New Alpha-New Rules (7 page)

“I’ll clean up.”
Harper got up and started gathering things from the table that were left
behind.

“Sit.” Ryder said
quietly.

“How long do you
need?” Ryder asked her. Harper gazed at him. “How long to make up your mind
Harper?” She nibbled her lip. “I know you want me. I scent it and I can feel desire
coming off you in waves. You don’t want to sleep apart from me but then you told
Kelly that you haven’t agreed. I don’t like mixed signals. It’s not healthy for
your heart and mind to battle.” Harper inhaled deeply and dropped her eyes. Her
finger traced a pattern on the table in a scattering of pepper someone spilled
during lunch. She was on the short bench next to him. He pulled her into his
lap. “I want your full attention.” He scowled down at her.

“You have it.” She
settled against him and let him hold her close. He was watching her and making
her nervous.

“How long?” He
lifted her chin with his finger again. Harper gazed up into the prettiest brown
eyes she’d ever seen. They were warm and full of something unfamiliar,
something she liked it. Golden flecks surrounded his pupils she saw now. You
couldn’t see them unless you were this close so she knew that she’d found a
treasure because not many would get this close to a powerful Alpha like Ryder.
He had thick black lashes that made her a little jealous, and perfect straight
white teeth. She wondered briefly if he’d had work done like the humans but
knew that he probably had not. He wasn’t like that and he was wolf. Their pups
would be beautiful too.

Tiny crow’s feet
deepened beside his eyes and the corners of his beautiful mouth lifted. Why did
some men have the most delicious lips? They were perfectly curved and perfectly
proportioned, she wanted to taste them. Harper’s hands found their way into his
hair on either side of his head and she pulled him down to her mouth. Her lips
were tentative at first then grew surer, stronger. Ryder let her explore for a
few seconds then took control of her kiss. Her heart pounded against her ribs
and kept her eyes closed when he finally stopped. Her eyes fluttered open.

“Ryder?” She
watched his eyes open. They were completely amber and the wolf was there. She
felt him there, close to the surface. “I want you. I don’t need any time. I’m
sure.” Ryder stood suddenly with her in his arms. The bench toppled over
backward and hit the floor with a loud thwack but he ignored it. He strode
through the living room and up the stairs taking them two at a time. Harper
kissed his neck and he stomped up the stairs faster. Ryder elbowed the door
open to the attic. Everyone working in the attic stopped, frozen in place.

“Out.” Ryder
thundered. They scattered, dropped tools, and drywall where they were. Harper
buried her face in his neck. Anyone in there had no doubt as to what was about
to happen in this room. Within seconds, everyone in this house would know. Well,
Harper consoled herself, when she mated Bronson everyone knew then too. He
dragged her away from the crowd and into the house that they would share. He’d
taken her in the dining room as soon as the door closed. He’d bitten her then
fucked her. It was not the romantic mating she’d hoped her first mating would
be, it was not even close.

Maybe this wolf
would be gentler. This time perhaps a wolf with more experience would make it
better. The door clicked closed. Ryder dropped her feet softly to the floor. “I
wanted better for you, not a room filled with sawdust.” Ryder pulled his tee
shirt off and tossed it to the floor.

He seemed bigger,
more powerful. Harper went to him and pushed her hands over his chest. She felt
the power there, felt everything inside her ache for him. Ryder’s hands rested
on her hips and pulled her closer. “Are you sure? There won’t be any stopping
him once this begins.”

Harper glanced up
at him then pulled the zipper down on the hoodie that she’d never taken off.
She shrugged it off and dropped it, her tee shirt was next, and she hesitated
knowing what was under it. The frilly push up bra that Sidney put her in last
night and the scrap of underwear that she’d insisted Harper wear. “I…” Harper
swallowed hard.

“What is it?” His
breaths were heavy but controlled. “What’s wrong?” Ryder pulled her close and
held her there. “Tell me.” He whispered.

“I’m, I’m just
scared is all. I’ll get over it, let’s go.” She trembled. Ryder lifted her and
carried her to the mattress on the floor. He sat down with her in his lap.

“What are you
afraid of? That I’ll hurt you?” She shook her head. “What then?”

“That it’ll be
like last time.” She sniffled.

“Tell me what last
time was like.” His thumb traced her cheekbone as his fingers lifted her face
to his. He kissed her softly. She laughed hollowly.

“It was awful.”
Her lips pressed into a hard line but she went on. “After the ceremony he
dragged me across the compound in front of the pack and shoved me into our
house. At the time I thought it was because his lust was out of control for me,
that he wanted me so much that he couldn’t wait.” Her head shook back and
forth. “He pushed me down on the dining room table and marked me then tore my
panties down and slammed himself through my virginity.” She sniffled. “Then he
went to shower and spent the rest of the night watching TV. The pack was
throwing a barbeque for us outside but he wouldn’t let me leave the house. He
said my place was with him and he didn’t want to go.” She exhaled sharply. “It
didn’t get much better after that.”

“Why did you mate
with him? Did you ever love him?” He was incredulous.

“It was for a pack
alliance, but I thought that since he’d agreed that he at least liked me and I
thought I might love him. Over the years though, trying to figure out why we
just didn’t…I don’t know. I don’t think he ever liked me and the more I think
about it, the less I like him.”

“He raped you.”
Ryder whispered. She nodded.

“Yeah, looking back
now and remembering, he did. But what did I know? I was young. Wolves are rough
sometimes, that’s what my mother told me anyway. She said that I was to accept
him and stay with him for the good of the pack, that it was my duty. So, I did
as I was told, just like always.” She gave him a watery smile.

“Describe what the
perfect mating would be for you. I mean if you could have it picture perfect,
how would it look? How would it feel?” She giggled. “Tell me.” He smiled down
at her.

“He would have to
like me.” Ryder watched her. “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter, let’s just get
on with it.” His head shook back and forth.

“Nope. Not until
you tell me.” He pushed her off of his lap onto the mattress beside him then went
to fetch his shirt and her hoodie. He tossed it to her and she looked
disappointed. “This isn’t happening right now. You want more and so do I. I
want to take you in a bed, not that.” He pointed at the mattress. “Not this.”
He waved his hand at the room. “We’ll wait. There is no hurry. In the meantime,
I want you to tell me what the perfect mating would be to you. You don’t have
to tell me all of it today, I have time but you will tell me.” He laid down
across the bed and patted the spot next to him. She laid down facing him. “Can
you tell me some of it now?”

“Okay. I wanted it
to be romantic, candles, flowers, you know. I wanted to dance and have barbeque
then when the night came; I wanted him to walk with me, with his arm around me
to the house. I wanted to feel special, safe, and protected.”

“So that’s what
you want?” Ryder traced a path down her arm with his finger.

“No, well not all
of it but definitely the last part. I don’t want to sleep away from you.” She
gazed up at him. “It felt like you were rejecting me and it nearly tore me
apart.” He nodded.

“You sleep with me
then. I like to watch you and you growl in your sleep.” He whispered
conspiratorially. She pushed at his chest.

“I do not.” She
pursed her lips

“Yes, you do and
it’s as sexy as hell.” He kissed her forehead. “Do you want a ceremony?” He
wondered where he would find someone if she did, but if that’s what she wanted
he would do whatever it took.

“No. I had that
and it doesn’t make it any better.” She scowled.

“You’d like that
party though, with the barbeque and…cake?” His brows rose and he smiled at her.
“Dancing, then a private escape to our room, to a bed not a mattress.” She
thought about it and nodded. “Okay. Then we wait. We’ll finish this room, set
up my bed and arrange a party. What can I give you for a mating gift?”

“A gift? I’ve
never heard of a mating gift. The mating is the gift.” He chuckled.

“No darling, I
will give you something, or do something that is only for you. When Cindy and
Mathew mated, I gave them an SUV. Granted it was two years old and mine but it
was new to them and they still have it. Lucy was born in the back of it.” He
laughed, “Which is just fine because I think she was conceived in there too.”
Harper stifled a giggle. “Come on. She probably needs help with dinner and I
have things to attend to, I’m willing to wait but not forever.” She grimaced.
“You’re safe for now.” Ryder stood and pulled her to her feet then kissed her lips
chastely. “Come.” He pulled her toward the door.

She walked slowly
behind him thinking about the things he’d said. He was so sweet and nothing
like Bronson. He would be better at all of it, he was already better at all of
it. He’d shown control and caring for her. That was more than her first mate
did. Looking back, she should have rejected Bronson the second day they were
mated. He shouldn’t have mated anyone, ever. He was a terrible human being and
a lousy wolf.

She turned the
corner into the living room where Nicole was facing off with Ryder. Wow. Harper
wouldn’t ever do that with an Alpha. Well, maybe if she were mated to him but
not in front of other pack members. It was disrespectful. It was about her.
Crap. This she-wolf was gorgeous on the outside but she was as ugly as it gets
on the inside.

“You know you are
fated to mate with Kelly. I want that new bitch gone!” She screeched, clearly
out of control. Her eyes flashed in warning.

“I’ve told you a
hundred times that I am not mating with a child. I am not fated to mate her.
That is something that you created in your delusional mind.” Nicole’s gaze went
past him now to Harper and her eyes flashed again. Harper lifted her chin. If
that bitch shifted, Harper wasn’t sure what she should do. She’d only been here
a day. Should she shift and protect herself or let Ryder protect her?

Then like a
streak, Nicole shifted mid-air and leaped for Harper. Ryder was on her in an
instant, before Harper had a chance to shift. He had Nicole pinned by the
throat at Harper’s feet. The wolf looked up at her. Harper watched unsure of
what it wanted.

“He’s asking your
permission honey.” Cindy was at her side now. “It’s up to you.”

“What is?”
Harper’s brow furrowed but her gaze never left the wolf’s eyes. Those beautiful
brown and golden flecked eyes. The gold was more dominant now she noted and
there was grey there too.

“Her fate. If you
say so, he will snap her neck or let her go, it’s up to you.” Harper shook her
head. “I’d vote for the neck snapping but she has pups that aren’t full grown
yet.” Cindy murmured. The room was filling with pack members now including
Nicole’s pups. Harper shook her head.

“Let her go.”
Ryder’s beast loosened his jaw and let go of her. She whined loudly. He shifted
and stood up to face Harper. He held his arms out and she went to him.

“It’s okay
sweetheart.” Tears streamed down her face now. “It’s okay. She won’t bother you
again. Will you Nicole?” He said over his shoulder. Harper heard her harrumph
and stomp from the room. When he finally let his arms drop, they were alone.
“You showed mercy when you didn’t have to, you’ll make a good female Alpha.”

“No. Cindy is your
female Alpha.”

“Cindy is a pack
member that likes to break rules. She could never be the Alpha of this pack.
You though, have a good head on your shoulders and you stay calm in situations
that are out of your control. That’s Alpha material. Now, go help Cindy with
supper. I have to get a room ready.” He smacked her bottom half-heartedly and
went to find his pack. Harper wandered into the kitchen to find Cindy.

“Need some help?”
Cindy smirked.

“You know it. Do
you hunt much?” Harper considered the question.

“I do, I’m very
bad at it. My mate did most of the hunting and I did most of the working. Why?”

“Well, we need
meat for one and you didn’t shift for two. I found that odd that a wolf didn’t
shift when she was about to be attacked by another.”

“I can shift. I
was still deciding what to do if she did. I knew that she would but I didn’t
know if I should, I just got here.”

“So you should let
her attack you? No. Hell no. If that…If she ever tries that again, you shift
and kick her ass. It doesn’t matter that she’s Ryder’s cousin. He knows if that
happens she will have deserved it.”

“She’s his cousin?
That’s just…” She scrunched her nose up and Cindy giggled then handed her a
bunch of carrots, potatoes, and turnips with a peeler.

“Distant cousin
and her granny told her that her offspring would mate an Alpha. I don’t know
why it couldn’t be one of the boys but she has it in her head that it is Kelly
and Ryder. He has never shown any interest in her at all and I don’t think that
he likes Nicole much either but she’s family. Poor Kelly thinks that she
doesn’t have any choice because that’s what Nicole has told her.

He and Will were
tight back in the day, that’s how they met. They were together one day when her
and her family dropped in for a visit. She and Will hit it off and were mated
within a week. When Ryder formed his own pack, naturally Will signed up. Mathew
was one of their friends and that’s how I got here. I’ve never liked her. She’s
pack and naturally I would do what a pack member has to do but, I still don’t
care for her.” Cindy was loading a roast into a huge pan and seasoning it. “Got
any moose around here?” Harper laughed.

“Maybe at the
zoo.” She stopped at Cindy’s look. “Sorry. No. No, moose, no game really except
deer, maybe a coyote or a fox. You may see Canadian geese, some duck, doves,
and wild turkeys. I think it’s illegal to kill the geese though.

There is a grocery
store in town.” Harper offered and Cindy made a face. “Okay, um, sometimes my
Alpha would get buffalo from a farm not too far from here. It comes butchered
so you will need a big freezer. Do you have one? When you buy one, it’s by the
half or whole animal.”

“I’ll put it on
Ryder’s list.” She thought a minute then nodded her head. “Instead of planting
corn, Matt needs to learn how to tend animals. I’ll put that on the list too. I
hate store bought eggs. They are not the same.”

“Did you guys work
a farm in Green Valley?” Harper finished the carrots and started on the
potatoes.

“No. Well, we had
chickens but everything else we caught. There was plenty of wild game and not a
lot of people around.”

“I’m thinking
chickens, sheep, goats, hmm…rabbits.” Her eyes lit up and Harper laughed. “Yes,
let’s put rabbits on the list.” 

“You could catch a
rabbit here, they’re around, squirrels too and we aren’t far from the lake so
you can fish once you get a license.”

“Ugh. This place
has too many rules.”

“Maybe, but nobody
is hunting you here either.” Cindy quirked a grin.

“Good point.”
Cindy gathered up Harper’s vegetables and put them in the pan with the roast
then carried it to the oven. “Done. Now we can move some laundry.”

“Do you do
everyone’s laundry?” Cindy nodded. “She doesn’t help?”

“I told you, she
is the queen of lazy.”

“Wow. How many
machines do you have? I mean there are a lot of men here.”

“It’s on the list.
Ryder is going to convert the basement for us, he says he is getting commercial
washers and dryers, a dumb waiter, laundry chute and a commercial kitchen put
in. The basement is first but the kitchen won’t happen till later after the
additional houses.”

“If you build
houses why the need for all of that in this house?” Harper tried to puzzle it
out.

“Well, the unmated
males will get housed together at first but the mated houses will be built
first, and then we can do our own laundry.” She said sarcastically and grinned.
“Ask Ryder, he’s the man with the plan. Come on and I will show you around. By
the way, I heard that he was going to mark you, but I don’t see his bite. What
happened? You don’t have to tell me, I mean if it’s none of my business, just
say so and I will drop it. That goes for anything, but I am naturally curious
and I ask a lot of questions.”

“It’s okay. We
decided to wait. He wants to finish the room first and move his bed in.”
Harper’s cheeks burned. Cindy grinned.

“Good. You’re
first mating shouldn’t be in a pallet on the floor in the middle of a
construction zone. It should be…” Her eyes searched the ceiling and she smiled.

“Yeah.” Harper
said quietly.

“Okay so here’s
the laundry room. If you suck it in, we will both fit. Someday this will be a
walk-in freezer, I’m told. Meantime, it’s hell.” Cindy kicked a pile of clothes.
Harper looked at it dubiously. “I know what you’re thinking. I’ve let my
laundry duties lag. Not at all. Those are yesterday’s clothes and maybe a few
from Thursday.” Cindy shook her head and moved jeans from the washer to the
dryer. Harper watched with her brow furrowed.

“There you are.”
Ryder circled her with his arms and kissed her neck. “Your room is now the
bathroom so you have to sleep with me.” She felt his smile against her cheek.

“This is
overwhelming.” She pointed.

“I’m working on
it. I am going to convert the basement.”

“We’re going to
drown in dirty clothes in the meanwhile. We need a commercial washer up here
now and a dryer. We can move them later but this is…” She shook her head and
bit her lip. “Daunting.”

“On it boss and I
like that you said ‘we.’” He kissed her neck and disappeared. Cindy bounced in
place.

“What?”

“Bigger washer!”
Harper’s brows furrowed and she gave Cindy a curious smile. “You asked and he’s
getting them.” Cindy was still bouncing while she hugged Harper. “And a bathroom.”

“Huh?”

“He said your room
is the bathroom so they’ve figured out how to put the pipes in for a bathroom
in the attic. There is only one on each floor so baths are on a schedule. It’s
frustrating to say the least.” Cindy went back to the laundry. She was humming.

Harper wandered
outside and looked into the barn. She stayed outside of the doorframe but
looked in at the dust floating on the beams of light. The floor was bare dirt
but it looked like there was hay up in the loft. It was probably rotten since
the barn was full of holes. There was one big one in the back roof area. The
whole building seemed to lean. Her previous analysis was correct. The barn was
not safe.

This place needed
a lot of work. She looked up at the sun and walked around to the other side of
the house. This would be the sunny side, the garden side. She walked back to
the barn still looking up and decided that the barn stood in the perfect
location for a barn because it would be warm all day. She put her hands on her
hips and looked around deciding where the chicken coup should go. It was on the
list.

She wondered how
long it would take to build one and how long to build a barn. She’d seen barns
raised in a day if everyone helped. Harper squatted and looked out over the
empty field wondering where Will and Mathew were. What were they going to plant
here? If Cindy wanted sheep then they needed grass to graze. They had the room
and she liked lamb. She scratched at the dirt it was good and black. Ryder
squatted down beside her. “Penny for your thoughts.” He said and she smiled
softly. “You aren’t rethinking this are you?”

“No.” she looked
up at him. He was so beautiful. She wondered why he wasn’t already mated, why
he would want her. It didn’t make sense. “Why aren’t you already mated?” He sat
down in the grass and plucked a long stem. “I mean, look at you. You are
probably fighting them off.” He chuckled.

“Uh yeah. Well, I
was fighting them off. I didn’t always want a mate. I know that it’s best for
the pack and for my wolf. But, until I met you I’d never met a female that the
wolf and I could agree on. Sometimes he enjoyed them more than I did, sometimes
it was me but none of them made us both happy.” He reached over and pulled her
into his lap. She squealed with surprise. “I want to meet your wolf. Soon. It’s
important.” Harper nodded. I think she’ll be sweet. Her mouth pressed into a
thin line. “Not sweet?”

“I’ve been told
that she is dainty and insignificant.” He growled deeply.

“He was a real
piece of work wasn’t he?” She nodded looking at her fingers. “Good thing he’s
gone. I don’t think we would’ve gotten along very well.” Harper laughed. “I
still want to meet her.” His arm pulled her against him in a quick hug. “Now,
I’ve ordered the washer and dryer in as big as they come. I’ve ordered a
bathtub, sink, toilet, and high-end fixtures for your bathroom and I can’t wait
to get you alone in the tub.” Harper’s cheeks burned and he kissed her temple.
“When I came out here you were pretty deep in thought. Tell me what’s going on
in there because it wasn’t how pretty I am.” Harper laughed.

“I was wondering
how long it would take to raise a barn and how much field you need to raise
sheep and goats. Then I was thinking about a chicken coup because Cindy doesn’t
like store bought eggs. How many chickens did you have before?” She gazed up at
him now and he had a strange look on his face. “What?”

“Alpha females
take care of the pack. I told you that you were Alpha material.” He thought for
a minute while looking at the sky. “Chickens? I don’t know two dozen? It’s on
my list.”

“Cindy said that
you had a list, can I see it sometime?” He stifled a laugh.

“Sweetheart, you
can see anything I have.” She shoved her shoulder into his chest as hard as she
could and he laughed harder. “I mean it he said soberly.” He leaned back taking
her with him until she was lying on top of him. “I want to run with you.”
Harper bit her lip. “I want to chase you across these fields and play with you
in the moonlight.” She kissed him then, softly at first then more intensely.
Ryder rolled her to her back hovering over her. “I want you.” She licked her
lips. “I’ll wait but I want you.” He left a trail of kisses from her ear to her
throat and back. Her heart quickened with his words. Someone cleared their
throat a few feet away.

“Jack?” Ryder said
without looking up.

“Sorry for
interrupting. Again. Curtis said to bring this before he goes deaf. Her phone
keeps ringing.” Jack brought the small purse that she’d carried to the bar over
and placed it in the grass beside them. “Sorry, but Curtis said.”

“It’s okay Jack.”
Ryder looked up and nodded.

“Thank you Jack.”
Harper said and smiled at him reaching for the purse and digging the phone out
of it. It would need charged soon. She had forty-six missed calls. Jeez Sid,
chill out. She thought.

“Ma’am.” He nodded
and hurried back to the house. Harper’s brow furrowed and Ryder kissed it until
it relaxed.

“Ma’am.” He
whispered. She rolled her eyes. Suddenly, the phone squealed loudly startling
Harper. It jumped out of her hands and tumbled in the grass. Ryder laughed and
picked it up then gave it to her after looking at Sidney’s face on the screen.

“Sidney is checking
on me.” Ryder turned his head away from the noise.

“You need to
change that ringtone.” Ryder scolded. She nodded.

“Hey Sid.” Harper
said. “What’s up?”

“Where have you
been? I have been calling for hours. Things are nuts over here.” Sidney scolded
her loudly.

“What happened?”
Harper ignored her question and plucked at the grass. Ryder closed his eyes after
laying back in the grass and crossing his arms under his head. He looked so
relaxed. She wanted to curl up with him. It still amazed her that this powerful
Alpha wanted to stay by her side. That he wanted to be with her.

“Max has lost
control of this pack. Ellis is calling for a fight and of course Jake is
instigating.”

“About what?”
Harper froze and listened. What had happened in a day?

“You of course.
They don’t think that Max should’ve let you go so easy and Ellis is saying that
Max gave away a potential mate for one of them. It’s a bunch of bullshit but
it’s out of hand. Are you mated yet? Has he marked you?”

“Not yet, why.”
Harper glanced over at Ryder’s peaceful face. He looked like he was sleeping
but she knew that he wasn’t.

“Get it done.
They’ll be coming after you with torches by sundown. Hey, someone is at my
door. I’ll call you later and answer the damned phone sooner next time.” The
phone went dead.

“Torches by
sundown huh?” Harper nodded. “We’ll be waiting.” He hadn’t moved. His eyes were
still closed and he was still as relaxed as ever. Harper was growing worried though.
What if they came for her? There were so many of them. “Is your friend going to
be okay over there? Do you want to invite her here?”

“You don’t have room
for anyone else and she isn’t sleeping with us. I love Sid, but that’s where I
draw the line.” Harper grinned.