple of fast songs, knowing Liam is waiting for the next slow song. As soon as it starts, he heads my way. The dancers make a path for him and it’s like no one else is in the room. I’m locked onto those sage green eyes. His are a much lighter shade than my own, but there is so much intensity in them, that my heart starts to beat faster and there’s a flutter in my stomach.

As he walks up to me, I slide my arms around his neck as he slides his down to my ass, pulling me closer and sniffing my neck. His mouth slides up to my ear and he whispers, “Hello beautiful, still saving yourself for me?” I can’t help the purr that escapes before I reel it in and give him my standard response. “You know I’m saving myself for my mate.”

He pulls back enough to look me in the eye. “Right, saving yourself for me, as I said.” I can’t help but laugh. Cocky Alpha.

He pulls me close again and I close my eyes and just enjoy the feel of being in his arms. His smell, his strength, his witty humor, his undeniable sex appeal, everything about him attracts me to him.

As we dance, he continues talking softly in my ear, “You look hot as fuck baby, did you wear this for me?” I lean back to look him in the eye, giving him my best smirk. “Maybe.”

A soft growl rumbles in his chest and damn, my little thong can’t keep up with the river of warm wetness this man is causing to flow. He smiles and I know he can feel my nipples harden against the vibration in his chest. Leaning in, he rubs his nose against mine, “Someone seems to like the sound of my growl.”

“Perhaps.” I reply as I slide my fingers into the back of his sandy blond hair, hair that is also a few shades lighter than my own. He keeps it short because it’s curly and becomes unruly when he lets it grow long. I love the thickness of his hair, even short, and I gently scratch my nails on his scalp.

We’re still swaying back and forth, not paying attention to the music at all, just lost in each other. I can feel his hard length pressed against me as we dance. “I love the way you smell, but if you keep perfuming the air with your arousal, baby, I’m going to have to get you out of here. No one but me gets to smell that.” I chuckle as I lean up to whisper in his ear, “Well then, perhaps you should stop doing things that turn me on Alpha.” I intentionally call him Alpha instead of Liam because I know it will get another growl out of him and I’m not disappointed. This one is stronger and much more possessive.

It’s a tight rope that I walk with Liam. I don’t want to tease him into thinking he’ll get something from me that I’m not willing to give, but I also feel fairly confident that he will be my mate. And, he knows how I feel about waiting for my mate. Is he waiting for me? I don’t ask and we don’t discuss it. But, he’s a 24 year old Alpha male. I’d be foolish to think that he is waiting to make sure that I’m his mate. But I also know that if I asked him to, he would. But that’s not fair. So basically, all this teasing is just a really long bout of foreplay.

The possessive growl has really got me turned on and the heady scent of my arousal gets even stronger. Liam pulls my hands off his neck and gives me a smile. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He says and he leads me off the dance floor and to the entrance of the club. I smile and wave goodbye to my friends as we head out.

Once outside, Liam puts his arm around me. “Are you cold baby?” Normally, werewolves can handle the cold, but in my human form, I can only take so much and it’s the dead of winter. “I am, a bit, but I’m ok until we get to the car.”

We get to his Ford Raptor and he opens the door and lifts me up into the passenger seat. He leans over the seat and I nuzzle my nose against his neck. His growl of pleasure vibrates against my nose and cheek and he pulls a jacket from the back and lays it over top of me. “Keep that up love and mate or no, you’ll be in my bed tonight.” He looks at me for a minute to see if I’m willing to keep going, which I’m not, so he gives me a quick kiss on the lips and closes my door.

He jumps into the driver’s seat, turning the car on and the heat to max. He looks over at me, “Interested in getting a coffee? There’s an all night cafe not far from here.” I look at him and smile, “Absolutely!”

We get to the cafe and there are only a few other people here at this time of night. We get a booth by a window and Liam sits across from me. We order our coffee and Liam orders a steak and potatoes. I order a slice of apple pie, knowing Liam will help me eat that too.

When the waitress is gone, he reaches out and takes my hands in his, looking at me intently. “Tell me about your hopes and dreams Cara.”

Whoa! That got intense fast. I look at him and smile, feeling the need to deflect this conversation, I give a smart ass response. “Well Liam, I like romantic dinners and walks on the beach.” He rolls his eyes at me but I continue. “I also love a man that knows how to dance and appreciates a strong, intelligent woman.”

His answering smile could brighten a cloudy day. “Then apparently, I’m the man for you.” Our waitress returns with our coffee and he releases my hands. When she leaves us again, he is looking down at his hands, folded together as he softly beats them against the table. He nods his head as if he’s decided something, then looks up at me. “Look Cara, I know where you stand waiting for your mate, and I respect that. I want you to find your mate, and I hope to hell it’s me. But, I need you to know that if it isn’t me, I want to take you as my chosen mate.”

I reach back out to take his hands but before I can reply, he continues. “I know I’ve told you this before. But I need you to know that I’m serious. If I’m not your fated mate, and if you don’t find your fated mate, I really want you to consider taking me as your chosen mate. Hell, even if you find your fated mate and you can’t stand him, I’m here and I’m willing.

I can make you happy Cara. You can have everything you want. And unlike most women who want the prestige of being a Luna, I know you want respect, to continue your warrior training, and to be treated as an equal by the Alpha in the pack. I am not intimidated by your strength and ferocity. I find it incredibly sexy. I’m not saying I wouldn’t want to protect you and our pups when we had them, but I also know that as a Guardian and a powerful warrior, I wouldn’t have to, that you could and would protect yourself and our pups. I would love you, put you first in my life, there would be no one for me but you. I know it’s a lot and you’re still a couple months away from your birthday, but I need you to know that my feelings for you are real. That I want you in my life, for the rest of my life.”

I was overwhelmed by his declaration. “Liam I….” I didn’t know what to say.

“I don’t expect you to say anything. I just want to lay it out there so you know how I feel.”

The waitress returns with Liam's food and my dessert. I watch as he starts cutting into his steak. “Liam, I care for you, very deeply. I hope, with all my heart, that you are my fated mate. But, if you are not, I will take what you have said tonight into consideration, I promise.”

His smile lights up the room once again. “That’s all I ask Cara.”

I smile back, and take a bite of my apple pie. It’s delicious and without realizing what I’m doing, my eyes have closed, my head has tilted back slightly and I’m moaning softly as I chew the delicious taste of apples, cinnamon and pastry dough. When I open my eyes, I see that Liam is staring at me, his food stopped halfway to his mouth. His eyes have gone nearly black and I see his adam’s apple bob before he says, “Cara, I seriously hope that one day, I am the one causing you to make those sounds. And if I get that chance, I promise, that will just be the beginning. I won’t stop until your throat is raw from screaming my name in pleasure and your body is sore from me taking you over and over until both of us are satisfied.”

I blush as he gives me a smirk and puts the steak into his mouth, watching me blush even more as I can only imagine what thoughts are causing that possessive, hungry look in his eyes.

After we finish eating, he drives me home. He gets out of the car and comes around to open my door. As I step out, his head whips toward the forest. I follow his line of sight but don’t see anything. “What is it?”

He shakes his head, squinting. “Nothing.”

He walks me to my door. I turn to look at him and he wraps his arms around me pulling me into his warmth. “Remember what I said tonight Cara. I meant every word.” He puts his hands on either side of my face and brings his lips to mine. It starts out as a gentle kiss, a promise of what could be. But it quickly turns into something much more passionate and before I know it, Aretmis has pushed forward and I’m drowning in him. His mouth is everywhere, claiming mine. His warm tongue skillfully slides into my mouth, tangling with mine, fighting for dominance. When he wins the battle, he takes his time exploring the rest of my mouth before finally letting me come up for air.

I’m panting and holding on to him as if he is my lifeline. And he is, because my knees are weak and I’d fall if his strong arms weren’t holding me up. I look up into his eyes, that have gone dark again, showing that his wolf is forward. I know mine are also glowing gold from Artemis pushing forward.

Artemis purrs to Liam's wolf, “Hello Cyran.” He growls in response. “Artemis.” Cyran’s voice is deeper and more gravelly than Liam’s. 'He has a sexy Alpha voice,’ Artemis says to me.

I pull her back and regain control, seeing that Liam is doing the same with Cyran. He leans his forehead against mine. “Baby, one day soon, I hope that we can continue this until both of us are satisfied. Until then, sweet dreams, and I hope they are of me.”

He pulls away from me and winks as he walks backward to his car. When he gets to the driver’s side, I blow him a kiss. He makes a catching grab with his hand and pulls it to his heart. Damn, talk about a man that can make a girl swoon. I wave and head inside as he pulls away.

In the distance, I hear a wolf howling into the night.