Alpha Theo by C.J. Primer
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Brooke
Sunlight spills through the crack in the curtains as I blink my eyes open on Sunday morning. I can hear Theo breathing behind me, feel his chest rising and falling against my back. He’s got me caged in with his arms- one under my neck, the other draped over my waist. We’re naked, skin against skin, tangled in the bedsheets.
Though vulnerable in my nudity, I’ve never felt so safe. I smile thinking of how amazing last night with Theo was- while I felt awkward at first being on his arm in public, he had absolutely no hesitation. In fact, it seemed like he was eager to show me off, proud to show everyone that we were together. And yeah, I probably could’ve done without him being such a jerk to poor Connor, but that hot quickie that we had in the woods afterwards? Worth it.
When we went back inside the bar, Theo didn’t leave my side all night. Every time my drink got low, he brought me a new one. When my friends wanted to chat, he gave me space, and when I wanted to dance, he obliged me. He was so incredibly attentive to my needs, more than I ever expected.
And yeah, I asked him to stay over. Because that quickie wasn’t enough, and I wanted him in my bed, on my terms, waking up beside me the next day. If I wasn’t a shifter, I’m sure I’d be sore this morning.
I press my eyes closed again, snuggling back against Theo’s chest. His skin’s so warm, his scent so manly and intoxicating.
“Mmm… you up?” he asks groggily, his deep voice hoarse from sleep. He winds his arms around me tighter.
“Mhmmm,” I hum, wriggling my hips back into him. I draw a short gasp when I feel the hardness of his manhood against my backside.
This guy’s like a machine! Did he just wake up ready to go again?
My body responds to his on its own accord, heat flooding my core as I shift in his arms, turning to face him.
“Good morning,” I whisper, those gorgeous hazel eyes blinking open to meet mine.
“Good morning,” he growls, sliding his hand down to cup my bare breast, giving it a squeeze.
I shrug the sheet away, raking my eyes over his chiseled, muscular chest. His body is truly a work of art. I reach out to touch it with my fingertips, tracing them over his firm pecs as a thrum starts between my legs.
Guess he’s not the only one ready to go again. I press a hand to his shoulder, urging him to his back as I toss a leg over to climb on top of him. Might as well take advantage of the fact that we don’t have to be anywhere early this morning, right?
Theo rolls to his back, resting his hands on my hips and gazing up at me with a sly grin on his lips. I kiss it away, straddling him, rocking my core over his erection.
“Babe,” he murmurs, cupping my cheek.
“Hm?” I pull back to look at him, my hair falling down like a curtain around his face.
“I don’t have another condom.”
“So?” I ask, still rubbing against him. “The moon’s not for two weeks.”
It’s common knowledge that she-wolves ovulate with the full moon- so there’s no chance I’d get pregnant right now, and shifters don’t carry diseases. There’s really no point in us using a condom anyways.
I place my palms on Theo’s chest, pushing up. Then I lift my hips, reaching between my legs to grab his dick, putting it where I want it. A guttural moan escapes his lips as I lower myself onto it slowly, his girth stretching me as his fingers bruise my hips, digging in.
“Fuuuuuck,” he rasps, throwing his head back onto the pillows.
His reaction eggs me on, makes me more uninhibited. I press my palms against Theo’s hard chest, grinding up and down slowly over his dick.
“You like that?” I breathe, tossing my hair back, riding him. I never thought I’d be one for dirty talk, but damnit if it doesn’t rev my engines. I never thought I’d enjoy sex this much, either, but it seems I’m insatiable when it comes to Theo.
“Fuck yeah,” he chokes, moving his hands up to my breasts, pinching my nipples. “Ugnh, baby, you feel so good,” Theo pants. “I’ve never fucked bare before.”
His admission has me bucking my hips faster, grinding down harder. I never imagined I’d be his first anything when it came to sex- it makes me feel powerful to claim one of his firsts, as he’s claimed so many of mine. My wolf preens.
And then I feel it- that weird tingly feeling in my mouth that I felt last night. Is my wolf trying to mark Theo?
Thankfully, he distracts me by bringing a thumb to my clit, rubbing it gently. “Yes,” I breathe, slamming my eyes shut and focusing on the sensations, keeping my wolf at bay. “Right there, don’t stop…”
I feel Theo’s thighs tensing beneath me as I continue to ride his dick and his fingers. “Come on, baby,” he growls, and that’s all it takes- stars burst behind my eyelids as my body shudders, erupting in my climax.
A breathy moan falls from my lips as I dig my fingernails into Theo’s chest and he thrusts up into me hard, coming with me. The hot spray of his seed warms me from the inside, my pussy squeezing around his throbbing cock.
By the time I catch my breath, Theo’s gazing up at me, so much adoration in his eyes that my heart could burst. I collapse onto his chest and we just lie there, panting, holding each other. He winds his arms around me, presses kisses to my hair.
We stay like that for a while, neither of us wanting to make the first move to get out of bed and break the trance we’re both under. I’d stay here with him forever if I could, but I want to get a run in before my conference call with Astrid this afternoon. We need to discuss integrating my program with Denver’s systems now that they’re officially clear and their firewalls are shored up.
Begrudgingly, I pull myself up, peppering Theo’s chest with kisses before climbing off of him slowly. When my feet hit the floor, he delivers a little swat to my ass and I yelp, giggling as I leap away toward my dresser to put on some clothes.
“Are you still going back to Summervale today?” I ask over my shoulder as I grab a pair of panties out of my drawer and step into them, pulling them up my hips.
“Yeah,” Theo sighs, sitting up in bed and swiveling to set his feet on the ground. “Why, you wanna come with me?”
I spin around to face him, cracking a smile. “Wish I could,” I say, pulling a sports-bra on overhead. “I’ve got that call with Denver, remember?”
“That’s right,” he groans, scrubbing a hand over his face. He bends down to grab his jeans and boxers off of the floor and starts getting dressed.
I take a pair of black high-waisted leggings out of my dresser and step into them, pulling them up. “Are you staying the night?”
“Not sure,” Theo grumbles.
He watches me as I walk over to my mirror, brush my hair, and scoop it into a ponytail. Then I put eyedrops in my eyes, blinking a few times. I slept in my contacts last night, so my eyes definitely need some relief. I’ll have to switch back to my glasses after my run.
I grab my toiletry bag and turn back to Theo just in time to see him pulling his t-shirt on overhead, stealing a last appreciative glance at his ripped chest before he covers it up. Then I cross the room to my closet to grab my running shoes, acutely aware of him prowling up behind me.
He wraps his arms around my body, hooking his chin over my shoulder. “I’ll text you later?” he murmurs in my ear, nipping at the lobe.
“Yeah,” I giggle, wriggling to turn around in his arms. I loop mine around his neck and he grabs my chin with a hand, bringing my face to his to plant a kiss on my lips. I lift up on my tiptoes, lips parting to return his kiss eagerly, pressing my chest against his hard body.
I love kissing him. I wish we could just stay in this room, shirk our responsibilities, and hide out from the world for a little while longer.
Theo pulls back, dropping a kiss on my forehead before he lets me go. Then he heads for the door, glancing over his shoulder to toss me a wink before he opens it to leave. “Later, kid.”
I laugh, rolling my eyes as he pulls the door open and exits my room. As soon as he’s gone, I feel the loss of his presence acutely, like the tether of the mate bond is strained when we’re not together.
I cursed the mate bond at first, but now? I’m ready to throw up my hands and thank fate for Theo.
I sit down on my bed to pull on and lace my running shoes, then grab my toiletry bag and make my way to the locker room to brush my teeth before I head out. I’m in the middle of brushing my teeth when the door swings open, Sutton striding into the locker room and taking the sink beside me. I’ve never spoken to the girl, so I’m unprepared when she suddenly turns to me, flashing a smile.
“Hey, you’re Theo’s latest fling, right?” she asks, tossing her glossy dark hair over her shoulder. Even in the morning, she’s all put together- her outfit is on point, her makeup is perfect. Her tone is friendly, yet her words are provocative.
Before I have a chance to answer, Sutton continues. “I saw you guys at the bar last night,” she says coolly, spinning to face the mirror and turning on the faucet. “And you reek of him today.”
I spit toothpaste into the sink, dipping my toothbrush under the water to rinse it. Who does this girl think she is? I don’t dignify her with a response, I just stick my toothbrush back in my mouth and continue brushing.
“He’s amazing, isn’t he?” Sutton sighs, pulling out her own toothbrush and squeezing a glob of toothpaste onto the bristles. Her eyes flutter to the ceiling dreamily. “That body…”
“What’s your problem?” I snap, my toothbrush still in my mouth as I turn to shoot her a glare.
Sutton whips around to face me, eyes wide. “What? I’m just trying to have a little girl talk, that’s all.”
I scowl, leaning forward to spit into the sink again. “No,” I say, wiping at my mouth with an arm. “You just want me to know that you’ve been with Theo.”
“I mean at this point who hasn’t?” she laughs, still playing it friendly, like we’re girlfriends. She dips her toothbrush under the faucet, then starts brushing her teeth.
I want to tear this girl’s face off. I might try, too, if the rational side of me wasn’t working overtime to rein in my wolf. Sutton is a trained fighter on the squad; I’d be no match for her physically.
My stomach is in knots. I feel like I’m going to be sick. If I puke, I know where I’m aiming it.
Sutton spits into the sink, straightening to flash me another smile in the mirror. “Enjoy it while it lasts,” she chirps. “I know I did.”
I shove my toothbrush back in my toiletry bag, zipping it closed. “Go fuck yourself,” I mutter, turning on a heel to leave the locker room.
All of those queasy, uncertain thoughts that I had in the beginning come bubbling back up to the surface as I trudge through the hallways of the complex back to my dorm room. I don’t hold Theo’s past against him because he can’t change it- but Sutton’s not-so-subtle reminder that he’s been with so many beautiful women makes me feel horribly inadequate, like I’m an imposter. Have I been living in a fantasy world these past few weeks? Is it going to last? Can it last?
I drop my bag off in my dorm room and leave the complex, taking off into the forest for my run. My belly is still all tangled up, my thoughts scrambled and irrational. After about a mile, it all becomes too much- there’s only one way to truly escape.
I dip off of the path and strip, calling my wolf forward. She obliges quickly, skin tingling with my shift as my bones snap and rearrange. The moment I’m on four paws, I take off into the brush, surging through the forest. I run farther away from the squad complex- from my thoughts, my fears, my problems. Almost like I’m running from myself.
