Bronx
Madison is more enticing than she should be.
Delightful, really.
I’ve never had a human around and by the end of my third day with her, I’m completely smitten. She’s interesting and funny, but there’s something bothering her. She still hasn’t told me what it is, but I desperately want her to. Maybe she doesn’t realize I can scent her emotions. If she’s really never been around shifters before, there’s a lot she doesn’t know.
During the day, I’m busy running the pack. Although my mind is completely wrapped up in Madison, I still have to train my wolves. I still have to take care of problems with the pack. I still have to figure out what the hell Alyssa and Jed are up to. When Fiona is around, her eyes never leave them. I’ve spotted several other wolves watching them, too. While no one has told me they’re suspicious of them, it seems apparent that something is wrong.
I don’t have time to deal with petty worries or unfounded accusations right now, though.
While I’m gone, Madison stays in the room. I come back every few hours to check on her, give her food, and make sure she’s not too bored. She likes to read, so she’s mostly been curled up with her mother’s book. I’ve seen her reading a couple of other ones from my shelves, though, and that makes me smile. I don’t ever have time to read anymore, so I’m glad the books are getting some use.
It’s almost dinnertime and I’m in the middle of helping some teenaged wolves work on their shifting. They’re all able to shift, but we’re working on making the transition smooth and graceful. Once they can learn to shift quickly, they’ll be much safer both in the wild and in the human world. Learning to shift is something that comes naturally, but that needs to be refined.
I’m standing on the sidelines, watching the wolves shift to human and back again when Alyssa approaches. I don’t say anything as she stands beside me. She crosses her arms over her chest and stares at the wolves.
“So what are you going to do with her?” Alyssa finally says.
“With Tamera? I think she’s doing okay. Her shifting was a bit choppy before, but she’s got the hang of it now.” I deliberately misinterpret what Alyssa is saying and she knows it.
“You know who I mean,” she hisses. “You can’t keep her in your house forever. Eventually, people are going to think you’re sleeping with her.”
“I’m pretty sure they already think that.” Word travels fast in a shifter community. I’m pretty sure that every wolf from here to Dragon Isle knows I’ve got a human in my house. They might not know she’s a prisoner and they might not know why she’s here, but they definitely all think I’m sleeping with her.
That’s fine.
They can think whatever they like.
“The pack has questions,” Alyssa hisses.
“Really?” I spin, looking at her. “The pack has questions? What questions, Alyssa? Because right now it seems like the only one with questions is you, and to be honest, I’m getting pretty fucking tired of you harassing me. The human is my guest, in my house, and she’s none of your concern.”
I turn away, watching the wolves shift once more, pointedly ignoring Alyssa. She stares at me for a long time, frowning, but eventually walks away in a huff. She pushes past Philip, an older wolf who watched the exchange.
“Enjoy the show?” I ask him once she’s gone. Philip nods slowly. Then he carefully walks over to me. He uses a cane when he’s in his human form, but in his wolf form, he’s unstoppable. He’s just as sprightly as when he was young. This is why so many of our elderly wolves stay in their wolf forms most of the day.
“Be careful,” he says quietly. “I don’t like her.”
“You’ve known Alyssa a long time,” I point out.
“Doesn’t mean I have to like her. She’s up to something, Alpha.”
“What makes you say that?”
“When the last Alpha died,” Philip says slowly. “There was a lot of fighting as to who was going to take his place.”
“I remember.” An Alpha dying of natural causes is rare. Usually, when an Alpha dies, it’s because someone challenged him or her and took their place. In the case of the Oasis Pack, the Alpha passed away due to old age after a long and happy life. There was a lot of fighting, a lot of aggression, and a lot of anxiety when I waltzed in and took his place. I fought two wolves for command of the pack, but I got it, and I’ve been in charge ever since.
Until this week, I thought I was doing a good job.
Apparently, I was wrong.
“I’ve always thought Alyssa wanted the role,” he says carefully. “She’s weak, but she’s sneaky. Be careful, Alpha. The sneaky ones are dangerous.” Then Philip turns and walks slowly away. I watch him until he’s out of sight, and then I turn back to the wolves who are shifting back and forth.
“All right. That’s enough for today,” I tell them. “Great job, everyone. I’ll see you tomorrow.” The kids cheer and holler and instantly run off. Then I’m alone once more, staring at an empty field. With a sigh, I turn toward my own house. I should get back to Madison. We need to eat dinner and I want to shower and just fucking relax.
I have way too much on my mind these days. I haven’t confronted Jed and Alyssa. I should. Honestly, they’ve both been acting really fucking weird ever since Madison appeared and I don’t know why they dislike her so much. Maybe they don’t like that I’ve been spending so much time with her, but I haven’t been neglecting my duties at all. Despite being distracted, I’ve still been a model Alpha.
I reach the house and close the door. I listen, but don’t hear Madison. Maybe she’s sleeping. Usually, she’s walking around or singing or making noise on some level. Today, though, there’s nothing.
What is she up to?
I’m not sure what to expect when I enter my bedroom, so I move carefully, quietly up the stairs. I don’t want to let her know that I’m coming. If she’s up to no good, like trying to break out of the chains, I can catch her in the act. Just yesterday, I caught her trying to get out of the wrist cuffs. I paddled her bottom for that and told her to quit. She liked the spanking more than I expected her to. Her arousal had flooded my nostrils and I’d had to quit before I fucking lost it.
There’s a chance that she’s in the room being naughty. If she’s just waiting patiently like a good girl, well, then, that’s something else entirely.
I move up the steps quickly, careful to avoid the squeaky ones, and I stop at the top of the stairs because I don’t fucking believe it. I can smell her. I can smell her through the door. Her scent is wafting through the wood and into the hallway.
It’s not fear, though. It’s not stress or anxiety. She’s definitely not trying to escape right now.
Fear is not what I’m smelling.
No, Madison is feeling very…happy.
Excited.
Aroused.
I’d bet anything that she’s in there touching herself and my cock is instantly hard. I’m still naked from shifting with the trainees. I start stroking myself as I imagine her sprawled out on my bed, wiggling to reach her body with her hands cuffed together.
Then I realize I can’t wait anymore.
I have to see her.
I have to know if this is really happening.
I push the door open quietly, and I look inside.