Rise of the Dark Alpha

~ ZEV ~

A single, slavering howl rose outside, quickly followed by a hundred more.

"Shit. SHIT."

Zev snapped his head around to make sure Sasha was covered, then peered out of one of the view holes. Sure enough, the males were moving away from the square and towards the fox hole—some, those with mates, or too old to care that they didn't have them—were trying to slow the others, to distract them. But the wolves paced the line of males that were attempting to hold everyone back and the numbers were growing. They would be there soon.

"Shit!"

"What's going on?" Sasha's head popped through the neck of her shirt and she yanked it down, her cheeks bright red and eyes shining. She was shivering with both desire and fear, and his wolf wanted to howl—and to snarl. To claim her. To fight and win.

"They could smell your desire for me," he muttered, stalking to another view hole to peer out again. "They're coming to display for you. And if I don't let them, they'll gang up and kill me."

"WHAT?!" Sasha scrambled off the boulder and pulled him to face her. "What the hell, Zev?! Then let them do their displays or whatever! I'll just say no!"

"I can't do it, Sash. You don't understand—I can't let them touch you like that."

"I won't do anything! I don't want any of them!"

"I know, but… I know… but it's just..." With a tortured growl, his hands fisted and his body shivered as his mind showed him all the ways she would be touched. All the scents left on her skin. All the ways her head might be turned…

He shook his head. He had to think! He couldn't let his wolf take over, he'd end up fighting the entire pack on the spot—and he'd lose. He was good, but not that good. Not against whole crowds of wolves at once.

Zev shuddered. He had to keep it together. He had to be careful.

He had to win her.

"Let me do this. Tell me what to do! I can handle it!" she said hurriedly, picking up her jacket and was putting it on.

Zev's chest wanted to crack open at the scent of resolution and determination that rose from her, the set of her jaw. She wanted to fight for them too.

Holy fuck he loved her.

"Zev," she said, her eyes flashing. "You can't do this alone. Let me help or… whatever it is I can do. Just tell me."

A tiny whine broke in his throat, but he knew she was right. He had to let her do this, no matter how it tortured him. She was zipping up the jacket like it was armor when he took her by the shoulders and leaned down to hold her eyes and let her see how serious he was.

"Listen," he muttered. "You get out there and you head straight for your house. You just start walking and let them do what they're going to do. If they stop you, you pause and take the display, but then you move on."

"What are these displays?"

Zev blew out a breath. "They're going to touch you and scent you and tempt you. They're going to attempt to seduce you."

Her eyes went wide. "Touching? Will they… try to… undress me or—"

"No! No!" he rushed to reassure her. "They want to show themselves off—try to catch your eye. They may even fight in front of you to prove their strength and hope that you'll choose them. Touch is natural for a Chimera. We are free with our bodies. Their touches will be to tempt, not to violate. But… You can't do anything. You can't smile. You can't speak. You can watch—you have to watch—but then you walk away."

"I'll just ignore them—"

"No, Sasha, listen. They won't stop now. They think I betrayed them and removed the other females from them. They do this as much to challenge me as to tempt you. You have to see them, you understand? They have to see you seeing them—but then when they're done, you turn away or walk away or… you just make it plain that you dismiss their attention. One by one. And if you find them attractive… they'll know. So even if they… even if they make you desire, you shake your head and move on."

"Zev," she said softly, one hand on his chest, "I don't want anyone else. I just want you."

He groaned and stole a brief kiss, letting his tongue curl to hook her lip, then rested his forehead on hers, both hands in her hair. "You can't lie about this, Sasha. Attraction is chemical. I won't… it isn't a betrayal to notice a handsome male. But choosing… choosing not to entertain his interest. Choosing not to linger… please don't linger on any of them."

"I won't." She shook her head. "I won't, Zev."

He swallowed and nodded. "And if Lhars, or any of the other Alphas display you have to watch them. You have to be seen to consider them, you understand? You give them your full attention and you watch."

"How will I know who the Alphas are?"

"You'll know because all the other males will back off when one of them steps in to take your attention. And they have to be acknowledged. But only acknowledged, not pleased, you understand? If they question, you answer, but you don't smile—you don't give anything! Not even manners!"

She stroked his neck and chest, shushing him. "I won't. I promise I won't. Relax, Zev. I don't want them. I'll just tell them all no. Please… please don't try to fight them all. You don't need to."

He grimaced. "I might not have a choice. The Alphas don't have to acknowledge me yet. I'm unseen to them. If I jump one of them, the others will come to their aide—"

"Then you stay here and I'll go out there and we'll get this out of the way and then… tonight… you'll be at the bathing pools again?"

"Oh, fuck, Sash—"

"Please, Zev. I can do this. Let me handle it."

"It's a good idea, Zev," Dunken said, still standing on the ground below the entrance hole. Zev shot a glare at him over her shoulder, but his friend only rolled his eyes. "You can't win this by getting yourself killed, Zev. If she's going to be your mate, you're going to have to trust her sometime."

"It's not her I don't trust," he growled. "It's—"

Dunken ducked down suddenly, then popped back up. "They're almost here. The ranks are breaking. She needs to get out here so she has space, otherwise this will get ugly."

Zev snarled, but forced himself not to leap down the hole and confront the first of the males to reach the fox hole. Instead he turned back to Sasha, taking her face in his hands and kissing her, then pulling her into his chest.

"I'll be there," he said. "I won't interfere, but I'll be there. Just look for me. I'm not leaving you," he whispered into her hair.

She nodded and her heart sped up.

"I'll watch too," Dunken said. "I can step between if they start fighting near her."

Zev slumped. "Thank you, friend."

Then he met Sasha's wide, worried eyes again and gritted his teeth. "Go," he said. "Just… choose me, Sasha. Please.. Choose me."