Sleeping Phoenix

Chapter 7: No Rest for the Wicked

Chapter 7

“Attack me? You didn’t -,” she tried to say.

“Yes, I did,” he interrupted. “It’s ok you don’t have to make me feel better. I’ll just sleep in another room for now. I can -”

“You can calm down! Breathe,” she demanded. “I don’t feel attacked OR assaulted. If anything I feel embarrassed, and I wasn’t crying, I was hiding my face because of the embarrassment.” She cringed just thinking about having this conversation. Moving around she situated herself so that she was facing Gareth head on, so there was no misunderstanding.

“Why are you embarrassed,” he asked bewildered. “I touched you.”

“Exactly!”

“Ok so we’re on the same page. You blame me. I knew it!”

“No! This is not going well. I thought I was in a dream.”

“I don’t follow,” he stated.

“While everything was happening, I thought it was a dream my mind had conjured,” she explained.

“Ok but that still doesn’t explain why you’re embarrassed.”

Mila’s cheeks flushed bright red once more as she resigned herself to confessing her shame to Garreth, her . . . *gulp* mate. “I thought I was dreaming that some stranger was pleasuring me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.” Gareth sat there in front of her silent. With a strange look on his face. “You must know as much considering how I behaved. I didn’t know it was you, but I enjoyed you touching me, even though I didn’t know at the time that was you who touched me. So you must believe I would allow such things with anyone, and what does that make me if not a w***e?”

The entirety of Gareth’s eyes flooded black and a ferocious growl stopped her in her tracks. “You are NOT a w***e! You are mine! I would never think less of you.”

Mila was taken aback by his reaction, she was sure that he would be upset by her wanton behavior earlier. “So you’re not disgusted with me then?” She didn’t mean for her voice to sound so fragile when she asked him, but she found that she couldn’t stomach the thought of him regretting being stuck with her. Which she knew was an odd thought considering she wasn’t sure that she was sold on the whole mate thing.

“Disgu-, are you serious,” he asked sarcastically as his beautiful green eyes returned to normal. Shaking his head in obvious exasperation he reached out, scooped Mila up, and pulled her closer to him to straddle his lap. Causing her to lose her hold on the blanket covering her.

“What are you doing,” Mila gasped very aware they were both naked.

“I’m holding my mate,” Gareth purred in her ear as he wrapped his arms snuggly around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Now, we’re going to settle this once and for all,” he continued with a sexy growl once her front was flush with his chest and her arms rested around his neck. “My wolf should have never put you in a position to be taken advantage of. The only excuse I can give is that he just wants you, every part of you. As do I. He is obviously just impatient to complete the mating process,” he explained hugging her tighter. As if he was worried she would run from him because of his confession. “Never for a moment, think anything about you would ever disgust me. You are perfection, to both of us.”

Mila released a breath she hadn’t even noticed she was holding. It was a daunting concept to grasp. That one person could want another so whole-heartedly was very humbling. It was also empowering to know that very little could be said or done to change this man’s mind about her. Her life was shaping up to be way more complicated than she ever anticipated. But she could admit for the first time that maybe not all for the worst. “You don’t have to keep apologizing,” she mentioned.

“Luckily, for you, I’m done apologizing for now. But honestly I can’t stay too upset when you ‘thoroughly enjoyed yourself’,” he chuckled when he repeated back her words.

“I really shouldn’t have confided that,” she groaned tucking her face into his shoulder. She could feel the rumble of his laughter before she heard it at her embarrassment. “Ugh, its not funny! I’m quite upset you would laugh at me,” she whined.

~*~

She is too cute, Gareth thought to himself. “Sweetheart, don’t be upset,” he laughed. “I’m f*****g thrilled you enjoyed yourself. Ecstatic, even. I mean, the alternative could have been you traumatized. So yeah, I really appreciate that.” He meant it too. He couldn’t believe his wolf lost control like that. He had his wolf under control under normal circumstances, but if he catches even a hint of Mila’s scent he’s pushing forward just to be closer to her. *Mine*, Gareth heard his wolf rumble. As if he wasn’t already acutely aware.

Especially while she was running her fingers through his hair and slightly scraping her nails on his scalp. He was pretty sure she didn’t even realize she was doing it, but he didn’t care because he was a very happy and content wolf. Sparks and goose bumps raced across his body from feeling her hands on him and her body pressed to his.

“Well, I suppose there’s nothing left to discuss then,” she sighed as if she didn’t want to drop the issue but her words said otherwise. “However,” she began speaking again, but, that’s all he heard before he lost his train of thought and forgot to listen.

The slight movements she was making and her sweet breath on his neck was driving him crazy. He could already feel his c**k stirring again. He knew the moment she felt it too, because she stiffened against him slightly and stilled her movements. She also, he noticed, stopped talking as well. s**t, he thought to himself. He didn’t know how long she had been speaking, but he did know it was long enough for her to notice he wasn’t paying attention. She fisted his hair just shy of rough to pull his head back to look at her, which stirred the alpha in him. He knew his eyes flashed black, because hers flashed neon purple in return.

“You weren’t paying attention were you,” she asked with a little bite in her voice looking right into his eyes.

Nothing got his engine revving more than a female challenging him. Especially, his female. In reply his right hand lowered to the plump globe of her ass cheek, gripping roughly. While his left hand drifted up to gently wrap around her throat. “How can I when I’ve got the sexiest female in existence in my lap, naked,” he growled pulling her closer, running his nose up her throat, to breathe in her scent. Her arousal tinted the air and nothing had ever smelled sweeter. “And not just any female, my female,” he rumbled. When her hand tightened in his hair further he growled, “You’re going to bring out the alpha if you don’t ease up on that grip.”

He could tell by the mischievous glint in her beautiful jade eyes that she wanted to defy him. Defy her Alpha. And there was a large part of him that hoped she would. There was an instinctual urge inside of him that wanted to dominate her, and show her who she belonged to. *Mark our female*, his wolf demanded snapping from inside his subconscious as he tried to push forward once more. When he saw another flash of neon purple in her eyes he knew she was about to make a bad personal decision, because his wolf would not hesitate to punish her. In the most pleasurable ways possible. He never broke eye contact, and neither did she, it was a battle of wills he would not back down from.

Then her fingers tightened in his hair.

Gareth was able to hold onto control for all of five seconds before his wolf made an appearance. His eyesight sharpened and prickles of energy zapped through his body. He knew his eyes were black once more because her phoenix was calling back to him through her eyes. In the next second, he had her flipped onto her back, with him resting above her, and cradled between the most succulent thighs he had ever seen. He must have surprised her when her back connected with the mattress, because he felt a burst of air escape her lips followed by a quiet gasp. Taking advantage of her surprise he grabbed both of her wrists with his left hand holding them above her head.

“You’re poking the beast, kitty,” he groaned into her ear putting more of his weight onto Mila.

“I’m not scared,” she tossed back breathlessly turning her head to look into his eyes.

A smile unintentionally crossed his face before he even realized it was happening, and there could only be one way to describe it, feral. “You should be,” he whispered into her ear nipping the lobe with his teeth. She quivered beneath him in pleasure, flooding his senses with even more of her erotic essence. “Because I’m about to teach you a very valuable lesson,” he said, playfully biting at her nose.

“And what lesson would that be,” she panted hesitantly.

“Not to defy your alpha,” he murmured into her neck licking where she would bear his mark. Another gasp slipped past her lips when his c**k lined up perfectly along her wet, needy, p***y.

“You may be an Alpha,” she moaned, lifting her hips to meet his as he thrusted slowly against her c**t. “But that doesn’t make you my Alpha.”

He stilled above her, “Is that so,” he growled down at her. “I guess you need to learn that lesson after all,” he snarled gripping her jaw with his free hand to tilt her head up. He claimed her lips savagely with his own, and to his surprise she didn’t shy away from him. He hadn’t meant to be that rough, but his wolf demanded it. Adding more pressure to the grip he had on her jaw he opened her mouth to receive him fully. His tongue danced with hers, taking in all of her he could. She attempted to free her hands, but that only spurred his wolf on more. Gripping tighter, pulling her hands higher above her head, and thrusting against her once more.

Her moans of pleasure thrilled him to no end. His female liked him rough, he thought to himself. Giving her one last hard kiss on the lips he began kissing his way down her neck, nipping and biting the whole way. Shifting further down, his lips continued their journey across Mila’s chest to her exquisite breasts. They were a work of art, and absolutely delicious. When his mouth enveloped her puckered n****e Mila’s back arched up in offering to his greedy mouth. She tasted like heaven to him. It was addicting. He wanted to taste every inch of her, but there was one spot in particular he wanted to taste the most.

His wolf was so close to the surface he heard his thought and snarled, “Taste you,” at Mila. Looking directly into her eyes. There was no confusion, just lust burning in the depths of her gaze when she nodded her head in agreement. Gareth wasn’t too sure if his wolf was asking or warning, but he was glad he got her consent either way. But he couldn’t help himself by pushing her when he said, “Words, beauty.” He slowed his descent to a crawl on his way to his erotic destination, waiting for her to say the words he wanted so badly. “I want to hear those pouty lips tell me to taste your needy pussy.”

He watched goose bumps ripple over her skin at his words. Another evil grin formed on his face as he watched his sweet mate blush at his order. Words seemed to escape her, because he watched her mouth open and close a couple of times before she groaned in frustration; however, that could also be contributed to him biting into the fleshy part of her hip while he waited for the words. “Come on sweetheart, tell me what you want,” he cooed.

“I - I want you to taste me,” she whispered.

He chuckled, “Where do you want me to taste you?”

She groaned, once more, that bled into a delirious moan as he brought his free hand down to rest above her wet p***y. “You know where,” she growled in frustration.

“Not sure I do,” he breathed. “Would you like to show me?”

She blushed while she looked down at him again, but nodded her head anyway. He released her wrists from his tight grip to allow her hands to be free. He could tell she was a little hesitant, but her hands never once froze on their way down her body to the apex of her thighs. She unabashedly arched her back and spread her p***y lips for him.

“Kitty,” he groaned in absolute awe. “That’s the Alpha’s good girl,” he growled as he leaned in to finally taste his mate. He was ready to devour her whole, and was about to make contact. Gareth felt invincible, but he also felt as though he could explode. The juxtaposition of his emotions were driving him crazy. He was just about to make contact with the world’s most beautiful p***y, when the outside world came knocking.

Literally. Someone, literally, knocked on their door.

Mila put her hand on his forehead to stop him and froze at the interruption. Gareth growled ferociously at the door while sitting back up to rest on his heels, “What?” All the while promising death to everyone outside of their room. All of these interruptions were killing him.

“Sorry Alpha, but there’s a problem downstairs in need of your attention,” came Sarah’s voice from the other side of the door.

“Tell whoever it is to f**k off,” he yelled. “I’m eating breakfast.” Mila slapped him in the chest at his rude and personal reply. “Sorry,” he muttered quietly to her with a dark smirk in place. Then yelled back once more, “My mate and I are - .” She slapped him harder.

Grabbing the back of his neck she yanked him close to her face, “Finish that sentence, and I will personally see to it that you NEVER feel anything from the waist down ever again,” she whisper yelled at him with scary ‘kill you’ eyes.

“Alpha,” Sarah began. “I understand you are busy, but your personal issue from last night is wreaking havoc on the kitchen staff at the moment. And your other personal issue that you have yet to really deal with has gone missing.”

From Mila’s confused expression, he could tell she had no clue what Sarah was talking about. But he did. All too well. He should have killed them both last night when he had the chance, he thought to himself clenching his jaw tight at his newfound annoyance. “I’m coming Sarah,” he replied. “Sorry, I have to go deal with this,” he told Mila gently. He leaned in and kissed her hard and quick before getting out of the bed.

“What exactly are you dealing with,” she asked him.

“Just an issue. It shouldn’t take very long. I’ll be back soon,” he told her. “Don’t worry about it. Just relax until I get back.” He went into the closet to grab some clean sweats, slipped them on, and headed for the door.

He was almost out the door when he heard, “What are you hiding?” He looked back and noticed she hadn’t moved since he got out of the bed. She just sat there gloriously naked. When he stood there just staring at her intensely and not answering she said, “Are you going to answer or just stare at me?”

“I’m not hiding anything. An issue just needs to be addressed,” he assured her.

“If you say so,” she replied.

“I’ll be right back.” With his last statement he walked out of the room and almost ran into a very indignant Sarah. “s**t Sarah, warn a guy if you’re lurking in the corridor.” He continued walking down the hall after going around Sarah.

“Don’t give me that,” she snapped following quickly on his heel. “I’ve known you forever, we practically grew up together. You were supposed to take care of this last night. Not invite them to stay for a visit.”

“Easy Sarah, we maybe practically family, but I’m still your Alpha,” he growled.

Sarah flinched and bowed her head in respect, “I’m sorry Alpha, but I have a certain loyalty to our Luna too. I don’t want to see her hurt over someone as silly as Lacy Rubio,” she sneered the woman’s name. “Alpha Carter is no better. He wouldn’t hesitate to sabotage your relationship if he thought it could further his cause.”

“Look they’ll be gone in a couple of days,” he began. “This place is big enough to keep them completely separated. I’ll make sure someone is distracting either one of them when I can’t be there. Alpha Carter and Lacy will not be in contact with Mila if I have any say so in this. And I do, because my word is law.”

“No offense, Alpha, but I don’t think that is a smart idea to keep the Luna in the dark,” she told him as they made their way down the back stairs that led to the kitchens. “These people are not just going to lie down and take your decision lightly. I don’t care how unaffected they seem now. Mark my words, they are planning something. That is their way.”

“Let them,” he snapped. “Because at the end of the day they will not touch what is mine.”

“Alpha, please. I’ve tried to keep an eye on Lacy all morning, but she’s been absent for a while now. There’s no telling what she’s been up to. Alpha Carter has been busy eating us out of house and home while screwing all the Omega’s that glance his way. The man has only been here one night and has already slept with at least four Omegas,” she explained.

“Was it consensual,” he growled stopping in his tracks. “I will not tolerate any mistreatment of women in my home.”

“Yes, of course it was consensual,” she said calmly. “If it was a situation otherwise do you think I would have waited until now to tell you? No they were just typical Alpha climbers hoping to inspire weak men to make them more than they are.”

Nodding his head, Gareth kept making his way towards the kitchen, “Alright, but you’ll let me know if something happens?”

“Of course, Alpha. But I still believe that the Luna should know who they are and why they are here.”

“Gods, Sarah, you’re relentless,” he huffed in annoyance stopping in his tracks forcing Sarah to stop as well. He looked at her straight on so that there would be no misunderstanding him, “This is to stay quiet, do you understand me? She is to know nothing about this until I want her to know.” He bled his Alpha energy into the room causing her to cower. “When the time is right I will tell her. Now have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, Alpha,” she nodded stiffly.

“Thank you, and I’m sorry for my short temper,” he apologized. “Now go see to your duties and make sure you find Lacy and keep an eye on her. Please.” With his last request he walked down the hallway heading towards the door to the kitchen. He heard Sarah turn and walk back the way they came. He felt bad for snapping on Sarah, but he was wound tight and didn’t appreciate all of the interruptions. Granted that wasn’t completely Sarah’s fault, but she also needed to realize that he would do as he saw fit. He was Alpha for a reason, and she needed to remember that.

Opening the kitchen door, Gareth expected to hear Alpha Carter complaining and degrading the kitchen staff. What he did not expect was to walk in on the tail end of Alpha Carter f*****g one of the kitchen staff. He had her bent over the kitchen island railing her hard from behind. The girl spotted him, before Alpha Carter, gasping, “Alpha.” She tried to stand up, but Alpha Carter just shoved her back down and redoubled his efforts. He was pounding into her so hard and relentlessly that the island rattled at the impact. The girl was so lost in lust that she didn’t even fight him as he f****d her in front of him.

“That’s right, say my name,” he grunted into her ear thinking she had been talking to him. This man clearly had no survival instincts. He still had no clue Gareth had just walked in on them. “f**k I’m going to come. I’m going to come all over you. Your tight little cunt going to milk me so good,” he groaned never once slowing his pace. Grabbing her hair roughly, he used it as leverage while continuing to shove into her. He gave two more thrusts before they both screamed as Carter emptied himself in the girl.

“I was told there was a disturbance in the kitchens,” he growled. “I didn’t expect to walk into this.”

Alpha Carter turned his head to look at Gareth and laughed while still inside of the girl, “Sorry, but you know how it is. Did you come down here to take a turn too?” He gestured with a nod in her direction. The audacity of this man astounded him. After waiting what felt like a year, Carter finally pulled out of her. The awkwardness of Gareth standing over them started to make the girl uncomfortable and she squirmed trying to wiggle away from them both.

“I’m so sorry Alpha,” the girl began trying, unsuccessfully, to cover herself. He stopped her with a lifted hand not wanting to hear any excuses.

“Get out,” he growled at her. She jumped at his tone, grabbed her clothes, and ran out of the room. It wasn’t that he was mad at her for having a good time, he was annoyed by the disrespect. Wolves were very s****l creatures by nature. He also had his own s****l exploits. So it would be a bit hypocritical of him to shame her for f*****g Alpha Carter. However, he would not stand for them doing as they please in his home. In his Luna’s home. Alpha Carter, needed to learn to respect another mans property. Gareth didn’t own this girl, but she was a part of his pack. So for Carter to come into his home and treat it and his people as a brothel was unacceptable.

“Oh come now Alpha, if she was one of your favorites I apologize,” he chuckled while he straightened his clothes. “But she didn’t seem to mind that I was f*****g her.”

“I don’t give a f**k who you convince to get your d**k wet, but you will respect my home and hospitality,” he snapped. “That girl is not mine to control. Has never been anything but a pack member to me, and that’s all she will ever be. My mate is all I care about. So if she is willing to let you use her as a s*x toy, then so be it. But understand me, Alpha or not, if you ever presume to disrespect me, my home, or my mate I will kill you where you stand.”

Alpha Carter bowed up at his threat stepping into Gareth’s space, “Is that so,” he asked. “I guess I’ll just have to take my fun elsewhere then.” He didn’t know what shocked him more, Carter being reasonable or Carter not reacting to his threat. “Besides, I have some business to see to anyways.” With that Carter turned and walked out of the kitchen. Confusing Gareth even further. Sarah was right, he was definitely up to something. That man was far too comfortable.

“f**k,” Gareth cursed to himself in the empty room. Connecting to the energy of the pack, Gareth contacted Bowe, Sarah, and Daric through their collective link, to tell them to meet him in his office.

He headed straight for his office and made it just as the other three arrived. “Come in,” he told them.

“What’s up,” Bowe asked as he sat in front of Gareth’s desk. “Seemed kind of urgent.”

“I need you to keep an eye on Carter while he is here. Anything and everything he does is to be reported to me,” Gareth instructed as he also took a seat. While Sarah and Daric remained standing.

“No problem,” Bowe said. “Am I looking out for anything specific?”

“I’m not sure yet. It’s just a feeling in my gut,” Gareth told Bowe. “I also have assignments for you two as well,” he said looking at Daric and Sarah. Daric didn’t look completely healed from the day before. Gareth felt bad, but he couldn’t bring himself to apologize just yet. The smell of Mila’s blood was still too fresh. “Sarah, have you found Lacy yet?”

“No Alpha,” she groused. “I’ve looked everywhere and she’s still MIA.”

“Well look harder; because, until they leave, you are on Lacy watch. Make sure your other duties are assigned to someone else for the time being. That will be your only duty.” She assented with a nod. “Daric, when I can’t be with Mila I want you watch her.”

“Umm, is that a good idea, Alpha,” Daric asked. “Not trying to point out the obvious but the last time I hung out with her it didn’t end well,” he mentioned waving at himself.

“Well this time don’t make her bleed,” he snapped. “For whatever reason, she likes you, and has befriended you, enough to take me on in your defense. That’s good enough for me. Just watch her and protect her with your life,” he ordered.

“Of course, Alpha. I would do nothing less for my Luna, but she’s not stupid. She’s going to notice if I’m just following her around,” Daric pointed out. “What do I tell her?”

“The truth. That she has quickly become your friend and you like spending time with her,” Gareth instructed.

“Oh ok so you want him to omit the truth,” Bowe chuckled. “Not feeling confident enough to tell her the truth?”

“Watch it, I’m in a s**t mood as it is. Don’t add to it,” Gareth growled at Bowe. “She will know everything once the problem is dealt with,” he said to the collective group. “And before you say it, Sarah, I know you think it’s a bad idea,” he said looking at her because he could tell she was itching to reaffirm her concerns from earlier. She lowered her head out of respect but not before she could completely hide her scowl. “Now everyone go do your jobs so we can make sure nothing bad goes down.”

“Excuse me, Alpha, but why not just toss them out if you’re that worried,” Sarah asked.

He’s been asking himself that same question since he agreed to allowing them to stay, but he knew the answer, “As powerful as we are as a pack, we need allies. Carter is our closest ally to the north. If we lose that alliance then that could encourage others to become more bold and attack us. I have complete faith in our packs ability to protect our own; but if Carter turns on us, he takes the north with him and any allies we have up there. Because none of the packs further north of Carter will go against him. The packs are too small and untried. This is why I accepted Carter’s offer, initially, to take Lacy as my chosen mate; because it put us in a position to secure more power.”