Authors: Carrie Ann Ryan
So
many questions flashed through his mind. Who was she? Why did she have his
dust? What would she do if she discovered his secret?
Most
importantly, he wondered if she was single and how she would look underneath
him, blushing in ecstasy.
Shade
shook his head, dispelling those annoying thoughts. He’d find out what he needed
to about Lily, get his dust, and save the entirety of the supernatural world. Maybe
along the way he’d learn a little more about a pretty brunette whose very
presence threatened to make his wings stretch to the sky.
Yep.
Easy for a warrior angel such as himself.
Have you tried Carrie Ann’s first
series, The Redwood Pack?
An Alpha’s Path is now available
Chapter 1
The
thundering in Melanie Cross’s ears increased as her breath became shallow.
Palms sweaty, she bit her lip and nervously tapped her foot, as she took in her
surroundings. The lobby looked like a palace. Tall, cream colored pillars and
chocolate molding surrounded the opulent sitting area. Gorgeous light fixtures
with tear drop crystals hung from the walls and the ceiling, giving the room a
soft glow. Warm and inviting. But she didn’t want to feel invited. She wanted
to leave. Run away and never look back.
What
was she thinking? Melanie was a smart, hardworking person. A freshly printed
PhD in Nuclear Chemistry and a painstakingly long, nine hundred page, leather
bound thesis sat on her desk, proved it. She could accomplish things on her
own. Her ideas were acclaimed, and her work referenced numerous times. Any job
her heart desired, now hers for the asking. Because of this she was about to
bypass the normal post-doc route of working underneath yet another professor.
Now she would be an Associate Professor with her own research group at an Ivy
League University.
She
gained a few close friends over the years, and even though she didn’t have an
overly active social life – okay she didn’t have one to speak of – she thought
her life was just peachy.
Yet
her friends thought with all of the accomplishments in her educational career
she was still uptight. Some even said she was missing her ideal husband. But
her closest friend Larissa decided she just needed to get laid.
Mel
thought back to when her best friend first told her this crazy idea.
“Really
Melanie, when was the last time you got laid? First year? Even earlier? It’s
ridiculous! You are practically a born-again virgin.” Larissa laughed at her
own joke and then slid a business card across her newly cleared off lab bench.
“
What’s this?” A name printed on the card, Jamenson
Services, stared back at her. “You’re sending me to a gigolo?” She gasped and
tried to throw the card away before Larissa quickly swiped it from her hands.
“No.
The Jamensons are contractors. The man who owns it is an acquaintance of mine.
He built the new green house at my parents. Come on, you need a date and so
does he. It is only for one evening, and sex isn’t required. But honestly, the
way those Jamenson boys are built, you’ll be dropping your panties at his
command,” Larissa lifted one eyebrow and laughed again.
“Oh
I don’t think so. I’m not that desperate. It’s just that I’ve been so focused
on my work that I didn’t have time to date a man, let alone look for one.”
Melanie knew she could’ve just looked across the lab bench for the last five
years to find a date. But really Timmy wasn’t at all that worth to look.
“Honey,
you are too rigid. You need one night off before you skip ahead to the next
part of your life. Call the number on the card and talk to Jasper. He’s the
brother of the guy I think would be perfect for you. Do it and get laid.” She
laughed, pushing the card in Melanie’s hand.
Somewhere
deep down Melanie knew Larissa was right. Melanie didn’t throw the card away.
She couldn’t. Now six weeks later, she found herself sitting in the Hilton
Resort in Seattle, about to vomit on the new black Fuck-Me pumps Larissa forced
her to wear.
“Miss?
Are you okay?”
At
the sound of a deep voice, her head shot up to look at a very handsome man.
Dark skinned, with piercing eyes, he surveyed her.
Oh my, is this her date?
“Oh
I’m fine. Just getting the nerve to walk into the bar, to get even more nerve
to wait for my date.” She winced at how fast and squeaky she spoke but really –
why was she even here?
“I’m
the manager, Lance Morse, let me walk you to the bar, and get you a shot of
that nerve.” He winked and she smiled him.
Melanie
took a deep breath. “Okay.” Wow. Surely, anyone could tell she was
Dr.
Melanie Cross, rather than the dumb blonde she seemed to be portraying.
Or
not
.
He
took her arm and guided her away from where she sat for twenty minutes
regretting her decisions. Lance walked her toward the bar, while talking about
the various hotel and resort amenities and events. She nodded while he spoke,
as she felt the bar beckon her.
“Here
we are. Thank you again for coming. If you need anything, feel no hesitation in
asking one of my employees to assist you or ask for me by name. Enjoy your
evening, Melanie Cross.”
She
smiled then stopped breathing for a moment. “How…”
“Your
friend, Larissa, texted me earlier to be on the lookout for a small, shy blonde
by the name of Melanie Cross and you seemed to fit the description. I took a
gamble.” He smiled.
Before
she could respond, he winked again and walked out of the bar leaving her alone.
As
she sat down, a Bay Breeze magically appeared in front of her and the bartender
winked at her as he walked away. Did all men at this hotel wink? Her phone
buzzed as she was just about to get freaked out.
Melanie
babe, please relax. Your date should be there soon. Take a nice drink of that
concoction and enjoy your evening. Oh and get laid.
Melanie
laughed. Larissa possessed a one-track mind. She took a drink when her phone
buzzed again.
Just
remember to keep an open mind. He really is quite sweet and won’t bite. Well,
only occasionally. And only if you want him to.
What
the hell?
****
Kade
Jamenson stepped into the lobby and was immediately assaulted by the delicate
honey vanilla scent wafting throughout the room. His muscles clenched and he
balled his fists, gaining control.
Mate?
He
tried to tone down his edginess, but it felt as though his wolf was trying to
claw his way out from the inside.
He
spoke to the wolf inside his head,
“It surely smells like a possibility. But
we are here for a date with a human. I am not so callous as to stand up a
perfectly reasonable date just so I can follow a scent that could lead to
disaster. Let me figure out this date first and then I will follow the scent if
we have to. We already made the mistake of the wrong mate once; I don’t want to
do it again.”
Mate!
His
wolf was right. He knew the woman who could be his mate wasn’t even in the
room, yet her scent and the urge to join with another was stronger by far than
with Tracy. Kade took a deep breath of the honey vanilla scent and his balls
tightened.
Damn.
This woman was potentially his mate. How could this happen the night he finally
took up his brother’s, Jasper, offer of a blind date?
He
quickly texted Jasper to let him know that he needed to break his date or do
some major rescheduling and thinking. He couldn’t be respectful to this human
woman if he was aroused by another scent. It wasn’t fair to any party.
His
phone buzzed not one minute later with a response.
Kade,
don’t be an ass. Just go meet Melanie and I am sure you will have your answers.
After
that cryptic comment, Kade didn’t know what to think. Jasper told him, Melanie
was a 5’2” petite blonde who should fit against his 6’2” frame nicely. Those
liquid brown eyes that gazed up at him from her photograph, made him want to
know what was behind them. That was a first for him. He might have been
slightly nervous about the date but he was oh so willing and eager to meet with
her. Just remembering her photo made him smile and want to see her in person.
He was an Alpha male with no small amount of pride. Hell, he was the Heir to
the Redwood Pack, first in line to the throne. Kade took one last deep breath
of that honey vanilla scent and squared his shoulders.
He
had a date with a pretty blonde.