Page 9 of Her Bully Alpha (Honeycomb Valley Alphas #1)

I walked into the kitchen and found Sam working on a cup of coffee with a book laid out in front of her. Her hair was pulled up into a loose bun, and half of it was falling out. She still looked half asleep yet entirely beautiful. My wolf growled at me, and I ground my teeth together.

I cleared my throat as I walked closer, and she looked up from her book, glancing at me. Her brown eyes were softer as she did, instead of looking filled with irritation. "Morning," she said, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Morning," I said, pushing a button on the coffee maker to make myself a cup. I looked back at her book and my eyebrows went up. “Are you reading about the virus?”

She nodded her head, showing me the cover. “It’s just a small report. But I didn’t realize how many of the women were affected.”

I stared at her for a moment. “Why are you reading that?”

She frowned. “Well…I feel I should know what’s going on now that I’m your wife. I also didn’t realize it was this huge.”

I frowned, leaning onto the counter. “We don’t exactly call in the Council if it isn’t needed. None of us enjoy chatting with them.”

She nodded. “I know…but it’s different to read about it and be told it’s an issue rather than to see it, and know the actual details behind it.” She frowned. “I didn’t realize that you guys were all suffering so much.” She chewed on her lower lip. “I guess I always told myself it wasn’t a huge issue when it was.”

I felt my heart skip a beat, my desire pitching up higher.

Change the subject.

"So, do you have plans today?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't. Nothing important, just needed to do laundry."

"Great," I said as I grabbed the milk out.

Her eyes snapped away from her book once more, and she scowled. "Why?" her voice dropped lower, almost like she was unsure of what I wanted. I couldn't fault her for that, considering the last two events we went to. But she seemed to have fun at Nessa's house after she relaxed a little.

"I need to make a trip up to see your brother. I have some business to discuss with him, and I figured maybe you would like to go." I didn't really have any business with him, but I thought it would be a good idea for her to get out. Sam had been living in my house for almost a month now, and I knew she hadn't visited her brother.

Her eyebrows went up slightly, and she looked stunned. "Really?"

I nodded. "It's a nice day, and the drive is only an hour and a half."

She seemed to perk up and set her book aside. "Well, I need to shower and change then." She took a deep sip of her coffee before hurrying out of the room. I couldn't help but smile, watching her get flustered about this.

Twenty minutes later, we were on the road. It was quiet, and I pointed to the stereo. "Do you have a station you want to play?"

She chewed on her cheek for a moment before she turned it to a different station. The music was soft, and she leaned back in her seat, taking in the scenery. "What beautiful weather."

I glanced out the window. We were mid-summer, and it was just a little below eighty degrees outside. It was warm but not hot outside. The flowers were in full bloom, and everything was a lush green. We had a good season.

"It is."

She glanced at me. "What season is your favorite?"

I shrugged. "I don't really have one."

She tapped her hands on her legs. "Because you like them all equally?"

I shook my head. "I don't think I've ever thought about it."

She leaned her chair back and gave me a side glance. "Well, we have time. Think about it. I like fall. It's warm, but it's also cold at times. And when their colors change, you get those reds and oranges mixing together. And the smells. Ohhhh, it's wonderful. Cinnamon and spice mixed together."

She looked outside the window. "My brother and I would run in the leaves when we had to clean them up. We would make a big pile and just jump in."

I glanced at her. "When you guys cleaned them? Didn't you have workers?"

She shook her head. "We only had a couple of maids, and not a lot of them stuck around. People didn't like taking orders from my mother."

I frowned, knowing it was because her mother had been a human.

She softly smiled. "We had one maid. Miss Fretchin. She was a sweet lady, and she cleaned really well. She stayed for a long time. But she ended up leaving because she was getting too old to work." She glanced at me, resting her head on her hands. "I'm guessing you didn't have chores growing up?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I had lessons. I didn't have time between those, school and activities."

She shrugged. "Every family is different."

It would appear so. "What else don't I know about you?" I asked.

I quickly learned that Sam knew how to play piano. She learned at a young age, and it was some quality time she had spent with her mother. We both loved spicy food but needed milk to have it. Sam enjoyed reading and spending time outside. She liked gardening and renovating. She loved being creative.

"What is your ideal day?" Sam asked, her eyes looking at me curiously now.

"What do you mean?"

She waved a hand. "If you had one day left to live or a day to do whatever you wanted, what would you do with it?"

"Those are two entirely different days," I countered

"How so?"

"If I had one day left to live, I would want to spend it with my family, while if I had a day off, I would want to spend it at home relaxing and watching something. Maybe even read a book."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? You would spend it with your family? I didn't get the vibe you got along with them extremely well."

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. "The dynamic of my family is different than most."

"Clearly," she grumbled, shaking her head. "You guys don't seem…huggy."

I couldn't help but snort because she wasn't wrong. We weren't. I hugged my mother, but I don’t recall hugging my father. He wasn't the soft type of person.

"If you don't mind me asking, how long has Nessa been trying to get pregnant? She has an entire baby room made up."

I thought of Nessa and how many times she's called me, disappointed she was still without a child. I could tell she was hurting because Nessa had always wanted to be a mother. Above everything else, she wanted that.

A year ago, the virus started. There were only a few women who were having problems, which seemed odd because shifters had a high fertility rate. But after a few months, the numbers continued to grow, and we started to notice it was just shifters.

"They were trying to get pregnant when the virus struck. That's why the room is put together. They hadn't been trying hard for a baby, but after a few months, she started to track her cycle because she was getting frustrated. Her mother had gotten pregnant pretty easily."

She knitted her fingers together tightly, and her eyes softened

"They got tested and found out it was Nessa, just like all the rest. Their bodies were fighting against the sperm and creating an environment that's pretty much impossible to grow a child in."

"I imagine that was a hard pill to swallow."

I nodded my head. "I've had a lot of women that are struggling and feel...inferior because of it."

"That explains this," she said, waving a hand between us. "Why they choose humans. I didn't realize it was that bad."

I pressed my lips together.

"Were you seeing anyone before this?"

I raised an eyebrow, looking at her, confused by the switch of topic. "What?"

Her eyes looked sad. "Were you with someone? Were you..." She fell silent for a moment before she sighed. "Were you trying with someone before this? Before they forced us together?"

I shook my head. "No, I wasn't seeing anyone. Were you?"

She shook her head.

"Really? You weren't seeing Twinkie from the office?"

She threw her head back. "Jesus Christ, his name is Joshua. And no, I wasn't. Why do you hate him so much anyway?"

Because I saw the way he looked at her. I knew Sam and I weren't real, but that didn't mean I enjoyed seeing a man's eyes sparkle when he looked at Sam. She might not have believed me when I said he probably jerked off to her, but I could see it was real. He was trying to get in her pants, and I disliked it.

I shrugged. "Because I'm a possessive person."

She grunted and pulled her eyes back to the view. We pulled into Henrik's town, and I watched Sam's eyes soften. We drove to his house, and as we pulled in, Henrik was already outside waiting. Sam was jumping in her seat and unbuckled, jumping out of the car.

"Henrik," she walked towards her brother, who pulled her into a tight embrace. I watched them both smile at each other, happy. I was a little jealous, wondering if she would ever be that excited to see me.

Maybe if you actually made a move and tried to make things happen, it would. My wolf grumbled.

I stuffed my hands into my pocket as I walked towards them. Henrik looked at me and smiled. "Well, this is a surprise. Why are you even here today?"

Sam scowled as she looked at him. "He said he had business with you."

Henrik shook his head. "No, we don't."

I shrugged. "I figured a surprise visit would be nice. Let Sam come up and spend time with you today."

Sam looked at me, shocked, and softly smiled. Her eyes sparkled and I felt that tug to be closer to her. I want to hug her and have her always look at me like that.

"Well, I was just getting ready to have a bonfire in the back. I had some friends that were going to come and join me."

"Oh, is Tuck coming?" Sam asked, and Henrik nodded.

I glanced at Henrik, wondering who Tuck was. But I kept the comment to myself, not wanting to ruin their time together.

We ended up helping Henrik set up the bonfire in the back. Some of his friends arrived, and he introduced us, although Sam seemed to know them already.

I sat in one of the chairs next to Henrik as Sam stood near the fire smoking a hot dog. The window blew gently, tossing her hair in the air.

"How has she been?" he asked, pulling his beer up and taking a sip.

"She seems to be doing okay." She was busy with work but came home at a good time. She'd been eating and sleeping well, from what I could tell. She seemed to be integrating herself into the pack just fine. She wasn't going out every chance she got, but she would accompany me to events.

"And you're treating her right?" Henrik asked.

I glared at him before looking back at Sam. My body tensed up as a man stood next to her. They were talking, and she seemed happy to chat.

The hair on my body stood up, and I ground my teeth together.

"Easy cowboy, that's Tuck."

"Who's Tuck?"

Henrik smirked. "A guy she has a crush on."

I swung out of my chair and walked towards them. I didn't like it.

Sam was laughing as I walked over, and I grabbed her elbow, pulling her back towards me. I glared at the guy, not caring if he was friends with Henrik. I didn't like him talking with Sam.

"How about a dance?" I asked, her turning her towards me. I didn't give her much of an option as I placed my hands on her hips, tugging her towards me.

She blushed, and her eyes widened slightly as I turned us. She swallowed, placing her hands on my chest. She looked over her shoulder at the guy before she looked back at me.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

I shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "You're so full of shit, Jay. What are you jealous?"

I tugged her closer. "Yes. I've told you that. I'm a very possessive person. Have you still not figured that out?"

Her face grew even redder. I glanced at her lips, taking them in. I could kiss her, actually kiss her. Not like the kiss we shared at the altar.

Someone cleared their throat, and we both looked over. I knew her instantly and internally scowled.

"Hey, Jay. Long time no see. You want to dance after this one?" She pointed to Sam, not bothering to look at her.

Sam scowled, looking at the girl, confused. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"I'm Liz. An old friend of Jay's." She batted her eyelashes, but we all knew what friend meant. Someone that I used to fuck.

I had only a few relationships, and none of them had been with her. I met her at a party that Henrik held a few years ago. Neither of us was the tying down type, so we had a physical relationship.

I needed to correct this before Sam got the wrong impression. I didn't need Liz making it sound like we were still fucking when that ended years ago.

"No," Sam snapped before I could speak. "And could you give us some space, please? I don't need you placing your hand on my husband."

Liz looked like she'd been struck and stepped back. Sam tugged me closer. Her fingers tightened on my shirt as she glared at the woman. "Do I need to fucking mount him to get my point across? Go away."

Liz looked disgusted as she turned and walked away. I glanced at Sam, pretty smug. I didn't think she had it in her to be possessive like that. I couldn't ignore that it was kind of hot.

Sam watched the girl for a moment and then stepped away from me. She frowned. "Excuse me."

I stood confused as she retreated, unsure of what I was supposed to do.