Free The Alpha's Hunger by Renee Rose Page B

her seat and stared at the headlights of the cars passing them. Too much had happened that day for her to even try to make sense of it all.
     
    * * *
     
    He pulled into his brother’s circular drive in Golden, a western suburb of Denver. Nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Leon’s back yard featured spectacular views and even a natural, rocky mountain spring-fed creek running through. Motion-sensing lights went off, lighting the sidewalk.
    “Am I coming in?” Ashley asked as he opened his car door.
    “Yeah.”
    She climbed out and smoothed her rumpled skirt, holding her blouse closed.
    He rang the bell.
    After a long time, Shayla spoke from behind the closed door. “Ben?”
    “Yeah, it’s me. Sorry it’s so late, but I have to talk to you.”
    She opened the door, her face tight, but she offered her cheeks for South American-style kisses. A female alpha, Shayla might be petite in human form, but was large, sleek, and fast as a wolf, with tan fur and yellow eyes.
    “This is Ashley Bell. She’s my assistant at Stone.”
    Shayla gaped at Ashley’s torn and bloody blouse. “What happened?”
    “May we come in?”
    “Oh, of course, I’m sorry,” she said, standing back to let them in. “What’s going on, Ben?”
    He rubbed his face. He knew Shayla didn’t appreciate having drama dumped at her doorstep in the middle of the night when she had two kids asleep in their beds. Leon had been a perfect husband to her—providing her the lifestyle she wanted to be a stay-at-home mother. When he’d asked Ben to be their godfather, he’d made it clear that if anything happened to him, Ben’s top priority was to run Stone Tech to provide the same luxury and comfort his family had grown accustomed to.
    He also knew Shayla didn’t necessarily approve of him and the way he’d handled things since Leon’s death. He could practically feel the judgment rolling off her in waves right now, and unfortunately, he probably deserved it all. God, did she know it was his fault Leon was dead? He hadn’t been able to look her in the eye since the day they buried the mangled remains of his brother’s body, which had been flown back to the States for the funeral.
    “So why are you here?”
    “May I sit?” he asked pointedly, although it was rude of him to highlight her lack of graciousness, considering he was the one crashing down her door when her kids were already in bed.
    She blushed as he knew she would, and gestured toward the table. “Would you like something to drink? Some tea, maybe?”
    He looked at Ashley.
    “No, thank you,” she said, “but you wouldn’t have a shirt I could borrow, would you?”
    He cursed inwardly. He should have asked Shayla for clothes for Ashley. What the hell was wrong with him? He should be more thoughtful about his woman’s needs.
    “Of course,” Shayla said and disappeared into her room, returning with a small, mauve t-shirt, which looked almost child-size. She handed it to Ashley. “I hope this will fit,” his petite sister-in-law said.
    Ashley unfolded it and held it up to her chest. “Thanks,” she said. “Is there a restroom I could use to clean up?”
    “I’ll show her,” he said, trying to redeem himself. He led her to the hall bathroom and ushered her in, shutting the door behind him.
    She turned to face him. “You don’t trust me?”
    He didn’t sense any hurt from her, just a question at face value. “I don’t trust my own judgment where you’re concerned,” he said, stepping forward and unbuttoning the only remaining button on her blouse, the one between her breasts. The blouse fell open and he went dizzy at the sight of her lacy purple bra. It matched the panties he’d seen earlier. Her perky breasts filled it completely, flesh pushing forward out of its confines.
    His cock thickened, pressing against his jeans zipper.
    To his surprise, her small hands appeared inside his shirt, sliding up his abdomen, shoving up the fabric.
    He sucked in his breath