Page 61 of Alpha Claimed

She pressed her hand to the front of his pants, stroking downward.

His eyes closed, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

She stroked him again and then reached between his legs, grabbed his balls, and squeezed slightly.

He hissed.

She pulled his lips down to hers but stopped an inch away.

"Baby, I don't like cake. I prefer baklava. It has many, many layers that I can eat one at a time, savoring them. So that by the time I am done enjoying each gooey, honey-soaked layer, I am satisfied."

He leaned in, but River backed away, turned, and crawled under the covers. The sounds of his heavy breathing filled the room.

"Please put the armoire back where you found it before you leave. And make sure someone fixes that door. Who knows who could slip into my room at night and try to take advantage of me with my door broken."

Ares snarled. "Don't worry, Little Wolf. The only one slipping into your room from now on will be me. Anyone else will die."

* * *

ARES

Ares closedRiver's bedroom door, slid off his belt, and wrapped it around both handles, securing them. He looped the belt several more times and then pulled on the end to ensure it couldn't get any tighter.

He stared at the door momentarily, unable to believe he'd had the strength to walk away from her. His mate. His beautiful, curvy, enticing, infuriating mate.

Mine. Take. Mine.

Ares wolf would not stop screaming at him. Over and over and over. His nails lengthened, and his fangs descended.

Ares grabbed his head.Shut up! Shut the hell up!

A chuckle sounded behind him, and Ares whirled around. Apollo leaned against the doorframe of his room, sipping a beer.

"What the hell are you laughing at?"

Apollo snorted. "She told you the same thing, didn't she? That she couldn't choose between us. And now your wolf is going haywire."

Ares took a step forward. "She will choose between us. You better believe she'll choose. I just hope that when she does, you can take the rejection with the grace of a would-be king."

Ares strode past Apollo and down the hallway toward his room.

"And I hope, Brother, that when she chooses me, you will move far away and never bother us again."

Ares stopped. His wolf snarled. He wanted to kill Apollo. Kill Apollo for touching her. For tasting her. For even wanting her in the first place. Apollo the perfect. Apollo, the gentleman. Apollo, the older brother.

Ares clenched his fists. "Believe me, Apollo, if she chooses you, I won't just disappear. You'll never even hear my name whispered again."

Ares stalked to his bedroom and straight into a frigid shower.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

RIVER

The next day, River felt… strange.

Her warm, sensitive skin didn't even like being touched by the sheets. Her lacy bra felt like sandpaper, so she flung it to the floor. She noticed her suitcases in the corner for the first time and went to them immediately. She found her favorite old Johnny Cash t-shirt and pulled it on. Though it had been her dad's shirt and washed nearly a thousand times, it felt scratchy on her skin. She looked down to find her nipples hard against the fabric.

Great. Just what she needed. She tried pressing on them to get them down, but they didn't.Wonderful.