Chapter Seventeen

Alec was magnificent as he moved along the trees to her left. His body was enormous, easily the biggest bear she could remember encountering. He was Alpha for a reason and his size had a lot to do with it.

They stopped by a large stream after running for a few hours. The afternoon sun had begun to set, the sky burning with brilliant reds and oranges. She pressed her face down into the water and pulled in long drinks.

Sonya glanced up as she heard his breathing change. He was shifting, which was something she didn't want to miss. He was going to meet with Dax soon and her situation would be resolved before long, but Alec's job wasn't to protect her. Not yet.

She lifted her snout into the air and breathed in deeply, the aroma of his need pulling into her lungs. She wanted to satisfy him and be the only woman he dreamt of beneath him. Closing her eyes and concentrating on him alone, she shifted as well. The painful pleasure of becoming human again was welcomed.

She knelt by the river, naked and ready to release herself physically to him.

A slow burn had almost driven her mad in the center of her stomach since the last time they had been together. She walked toward him as he stood watching her. He didn't reach for her, but breathed in deeply, searching for the scent of her arousal. The sound caused her to whimper softly.

Her heart was broken over her father, but life had become bleak over the last few days. She needed to remember why it was important to keep going and why her people needed her.

It was passion. Passion for life and for family, for love. She pressed her cheek to the strong muscles of his chest and slid her arms around him, molding herself to the front of him.

"I need you," she whispered against his skin.

He slid his hands around her hips and kneaded her rear as he turned to look down at her. His dark hair and fierce blue eyes left her heart beating so hard that it felt as if it might break through.

"I need you too, baby. I don't want you to wait this long again." He picked her up with his hands gripping the back of her legs. Sonya wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed down to take him in. A long groan left her as Alec applied pressure to her hips. She was ready for him, aching and needy.

"Fuck yes," he whispered against her mouth and lifted her as he pumped his hips. It took him a few minutes to fully penetrate her, but the delicious pressure he created working himself inside left her unraveled.

"Harder, faster, Alec. Please. harder," she murmured against his mouth as he leaned down to kiss her face. His tongue slid along hers over and over as he used a delicious combination of rocking his hips forward and gripping her ass to work her body against his.

Sonya shuddered as he walked into the river, the water rushing up and lapping at her as Alec continued his assault, his rhythm never broken.

"Your body needs mine, Sonya. I can feel how close you are to release, baby girl. I'm your man. Relax into me and take my cock in deeper. You're fighting me." He nipped at her mouth, catching her lip and causing it to bleed. She closed her eyes as he sucked at the cut, their bodies meant for each other.

"Take me, Alec. Force yourself on me. I can't break my will. I don't know how to relent." She choked on a sob as he moved them down into the water, their bodies still connected.

He removed one hand from her ass and slid it up between her breasts, latching on to her throat and applying a little bit of pressure. She pushed against it and groaned as he opened her up fully.

"That's it. Let go. Let go, Sonya and let me have you. Open your legs wider and relent."

"Fuck yes," she groaned as he pressed completely into her. The fire from her orgasm started deep in her womb and spilled out along her pulse points as she screamed his name over and over again.

He leaned over, sucking her nipple into his mouth and pressing his teeth gently to it, causing her to come again, harder the second time. She rode it, her fingers digging into his skin as she rolled herself against him.

The water created a wet friction that made anything seem possible.

"Oh my God, baby," Alec whispered against her breasts as he licked and sucked at them. His hands moved back to her hips, using her to work himself as the water splashed around them. "So close. Claim me, Sonya, so I can penetrate the deepest parts of you."

"I can't," she murmured, lost to the feeling of him consuming her from the inside out.

"Yes, you can. Do it now or we're done, Sonya." He thrusted again, his large cock spreading her wide. The pleasure was too good not to relent to him. He could have anything if he promised her that he wouldn't stop.

She pushed her lips to his ear and whispered her response. "Mate me. Drive into me and fill me. Take me, Alec. Please, God. Just take me."

He pressed his teeth into her shoulder, marking her as blood welled up and he spilled himself inside of her. "Mine."

She stayed for most of the night, but slipped out just after the sun rose in the morning. Sonya arrived home to find her brother's car in front of her house. She was concerned but tried to hide it as she slowly got out of the car.

They hadn't spoken much since the death of her father, not that they spent too much time together before.

She had pushed too hard for him to be what she wanted for the last fifteen years. He resented her and she didn't care.

Sonya pushed the door to the house open and called out. "Cade? You still here?"

"In the kitchen." His voice was neutral, leaving her questioning his intent. She walked toward him and dropped her purse in an empty chair before taking a seat at the table. She still wore her dress from the funeral, but her hair was a mess. Her night with Alec had left her looking like she'd been ridden hard and put up wet and worn.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.

"You're my sister. I would think I would be welcome here anytime, right?" He carried a plate of bacon and eggs to the table and set it between them before offering her a fork. "I made food though I'm not sure if the eggs are good. I think I cooked them too long."

"Of course you're welcome here anytime. There are more rooms in this big ass house than I can count. You could live here if you wanted."

"Too heavy for right now. I just wanted to share breakfast with you." He smirked and she took the fork, setting it down and taking a piece of bacon instead.

"Breakfast is a good start." She sat back and crossed her legs while she studied him.

"Where were you last night?" He took a tentative bite of the eggs before nodding and eating a few more.

"I stayed with Alec. We went running in the woods outside of his house for hours after Dad's funeral. I must have fallen asleep at his place. I was so tired." She licked at her fingers before taking another piece.

"Are you mated with him?"

"You're asking a lot of questions for someone who wanted a light conversation and heavy breakfast." She chuckled and picked up her fork, wondering how to get out of trying the eggs. They were overcooked. She could tell just by looking at them.

He smiled and picked up a glass of water. "I feel the need to watch out for you, but if you have a mate that would be silly."

"I don't know what we are. My bear thinks he's a match, but I'm still trying to convince myself."

"You always have made everything more difficult than it needs to be." He took a long drink of water and pretended to gag when he finished. "Don't eat the eggs. They taste like cardboard."

Sonya chuckled and put her fork down, thankful for the save. "I don't think I make things more difficult. I want to know what I'm getting into before I jump head first into it, you know?"

"Does he make your blood boil when he walks in a room?"

She felt her cheeks heat as she glanced down toward the plate of half-eaten food. "I'm not having this conversation with you, Cade."

"You would have it with Dad."

"That's different." She looked up at him and wished they had built something stronger before their father had passed. He was the glue between them, but Cade being there spoke volumes. He wanted to work on them, from what she could tell. She did too but didn't know how.

"Don't let it be different. Work with me here a little."

"Fine." Sonya let out a long breath and sat back. "Yes, he makes my blood burn just by walking in a room. I can hear his name or his voice and my blood pressure rises."

"And he's strong and capable of taking care of you?"

"Of me, his own pack, ours...everyone."

"And you love him."

She picked up another piece of bacon, unsure of how to answer. Tilting her head to the side, she chewed slowly.

"Stop overanalyzing my question and answer it. Do you love him?"

"Yes. I love him."

"Then why aren't you two together?" Cade scooted the plate toward her before standing up and walking back into the kitchen.

"I think we are now, but I'm scared."

Cade stopped in his tracks and turned around. Sonya looked up at him, taking in the shock on his face.

"The great unbreakable Sonya Valsek is scared? A new Alpha in town wants to take over our pack and you're fearless. Our father dies and you're a pillar of strength. The right man returns into your life and you're paralyzed?"

"Fuck you," she grumbled and turned her attention back to the food in front of her.

"Nope. You're not shutting me out." Cade walked toward her with purpose. Sonya stood up and pressed her chest to his as he narrowed his eyes on her. It was the most aggression she had ever witnessed from her brother.

"I'm not taking this from you or anyone else. I'm in over my head and Alec is the last thing I need trying to take my attention."

"Alec is the only thing you need taking your attention. He's the Alpha. Give in to him. Your bear will force you to anyway. Stand beside him while he fights this shit on your behalf. On our behalf."

He reached for her, wrapping her in a hug and pulling her close. "You need him like the air you breathe. I'm an Alpha too, whether I care to admit it or not. I can sense him all over you and your acceptance. Stop fighting against it."

"I don't know how to stop fighting, Cade."

"You're fighting yourself, Sis, not him. Give in to him and get ready to support him. He's going to pull us all through this. I know it."

"How? How do you know?" Sonya moved back and looked up at her brother, realizing how much he looked like her father in his younger years.

"Because with you beside him there is nothing he won't be capable of, Sonya. Nothing."