Page 10 of The Alpha's Crimson Vow (Eternal Oath Saga #2)

Katherine

Am I dead?

The thought circles in my mind, sharp and panicked, as I start to move—or at least try to. My fingers twitch first, then my toes. I can feel them. That’s a good sign, right?

My eyes flutter open and I blink hard, once, twice, willing the world to come back into focus.

I’m not dead?

I brace myself for—what? A burst of unbearable pain? A crushing numbness signaling that I’m paralyzed? But none of it comes. Just a faint ache and the sound of my ragged breathing.

Relief washes over me, tentative but real. But it lasts only a moment until I turn my head.

The windshield is shattered, jagged edges glinting. But that’s not what makes my stomach drop. No. It’s the massive tree branch, sharp and unyielding, stabbing through what used to be the front of the car. The thick, splintered end juts forward, mere inches from where I am sitting.

And then my gaze tilts, and I scream.

“Alex!”

The word rips out of me in a raw yelp that pierces even my own ears, because he’s there, right in front of me—impaled. The branch hasn’t just pierced the windshield; it’s gone through him. Straight through his torso.

Alex is slumped right in front of me, his body eerily still. The sharp edge of the branch juts out from his back, a grotesque and undeniable proof of what just happened. Somehow, in the chaos, he must have launched himself from his seat—right in front of me.

My breath catches as the realization sinks in. He’s the only reason that branch didn’t go straight through my skull. Blood—there’s so much blood—dark and slick, staining his shirt and pooling on the mangled dashboard. My hands are shaking so badly I can barely unhook my seatbelt, fumbling with the latch before it finally clicks free.

I shove the door open with trembling arms and practically fall out of the car, the forest floor cold and damp beneath my hands.

“Help!” I scream, my voice cracking. “Somebody, please help!”

But the forest is silent. No cars passing on the road above, no rustling of animals in the underbrush. Just me, the wreck, and Alex.

I turn back to him, desperate. And then—

He moves.

It’s subtle at first, just a twitch of his fingers. Then his chest heaves, and he sucks in a ragged, gasping breath, like someone breaking the surface of water after nearly drowning. The sound is so sudden, so unexpected, it jolts me backward.

“Alex?”

I barely recognize my own voice, high-pitched and trembling, caught somewhere between disbelief and sheer terror.

His eyes snap open, wide and wild.

He’s alive. How is—

But then he reaches for the branch.

“Alex, no!” I cry, my voice breaking.

He doesn’t stop. His hands—bloodied and shaking—clutch the jagged wood, and he starts pulling. The sight is horrifying. The branch is massive, thick and rough, and as he drags it out of his body, blood gushes from the wound, soaking his already ruined shirt. His face twists in pain, teeth clenched so tightly I can hear the faint grinding.

I feel sick. The world tilts around me, nausea rolling through my stomach in waves, but I can’t look away.

But what happens next almost makes me lose consciousness.

His hands. The skin ripples, like something is moving beneath it, and suddenly it’s not just skin anymore. Dark fur sprouts, thick and coarse, covering his arms in an instant. His fingers stretch and twist, nails sharpening into claws.

I’m frozen, my mind blank.

With a final, guttural roar, Alex yanks the branch free like it’s nothing more than a brittle twig. The sound echoes through the forest. Blood spills from the gaping hole in his chest, a horrifying, mangled mess of torn flesh and crimson streaks.

My legs give out, and I hit the ground hard, my knees scraping against the forest floor. I can’t breathe. I can’t think.

He’s… he’s not human.

“Alex,” I whisper, the word barely audible over the pounding of my heart.

He turns to me, his eyes gleaming with something wild and primal.

He is a wolf shifter.

He walks toward me, each step impossibly steady, like he hasn’t just been impaled by a literal tree branch. And with every step, his body... heals. It’s not gradual, like when you’d bandage a wound and wait weeks for a scar to form. No. This is immediate, supernatural. The bleeding stops as if someone hit a switch, and the torn flesh stitches itself back together like it’s being rewound on some cosmic tape.

I can’t look away. My eyes follow the impossible transformation as the gaping hole in his chest disappears entirely. By the time he’s standing over me, there’s no evidence that he’d just been pierced right through. Not even a scratch.

“Katherine,” he says, his voice low and deep, resonating with a strange calm authority that both grounds and unnerves me. “Are you alright?”

I blink up at him, my jaw slack, the words caught somewhere between my brain and my mouth.

He crouches slightly, leaning closer, his sharp eyes scanning me. “Are you hurt? Are you okay?” His tone softens, but the intensity in his gaze doesn’t falter.

“I’m fine,” I manage to whisper, though it feels like my vocal cords are wading through molasses. The words sound hollow even to me, barely breaking through the haze of my shock.

He doesn’t look convinced. His eyes trace over me, checking every inch like he’s searching for something I haven’t noticed yet—a cut, a bruise, a broken bone. When he finally straightens, his shoulders drop, and he exhales deeply, the relief evident in the way his chest rises and falls.

“Good,” he says, his voice quieter now, more for himself than me. But the calm doesn’t last long. His expression hardens again, his jaw tightening. “We need to get out of here. That crash wasn’t an accident. Whoever did that is going to want to make sure they finished the job.”

My body moves on autopilot when he stretches his hand out to me. His palm is warm, rough, grounding in a way I didn’t expect as he pulls me to my feet.

But the moment I’m upright, it hits me like a truck. The image of that black jeep slams into my mind, its aggressive movements, the calculated way it slammed into us. My pulse quickens, anger and terror bubbling beneath the surface.

My head swirls with all the strange things that have been happening lately—all the little details I brushed aside, the warning signs I didn’t take note of. The random puddle of water on the staircase that nearly sent me tumbling down an entire flight of stairs. The large decorative painting that somehow came loose just as I was passing beneath it.

And now this.

Someone tried to kill me.

Beside me, Alex is already moving. His blood-soaked shirt clings to his chest for a moment before he rips it off in one fluid motion, tossing it into the underbrush like it’s nothing more than an inconvenience. The sight of his bare back, broad and ripped, sends a strange, inexplicable warmth pooling in my belly. I shove the thought aside and follow him.

We make our way through the woods, the crunch of leaves and twigs beneath our feet the only sound. The air is thick and cool, a stark contrast to the adrenaline still racing through my veins. When we finally reach the edge of the road, the streetlights flicker to life, illuminating the asphalt now drenched in the soft glow of night.

Thankfully our phones are still working. I call a taxi and it arrives in a few short minutes. The driver glances at us, his eyes lingering on Alex’s shirtless form before he smirks. “Rough night?” he quips, his tone light and teasing.

Alex doesn’t even flinch. “Something like that,” he says, his voice even, though there’s an edge to it that silences any follow-up questions.

We climb into the back seat, the cool leather pressing against my skin as I finally let out a shaky breath. The ride is quiet, the only sound the faint hum of the engine and the muted chatter of a distant radio station. My mind, however, is anything but.

I can’t stop replaying everything. The crash. The jeep. Alex and the tree branch. The way his body transformed. It feels like I’ve been dropped into some alternate reality where nothing makes sense anymore.

By the time the taxi pulls up to my house, I’m so deep in my thoughts I don’t even register the stop until Alex’s voice pulls me back.

“Katherine,” he says softly, leaning close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating off him. “We’re here. Let’s get you inside.”

I nod wordlessly, my body moving before my brain catches up. The world still feels off-kilter, like I’m walking through a dream I can’t wake up from.

Once we’re inside, I allow myself to pull in a deep breath. The silence stretches between us, thick and loaded with unspoken questions.

Finally, I find my voice. “You’re a wolf shifter?”

Alex stands by the window, his back to me. He nods, turning slowly to meet my gaze. “Yes… I am.”

My breath hitches.

The moment stretches, Alex stands silently as I struggle to take process what he’s just said.

Just then he speaks again, his eyes narrowing in thought. “That jeep. Do you know anyone who might want to hurt you?”

My mind races, searching for answers, but only one name surfaces. Frank.

Could he have sent them? Could he be that desperate?

I don’t speak but my eyes must give away the worry that creeps up on me. I’ve never felt like this before, never had my life threatened and seen it flash before my eyes. It’s a kind of humbling sensation that stills me.

Alex steps closer, his expression softening. “What matters right now is that you’re safe,” he says.

His voice… it tugs at something deep inside me. The fear slightly relaxing, replaced by something else… gratitude. He saved me. If it wasn’t for him that tree branch would have gone straight through me instead, and unlike him I don’t exactly have super healing powers.

“Thank you,” I say, my voice low. “You… you saved my life.”

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. His face is thoughtful, almost conflicted. “It’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“No,” I retort, shaking my head. “The contract said nothing about… ”

“I’m not talking about the contract, Katherine.”

His words stop me cold.

“What do you mean?” I ask, confusion swirling with something else… an inexplicable pull toward him, a need to understand.

Alex takes a deep breath, his eyes locking onto mine. “You’re my fated mate, Katherine.”

Fated mate?

“Do you know what it means… fated mates?” Alex asks, stepping closer.

I shake my head, trying to process his words.

“It means we’re meant to be together, Katherine,” he says, his voice steady, eyes locked on mine. “You and me—we’re bound to each other.”

“But… how?” The question leaves my lips.

“You must feel it too,” he says, his voice lower now, almost a whisper.

He’s so close I can feel the heat radiating off him, smell the faint scent of wood and pine that clings to him.

“This… unexplainable pull… this desire to be close… you feel it just as I do.”

The intensity of his words, of his presence… it is overwhelming.

I nod, unable to speak.

Alex steps even closer, his hand reaching out to cup my cheek. He lifts my chin, and I allow myself to look into his eyes.

The sight would be scary if it wasn’t so exciting. His eyes are sinking in the same oceans of desire that are pulling me under.

“You see it too, don’t you. The golden thread…” He says, his breath beating against my lips.

The image of it flashes in my mind just then.

That thread… I’m not seeing things after all.

It seemed to always appear whenever he’s close, especially when the moment is intense.

“I do…” I say.

The moment seems to last forever. Us just standing here, Alex’s hand on my cheek, our eyes locked. It feels like my body heats up, I can feel my temperature rising, my cheeks must be turning red.

He moves, slowly, like some force is gently guiding him towards me. Whatever the force may be, it’s guiding me to, I move almost instinctively, my toes propping me higher as our lips draw closer.

The slow steady pace of our movements is completely thrown out the window the moment our lips meet. Because then, it’s frantic and fierce, it’s all consuming in a way that sends a wild ache between my legs.

I push myself higher with my toes, pressing myself deeper into him. In turn his hands roam behind me, holding my back and my butt, and he pushes me deeper into himself. His grip is so wild and possessive, like he’s holding onto the only thing keeping him alive. For a moment, we’re like two people trying to force our way into each others skin.

I groan into his mouth as he gives my butt a spank and squeezes it, his touch is sending shivers straight to my knees. The rough smacking of our lips and clashing of our teeth fills the space. Our tongues tangle, like to separate souls outside of our beings. They wrestle, and caress, and lap and suck with a frenzy that leaves me breathless.

He lifts me then, both of his hands grabbing my ass and lifting me, my legs wrap around his waist and our lips never depart from each other. I don’t even know how long he holds me like that for, but the feeling of being carried by him, of being completely weightless and helpless to his sheer strength and desire sends a scorching fire through my spine.

And that desire, it’s in him too, as he holds me in the air I can feel that massive bulge in his crotch. It grinds against me delicately, tantalizingly, and I start to feel myself get wetter by the second.

He pulls out of the kiss, his lips glistening, “Fuck Katherine. I need you so much.” He says, his eyes filled with a raw intensity that makes me bite my lower lip. Seeing him like this shatters any form of civilized behavior in me, this man, when he looks at me like that, reduces me to my bare instincts. The need that overwhelms me pushes me and I bite his neck slightly. He moans as my teeth graze his skin, and I lick his neck, tasting him.

He likes it, I can tell by the way his grip shudders slightly, by the way he tilts his neck even more, giving me more room to roam my tongue around. And seeing how much he likes it fuels me, it makes me want to please him even more.

I wiggle slightly, and he gets the message, setting me down gently. As I land on my feet, I pull his shirt, ripping it off him in a way that makes surprise flicker through his features for a moment. I unhook his belt and pull down his trousers, and his cock jolts out.

It can barely stay in place. I pause for a moment, just staring at his cock, memorizing every detail. His cap his thick, the length of it is rough with veins, it shines slightly from the sheer hardness and it quakes slightly. I look up at him, a small smirk forming on my face when I see him completely lost, his eyes glued to me like he’s wondering what I’m going to do next.

I don’t make him wait long to find out. I drop to my knees and I can hear his breath quicken the second I drop down. I kiss his cock first and it quakes slightly at the touch of my lips as if begging for more. I stick out my tongue and spank it with his cock, then I trail the length of it with my tongue. The way he groans, it feels like winning a medal.

That’s when I take him completely in my mouth.

“Oh fuck! Katherine!”

His moans are all I can hear as I get to work, relaxing my throat and letting his cock glide in and out. His hands gently find the back of my head, holding me as if cherishing every second of this. I look up for a moment to catch the look on his face, and Alex is truly lost, fully engrossed in the pleasure that’s clearly sparking through him.

“Does that feel good?” I ask, taking his cock and tapping it slightly around my face and lips, the moistness sticking to the skin on my cheeks. He nods, and I open my mouth again to continue but he lowers himself and presses a finger to my lips.

“It’s my turn now.”

Excitement wells inside me as he picks me up again and sets me gently on the couch, his movement is gentle but quick and precise, and my clothes fall away in an instant.

He starts slow again, like he’s teasing me and savoring me at the same time. He runs his face over my thighs, all the way to my inner knees, sniffing me like I’m a steamy meal. The sound of his nose dragging every bit of my raw scent fills the air for a moment, then he does the same thing again, but now with his mouth.

He kisses my inner thighs softly, his lips and tongue inching closer and closer to my core, building my anticipation to the high heavens. His rhythm torments me, he kisses and licks my thigh, climbing higher and higher till he’s right around my pussy, and he stops short, starting the cycle again.

My back arches on the couch, my legs shuddering and pushing me upward as he motions up my thigh for the third time. I almost beg for it, but he can tell how bad I need him by the way my body is responding to his touch. When his tongue takes root inside my wet centre, it damn near sends a violent spasm through my body.

Alex’s large arms hold my legs apart as he laps at me like a puppy over a bowl of milk. His tongue flicks inside me with such a frequency that I can only describe it as super human. I mean, I know he isn’t human, but is the ability to send a woman’s body to a mind blowing orgasm one of the powers wolf shifters have? Alex’s tongue moves lick a machine.

Over and over again. Inside my walls, over my clit. My hands move frantically over the couch. But when he brings me to my brink, my arms move with focus.

I reach down and grab onto his head, my fingers digging into his scalp as I feel myself breaking. “Yes! Right there Alex. Please don’t stop.”

Like a dog after a bone his pace only increases. His tongue flicks furiously, rapidly, and then I completely fall apart.

My eyes roll back as I feel myself gush, the sound of my juices pushing against his face and splashing on the floor the only other sounds outside my piercing scream. I manage to glance downwards, and the sight of Alex lapping me up as I squirt right in his face nearly doubles the force of the orgasm that shatters me.

“You taste so fucking good, Katherine.” His voice vibrates through the air.

I take a moment to catch my breath, and my next words are precise. “Fuck me Alex.”

A moment passes, and he rises. He towers over me, casting his shadow over me as I lay there on the couch. His cock is still stiff, maybe even harder than before.

“I’ll go get a condom.” He says, already turning away.

“No.”

He stops mid step at the sound of my voice, like he wasn’t expecting me to say that. To be honest, I’m even surprised at myself at this point. It’s not like me to be reckless, but damn it, I want his. I want him to fuck me with his hard bulging cock, and I want him to do it raw. I want to squeeze the walls of my center and feel them wrap around the flesh of his pleasure stick.

“Please, Alex.” I say, and my voice sounds strikingly needy, even to me.

He swallows, as if considering something in his mind, but when he turns to look at me it’s like something in him snaps. His features harden, his brows curve downward, desire clear on his face.

He steps over and holds my legs up, taking one in each hand and pushing till my knees press against my breast. My heart beat is as quick as I’ve ever felt it, and then he leans in, placing his lips close to my ear. “I’m going to enjoy every second of this.”

Just like that his massive pleasure stick sinks into me. My eyes can barely stay open, they flutter closed and open rapidly, matching the rhythm of his deep strokes.

“Oh fuck Alex you feel so good!”

“You feel amazing, Katherine.”

He dives into me, over and over again. His thrusts are steady, unhurried but deep. Each one pulls gasps and moans out of me as my body surrenders to the sheer power of his. I let go of myself, allowing myself to be completely at his mercy, letting him take me.

His eyes are a perfect picture of desire. He’s looking right at me, but he almost looks lost, I love seeing how wrapped up in this he is. How wrapped up in me he is.

“Harder Alex. Take me, please!” I howl as I start to feel that familiar sensation start to build again.

And it’s like my words land a fuse in him. He flips me over and props me up so that my knees support my weight and I’m on all fours, I arch my back out of the sheer desire to feel him fuck me like this.

When his cock slips in again, it’s like I go mad.

I push myself, my hips moving wildly as I chase cloud nine. But he doesn’t let me chase it all by myself. His hands grab my waist firmly, stopping my motions, and then he takes over.

He pounds me with a force I could never muster on my own, the sound of his skin spanking my ass as he thrusts into me echoes through the room. It’s heightened when I move my waist again, matching him all the way as he slams into me.

He fucks me. And I fuck him too. My body wrapped in the mind blowing sensations as I take every inch of this man.

So much happened today. Too much.

I found out Alex is a wolf shifter.

I almost died.

It feels like my whole world has been turned upside down, twisted into something unrecognizable.

But I’ll deal with that later. Tomorrow, maybe.

Right now, I let it all fall away. All I can think about in this moment, all I want to think about are the sweet sensations Alex is sending into me.