In the Alpha’s Arms

All the Possibilities

“What was that about?” Alex came up behind his Alpha, both of them staring after the waif of a girl as she drove away.

“How’d she do today?” Cole asked, turning his eyes away from the front door.

“Terrible, as always. Maybe one inch better than the rest of the week,” Alex laughed, dabbing his forehead with a towel.

“She always comes in the evening?”

“Mmm, not always, but I think her classes start soon, so it’ll be evenings from now on… she’s as strong as a toddler, but she’s persistent. I thought she would’ve quit by now. I may or may not have given her the hardest cardio circuit I know today. And all week I’ve been kicking her ass.”

Alex huffed a laugh, “Her body has to be killing her but every time I think she’s going to throw in the towel, she keeps going. Keeps showing up in double layers and bad posture no matter what. Nearly collapsed on the treadmill to prove the point. I had to force-stop the damn thing so everybody can stop giving me shit for hurting the new girl before she can do a meet and greet.” Alex made air quotes as he rolled his eyes toward the other pack members.

Cole grunted, a deeply annoyed sound, and Alex cocked his head.

“I’ll train her in the evenings from now on…” Cole said, answering his Beta’s curiosity.

wouldn’t take on a whelp of a girl barely out of high school. If cardio was killing

Alex, don’t touch her again.” Cole said nonchalantly, even though a tang of Alpha command wafted in the air. That left Alex standing with his mouth wide, as if the faint glimmers of understanding were taking shape. Cole didn’t

on her?” Alex asked quietly, catching back up to Cole.

“Alphas don’t have human mates. It’s just… not a thing, Cole. There’s no way. Alphas mate with Alphas to continue the line. Everybody knows that. You especially. No way does the moon give you a

around the gym to see if any of the other pack members were listening before he ducked inside. “I’m not planning to claim her either way. Can you imagine Erica’s face? If she’s on my nerves now, imagine how she’ll get after that. My wolf just won’t let me think straight right

train her?” Alex crossed his arms, closing

the setup. A year was too long to have put off security, especially with the number of human civilians coming and going

myself. The wolf wants to be close to her,” Cole growled in frustration, pursing his lips in distaste. “I just want to give the wolf what he wants, at least a little, because it’s distracting. Only in the evenings, though, when we can go for a run afterwards. I’ll need

is a bad idea, Cole. Maybe the worst idea I’ve ever

absently,

“Then you’ll understand why I’m about to do

his fingernails in a flash of anger. “We agreed veto would be used in emergency situations whenever you thought

assumed her mention of James just got you twisted up. Second, we’ve all seen you watching her. You’re about as discreet as a mountain.” Alex gave him a pointed look. “The only one who hasn’t seen it is the girl herself, and

his patience with his Beta’s appraisal of his mate. It was the principle of

saw ‘em as plain as I did that first day. But instead of sending her off to