Page 126 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
My thumb hovered over Zoey’s name in my contacts. I wanted to talk to her, hear her voice, if only for a moment. It would soothe my nerves.
In the end, I resisted the urge. She had enough to worry about right now without me adding to it.
I checked the time. I still had a few hours before I needed to meet the pack at the alpha house. Restless energy thrummed through my body, urging me to move, to run. The tug in my stomach reminded me of the wound on my side. Then I chuckled as I remembered the doctor’s exasperated expression when he’d fielded my mother’s questions. He’d assured her that shifting would not only be safe but beneficial.
I stepped out into the garden and let my human form melt away as fur rippled across my skin. On four powerful legs, I sprinted into the forest, relishing the feel of the cool earth beneath my paws and the rush of the wind through my coat. I rolled in the grass, my wolf desperate to rid us of the sterile hospital scent.
Without conscious thought, my paws carried me along the familiar path from my place to Heather’s. I hadn’t planned to go there, but my wolf had his own ideas. As I approached the house, I slowed my pace and melted into the shadows, my keen senses on alert for the police and shifter guards stationed nearby.
Annoyance prickled through me as I realized how close I’d managed to get without being noticed. If a massive wolf like me could slip past their watch, then so could George. I made a mental note to have a serious talk with the guards after the meeting. This kind of lapse in vigilance was unacceptable.
I hid in the dense foliage and watched Heather’s house intently. Part of me hoped to catch a glimpse of Zoey or Roland to reassure myself that they were safe and sound. But as the minutes ticked by with no sign of them, disappointment seeped into my bones.
My wolf whined softly, yearning for their presence, for the comfort of their scent. But I couldn’t stay here forever. With a final, longing look at the house, I turned and began the trek backhome, my mind already shifting to what awaited me at the pack meeting.
I ran through the forest, my paws pounding against the soft earth. Once I reached my house, I shifted back to my human form, the familiar tingle of the change sweeping over my body. The surgical incision had healed, thanks to the shift, but a dull ache still lingered in my abdominal muscles, a reminder of the damage George had inflicted.
Stepping into the bathroom, I turned on the shower. As I waited for the water to heat up, I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror. My gaze was drawn to the scar on my abdomen, a jagged line marring my skin. I wasn’t a vain man, but the sight of it irritated me. George had caught me off-guard, leaving his mark on my body. But as much as I hated it, it was better that the scar was on me than on Zoey.
My thoughts drifted to Zoey, to the softness of her skin and the curves of her body. I imagined tracing my fingers along her smooth flesh, feeling her shiver beneath my touch. Heat stirred within me, and I stepped into the shower, letting the warm water cascade over my body.
As I washed off the scent of the hospital and the forest, I wrapped my hand around my hardening length. I stroked myself slowly, images of Zoey filling my mind. The way she looked at me with those big, trusting eyes. The gasps and moans she made when I touched her just right.
My hand moved faster, my breath coming in short pants as I chased my release. It didn’t take long before I came, Zoey’s name falling from my lips in a low groan.
As the last waves of pleasure ebbed away, I quickly finished my shower and glanced at the clock. I cursed under my breath. Fuck, I was going to be late for the pack meeting. Not exactly the impression I wanted to make as the new alpha.
I dressed in a hurry and rushed over to the alpha house. When I arrived, the pack members were already gathered and murmuring among themselves. My father stood off to the side and gave me an encouraging smile.
As I took my place at the front of the room, my father stared at me. The words we’d exchanged earlier echoed in my mind, and l knew he was thinking about them as well. But I couldn’t let that distract me now. I had a pack to lead and a mate to protect. With a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and began the meeting, determined to prove myself as the alpha my pack needed me to be.
I cleared my throat, ready to address the pack, when a voice called out from the crowd.
“Alpha Noah, we heard you got shot. Is that true?”
Silence fell as everyone trained their attention on me. I glanced at my father, catching the embarrassed look on his face. Yeah, gossip had spread.
I hesitated for a moment, deliberating whether to follow my father’s advice about keeping quiet. But as I looked out at the faces of my pack, I knew I couldn’t keep them in the dark.
“Yes, it’s true,” I said. “A shifter, George James, shot me. He is Zoey Lester’s ex-partner.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, and I could see the concern etched on their faces.
“Zoey is?—”
I stopped myself. Blurting out our connection to the entire pack wouldn’t be right when I hadn’t told her yet. I’d already proven gossip spread faster than melted butter, and I didn’t want to risk it. I couldn’t let anyone else inform her she was my fated mate.
At my silence, pack members began to cast bewildered glances in my direction, then movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I noticed my father movingforward. Determined not to derail my first official alpha meeting, I pushed aside thoughts of Zoey and changed course.
“Many of you know her as Samuel Crew’s stepdaughter, and that before my father retired, he gave Zoey the protection of our pack from her abusive ex-partner,” I said, my voice carrying over the murmuring crowd. “George is a serious threat. His efforts to infiltrate the town and evade the police and shifter guards demonstrate a complete disregard for the lives of both humans and shifters. As your alpha, it’s my duty to protect not only her, but our entire pack from this threat.”
I paused now, letting my words sink in. “I know some of you may have concerns about our involvement, but I strongly believe in honoring the vow my father made. His promise of safety to Zoey granted her the same protections as any member of our pack. We take care of our own.”
The room erupted, some expressing support, others voicing their doubts.
“Alpha Noah, shouldn’t we leave this to the human authorities?” one pack member asked.
I shook my head. “The human laws can only do so much. George is a shifter, which means he falls under our jurisdiction.”
