Running From An Alpha by Rachel Starkie

 

Chapter 9

Sean rolled onto his back. His mind twisted and churned. The talk with Queen Tiana and Stefan had him all twisted up. Then there was the fact that somewhere nearby, his mate was in his brother's arms. Not romantically, but still, it was where he belonged. Part of him wanted to sniff her out and replace Dale with his own strong arms, but the rest of him knew better. Sneaking into a female’s room in the night and slipping into her bed was not a trust-building exercise. He needed to show her she could trust him. Besides, he liked his balls between his legs, and doing something like that would surely have them rising to his throat.

How did one prove themselves? He never had to do it before. He frowned. He would have to just woo her. If he only knew where to start. Before Zoya and even after, females just flocked to him. He could have anyone from the pack except the one he actually wanted.

Before Zoya, sex was on tap, but since… He looked at his hand. They had become quite acquainted over the last five years and would again and soon if he could not make Zoya understand. In fact…

His cock was starting to ache, the thoughts of Zoya making him rise. Slipping his hand under the covers with one hand, he pulled his thick hardened muscle from his pants. Spitting into his free hand, he fisted his cock. A low moan escaped him as he started to rotate his wrist. A tight hold with his fingers led him to stroke the pulsing vein under the head, and soon precum glazed his thumb. His hips lifted off the bed faster, letting him pump stronger. He slipped into his memory. The smell of the wild growth in the summer night. Her hot nubile body wrapped around him as he took his care. He had wanted to ravage her, devour her completely. Claim her and keep her, but it had been her first time, and he did not want it to just be grunts and sticky sweat. Though there was much of both.

The smell of the waterfall clung to her, and the ideas of her naked and willing soon had his balls tightening. Another groan and he flipped, pressing himself into the hollow of the bed. Sean’s knees widened as he ground himself against the cotton sheets. Sweat welled in his back, slipping down the crack of his ass. Unable to hold back anymore, he imagined his release, his hot cum filling her, making her his again. Collapsing against the side of the bed, panting, he closed his eyes. Just a second of sleep, then he would clean up the mess. Just one second…

Sean blinked, and the next thing he knew, his brother was staring at him, “Dude, clean up, it’s time to go,” Dale shook his head, seeing the usual sight of Sean, bare assed, his cock hung to one side next to a cum crusted sheet.

Sean sat up, one eye still clenched shut. “Guess I crashed.”

“Yep.” Dale tossed Sean’s clothes at him. “They’re waiting.” He walked out muttering. “At least I wasn’t in the room this time.”

Bed stripped, body washed, dressed, and bag securely packed, Sean headed out to find the others. He had thought Dale would wait for him, but apparently not. Sniffing out dear brother Dale, he found his way back to the throne room. His eyes narrowed as he entered to find Zoya leaned against Stefan like a tall tree she wanted to hug. Stefan tried to hold his amusement as she attempted to nuzzle back to sleep against him with a little yawn.

The sight made Sean’s wolf growl, but as Dale smirked, the memory of her that morning, sleepy-faced and touched by the sun, made him want to smile. She wasn’t a morning type. She would much rather have a lay-in than muck about.

Sean watched Dale go to Zoya and pull her close, and she immediately then nuzzled into him. “Why did you not lean her against Queen Tiana?” Sean grumbled.

“Stefan was closer,” Dale said softly,. not wanting to disturb Zoya’s sleepy condition. Like this, she was far more agreeable. Right now, she was refusing to wake up.

“She is useless.” Stefan laughed at her change from strong, defiant, and independent wolf to an adorable sleepy-faced pup.

Sean sighed, “True, but in this state, she will not fight back.” Lips pursed, he approached the glassy-eyed Zoya as the Dragons of the room let out low warning growls.

“Oh, shut it.” Sean snapped as he rolled his eyes. and pulled her from the still-smirking Dale. “Okay, Zoya on my back,” he gently ordered, hearing what he thought to be a proper fuck off, though he was not sure. Still, when he presented his wide, roomy back, her arms wrapped over his shoulders, and she pressed against him. A little boost from Dale, and he had her securely wrapped around him, smiling triumphantly.

“You do know when she wakes, she will claw your eyes out or at least chew off your ear?” Dale sided to his brother.

“When I feel her wake, I am dropping her ass to run,” Sean shot back, making Dale laugh.

Stefan sighed. “Luckily, we are going by car so she can sleep in the backseat.”

Queen Tiana stepped down from her dais, looking ever so lovely in her fitted but functional gown. Her face was flawless, except for the twinge that dipped her brow. “I have sent word to Maisy they are waiting for you, but be watchful. Wolves are hunting the perimeter and the outer beyond. I don’t like it. They come here like they own the place. They will regret it when I send my own hunters out.”

Her tone and expression told the room, especially Sean and Dale, that this lady-this Dragon Queen might be kind, but she was also deadly when crossed.

“Well, you enjoy that.” Sean waved, looking for the door to laughs from the others.

“Come on then.” Stefan nodded as Queen Tiana walked over to kiss Zoya's head.

“I get the feeling I would be unable to do that if she awoke.”

Dale and Sean nodded their agreement to her statement.

“She lost her mum young. She does not take female affection very well. She tends to hide or run,” Dale explained.

Sean nodded. Wait? Really?” He asked, confused. “How do I not know this?”

Dale shook his head, “You were never around to see it. I remember this one time Lena- you could call her the pack granny, just not to her face if you wanted to keep it. Anyhow, this little Omega spent like three hours in the garden, determined to get the hug. It was hilarious. Zoya looked like she was being chased by a drag- er monster. Oh, the screams and the dustup. Just a Zoya classic..” He held his side laughing, though the rest did not seem nearly as amused. “I guess you had to be there?”

“Yeah.” Stefan opened the door. “Shall we get a move on?”

At the waiting luxury SUV, Sean sadly placed Zoya in the bench seat and got into the front. He may love her, but he did not want her to wake with just him in the backseat. He was sure he would lose his nuts. Dale at least could calm her and let her know what was going on.

Dale placed her bag in the back and then sat with her. Stefan, of course, took the wheel. No sooner had they passed the gates back to the main road than Dale observed the unmarked cars fast approaching them.

“Uhh-“

Stefan smirked and responded darkly. “What fools,” Sean looked back with a frown, but Stefan pointed up.

Whoosh, bam!

Sean and Dean jumped as the SUV jostled a hair as a fireball decimated one of the followers.

Stefan shrugged and hummed as they stared wide-eyed at him. “They were warned of our land.” He said it so easily that Sean could not keep his thought to himself.

“You dragons are scary.”

“Damn right,” Stefan puffed up his chest. Zoya mumbled, but Dale petted her head, stifling his giggle, and she hunkered down back to sleep.

Pursuers evaded, they fell to quiet contemplations. None being much in the way of talkers, at least not while Zoya was asleep. They did not need nor really want life stories. The journey was not about them.

Dale shifted, feeling Zoya stir. He lifted his hands from her.

“What?” Her eyes, though squinted, immediately fell on Sean, and she jerked forward. Dale stopped her with a gentle touch. “It’s okay. Look? See? Stefan too.”

Her eyes sailed to the driver’s side, and he could already feel her pulse ease.

“We should be there soon,” Stefan turned his head as a huge Dark blue dragon swooped in. He turned the wheel, everyone sloshed to the left as he skidded to a stop and in front of it. Stefan cursed inches from a deep drainage ditch.

“What on earth?” Sean cursed, then his head swiveled, hearing Dale start and the door open. Zoya got out and walked to the dragon.

“She is nuts,” Stefan growled and glared. What she approached was not his kind. These were not the human hybrid of the shifters. This was a wild beast. Pure animal, not a domesticated kitty cat. Or? Stefan’s eyes lifted as this big blue beast lowered its body to the road in submission and snuffed.

“Hello Zippy, look how big you got,” Zoya pet the wild dragon's head, hugging it softly.

“Zoya?” Stefan stuck his head out the window.

“This is Zippy, one of Maisy’s draglets. She raises them. I remember her well. I used to play with her.”

The draglet flew up, and its body curled a moment in stationary flight before it ascended to circle above them.

“Maisy must have sent her to watch over us,” Zoya headed back toward the SUV. Getting back in, she nuzzled into Dale, “We can go now.” Dale was very happy to snuggle right back.

“Damn Omega snugglers,” Sean muttered with a crossing of his arms.

Zoya flipped him off and sighed as they set off with a giant draglet flying overhead. Deeper into the mountain, they drove until finally, they approached the Featherfly gates. Once admitted, they entered and parked. Leaned against a pillar in the parking space stood a casual little female. Her track pants rolled slightly down, paired with a tank, showed off her strong abs. Sean looked at Dale, confused as he just shrugged.

“Weird.”

“That is Queen Maizy.” Stefan sided as the female smiled brightly.

“Zoya!” She called, racing over., effectively knocking Sean and Stefan away.

Zoya’s eyes bugged from her head as she tried to hide behind Dale. The look of terror was only trumped by the feelings, which Stefan couldn’t have blocked even if he had been prepared.

“Maizy-no-please.” She pleaded.

“Really, child, you must get over this silly fear of female affection,” Maisy teased, wrapping her arms around Dale just to get to her. Zoya growled at her playfully. “Come inside,” Maisy turned. “I already have a house ready for you and your mate. His brother is in the next one over. You will be so happy here.” Maisy said, and Zoya sighed.

“I am living with Dale, not Sean,” Zoya snapped.

Maisy stopped and turned, “But-but-your mate-” She half whined.

“My mate refused me and has no right to me now,” Zoya huffed.

“If anyone knows how to woo a woman, please help me,” Sean lamented.

Stefan sighed and patted his shoulder. “I’m pretty sure you should start by not announcing to the room that you need help with woo-wooing.” He snickered, getting a glare from Zoya.

“Wooing, not woo-wooing. I woo-woo just fine.” Sean tried to defend.

“Sure you do.” Stefan poked at him. Unable to help himself with such a large target.