In the Alpha’s Arms

Bonus Chapter- All the things She Smelled

“Don’t give me that “did you miss me crap, Cole! Where the hell have you been?” Lita snapped, crossing her arms over her chest so she didn’t ball her sts. Elise bold Lita that even when she was angry with Cole, she still needed to remember that he wasn’t the enemy. She’d been accustomed to those who were supposed to love her being against her. But he wasn’t like those people and Lita tried not to forget that he was her partner, and she shouldn’t ever want to hurt him.

Imitation. Underneath all that love, She searched their bond for his emotions, finding only the warmth of his love. It cocooned her, soothing some of her in though, Lita could sense a small remnant of guilt, but it was impossible to know the cause. She was still so new to this wolf life; it was sometimes hard for her to tell if what she sensed was triggered by a present event or a memory. Technically, Lita experienced those results differently, memory–induced emotions feeling fuzzier and flatter than fresh emotions. But figuring it out was so nuanced, she couldn’t always be sure. And after embarrassing herself a few times when trying to read Cole’s emotions, Lita preferred to be sure.

“Welp, that’s my cue to be literally anywhere but here” Ace blurted suddenly into the heated air between them all. He swiftly fucked tail and practically ran back in the direction of the fajita stand.

“Traitor!” Lits and Cole both hissed at the same time. Cole narrowed his eyes, tracking Ace’s back as he fled, while Lita fixed her gaze back on her mate “He’s not getting out my line of fire that easily for leaving you alone.” Cole said under his breath.

Cole sighed, sucking his teeth, as he met Lita’s stare, “What the hell are you doing to my friends, hmm? I haven’t seen Ace run from a fight in years. And Alex always goes through me if he wants you to know something. Apparently, you threatened to let Nyx say hello. Is that code for something! should know about?”

Lita shrugged, “That’s for me to know and all your “bro–coders to guess. Plus, I haven’t really done anything to anybody. I can’t help it that Nyx gives off don’t fuck with me energy. What can I say? Eat one she–wolf and stage a coup against Maxim and suddenly everyone looks at you differently.”

“Bro–coders? Do you mean men who are loyal to their Alpha? This isn’t a fraternity, Lita. It’s a pack,” Cole murmured, stepping into Lita’s personal space. “Of course, they all answer to me. It’s not only the natural order of things, but it’s crucial to how our lives run so smoothly, Can’t have too many captains on the deck, love. You know you’re the only one that gets a free pass to be a pain in my ass, right?”

“You meant you’re the one that’s a pain in my ass, right?” Lita gave him a feral grin, toothy and dark, as Nyx bled through

Cole chuckled. “That means I should try to stay off your bad side, huh, Luna? Cole whispered, dragging a calloused thumb down her cheek. Their bond lit up, flushing heat through her like it did every time they touched. And when he called her Luna, Lita’s body vibrated as if he’d called her a queen. His queen. Cole leaned forward as if to kiss her, and Lita palmed his chest to hold him back

“Don’t try to change the subject!” Lita barked, “No pulling on that bond until I get some answers. You’re deflecting. Did you ask him to babysit me sa you could

do whatever it is you did? And I swear to god if you lie, I will let Nyx say hello to your—”

Cole laughed. Loughed like she was adorable and nowhere near ready to sink her claws into his ass. The husky sound made her knees weak and still, she forced herself to ignore it. The band was new to her, but she had figured out how to supersede it, leaving most of her higher thinking intact. He clicked his tongue as if he read her mind. The mate bond let enough emotions flow between them that even when he couldn’t hear her private thoughts, he could sense her private feelings.

Cole looked around as if to check for anyone nearby and nodded. He fixed her with a gaze, “Stop looking at me like that, Lita. I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing because I missed you. Because it’s still so strange to feel someone else here- he tapped the center of his chest “I don’t know how anyone wouldn’t want this for themselves. It’s a great feeling. No, that doesn’t do it justice. You’re like… Like coming home.” Sliding a palm around her waist and up the lower half of her spine, Cole pulled her into him. “And yes, I asked him to keep an eye on you. I never said the word babysit, though,

50…

“Why?” Lita snapped, even as Nyx leaned forward to nuzzle their bond. The traitor couldn’t stay mad at Midnight if their life depended on it.

Bite me,

This is between you two humans. Me and my

the early days.

lazily, leaning down to run his nose along her jaw. Once again, Lita got a whiff of his doused scent and stiffened. Some distant memory of Brian reacting when he inhaled her, sprang to the surface. She

through their bond that it

the things

or anyone else in his circle. You used to live here and there’s bound to be mutts like Tom that want to take a dig. There’s no way I’d leave you to face that all on your own. Though obviously pretty she–wolves working the fajita stand were enough to leave you vulnerable, anyway” Cole’s voice deepened into a growl

anything. You were supposed to be my protection, Cole. Then you disappeared. Where’d you go?” What if he was hiding someone! Old insecurities flared up. Things that Brian had done and said to make her wonder about who he spent his time with when he wasn’t with her. Lita didn’t think Cole was like that. But her emotions weren’t always rational. She’d done a great job holding everything together so far, but it

hot on jealousy’s

heart didn’t care about what made sense. Lita tried to turn away, to give herself a moment to calm down, but Cole’s grip was unyielding. “Hey, stop. What’s going on? Why are you–Lita

the moon that she wasn’t

insisted, her chest heaving. The problem with triggers, Elise always said, was that a person couldn’t control when or why they happened. Lita couldn’t stop her body from reacting to him blocking their scent. She couldn’t pull herself out of the knee–jerk reactions that memories of Brian caused. It was still too new, too

the searing wound James‘ memory evoked. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t stop herself from trembling. Nyx whined, pawing Lita and nosing those inner walls. Cole cursed somewhere overhead, and suddenly her body was moving. Cole had a hand wrapped around her arm. They went through a set of swinging metals doors and Lita’s mind flashed to Maxim’s basement, hairs raising over

see Cole close the door behind them. He flicked the

j–just n–needed a m–minute. I’m

see you breakdown. What’s going on? Your emotions are all over the place.” He inhaled and speared her with a

wolf. He could read her far easier than she could read him. It was irrational to let it make her angry, on top of all the other

she spat, “You’re suppressing

dragged those hands down

palms into his eyes. He looked at Lita and dr over

dropped, every ugly

hard she started tearing up, dreading whatever it was he would say. After working his jaw a few times, Cole seemed to come to a decision and said, “I went somewhere today. Somewhere I needed to go because I couldn’t let it

Lita’s heart with it as she swallowed the knot in her

up. I didn’t think about our scent at all when I was showering. I was trying to bury another scent. At least until enough time had passed that you wouldn’t care anymore.” He

the hell

hold on her

every thought in Lila’s head

with him,” Cole continued, dragging it out.