Chapter 1 #3
If there was any male in the Pack I wanted to be with less than I’d wanted Carter, it was the ignorant, stinking bully standing beside me. Especially since he didn’t even try to hide the fact that he’d only be marrying me for the money and property my late husband had left me.
“Could be that you’re not as barren as we all thought, ya know,” he went on, clearly oblivious to my hatred and disgust. “Could be you just need a younger, stronger Alpha breeding you.” He looked me up and down again, his eyes lingering on my breasts and legs.
“I wouldn’t mind that—wouldn’t mind it at all. ”
I wanted to turn on him and snarl that I’d rather die than marry him and how dare he speak about breeding me right in front of my dead husband’s coffin?
But coward that I was, I didn’t dare. If Harris really did win the Alpha Challenge and became Pack Leader, I wouldn’t be able to say no to him.
If he decided he wanted to marry me to inherit all my wealth, he could and would. No one would stop him.
I turned away from him without a word because I didn’t trust myself to speak.
But now I had a new dread—a fear I hadn’t had before.
The idea of this repugnant male breeding me made me want to vomit.
And the bulge in his trousers frightened me.
Something told me that Harris Murdoch had more than the withered, twisted shaft I’d gotten used to with Carter.
Even my husband’s knot hadn’t plugged me properly—it often slipped out, even when he was fully erect.
Somehow, I didn’t think Harris would have that problem and the idea made me sick with fear and loathing. To be knotted by such a male—tied to him for hours on end while he pumped me full of his slimy seed…I really was going to vomit if I didn’t stop thinking about it.
But how could I help it with Harris Murdoch still standing right beside me, eyeing me with that narrow, beady gaze that was half lust/half greed?
“Wouldn’t mind it at all,” he repeated and reached for me with one sweaty hand. He took me by the arm as though he already owned me and I saw that his fingernails were black with grime. The sight made my stomach turn.
“I…I need to use the ladies’ room,” I said quickly. “I…I’m overcome with grief.”
“Grief, right.” He leered at me and rather than letting me go, his grubby hand tightened on my arm. “Or maybe you’re just getting excited for the first good fucking you’ve ever had in your life. Hmm? Could that be it?”
I couldn’t believe he would speak to me like that—especially right at my late husband’s funeral!
But if anyone else heard him, they didn’t say anything.
The feeling in the Pack was that Harris would win the Alpha Challenge—no one wanted to get on the bad side of the male who would most likely become the new Pack Leader.
Outside, it had begun to storm. I heard a peal of thunder rumble overhead and lightning illuminated the whole room briefly—brighter than the overhead lamps. I wanted to leave but there would be talk if I went too early—it was my own husband’s funeral, after all. I was supposed to be the last to go.
Also, I was intimidated by the idea of driving alone at night in the pouring rain.
Carter had almost never let me drive, insisting on doing it all himself on the rare occasion when we went anywhere.
I had managed all right on the way to his funeral, but now it was dark and cold and wet out and I wasn’t sure how well I would be able to navigate the twisting back roads that led to Wolverton Manor.
Still, I had to get away from Harris Murdoch. Maybe I could hide in the bathroom for the rest of the funeral.
“Excuse me,” I said more firmly, twisting away from his grip. “I really have to visit the ladies’ room.”
“I didn’t say you could go, did I?” Suddenly, he was right in front of me, blocking my exit.
“You’re going to be fun to tame—I can tell,” he said, leaning down to push his face into mine.
“Poor little widow—never been fucked right in your whole life. I saw Carter at the urinal once, you know—I saw how little he was packing. Alpha or not, Pack Leader or not, that male didn’t measure up.
I bet he never even knotted you properly.
Well, I can fix that. Maybe I’ll even do it tonight. ”
I had no idea what to say. I looked around the room and saw that everyone was looking away, not wanting to get involved.
The other Alphas were carefully facing the other direction, talking about something under their breaths—something that was anything but what Harris Murdoch was doing—or planning to do to me.
“Please—” I began but just then the door to the funeral parlor banged open. At the exact same time, lightning crashed overhead and thunder rolled deafeningly through the entire building.
“Oh!” I gasped and jumped away from Harris Murdoch.
All eyes were on the door, where a tall, broad-shouldered figure stood, backlit by the blinding flash of lightning.
“Hello,” he said, raising his voice to be heard over the rumbling thunder. “I hope I’m in the right place—I’m looking for the funeral of my uncle—Carter Jamison.”