Alpha Call by BA Tortuga Read Free Book Online Page A

pushed into her legs
for comfort and she reached down, scratched his ears.
    “He did. I ignored him. You don’t need to deal with this
alone.”
    Every time she opened her mouth to say something, nothing
came out. She was so angry, she was shaking but not at him, not really. Brett
held out his arms and she went right into them, cursing her body for a traitor.
    He wrapped around her, his scent helping to cut the stench
of Jack. The tremors got worse, everything aching.
    “Come on, honey.” He took her downstairs, where the place
smelled more like her and Mongo, and sat on the couch. “I got you.”
    “I have to…” She had to clean this. Buy new furniture.
Clothes. His hand brushed through her hair, fingers gentle, the slow petting
easy.
    “You can take a few minutes, okay? You don’t have to do it
all at once.” He sounded so reasonable.
    “Why were you here? Did you follow him?”
    “No, I stopped by to see you.” He never even paused, the
words ringing with truth.
    The petting kept on and on, distracting her from the chaos,
making her eyes cross. “You need to be careful. He’ll hunt you next. He’ll have
gotten your scent.”
    She hadn’t changed the sheets yet.
    Brett chuckled. “Oh. I bet that pissed him off, huh?
Smelling me here?”
    The laugh had her pushing away, up off the couch. “Yeah.
Apparently. With piss being the effective word. All over all my clothes and my
bed, then he came down here and destroyed all my good furniture and broke my
computer and television. It’s a hoot.”
    She headed to the kitchen for trash bags and bleach.
    “Hey.” He followed her, hands reaching for her. “I’m sorry.
I am. I didn’t mean to sound so pleased.” He took her arm. “We should take
Mongo and go. We’ll get a couple of my guys out to scent him and get on the
hunt.”
    She shook her head. “No. It’s my issue. Not yours. You
handle your pack. I’ll deal with what used to be mine.”
    After she cleaned.
    “He’s in my territory. And you’re under my protection.” He
pulled her around to face him, shaking her a little. “The moon is almost here.”
    “I didn’t ask for your protection.” She knew. Hell, she
wasn’t sure where she could run. Her current hidey-hole wouldn’t work for sure.
    “I know you didn’t.” He blew his cheeks at her, a sharp
exhalation. “That doesn’t change the fact that you’re coming with me.”
    “I can’t.” If nothing else, she wouldn’t put him and his
pack in danger. “He’s after me.”
    “He is and we can help you.” He stared her down a little. He
was really good at that. It made her a little shivery, a lot growly.
    “Just go home.” She turned away, determined to storm off,
then started when he grabbed her arm again, whirling her around as neatly as if
they were dancing.
    Then he kissed her. He was making that a habit.
    “Stop kissing me.” She snarled, then pushed back into the
kiss, taking his mouth with a growl.
    He moaned or grunted or something, holding her close, his
free arm sliding around her back. He half lifted her, rubbing her up and down
his body until all she could smell was him. Strong, male, rich—it soothed her
somehow, eased the horror and the fury inside her.
    Bastard.
    She didn’t want a man to make it better. She didn’t need
help. But, oh, she wanted him.
    He wrapped around her, eyes on hers, so serious. “Come home
with me.”
    She couldn’t, but she couldn’t look away, couldn’t look at
the chaos, the disgusting mess.
    “Hey.” He lifted her chin. “Don’t make me carry you.”
    “Stop it.” She moaned as he stroked through her hair. God,
she was tired. Bone-deep tired.
    “Come on, honey. I’ll send a couple of my guys to get
anything they can out of this. The moon is so close, I can feel it. You need a
safe place. Come home with me.”
    “Just for the moon. That’s it.” She looked around. “He ruined
my clothes. My bed.”
    “We’ll make it right, huh?” He put an arm around her,
pulling