Page 80 of Alpha Marked

Ares walked to the bed, pulled back the covers, and slid in behind her. She turned off the lamp, and he moved closer and sat his hand on her hip. River scooted back until his warm body spooned against her. He wrapped his arm around her, and she relaxed into him.

Mine. My Alpha. My mate.This time, it wasn't her wolf thinking it. It was her.

* * *

Ares awokethe next morning to find that River no longer curled next to him, but sometime during the night, she had turned over, and her body entwined with his. One of her legs lay between his, and her body pressed against him. Even one of her arms draped over his waist. He couldn't describe the sensation of having her so near. Her warm breath tickled his skin as he took in her scent.

He wanted nothing more than to lay with her forever, but he had work. He had to settle dinner so he could take her home and prepare for their mating ceremony with the council.

As he turned to roll out from under her, she murmured his name, and his wolf flipped over and begged for more.

Every idea flew from his mind, and everything he needed to do faded away as he pulled her closer and kissed her head.

Ares closed his eyes and savored her in his arms. He'd never slept in a bed with a woman before. Never held a woman through the night. Never awakened to her body tangled with his. And that was how he'd liked it until her. River had changed everything. He wanted her with him, on him, around him, every single second. The sensation was so foreign to him, but right at the same time. How had the feisty little wolf become such an essential part of his life in such a short time? And not only for his wolf but for him as well.

He relaxed back into her when a knock sounded on the bedroom door. He grumbled but didn't respond. Again, the knock sounded, and Ares' wolf snarled. If it weren't life or death, he would rip someone's head off for disturbing him and his mate.

Ares slid from under River's tangle of limbs, padded to the door and opened it a crack. Theo stood waiting.

"What?" Ares barked.

"Sorry to bother you, Boss, but the caterer needs the menu for tonight so they can start prepping, or it won't be ready in time."

Ares groaned. He should have told Vanessa to handle it. No. He shouldn't have.

"Let me put something on."

Theo nodded, and Ares tiptoed toward the closet.

"Are you leaving?" River asked, not opening her eyes.

"I have some things to do before this evening."

She nodded. "I should get up too. Bianca will be at my studio soon."

"I won't be long. If you need anything, Santiago and Drew are here. They can obtain anything you want or need."

"Can they get me you?"

Ares smiled and stepped toward her, but River made a soft noise that told him she was already falling back asleep.

When Ares walkedout of his closet, River lay curled on his side of the bed with her face smooshed into his pillow. He smiled and wondered if she had consciously gone to his side of the bed or had done it in her sleep. He wanted to go to her and kiss her, but he didn't want to wake her again, so instead, he turned and quietly left the room.

Ares returnedan hour later to River standing with an iPad, talking into it and pointing things out to Bianca to pack up.

"Hey," he said.

She turned exasperatedly. "This is ridiculous. It would be much easier if I went to my studio and got the things I need."

Ares's wolf snarled, and he loosened his tie. "I have to finish the dinner plans, and I have a couple of meeting calls I need to make, so I can't. I'm sorry."

"I can go alone."

Ares growled.

"I didn't mean alone, alone. I meant with Lachlan and Theo. And everyone else if you want."

"River-"