Melt For The Alpha

Ronnie.

"Is Lucan really coming home?"

"I told you, he's not." His right hand creeped to his nose, pinching the bridge.

"I knew it. You're lying!" I laughed as soon as his tell surfaced.

Dad laughed, giving himself away some more. He'd been watching a video of Lucan in the airport when I'd entered his study. I caught on quickly.

I jumped up on the tip of my tip toes, trying hard to see the video playing on my dad's phone, but he raised his arm even higher, making it impossible for me to see.

He was well above six feet and I was barely 5'7.

I gripped onto his outstretched arm, pouting. "Won't you show me, Dad? Show meee….pleaseee." I batted my lashes prettily and he laughed. The sound was a deep rumble from his chest.

He lowered his arm, and I snatched his phone away, scampering away to look at it alone.

My older brother had hidden this from me. Too bad I knew now. Giving your secrets to Dad was a big no no.

He was coming home right now! On a flight back to New York, and I'd get to see him in minutes.

I did a giddy dance of excitement and returned the phone to its rightful owner, dashing out of the pack house to my car.

Dad followed, as always. "Where are you going?!"

I threw him a patient smile over my shoulder. "To tell Jaden."

Dad rolled his eyes and smiled, turning back to the pack house.

I couldn't wait to tell my boyfriend, Jaden, that my other favorite person in the whole entire world was coming home.

I told him everything and anything at all. Well, him and my bestie, Jenny.

I jumped out of my audi, and took the elevator up to my boyfriend's floor, heart thumping with excitement.

I keyed in the code and pushed open the door. I tripped over something in the small entryway and caught myself against the wall.

I felt around in the darkness, found the light switch, and flipped it on. I'd tripped on a pair of pink glittery sneakers that looked just like mine, except for the color.

I made my way further into the living room and a scream stopped me dead in my tracks. She was screaming and moaning his name.

Jaden.

The sounds poured through the door they'd left slightly open, or forgotten to close.

Like a sucker for pain, I shook as I inched closer to the sounds spilling out of the bedroom, heart rate doubling and then tripling.

My tummy churned and I felt faint. The visual that came hand in hand with the moans smacked me in the face.

He had her hair in a grip, as he railed her from behind, and she stayed bent, on all fours, on the bed.

Even though the girl was turned away from me, I didn't need to see her face to know.

The glitter sneakers were a pair that I had gotten off eBay for both of us. She wore the pink and I wore the yellow. I always wore my yellow sneakers.

My boyfriend was fucking my best friend.

I let out a heartbroken cry as my legs moved on their own, carrying me away from the scene as fast as they could.

I hit a human wall in the living room and I raised my eyes to meet his. "How could you?" I choked out.

The tears fell fast, like a torrent.

He struggled to drag his trousers up his naked legs. "It's not what you think, Ronnie."

I shook my head in disbelief. Did I look like an idiot? What was it then? "Get out of my way, Jaden."

"Let her leave!" I heard from behind me. A voice that just yesterday night, had told me what a great pair Jaden and I made.

I turned with a deep tremble, my heart beating with the irrational hope that it couldn't be Jenny. Her form was blurry through the tears. "Jenny?"

She cocked a defensive hand on her bare hip. "Yes, I fucked your boyfriend, Ronnie, in fact I've been fucking him a long time. And guess what? No one gives two fucks what the spoilt little princess thinks!"

The venom dripping from her voice shocked me.

I turned around and fled, tears filled my eyes, blinding me as I felt my way blindly to the door and pushed past the trifling cheat that was my boyfriend.

I swiped at my eyes angrily as I left the house, and took my car back to the pack house, trying hard to get myself under some control.

I ran out of my car in a hurry, my head down as I rushed up the stairs to the foyer. I wanted nothing more than to hide away.

Pack mates filled the lounge, spilling in and out of the pack house, and plenty threw me worried glances as I hurried past them.

I needed my room. So I could cry my eyes out where no one would see.

I climbed the curved staircase to the second floor and turned the corner to my room and the floodgates opened as the tears fell.

I'd barely gotten to the end of the hallway and my room door, and I was shaking badly.

I wanted Lucan. He always knew how to make me feel better.

'And then what?' The little voice in my head asked.

Lucan hadn't liked Jaden the moment I'd told him about him over the phone. We'd only started dating a few months after Lucan had traveled, leaving me alone in the pack house for the first time since ever.

Jaden was my first boyfriend, and I'd loved him, I'd been a good girlfriend. He told me he loved me all the time.

So why?!

I struggled to get my key into the lock, the keys jamming in against the hole and not fitting in.

"Cupcake?"

My hand shook and the key slipped from my grasp. Only one person ever called me that.

I gasped and my head jerked to him.

His expression turned furious when he saw me. "Who made you fucking cry?!"

I cried harder as I ran to him. His arms opened for me and I threw myself into them, my hands going around his waist and gripping tight around him.

His hands ran all over me, like he was checking for a wound, but he wouldn't find any on the outside of me. The wound was the gaping hole in my heart.

"Shh. It's going to be alright. Please stop crying, you're breaking my heart."

I felt the hall tilt as he scooped me up, and unlocked my bedroom door. He sat on my bed, holding me in his lap.

My tears turned into a full on bawl.

His hand rubbed my back, soothing me. Or trying to. "Cupcake, please stop crying, please."

The images flashed through my head again, and I flinched. It was so humiliating and so horrible.

"I trusted them both."

And Jenny, of course. Why would she hurt me this way?

He bent his head, and I drowned in the blue sea of his eyes. I dimly wondered how he could look concerned and pissed at the same time.

"She hates me. I don't know why, but she hates me," I blubbered, my chest heaving with more tears. I saw it in her eyes.

Lucan muttered a curse under his breath. His hand came up to my face, holding my chin and tipping my tear stained face up to his.

"No one hates you, Ron. How could anyone ever hate you?"

His thumb circled on a spot on my face and I leaned into his hand, feeling the wetness on his hand from my tears as I swallowed.

I sniffled, and he wiped tear drops from under my eyes. "I'll fucking kill them." He said in low tones, the hard gleam in his eyes a promise.

I liked the rough touch of his palm on my skin. "I'm ruining your return. I'm sorry." I mumbled against his touch.

"Hey, hey. Don't start up the waterworks on me again."

My face was against his neck and I breathed him in. I felt him tremble and then I leaned up, shifting in his lap to bring my face closer to his.

"Welcome back, Lucan." I tried to smile as I dropped a kiss on his cheek, and when I looked at his eyes, they had a strange look in them.

His breath fluttered over my lips, and I drew forward without realizing it, and his lips drew closer.

My grip on his shoulders tightened as my heart skipped a beat.

His head slanted, and he kissed me.

Ronnie.

I have no idea whose lips touched whose first, but I gasped and he swallowed it, and my grip on his shoulders tightened.

I shifted in his lap, my body burning with a need, an ache I couldn't describe. His hard chest against me felt so good, too good and I didn't want the kiss to end.

He pulled away from me so fast that I felt a loss immediately.

"I shouldn't…we shouldn't…I shouldn't have done that." He pulled me from his lap and dumped me on the bed, beside him.

My nipples were hard nubs in my bra, and his scent drifted around me. My tongue slipped out, licking at my lips. Trying to get one last taste of him.

His gaze followed my tongue and he groaned, before he stood abruptly. His blue eyes were dark pools of…desire and he looked like he wanted to say something.

He swallowed and I watched his Adam's apple bob, remembering how it'd felt, when I'd rested against his chest, my face in the crook of his neck. "I have to get ready for the mating ceremony, Ron."

I watched his back as he left my room, my face growing red with embarrassment. My hands flew to my heated face and I let out an embarrassed groan.

I shouldn't wish he'd continued doing it. I shouldn't be in such a twisted, hot state right now, just thinking about it.

My face colored as my eyes closed guiltily. How was I ever going to face him now?

Maybe it was because I'd been in such a troubled state of mind. Why did I do that? I'd have never done that before.

My wolf stirred and I jumped, stunned by the feeling. I had not felt her before.

It was a powerful pull. Like an inner part of you woke up and locked with your physical state and you become a lot more powerful, more grounded.

I tried to run over to my window, and the speed was startling.

She felt just as restless as I did. She stirred and I could feel the powerful stretch and the change in me. A sweet smelling scent filled the air, making me heady.

***

I dressed up in a short ruffled white dress and ran a brush through my hair. The annual mating ceremony was going to start in a few minutes and I would get mated.

My wolf had risen tonight and that meant my mate bond would be announced at the ceremony.

It's the most important ceremony of the Fourth moon pack, and I know that's probably why my brother returned.

But there's no Jaden.

I sobered up at the thought. Before, I'd hoped he'd be my fated matee. I'd been wanting so badly for my wolf to wake before this mating ceremony.

I glanced at the wall clock hanging over my dresser and my eyes rounded. It was already a quarter to one. I'd missed the start.

I slipped on a pair of crystal embellished heels, giving myself a few extra inches and rushed out of my room, the ends of my dress swishing around the back of my thighs.

I entered the great hall downstairs which was teeming with pack members. I pushed through the crowd, hurrying to the front. All around me, I felt the anticipation.

I reached the dais and smiled. Dad was sitting in the throne at the very top of the dais, and Lucan stood beside him, with one hand holding the howling wolf's jaws that were at the ends of the throne's arms.

His eyes found me and he gave me a little smile, before his face turned serious again. Lucan's high cheekbones and hard blue gaze made him look formidable, and almost scary up there.

Nothing like the Lucan I knew. I returned his smile, before turning my gaze to Dad, who was saying something.

"...now, my son has returned back to the Fourth moon pack. There's a time when a man has to step down and relinquish control and the order of leadership."

I glanced at the long row of elders that stood at both sides of the throne in half circles. Their faces plainly said they were well aware of this.

"I am proud to have a strong wolf for a son. It is time he led the pack into the future as Alpha."

A hushed silence descended on the hall minutes before a strong cheer erupted. The hall shook as the wolves gathered cheered.

Loud, long howls filled the air and I tottered on my heels, afraid the force of it would make me fall.

A lot of people revered Lucan and I knew they'd been waiting for this.

I watched with eyes filled with adoration and pride as the pack elders converged around Lucan and my dad.

Dad climbed off the throne and immediately, I felt a sadness in my chest. But then Lucan took the throne and I was filled to overflowing with pride and love. So much love.

I cheered with all the others as the crown was placed on his head.

Lucan was a powerfully built man. 6 '7, huge and intimidating, he carried with him an effortless aura of strength and power. The crown amplified it ten times more.

He looked magnificent on the throne. He just…fit.

Pack elder Jameson came forward. "Now, the mate bonds of the newly awakened female wolves will be announced."

A list of names were called out and the line of girls around my age or a little older formed before the dais.

I clasped my hands together and joined the line as I heard my name. The moon goddess had chosen our mates.

Each time a girl stepped forward, Elder Jameson gave them a little cut on the inside of their palms.

He then held their hand over the orb, placed on a low pedestal before everyone. I wasn't certain if it was the faces of their mates or their names he saw, but he saw something.

The orb glowed an ombre red and yellow after the drop of blood touched it and Elder Jameson would step back, and then announce the girl's mate.

I'd watched the last mating ceremony when I was younger and I'd been so excited whenever the glow filled the hall.

Now a different kind of excitement with a mix of trepidation filled me. My heart beat rapidly as girl after girl's mates were announced.

There was a charged air of anticipation when it got to my turn, and I knew why. A lot of werewolves would give anything to be mated to the Alpha's daughter.

No.

I was no longer Ronnie Dane, daughter of Alpha of the Fourth moon pack, I was Ronnie Dane, sister of Pack alpha, Lucan Dane.

Anyone would want to be mated to me. But, I didn't want to be mated so soon after Jaden.

I was the last one standing before the throne.

I faced Lucan directly and there was no way I could miss his eyes on me. I couldn't read his face, but he didn't take his eyes off me for one second, and I remained entranced, my eyes stuck on him.

Elder Jameson took the pocket knife to my palm and made a straight cut through the middle of my palm. I winced as he drew my palm over the orb and a drop of my blood hit the top with a little splatter.

He dropped my hand and let me step back. My heartbeat echoed in my ears as I watched the little cut on my palm close up.

There was no blood and no cut in the span of seconds. It entranced me. I almost didn't hear Elder Jameson announce it.

"Ronnie Dane." He sounded hesitant.

My head came up as I dragged my eyes to the orb, now emitting an effervescent blue light.

"The moon goddess has decreed your mate as Alpha Lucan Dane."