25. Alpha

The call I was on would have sounded ridiculous had it not been for the recent incursions from the Northarbor Aviary. They were the loudest protestors over our testing of the beta gene. The aviary preferred the status quo for the designations and they hated alpha females, seeing them as unnatural, when it was probably alphas like them who had killed off the last alpha females.

So hearing there was an owl flying around our territory was a cause for concern. Hearing Tate say he thought it was friendly was just strange.

A number of scenarios flitted through my brain. It could be a member of the aviary who was looking for sanctuary. It could have been an actual owl, not a shifter, perhaps one who had been a pet. Maybe it was a messenger owl or a lone shifter.

All of those went out of my mind when I turned to see the owl looking at me. Those large turquoise eyes fixed on me.

No, that owl could only be Teárlach.

The strange bond we had pulsed with his nearness. It really was him.

How was this possible?

My worries vanished when he spoke to me, asking me to explore the forest with him. As irrational as it was, I would go anywhere if he was by my side.

Shifting, I joined them on the planter, which was not designed for our combined weight. It groaned under us as I rubbed along him in my wolf form.

Alpha. My wolf loved his new scent as much as I did.

He smelled so good!

I hopped down from the planter before it broke. All I really wanted to do was wrap myself around Teárlach, to roll around in that alpha scent, but we didn’t know if this was going to last, so we had to make the most of it while we could.

Leading the way into the woods behind the mansion, I felt Teárlach following me, the gentle breeze from his wings ruffling my fur.

Under the canopy of the trees, I took a deep breath, soaking in the scents of the trees and plants, and more of the gorgeous scent of Teárlach. An alpha. I couldn’t believe it.

I had waited all my life for someone to love like I did him, and here he was, proving to be everything he said he would be. All my hopes now were pinned on it being a forever change. That this wasn’t just one night. When the clock struck midnight, this wouldn’t be taken from me, from us.

We ran, or rather, T flew and I bounded like a puppy through the seemingly endless trees that bordered the Sweetwater lands until I was exhausted. We played, explored, and enjoyed this time together. Both of us as animals like I had never dared to dream of.

T followed me to the lake so I could drink from the crisp, clear water there. He perched in a nearby tree; the branches dipping low enough I could almost reach him.

My alter longs to fly again. Shall we race to that clearing?

The one where we had our first date.

Yeah, I’d like that. Catch me if you can!

I shot towards the trees again, weaving in and out as I dashed as quickly as possible.

Fun!My alter was loving this game of chase with our alpha.

It is, I agreed.

Wind ruffled my fur, and I panted hard, but I was winning. Until T put on a burst of speed and shot ahead of me into the clearing.

He landed on the ground, hooting in triumph.

Rubbing around him, I soaked in his scent.

I don’t want this to end,I told him.

Me either. I’m scared this is a dream.

It can’t be. I’ve never dreamed anything this realistic.

If this is all I get, then I’m glad I got to play with you in our alter forms. I’m glad I got to hear the voice of my alter, even if it’s just something I dreamed up.

Then Teárlach shifted in front of me, the owl making way for the man.

My wolf went close, sniffing all of him, still finding the honey and Jasmine, the rainwater and alpha.

You smell the same. Shift back.

“Does it not hurt to shift back and forth quickly?”

No. Just makes you tired. Elves have magic, shifters are magic.

He shifted again; the owl replacing the elf. He hooted with joy and shifted back into his elf form.

The seamless transition between owl and elf made it feel like this could be a forever thing.

Somehow, Teárlach had been changed.

“Shift, please, Axel. I want to kiss you.”

I did and launched myself at him. His arms wrapped around me as we stood naked under the night sky.

Our mouths met in a hungry kiss as my hands wandered his body. I wanted his scent covering my body. Wanted him to claim me.

I must have spoken it somehow because T broke away only to pepper kisses along my jaw and down my neck. He held me close as his lips met the place where most put their bites at the base of my throat. T licked over the skin, making me shudder in his arms.

“I claim you as my mate. From now until The Luna calls us home.” He uttered the words to bind us together.

Teárlach bit down, a sharp bite of pain giving way to exquisite pleasure. He pulled away, some of my blood on his lips. I kissed him savagely before kissing my way to the spot where I wanted him to wear my mark.

He was an elf, but he had a shifter form. There was no promise this would work. Yet I wished for the bite to take hold as I repeated his words and bit into him, his blood filling my mouth. I wanted to hear him, feel him. Wanted to be tied to him.

I want that too.

His mental voice overflowed with all the love he had for me. I saw myself through his eyes and knew I’d never be loved in such a way again.

You’re bleeding!

It’s just the bite. I’ll heal.

No, it’s too much!

Teárlach cupped a hand over the bite, sending healing energy into it. The glow of his pink magic lit up the night.

That’s enough, T, I’m fine.

“No, just a little more.”

He sent more of his magic into me until a golden pulse pushed us apart.

We stared at each other in shock for a moment.

“T? I don’t feel right,” I said as a cramping began in my gut and my chilled skin began to warm.

My wolf perked up their ears.

Teárlach sniffed the air as he stepped closer, cupping my elbows. His pupils dilated. “I think you’re in heat.”

“What the fuck?”

I felt the slickness gathering in my hole, the desperate emptiness that accompanied it. A need to be filled. To be stretched.

He was right. I was in heat.

Which meant I was an omega!

We are. My wolf was so joyful. Our dream had come true.

“Does this mean…? Could you be…?” I had a hundred and one questions, though none of them were more important than this burning need.

“I don’t know, but we have to hope if we’ve been given this gift, then that’s why.” T stood tense, his pupils dilated, as he held himself back. “Surely The Luna wouldn’t give me the chance to be your alpha for nothing.”

As I stood there, slick running down my thigh, shaking with my first heat, I remembered that long forgotten dream where I was asked to choose.

Then it had been easy to think I would have chosen to be an omega, mating any alpha, to have the baby I so longed for.

It was easy to think of giving up true love when I’d never had it before.

But I had chosen love. I’d chosen Teárlach, even if it meant I’d never have my dream, because the reality of having him was better than anything I could have imagined.

And now, I really believed my goddess had rewarded that sacrifice by giving me everything I’d ever wanted.

“I can’t wait. Please, T, I need you.”

He wrapped me in his arms and slowly lowered me to the grass as our mouths met.

Here?

Yes, the scent of your heat has me barely holding it together. Plus, it is fitting, is it not?

He shared the mental picture of him sucking me off during our first date, in this very clearing.

I love being able to speak to you while you kiss me like this.

It’s wonderful.

T draped my leg over his, opening me up so he could trace a finger down my crack to my wet hole. He slipped his finger inside, making me gasp.

Yes! More!

More of his fingers stroked inside of me, hitting my prostate and making me cry out his name.

Omegas had it so good! I was a mess of sensation, needing to be filled more.

I brought our lips together in a messy kiss. Please, I begged, don’t make me wait.

He pulled his finger from my hole and flipped me. I can’t wait. Need to be inside you.

In one thrust, T was fully inside me. He set a quick and brutal pace as his rut took over. His grunts filled my ears as he fucked me hard.

My arms shook, fingers curled in the grass as I met his thrusts, wanting him even deeper. I needed the stretch of his knot or I was going to lose my mind.

T pulled me up so he could kiss me. Our teeth clacked together, but it was passionate and beautiful. He felt even bigger at this angle and hit me just right. My eyes rolled back, and I moaned against his lips.

His hand wrapped around my cock and he stroked me in time to his thrusts. He got rougher as his dick expanded inside me. Not with a magic knot this time. This was his real knot. I don’t know how I knew the difference when I barely knew my own name, since I was delirious with pleasure.

Just the idea of being stuck on his knot as he filled me with his come had my orgasm rising. The perfect stretch of his cock and the bite to my mating mark did the rest. I came over his hand, milking him.

“Goddess, you feel amazing!” he rasped against my neck as he stroked over my skin.

“I…” Tears began to fall. This had been a perfect first time as an omega. I couldn’t believe I was in heat!

Already I felt the low simmer of arousal bubbling away. The need to be filled and surrounded in my alpha’s scent.

“It’s okay, dear one. I’m with you.”

Teárlach let me cry as we waited for his knot to go down. He kept kissing and stroking me, his alpha instincts to protect me working hard.

“When my knot goes down, we should shift and go home. Let’s ride out the rest of your heat in comfort.”

“That sounds nice.” My knees were sore from the hard ground and I really wanted to shower off the woods from my skin.

“As soon as you are out of heat, there will be a lot for us to deal with.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me, please. I just want to enjoy this and celebrate our mating.”

He pressed a kiss to my lips. “That is cause for celebration, but I must also join the pack. I’m a shifter now.”

“T?”

“Yes, dear one?”

“Race you home.” I pulled away from him and shifted in a fluid motion. If you catch me before I get home, you can fuck me in the shower.

I ran like the hounds of hell were on my tail, laughing and yelling to anyone I passed that I was in heat, so someone would tell Blake.

Shifters and elves alike shouted their congratulations happily. I would have felt sorry for my brother, but I was too busy making sure I got home before my mate did.

Teárlach, though, made it home before me and made good on my promise, fucking me hard against the shower wall, then on the kitchen floor as I tried to eat.

My heat was unstoppable for two whole days, but even as it waned, I still craved him. Being close to him, covering myself in his scent, was necessary to get through the day. I had sympathy for my omega brother-in-law. No wonder Kade was all over Blake all the time. Omega instincts were wild!

So when I woke on the third day, no longer burning with heat, I still asked T to make love to me sweetly, even though I was sore. I longed for the connection and the feel of his knot reminding me this was real.

This was no longer a dream.