The Alpha in her Dreams

A Very Welcome Home

“Is everything okay? Things sounded tense on the phone.”

“There are some concerns. There’s been an uptick in rogue activity and Beck isn’t sure why.”

She turned into him. “What does that mean?”

“Rogues are troublemakers. A lot of them have been kicked out of their packs for unruly behavior. Not all of them, of course,” he added quickly, thinking of her dad. “Sometimes they’re orphaned when they’re young and their pack either doesn’t want them or doesn’t find them. Sometimes wolves leave because of harsh leadership within a pack. We sometimes catch rogue scents around our borders but in the past few days there have been more. One tried to cross our boundaries last night. It’s probably nothing but Beck is concerned. I’m afraid I’m going to have to go back, at least for a couple of days. I really don’t want to leave you with everything that has just happened. Is there any way you could come with me?”

Laurel felt torn. “I don’t want to be away from you either, but I need to get back to work.”

“I can’t imagine not sleeping by your side. Why don’t you call in and come with me?” Shepherd pressed, his voice apprehensive.

“I really can’t, Shepherd. I’ve already missed a couple of days and my work will be piled up when I get back.” She paused. “How long will you be gone?”

“I’ll leave in the morning, but I can probably be back on Saturday.”

Two nights without Shepherd. She wondered at the pang of sadness that calculation brought. She knew the mate bond was real because she’d been with Henry for three years and never once felt depressed at the thought of being away from him. She enjoyed her alone time and never pictured herself as the clingy girlfriend type.

But here she was, contemplating whether she really needed her job just so she wouldn’t have to spend two nights away from Shepherd. She shook her head. You are not this girl, Laurel. Get a grip on yourself. You need to get back to your job. You can spend two days without Shepherd. It won’t kill you. She wasn’t sure she believed her own words, but she willed herself to remain strong.

“Saturday. We can do that. Right?”

Shepherd sighed and gripped her tighter. “I guess we’ll have to, Sunshine. I’ll come back sooner if I can.”

Laurel stayed snug in his embrace, trying to fight off the already looming feeling of loneliness. There was a little turbulence on the flight, but she felt safe with Shepherd. It didn’t bother her as much as it had the first time. When they arrived in New York, her stomach was rumbling.

Shepherd looked at her as they descended from the plane. “Are you hungry?”

Laurel smiled, amused that he could hear her stomach growling. “I could eat,” she responded, grinning at him mischievously.

“There you go again, repeating back my words,” he laughed. “Let’s get something to eat before we head back to your apartment.”

After dinner, they arrived at the apartment to find Susu on the couch.

“Hey you two! How did everything go in Oregon? Were you able to figure anything out?”

Laurel settled on the couch beside Susu and Shepherd joined her, resting his hand on her knee. “Yes, it’s all resolved. It was a big trip. Lots of surprises.” She smiled at Shepherd. “But overall, it was good. Lucy will keep the land.”

Susu let out a sigh of relief. “Great! I was really worried about you.”

“Thanks, Susu. I’m pretty beat. We’re going to head to bed. Do you work tomorrow?”

“Yep! As always! Are you heading back to work tomorrow or….?” She looked from Laurel to Shepherd and back again to Laurel with a wicked grin.

Laurel laughed. “Yeah, somebody has to straighten out Jim’s bossy ass. And Shepherd has to go to Silver Moon for a couple of days.”

“Coming back for more after that, dream man?”

Shepherd grinned as he stood up, taking Laurel’s hand and pulling her up from the couch. “Nothing could stop me.”

When the door to the bedroom closed behind them, Shepherd pulled Laurel into a tight embrace. “I love you, Laurel. I’m so thankful to have found you. You know that, right?”

She smiled against his chest. “I think I may have an idea.”

Pulling back slightly, he kissed her gently upon the lips. “Good, then I’ve made my intentions clear.”

She kissed him back, more passionately. “Crystal clear.”

Shepherd led her to the bed and laid her down, slowly crawling so that he hovered above her. He leaned down and kissed her again, parting her lips as she willingly gave him access to her. Their kisses became more heated, and he growled as he released her, ripping her shirt from her body.

“Hey,” she laughed. “I liked that shirt!”

His voice was low and thick with desire. “I’ll buy you another.”

He kissed her neck, working his way down to her breasts, sucking and gently tugging at her n*****s until she moaned out in pleasure. Kissing all along her stomach, he made his way to her already pulsating p***y to kneel in front of her open legs, watching her movements as he rubbed her s*x. The feeling of his calloused fingertips excited her and she gyrated her hips against his hand until he plunged two thick digits in and out while kissing her thighs.

“Don’t make me wait, Shepherd. I want you now.”

He stood and she watched him pull off his shirt and slowly take his pants off. Her mouth watered at the sight of his beautiful body. “Hurry,” she breathed. He flipped her over onto her stomach and pulled her to the edge of the bed. Shepherd used his foot to kick her legs wider apart and then lined himself up with the seam of her slit before slowly pressing the crown of his huge c**k into her opening. She moaned against the comforter, trying to muffle the sound. Suddenly, he thrust all of the way in, and she screamed out in delight. She was sure that everyone in the apartment building heard her, but she couldn’t contain herself.

He groaned and gripped her hips tightly. “You’re so tight. You feel so good.” Shepherd pulled out all the way and thrust into her again with a low growl. She felt like she was being split in two but had never felt such euphoria. Shepherd paused, buried deep inside of her and she looked back at him, her eyes alive with hunger and arousal. His black eyes met hers. He was breathing heavily, and she knew that he was trying to calm himself, not wanting to be too rough with her.

“Don’t hold back on me, Shep. I want all of you.”

“Goddess,” he moaned.

Before she knew what was happening, he was pummeling into her, exciting every nerve in her body. She grasped onto the comforter for some sense of control but knew it was useless. He owned her body. He grabbed her hair, pulling her head back, and rode her with such intensity, that her pleasure came out in short squeals in sync with his thrusts.

The sound of his thighs slamming against her ass seemed to resonate in the space around them. The intensity was too much for her, and she yelled out his name as she orgasmed, her body shaking. He let go of her hair, one of his hands resting on the bed beside her waist while the other reached around to rub her already sensitive bud as he slowed his pace but stayed deep inside of her.

“It’s too much, Shepherd! I can’t take anymore.”

“Come for me again, Love,” he whispered into her hair as he continued manipulating her c**t in rhythm with his deep, hard strokes.

His thick voice rasped out that he couldn’t hold back much longer and as if she were given permission, her body responded with a second orgasm. Shepherd came at the same time, a roar escaping his lips, so loud that Laurel knew she should be embarrassed. She was sure everyone had heard it. Certainly, Susu had. But she couldn’t bring herself to concentrate on that. Her body melted into the bed. She had no energy left.

Shepherd leaned against her back, his c**k throbbing inside of her as he kissed her gingerly on the neck, creating tingles up and down her spine. Finally, he withdrew from her body and laid beside her.

When he got up, she let out a sound of disapproval. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to run you a bath. I was a bit rough with you and I don’t want you to be sore tomorrow.”

“You were perfect,” she said, rolling over to study him.

He smiled at her and leaned over to kiss her forehead before heading into the bathroom. She heard the water turn on and closed her eyes. She could have succumbed to sleep right then. When she was about to nod off, she felt Shepherd’s hand on her hip.

“The bath is ready.”

“Hmm,” she replied.

She didn’t think she could move. She felt Shepherd’s arms wrap around her as he picked her up carefully and walked her into the bathroom, lowering her into the bath with him. She had never had a man take such loving care of her and although she never would have imagined it, she enjoyed it. She savored the feel of his body against hers in the warm water as he took the washcloth, bathing her body before massaging shampoo into her hair and rinsing it out.

“Let me wash you,” she said sleepily.

“You’re too tired. I’m going to help you to bed and then take a cold shower.”

“A cold shower? After that?! Why?”

“I’m a werewolf, Laurel. My appetite is bigger than yours. But I don’t want to make you sore.”

Even as sexy as she found him, she couldn’t imagine wanting more after an experience like the one they just had. After he toweled her off, he tucked her into the bed. She fell asleep so quickly, she didn’t even remember him leaving her to return to the shower.