Page 12 of Claiming Xan (Shifters of Greymercy #7)

XAN

I could feel my heat coming on.

I always got super horny a week or so before it hit me, and…yep, I was there. Had the hottest dream about River face-fucking me, his fingers knotted in my hair, using my throat for his pleasure, and I woke up humping my body pillow.

So that was a great start to the day.

And of course, as I strolled into the kitchen for breakfast, no doubt smelling of hormones, Mom looked right at me and gave me the evil eye.

She knew. She always knew. It was her special Alpha mom spidey-senses or something, I don’t know.

She also knew my tendency to be a little impulsive, and with a sexy Alpha living right down the hall?

One I’d been hanging out with nearly every day, despite her warnings to keep my distance? Why wouldn’t she be nervous?

Still. As much as I liked River—and I was really starting to like River—I wasn’t going to force myself on him.

The Alpha was so very fickle with his emotions.

He was hard to read, and honestly? I had no idea if he even saw me in that light, or if I was just the only person willing to put up with his shit.

Two nights before the full moon, River and I were playing a racing game on the Xbox when the restlessness inside of me came to a head. It was probably the heat, but either way, sitting here was making me crazy.

I paused in the middle of the race and tossed my controller onto the coffee table. “Ugh! I’m bored.” I turned to River. “Let’s go for a run.”

River’s forehead grooved into a frown. “Right now? It’s nearly ten-thirty.”

“What, are you gonna turn into a pumpkin at midnight?” I scoffed softly, then jumped to my feet. Raising my arms high above my head in a stretch, I felt my shirt lift up to expose my belly button ring. I shook the tension out as I lowered them.

“C’mon. I’m feeling the need to stretch my legs, and besides, it’s nice out.”

Without waiting for an answer, I headed outside. My shift was effortless. I stood on four paws, gazing up at the heavy moon surrounded by paint-speckle stars.

I heard the door open and close a few moments later, felt the whisper of another shifter’s magic, and then River came up beside me.

He nipped at my scruff. I flipped around, smacking my hips against his side, and bit at his ear with a gleeful feeling building in my chest. I took off at a gallop without so much as a yip, and with River beside me, we ran.

We ran and we frolicked and we leapt over tree limbs, bumping against one another, just having a good time. Out here, away from my mother and everyone, River was calmer. Not as sharp.

Maybe this was his true nature, what he would’ve been like had he not been born an Alpha-Omega twin. It made me wonder what his life would’ve been like.

We were deep in the woods when suddenly, River pulled up short. His body went rigid with a growl, staring daggers into the woods. I froze, scenting the air and smelling pack.

Shit.

I pressed up against River’s side, nudging his cheek, but River kept his head and tail low, his fangs bared at the darkness as another growl rumbled out.

A deeper growl was returned as Adam Rose stepped out of the shadows and into the stray bars of moonlight. He placed himself in front of his lynx mate, Fletcher, and flashed his teeth in warning.

The problem? Adam was a massive wolf, way bigger than River, and he could be a bit of an asshole if provoked. The last thing I needed was River picking a fight with him.

Shit, shit, shit.

Not sure what else to do, I leapt between the two growly Alphas, plastering my small body against River’s in an attempt to get him to chill out.

River growled low, but Adam, thankfully, seemed to get the memo, because he nudged Fletcher off in the opposite direction and they disappeared into the woods.

It wasn’t until they were long gone that River relaxed. I nipped at his cheek with a huff of my own, then shoved into him with all of my weight. River’s ears flipped back, then pricked forwards again, his attention locked on me once more.

Good.

I took off again, relieved when the Alpha pursued me instead of the Roses. I was headed for the lake when suddenly, River slammed into my side hard enough to send me toppling to the ground.

I’ll admit, there was a brief moment of panic as I tumbled head over heels, then landed, and River pinned me flat on my back. Panting, I gazed up into blue-and-brown eyes as the Alpha stared down at me. Intent. Intense.

And then he surprised me yet again by shifting back to man. He straddled my small wolven frame, running his hands up my chest, his fingers raking through my fur. He stroked over my cheek tufts before cupping my muzzle and face in his palms.

His eyes softened. “You’re so beautiful.”

Me? Beautiful? I could hardly breathe. The shift shuttered through me, leaving me laying in the grass beneath River’s hard body. River slid his hands over my sides, then up my arms, before pinning them above my head with one hand.

“River,” I uttered, but he wasn’t done.

His head dipped low, his eyes still so intense. Our lips were so close that I could taste his breath. Mine hitched. I tipped my face up, my gaze searching his until River finally closed the distance and kissed me, and hell…

I whimpered. I actually whimpered.

He tasted good, of mint and summer spice. I melted into it, my hands curling into helpless fists. I tried to reach for him, but River’s grip was firm, so I arched my body up into his instead.

River groaned and rocked back, our bodies grinding together, slowly undulating like a serpent’s dance. River took what he wanted from me with each kiss and each touch, and I gave it up to him, a plea breaking from my lips. “Please…”

I could feel the Alpha’s hardness in his jeans, rocking against me, and fuck if it didn’t make me want—but River stiffened, his head snapping up and around, staring off at something in the distance, and I wanted to groan.

I wanted to grab him by the face and force his gaze back to mine, but it was too late.

He pulled away, and I knew why; I could feel eyes in the shadows, watching us. Other pack members, roaming the woods, feeling restless as well.

When River shifted back and sprang away on all fours, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Damn it. I followed after him, although catching up wasn’t easy with my shorter legs, and we made the trek home in silence.

But at least now I knew how River felt? That he wanted me, just as much as I wanted him. That my desires weren’t just one-sided. I made a mental note to get the Alpha alone next time.

And I had just the idea.