Page 5 of Alpha Wolf Finds His Coyote (West Coast Coyotes #3)

TEDDY

Ryker didn’t sleep so much as collapse on top of me. His body was still quaking through the last tremors of his heat as it finally released him from its hold. The bone-deep exhaustion that slacked every muscle in his body molded around me in a way that I’d never experienced before.

I liked the weight of him on top of me and could have stayed in that position forever. It was comforting to have my arms circled around his waist as I just stared down at him, still trying to grasp that he was mine.

His face was slack in sleep, making him look so young and innocent. That messy hair only added to the unfamiliar feelings inside me that I needed to protect him with my life. Ryker’s neck was marked now with a bond between us that couldn’t be broken. He was mine and I was his.

As if he knew what I was thinking even in his sleep, his fingers curled into my chest, holding tightly. That wasn’t necessary. I had nowhere else in the world to be and was holding on just as tight.

Before I knew it, the sun was coming up.

I hadn’t slept at all but I was too excited to sleep. I’d slept too much in my life. Now that I had Ryker, I just wanted to be awake and present and not miss a single moment. The light pierced through the drapes, slicing the darkness with sunbeams until Ryker started to squirm.

As his hard cock brushed my thigh, an urge to take him began to intensify.

Our bond was new and raw in an almost overwhelming way.

We’d spent hours exploring each other last night and my knot had fully molded to his tight body after all the time it spent inside him, but that still wasn’t enough. I wanted more. I’d always want more.

Part of me was desperate to wake him up so I could see those wanting eyes look at me like I’d hung the moon. But I also wanted to just hold him a while longer.

The smile that spread on his face in his sleep made me wonder what he was thinking about. And when his hips started to rut against mine and he moaned softly, I knew he was thinking of me. My omega.

The mark on his neck almost glowed, throbbing as if it were a living being. I’d been careful, but a bite was a bite. And it wasn’t meant to be hidden. It was meant to be noticed and revered. Respected.

Ryker opened his eyes and fingered the bruise on his neck as he sighed. “You’re not a dream.”

I laughed. “Or a nightmare, I hope.”

He crawled up me and kissed my lips. “More like a fantasy. Good morning, alpha.”

It certainly was. The best kind of morning.

Ryker traced a finger along my collarbone, then let it drift down to my chest. He explored the hard planes and edges like he was trying to memorize it. Finally, he let his hand rest just above my heart.

“Will it always be like this?” He looked at me as if I had all the answers.

“Like what?” I pulled him tight and licked along his jawline. Every part of him was delicious.

“The bond.” Ryker shrugged and looked down, studying their hair around my nipples. “I thought it’d be… I dunno. Like a leash. But it feels good. Like you’re in my head but not in a creepy way.”

I chuckled. “I think it’s always really intense at first.” I watched his face, trying to read what he wanted to hear. “Hopefully it doesn’t get creepier as time passes.”

Ryker snorted. “No, I know it won’t be bad. I’m just surprised how badly I want you.”

I grinned, slowly feeling my dick plump up again. “Me too.”

He bit his lips and looked up. “Yeah?”

“Oh yeah.”

Before we knew it, I was buried in his ass once again. I already knew what he liked so getting him to climax was easy and I immediately followed, filling his tight channel with my seed before locking it in to do what nature intended.

“What if I’m already pregnant?” He pressed his forehead into the nook of my neck as he rested on my chest.

“That would be amazing.” I lifted his head up so I could look into his eyes. “How would you feel about that?”

“Excited.” He ducked his head, but I caught the shy smile before it vanished. “And happy.”

I pulled him to me until my knot released and slipped out of him. “You hungry?”

“Definitely.” He pushed up and stretched. “I guess I’m supposed to, like, cook you eggs or something?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Is that an offer or a question?”

Ryker sighed. “Both, I guess. I need to get ready for work so I can go talk to Esteban.”

The alpha. My wolf was immediately on alert, hackles up as we thought about seeing the alpha. “Will he be mad?”

“No, not at all.” Ryker stepped into a pair of boxers and walked into the kitchen.

Unwilling to be away from him, I followed.

We left Ryker’s place and headed straight to the alpha’s compound. Being part of a pack meant certainly life decisions couldn’t be made in a vacuum. And bringing an alpha from another pack and another species was a big ask.

I had no idea how it was going to go but I was prepared to leave with Ryker if that’s what we had to do.

The West Coast Coyotes weren’t all bad but they weren’t angels either. They ran drugs and weapons up the west coast, but also delivered groceries to little old women in their community.

Having received a text from Ryker to let him know we were coming, Esteban was waiting at a long table. His phone was in one hand and a half-eaten concha in the other. He didn’t look up when we came in, but his ears twitched just enough for me to notice.

Ryker was the one who broke the awkward tension after we stood there in silence for a long moment. “Hey, jefe. Sorry we’re late. I—uh?—”

Esteban put his phone down then fixed me with a look. It wasn’t hostile or even suspicious. It was just measuring, like he was checking to see if I measured up. “You did it?”

I pulled Ryker to my side and made sure his mate mark was visible. “We did. We’re mated now. Permanently.”

“Good.” He looked at Ryker, then back to me. “I’m glad you didn’t waste time trying to avoid it.”

Ryker turned bright red, but didn’t say anything.

I just nodded, agreeing with the sentiment.

Esteban waved at the empty chairs across from him. “Sit. Both of you.”

We obeyed. I took the seat next to Ryker, angling my body so I could see both of them without turning my back. Old habits.

Esteban broke off a piece of his pastry and flicked the crumbs to the floor as he eyed Ryker. “You okay?”

Ryker smiled and then glanced at me as he leaned closer. “Yeah. I’m great.” His hand went to his belly as if he already knew there was a pup growing inside him.

Esteban looked at me next. “You look like shit.”

I chuckled and finally relaxed. “It was a long night.”

Esteban laughed and kept his attention on me. “You know how this works or do you need a manual?”

I shrugged. “I think I’ve got it figured out.”

Esteban picked up his phone and sent a quick message out. Then he tossed it onto the table and sat back. “You’ll work in the warehouse. Night shift, at first, but close to Ryker. We’ve got vans coming in from the border. You can help pack and keep the runners in line.”

Ryker squeezed my hand. “Thank you, Esteban.”

He didn’t take praise well because he ignored Ryker’s words. “Things will settle down in a while, but for now, Teddy, just keep your omega on a leash now that he’s in a delicate way.”

It was meant as a joke, but I saw the flicker in Ryker’s eyes. A challenge. I squeezed his hand under the table. “I won’t let him out of my sight.”

Esteban finished his pastry, licking the sugar from his thumb. “Any questions?”

Ryker piped up. “You’re really okay with all this…change?”

Esteban’s face softened just a bit. “Of course, I am, chiquito. You found your mate. I’m not gonna stomp on that. Even if he’s a scary bastard.” He winked at me. “Besides, you’ve been a ghost for years. You needed someone to knock you out of your hidey hole.”

Ryker ducked his head, suddenly fascinated by a crack in the tabletop.

Esteban rose and stretched his shoulders until the joints popped. “Night shift starts tonight. Teddy, Ryker can show you around. You’ll get a set of keys from the foreman. Ryker, you take the day off. Go do omega shit, I don’t care.”

We stood up to leave and Ryker looked like he wanted to hug Esteban but thought better of it. I kept my distance, but not out of fear. I respected the guy. He ran the pack like a family, not a fiefdom. That was more than I could say for how my own family did things.

Ryker chewed his lip, then swallowed. “You sure you’re okay working here?”

“Wherever you are, I’m gonna be.” I pulled him to my chest and kissed his nose.

Ryker looked away, but his ears went red. “You’re such a sap.”

“Sap?” I shrugged and started walking again. “Stud. Same thing.”