Page 2 of Alpha Bride

His humor is infectious, and I find myself smiling despite the lingering pain wracking my body. When I wince as my ribs hurt, he immediately looks concerned again. “Do you live far? We need to get you home before it gets too dark.”

I shake my head. “Just over by the Emmersons’ farm,” I say.

The Emmersons gifted my coven some land years ago, and we’ve lived on the edge of the border town ever since.

He nods. “I know the Emmersons. Good folk,” he says, placing a large hand around my waist to steady me as I start walking. As soon as he touches me, I feel it. A warmth that spreads throughout my whole body. It begins slowly, where his hand is touching my skin through the thin fabric of my dress, but then creeps outward until my whole body is bathed in golden warmth. My eyes flicker to his, and I realize that he must feel it, too, because we both stand there, seemingly lost for words, wrapped in an invisible embrace.

The silence stretches on until he lifts his other hand and smooths some of my auburn hair from my face. The small action leaves goosebumps racing across my skin. I physically can’t tear my eyes away from his amber gaze, stunned by the sensations flooding my body. He brushes his thumb along my cheekbone, sending shivers down my spine.

"You have the most beautiful eyes," he whispers before leaning in closer, his breath tickling my sensitive skin.

I gasp and shut my eyes at the unexpected sensation, another shiver running down my back. He chuckles softly against my skin before gently kissing my neck. His warm lips move slowly down as I breathe in his unique and manly scent; having never been this close to a man before, it feels overwhelming. My body aches for more as he continues to trail his mouth along my jawline, nipping lightly at my skin.

I can feel my body begin to tremble, and he pulls away slightly, causing me to make a sound of disappointment. He chuckles darkly, his hair falling into his eyes as he looks down at me, something unreadable in his expression. He pauses, almost warring with himself, before I see the resignation in his eyes. “Forgive me.”

I don’t have time to ask for what before his lips crash down onto mine—a searing kiss, my first, that completely takes my breath away. I don’t know what I’m doing, but as his tongue sweeps into my mouth, I respond instinctively, mimicking his movements. Our tongues dance together, tasting and teasing. It feels like an eternity before he pulls away, leaving me breathless.

"I should get you home," he says gruffly, his voice ragged. "I don't think I can control myself if I don’t." As he speaks, his hand slides down to cup my ass, and he pulls me close. When he kisses me again, it's even more intense than before, his free hand tangling in my hair as I reach up and cling to his strong, broad shoulders. I moan into the kiss, never wanting it to end.

When we finally break apart again, he appears as shaken as I am. I’m dimly aware that he must have lifted me off the ground as he slowly lowers me back down, still holding me close. The silence is deafening for a moment, but he clears his throat and looks slightly sheepish as he meets my gaze. “I apologize,” he says, suddenly looking more boyish. “You’ve been throughenough without me accosting you like this. I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”

I shake my head, intensely aware of the blush creeping over my face. “N-no, it’s fine,” I whisper.

He nods, and then, glancing around the now-dark forest, he adds, “Let me get you home. But I want to see you again. Is that okay?”

I know I’m beaming as I nod; he smiles, too, and we begin walking the trail leading to the Emmersons’. He holds my arm, presumably to help me walk, but all it does is keep my body on edge. I long for him to kiss me again. Instead, we talk and laugh. He tells me his name is Tristen and confirms he’s the alpha of the new western pack. Our stories flow easily, and although the walk only takes just over an hour, by the time I see Emmersons’ farmhouse in the distance, I can sense my life is about to change forever. He's in the middle of telling me a funny story about his youngest brother, Aiden, when we reach the crossroads. Tristen looks confused for a moment when I turn to follow the path leading away from the farmhouse.

“Don’t you live in the farmhouse?” he asks.

I shake my head. “No, my coven lives on the edge of the farm. We’re actually right on the border with Aiden’s pack.”

As soon as the words have left my mouth, I sense the change in him. He immediately drops his hand and steps back. “You lying fucking witch,” he snaps, causing me to stumble back physically. “How did you do it? How did you hide your magic?”

My stomach drops as I take in the change in him. Suddenly scared, my hand instinctively goes for the rune. Something he notices causes his expression to get harder. “I-I haven’t done anything.”

“Of course not,” he scoffs. “You just happened to make me kiss you after I just happened to be there to save you. It was probably all a ruse, wasn’t it? Unbelievable.”

I can feel my heart shattering as my brain tries to catch up with what he’s saying. “I-I haven’t done anything, Tristen. I tho—”

He cuts me off before I can say anything else, stepping forward menacingly. “Run, witch, before I change my mind.”

The threat is clear, and I try to fight the tears, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing how broken I am. I turn and walk away, feeling his eyes on me the whole time, not knowing if he’s going to attack. When I reach the top of the hill, I finally glance back, but he’s gone. I stand there in the cold, dark lane, feeling as empty as the night.

Feeling stupid that I actually thought he was something amazing. That something amazing could happen to me. A cry that almost sounds like a laugh escapes my lips at the thought that my coven rejects me because I’m not a real witch, and Tristen has just rejected me because he thinks I am one.

And that will be my life.

Chapter 1 - Tristen

The alpha conference is already in full swing by the time I approach the clearing. Aiden offered to convene the council, and judging by the security protocols surrounding the area as we came in, he’s gone all out to make sure the event is safe from Malik’s rogue attacks.

That means one thing: fucking witches.

It’s not that I don’t see the benefits of using them. They’ve proven their worth in the fight against Malik. Hell, my pack has probably taken in more than my brothers’ due to the remote locations of some of the covens, ensuring their safety in exchange for cooperation. The witches can use their runes and spells, but they’re too vulnerable and slow in gathering supplies to protect themselves effectively. With our help and shifter strength, we’ve been able to create a protection system that benefits us all.

You’d think they’d be grateful, but witches don’t seem to know the meaning of the word. They're always complaining about something. Apparently, we don’t give them enough respect, housing, or attention…

They’re lucky we’re trusting them to live around us at all.

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