In the Alpha’s Arms

Are you Okay?

The tears were making it hard to see straight, but eventually Lits found her way into a parking space at the gym. She turned the key to the off position and sat there, letting the radio flick off, completely still for about a minute, before she suddenly screamed into her steering wheel. In the silence, she couldn’t keep it together or pretend that she wasn’t breaking. Hot tears streamed down her face as she let herself cry for a minute. What the hell was she even doing? Brian would never let her go. He’d rather see her dead than truly happy, Lita was convinced. And her parents–Lita couldn’t think of any people who spent less time in her corner.

A light rap came across her window, and it startled her into the roof of the car. Her head thumped, bouncing against the fabric lining. She clutched herself, cursing in agony for a second or two before she sniffled, wiped her face as best as she could, and opened the door.

“Are you okay?” a deep, rumbling voice asked. God, of all the people to witness her breakdown, why did it have to be Cole? What the hell was be even doing out here?

“Yea,” she sniffled quickly and forced a smile, “It’s just my period. Ah, hormones, ya know? I’m fine now, though.”

He cocked his head to the side, sniffed once, and looked at her as if he knew she was lying. What the hell was that? That small whiff he took did something to him because suddenly he was closer, leaning slightly into the space of the driver’s seat.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned, “Why are you avoiding me?” What was this guy? Hot and cold? Why would he ask her such a loaded fucking question?

“What are you even doing out here?” she asked, avoiding his questions with her own.

“Had to get something out of my car,” he threw a thumb backwards at the car parked next to hers. For

places to park. She silently studied the make and model of the mid–class car so she’d never make e, ta! She berated herself. Of all the

mistake again.

“Oh, okay well, byeeeee,” she said suddenly, jumping out of the car so quickly he had to lean back so as not to head butt her. Then her door was closed, and she was halfway to the front door before he could even process what happened. He watched her raise her arm as if to wave and–her car beeped twice, flashing white light across the dark parking lot as the alarm kicked in place. What the hell was wrong with her? He wasn’t planning on breaking into it. Though, glancing at his motionless body, still standing in a dark hoodie and sweatpants, exactly where she’d left him, he might have understood her confusion.

Cole cursed, leaning back against his trunk for a moment as he scrubbed his face. He’d come outside to his car to calm down after his wolf had a meltdown. Stace insisted she was taking over Lita’s training and kept telling the others she was a bunny–in–training all evening. The thought of his pack members even sniffing at Lita made Cole’s blood boil. Made his wolf howl and claw at his skull.

Reject her. Reject. Her. It had been on a loop in his head for hours.

he would be rid of Lita soon. He wouldn’t feel feral every time he smelled Alex on her, and he wouldn’t need to put himself in a dangerous position with whatever was going on in her personal life. But dammit, despite it all, he’d

pinched his nose and rubbed

completely, opting to make their own choices. Some wolves made matches for organic love. And some wolves made matches for power or influence. Marriage was a human concept, but they were all so ingrained in human society, it didn’t matter. Wolves who were not mates married all the time, made lives and started families. Widowed or Matelost wolves could be physical again when they were ready.

as deep

imagine how much harder it would be for a wolf to happen across a mate when the odds were seven billion to one. And then there was Lita. His woll’s hackles

a damn if their mate was human. He felt the pull on a molecular level, on a spiritual level, and he wanted to solidify that. But Cole knew the mate bond wasn’t some drug that overrode his brain. It couldn’t make him do something he didn’t want to do. It wouldn’t supersede natural instincts or self–preservation. No matter what Midnight wanted, he couldn’t just take her,

choosing to reject his mate–had been dead set on doing

just sat there, staring at nothing, until the most gut–wrenching cry ripped from her and she started crying. He hadn’t been prepared for

lied about being her period. He had smelled no blood, so what made her so upset and why the hell did he still care about it

about having a mate who couldn’t feel the bond as he could. Who couldn’t feel the inconvenient heat up his spine whenever she was near. Or know he lost all his good sense every time

unfair and frustrating, Cole still stood up and followed her into the gym.

Jaz… Jaz……. Lita,” Stace introduced them quickly, “Lita’s our newest

by the time she got inside that no one could tell she’d been crying. Or if they could, no one said anything. Stace gave her a once–over that said she noticed Lita’s puffy eyes, and then,

a curly ponytail that said she probably had a twelve–step hair process. Would it be too soon to ask what she used to get that shine? Lita fingered her own drab ends that frizzed instead of curled. They were still a faded burgundy color she’d dyed her hair

I love pretty best friends. Don’t worry about your

be self–conscious. Jaz wasn’t as muscular as Stace, but she was lean. Lita had seen faz in several of the kickboxing classes and the training gave her sculpted obliques with toned thighs. Her abs only

back at Stace, who wore a yellow racerback tank that gaped under her arms and sherbet sweatpants. Stace had a well–defined six pack and almost no sculpting around her stomach except the centerline that naturally cinched in like a corset. She had round, full shoulder blades and a thicker neck, but her bust size balanced

me a pic of your hair products when you get home. I

reader? Lita whispered,

chuckled, swaying her hips

and the

focus, “Do you want weight training, cardio, or fight

me, so, uh, whichever one teaches me

she motioned over to the flat mats in the back. “Most bunnies at least pretend to know the basics of fighting, babe. Even if you don’t want to compete in the MMA circuit like