Free Mating the Alpha by Ivy Sinclair Page A

you think that I came back to Greyelf to work for my dad because I felt an obligation to him?”
    “Don’t you?”
    “The only requirement my dad had for paying for my college degree was that he wanted me to be a journalist. He never said where I had to be a journalist. I had three offers from city newspapers and a national publication before I even started my senior year. I never applied anywhere, and I turned them all down because I wanted to be here in Greyelf.” I felt my chest tighten as I waited for her next words.
    “I was waiting for you to come back.”
    I leaned across the edge of the tub, and she met me halfway. Our lips touched, and then I reached out to cup the back of her head and turn it to give me better access. As my tongue found hers, I groaned. I wasn’t supposed to be doing this. Not yet. I enjoyed the taste of her a few moments longer, and then I dragged my lips away. I felt a small measure of satisfaction to see that Maren was slightly out of breath.
    “Maren, I love you. I want you to know that because it is the God’s honest truth.”
    “I love you too,” she said breathlessly.
    The words were music to my ears, even though I felt as if I didn’t deserve them. We grinned at each other, and I wondered how in the hell I had gotten so lucky.
    “There’s this thing about you mating someone else though,” she said, a frown settling on her face.
    “Fuck ‘em,” I said. I twisted my fingers through the tendrils of her hair careful not to tug too hard on them and cause her any pain. “I told you that you just have to trust me. The council has its ideas about what it thinks is the best course of action, but I don’t agree.”
    “It’ll start a shifter war,” Maren said. Her tone had gone completely serious. “You are the alpha now, Lukas. You have a whole bunch of people that you need to think about.”
    “I know, but that doesn’t mean that the best thing for them is this treaty in this way,” I said. “I just have to offer them different terms that get us to the same end result.” My mind was already racing, but then I saw the worried expression on Maren’s face. “Hey, hey. Whatever happens, this thing between us is going to happen.”
    “Can you get me a towel and help me out?” Maren asked. “I’m feeling a little chilly now.”
    “You don’t need a towel yet,” I said. Before she could protest, I stood up pulling her with me. She felt so small and fragile in my arms that it scared me to death all over again that I might lose her. I tucked a towel I pulled from the rack around her and took her into the bedroom. I set her on the bed and pulled back the covers. “You need to get some sleep.”
    “I don’t want to be here by myself,” she said.
    “You won’t be. I’ll be right here,” I said.
    She got under the covers and then patted the bed next to her. “Please?”
    How could I resist her? She was the only thing I had ever wanted so badly in my life. Removing my robe, I slid into the bed beside her.
     

CHAPTER EIGHT - Maren
    I knew that Lukas was trying to remain a gentleman because he was worried about my injuries. That was sweet and sensible of him. For once though, our roles appeared to be reversed because I didn’t want to be sweet and sensible. I wanted him; all of him.
    Hearing him tell me that he loved me was something that I had always wanted, and I still almost couldn’t believe it. He wanted me to trust him, and I was willing to do that. But there was something I wanted in return for that trust.
    Lukas crawled into bed with me willingly enough, but he was clearly trying to keep some distance between us. I moved forward and put my hands out so that I could feel the hard muscles of his chest underneath my fingers.
    “Babe, you gotta stop doing that. We’re just going to sleep tonight,” Lukas said. His breath sounded ragged though, and I knew that it wouldn’t take much arm-twisting to convince him. All my body’s aches and pains were forgotten. I