Her Arranged Alpha Husband by Alicia Banks
Chapter 13
Ben
Mark came through in the morning early and told Ben that there had been some movement overnight that they weren’t sure about. Mark wasn’t going to take any chances, so he wanted to keep them in the tent until they could find out who it was that had come close to where they were sleeping the night before.
“Do you really think it is something to worry about?”
Ben didn’t feel threatened, but his friend wanted to be cautious. He knew that he was going to have to be, but it was hard to do what was told. “I think we should always worry about safety. I can’t have anything happen to Teri. Do you think they are here for her?”
Mark shrugged. “I think they are here for any kind of leverage they can get on us. If they have leverage, then they can do what they can to get what we have. You know how this works.”
Ben did know how it worked, but that didn’t mean that he was ready to give in so easily. He was sure that if they could get there in one piece, everything would be okay. “Let’s just get there. I want her back home with me, safe and sound.”
“Is she everything you were hoping for?”
Ben didn’t know how to answer that. He had a feeling she would be when he was given the chance to know her better, but at the moment, he had no clue. At the moment, he was left out of those intimate details of his mate.
“I’m still not sure of that, Mark. Things are moving slower than I would like in that department.”
Mark just kind of looked at Ben like he had lost his mind. It didn’t take long for his mind to take it all in and spit out the conclusion. It was one that Ben wasn’t too fond to hear said out loud. “Wait, you two haven’t done it yet?” Mark asked incredulously. Ben didn’t want to answer but he didn’t have to, apparently it was written all over his face.
“You don’t seem to be the type that likes to wait. I mean, what the hell?”
Ben sighed loudly and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “What can I say? She just keeps turning me down? I can’t do anything with her if she doesn’t let me touch her.” Ben could hear the whine and complaint in his tone. It wasn’t all that attractive, but damned if it wasn’t how he felt. Ben felt like he was being gipped and he wanted her, really wanted her. She was his, they were married, that should be enough, but for some reason it wasn’t.
Mark tried to suppress his laughter, but he wasn’t very good at it, which made Ben annoyed as fuck. It was bad enough that he couldn’t have Teri, it was worse that people knew about it. Not only did Mark find it funny, but there was a moment of lust that no matter how much he tried to deny it, he couldn’t. There was a part of him that was trying his best to ignore it, but Teri wasn’t quite his yet and that was there for all to see. Ben could tell what Mark thought about her then. He was thinking about her in a sexual way. That was how everyone was going to look at Teri if they knew that she wasn’t spoken for. He had to get it done before they got back home, which wasn’t going to take but a couple more days.
“You really ought to get her under your wing, Ben.”
“Don’t tell anyone what I told you.”
Mark scoffed. “No one would want to hear it and I would never. That is your mate and privacy, I am sure that someday it is going to be a funny anecdote that you tell people, how long you had to chase her.”
He was changing his tune, making fun of the fact that Ben hadn’t gotten her to agree to it or not.
“Why don’t you just use the draw that you have on her? I am sure if you turned that up, she would be unable to say no to you. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than going back home with a virgin bride that everyone can smell. I can smell her, Ben.”
The conversation was ending badly and if Mark was having that hard of a time hiding his needs and desires, what was that to say about others that saw it? They would be pushed to try and take her, his wife. Ben wasn’t going to let it happen. When he told Mark that the rest of them could go and they would follow behind, Ben meant it. He needed some quiet contemplation time with Teri. He had to convince her of what he already knew to be true. They were meant to be together.
Mark left and Ben now had a lot on his mind. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do about Teri, but he needed to figure something out. She was already in his bed; would it be so hard to have her in his bed properly?
***
Teri woke up with a start, Ben watching her sleep and trying to figure out how he was going to get Teri underneath him. He must have had too much in his eyes because she subconsciously moved away from him. Ben saw it, didn’t like it, and tried to make his face more neutral. That was easier said than done, of course. He couldn’t be neutral about something that was so important. Teri was too important to pretend like she didn’t matter. She mattered the most.
“Good morning.” Ben smiled at her.
Teri didn’t return the favor. She had too much suspicion on her face to do much else than look at him. She did repeat his greeting, but there was nothing good about it.
“Why is it so quiet?”
Ben was impressed that she noticed it right off the bat. It was quiet with so many of his men gone. There were a few off in the trees close by, but she shouldn’t be able to hear them. The lack of hearing was good. Ben wasn’t joking about all of the attacks they’d had and the many that he still thought would happen. Since his people had what everyone wanted, it was their job to keep it safe. When he took the job of Alpha, it was with a heavy heart. Ben knew what he had to look forward to.
“I sent much of the party up ahead of us. I thought that we could use some time together.”
Teri nodded, sinking deeper in against him. Ben knew that she was cold, her body shivered. They had to get up and get moving, but it looked like she didn’t want to. Ben liked to believe that it meant he could make his move. The conversation he had with Mark was still fresh in his mind and before he could stop himself, Ben was pulling her toward him for a kiss. It was gentle at first, but Teri responded so quickly and beautifully. Ben thought for a minute that she was just as down as he was. He had her flipped onto her back and underneath him in seconds. Teri kissed him for another moment or two, and then she must have realized what was happening because she pushed him back. Ben didn’t want to go anywhere. He was exactly where he wanted to be. He just needed to pull her in, just like Mark had said. He started to but stopped. Teri wasn’t ready. She was more scared than curious and excited. He’d never been with an innocent woman before. He didn’t know that it would be so hard. It wasn’t the response that worked for him.
“Sorry,” Ben mumbled, trying to come up with words. He wasn’t too sorry, he’d done what he wanted to, but there was nothing else that he could do about it. He wanted her so damn badly. He wanted also to claim her and make it clear to everyone who saw her, that she was his and his only.
Teri waved him off, said it was fine. She wasn’t looking at him, barely looked his way before getting up and putting on the cape he’d given her. Even when she was trying to get away from him, she was still surrounding herself with his things. Ben was sure that it was a sign, he was looking for signs wherever he went. It all led back to Teri, but his patience was running thin.
“You ready to go?”
Ben was not, but he agreed. He didn’t really have anything else he could say. He knew that he’d made it awkward. He didn’t want to, but that was what happened.
He got up and agreed, watching her eyes widen as she stared at his chest. Ben may have pushed it a bit too far, but maybe not. It at least got her looking at him. She was interested now, and Ben liked the way it made him feel to see her desire. They were almost there. Almost his.
