Lesser of Two Evils Read online

  “This is Kerry. After tonight she will be your Alpha female.” He pulled her forward, and Kerry swallowed. “Stop by and meet her later. Let’s eat,” he said, and they moved to where the food sat. Tables were lined up end to end and were laden with food. He took her elbow and led her down the steps to the head of the line. She looked back at the wolves lined up behind her. An older man grinned at her and nodded. “Come. We’re the guests of honor, we eat first.”

  Ethan handed her a plate and got one for himself, then moved to a platter of steak. Kerry took a small piece after looking back at the long line again. He glanced down at her plate. She followed him to the burgers, but didn’t take any, then to the corn. Kerry took a half ear, then a scoop of coleslaw. She saw him look down at her plate again but waited behind him. They were getting to the end of the tables. She’d passed the potato salad, the hot dogs, the barbequed and fried chicken, and the rolls. “That all you’re eating?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  Ethan put his plate down and took hers away from her. He went back to the beginning of the line and darted in between pack members. She couldn’t hear what they were saying to him or what he said to them, but she saw him smile. Why would he want her? He was powerful, it oozed off him, and he was too good looking to be with her. He returned with a plate piled so full she knew she would never be able to eat it all.

  “I can’t eat all of that.” She scowled.

  “You can make an effort.” He scowled back, and she gulped. He was intimidating when he was mad. She took the plate and followed him to a table. He sat down in one of the plastic chairs, and she pulled hers away from him and sat. He reached over and slid it closer with her in it. She squealed, and he grinned. “Eat.” He pointed to her plate. She picked up her fork and pushed food around. Her mother always said to clean her plate, but she wasn’t hungry. There was too much there, and it was all blending together, mixing and changing colors. She tried a bite of the potato salad, which was too close to baked beans, and that changed the texture. Kerry needed separate piles. It freaked her out when things touched on her plate. Her father made fun of her for it and would stir his food together and shovel it in his mouth. He said it all came out the same color. It would gag her every time, and the thought of it did the same now.

  “What’s wrong?” He leaned over, and she gulped air, trying to keep what she’d eaten from coming up. She shook her head. Her eyes were watering with the effort, and she felt the acid burning in her throat.

  “Oh, sweetie.” An ancient she-wolf patted her shoulder. “It’s okay. Here, it’s all gone. Don’t you worry.” The plate was taken from her view, and she felt better. “Ethan. You can’t force-feed her,” she scolded and ambled away.

  “What’s wrong with you? Are you sick? They didn’t tell me you were sick,” he challenged her.

  She shook her head. The old she-wolf reappeared at her side.

  “Here you are, baby.” She put a plate down, and Kerry looked at it, feeling better. Steak, an ear of corn, and a spoonful of coleslaw. It was just like the plate he’d taken from her in line. “I was at the beginning when Ethan took this from you and came back to fill it up until it resembled that mess. My pup was just the same as you. She didn’t like anything touching anything else. Is that right?”

  Kerry nodded.

  The she-wolf smiled and hugged her. “I’m Thelma, and you’re Kerry. I’m very happy to meet you, Kerry.”

  “I’m happy to meet you, too.” She swallowed hard. “Thank you.”

  “It’ll be okay. He’s a good man when he isn’t in caveman mode.” She raised a brow at Ethan. “Easy.” She turned and went back to her plate.

  “Eat.” He pointed at her plate. Kerry picked up the ear and nibbled the kernels off, then licked her fingers. She heard a growl rumble from him but ignored it. She cut her steak into bite-sized pieces and finished it, then ate her coleslaw. “Good girl,” he murmured. Pack members stopped by and introduced themselves, then spoke to Ethan about pack matters. After cake and ice cream were served, the women started cleaning up. Kerry got up to help, but he pulled her back down into her seat.

  “They can take care of it. You stay with me.” More stopped by, and daylight started to fade. Ethan got up and took her elbow. He led her toward the house. He said goodnight to everyone he passed until a beta stopped him. “This is Connor, my beta.”

  “Hi,” Kerry said.

  Connor nodded. “A word?” he said to Ethan.

  “Go to the bedroom. I’ll be in shortly.”

  Kerry hurried inside. Once she was inside the bedroom, she leaned against the door, panting.

  “Oh, my God,” she whispered to the empty room. She heard him coming down the hall and trembled. If it were Eric coming down the hall, she wouldn’t be afraid. Eric was nice, not demanding, and not a giant. Maybe if she closed her eyes and pretended…

  The door opened behind her now, and she scooted out of the way.

  “Undress.”

  She skittered away. Ethan’s eyes flashed, and she nibbled her lip. He turned on his heel and went back down the hall. Kerry went to use the bathroom, then washed her hands and face. She brushed her teeth and looked at herself in the mirror. How did this happen? This morning she was perfectly happy, eating her cereal and watching the news. Add twelve hours and she was about to lose her virginity to a giant Alpha werewolf that was better looking than any wolf she’d ever known. He lived in a house that belonged in a magazine, but he drove the crappiest pickup truck on the planet. She blew out a breath. She heard the bedroom door close, and swallowed. Time to face the music. Frozen in place, her fingers gripped the blue countertop and looked unbelievably pale.

  She closed her eyes and tried to breathe evenly, calmly. She rolled her head around, trying to ease the knots in her neck. Kerry had never been tenser.

  Ethan knocked softly at the door. She bit the inside of her lip until she tasted blood. The door opened slowly. His eyes were full amber when she finally looked at him.

  “Drink this.” He handed her a heavy-cut glass tumbler of brown liquid. She sniffed it and made a face. “Drink it,” he said again. She drank it down.

  “Eww,” she whispered. It burned all the way down and numbed her tongue. He took the glass and her hand, then led her into the bedroom. He put the glass down on a table and crossed the room to the side of the bed, with her in tow.

  “We are going to mate. I am going to mark you.” His voice was deeper, huskier, and Alpha.

  “I know,” she whispered.

  “Are you okay?” She was staring at the bed with him behind her. His hands were on her shoulders and traveled down her arms and back up.

  “I’m scared,” she said quietly.

  “I’ll be as gentle as I can.”

  “Just get it over with.” Her voice cracked, and she wrapped her arms around herself for a second, then pulled her sweater up and over her head. She dropped it to the floor. She unfastened her jeans and let them fall. She trembled again. Her hands shook while she unfastened her bra. She kept her back to him. He trailed a finger down her back, from the nape of her neck down her spine. She shivered, and he took his finger away.

  “Get in bed.”

  She climbed in and pulled the covers up to her chin. He went into the bathroom and came out a few minutes later. He didn’t have a stitch on and turned the lights out. Kerry watched him in the darkness. He rounded the bed and sat on his side. He took his watch off and laid it on the side table. Clicking the remote once and the windows frosted over. That relaxed her a little. It didn’t matter if he said that it was one-way, it felt like she could be seen, and she didn’t like it. Ethan swung his feet in and pulled the blanket over him.

  “Come here.” He was on his side now, watching her. She licked her lips and hesitated. “Now.” The power in his low voice left her no choice but to obey.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Of course.”

  She rolled toward him and faced him. They were just inches a
part. “Why me?” She chanced a look up at his face in the darkness. The liquor made her brave, but it wouldn’t last. She would need more if she was going to participate in this at all. Her belly was flipping and folding in her gut. “I mean, you could have anyone, but you had to pay to have me and…you could’ve saved money.”

  He smirked.

  “There are not that many females of the right age in the area. I have pack members, but none of them were to my liking. You were. Your mother and I met at the home center. We had a nice conversation in the garden section, and she told me that you were available.”

  “My mom was pimping me out in the garden section?” This made no sense.

  He laughed. “No, she and I knew what the other was, and the conversation just turned that way. She said something about me bringing my mate to choose flowers for spring. I told her I didn’t have one and that I couldn’t find one. She said something about having a daughter that was on track to mate the pack Alpha but that she didn’t want that for you. She said he was…how did she put it…a mean, old dick that had no business with her daughter. We ended up in a coffee shop working out the details of our meeting. Here we are. Now, can I ask you a question?”

  “Yes.”

  “How is it that a female of your age isn’t mated yet? You are very lovely, and it surprises me that you haven’t been scooped up,” he grinned. What a beautiful smile. She thought that must be the bullshit smile because that’s what was coming out of his mouth.

  “There was Eric. He’s in my pack, or he was until he went to college and met his destined mate. I always thought that he and I would…everyone thought it, until he called his dad recently. Luke is his dad, the Alpha.” Ethan nodded in the darkness, but she could see him. “He said he wasn’t coming home this summer and that he was going with her. My mom said that I should go with you because Luke is awful. Why did you have to pay them?”

  “She told me that your dad was offered a beta position for your hand. I had to make a better offer. She said he would rather have money than the position.”

  “When did you and Mom talk about this?”

  “Weeks ago.”

  Kerry narrowed her eyes and thought. “So Luke made that offer before Eric called?”

  He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter now. You never have to see them again if you don’t want.” He pulled her to him, and she stiffened. “Easy, girl.” He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her softly. His lips were warm and firm against hers. His tongue traced the seam of her mouth until she opened for him. He growled low in his throat, and he sucked on her bottom lip. Kerry eased away from him, but he didn’t give up. He trailed kisses over her cheek and down her throat until his mouth closed over her nipple. Kerry tensed. “Easy,” he murmured against her damp skin. His hand found hers in the dark, and he kissed her knuckles. “Here, if I do anything that you don’t like, you pull, okay?” He put her hand on his head, then found her other hand and did the same thing with it. Her fingers wove into his hair. It was so soft and shorter than she liked. Eric had long hair, not that she’d ever touched it or anything. Ethan’s tongue traced circles over each of her nipples in turn, then he sucked one into his mouth. Her fingers tightened in his hair, but he continued. He placed careful kisses down her abdomen to her panty line.

  “These have to go.” He fisted her panties and pulled them from her.

  “No!” she squealed. “You can’t do that!” She shouted.

  “Do what? How else did you think I was going to mate you? You can’t wear underwear through it.”

  “You ruined them.” She held them up and looked at them. “I can’t fix this,” she huffed. “Great.”

  “What’s wrong? They’re just underpants.”

  “Yeah, one of seven pairs. Now I don’t have a week’s worth because you ruined them.” Tears pricked her eyes. “I don’t have extra clothes. I have to be careful with my things.”

  He grinned at her.

  “It’s not funny! Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “I will buy you more in the morning, okay? I promise, you will have another week’s worth of underwear before lunch. Okay?” She pursed her lips and knitted her brows. He leaned up and kissed the clenched muscles over her nose. He took the panties from her hand and dropped them over the side of the bed. “Spread your legs.”

  His fingers tugged at the inside of her knee, and she let him pull them apart. He kissed the inside of her thigh, then the crease between her mound and her leg. She quivered and felt him smile against her skin. His tongue dipped inside of her, and Kerry nearly came off the bed. “Put your hands back in my hair.” She did, and he moved so that his body was between her legs. He pushed her knees up and spread her further. What is he doing? she wondered, then his tongue sank into her channel, and she whimpered. He blew on her sex, making her toes curls tightly. Ethan circled his tongue around the bundle of nerves at her center. Her belly turned over, and muscles deep inside of her clenched. Tingles spread through her and chased over her skin. He caught her clit between his lips and sucked. Kerry felt the growl work its way up from her belly, and it was followed by perfect pleasure, which rippled over her in waves.

  “Good girl,” Ethan murmured against her delicate flesh and kissed her there softly.

  He crawled up over her now, and she felt his erection against her leg. It was hard and hot. It felt big. “You okay?” She nodded. “I’ll be as gentle as I can.” She nodded again. “Put your legs around me.” He took one of her ankles and rested her foot up on his lower back, then moved the other. “Like that.” She gulped air, and her body shook. He kissed her and she calmed. “As gentle as I can. Don’t be afraid.”

  “Okay,” she whispered. She felt him against her center, and felt him enter her. He moved slowly, easing into her. He was big. She felt like she would split in two and tried to wiggle away.

  “Be still. He wants to claim you, and I’m having a hard time controlling him. I don’t want to hurt you, and if you move like that, it makes it hard not to just slam into you.” She nibbled her lip and nodded. Gently and slowly, he eased in a centimeter at a time. She held her breath and squeezed her eyes shut. He moved farther into her. “Jesus, you’re tight,” he said against her neck.

  “Sorry,” she said, and felt his chuckle against her skin. She felt a sharp pinch deep inside her, and she whimpered. “Ouch,” she said softly. It wasn’t as bad as her mother said it would be, but it hurt. He pulled back and pushed into her again, kissing her throat.

  “Breathe, baby,” he whispered She shuddered through a breath, and he stopped moving. “Again.” She took another breath, then another. “Good girl. Keep breathing. I don’t want you to pass out.” He moved inside of her, faster now, and she felt him tense. He growled loudly in her ear, and she felt him spill inside of her. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. It was a hot and weird feeling, she felt his teeth on her skin at the base of her neck. His bite was quick and deep in her shoulder.

  She went still while he tended the bite. Kerry only hoped he lost interest in this because, except for when he kissed her down there, this was painful. He pulled out and moved off her pulling her against him. His front was to her back. Ethan kissed his bite, and her temple. His arm was like a steel band around her middle, and within seconds, he was asleep.

  She reached for the remote that unfrosted the window, and pushed the button. She looked outside at the trees. There was a floodlight to the right of the window shining out into the woods. She saw a deer nibbling at a bush, a raccoon waddled by. Game. They could hunt and fill the freezer. That deer could feed her family for a week. Her wolf pushed her, and she got free of Ethan’s arm. She slipped from the bed and went to the window, wondering how to get outside. It was right there, lean muscle and unaware of the predator staring down at it. She looked for a door or latch but found none. There was sticky wetness between her legs, and she squeezed them together. That was his seed oozing out of her. Eww, she thought. Her mother was right. It wasn’t a pleasant experien
ce, but it could get her pups when she was ready. Until then though, she would try to avoid it.

  There was no door here. How did you get outside of this house? She left the bedroom and wandered into the next room, spotting a window. She unlocked it and raised it quietly. Throwing her leg over the sash, then ducking under it, she was almost out when a strong arm hauled her back in.

  “What are you doing? "There's game right there," she whisper-yelled at him, pointing in the direction of her prey.

  “We aren’t hunting tonight. It’s our mating night.”

  “I said, there’s game. When there’s game, you hunt.” She tried to squirm away from him again. He held on to her arm and lowered the window and latched it. “Let me go. I can get her.” Ethan scooped her up and carried her back to the bedroom.

  “Why are you even awake?” he asked, putting her down on the bed. Kerry looked out at the deer that still nibbled the bush. She moved to get off the bed again. “Stop it.” He pushed her back down.

  “I have to get her. She can feed us for a week.”

  “I don’t have room in my freezer. Leave her.”

  She looked up at him then. This wasn’t home. Eating this week didn’t depend on a successful hunt.

  “I have a walk-in, and it’s full. You will not go hungry here.” She stopped resisting him when it finally got through her head. “Get on your hands and knees.”

  “No, I’m okay. I’ll go to sleep. I’m used to hunting when I can, so we have food.” She pulled the covers over her. His eyes flashed. She shouldn’t have moved. At least he’d been asleep and this wouldn’t have happened.

  “On your hands and knees,” Ethan commanded.

  “Please,” she begged. He growled in answer, and she moved to do what he said. “Don’t hurt me again,” she begged. He pulled her hips back until she was at the edge of the bed. He sank into her slowly, but not as slowly as before. Kerry held her breath again. That seemed to help with the fullness. She still felt like she was going to split in two. He’s so big, she thought. He leaned over her then, his hands planted on the bed next to hers. She trembled beneath him. He rocked against her until he roared his release and she felt the warmth again. He pulled out of her, and she felt it drip onto her back. Eww, she thought. He rubbed it into her skin with his palm.