Alpha's Vow (Shifter Ops series Book 2) Read online

  The cold snow-water river dunk followed by a dip in the hot spring has been my latest indulgence. Today was the third morning I’d ridden my Ducati down to the low bridge, stripped out of my clothes, and swum with four legs downstream in the icy water to then shock my system with the pleasure of the hot spring. It is a totally unsanctioned activity, since showing our wolves anywhere near humans is forbidden.

  But damn, it feels so good. The contrast of freezing cold and then steaming hot. The early morning exhilaration of exercise and pleasure.

  But I can’t risk it again. I don’t know how my wolf didn’t pick up on Charlie’s presence before I launched into that pool.

  Fuck!

  I was in wolf form when I jumped. I literally had to shift mid-air when I realized she was in there.

  I’m so fucking lucky her eyes were closed and she didn’t see my wolf.

  I was flustered by my mistake, and then by her scent, which was alluring, but hard to catch in the water. It drove me wild trying to get the full notes of it. Like pine and peaches rolled into one.

  I’ve seen Charlie in town before. She’s in that group of females that hangs out with Deke’s mate, Sadie. But today was the first time I got close enough to smell her, and now I crave more. A lot more.

  Maybe it’s just the fact that she was naked and I’d just shifted, but I sprouted a chub that refused to go down the entire time I was in that pool with her. I mean, I’m the kind of guy who appreciates a naked female, regardless of her scent. Any naked female.

  Maybe it’s been too long since I’ve managed to get a female in bed, because while I didn’t see that much of Charlie, the thoughts about what she was hiding under all that steam and water nearly drove me wild.

  I definitely want to see more of her.

  All of her. Preferably writhing underneath me, screaming my name as I make her come.

  Maybe tonight. It is her birthday, after all. It would be a shame to leave a woman unsatisfied on her birthday. But Rafe would cut my dick off if I did hunt her down to make her scream. We’re not supposed to fraternize with civilians—a.k.a humans. Charlie’s friends with Sadie, which means things could get messy. Living in a small town makes it nearly impossible to screw around.

  I arrive at the low bridge where I left my Ducati. After lifting my nose to scent the air for humans, I shift back to my two-legged form, emerge from the brush, and change into my clothes by my bike.

  What Rafe doesn’t know won’t hurt him.

  Chapter 2

  Charlie

  “Happy birthday!” Adele throws her arms around me. I was so absorbed in my thoughts and my martini, I didn’t even hear her approach.

  “Shhh, keep it down,” I say, even as I hug her back. “I don't want the whole restaurant to know. The staff might come out and sing.”

  “Don’t worry, they don’t do that here. I even called the manager to make sure.”

  “Oh good. Thank you. I still have nightmares about last year.” We went to a Mexican restaurant, and Tabitha got the whole Mariachi band to play birthday songs for fifteen straight minutes.

  “So do I.” Adele lifts a giant bag filled with white and gold chocolate boxes onto the table beside me. My mouth waters at the sight. The only thing better than a best friend who owns a chocolate shop is being a guinea pig for all her new chocolatey concoctions. “The whole restaurant is under strict instructions to not make a big deal. But I can’t promise Tabitha won’t circumvent me and hire a stripper.”

  “Oh, God.” I try to imagine a male stripper and immediately think of Lance. Shirtless, that wolf tattoo swaying to music, a cocky smile on his face. I choke on my drink, and sputter.

  Adele thumps my back. “You okay?”

  “Fine. Wrong tube.” I have got to get a hold of myself. “What’s new with you? How’s The Chocolatier?”

  A distressed look flashes over Adele’s face before she smoothes it out. “Let’s not talk about work,” she says. “What about you? Did you do anything special today?”

  “Just work.” And hot tubbing with a hottie. Nekkid. My cheeks flush. I turn my head and rest my chin in my hand, trying to hide it, but Adele knows me too well.

  “Nu-uh, that’s not the whole story. What happened?”

  “There may have been a hot guy involved.”

  “Oooh,” she gasps. “Not a stripper?” she teases.

  “Nope.” I duck my head close to her. “And don’t tell anyone else.” I love all my friends, but I don’t want everyone knowing I think Lance is hot. Then Sadie would get excited and try to hook us up on double dates or something, and I’m not about to go out with the guy. Lance is not part of The Big Plan.

  “Secret’s safe with me. What’s he like?”

  I roll my eyes. “He’s a player. I can tell. Like every fly-boy on base growing up.” I push my martini away. “But he wants in my pants, and I definitely considered it for a minute.”

  The waitress comes by, and Adele orders a bottle of wine for the table before turning back to me. “So? Why not jump him?”

  I gape at her. I’d expect Tabitha, our hippie friend with no real job and a strict laissez faire code, to advocate free love and one-night stands, but not Adele. We all look up to Adele, not because she’s a year older, but because she’s so responsible and put together. She runs her own business and spends every waking minute in full make up and tasteful high heels, looking ready for a photo shoot in Paris. She’s the only person I know who regularly accessorizes with scarves.

  “It’s not part of The Big Plan,” I say.

  “Right.” Adele loosens her pretty cream-colored neck scarf and smooths back a perfect brown curl. “What’s the plan again?”

  I take a deep breath. “Marry by thirty, have two point five kids. Raise them in Taos, but travel and hike a different national park each summer. Retire at fifty.”

  “Hmmm.” Adele narrows her green eyes at me.

  “Once I’m retired, I might do something crazy,” I add, so I don’t seem too boring. “Like start a cactus farm. Or crossbreed different varietials of ficus.”

  The waitress delivers the wine. Adele pours a glass and takes a healthy sip. “All right, you want my advice?” She sets the glass down with a thump. “Forget the plan. You spend your whole life working for something, only to have it fail. You might as well set it on fire and toast marshmallows.”

  My jaw drops to my lap. “Okay, what is going on with you? Did something happen? Is it the shop?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.” There are grooves around her mouth I’ve never noticed before. “Not on your birthday. Today is about you. And I think you should do it. Sleep with him, whoever he is. Not as part of the plan; just to enjoy a hot man. Get it out of your system.”

  The rest of our friends arrive, and Adele sits back with a placid smile, no sign of her earlier stress. I let her deflect attention onto me, but make a mental note to check on her later.

  As for her advice, well… maybe I can add a one-night-stand addendum to The Big Plan. One night doing the horizontal tango to get Lance out of my system. Wham, bam, thank you, military man. Then he’ll move on, and I’ll get back to searching for someone with long term potential. Someone who’s husband material. Maybe I can find someone with an accounting background, so every year he can do our taxes.

  My plan is perfect. What could go wrong?

  Lance

  Working in intelligence has its perks. Without resorting to asking Deke—which would show my hand—I find out everything I can about Miss Charlie. Where she works—the U.S. Post Office; where she lives—her own little adobe house in town; and, most importantly for tonight’s plan—the make, model of her car. How else will I be able to casually bump into her on her birthday?

  She has to be going out with her friends.

  It doesn’t take me long to do a drive-by of the restaurants in the Taos area, and I finally spot her Subaru Forester beside Sadie’s white Hyundai in front of the nicest restaurant in Arroyo Seco.


  I don’t go in. She’s with her friends. It would be awkward. Instead I go full recon, parking my bike across the street under a tree, slouching down in my seat and watching through tinted windows. A full blown stakeout. Something I’ve done many times, but never, ever for a woman.

  But Charlie’s different. My wolf assures me she’s special. And I’m going to find out why.

  When the pack of females emerge, I get out, stealthily cross the street, and then seem to appear from the side street, casually passing near Charlie’s car. “Hey, birthday girl.”

  She draws in her breath and swivels her hip to lean against her car. “Lance.”

  Oh fuck. I like the way my name sounds on her lips. I catch her peach-pine scent—her full scent this time without the water to wash it away—and it hits me square in the nuts. My jeans get way too tight.

  Damn. I haven’t had this strong a reaction to any female before—human or shifter. I move my hips, trying to lessen the pressure, but otherwise ignore the bulge down below, hoping she won’t look down and notice.

  “I’m here to buy you that drink.” It’s a line. I’ve used them on women before, but I’m not usually so attached to the outcome. For some reason, it matters that she’ll say yes to me.

  She hesitates, her gaze flicking to her friends, getting in their cars. They don’t notice that I’m here. They’re already back in their own little bubbles.

  “Just one drink.” I switch on the charm, practicing that effect I mastered of making my interest seem casual, friendly, and non-threatening. It comes in handy on missions. I’m the guy they send in as distraction. I have a face people think they can trust, a face that hides the power and ferocity of the animal that lurks beneath the surface. It’s the opposite of the intimidating vibe my brother—our alpha—Rafe goes for. Or the giant, leather-clad Deke, our biggest pack member.

  Of course, I’m not a threat. Not to Charlie.

  Just to her panties.

  Charlie considers me, wisps of her blonde bob falling across her face. She knows I want in said panties. I get the feeling she knows exactly what I am, minus the wolf part. I doubt I’m her type, but I’m familiar. She grew up on bases with guys like me all around her. So she’s thinking about it. It’s her birthday, after all. And after that foot rub, she probably knows that I can make her feel good.

  She drags her plump lower lip through her teeth, debating. “One drink,” she agrees.

  My wolf fist pumps the starry night sky. I touch her back lightly and lead her back into the restaurant, where we sit at the bar. She takes her turquoise puffy winter coat off. She’s in one of her graphic t-shirts under a cropped jacket. This one is of a rainbow unicorn dabbing. The shirt fits tight and small, accentuating her narrow waist and perky tits. She dressed the outfit up with a pair of high-heeled boots under her dark blue jeans.

  I have to stop the wolf-like growl of approval that rises up in my throat.

  The bartender is a pretty twenty-something with long red hair up in a ponytail. I make a mental note that she’s hot, and add her to my possibility list, but as soon as I have the thought, my wolf shuts it down.

  Charlie, he growls.

  Yeah, I know. I’m working on Charlie. The redhead would be for later.

  My wolf still isn’t having it. Charlie’s peachy-pine scent is wreaking havoc on both of us. I want to skip the drinks and throw her up against the closest wall. Bury my cock so deep in her, she never looks at another man again.

  Which is… inappropriate. I thought I was supposed to be the suave one. I’m feeling as feral as Deke was before he found Sadie.

  “I’ll have a dirty martini,” Charlie tells the pretty bartender. I resist making an innuendo about the dirty part, especially when I see her gaze slide over to me like she’s waiting for it. Instead, I just wink. “Gray Goose and tonic for me.” I put my back to the bar, settling my full attention on Charlie. “Did you get a birthday treat tonight?” Okay, there might have been innuendo in that question.

  Charlie’s gaze drops to my lips for a moment, like she’s considering where her treat might come from.

  That’s right, beautiful. This mouth can make you scream.

  “I, um, did, yes.” Her hands slow in the act of taking off her cropped jacket. I’ve flustered her. Or her own thoughts have. A light flush spreads up her neck. “The flourless chocolate torte. Adele, Tabitha, and Sadie helped me eat it.”

  “Good,” I rumble. “Birthday girls should get all the treats.”

  “Yes.” Her nipples are protruding through her t-shirt and bra. She’s picking up what I’m laying down. Our drinks come and Charlie takes a healthy sip from hers, like she’s trying to steady herself. Or maybe she’s dulling her resistance to me. I can scent her arousal. She knows what I’m offering and she wants it. She just isn’t sure yet if she’s going to let herself have it.

  I don’t touch my drink. My mission is not even close to complete.

  “Has it been a good one so far?”

  “My birthday?” Charlie considers. “I had a nice morning, even though some guy came and belly flopped into the hot spring right next to me.” She’s teasing. Oh Fates, she’s teasing. That’s a good sign.

  “Oops,” I deadpan. “What an asshole.”

  “It’s okay, he made up for it,” she murmurs almost too low for me to hear.

  I grin bigger. “Good. I’m sure he’ll never do it again. Of course, he might have noticed you were in there if you hadn’t hidden your clothes under a rock.”

  She laughs. “You found them, huh?”

  I lean closer and dip my head to her ear. “I didn’t think you hiked there nude.” Her breath hitches when I say the word nude and I lean back to continue, “I was looking when I climbed out, to figure out where I went so wrong. I usually have far better recon skills than that.”

  A shadow passes over her face. If Charlie were any other woman, I’d ignore it or distract her until I can get her in bed. But I can’t with Charlie. She matters to me—even though we’ve just properly met.

  I review my words to figure out what triggered her. I know from my research that her parents are both still alive and together, retired from active duty and living in Green Valley, Arizona.

  “What are you thinking about?” I ask softly.

  “Oh. Um, recon.” She fingers her drink, falling silent like she expects me to move on. But I keep silent, waiting, so she gives a little nod and continues, “I was thinking about my brother. He’s currently deployed and I haven’t heard from him for six months. It’s driving me nuts.”

  Chad Holland, age twenty-four, active duty Air Force. I haven’t dug into his information beyond that. “You’re worried about him.”

  She nods. “I’m sure he’s fine. My mom keeps saying she’s sure he’s fine.” She rubs her temples. “I grew up always worrying one or both of my parents weren’t going to make it home every time they were on tour. You’d think by now I would’ve learned how to stop it.”

  I brush a lock of blonde hair that strayed across her face. “How to stop worrying?”

  “Yeah.”

  “My brother’s the one who worries in our family.” I flash her a rueful smile. “I think he figures if he does it all, I won’t have to.”

  She looks under her lashes at me. There’s no mascara on them. Like this morning, her face is natural and fresh. Beautiful. “You seem pretty relaxed.”

  I shrug. “Like I said, Rafe takes all the responsibilities on his shoulders.”

  “So you’re the playboy.”

  Ouch. I shouldn’t be offended. She’s right, I am the playboy. At least where women are concerned. The label fits, but tonight I don’t like it. I want Charlie to think better of me.

  I take her drink from her hand and set it down. “I’m the playboy who knows how to make you forget your worries for one night, birthday girl. Will you let me?”

  Her eyes darken and she draws in a shaky breath. “Um…”

  “I’ll let you ride my Duck.”

 
“Your Duck?” She wrinkles her nose. “Is that some sort of euphemism?”

  I deepen my voice and deliver the line with a cheesy seductive flair. “Only if you want it to be.”

  She shakes her head, rolling her eyes.

  “My Ducati,” I clarify. “Duck, or Duke, if you prefer.”

  “Mmm. I’ve never ridden a Duck before.” Her tone is sultry, and she overdoes it by fluttering her eyelashes at me. “Or a Duke.”

  Wowza. Even when she’s fake-flirting, she’s over-the-top sexy. “I’ll even let you drive.”

  She laughs. “What makes you think I want to?”

  “I know you want to.” I toss a few bills on the bar to cover our drinks.

  Her smile is miraculous. It makes my wolf preen at having coaxed it out of her. “Wow.”

  “Let’s go.” I stand and grab her jacket from the back of the chair.

  She rises and I hold her jacket out for her, then rest my hand on the small of her back. It fits perfectly, like it was made to ride there. I lead her outside and pull the keys to the Ducati from my pocket. “Have you driven a motorcycle before?”

  She draws in a long breath and exhales. “Not since high school.”

  “It’s easy. Like riding a bike. If you’ve done it once, you won’t forget.” We arrive at my bike. “Don’t be nervous.”

  She darts a glance at me, then back at the bike. “Are you going to ride with me?”

  “Of course, angel. I’ll be with you the whole way.” I pause. “Unless you want me to follow you in your car?”

  “No, I want you on the bike. Definitely. I don’t want to do this alone.”

  I zip her puffy jacket up to her chin and put my helmet on her head, tightening the chin strap. She pulls a slim pair of brown leather gloves from her pockets, and puts them on. Reaching past her, I put the keys in the ignition. “Go ahead. Climb on.” I quirk a smile.

  “Oh boy. This is crazy,” she says, but throws her leg over like a pro and grasps the handlebars. “This one is the clutch. This one is the brake. Right?”