In the Alpha’s Arms

Dreaming of a Date…

The sound of waves crashing into the shore filled the night.

Lita always loved the nighttime view from the beach house as a kid, but they hadn’t been back in years. Her parents hardly had time to spare her a conversation that wasn’t centered on Brian anymore, let alone take her on a weekend getaway. It all worked out in the end, because now this was the only place Lita and her brother could come when he was in town. God, she missed James like air in her lungs. That goofy face, those ridiculous two in the morning rambling conversations. Eating junk while binging every rocky movie.

Something warm bloomed in Lita’s chest, fighting off the chilly night breeze. Their own parents wouldn’t let James set foot in the house after they excommunicated him. A nasty symptom of abandoning the life they’d dreamed up for him. Lita had laughed the first time he’d called to say he bought gym. Or rather, that he’d bought a derelict building he wanted to make into a gym. But he hadn’t laughed hack. He’d only given her his famous line, you think you have forever, Lit, but you don’t. Do what makes you happy and burn everything else.

Their parents being who they were, it hadn’t surprised Lita that his room was packed up almost overnight afterward. It hadn’t surprised her that his photos were scrubbed from the walls and they had tossed his competition plaques. It hadn’t surprised her they were all hell–bent on never saying his nome. But it still hurt and made her feel more alone that she ever had before.

Lita wasn’t close to her parents, outside of blood, they wouldn’t have been a family at all. But she loved James, felt bonded to him in her core. And the distance weakened her. Made her weak enough for Brian to swoop in.

She clutched her side gently, knowing she would never tell James that or risk being another person trying to keep him from his dreams. Her brother- would worry. He’d give up his Cali life for her in a heartbeat, Lita knew. So, she could never bring herself to ask. She couldn’t explain that tether tying him to her or how badly it ached when he moved away, but she managed.

Lita leaned against the balcony railing in nothing but a bikini top, knit sweater and a pair of ratty shorts. God, what she wouldn’t have given to rewind the last half hour,

She could hear the welcome–home party leaking out from the cracked balcony door, but she just needed a minute to herself before she could go back and face everyone. She only prayed no one had told James yet. One of her brother’s high school buddies had been trying to throw her over his shoulder into the pool when her sweater had lifted away. It revealed an ugly bruise over her ribs, and everyone had seen it. To their credit, they all acted as if they hadn’t. But the hat flush of embarrassment still stung.

She blew her tense air out into the breeze, lost in the quiet moment where she could almost forget what her life had become. Balmy night air swirled past her as the heard the balcony door slide open.

“No li

lies, what happened to your side, Lita?”

Janies. Of course, someone had already told her brother what they’d seen. It was a simple question, but it held all the undertones of a threat. He didn’t want to know what happened. He wanted to know who did it.

“Would you believe me if I said it was an accident?”

*Would you believe me if I said I already know who it was, and I just need to hear you say it and put the nail in his coffin?” His throat sounded strained, as if he were losing control of his notoriously terrible temper. How tembly stereotypical. Her brother was a professional fighter with a bad temper. In the ring, that temper was a strength. In the real world, it was scary and unsettling, “Dammit, just say it, Lita!” James barked, startling her enough that she dropped her party cup. She watched it splash into the sand below, feeling her heart go with it.

“If you already know, why the hell do you need to hear me say it?” She still hadn’t turned away from the sea. Too weak to face his opinion of her, her eyes already growing misty. This was a derailing train she couldn’t stop.

going to make him wish he was

their drunk friends. A shoulder here, a knee there. Somebody’s cup went tumbling to the ground, lata didn’t care. She couldn’t hear anything over the desperate thump of her heart. She snatched her jean jacket from a chair and

thist Please don’t do

hell I can’t! He brats my sister?! No way, I don’t kick his ass. No way I don’t break th and threw the car in reverse. She scrambled more fully

“It’s not… I don’t…”

startled

Dieng of a Date

talked on the phone, and you never said a thing.” James snapped, nearly screaming. “Of course, I knew the type of family he comes from,” James sneered, his distaste clear, “But you don’t care about shit like that Lita. You care about car rides and baby animals at the state fair, and helping kids learn to

angry at her. Guilt and shame slithered through her, numbing anything she might have said. She hadn’t known at first, had no idea that her parents were in talks with his. That they were planning to use money and influence in their favor. She still didn’t know to what end, but it had

And goddamn if I wasn’t happy as hell, you had somebody, you know? Even if it was that wannabe. That Alpha. As if he could lead his own pack. No one would follow him. And he’d die in a challenge with Asher every day of the week…” James trailed off, not making a lick of sense to Lita. She couldn’t stand to see him to so upset, so disappointed in her decisions. It had been her decision, right? She’d

“I was on

me, told me you were happier than you ever been. You sold me a line about how you thought you might marry that guy. An eighteen–year–old thinking about getting married should have been a big ass red flag for me. I gotta own that one. It’s on me not to have asked more questions, but why lie to

the car, James! Please. Don’t drive like this.” She couldn’t answer him. She couldn’t think of what to say that wouldn’t send his opinion of her even further into the

red light. “You’re my family. My only blood family, sis. those other two. To hell with that den of vipers they call friends and colleagues. To hell with Asher and his minions.” James shook his head, clogging up Lita’s throat with raw emotion. She had

is looking at me like I’m scum?! He’s not always- Lita exhaled, tears springing into her eyes-“He used to be sweet, James, He took me on those long Sunday car rides. He helped me feed the baby fair animals: He was nice and a great listener. He was… And how could I tell you?! How could I, knowing you’d react like this? Knowing you’d

James hissed, his voice taking on a roughness she’d never heard before. “Look at me.” She did, letting the tears fall because she

You hear me? Lita felt the force of his childhood nickname for

shit who has been putting his hands on you! I would never-” James shook his head as if realizing he’d already blamed her once. “I’m sorry

first,” Lits admitted, hanging her head. “I thought he liked me for me. I didn’t think he liked me for my family name of

goddammit,” James snapped his head. “You have no idea. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The moves they’re trying to make with Brian and his idiot of a father, go so much deeper than money and influence.” James eyes bunched, his face darkening, “I don’t know what the kind of shit mom is up

damp spots on her pillows as she got up. On autopilot, she

that she didn’t even set her alarm. But sleeping for nearly fifteen hours wasn’t normal Sighing she accepted she would miss her classes and rubbed her eyes. She flipped on the shower and scrolled through

help but smile at the stupid videos Stace sent her of fitness models. She ignored them and checked the rest of her messages. Mark had sent her a video of some

insanity she still couldn’t make sense of It was best to take a break from the gym and get through this mess with Brian unscathed. That would be hard

hours later, Lita smoothed down the satin dress over her new stomach. It fell at mid–thigh with

Dreaming of a Date

her new breasts and hiding her scars. Would Brian want her sexy? Would he want her dressed down? It was always a gamble,