AVA
The relief I felt at having made up with Beta Alexander was enormous. Having your second in command fighting with someone that is your equal and like your daughter can’t be easy. As much as Alpha Jacob did need to apologise too, my biggest problem was definitely Beta Alexander.
“Ava,” Callum called out from behind me.
I turned to see the entire group on the front steps of the pack house. “Are you ready to go?”
I nodded, turning back to Alpha Jacob and Beta Alexander. “I’ll catch up with you two tomorrow,” I said, voice low enough that the twins, Leo and Izzie couldn’t hear. “We need to work out how to deal with those rogues before someone gets hurt in the crossfire.”
They both nodded. “I agree, Alpha,” Alpha Jacob replied. “Have fun tonight, tomorrow, we’ll crack on with this.”
I gave them both a small smile before turning to walk towards the group.
Callum and Oscar immediately threw their arms around my shoulders, wedging me in between them. Of course Noah and Theo were jealous, and before I could react, Noah had darted in front of me, scooped me up and thrown me over his shoulder, leaving both Alpha Jacob and Beta Alexander laughing behind me.
I could have gotten out of his hold on my own, but I didn’t want to force the issue. I liked him touching me too much. I liked all of them touching me too much.
But that didn’t mean I’d take it lying down.
I reached down to tickle his ribs, but before I could, he grabbed my wrists with his other hand, pinning them behind my back.
“Dick,” I growled.
He let go of my wrists for a moment, but only so he could bring his hand down on my ass, hard, dragging a squeal from my throat, my core instantly soaked.
I took advantage of his distraction to flip over his shoulder, landing on my feet behind him, much to the chuckles of everyone else around us.
I tilted my head, smirking at him as I backed away whilst he stalked towards me; the look on his face promising retribution of the best kind.
“Oh, Ava,” he snarled. “You’re going to get it now, Princess.”
“If you can catch me,” I smirked, before taking off at a sprint. It did always surprise me (and everyone else) that I could still run in heels.
Spoiler – he didn’t catch me.
The club we were going to was a wolf exclusive, so the two doormen knew exactly who we all were and immediately let us in, skipping the queue. “Alpha,” they both nodded in my direction as I came to a stop in front of them.
“Evening, gentlemen,” I smiled as I walked past and into the club.
I made a beeline for the bar, watching the crowd part for me to come through. “It’s going to take time to get used to my base aura being this strong, Artemis.”
“I know, Ava. I’ve toned it back as much as I can, but we do now scream Alpha, and I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it.”
“Usual, Alpha?” the bartender asked me.
“Nearly. Shots for seven, two mojitos and five whiskeys on the rocks, please.”
“On it, Alpha.”
He nodded, getting to work pouring shots. Three each.
Before I could pick up the tray of drinks to take it over to the table Izzie and Leo had found, Theo snatched it from the bar, motioning for me to go ahead of him.
“They’ll move out of the way for you, Ava,” he whispered in my ear.
I rolled my eyes at his comment. At this point, I just wanted to sit down with shots.
Once we reached the table, Izzie, Leo and Noah were on one side of the table, Oscar and Callum on the other. I slid in next to Callum, who grabbed me around the waist, pulling me into his lap, his hands sitting on my hips.
I scowled at him, but he just smirked and buried his face in my neck, his tongue and mouth teasing along my collarbone. Theo slid in next to me, one of his hands passing shots out, the other sliding up my thigh towards the hem of my dress, Oscar’s hand doing the same on the other side.
Once Theo had spread the shots out, I lifted one in a toast to us. All of us sank the shot at the same time; everyone but Noah and I shuddered when the vodka hit their throats.
I giggled, before taking the second two, my body feeling pleasantly warm.
Behind me, Callum was sipping his whiskey. Our position meant his hand holding the glass was close to my shoulder; he was running it up and down my exposed back, leaving me shivering.
“Oops,” Callum whispered in my ear when something cold and wet dribbled down my spine. I smacked his leg when he bent over, his tongue running up my back, lapping up the whiskey he definitely spilled on purpose.
“You did that on purpose,” I scolded.
“Guilty as charged, little one,” he whispered in my ear, his teeth tugging at my earlobe. His hands slid in between my thighs, tugging them apart, his fingertips trailing up the sensitive skin towards my core.
“The question is, little one,” his voice was low, sensual. “Are you ready for me?”
“Dick,” I growled.
His fingers danced across the lace covering my opening, chuckling at the wetness. “You are, aren’t you?” He kissed the back of my neck.
“Dick,” I growled again, this time jumping off his lap and sitting in between him and Theo.
“Keep it in your pants please, Callum, Ava,” Leo scolded.
I laughed, trying not to choke on my mojito.
“Dance with me,” I whispered in Callum’s ear. He smirked, taking my hand and leading us over to the dance floor.
His hands settled on my waist whilst I danced in front of him, my hips swaying, arms wrapping around his neck.
“Shall we make them jealous, little one?” he whispered in my ear.
“What are you thinking?” I asked him, a smirk dancing around my face.
“Just trust me,” he whispered, before crashing his mouth down on mine.
I moaned when his tongue danced with mine, his kiss demanding, just taking what he wanted. I groaned when he broke the kiss, but that turned into a gasp when he wrapped his fingers around my braid, yanking my head to the side, exposing my neck to him.
He spun me around so I was facing the table, his body pressed tightly against my back as he licked and kissed his way down my neck, before biting down hard in the spot that my mate would mark me in the future.
I whimpered, my eyes falling closed as a jolt of pleasure ran through me, my core immediately ending up drenched.
If that wasn’t a declaration of intent, nothing was.