Pack Alpha

Chapter Four

“Marissa…” Gage didn’t know what to say to express his feelings. To tell her that she was his.

Reaching up, she cupped his cheek and his heart twisted in happiness at her intimate gesture. “I’m not trying to be difficult here, but by being with me…”

Gage caught a familiar scent and stiffened as his head snapped up. Now was not the time for visitors.

“What?” Marissa pushed at his chest.

Standing, Gage pulled Marissa up with him. “Someone’s coming.”

“Who?” She went in search for her clothes once again. Her shirt was right beside where she’d been laying. She blushed as she picked it up.

“I know who it is and they are deliberately making enough noise so we hear them.”

“So they know we’re here?”

Turning around, Gage kissed her forehead. “Your shorts are tangled in the tree root.”

He watched as she pulled her shorts and shirt on quickly. She looked over at him, and he didn’t miss the look of hunger in her eyes as she looked at him still without his clothes. Then she looked towards his clothes in a silent message. Gage wasn’t in any hurry to put them back on and wished she hadn’t been either.

“Gage.”

“You have a great body.”

“Gage. Someone is coming,” she whispered with a look of horror on her face.

“They’re already here.” Turning, he faced his second-in-command.

Logan kept his head down and his smile hidden as he faced his Alpha. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen him naked as they routinely ran together.

Now thinking more clearly, Gage was glad Marissa had covered herself up. He didn’t want anyone else to see her.

“Alpha,” Logan greeted, keeping his head down respectfully. Gage knew it was more for Marissa than him.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Logan.” Marissa had moved behind him even though she had pulled clothes on.

“I…uh…Elizabeth came home to have lunch with her sister and got worried when she wasn’t in the house. She called up at the main house so I came over…to…uh.”

“Oh God.” Marissa dropped her forehead onto Gage’s back.

Gage saw Logan unsuccessfully try to smother a laugh. “We’ll be right up.”

Nodding, Logan started to back away.

“Take the short way,” Gage ordered.

Marissa kept her face hidden in Gage’s back until he passed. “Oh God.”

“Relax.” Stepping away, Gage bent down and grabbed his jeans. “We’re adults.”

Her face was red and she kept her eyes on the ground. “I am so sorry. I didn’t know she was coming home,” she mumbled, but he heard her clearly.

Gage shrugged into what was left of his shirt. “Wouldn’t have mattered. Once I saw you standing at the edge of the trees, I would have had you anyway.”

She didn’t respond to his announcement but turned away. “Have you seen my panties and bra?”

Recognising the change in subject, Gage decided to let it go for now. “Bra’s by the tree, although I believe it’s toast.”

Marissa picked it up. “Panties?”

Gage pulled them out of his pocket. “They were under my pants.”

Marissa held her hand out.

Gage just smiled at her and stuffed them back in his pocket.

“Gage.”

“Come on.” He reached out for her hand and pulled her towards the house.

“Gage, give them to me.”

“No.”

“Why do you want them? Some kind of trophy?”

Laughing, he continued to pull her. “Whatever you want to think, Marissa.” He couldn’t very well tell her that they smelled like her and he planned to carry them with him at all times he was away from her.

“Just don’t see why you’d want to keep them,” she complained but didn’t say anything else.

Walking into the house, Marissa felt a new wave of embarrassment. Not only was her sister there but also the man from the woods and Elizabeth’s mate. Marissa tried to pull her hand away, but Gage tightened his grip.

“Marissa, I was worried when you weren’t in the house and didn’t leave a note. I’m sorry I…”

Again Marissa tried to pull her hand away but couldn’t. “It’s okay, Elizabeth,” she tried to assure her sister.

How could she explain to her sister in a room full of strangers that the mistake was her own? She didn’t want Elizabeth blaming herself. Marissa was the one to mess everything up. All she had to do was control herself and she couldn’t even do that. Two days and she was already breaking laws.

“No. I shouldn’t have called up to the main house…”

“Elizabeth, it’s fine.” Marissa waved a hand—unfortunately, it was the hand still holding her torn bra.

Elizabeth gasped as Logan and Greg laughed out loud.

Whipping her hand behind her back, Marissa pulled on the other one, and Gage finally released her. When she would have run upstairs, he put a firm arm around her waist and held her in place.

Marissa wished the floor would open and swallow her. But instead of making excuses about what had obviously happened, Gage just held her tight against him. Knowing he needed a way out and away from her, she tried to come up with anything she could to get rid of him.

“I need to take a shower,” Marissa said to no one in particular. She was surprised when Gage smiled down at her and turned to the others.

“Gentlemen, why don’t we leave the ladies to clean up and have lunch?”

Everyone agreed and the men headed for the door.

“I will see you later tonight, Marissa,” he whispered in her ear before releasing her and walking away.

Marissa waited for the front door to close before lifting her head. Her sister stood with her arms crossed over her chest and the look of disapproval written all over her face.

“Don’t,” she warned Elizabeth.

“You didn’t learn the first time?” Elizabeth asked, concern evident in her tone and by the softening of her expression.

“It was an accident.”

“An accident?” her sister repeated with no amusement. “Tell me, just how do you accidentally get naked and have sex with the Pack Alpha?”

“How do you know I had sex with him?”

Elizabeth just lifted a brow.

“Okay, fine, I had sex with him!” Marissa started out the room.

“Why?” Elizabeth asked, following.

“It’s not like I planned it.” She couldn’t explain it to her sister until she was able to explain it to herself yet.

“Marissa, he is my Alpha.” Elizabeth’s voice rose, and it reminded her of when they were kids and Marissa had once again gotten herself in some sort of trouble.

“I know.”

“I can’t believe you did this.” The disappointment she heard doubled the guilt Marissa already felt.

Reaching the guestroom, she pushed the door open. “You know, he did have a say in the matter.”

“Yes, he did.” Elizabeth sighed. “I’m sorry, but you know what happened last time. This is my Pack, and that is my Alpha. I won’t let you ruin that for me.”

When Marissa turned, her eyes burned with tears. “I didn’t mean to ruin anything.”

Elizabeth’s sigh was audible. “You know that male wolves for some reason think they are above the law. I’m sure Gage wasn’t thinking about it at the time, but you should have.”

Marissa knew she should have. “I’m sure he thought he would be able to keep it quiet. Brandon always told me not to tell anyone about us and I’m sure that’s what Gage will tell me later.”

“If this got out…” Elizabeth took a step back and had tears in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Elizabeth.” Marissa couldn’t be any sorrier for her actions. Once again, she would be responsible for them losing everything.

Her sister sent her a sad smile. “Maybe it would be best if you left. Tonight.”

“Okay.” Turning towards the bathroom, Marissa felt the first tear fall. It would be best. For everyone concerned.

“We have a problem,” Logan walked into the Alpha’s office without knocking.

“What?” Gage looked up from the papers in front of him.

“Greg just called. Elizabeth sent Marissa home.”

“She what?” Gage’s voice rose as he jumped up.

Logan took a step back. “After we left, Elizabeth sent Marissa back to California. She’s probably already to the gate.”

Yanking up the phone, Gage had to control his temper to keep from crushing the piece of plastic.

“Guard house,” the guard on duty answered.

“Tom. Has Marissa Boyd driven through yet?”

“No, Alpha. No one’s been through for about fifteen minutes, and that was Sammy and Kyle.”

“She doesn’t leave,” Gage told him.

“But–”

“Don’t let her out,” he ordered. “I’m on my way.” Slamming down the phone, he turned to Logan. “Get Elizabeth up here now.”

Logan nodded and backed out of the room.

“What do you mean I can’t leave?” Marissa banged her fist on the steering wheel. She shouldn’t have been surprised. She’d known Gage wasn’t finished with her.

He didn’t understand that she had to leave. For both their sakes. She knew she should have said goodbye but had decided to take the coward’s way out.

“Open the gate!” she ordered to the poor guard. It really wasn’t his fault.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I have orders you are not to leave territory.”

“I don’t care what your orders are. I’m not a Pack member and you can’t keep me here.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am.”

“Listen here, let me out!” she pleaded almost desperately. She had to get out of there. It was best for the Pack. They had to understand that.

“No, he won’t.”

Marissa jumped as Gage came around the side of the car. “What the hell are you doing here?” she asked, although she was afraid she knew.

Gage nodded to his guard, who looked relieved to be dismissed from dealing with her. “Where are you going?” Gage kept his voice low and calm. His eyes were hard as he looked at her.

She looked away from him. Guilt and shame kept her from meeting his gaze.

“I asked you where you were going,” he said sharply.

Tightening her hands on the wheel, Marissa kept looking straight ahead. “Home.”

Gage yanked the car door open. “Move over.”

“No.”

Reaching down and unbuckling her seat belt, he pushed her towards the passenger seat. She didn’t have any choice but to move before he sat down in the driver’s seat.

“Hey! Hey! You can’t do this!” She grabbed at his wrists and hands.

Gage ignored her and put the car in reserve.

“Gage, stop!”

When the road was wide enough, he turned the car and headed back towards the houses.

“Gage, please stop.” She didn’t want to fight with him. She didn’t want him to give her the lecture she knew was coming.

“Let me leave, please. On my own. I promise not to come back.”

“Let you leave?” His voice rose. “Do you really think I’m just going to let you take off without a word?”

“This isn’t about you, Gage. I…I just have to leave.”

“No. You’re not running, Marissa.”

“She asked me to leave!”

Gage looked over at her as he navigated the road. “Because of me.”

Marissa looked away.

“That’s what I thought.”

She sat quietly next to Gage. She didn’t have anything more to say.

Elizabeth sat with her hands in her lap, nervously rubbing them together. She hadn’t expected Gage to take her sister’s leaving well, but she hadn’t expected to be ordered to his office.

She glared at her future mate who stood next to the bar talking quietly with Logan. Greg had called Logan when Elizabeth explained why Marissa had left. Greg hadn’t been happy either. Didn’t they understand she was trying to protect them and everyone in the Pack?

She jumped up when Gage walked in with her sister in tow.

“Sit,” he snapped at Marissa, pointing to a chair.

Elizabeth saw her sister start to refuse until Gage turned those fierce grey eyes on her.

Marissa lowered herself into the wingback chair with her back to the window.

“Out,” he ordered the two men.

Gage nodded at Elizabeth to sit. Once she was settled back on the couch, he sat behind his desk. Elizabeth tried to catch her sister’s eyes but Marissa wouldn’t look at her.

She really should have handled the situation better, but she was scared Gage wouldn’t let her mate with Greg now. She’d almost lost her position once in a Pack because of her sister. Of course, that hadn’t been Marissa’s fault. She’d been young and in love, and Elizabeth couldn’t blame her for what had been out of her control.

“Explain,” Gage looked at her, speaking quietly.

Elizabeth ran her sweaty hands over her pants. “I believe it best if Marissa leaves.”

“Because of what happened earlier between her and me?”

“She doesn’t belong in Pack territory.” Her heart almost broke at the sound of Marissa’s breath catching. She didn’t want to hurt her sister, but she didn’t have much of a choice.

“Yet you asked permission for me to let her come. Now you want her to go?”

“Well, I didn’t know… I mean, I…”

Gage nodded before looking at Marissa. “How do you feel?”

Marissa’s face was blank and her eyes had turned cold. It was an expression Elizabeth hadn’t seen on her sister’s face since she left their former Pack.

“I was leaving, wasn’t I?” Marissa told him, her face and tone not giving away any feelings.

“Just like that?” Gage continued to speak calmly. When Marissa didn’t answer him, he looked back at Elizabeth. “I’m beginning to think I have missed some important information about your old Pack.”

“I told you everything, Alpha. I didn’t hide anything!” This was it. He was going to kick her out. Tell her she can’t mate with Greg.

Instead he looked back at Marissa. “In the woods, you said you were trying to protect me.”

Marissa glared at him. ”Yeah, so?”

“Protect me from what?”

She didn’t answer. Elizabeth was used to her sister’s attitude but could see Gage was losing patience. She opened her mouth to answer, but Gage cut his gaze to her and shook his head. Elizabeth closed her mouth and looked at her sister. Marissa still wouldn’t look at her.

“And you will harm me, Marissa?” Gage asked as they both watched her sister.

Marissa only shrugged. Elizabeth wanted to come to her sister’s defence, but knew she couldn’t help her. It broke her heart that once again Marissa would be thrown out of Pack territory.

“Answer the question,” Gage said louder, making Marissa press back into the chair.

“The law,” she finally told him.

“What law?” Gage looked from Marissa to Elizabeth with a confused look.

Marissa crossed her arms over her chest in response.

Gage looked over at Elizabeth.

“The one against mating with a non-shifter,” Elizabeth answered.

“The law against mating with a non-shifter,” Gage repeated.

Marissa jumped up from her seat. “Can I leave now?”

“Sit down!” he snapped though he didn’t raise his voice.

Elizabeth almost fell over in shock when her sister dropped back down in her chair.

“Who told you about this law?”

“Our Alpha,” Elizabeth answered.

His gaze never left her sister’s face. “And what did he tell you would happen?”

“Because she…she was…”

“Because I fucked his son not only could I be kicked out of the Pack but so could my entire family,” Marissa exploded, jumping up and smashing her hand onto his desk. Elizabeth jumped, but Gage didn’t show any reaction.

“And were you all?” Gage asked, even though he knew the answer.

“I agreed to leave and never return so my sister still had a Pack to protect her,” Marissa answered, anger burning in her eyes.

He stood and came around the desk. She didn’t step back but stood straight when he stepped in front of her.

“Marissa.” He wanted to hold her. To comfort her.

“And I’m willing to go now so you don’t have to kick her out. No one else needs to know. I’ll leave quietly,” she told him.

Gage gently cupped her cheek, but she jerked away from him. “I’m sorry for everything you have been through.”

Marissa remained stiff so he turned back towards Elizabeth. “While it may have been that Pack’s rule, it is in no way a law. I have never heard of anything more ridiculous.”

“If that’s true, then…” Elizabeth trailed off, and Gage knew she was piecing together that they had been lied to.

“It’s true,” he assured her, then looked back at Marissa. Reaching for her, he drew her to his side.

“Then Marissa didn’t have to leave.”

He watched the play of emotions on Marissa’s face before her eyes chilled again and she pulled away. “You don’t know what you are talking about.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Gage shook his head. “Why do you think we have a council of former Alphas to police the Packs? It’s to protect the members, not to hurt them.” He could see Marissa started to shake in front of him. “My father is one of the council members and I can assure you that, whether you can shift or not, he would have never allowed you to be mistreated. There is no such law.”

“It is a law!” Marissa yelled.

He knew she wasn’t trying to convince him but had come to terms with it.

Her eyes started to swim with tears and Gage’s heart broke for her.

“Oh, Marissa, I’m so sorry,” Elizabeth moved towards her.

Marissa held up a hand to stop her. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter.”

Elizabeth looked at him and he nodded. “Go out and find Greg. We’ll finish up here and I’ll drive Marissa back to your house.”

“Marissa has her own car. And it’s already packed,” Marissa interjected.

Gage didn’t even look back at her but kept his gaze on her sister. “She’ll be okay here with me.”

“Okay…I’ll…see you both later.” Elizabeth quickly made her exit.

“Come here, baby,” Gage said once his office door closed.

“I want to leave.”

Gage closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her. “Yes. I think you do. But not yet,” he told her gently.

“No.” Marissa tried to pull away. “Now. I want to leave now.”

“It’s okay, baby.” Gage held her tight as the tears she’d been fighting started to fall.

As she cried in his arms, anger swelled inside him at the Alpha who had pledged to take care of her then turned her out without a Pack, without her family.

Tears streaming down her face she looked up and him and pressed her lips to his in a desperate kiss. Glad to be able to take some of the pain away, he let her kiss him and tightened his hold around her.