Alpha Orion’s Wolfless Warrior

13| YIELD!

ORION

My body pinned her soft one to the floor. I held my wolf back, teeth grinding together to stop my fangs from popping out.

My d**k went hard right against her hips. I felt like a perv, but the smell of her peaches messed up my brain.

“Get off me right now,” She panted in my face, but her voice shook. The mate bond hit her just as hard.

I took three long seconds to drink her in. Then I backed off.

She swung her blade again. I grabbed the steel, pulled it from her grip, and tossed it away. I locked my arm around her neck, pulling her back against my chest.

She slammed her elbow back into my ribs.

I grunted, but kept my grip. She didn't stop. She used her full weight, twisted her hips, and drove her heel into my foot. The pain made me slip. She turned, hooked her leg behind mine, and drove us both down.

We hit the floor hard. She landed right on top of my chest, her knees locking my arms to the floor.

I looked up into her eyes. My wolf roared to take control, to flip her over and claim her. I could crush her in two seconds if I used my Alpha strength. I could. I didn’t.

She held my blade to my throat. Her chest rose and fell against mine, her skin hot. All I could think about was how f*****g beautiful she was, and how I’d like to claim her in every single way.

"Yield," she demanded, her gaze fierce.

I stared at her bruised lips. I couldn’t resist the urge to touch her. My hand reached up, fingers brushing her slender waist. "I yield, peach."

A surprised gasp left her throat. She stared down at the blade, then at the crowd of open-mouthed warriors, and finally back at me.

"You let me win," she whispered, her brow furrowing.

"No," I rasped, my thumb tracing her hip bone. "You took me down."

She swallowed, then quickly scrambled off me, cheeks red. Grabbing her weapons, she rushed toward the back room.

The fight in the ring had settled down by the time I walked into my office, but the tension in my chest hadn't. I shut the door behind me with a loud bang. I needed a second alone to clear my head of Haylee’s scent and how good her body felt against mine.

Before I could sit at my desk, the door clicked open, and a warrior, Jane walked in. She had unzipped her leather training vest down to her navel, showing off a black lace bra and way too much skin. I raised a brow, confused. She locked the door behind her with a slow twist of the wrist.

"Can I help you?" I asked, my voice flat as I stood behind the desk.

Jane smirked, hips swaying as she walked straight up to me. She didn't stop until her chest was nearly pressed against mine. She reached out, running a long fingernail down the middle of my chest.

"You look stressed, Alpha," she whispered, her voice too sweet for my liking. "All this hard training. You need a real woman to take the edge off."

I didn't move. Didn’t blink either. "Get your hand off me, Jane."

She giggled, leaning in closer until her lips almost touched my jaw. "Come on, Orion. Piper is too boring for a man like you. That girl lost herself after her mate died. I can give you what you actually need right now. No strings attached. Just you, me and our little secret.”

She reached down, grabbing my belt buckle.

I grabbed her wrist in a vice grip and shoved her back. She stumbled, hitting the wall with a gasp.

"Get out," I growled, my wolf flashing in my eyes. "Now."

Jane rubbed her wrist, her friendly smile vanishing into a bitter sneer. She pulled her vest together, her eyes narrowing at me.

"You're making a mistake, Orion," she said, her voice dropping the sweet tone entirely. "You'll need me. You'd better agree before it's too late."

"I won't tell you again," I warned, stepping around the desk.

She placed her hand on the door handle, turning back to look at me with a grin.

"You think you can play games in this pack? I know things, Alpha. And I can help you with Haylee." She paused as if to let that sink in. I didn’t offer a reaction. She went on, “Or... I can make sure you never get near her again. And I surely have my ways. Think about it."

She unlocked the door, stepped out, and slammed it shut behind her.

***

I sat at the Graymore dining table that evening, ready to talk about the official wedding dates. I thought this was supposed to be a meeting between the people concerned. My jaw stayed tight as I watched Haylee seated across me, looking so utterly uncomfortable.

Beta Harry poured wine, his fake smile wide. Piper sat next to me, her eyes fixed on her plate. Haylee sat across from us, tossing her food about in the plate.

"We need to settle this," mother spoke, cutting through the silence. "The alliance needs a set time."

"Name the day," Harry said, holding his glass up.

"Two weeks from today," my mother declared. "The full moon. My son, Orion and Piper will bond before both packs.”

Haylee froze. Her face turned pale, white as a sheet. Her knuckles went white as she clutched her napkin under the table, forcing her chest to rise and fall in a slow rhythm. I watched as she struggled to pick up her fork again, nudging a piece of meat around her plate.

"That sounds wonderful," Harry beamed, raising his cup higher. "A full moon wedding."

Haylee took a sip of water. Her hand shook so bad the glass clinked against her teeth, but she forced the liquid down. She sat through another three minutes of their chatter, still staring straight at her plate, before she slowly put her glass down.

"Father," Haylee finally spoke, her voice small. "May I be excused? My stomach hurts."

Harry scowled at her. "You always pick the worst times to have an issue."

"Let her go, honey," her mother chimed in. "She looks sick."

Haylee stood up without looking at anyone. She walked out of the room with brisk steps.

The moment her footsteps faded up the stairs, a drop in temperature hit my core. A wave of pain slammed into my gut. f**k. I guessed right. She was breaking apart up there.

"So, about the venue..." Harry continued, oblivious.

I couldn't breathe. The pain in my chest grew tight, pulling me toward the stairs. My wolf clawed at my chest, demanding I go to her.

"Excuse me," I said, standing up from the table.

Harry blinked, surprised. "Is something wrong, Alpha?"

"I need some air," I lied, my jaw tight.

I didn't wait for a response. I walked out of the dining room and headed up the stairs, following the scent of peaches and… fresh blood. My steps quickened, and before I knew it, I’d broken into a full run.

I reached her bedroom door. It stood slightly open. I pushed it wide and froze.

Haylee was on her knees by the bed, clutching her stomach as tears streamed down her face. But it wasn't just tears. When she looked up at me, both of her eyes burned a deep, bloody crimson.

"Orion," she gasped, her voice full of terror. "Orion, please help me… please… I… something is happening to me.”