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 been looking forward to seeing her. Their

level statistics? Cole pinched his nose and rubbed his under eyes. The breeze in that classroom had

own choices. Some wolves made matches for organic love. And some wolves made matches for power or influence. Marriage was a

wounds, even those that cut as deep as the mate band, healed with enough

a wolf and a human. Cole couldn’t even imagine how much harder it would be for a wolf to happen across a mate when the odds

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, wouldn’t do it either, but even if he did, no mate bond in the world would offset the lack of consent.

And he was choosing to reject his mate–had been dead set on doing it that night until

key. Then she 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 how quickly his wolf would react, ready to tear the door off the car so he could get to her.

she lied about being her period. He had smelled no blood, so what made her so upset and why

couldn’t feel the inconvenient heat up his spine whenever she was near. Or know he lost all his good sense every time he scented her, and each time the air moved. No, his very human mate couldn’t even appreciate the hell his body and wolf were putting him through, that she was

felt, how unfair and frustrating, Cole still stood up and followed her into the gym. Maybe he

Jaz……. Lita,” Stace introduced

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, instead

beyond grateful that no one was going to being it up. “Hey, it’s nice to meet you,” Lita said to Jaz, a medium–tone black woman with 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 the year before and they were bone dry. She’d find time to ask later. She didn’t want

had another gal pal,” jaz winked. “And you’re really pretty, too! I love pretty best

her feet as she typed, making Lita notice those thin purple tennis matched (az’s lavender nylon shorts and purple compressions. Not to mention a dark purple sports bra. She definitely liked that color. Scratching at the tattoo on her wrist, Lita convinced herself she didn’t have to 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 had four little knots, but she had corded muscles wrapped around her abs, defining

corset. She had round, full shoulder blades and a thicker neck, but her bust size balanced it all out. Her wide ribcage was set over narrowing hips that flexed as she bent to the

of your hair products when you get home. I guarantee you’ve got at least a handful of things that need to go if you want to ditch all that frizz,” Jaz interrupted her self–deprecating

mind reader? Lita whispered, shaking

yea,” she chuckled, swaying her hips in emphasis. “But he’s gotten a

weights and the three women. A moment later, Cole pushed through the front door, but he headed straight for the office, not sparing her a

her focus,

ruined cardio for me, so, uh, whichever one

MMA circuit like me or kickbox like Jaz, you should at least