Alpha Unknown

Chapter 7

Val

No harm done!" He said after Booker got grumbly at him.

So, embarrassing I thought. I watched the dogs outside, and I looked back to see this handsome man standing just outside my back door. I can't believe he is here with me. He was smiling, so I asked "What are you grinning at?"

"At how beautiful you are" he told me.

I blushed and looked down. I felt him quickly close the distance between us and put a finger under my chin. He lifted my face to meet his gaze. My heart jumped in my chest. I smelled that pine smell of fresh mountain air as he stood next me, and I realized it was coming from him. "You are beautiful." He said, smiling.

He kissed my forehead and warmth shot across my forehead and down my face. "Ready to go?" He asked before I could say anything.

"Yeah!" I said hesitantly.

"Molly, Booker, come!" I called. They both came to me and followed me into the house and placed them in their crates.

"What sounds good for dinner?" I asked.

"What is around here?” He asked.

"Here in town? Not much, just the greasy diner. There is a good Mexican place, a steak house, and a few other restaurants the next town over, 20 minutes away?" I told him.

"Ooh steak sounds good!" He answered excitedly.

I chuckled at his excitement. "OK great!".

We walked out of the front door, and he sped past me to open the passenger door for me, and I smiled as I climbed in. He went around the car and hopped into the driver's seat. "Where to? " He asked.

"That way", I said, pointing to the north.

We made it to the steak house, and I went to get out of the vehicle, before I could even swing my legs out, Lucas was next to me, giving me a hand to get out. He bent down and whispered in my ear"next time let me open it".

His hot breath in my ear sent tingling down my body. "Okay" I whispered.

He held out a hand for me to grab as we walked inside. His hand felt warm and was warming my whole body. He placed a hand on the small of my back to get me out of the way, to pull my chair out for me. I smiled at him as we sat down.

Lucas

We made it to the steak house and Val went to get out of the vehicle, so I quickly got out and ran to her side of the vehicle. I made it over to the passenger side before she could swing her legs out. I gave her my hand to get out and whispered in her ear" next time let me open it". Her smell was intoxicating.

"Okay" she whispered.

I held out a hand for her to grab as we walked inside. Sparks shot through my hand, as she grabbed it. I placed a hand on the small of her back to move her out of the way, to pull her chair out. She smiled at me as we sat down, my heart was racing at her touch and that smile. We ordered drinks, as our waitress batted her eyes at me. I kept looking at Val and grabbed her hand across the table. "So, what's good here? " I asked her.

"Well, the steak", She chuckled.

The waitress returned with our drinks and took our order. I kept my hand on Val's, and I noticed she was wearing a ring on her right hand. I held her hand up to look at it. It looked like a white gold wolf howling at a light blue moon. "That's beautiful, what kind of stone is that?" I asked.

"It's an aquamarine. My mom gave it to me" she said a little hesitantly.

"Oh! Is it hard to talk about?" I asked.

"No, no, just kind of embarrassing" she said.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

Val

"No, no, it's just kind of embarrassing" I said, as he furrowed his eyebrows at me in confusion.

I took a breath, and explained, "My mom gave it to me after we moved here, and I started having nightmares about wolves. "

"Wolves?" He questioned, looking concerned.

"Yeah, me being chased by them through the forest, and then waking up right before they bite me." I said, looking down, kind of embarrassed.

"Hey", Lucas said, rubbing my hand, " it's okay, we all have bad dreams sometimes. Did the ring help?"

"Yeah, it seemed to. The ring was my mom's, so when I was little, I wore it as a necklace, and then when I was big enough on my finger. I hadn't really worn it till today, since my mom died. " I said, blushing.

"Why the change today?" He, of course, asked. Why wouldn't he?

Just then, our waitress brought out our food. Saved by the food, I thought. Our conversation continued about if this or that was good on our plates, and luckily shifted off my nightmares.

Lucas

"Wolves?" I questioned, concerned about what was going to follow.

"Yeah, me being chased by them through the forest, and then waking up right before they bite me." She said, looking down, embarrassed.

I still had hold of her hand, I rubbed it and said, "Hey, it's okay. We all have bad dreams sometimes".

I understand that feeling of waking up with my mate just out of reach. " Did the ring help?"

"Yea, it seemed to. The ring was my mom's, so when I was little, I wore it as a necklace, and then when I was big enough on my finger. I hadn't really worn it till today, since my mom died. " She blushed as she finished speaking.

"Why the change today?" I had to ask

Our waitress brought out our food. Our conversation continued about if this or that was good on our plates. The question still hung in the background; why the change? We finished dinner, with Val needing a box, and I asked "Do you want dessert?" Raising my eyebrows seductively.

"You had some earlier, remember? “ She joked back.

"Oh yeah, how could I forget! Well, maybe I want something else now," I said while winking at her.

"Monsieur, Noir!" She said in a French accent. "I'm good for now." She said with a smile.

I paid the check and we walked out of the restaurant. She waited this time for me to open the car door for her, and then scooted into the seat. I reached out and held her hand as we drove back to her place.

"How's it going, lover boy?" I heard Damien link in my head.

"Great! I'll be headed back soon, I think. What's up?" I linked back

"Just an FYI, there have been some more rogue sightings close to Hemming's territory. " Damien linked back.

"Okay, we can discuss it when I get back." I linked him.

I must have looked preoccupied because I heard sweetly from the seat next to me, "everything okay?"

"Yes, absolutely baby." I said as I raised her hand up for me to kiss the back of.

Val

We finished dinner, I needed a box, and Lucas asked, "Do you want dessert?" Raising his eyebrows seductively.

"You had some earlier, remember? “ I joked back.

"Oh yeah, how could I forget! Well, maybe I want something else now." He said while winking at me.

My heart fluttered "Monsieur, Noir!" I said in a French accent. "I'm good for now." I told him with a smile.

He paid the check and we walked out of the restaurant. I did wait this time for him to open the car door for me, and then scooted over while he walked around to the driver's seat. He reached out and held my hand, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles, as we drove back to my place. He looked preoccupied, maybe I said something stupid, so I asked, "everything okay?"

"Yes, absolutely baby." He said smoothly, as he raised my hand up to his lips and kissed the back of my hand.

Chills shot down my spine as his lips touched my skin. I've never had anyone make me feel this way, I thought to myself. The rest of the drive was small talk until we arrived back at my place, and I started to reach for the door, only to have it swung open for me, and a huge hand being held out for me to grab. We walked to the front door, and I asked, "Do you want to come in for tea or anything?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm good. I'll step in for a few if you don't mind, but I'll have to get back." Lucas said.

Of course, Val, he does have a drive. "I don't mind at all," I told him.

Lucas

This woman was intoxicating, just the touch of her skin on my lips had set me on fire. We made small talk as we drove, and we arrived back at her place. I got out of the car quickly as she started to reach for the door handle. Hopefully she'll learn to wait for me to open it. I opened the door for her and held out my hand for her to grab. She held it as we walked back to the front door. She asked, "Do you want to come in for tea or anything?"

She had no idea how badly I just wanted to come in and stay and have tea and the "anything" part. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm good. I'll step in for a few, if you don't mind, but I'll have to get back." I said.

" I don't mind at all." She laughed.

We stepped inside, and she went and set down her box from dinner. She started to head past me, and I grabbed her hand. I must have scared her at first, but then she turned and looked at me. "I was just going to let them out" she said.

"I know" I told her, " I just wanted you to myself, for a moment."

I pulled her close to me. She wrapped her arms around my waist as I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. She laid her head against my chest, and I could feel her, and I relaxed all at once. "I have to get going, but can I see you tomorrow?" I asked her.

"I'd like that" she said with a smile, looking up at me with her beautiful brown eyes.

I bent down and kissed her forehead and then kissed her lips. Her lips were soft and plump against mine, and made me long for more. I sucked on her bottom lip until she allowed me access with my tongue into her mouth. I wanted to taste every inch of her right now, but I knew I couldn't control myself. I released her mouth, kissed her nose, and placed my forehead on hers."What time tomorrow?" I asked breathlessly.

"I can leave the Café at 4. Did you want to go to dinner again, or I can make something too?" She said almost in a whisper.

"You can cook too?" I asked stupidly.

"Yes, yes I can. Do you want anything special?" She said.

"Surprise me!" I told her as I bent down and gave her another quick kiss, and then hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" I told Val as I walked out the door.

She waved as I backed out of the driveway. "We shouldn't leave, mate!" Gavin was screaming,

"I have no choice. We can't just take her back with us. This has to be a slow thing", I told him.

"Why not? She's mate” Gavin said whining.

He knew why, but sometimes he was just thick.

Val

We stepped inside, and I set down my box from dinner. I started to let the dogs out of their crates as a large hand grabbed mine. I jumped, startled at first, but then turned and looked at Lucas. "I was just going to let them out" I said.

"I know. I just wanted you to myself for a moment," he said, as he pulled me close to him.

I couldn't help but wrap my arms around his waist as he wrapped his large arms around my shoulders. I laid my head against his rock-hard chest and soaked in his warmth and pine scent. "I have to get going, but can I see you tomorrow?" Lucas asked.

"I'd like that" I responded with a smile, looking up into those bright blue pools.

He bent down and kissed my forehead, and before I knew it, he was kissing my lips. His kiss was firm but gentle, and then he sucked on my bottom lip until I let his tongue into my mouth. He tasted delectable, and I didn't want it to end. He released my mouth, kissed my nose, and placed his forehead on mine. "What time tomorrow?" Lucas asked like he was trying to catch his breath.

"I can leave the Café at 4. Did you want to go to dinner again, or I could make something too?" I said with a whisper, since I could no longer find my voice.

"You can cook too?" He asked excitedly.

"Yes, yes I can. You want anything special?" I asked.

"Surprise me!" He said as he bent down and gave me another quick kiss, hugged me and kissed the top of my head.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" Lucas said as he walked out the door.

I waved as he backed out of the driveway. A little bit later, I sent him a text. "Be safe. Let me know if you make it back OK. "

Hopefully that wasn't too needy. I finished my things to do around the house and started to get ready for tomorrow. Hopefully, I can actually get some sleep tonight.