Page 28 of As The Shifter World Turns

28

AND ALPHAHOLE OF THE WEEK GOES TO…

Micah

I’d wanted Archer to stay with me, but I didn’t want it to be because Daire had company, which the grizzly did this evening. I wanted it to be so he could be close to me or because he wanted my face to be the first thing he saw in the morning. Basically, I wanted everything even though I couldn’t give him everything.

Which made me the alphahole.

And I hated it. But also, I was too weak to do anything different.

“Come in.” I called from the kitchen sink where I was cleaning some veggies for dinner. I’d have offered to go on a date had it not been for Patch. The little pup might be the cutest thing ever, but he was like that cartoon character that twirled around really fast and next thing you knew the room was a mess. There was no way I would leave him in the apartment alone for even half a second.

“Can you get it?” Archer called from the other side.

I turned off the water and grabbed the towel on my way to the door. Archer was standing there, the dog in a carrier, a dog bed under one arm and a huge bag of I didn’t know what in the other.

“Did you remember your clothes?” I teased, grabbing the bed from him.

“Shit.” He held out the bag. “Here. I’ll be back.”

I left the door open for him and brought the dog things inside… after I watched his sexy ass walking away.

No part of me was thrilled with the whole dog thing. Part of me said it wasn’t my business. He didn’t live in my apartment and if he wanted a pet, he should have one. But then that turned into a he-isn’t-planning-to-live-with-me-ever kind of scenario.

I set the bed down near the couch and put the bag of toys beside it.

They say you should wash your veggies after you cut them when making a stir fry but I’d never been able to bring myself to do that. Once they were washed I began the task of cutting them. I figured stir fry would be a good option because I could make one with meat and one without.

“Clothes!” He came back in victorious and shut the door behind him. “Do you mind if I let Patch down?”

Did I? Sort of, but also he couldn’t carry him around all the time. I didn’t know a lot about dogs, I got the impression from the little guy's paws that he wasn’t going to be little for long.

“That’s fine. Dinner will be ready soon,” I promised. “Stir Fry.”

“I can help.” He unclipped the dog carrier.

“You're full of dog fur.” I made a face. That was one of the many reasons I wasn’t a huge dog fan. “I’ve got it.”

I chopped away pulling out my best chef techniques which were basically equivalent to don’t cut off your finger.

“No dog fur.” I looked over to my left and there Archer was, stark naked, his cock hard. “I can help now.” He walked to the sink and started washing his hands.

“Dinner’s going to be late.” I set down the knife and pressed against his back with my front, reaching around him to wash my hands. “I need to get the tomato off.” I placed a kiss on his neck. “I hope you don’t mind starting with dessert tonight.”

“I like dessert.” He shook his ass, rubbing up against my junk. I had too many clothes on.

I reached up and turned off the faucet and grabbed the towel, drying his hands first, then my own.

“You have a couch.” He turned around to face me. “I remember some promises of bending me over and fucking me until I screamed your name.” He reached for the hem of my shirt. “This needs to be gone.”

I took over for him, yanking it off of me and starting on my belt, his hands already working my zipper.

“I need you alpha.” He wrapped his hand around his cock as my jeans fell to the floor. “Look how hard I am. Hard for you.”

The tip glistened with pre-cum and I couldn’t help but drop to my knees for a taste. I licked the tip and then took it into my mouth, his groan a pleasure wanting me to make him come before we even got close to the couch. I sucked as I pulled off of him with a pop.

“You taste so good.” I took him back into my mouth, this time bringing him further in and cupped his balls, humming around his length as I started to bob my head, his hand pressing against the back of my head. I loved it when he did that… when he took a more traditional alpha role in the bedroom .

He pushed my head down onto his length until it reached the back of my throat. I swallowed around him and he twisted around and cried out. “Patch.”

What? No? He yelled the dog's freaking name, pulling me off of him and running to the dog. “No pooping in the house.”

Dogs. Were. Fun.

Ryder

“Are you ready?” I raked my eyes up and down Ivor. He had no idea how sexy he was. None. If I had my way, we’d be getting naked right now instead of going on our date.

But that wasn’t fair to Ivor. He needed to see how much I cared about him and how out of my life Kellan was.

I knew nobody in Sunshine Manor understood why I put up with Kellan for so long. And really… I wasn’t sure I did either. In hindsight the signs were there from the beginning and yet I held onto him. I knew and yet I was too weak to do anything about it. My stupid pride standing in the way. I hated admitting I’d made a mistake.

“I mean we can stay in.” He stepped in close. “If you want.”

Grabbing his shirt, I pulled him in for a searing kiss. Ivor wanted me, but my past actions had him being less than forward about his desires, letting me take the lead. And that was fine. I could and would do whatever it took to get him to see he came first.

“We have reservations.” I gave him one last peck.

“Like I need a tie reservation?” So freaking adorable.

“No. Movie reservations. The alien one you’ve been talking about.” I loved the way his face bloomed in a smile at the mention of the film.

“Want me to grab you a sandwich? I thought we were doing dinner.” He was bouncing on his heels. “ Alien’s Devoured is going to be so much better than food.”

I took out my phone, pulled up the tickets and handed it to him. I’d gotten us into the dinner theater on opening night. I wasn’t sure how I managed that. And then the phone beeped.

“Best. Date. Ev—.” He snapped his jaw shut and dropped the phone, walking out of the room.

I ran after him, and was met by a closed bathroom door with me on the wrong side.

“Are you sick?” I called through the door.

“Sick of that bullshit.” He was crying. What the fuck?

I ran back to my phone and saw what had him so upset.

Need you. Emergency. Might be too late .

My heart started beating fast and hard. Might be too late for what? I hated when he pulled this cryptic bullshit, but also what if it was real… what if he needed me and it was a real emergency.

My stag wasn’t having any of it. He’d never liked my ex and he adored Ivor. No , he told me but I didn’t listen to him.

Too late for what? I typed back.

Never mind. You don’t Nothing more. Just a part of a sentence.

I should’ve known he was just fucking with me, making sure he still had control. But I didn’t. Instead I started to freak out.

Don’t what? Where are you?

Nothing. That’s what I needed.

The door to the bathroom clicked and I raced to Ivor. “Sor?—”

He held up his hand. “Don’t. Just don’t. He’s always here. Always. Even when we’re supposed to be having a nice night—he’s between us.”

“Don’t be like that.” I regretted the words the second they fell from my lips.

“Like what? Someone with feelings? Someone who doesn’t want to come second to a cheating piece of abusive shit?” He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“He never hit me.” If that was the best thing I could say about him… ugh.

“Abuse isn’t just hitting and you’re aware of that. Let me know when you’re over him. For real.” He walked around me.

“I am.” Nothing I could say past that would mean anything. Not really. Because my actions were proving him right time and again.

“Kellan.” The robotic voice of my phone announced. Great, he was calling me.

I ignored it. “Stay. Please. We have tickets.”

“And you have someone who has a supposed emergency.” He made air quotes around the last word. “Someone probably fell on his dick again or maybe he toppled over and his dick fell in someone. I don’t really care which. I can’t with this. It sucks too much.”

He walked out.

I hated how nothing he said was wrong. Not one single word.

The phone buzzed again and this time it just had an address.

I called Kellan back and it went straight to voicemail. Fuck. He’d shut off his phone.

I googled the address. I didn’t know it, but I guess I was about to. I grabbed my keys, hating everything about the night.

Fool , my beast informed me. I imagined him shaking his head.