Chapter 12 - Fisher

Today is my alpha”s birthday party, and as I pull into his driveway, I can already hear the raucous crowd inside. It”s not every day an alpha turns forty, so naturally, it”s a big deal. I”m not exactly thrilled to be here, but as part of the pack, I have a duty to celebrate the occasion.

In truth, I”d rather be anywhere else right now. I”d rather be at home with Liz, but ever since our little incident in the lumberyard, she”s been avoiding me. I don”t know if it”s because I crossed a line, if she regrets what we did, or if it was simply a moment of insanity brought on by too much lust and not enough sense. But either way, it”s been torture to not finish what we started.

Now, every time I’m around her, my mind goes back to that moment in the warehouse. I can’t stop thinking about the way she moaned, the way her body trembled against me, the way her pussy felt against my fingers, and the way her wetness coated my tongue as I drank from her. It was all so unexpected. One minute, I was showing her the warehouse, and the next, I was bent over her like a damn animal in heat. I can”t explain what came over me. All I know is that I want more.

Now, I avoid that room at all costs. Whenever I see that table, I picture her on it, her legs spread wide, waiting for me to fuck her. Just stepping into that room gives me a hard-on. But it”s not just that—I find myself thinking about her constantly. She”s invaded every thought I have. It”s been driving me crazy for days.

The entire situation is getting out of hand. I feel like I”ve been walking on a tightrope, trying to figure out the best way to deal with this without causing trouble. It”s wearing me down, and I need something, anything, to get my mind off this woman.

But before I can find relief, there’s the party to deal with. I enter the house, already exhausted by the noise of the crowd. The place is already packed, and I have to maneuver my way through the throng of people in the entryway before making my way to the bar to grab a beer.

”Hey, Fisher, glad you could make it!” Ram greets me with a grin, clapping me on the back as I join the gathering.

”Yeah. Happy birthday, man,” I reply, forcing a smile as I try to push aside my troubled thoughts.

David sidles up to me, beer in hand. ”You all right, man? You look off.”

I nod, but my mind is elsewhere, consumed by memories of Liz”s soft lips and the taste of her skin. ”Yeah. Just tired, I guess.”

Ram raises an eyebrow, giving me a knowing look. ”Something on your mind?”

I hesitate, unsure of how to respond without revealing too much. ”Just work stuff,” I mutter, hoping to deflect their attention. ”It”s nothing.”

David chuckles and slaps me on the back. ”You look like hell, man. When did you last sleep?”

”I”m fine,” I insist, trying to keep my voice steady as I shake my head. ”I just need a beer.” I grab one of the open bottles off the bar and take a long draw. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out to see a text from Liz saying she and Leah are running late after closing up the shelter and they”ll be here soon. At least I have that to look forward to.

I turn to David. ”Looks like your wife and mine are going to be late. We”re going to have to entertain ourselves.”

”Hey,” Ram says, a gleam in his eye, ”you wanna play darts? David”s getting pretty good at it lately.”

”I”m good,” I say, shaking my head. ”Maybe later.”

”Come on,” Ram insists, giving me a playful nudge. ”Just one game. It”ll help take your mind off things.”

David rolls his eyes, but he grins. ”He”s right, Fisher. You should come play. You need to let loose a bit.”

I shake my head again. ”Maybe later, guys.”

Ram lets out a sigh of frustration. ”All right, then. Try to have some fun, will you? I hate to see you so down in the dumps.”

”All right, I”ll try,” I promise with a grin.

I take a sip of my beer as I turn back to the bar, and I see a blond woman with smudged makeup and alcohol-hazed eyes walking up to me. I have to do a double take before I realize it”s Jessa, a girl I used to date. Well, “date” is a strong word. More like “fuck and walk away.” She was easy and uninhibited, and we hooked up when the mood struck. But then she found some rich doctor to marry, and even though she tried to keep things going with me, I”m not the sort of man who goes around sleeping with married women.

She smiles at me, and I notice her eyes are bloodshot. ”Hey, Fisher. Remember me?”

I offer her a half-smile, taking another sip of my beer. ”Jessa. You”re looking well.”

”Thanks,” she says, her smile widening. ”It”s been a while. What”ve you been up to?”

I shrug. ”Not much. Just trying to stay out of trouble.”

She lets out a giggle, and the sound is grating. ”You know, you never called after that last time we... you know, hooked up.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. ”I told you back then I don”t screw around with married women. That hasn”t changed.”

She gives me a mock pout, and I want to smack it off her face. ”Aww, don”t be like that, Fisher,” she teases. ”We were good together, weren”t we?” She takes another sip of her drink, and the stench of alcohol oozing off her is overwhelming. ”It”d be fun to recreate those nights.”

I sigh. ”Jessa, it”s been a long day. I”m not in the mood.” I push off the bar stool, hoping that she gets the hint.

”Fisher, don”t go,” she whines, gripping my arm. ”I”ll be good, I promise. Let”s just catch up. You know, for old time’s sake? We”ll just talk.”

There”s a sadness to her eyes, and against my better judgment, I take my seat again and grab another beer.

”So,” she says, leaning forward to get closer, ”how have you been?”

”Fine,” I mutter, trying to keep my distance.

She bites her lip, grinning, her gaze roaming over my body. ”You”re looking good. Word around town is you got married, too. Recently, I hear.”

I roll my eyes. ”Word travels fast, doesn”t it?”

She giggles, her cheeks turning red as she presses her palm to my chest. ”So, is it true? Are you married?”

”Yeah,” I reply, staring straight ahead. ”It”s true.”

”How long have you been married?”

“Less than a month.”

She cocks her head, and I can feel her gaze on me. ”You should be radiating with that newlywed glow. Instead, you seem... tense. What”s bothering you?”

”Nothing”s bothering me.” I take another sip of my beer, avoiding her gaze.

”Fisher.” I hear the disapproval in her voice as she rests her hand on my thigh. ”I don”t believe that. Everyone else is in a great mood. Why aren”t you?”

I give a heavy sigh. ”Look, it”s been a long day, okay?” I rub the back of my neck. ”I”m just tired.”

”Really? ’Cause you look like shit. I mean, look at you.” She points to my eyes. ”You have bags under your eyes, your eyes are red, and you look like you haven”t slept in days.”

”That”s a little harsh,” I mutter, looking away from her gaze.

”I”m serious.” She grips my hand. ”Fisher, what”s wrong? Why are you so stressed out? I”m a good listener. You always used to tell me so, remember? I”m here right now, and you can unload on me. Whatever you”re going through, I”m here for you.”

Jessa’s looking at me with those wide eyes, her lips pouting. She really wants to know, and she looks so concerned for me that it warms my heart a bit. I can tell she”s trying to be sincere, and I have to admit, it”d be nice to let it all out. She probably won”t remember this in the morning, anyway.

I sigh, feeling cornered. ”Look, it”s complicated. Things with Liz... they”ve been intense, and not in the way you”re thinking.”

Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. ”Liz? As in, your wife?”

I nod. ”Yeah, that Liz.”

”What about her? Is something wrong? Did she do something?”

I shake my head. ”No, she”s... perfect. Everything about her is just... perfect.” I swallow hard, remembering how amazing her body felt against mine. ”She”s gorgeous, kind, compassionate, smart, talented. She”s got this way of...” I trail off, struggling to find the words. ”She”s everything a man could ask for.”

”But...?”

I take a deep breath, contemplating whether to confide in her. But something about Jessa”s directness and our shared history makes me want to open up, even if it”s just a little. ”But we haven”t... you know... consummated our relationship yet.”

”Oh,” she says, surprised. ”You mean, you two have been married for more than a month, and you”ve still not had sex with her? I thought she was a wolf.”

I nod, letting out a sigh. ”It”s complicated,” I repeat. “We”ve had a lot of other stuff going on.”

Her eyes widen even more. ”You”re kidding, right? You and Liz haven”t... wow.”

I nod, feeling somewhat embarrassed but also relieved to have shared my secret. ”Yeah, it”s been a challenge. But I don”t want to rush her or make her uncomfortable.”

”You know what,” Jessa says, taking my hand in hers. ”I think you need a good solid fuck.”

My cheeks flush, and I start laughing. I can”t help it, the absurdity of her statement is so ridiculous. I can”t remember the last time a woman suggested sex so blatantly.

”I mean it,” she insists. ”You need to blow off some steam. It”s not natural for a man to go this long without getting laid. Especially a man as masculine as you are.”

”I”ll be fine,” I insist, shaking my head. ”But thank you.”

She rolls her eyes. ”Fisher, I”ve known you for years. I know you better than that. You”re not fine.”

”I am,” I insist, taking another drink. ”I just need to relax. That”s all.”

”Then relax,” she insists, putting her hand on my thigh. ”That”s what I can do.”

I laugh again as she tries to press against me. ”Jessa, come on. I”m not interested.”

She pouts, then grins. ”Come on. I know what you like. I remember all your favorites. Remember the time we had sex on the beach at the lake?”

I wince at the memory. ”I”d rather forget.”

She grins, her eyes filled with mischief. ”We had so much fun, remember? It was so hot, and we were so... eager.”

”Jessa, it”s been a long time since I was eager to fuck you,” I reply, taking a deep drink. ”And you”re married, remember?”

She waves her ring finger in front of my face, and for the first time tonight, I realize it”s missing that flashy rock she used to wear. ”We”re divorcing. See, it”s fate. I”m lonely, you”re horny, and there”s an empty office right behind that door.”

She stands up, and as she pushes up against me, she presses her lips to my neck. She nibbles at my ear, her breath warm in my ear. ”Just let it happen, Fisher.” She nuzzles her cheek against mine. ”No strings attached. It”ll be our little secret.”