The Merciless Alpha(erotica)

The boys looked at each other, panicked. “Where’s the nearest jewelry store,” Ricardo asked.

“You don’t need to do it NOW,” I said. “Let’s just enjoy the evening.” Dinner was good, and Amy cleared the table while I grabbed the dessert out of the oven. Pecan pie with French Vanilla ice cream was the perfect way to end the meal.

The girls cleared the dishes away and went to get drinks, leaving me alone with Kai and his friends. “Are the two of you all right with what happened today?”

“It was weird, but it worked out fine,” Manuel said. “Honestly, it kind of fell out that way the first weekend we were over. I would have been cool with either one, but Makani was the one who put lotion on my back, and I didn’t want to mess it up.”

“Noelani was such a sweet girl; when she came to me, I was happy with it. I’m just glad it’s all worked out.”

“I was kidding about the rings, guys. You have time. Those girls are falling hard for you, and you don’t have to worry about them on our trip. I’ll take care of them,” I promised.

“Take your time, develop the relationships, and if you get engaged? Make it memorable.”

Amy just laughed. “Like you?”

“I fell in love with you the moment I saw you,” Kai said. “I wasn’t going to wait another moment.”

I let out a sigh. “Love-drunk couples surround me,” I said. “I have some work to do before bed. You guys enjoy yourselves, and try to keep it down tonight.” We all got up and went back inside, and I went down to shower and get ready for bed.

I checked my email and messages; Sotheby’s wanted me there for the 2 PM auction start, a time picked to allow the European buyers to get in.

Mercedes asked me to wear two particular dresses she had sent tomorrow, both new designs that would be released soon. The paparazzi would be all over the auction and my evening. She’d scheduled me for a meeting with the Bodyglove executives over dinner, where they wanted to discuss my television series plans.

I pored over budget estimates and the daily report on production issues from Linda Cartwright until my eyes glazed over. I headed to bed, turning on music to drown out the sounds of the happy couples on board.

I woke up at six-thirty, and the boat was quiet.

Dressing in my workout clothes, I headed to the upper-level deck and the exercise machines next to the outdoor dining room. I started on the treadmill, stretching out at a slower pace for five minutes before beginning my interval training routine. By the time another forty-five minutes was up, I was glistening and panting for breath.

I rolled out the pad and started my yoga routine, stretching out sore muscles as I watched the sun rising over the mountains. The marina was quiet, the parties from last night over. I waved back at an older gentleman who was sitting on his yacht drinking coffee with his morning paper. I had time, so I pulled the cover back on the two-person hot tub and lowered myself in. I left my bike shorts and top on, as the marina was too exposed to go nude. I’d already seen photos of us taken from the parking lot or other boats, and there was no screening around the hot tub.

I pulled out my phone and started looking through messages; there weren’t many. One of the first things I did after getting a publicist was to get a new phone number, linked to her account. Anything sent to me that wasn’t from one of my approved contact numbers went to her first and was forwarded if I needed to see it. The Three Sisters werewolf with the job was good at her work; she would send responses to fan letters, handle press inquiries, and pass security threats to Fiona from the comfort of her home office. Mercedes offset part of her expense, while I picked up the rest.

Linda had worked with Mercedes to firm up our travel schedule and sent me the dates and places where we would be able to shoot our diving spots during the tour. I’d befriended dozens of scientists and shark researchers through aquarium visits, charitable work, and the two documentaries, so I started with that list of people and composed an email. After a brief introduction to our all-female concept, I got to the meat of the letter.NôvelDrama.Org content.

“I’ve formed a new company, Sharkbait Productions, Inc, and will be filming segments at different stops during our Bodyglove modeling tour for a shark-diving-based reality show. I’m looking for local female shark experts in these areas who would be willing to host the four of us for a day of diving at a local shark hotspot. We would bring the film crew, including underwater camera operators, and we would hire the boat and crew or pay for expenses that day. Either scuba or free-diving would be welcomed based on local conditions. The expert featured on each episode, along with any boat crew shown, would be paid for their appearance and would be provided with Bodyglove line clothing for the shoot. Please pass this email on if you know of someone who can help, and we will contact them directly. Thank you, Vicki Lawrence, Producer.” Below the letter was the list of locations and dates.

I sent the email from the Sharkbait Productions account that Linda and I used. I figured it might take a while, as almost all of my contacts were in the United States and Hawaii, but I was wrong. I had the first response before I got out of the hot tub.

“Got room in there for another,” Kai asked as he came up the stairs.

“Sure. Where’s Amy?”

“Sleeping.” Kai pulled off his shirt and lowered himself in wearing his board shorts. The water level rose to the top, some sloshing over with the jets. “Damn, that feels good.”

I couldn’t help noticing his body; he was in great shape when they mated, but SEAL training had it at another level. He wasn’t bulky, as they didn’t build muscles that way, he was strong, with incredible endurance. I could see the various cuts, abrasions, and bruises he’d picked up during the week. “How is training going?”

“The only easy day was yesterday,” he said as he closed his eyes. “It never lets up. It was a good week; nobody injured, and nobody rang out.” They made it easy to quit, a bell in the courtyard was in view for most training. Ring the bell, and you’d get a hot meal, a cot, and a ticket to do something else in the Fleet. Out of a class of a hundred and forty-six, only twenty-six remained, and they were a little over halfway through the first phase of their training. In a few weeks, they’d be training full-time with no days off for two months.

“How are you handling your sisters finding their mates?”

“I’m better about it this morning,” he said. “Amy and I had a long talk. The girls already knew them, and their human sides liked them a lot, which is better than most mates get. I barely knew Amy before our wolves bonded. It also helps that I know the guys, and I know they’ll treat them right.”

“Did you talk to your parents?”

“Yeah, we called last night after you went to bed. They were surprised but happy. After they didn’t find their mates in the Pack, they were sure they were going to be moving out of the region to be with whoever their new mates were. The two could even get split up for the first time in their lives. Having human mates adds some different problems, but they will stay with Three Sisters and stay home.”

“You guys could get assigned to Little Creek in Virginia, on the other side of the country.”

“True, or we could be here. It’s also likely we end up on different teams in different places, with different deployment and training schedules. We’ll work it out. Mom understands that when the guys deploy their mates can return home. She’ll see the girls more this way than if they mated into another Pack.”

“And Amy?”

“That depends on what happens with her Mom and Hammer. If everyone stays here, Amy will stay with you or her Mom when I’m gone. She could also go back to Three Sisters or Miesville.”

I saw Amy come up in her exercise clothes, and she kissed her mate before heading to the treadmill for her workout. “What are you guys planning today,” I asked.

“The girls want to go shopping,” he said. “Susan is coming, so Hammer will be along.”

“Go early, so the crowds aren’t as bad,” I said. “I’ll have the Tank and both of my bodyguards, so hire a limo and security if you need it. I’ll cover it.” Amy wasn’t as high-profile as I was, and there would be four SEALS with them, but a driver would be worth it. “Talk to Mall security, or better yet, avoid the malls and go to individual stores. A quick call and you can arrange to shop while the store is closed to the public. Linda has contacts at the stores we normally use.” After-hours shopping was the best, and I spent enough to make it worthwhile.

“Good idea,” he said.

“I’ll be back late tonight, and you guys can come to the Sunday buffet at the Hotel del Coronado tomorrow if you want.” The spread there was fantastic, one of the best I’d ever seen. “Admiral Kirk invited me, Hammer, Commander Prentice, and his daughter Jessica out on his dive boat for the afternoon.” I’d never turn down a diving trip, and Jessica reminded me of myself when I was twelve. I’d make her day by diving with her.

“You should see if you can bring a camera operator, plus a few Go-Pros,” Amy said. I looked up, shocked to think about it. “Why not? There’s no starting time, and it would be great for the show. Hell, you should have a camera following you around tonight.”

“The auction isn’t part of the show,” I said.

“It could be. You’re going to be there with the rich and famous, and you’ll be wearing something hot. You can’t use the film you don’t make,” Amy said.

She was right. “The invitation allows me to bring a guest, and it didn’t ban cameras,” I thought out loud. I made a quick call to Linda and asked her about it. “I can’t distract my security, so whoever it is will have to go as my date,” I told her.

“It’s kind of late, but let me see what I can do,” she said.

While I was waiting, I called up Admiral Kirk. If he wasn’t willing to have a camera aboard, there was no point in calling Mark Prentice. “Admiral Kirk, it’s Vicki Lawrence. I have a favor to ask for our dive trip tomorrow.” I quickly explained how I’d like to take the chance to get some film of me diving with Jessica and the guys tomorrow.