Master Alpha

Rhea inhaled deeply as the smell of antiseptic invaded her nostrils and the sound of EKG machines deafened her. The hospital buzzed around her as she walked through it. She had checked in at the front desk and the receptionist told her that her friend was in the cafeteria. Rhea had done some schooling with the receptionist directly, which had prompted to disclose Rhea’s friend’s whereabouts. Rhea smiled as she based in the sounds and smells of a world that she missed. She loved her people more than anything, but, in this world, she had the opportunity to be someone else. I could have lived among the humans if I had not returned home, she thought, but I couldn’t just abandon home.

Rhea’s long auburn hair was pulled into a tight ponytail. She was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt with a pair of jeans. She was carrying a white purse against her shoulder that she had to keep readjusting. She despised purses, but she needed something inconspicuous to transport the supplies in when she left. She had been surprised when Lincoln told her to make the supply run on her own, but she also could not deny that she was relieved by the decision. Lincoln was second guessing her actions, which had resulted in him smothering her with his presence. He had told her that he feared for her safety, but that had only irritated her more. She had proven countless times that she could take care of herself. Maybe he is just on edge because of the moon, she thought.

Rhea had never seen Lincoln the day before or the day of the moon. Most of the Decants used those two days to feed and make sure that the Nanta residences were saturated enough with Decant scents. Nathan came over to her house enough for his scent to dominate hers, so Lincoln never needed to visit. Maybe the shift approaching on foreign territory has him twitchy, she thought. That was the only reason that made sense for his increased protectiveness over her. Doing the supply run on her own allowed her to breathe, especially knowing that her protective Master Alpha would not end up meeting her human friend. Lincoln had reacted so negatively to Elias; she had wondered how he was going to react to Sam. Her and Sam had grown close during school, she was expecting one of his famous bear hugs when she found him.

Rhea entered the cafeteria. Black tables with black chairs scattered around them were spaced evenly on the white marble floor. The large vending machines stood beside a white marble refrigerator. A black microwave rested on the small counter space near the refrigerator. Rhea smiled as her eyes settled on the heap of a man that had converted one of the tables into a bed. His teal scrubs stood out against his pale skin. He had one arm crossed under his head as a pillow, the other arm draped over his face to cover his eyes. His feet were planted on the table with his knees raised in front of him to prevent him from falling. On the ground beside the table was a dark blue water bottle that Rhea was certain contained the liquid of an energy drink. Nurses thrived on caffeine more than they ever would on water.

Rhea approached the man and gently touched his arm that was covering his face. “Hey Sam,” she whispered. He simply grunted and kept his face hidden. Rhea grinned and leaned down to his ear. “Oh, Sammy boy,” she whispered her nickname for him. He instantly shot into a sitting position as he removed his arm from his face. His dirty blonde hair was tousled in different directions. His green eyes were bright against the dark circles beneath them as he grinned at her. “My ray of sunshine,” he replied with his nickname for her. A loud yawn escaped him as he stretched his arms over his head. He was not as muscular as Lincoln on any level, but she could tell that Sam’s muscles had grown since her last visit with him. Since male nurses were a rarity, the female nurses would often ask him for assistance on more intensive jobs rather than ask the doctors to do it.

Sam hopped off the table and immediately scooped Rhea into a hug. He was slightly taller than she was but not by much. She laughed and hugged him back tightly. “I’ve missed you, jerk,” she said as he put her down.

“I’ve missed you, too, traitor,” he grinned as he looked at her. “How’s the secret mission in the States going?”

“Not great, unfortunately, which is why I’m here.”

“You mean to tell me that you didn’t return just to see me? I’m offended.”

“Hey! Seeing you was definitely part of the reason,” Rhea protested through her smile.

“Yeah, yeah,” Same yawned. He bent down to retrieve his water bottle and took a drink. “Either way, you are definitely my ray of sunshine following the shit storm of a twenty-hour shift.”

“Damn, I’m sorry,” Rhea said. She had to admit that the long shifts were one of the reasons that she was glad to have left. Her endurance was much greater than Sam’s but working for twenty hours straight was brutal either way.

Sam glanced at the watch on his wrist and groaned. “My alarm was about to go off anyway, so I can spare you maybe fifteen minutes if I’m lucky. What do you need?”

“Just an IV bag, some medical tape, the tubing, and a needle for the IV.”

“Just basic supplies?” he asked curiously.

She nodded. “I have the more difficult product handled.”

“Makes my job easier. Storage room it is,” he said. He led Rhea out of the cafeteria and down the hallway. She walked beside him with a small smile on her face. She always walked behind Lincoln, as was her duty as his guard. As much as he cares for his guards, that is what her and Nathan were to him. Lincoln took priority, so he led them. Walking beside Sam rather than behind him made her feel equal to him, if only for a moment.

Sam stopped in front of the storage closet and looked around the hallway. Once he confirmed that no one was watching, he entered his code into the keypad on the door. It beeped softly as the lock disengaged. He opened he door and quicky ushered Rhea inside. He closed the door as he entered behind her and leaned his back against it. “Five minutes,” he whispered.

“Want to see a magic trick? I can do it in one,” Rhea grinned. She took the curiosity on Sam’s face as his answer.

Rhea accessed her speed and swiftly maneuvered around the room. Shelves were full of gloves, IV bags, masks, everything materialistically that a doctor or nurse would need. She knew that the blood was kept under lock and key elsewhere, as was the medication. She commended human caution and paranoia; if all of the important products were locked in just one room, it would be so much easier to rob the place. There may be hospital security, but she knew that humans were an inventive species to get what they want. Turning that inventiveness into protection was genius when they applied it to internal security, like requiring a passcode that was registered to an employee directly rather than just a key. She quickly filled her purse with the supplies and returned to stand in front of Sam.

“Wow,” Sam whispered as his eyes settled on Rhea. “You were damn near invisible.”

“I try,” Rhea grinned. “Are you sure that you’ll be alright?”

“I’ll think of something if they ask why items went missing, but I don’t think they will. What you needed is always getting ordered because they are basic necessities for the hospital. If you were taking an MRI machine, that would be harder to explain. Use that speed now, though.” He opened the door and Rhea immediately ran into the women’s bathroom around the corner. Good thinking, she thought as she looked at herself in the mirror. The hallway was beginning to bustle to life again. Rhea exited the bathroom and leaned against the wall beside the door. She glanced at the clock on the wall, and it read two o’clock. She sighed and rubbed a hand over her face. I have to get back, she thought. I need to return before dark.

Sam came around the corner and nodded at Rhea. “I need to get back,” he said as he approached.

“I need to as well,” she said she stood fully. “But I wanted to say thank you. Not just for your help, but your understanding. You don’t even flinch around me, knowing what you know.”

“I trust you, Ray, it’s as simple as that,” he shrugged.

Rhea hugged him tightly. “Don’t ever change.”

“Would you change me?” He whispered as he loosened his hold on her to look at her.

“Sam, no,” she whispered back. She placed a hand on his face softly. “You will outlive everyone you care for, you will see them all wither. Be human, treasure it.”

“You’re right,” he answered. He gently pulled her close and kissed her softly. Her breath hitched in her throat as she inhaled sharply. Her own words resonated within her, that humans wither, and she kissed him back. She truly hoped that she would see Sam one more time before the end of his life; but she knew that if it had not been for Lillian’s situation, she would not be seeing him now. She did not want their potential final encounter to be her rejection of him as more than a friend; she cared for him too much to allow him to feel that.

Sam ended the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. “We could have some fun if I was like you.”

“Of that, I have no doubt,” she whispered. “Go back to work and stay safe. I may outlive you, but I want you to live as long as you can.”

“Try to come visit, yeah?”

“I will try,” she whispered. Sam gave her one more kiss, then turned around and began walking to his next assignment. Rhea touched her fingers to her lips gently. I’m really glad that Lincoln did not come after all, she thought. Had Sam tried that with Linc here, the poor bastard would be on the floor.

Rhea drove Lincoln’s car back to Xavier’s property. I can’t wait to go home, she thought. After Linc and Nate have recovered tomorrow, we get to go home. Elias said that the blood should be in their fridge in the morning, and I can just come and grab it. Rhea sighed. She kept spinning the gears of her mind to determine if there was another option for Lillian, if the transfusion failed, and she could not think of an alternative. This has to work, or we have to kill a child, she thought. She had contemplated asking Sam to give her access to the pharmacy to grab barbiturates, what humans use to euthanize each other; but she knew that drugs going missing would cause conflict for Sam, especially a drug like that. Not to mention, I would need at least twice the normal amount for it to work on Lillian, Rhea thought.

Rhea parked the car in front of the house that she was staying at with Lincoln and Nathan. The village was rather quiet at the moment with no Decants outside. Probably making sure to eat before the run, she thought. She opened the front door and set her purse on the table. The couch was bare without Nathan sitting on it. I wonder where he got to, she thought as she closed the door. She released her hair from the ponytail and shook her head as it spilled down her back. She could almost taste the anticipation of the shift in the air. She closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. She had assured both Nathan and Lincoln that she would keep her knife close tonight, and for her to kill if necessary. The nights of the moon at home did not warrant death if a Decant found a Nanta, just harm for protection, but she was on new territory tonight.

“How’d it go?” Lincoln’s voice forced Rhea’s eyes open. Lincoln’s chest was bare and slick, his wet hair sending droplets down his face. He was wearing a pair of tattered, faded jeans that hung loosely around his hips. She cocked an eyebrow at him curiously. “Forget to dry off after your shower?” she asked.

“No, it was intentional,” Lincoln shrugged. “My skin feels like it’s on fire. I went for a run, but it didn’t help. How did it go?”

“It went well, I got everything that we needed,” Rhea said. She walked over to Lincoln and rested her hand on his chest softly. Heat sparked from his skin against her palm and spread along her fingers. He inhaled sharply as she brought her eyes to his. “Please, don’t tell me that you’re sick, too,” she whispered.

“I’m fine,” Lincoln whispered. He placed his hand on top of hers. She looked down instinctively as heat sparked on the top of her hand and began traveling up her arm. She shuddered and looked up at him. “You’ve never felt like this to me. Are you sure?”

“This is the first time that you’ve seen me on the day of the moon, Ray.”

“So, this is normal for you?”

“Not to this extent.”

“Then why is it so extreme tonight? Foreign soil putting your wolf on edge?”

“Sort of,” Lincoln breathed, his eyes locked on hers.

“I’ll be fine,” Rhea smiled and gently stroked her thumb against his chest. “It’s not my first time around wolves.” She forced her annoyance at him for her well-being aside for the moment; if his wolf was this anxious, then she needed to try to calm him down before he shifted fully.

“I’m sorry,” Lincoln whispered.

“What?” Rhea asked, her eyes widening as she stared into his blue ones.

“I’m sorry for making you think that I don’t trust you, that I doubted you.”

“Lincoln—”

“That’s not what it is at all,” he continued. “I just care about you so much that it truly is worry, fear, that something will happen to you.”

“I know, Linc.”

“You couldn’t have, because I didn’t,” he muttered. He placed his free hand on her face softly. She gasped as the heat sparked against her cheek and stretched across to the other side of her face. The heat traveled down her lips and she licked them instinctively while her heart rate quickened. She felt the heat roll down her throat and stop at her collarbone, as if her clothing restricted the heat’s journey.

Lincoln grazed his thump over Rhea’s bottom lip. She gasped at the heat that his finger burned against her lip, but the burning sensation was not that of pain. It was a burn of comfort, of safety, of true warmth. Lincoln took advantage of her response and gently slipped his thumb into her mouth. Rhea moaned softly as a burn of arousal rolled off his thumb along her tongue. She felt her knees weaken suddenly. Lincoln wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. He brought her body closer to his, his blue eyes so bright that they sparkled like blue fire. “I didn’t know until recently,” Lincoln breathed huskily. “Your touch now confirms it. Many moons, I spent feeling like this, my body on fire and I never understood why. Until now.” Rhea’s heart pounded so hard within her chest that she thought it would burst. I only feel a portion of this fire, and I need more, she thought. For him to feel like this for decades without his mate to ease it, it must have been torture. But I would only feel this if ignited in me, too, she thought. If I was the one that was meant to ease, if I was his mate.

Rhea wrapped her lips around Lincoln’s thumb and drew it further into her mouth. She moaned as the burn of arousal exploded from her tongue and explored down her throat. She felt Lincoln’s grip tighten around her. A deep growl reverberated in his throat. “You feel it, too,” he purred.

“I’ve felt for you for years,” she whispered as he slipped his thumb out of her mouth. “This,” she breathed. “This awakened more.”

“You have no idea,” he growled as his thumb trailed down her throat. “But we will have to explore this later; the moon is approaching, and I will not make this exploration a short one.” Rhea scratched her nails down his chest as she trailed her fingers to his abs.

Rhea felt her fangs descend as she saw Lincoln’s eyes flare with orange fire. “In the morning,” he whispered gruffly.

“You know better than to keep a lady waiting.”

“I have to satisfy my wolf first.”

“You wouldn’t with me?”

“Oh, pet,” Lincoln growled deeply. He pulled her body even closer to his. Rhea gasped as she felt his erection strained against his jeans. “I will take that as an invitation to allow his participation in the morning,” he growled.

“I didn’t intend it any other way,” she whispered.

Lincoln snarled and ripped himself away from Rhea. The heat melted out of her body, leaving her chilled and desperate for its return. She smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. He pulled away to stop himself, she thought. It is almost time for the shift. She knew that being around his wolf could be dangerous, but she could not deny the arousal that the fear of his wolf incited in her. “I left the clothes that I ran in on your bed,” he spoke gruffly. “It will help mask your scent with my own. Wear them tonight. After tomorrow morning, my scent will be even stronger on you.” He growled again as he exhaled. “My scent will be on you, in you…” He snarled and shook his head. “You will be mine, mate.”

Lincoln rushed out of the house and slammed the door behind him. Rhea shuddered at the intensity that he possessed, the amount of power he was holding back, and with his voice calling her his mate. She could not deny how elated she felt at that knowledge. Until tomorrow, she thought with excitement and arousal possessing her. She walked down the hallway and entered her room. He was wrong about one thing, she thought as she began stripping out of her clothes. Tomorrow does not make me his, I’ve been his for years.