Fire Between Worlds

The Beast Within

Alexander’s POV

The church parking lot felt too quiet after Bella left. The minivan’s taillights faded into the night, swallowed by the suburban streets, but her scent clung to me like a second skin—garden blooms and vanilla, now laced with the faint salt of unshed tears and the warmth of her body from that hug. I stood there a moment longer than necessary, staring at the empty space where she’d parked, my wolf howling inside me. Mine. Ours. Go after them. Claim.

Marcus cleared his throat beside me, keys jingling in his hand. “We heading out, or you planning to stare at the asphalt all night?”

I shot him a glare, but there was no heat in it. “Let’s go.”

We climbed into the SUV—me behind the wheel, Marcus shotgun. The engine roared to life, a poor substitute for the growl building in my chest. I pulled out onto the road, tires gripping the pavement with more force than needed. The forest edged closer as we left Oakwood behind, streetlights giving way to moonlit trees. Home waited—pack house, safety, control. But control felt like a fraying leash tonight.

Marcus waited until we hit the highway before speaking. “That was intense. Carlos showing up like that? d**k move. And the kids…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “They lined up like a goddamn enforcer squad. Sofia at the front, Lucia ready to throw punches, Diego just… staring him down. And Mateo? Kid’s got ice in his veins. Calling his own dad a coward? Brutal. Accurate, but brutal.”

I grunted, knuckles whitening on the wheel. “They’re protecting her. Each other. Like a pack.”

“Exactly.” Marcus leaned back, arms crossed. “And that slap from the grandmother? Explains the phone buzz. Carlos defending his mom over his wife? Weak. Pathetic. No wonder Bella’s pulling away.”

The word “slap” ignited something primal. My vision blurred amber for a split second, claws pricking my fingertips. I forced them back, breathing through my nose. “He let it happen. Stood there. Did nothing.”

Marcus nodded. “And yelled at Mateo for pointing it out. Kid didn’t even flinch. Just facts. Cold, hard facts.”

I accelerated, the speedometer climbing as the road twisted into the woods. “They’re not his anymore. The kids—they’re mine. My pups. Sofia with her fire, Mateo’s calculations, Lucia’s strength, Diego’s heart. They’ve got wolf blood in them, Marcus. Latent or not. I feel it. The way they united? That’s pack instinct. They belong with us. With me. With her.”

Marcus shot me a sideways glance. “Claiming the whole family now? Bold. But yeah… I see it. They’d fit. Thrive, even. But you can’t just—”

“I know.” The words came out snarled. My wolf paced furiously inside, claws raking my ribs. Burn it down. The house. The marriage. The coward. Take her. Take the pups. Run into the woods. Claim under the moon. Visions flashed: storming Carlos’s door, ripping him apart, scooping Bella into my arms while the kids followed, eyes wide but trusting. Building a new life in the pack house—safety, strength, forever.

I slammed on the brakes at a stop sign harder than necessary, the SUV jerking. “f**k. The wolf… he wants to end it. All of it. Grab her, the kids, disappear. Make her mine tonight.”

Marcus didn’t flinch. “But you won’t. You’re alpha. Control’s your thing.”

“Barely.” I hit the gas again, forest blurring. “That hug… she threw herself at me. Inhaled me like I was her lifeline. Trembling. Gods, Marcus, she needs me. Us. And the pups—they didn’t blink. They know. Deep down.”

He rubbed his jaw. “Bond’s working on her. Senses sharpening, instincts kicking in. That command earlier? Alpha vibe. Strong. If she’s got hidden wolf heritage, it’s surfacing. And the kids… Mateo asked if we’re human. Straight-up. He senses it too.”

I nodded, throat tight. “Elena’s digging deeper. Birthmarks, family lines. But tonight? Seeing Carlos yell at Mateo—the pups lining up? Wolf nearly broke free. Wanted to tear his throat out. Protect what’s mine.”

“They’re not yours yet,” Marcus said carefully. “Not officially.”

“But they will be.” Determination burned hot. “She hugged me. Chose me in that moment. The rest… it’ll come.”

Marcus chuckled dryly. “Romantic. But yeah. Fate’s pushing. Just don’t let the wolf win the wrong way. We do this right—slow, steady. Or we lose her.”

The pack house loomed ahead—lights glowing, sentries nodding as we pulled in. I killed the engine, sat there gripping the wheel. “I know. But it’s killing me.”

He clapped my shoulder. “Shower. Run. Whatever. Burn it off. We’ll plan tomorrow.”

I nodded. Headed inside alone. The house was quiet—pack members in their wings, dinner smells fading. I bypassed the study, the kitchen, straight to my suite upstairs. The door clicked shut behind me, sealing me in with my thoughts.

The shower. Hot water. Steam to drown the chaos.

I stripped—suit jacket tossed, shirt buttons popping in my haste. Pants, briefs—gone. The mirror fogged as water cascaded, but I didn’t need to see my reflection to know the wolf lurked in my eyes, amber-flecked and hungry.

Under the spray, heat pounded my skin, but it did nothing to cool the fire inside. Her hug replayed: arms around my neck, body pressed flush. Curves—soft, full, yielding against my hardness. Her breasts, heavy and warm, crushed to my chest, n*****s pebbling through fabric. Gods, the feel of her. Voluptuous, real—hips I wanted to grip, ass I imagined filling my hands.

Her scent invaded—garden vanilla mixing with the steam, phantom but potent. Mouthwatering. Addictive. I groaned, head tipping back, water sluicing over me.

Lust surged, unchecked now. Alone, no eyes, no restraint. My hand wrapped around my c**k—hard, throbbing, aching since her touch. I stroked slowly at first, visions flooding: Bella beneath me, dark hair splayed on my pillows, eyes heavy with desire. Peeling her sweater away, revealing those full breasts—n*****s dark, begging for my mouth. Sucking, teasing, her moans echoing.

Faster now. Her curves under my palms—waist dipping to hips, thighs parting for me. Burying my face between them, tasting her sweetness, her scent driving me wild. Her gasps: “Alex… please.”

I braced one hand on the tile, strokes rougher, urgent. Imagining thrusting into her—tight, wet, welcoming. Claiming her fully, knot swelling, binding us. Love twisted with lust: protecting her, cherishing her, f*****g her until she screamed my name.

Her tremble in the hug—vulnerable, needing. I’d make her tremble for better reasons. Ecstasy. Surrender.

The peak hit hard—growl ripping from my throat, release spilling hot over my hand, washed away by water. I sagged against the wall, breathing ragged.

Relief. Temporary.

But the bond burned brighter.

She was mine. The pups too.

And soon—fate willing—she’d know it.