Pack Alpha

Chapter Seven

Gage held Marissa in his arms and caressed her body. She hadn’t said anything since they’d finished the claiming, but she hadn’t pulled away either. Her body remained relaxed and soft against him.

When she rubbed against him, he felt the wetness between her thighs—evidence of the claiming and mating still running through her body. Cupping her round curvy bottom, he lifted her up and onto his thighs.

“Ride me, baby. Fuck me.”

She did. Moving up on her knees, she took him inside. She rode him fast, lifting herself up and down, her clit rubbing against him while he played with her nipples.

“Mine.” He lifted his mouth to take one pert nub inside.

Marissa cried out, riding him faster, taking them both to a fast but powerful climax. Sweating and panting, she fell on his chest.

Gage held her tight. “I love you.”

Marissa jerked and brought her head up. “What?”

Gage laughed at the expression on her face. With a hand in her hair, he brought her mouth inches from his. “You heard me.”

“But—”

Gage nipped her lip. “I’ve claimed you. Why would I do that if I didn’t love you?”

“To protect me. To keep me in your Pack.”

Gage’s stomach dropped. Was that what she really thought? Was that why she did it, allowed him to claim her? Gage started to move her off of him.

Marissa tightened her legs, holding Gage under her. Inside her.

“Marissa.”

Marissa just shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

Gage sighed. He’d been stupid. Thinking she would fall in love as fast as he had. But he’d known the first time he saw her looking defiant and angry that she was the one who would take his heart.

Using his strength, he lifted her off of him. She growled but he ignored her and stood.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

Gage didn’t even turn around. “To shower. We still have a lot to do to take care of your old Pack.”

Marissa watched his back as he walked into the bathroom and slammed the door. Well, that hadn’t gone well. The wolf inside her complained and demanded she go after her mate.

She knew she should have told him that she loved him too. And she did. The first time he kissed her, he had taken her heart along with her soul. He was everything to her, but giving him knowledge of that was hard for an independent woman.

Huffing out an irritated breath, Marissa stood and walked to the bathroom. She smiled when the knob turned in her hand and she opened the door. She could see Gage, through the glass, with both hands braced against the wall and his head bent under the spray. Pulling in all her courage, she opened the glass door and stepped silently behind him.

He jumped as she touched his back. “What are you doing?”

Marissa leaned into him, pressing her naked body against his. “Helping you shower.” She reached over and picked up the soap from the dish.

Using shaking hands, afraid of rejection, she began washing his body. Running her soapy hands over his shoulders, down his strong back, to the sculpted ass she wanted to sink her teeth into, she took in his scent. Mixed with sweat, soap, and her own.

Kneeling behind him, she began to run her hands up and down his legs. She slipped her hands over his body and massaged the flesh as she washed.

When she massaged his cheeks then ran a finger between them, his body shivered. Marissa liked the reaction. Gage had introduced her to so much in the past week. Maybe, just maybe, she could do the same for him. To show him how she felt.

She wasn’t a hundred percent sure what she was doing. Her hand worked on its own as she washed and touched him. Her fingers found themselves between his legs, running over his anus before slipping forward to massage his sac.

He shuddered at her touch and she moved with more confidence. While massaging his sac and then his thick cock, she used her other hand to run over his tight hole. Slowly and carefully, she slipped just the tip of her finger carefully in and out.

His breath rushed out and he groaned. His hands on the shower wall started to shake. Marissa continued to stroke him with one hand while she pushed her finger into the back entrance that had never been penetrated.

His hips moved as she grew in confidence and fingered the prostate. If what she’d read in books was right, he would enjoy this. She knew he’d never had it done before—they’d talked about all their sexual experiences and likes. He’d told her this was something he was willing to try with the right partner. And she was the right partner, the only one he would have from now on, and she was a mate who wouldn’t share.

She matched her rhythm on his shaft, the strokes in and out of his ass, finally pushing her finger all the way inside. His hips moved forward, rubbing against her hands before slamming back against her finger. Gage picked up the speed with his movements and Marissa added a second finger. He groaned and she knew he was close to climax. The hoarse cry that tore out of his throat echoed around the bathroom as his body bucked and he started to spill his seed over Marissa’s hand and the shower tile.

Once he’d released, Marissa took her hands from him and started to kiss her way up. When she reached his shoulder, she bit into it. Gage’s body jerked under her. When she slipped between him and the shower wall, she met his eyes.

“I love you Gage. I have from the beginning. And you are mine too.”

Emotions broke out over his face, and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her all over her face.

He ignored the light knock on the door. When the knock came again, he lifted his head and yelled. “Go away!”

The knock sounded again and they heard Logan’s voice. “I apologise for interrupting Alpha.”

“Then don’t,” Gage complained, keeping contact with her.

“Yes, sir. I wouldn’t, except we have a visitor that has arrived.”

Gage’s face shut down before he reached over and turned off the water. Grabbing a towel, he wrapped it around his waist before looking back at her with hot, promising eyes. He handed her a large towel before yanking the door open.

“And just who did you let in without my permission?”

“Your father, Alpha.”

Marissa’s heart sank.

Gage laughed, surprising her. “I should have guessed. We’ll be right down.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Logan stepped away from the door and Gage beckoned for Marissa to leave the bathroom with him.

Gage pulled his clothes on quickly while watching her do the same.

“I hate to see you cover that beautiful body,” Gage teased.

Pulling on her jeans, Marissa sent him a dirty look. “Well, I’m not meeting your father without clothes on.”

Gage stalked towards her. “Okay, how about just without the panties?”

Marissa moved out of his reach. He could have caught her, but he was trying to relax her. It was obvious she was nervous about his father being there. “Come on! It’s your house now too.”

“Absolutely not! It’s bad enough we both have wet hair so he’ll probably guess what we were doing!”

“Oh he’ll more than guess since we smell like each other and sex.” Gage wrapped an arm around her waist as she tried to pull her shirt on.

“Stop that!” Marissa ordered, but he didn’t miss the smile playing at the corner of her lips.

Once she was dressed, he held out his hand. “Then let’s go get this over with then so we can get back to what we were doing.”

Marissa put her hand in his and he pulled her from the room.

“What’s he doing here?”

“He probably heard about the trouble.”

They walked into the living room just as Logan handed Gage’s father a glass filled with brown liquid.

“Father,” Gage greeted.

The man stood and walked over quickly. “Son.”

The two men stood for a moment before laughing and embracing in a big hug. The embrace lasted several minutes before the older man turned his eyes to her. Stepping away from his son, he took in Marissa.

She looked practically ready to run. Gage knew his father would understand and put her at ease. Even before any of this happened, Gage had told his father about her.

“You must be Marissa.”

Marissa nodded and dropped her eyes. Gage wanted to tell her that wasn’t necessary, but his father moved first.

“My daughter,” he said softly as he hugged her to him. “I welcome you into my family.”

When he pulled away, Gage noticed the surprise on her face and knew his father hadn’t missed it either.

“I am so pleased to meet my son’s chosen.”

Marissa glanced over at Gage, and he smiled at her reassuringly. She relaxed visibly and looked at his father.

“It is nice to meet you too.” Her voice was soft but strong. Showing her strength even when she was afraid.

His father took her arm and headed for the couch. Gage followed and sat in a chair across from them. Logan remained by the door, still on watch.

“We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other better, but first, let’s discuss this situation with the other Pack,” his father told Marissa as they sat.

Thirty minutes later, Marissa was arguing with both men.

“There should be no challenge!” Her voice rose above the rest.

Gage shook his head. “He will challenge me. And I have to accept.” He knew she didn’t want him to, but she had to understand where he was coming from. Protecting her was his duty.

“You don’t have to do anything,” she argued.

“He must protect his mate.” His father spoke the words Gage had been thinking.

Frustrated, Marissa stomped to the window and looked out. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of me,” she said more quietly.

Gage wrapped his arms around her, and rested his chin on the top of her head.

“Baby, even if we weren’t mated, which we are, I would accept a challenge from him for everything he put you and your sister through.” He turned her around so he could look in her eyes. “I love you. I will make sure you are always protected.”

Reaching up, Marissa cupped his cheeks. “I love you.”

As their lips met in a soft kiss, all of their troubles seemed to melt away. As the kiss went deeper, he heard someone clear their throat from across the room. They broke away, but Gage held onto her.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, embarrassed.

Gage’s father’s eyes were bright with unshed tears. “It’s understandable. I can remember—” His cell phone ringing cut him off.

The conversation was quick and brief. Marissa knew Gage could hear what was being said on both sides of the phone. Her hearing, while good, wasn’t that good. When the phone call was over, Gage hugged her tightly.

“There will be no challenge,” Gage’s father announced.

Marissa relaxed. “Really?”

He nodded. “Seems Brandon’s father stepped in and won’t allow him to take this any further.”

“Oh thank God!” Marissa kissed Gage quickly. “What’s wrong?” she asked when he didn’t say anything.

Gage smiled and kissed her back. “Nothing, baby. This is good. Why don’t you go upstairs and change, and we’ll take my father to town for a steak dinner?”

Marissa nodded even while she looked suspiciously at him. He knew she would still worry, but he didn’t want her involved in the next discussion. She looked over her shoulder before she opened the door and he sent her what he hoped was a relaxed smile.

Gage waited until he heard the bedroom door open before speaking. He looked at his father and then his Beta.

“This isn’t over. No matter what they say. They are up to something.”

Logan took a few steps from his post by the door. “I saw his face when he said Marissa belonged with him. It doesn’t matter what his father told him.”

Gage’s father rubbed a hand over his face. “I agree with both of you. And since he is Alpha now, he doesn’t have to follow what his father says.”

Gage thought of when Marissa had told him that she loved him. He hadn’t cared about the other Pack. He’d only cared about having her in his arms for the rest of his life. He wasn’t about to give that up.

“From everything I’ve read and what Marissa’s told me, I don’t think he’ll come at me through proper channels.”

“An ambush, maybe?” Logan suggested.

“Or they may just try to take her,” Gage’s dad mused out loud.

“They won’t get her,” Gage assured the men. “They would have to get through me first.”

His dad nodded, but worry was etched on his face. “That doesn’t mean that they won’t try.”

“Let them. I would love a chance to go after that entire Pack for what they did to Marissa.” He fisted his hands in anger just thinking about what his mate had gone through. He slowly unclenched them and ran a frustrated hand over his face.

“You need to keep a calm head,” his father advised, walking over to refill his glass.

“And what would you do?” Getting angry, Gage began to pace the room.

His father took his time refilling his drink and took a sip before responding. “I’m no longer the Alpha of the Pack, so it doesn’t matter. What does is how you handle this threat to your Pack.”

Gage took a deep breath before speaking. His father had always run the Pack fairly, and they’d thrived under his leadership. “I understand I can’t go looking for trouble. But if they bring it to me, I will be ready for them. The only way they’ll get to her is to come into my territory.”

Logan cleared his throat and drew both men’s attention. “So she’s not leaving?”

“Of course not!” Gage shouted.

Logan nodded and dropped his eyes in a submissive gesture.

“Damn! I’m sorry, Logan. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

His father walked over and threw his arm around Gage’s shoulder. “I think I’ll take a rain check on dinner. Logan can keep me company. You need to go see your mate.”

Gage went without looking at either man. Who would have thought falling in love and claiming a mate would make him feel so out of control?