Taken By The Alpha (Timber Valley Pack) by Georgette St. Clair Page B

like a five year old?” Carver said scornfully. She was a spoiled little daddy’s girl and a total brat.
                  She was also incredibly hot and she turned him on like nothing he’d ever experienced before, but at the moment all he wanted to do was throw her over his knee and spank her.
                  To his surprise, she nodded. “You’re right. Next time, I’ll handle the consequences on my own.”
                  “There won’t be a next time!” Vince shouted, his face flushing with anger.
                  “You all have a good day, now.” Carver turned and walked back to his car without looking back, climbed in, and slammed the door. He backed up, made a u-turn, and headed back towards Greenville.
     
    * * *
    The sunrise painted a red and orange glow along the horizon, and the high, jagged mountains were outlined against the sky. The pack was up early, as ever. Maddox and Katrina stood on the front porch of the common house, sipping coffee and watching the morning mists swirl on the ground.  Soon the sun’s rays would burn the mists away and chase the mild chill from the air.
    “Wow, we still haven’t gotten it out of our system. I thought maybe we’d be sick of each other by now.” Katrina shook her head in amazement. It had been a week. A week of the best, most earth-shatteringly delicious sex she’d ever had. A week of waking up, wrung out and sweaty, in Maddox’s arms, breathing him in and feeling his heart beat against her chest.  And wishing it could last forever.
                  Maddox winked at her.
                  “We’ll have to try harder.”
                  “Ha,” she scoffed. “I may need a day off just to recuperate.” At his stricken look, she added quickly “Oh, there are other things that we can do. It’s fun to get creative.”
                  He slung his arm around her shoulder, and she started.
                  “What?” he said, looking puzzled.
                  “Everybody can see us. You. Me. The enemy. Together.”
                  Maddox threw back his head and laughed heartily. “Sweetheart, you know that every wolf pack is like a high school full of teenaged girls when it comes to gossip, right? Everybody knows. And they’re fine with it.”
                  She stared up at him. “Are you fine with it?”
                  “If you are.” Now his expression turned serious, with maybe the faintest hint of worry.
                  She bit her lip.  The Death Challenge was getting closer and closer.  “Is there any way that you’d consider seeking an alliance with my stepfather?” she finally asked him. “He might be open to it. It’s worth a shot.”
                  He sighed. “It’s not possible. Even if he would agree to it, I wouldn’t. I’m sorry.”
                  “Your two packs would be stronger together.”
                  “For me to form an alliance with someone, I have to be willing to defend them and their actions, and stand behind them. I can not defend or even tolerate your stepfather’s actions.”
                  She nodded. She wished she could talk to Maddox about whatever the hell was going on with the gophers, and with everyone in town for that matter, but that would be betraying her own pack.  It sucked not being able to confide in him. The more time that she spent with him, the more she felt like they were melding together, like two halves of a whole.
                  Across the common area, she saw Peony and Alexander walking hand in hand. They were smiling.  Peony caught her eye and gave her a happy wave.
                  “Hello, check that out,” she said.
                  “Yep. I had a few words with Alexander and his mother, both. His mother won’t be moving in