Cruel Alpha, Season One (Wolves of New Eden #1)

17. Seeing Red

17

Seeing Red

Annalise

There have been several discoveries made tonight. Among them is the fact that Dimitri’s handwriting is absolute shit. As I stand in the middle of a dark alley, trying to determine whether the third number in the address I was given is a five or a six, a light drizzle has turned into a downpour.

I tuck the small slip of paper into the pocket of my poncho to keep the ink from smudging, then I throw caution to the wind. Best case scenario? I walk into this cesspool and discover that Caspian was never here. Worst case? This is a setup and Dimitri’s arranged for a gang of wolves to tear me limb from limb.

Somewhere in the middle of this sliding scale, is finding out Dimitri told me the truth, accepting that Caspian actually frequents this place. Which, based on how my stomach’s twisted in knots, will probably gut me.

There’s no sound. I’d expect a raunchy sex club to at least have a rumble of bass, or a rogue scream escaping through the walls, but there’s nothing. Just a brick, windowless building void of any signage. If discreet is the vibe The Wet Bar is going for, mission accomplished.

I grip the metal handle and rainwater coats my palm. To my surprise, it pulls right open, and when the door closes behind me, my wolf steps up to give me sight in the dark hallway. Heart pounding, I continue forward, twisting knobs and peering into empty office spaces as I make my way toward the second heavy door at the end.

A quivering breath leaves my mouth, and I’m starting to revisit that Dimitri’s-setting-me-up theory. If a person were to get jumped and beaten to death, this would certainly be the kind of place to do it.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I pull the next door open and only then does sound seep up from the bottom of a staircase. One as long and dark as the hallway I just passed through.

“Fuck my life. And fuck Dimitri.” I whisper those words to myself as I take a step, holding the wall, feeling how it pulses in rhythm against my palm.

At the foot of the stairs, there’s another corridor, a right turn, more walking. By now, the music has grown louder, and the glow of red light illuminates yet another set of double doors. My guess is, I’ve found it—The Wet Bar.

Squaring my shoulders, I lower the hood of my poncho, deciding at the last second to take it off completely, dropping it off to the side. I’m not sure what people wear to these kinds of places, but when Dimitri taunted me with the potential details of Caspian’s whereabouts, I didn’t give much thought to changing. I simply rang for a car, and then ended up here.

A sudden rush of insecurity has me snatching the elastic band from my ponytail, pushing my hair in front of my shoulders when it falls free. My hope is that this small detail might make it a bit less obvious I was ready to read myself to bed before deciding to make this trek. Another deep breath, and I’ve done all I can, so I grip the handles of both doors.

Loud music thunders out and the red light glows even brighter, causing me to squint after having just walked through the dark hallways of fucking purgatory to get here. But as I take a step, a heavy hand slams to my chest, and the sound of a deep booming voice follows.

“Membership ID?” I look up to see what neanderthal just knocked the wind out of me. He isn’t alone. A second wolf stands guard beside him, both dressed in solid black, sporting sunglasses.

I quickly gather myself, tugging the hem of my sweater as I remember to hold my head high.

“I don’t have a member ID, but I can pay,” I offer, which causes the two brutes to glance at one another, smirking.

“Doesn’t work like that, sweetheart. Either magically conjure a membership ID and pull it out of your ass, or get the fuck out,” one says.

The other sniffs the air, and when his gaze lowers to me again, his head tilts. “Besides, it doesn’t smell like you belong here anyway.”

It takes a moment, but then I get it.

They’ve sensed my virginity.

A fresh wave of frustration pulses through me, and I have half a mind to call up my wolf and push past them, but I don’t foresee that going so well.

“What about this?” I ask, turning with my back to them as I lift my hair. There, just beneath my hairline, they should see the tattoo of my family crest. When I hear light shuffling behind me, I imagine one is retrieving an Ancestral Verifier from his pocket. Then, the next second, I feel the warmth of that very device’s light on my skin as he scans it. The seemingly normal black ink that, when under the light of the verifier, shimmers and reflects an odd shade of turquoise.

When they fall silent, I’m assuming they’re reading my stats on the small screen in hand.

“Our apologies, Ms. Breedlove. We didn’t realize?—”

“It’s fine,” I cut them off, fixing my hair as I face them again. Both are noticeably more humble now, less brutish.

“How can we assist you,” one asks. “Are you interested in a table? A private room?”

I wince at the second question, imagining Caspian in one of those rooms.

“No, I’ll just make my way around if that’s okay.”

“Of course,” the one on the left says, and then both step aside, no longer blocking the door.

No longer shielding me from the debauchery taking place inside.

The first sight my eyes are drawn to is the dozen or more women hanging from the ceiling by sheer, red fabric, flipping and contorting their naked bodies in strange, skillful ways. Not too far from this display, an array of silver poles jut up from a stage in the center of the room, like some sort of erotic forest, more nude girls slithering down them like serpents.

I swallow deeply, tempted to wait in the long line at the bar for a strong drink, but I focus, remembering why I’m here. Remembering who I’m here to find.

I scan the room, bathed in a sea of red light, and there, perched in a black armchair is our valiant alpha, the one revered as the epitome of regality, nobility. But tonight, our fearless leader is relaxed in his seat, knees parted as he gawks at some topless bitch grinding in his lap.

My thoughts are singular as I storm over, my wolf’s growl resonating in my chest when I close in on him. And it isn’t until I’m within a few yards that he even notices I’m hunting him down.

“What… the actual… fuck, Caspian?”

My eyes volley from him to the girl who still hasn’t taken her cue to leave, or even rise from his lap. So, I grip her arm, purposely letting my nails lengthen to puncture her skin as I jerk her to her feet.

“Are you insane?” she snarls, snatching out of my grasp. Her eyes glow yellow with anger, much like I’m certain mine are.

I open my mouth, preparing to tell her exactly how unhinged I am, but a warning from Caspian steals my thunder.

“Dana, if you so much as lay a finger on her, it’ll be the last thing you’ll ever do,” he growls, peering up at the girl through his lashes.

But hearing him defend me has me snapping a look his way. I wait until the third wheel gets a clue and finally fucks off, but I’m stunned by Caspian’s demeanor. He’s downright calm, completely unrattled by my being here.

“How can you expect that girl, or anyone else in the clan for that matter, to respect me when you’re in a place like this?”

He doesn’t speak, choosing to take a sip of liquor from his glass. While he swallows, my gaze flickers to his lap, expecting to see an erection the size of a flagpole in his pants. But… nothing.

By the time he meets my gaze again, I’ve lifted my eyes back to his.

“Do you have nothing to say for yourself?” My voice sounds shrill, brought on by the sheer frustration of him clearly not giving a shit that I’m upset. “Isn’t it enough that you’ve already made a fool of me? Made me out to be the type of woman who’d settle for a man who’s declared that he’s taking on several mates?”

I’m panting, struggling to breathe as my rage flares, as it becomes obvious that I’m having this argument with myself.

“Are you finished?” he asks in his usual calm, deep timbre.

“Not even close.”

Staring at one another, we’ve reached a stalemate, neither one willing to bend. Eventually, he takes a deep breath, and his eyes soften.

“Follow me.”

He doesn’t wait for a response as he stands from his seat, trudging toward a dark corner that leads to a hallway lined with doors. Behind them, strangers moan and cry out in pleasure, and it’s impossible not to imagine the carnal acts taking place just beyond our line of sight.

Caspian twists the knob leading to a room on the right, then pulls me inside, locking us in alone. We’re surrounded by soft, red velvet walls. A circular, neatly-made bed with red sheets are the centerpiece of the room, and an odd leather harness hangs in the corner.

My eyes flit back to Caspian as his glare settles on me. I hate how my wolf cowers beneath the look. Like I’m the one in the wrong.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Dimitri told me where I’d find you.”

His eyes flicker up toward the ceiling. “Of course, he did.”

“How I got here is beside the point.”

“Then, tell me, Annalise. What would you like me to say? Are you looking for an explanation as to why I’ve resorted to ducking into a seedy gentlemen’s club under the cover of night?”

It’s a rhetorical question, so luckily, I’m not expected to answer. In truth, he’s incredibly intimidating when he’s angry.

“A man can only be turned on to the point of experiencing actual pain so many times before something has to give,” he admits, gritting his teeth as his chest heaves. “So, yes, I came here because I’m desperate for some sort of relief. Relief not brought on by the touch of my own hand.”

My cheeks are suddenly warm when that image fills my head—him pleasuring himself, his head falling back, his lips parting as he comes. I force the thoughts out and focus on the real issue at hand.

That I’m wounded, although I don’t fully understand the true scope of my feelings.

That my heart aches with a new kind of disappointment, having found him in such a compromising position.

“Why do I even care?” I speak the words out loud, but I’m mostly speaking to myself as I zone out. “This is how it will be. This is a glimpse into how I’ll feel every day of my life moving forward.”

I’m not asking a question, not seeking understanding. It’s more of a revelation, clarity as to what I’ll face once I’m forced to observe Caspian savoring the company of other women.

This is my fate.

I take a step away, but he catches my wrists, keeping me in his space.

“Annalise…”

My heart feels heavy at the hint of a quiver in his voice. Tears blur my eyes a second later, but I keep my composure. At least, I do until I’m brought to the warmth of his chest, and then kissed with so much heat and passion, it takes my breath away.

He squeezes my wrists tighter as his tongue breeches my lips. He fills me with fire in more ways than one, but as I’m overcome by lust, I have to admit that it’s nearly more powerful than the anger, the rage.

Nearly.

But not quite.

His eyes open when I pull back, reclaiming a morsel of strength he didn’t manage to steal with that kiss. We stare into one another, silent as wave after wave of emotion slam into us.

“I’m not an unreasonable man, Annalise. Nor am I unaware of our circumstances,” he says. “You’ve never been with a man, never pleasured a man, and I can be sensitive to that. But… I do have needs.”

His words—although spoken calmly, and with some measure of compassion—only anger me more.

“What was your plan when you came here tonight?” I expect him to shy away from answering, but that wouldn’t be Caspian.

Instead, he looks me in the eyes and speaks only the truth. “My intent was to defile the first woman I came across with curves and long, dark hair, pretending she was you.”

Bile rises to my throat as I imagine it, him fucking some other woman, finding pleasure and relief with his cock buried inside her.

“I won’t listen to this.”

I attempt to step away, reaching for the doorknob, but he stops me, holding me in place.

“You wanted to have a discussion; am I wrong about that?” When I don’t answer, he holds my gaze. “The things I say won’t always be what you want to hear, but they will always be true. You asked a question, and I’ve answered it.”

I’m livid, feeling literal steam rolling off the top of my head. “So, that’s it? I’m frigid and broken to you, so this is your solution?”

“What? No, you’re neither of those things, Annalise. But this is hardly a solution,” he scoffs, letting his hands slip from my wrists as he takes a step back. I’m not sure how to read the look he wears, so I cross my arms, bracing myself for whatever comes next.

He’s silent, and while he thinks, he lets a nervous half-smile slip that shouldn’t be nearly as sexy as it is. Considering.

“It’s just that, I haven’t been able to… solve very much,” he admits, lifting his eyes to mine as I try to understand the hidden meaning behind his words. “This isn’t my first time coming here. I’ve visited after each of our encounters, but it’s always the same result.”

My mind flashes to the moments we’ve shared when things have gotten more heated than either of us planned. And I’m guessing these are the encounters he speaks of.

“So, this place, coming here, it’s turned into a habit?” I don’t even attempt to shield him from the judgement in my tone.

He breathes deep, seeming to search for how to best explain himself.

“It’s true that I’ve come here on a few occasions, but to my surprise, and possibly yours, I’ve never been able to follow through.”

My brow tenses when I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m supposed to believe you came all this way only to suddenly develop a sense of morals when you walked through the door?”

He chuffs a small laugh and it infuriates me.

“No, it’s more than that. What I mean to say is that… you’ve effectively broken me, Annalise.”

I’m still unsure what’s being implied, but when he glances down at his cock, I understand. It brings to mind the lack of an erection I noticed when the she-pup finally pried her ass off his lap.

My jaw stiffens, not wanting to show that I find the fact that his body may only respond to me now mildly intriguing. And… maybe a little flattering, too. But I’m too pissed to let him know that part.

“Good. Serves you right.” The comment draws another smile out of him.

“Yes, I suppose it does.”

A long breadth of silence passes between us, and lucky for him, my disappointment is beginning to wane. It’s not like we’ve entered any formal semblance of commitment, so he hasn’t been unfaithful. But I’ll be damned if finding him here didn’t bruise my ego a bit.

“So, where does this leave us. Am I forgiven?”

Red light pours down over him, his solid biceps and chest beneath a white button down, suspenders tight against his shoulders. My eyes flit to his, and the anger I expected to wallow in for a century has already begun to drain from my body.

“Funny. I don’t recall you asking for forgiveness.”

His eyes narrow as he smiles wickedly, staring down on me from his towering height.

A breath hitches in my throat when he takes my waist, and then slowly, never breaking his gaze, lowers to the floor. Kneeling before me, that half-smirk set on his lips persists, but I manage to keep my expression blank.

“Annalise Breedlove, Alpha Regent of Clan Centauri, woman who drives me mad, and apparently owns my cock despite never having formally claimed it… will you please accept this, my humble apology?”

I swallow deeply, pretending seeing him in a submissive position hasn’t caused my heart to race.

“That depends. Do you promise never to return here? Ever?”

He nods and stares up at me earnestly. “You have my word.”

I don’t doubt his sincerity for a minute, so I stretch my hand toward him. He takes it and places a kiss in the center of my palm, relief seeming to wash over him.

“May I escort you home now?”

My gaze lingers on him as I consider it, but it isn’t lost on me that he came here seeking something. Something I haven’t been willing to give.

Confusion fills his eyes when I beckon for him to rise to his feet, but he does so anyway, still holding my waist as he stretches to full height again.

“We’ll leave,” I assure him. “But before we go... there's one last thing I want you to do."

Curious, he arches a brow but doesn't hesitate to agree. “Anything."

I take a step back, dazed by the sight of him—tall, solid, a brute in suspenders, sex practically seeping from his pores. Then, I release a deep, calming breath to settle my nerves as I reveal what he's to do next.

“Take off your pants.”