The Alpha's Daughter

Chapter 4: Alone with the Alpha

Summer glanced around at Alpha Barton's insistence that she held the gaze of 3 Alphas. Alpha Marco was staring daggers at Alpha Barton whilst looking at Summer with lustful eyes. His canines were still out - Summer realised she never seen him with entirely human features. She'd never met so animalistic a wolf. As he caught her looking his way, he met her gaze and licked his lips purposefully, before dropping his gaze back to Summer's almost exposed body.

She turned her back to Alpha Marco, looping her hand into the crook of Alpha Barton's arm. Her eyes skimmed over Alpha Clark. He was watching him, less predator and more sorrow in his gaze. She wondered about the source of that sorrow - perhaps he'd hoped in this hall of unmated she wolves he'd have scented his mate.

Summer wondered which other Alpha Barton was referring to, glancing through the wolves as discretely as she could. Her father. Alpha Jack was watching her with a mixed expression. Summer knew he felt a sense of ownership over her. Whilst he'd never actually crossed a line, his attention had been different since she'd been a teenager and even moreso after her first shift. She had never felt loved as a daughter should by her father, but now his attentions were inappropriate and made Summer extremely uncomfortable. His gaze shifted between Summer and Barton - he should be pleased by their closeness, he'd demanded it after all, but he watched with jealousy in his eyes.

Summer was never aware of the attention on her - she was the Alpha's Daughter, not his son, so she was unimportant. Usually she felt ignored, or that people paid attention only to ingratiate themselves with her father or brother. She shuddered.

"You're right, let's go somewhere quieter."

Knowing the mansion better, Summer led the way, her hand still wrapped in Barton's arm. Would that constant tingle of electricity always be there when they touched? It was intoxicating. Summer led them through a smaller side door, not to the main balcony off the great hall, but a smaller one. It was dark, the moon was waxing but currently only at 3/4 - of course the Goddess was gifting her chosen, Luca, with a full moon on his 18th birthday for his first shift.

Summer took her hand from Alpha Barton's arm, closing the door behind them and breathing the outdoor air deeply. Below them, manicured gardens gave way in the distance to the woods. She rested her forearms on the balustrade, enjoying the view and relative silence for a moment.

Hyper aware of his presence, Summer felt Alpha Barton move behind her. His large hands rested in the balustrade beside hers, gripping it hard. His nose brushed against her auburn hair as he took in her scent. His breathing grew heavier in response to her, and his hand gripped the stone harder still.

"What is this power you have on me?" Alpha Barton's voice was huskier. His front brushed against Summer's almost bare back, and they both gasped at the sensation. Alpha Barton jumped back and placed his hands on Summer's hips, spinning her gently to face him.

His dark eyes locked with her blue ones. Summer wondered how she'd seen him as a greying old wolf. He was enigmatic. His hands on her hips were shooting electric energy through both of them.

"My wolf says it's not the mate bond. She's certain, but what else could be this strong?"

Alpha Barton couldn't tear his eyes from hers, "It's not the mate bond, it can't be. I wasn't the only one feeling it."

He paused looking uncomfortable and angry all at once, "I suspect every Alpha not mated feels you. I crave you, I've never longed for my wolf to scream mate so much about anybody - and I have up on that a long time ago. You don't feel this with anyone else?"

Summer could hear the hope in Alpha Barton's question. She wondered for a moment - Alpha Marco repulsed her, but she felt a similar intense connection. Even Clark, there was something there, but it felt different again. More tentative.

"Not this. Something, but not like this."

Summer pressed her hips into his hands. He held her back for a moment, studying her expression with jealousy in his eyes. Her taking about a connection with other wolves was driving his wolf insane. Not like this.

Alpha Barton relaxed his grip, slipping his hands from Summer's hips up to her shoulder blades. He pulled her nearer even as she pressed forward into him. His lips found hers. Their lips brushed and shivers ran through both of them, even before they kissed.

The kiss was chaste at first, Summer pulled back, breathing heavily despite its tenderness. Alpha Barton let a soft growl escape him, "How the hell am I supposed to control myself around you, especially dressed like this? Goddess, Summer, I've never felt this before, how are you not my mate?"

Summer was shaking. She answered with another kiss. Her lips parted against his, and their kids deepened. Alpha Barton's hands moved back to her hips and he lifted her onto the balustrade, his mouth exploring hers passionately. His wolf could scent her arousal, and he was painfully aware that the scanty dress was all she wore. His kisses shifted to her neck and he licked the spot he desperately wanted to mark.

Suddenly he pulled away, backing up until he pressed against the cold stone of the building.

"Summer, go inside, I'm losing control!"

His gaze was wild, and he looked truly shocked at himself. His wolf was coming forth. He fought the change, wishing to stay longer with her, but his wolf wanted so badly to claim her. He could hear the other Alpha's wolves howling silently for her. Even through just the scent carried into the great hall through open windows, their wolves were going wild at the fragrance of her arousal.

He slipped his shirt off just before the change began. Summer took in his muscular build - for an Alpha to rule his pack so long with no Luna he must be strong. She gazed at him a moment before opening the door behind her. He was fighting it, but his wolf was strong. She backed through the door as Alpha Barton's muscles shifted, bones cracked. His pants slipped off, slightly torn as the massive dark grey wolf emerged. He stepped towards Summer, breathing her scent deeply.

Alpha Barton circled Summer a few times in wolf form, breathing her in. He desperately wanted to claim her, wolf and human. These other Alpha's wanting her so only made him more desperate for her - to claim her before one of them did. Internally, Barton wrestled his wolf for control,

You've had her all evening, let her run with me.

Not tonight, she needs to see us as stable. Marco is a rabid beast, and Clark may be too timid to fight us both for her. Her father has his claim on her but he indicated he wanted to see her mated. Give me back control, you'll run with her soon enough.

Barton's wolf growled, startling Summer, but she didn't step back. She met his gaze defiantly. When she saw his muscles ripple and heard the first crunch of bone, Summer turned away to face back into the great hall. A few minutes later she heard the zip of pants and rustle of fabric.

"You shouldn't have stayed. I'm sorry, I haven't lost control of him since my first shift."

Barton couldn't bring himself to tell her it was the other Alpha's scenting her which drive him to madness.

"I understand. My wolf is desperate to meet him too. Alpha Barton... what do you want?"

"You" he growled, closing the distance between them and claiming another kiss. Summer returned it eagerly, though she felt he hasn't grasped her meaning. Alpha Barton pinned her to the door behind her, both of them momentarily forgetting how exposed her back was.

A minute later, Summer and Barton were startled apart by a snarling Marco. He'd leapt from the main balcony to the smaller one they occupied, and wrenched Barton away from Summer. He was salivating as he got between them, snarling. With no discretion, he breathed in Summer's scent, first at her neck, then breast. As he knelt before her, sniffing at her groin, Alpha Barton snarled and pulled him back.

"Alpha Marco, step back from her. Now."

Barton's voice dripped with threat. Summer has stepped back, to the edge of the balcony, away from the Alphas as Alpha Clark burst through the door.

"Stay back from her, both of you."

As the Alphas, with minimal witnesses, eyes each other threateningly, Summer shook away her shock. She shifted rapidly, realising this may swiftly come to blows but maybe if she was gone it wouldn't. Not caring at all about the awful dress her father has forced her to wear, she let it tear off her as she took her wolf form.

The sounds of her shifting distracted the Alpha's from their posturing. Three Alphas watched her as she shook out her reddish grey coat. She was tiny compared to Barton's wolf, but she was large for a she wolf. She jumped onto the balustrade, glancing back to the Alpha's to see her father also burst through the door before she leapt.

The drop was only a floor. The impact jarred her joints, but she rolled to take most of the momentum. Scrambling to her feet, she glanced up one last time. Alpha Jack was standing between the three, sobered up by a neat war being declared on his balcony. Marco had followed her to the edge and was holding her torn dress. She saw her truck it into his pocket, and ran into the forest.