The Merciless Alpha(erotica)

“I’m glad James said something to me. I was a lot like that as a kid.” I helped her get more things out of the fridge, and we joined the men and their wives and girlfriends in the yard. I had a lot of fun, and Mark’s smoker put out good food. The party started to get wilder after sundown, and around eleven, James asked me if I was ready to go. “You don’t want to stay?”

“This is the part where the heavy drinking and manly posturing begins. I’d rather get you home.”

“You can come back if you want,” I said. At eighteen, I couldn’t drink with these guys without getting them in trouble. Our age difference ate at me at times like this.

“I’d rather spend time with you.”

Good answer. We said our goodbyes and put on our leathers for the ride back home. It was a beautiful night, the full moon high over the surf as it came in on the beach. I hugged him from behind as I thought about what I would do tonight. I had the house to myself, the hot tub would feel fantastic, and I might ask him to stay over.

A pick-up truck accelerated and moved into the left lane, slowing as it came up next to me. I looked over at the light tan F-150, seeing the shadow of a driver through the tinted window. It sped up again, then swerved hard right into our lane. James braked and swerved to the right, but the truck forced us off the road.

The Suzuki’s front wheel hit the soft sand of the shoulder, sending us flying. I landed painfully and rolled, coming to a stop in the scrub brush and rocks. The pickup truck stopped for a second, then drove off.

It didn’t have a license plate.

I crawled over to James, who had slammed into some of the larger rocks near the road. He wasn’t moving.

I called 911; when the patrol car stopped near us, I called Hammer.

Someone tried to kill me.

*************

The first police officer to arrive knelt next to me. “Are you all right, Ma’am?”

“I’m all right,” I said. I’d landed on the sandy shoulder and James. “Help him,” I said as I pushed myself to my hands and knees. The ambulance wasn’t far behind.

My body hurt as I moved into a sitting position and removed my helmet. I checked my limbs, and it didn’t feel any sharp pain, and I could take a deep breath. That was good; no broken bones. I looked at my helmet in the flashing lights; the paint was trashed, and the visor cracked.

Better than my head.

The EMT’s arrived, and I waved them off to help James first. He still hadn’t regained consciousness, but he was breathing. They brought over a backboard, controlling his neck as they rolled him carefully onto it. They taped his helmet to the board and put a collar around his neck, then lifted him onto the gurney.

As I was watching them, I gave a quick statement to the policeman. I hadn’t gotten a good look at the driver, but I did provide a detailed description of the truck. “It was intentional. The pickup sped up to come alongside and look at us, pulled ahead, cut us off, and then slowed to make sure we had no choice but to go off the road.”

“Was it road rage?”

“We had just pulled onto the highway up at Lincoln Housing and hadn’t passed anyone. We never saw him before.” The gurney was almost to the road. “I have to go with him,” I said to the officer.

“Do you think you can walk?” I nodded, and he helped me to my feet. I was bruised but could walk. “A detective will visit you at the hospital and take both of your statements,” he said.Text © by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

“Catch that fucker,” I said. The guys helped me into the back and closed the door. “Where are we going?”

“Sharp Coronado Hospital,” the EMT said as we took off with lights and sirens.

“He’s a SEAL, active duty. Doesn’t he go to the Naval Hospital?”

“It’s not the closest. The doctors will evaluate him in the ER first and transfer later if he needs it.” He was busy attaching leads to his chest.

I took hold of my boyfriend’s hand, praying to Luna he would be all right. My phone picked that moment to buzz. It was Hammer. “Where are you?”

“In the ambulance with James, heading to Sharp ER,” I said. “I need you to go to his CO’s place on Saipan Road.” I gave him the address.

“I’ve got his phone number; I’ll call him instead. I think I can see you up ahead. We’ll be in the doors right behind you.”

“Who is with you?”

“Susan and Amy. We left Luke and the twins at the house. Call your Mom and let her hear your voice.”

“I will. Thanks, Hammer.” I hung up and called my Mom back. “Hey, Mom. I’m all right,” I said as she started crying. I only had a minute to talk before we arrived at the hospital, and I had to hang up.

I watched as they took James away, then a nurse helped me down. I had my helmet still, and she sat me in a wheelchair with it on my lap. She wheeled me into an exam room and closed the door. She helped take my riding gear and clothes off, leaving me in my underwear, then she gave me a gown to put on. I looked down at my lacy underthings and let out a laugh. “What’s so funny,” the nurse asked.

“It’s the old Mom saying. ‘Make sure you’re wearing clean underwear in case you get in an accident.’ Now the Doctor gets to see my lingerie before my boyfriend does.”

She laughed and pulled the cart over. After taking vitals, history, and symptoms, the doctor came in. She looked at the helmet and my leathers sitting on the chair; they were dirty and scratched from the crash. “I’d say your gear paid for itself,” Doctor Thompson said as she shook her head. “You’re still safer when you don’t ride a donorcycle.”

“How is my boyfriend?”

“He’s with the attending,” she said. “Let’s make sure you’re all right first.” It took about twenty minutes to check me out. “I’m going to send you for an X-ray as a precaution. I’ll check back soon.” The x-ray was clean, and she told me to rest and take Advil for the soreness before signing my discharge.

Another nurse stopped me as I was gathering my things into a bag the nurse gave me. “Your friend is asking for you,” she said.

I followed her to another room, where James was in a hospital bed with an IV and monitors. His left wrist was in a brace where it lay on the covers. “JAMES,” I said as I dropped my gear and ran to his side. Leaning down, I kissed him as my fingers ran softly across his face. “How are you?”

“Concussion, two broken ribs, and a broken left wrist,” he said. “You?”

“Bruises. I landed on a big SEAL, and he broke my fall.” I leaned down and kissed him again, this time taking more time and tongue.

“Ahem.” I broke free as his doctor came in. “Ortho will be here shortly to cast your arm. Once that is done, we’ll transfer you to a room so we can keep you under observation overnight.”

“I can watch him at home,” I said. “I’ve done it before.”

“Tomorrow, perhaps. Mr. McFadden took a hard blow to the head. He’d be dead if not for his helmet.”

“I understand.” The doctor left, and the nurse came back in. “The police would like to speak to you before you leave, Miss Lawrence. His Commanding Officer wants to see him, and only one person can be back here at a time.”

“Go,” James said. “Come see me in the morning.”

“Visiting hours start at nine,” the nurse said.

I grabbed my stuff and walked out to the waiting room, where my people surrounded me. “I’m fine. Sore, but fine.” I told them about James as a detective waited to get my attention. “I’ll give my statement over there,” I told him as I pointed to the far corner of the room. “I want my Aunt Susan with me.” The three of us walked over and sat down. I told him everything I knew, which wasn’t much.

“If you saw the truck, could you identify it?”

“I think so,” he said.

“We found a truck matching your description abandoned in Chula Vista. It’s now in impound. I’d like you to look at it.”

“Let’s go,” I said. Susan took my gear with them while I drove with the detective to the lot. It was the one that had run us off the road, a fresh scratch on the passenger door showing where his mirror hit. I focused on the driver’s scent, sorting through the other smells. I recognized it, and my anger boiled. I was going to kill that fucker, and the Master Vampire who ordered the attempt. Alexander dared to hurt someone I cared for, and for that, I could not forgive.

I couldn’t say anything to a human about THAT, though. “This is the truck that ran us off the road,” I said.

“It was reported stolen yesterday. Hopefully, our crime scene guys can get something out of it.”

I thanked him and got into Hammer’s car. We didn’t say much on the way home; I was tired, and I needed sleep.

I didn’t see the text that came in until the morning. I almost choked on my eggs when I saw it.

“Unknown Number: Don’t do anything stupid before you talk to me. Say nothing and come alone. Meet me at the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport tonight at six PM, Pappadeaux’s Seafood Bar, C14 if you want the truth. Emily”

Oh, I was ready to do something stupid.

I just hadn’t decided which of several stupid things I was going to do.

I was still debating when Susan grabbed her keys. “Ready to go?”

“I am,” I said. I grabbed my purse and followed Susan out to the car. The visit with James went well, but he wasn’t going home. An ambulance was coming to take him to the Naval Hospital, where they would keep an eye on his concussion symptoms for another day or two. Since I couldn’t bring him home, that made my decision easier.