Alpha’s Sun: An MC Werewolf Romance (Bad Boy Alphas Book 12)
Alpha’s Sun: Chapter 9

Sunny

I lean my helmet against Titus’ back and review what just happened.

Hearing the jabs that jerk took at Titus over me has me mad. Not for myself, but on Titus’ behalf. No wonder he’s felt so unavailable to me. My instincts weren’t wrong. We are literally a separate species.

And his own kind mocked him for being with me.

Maybe, as much as we’re attracted to each other and as much as we care about each other, a relationship is impossible.

I don’t want to think about that now, though, so I push it out of my mind. Titus is still here on a job, and I intend to help him with it. After that, we can talk.

We ride back to Titus’ place and he calls his alpha to report. I’m not trying to eavesdrop, but I notice he’s only saying I.

Not we.

He hasn’t mentioned my involvement at all.

Would he get in trouble?

Or is this more like… embarrassment? Like we’re in high school and it’s not cool to hang out with the weirdo.

The girl I tried really hard not to be in high school so I could catch the heart and hand of Jack.

Are we like a biracial couple one hundred years ago where he likes me in private but doesn’t want to be seen with me in public?

I’m not down with that. It took me a while, but I’ve embraced who I am. I don’t want to be with anyone who isn’t cool with the whole package. Human genes and all.

But when Titus gets off the phone and wraps a beefy arm around me from the back to kiss my neck, I melt.

Just a little longer. I’m not ready to move on from him yet. The sex is too good. Feeling cared for and protected, too delicious.

I’ll stick with my plan of riding this thing out.

“My alpha offered to take them all in,” Titus says, lips still at my neck. “I’m going to hire a bus to take them all to Arizona if they want to go. Want to come along? You could stop in Tucson to visit the kids?”

It’s not because I’m not ready for this to be over that I say yes.

Not at all.

And I am always excited to see Foxfire. I give her a call to tell her the news. Although not revealing what I know about her is going to kill me.

“Hi, Sunny!” She picks up.

“Foxfire, darling! How are you?”

“I’m good. How are you feeling?”

“Much better, darling. My bruises are fading and the arm doesn’t hurt a bit anymore. Titus is taking good care of me.”

“So he’s still with you?”

“Yes, he’s still here. And I’m going to head back to Arizona with him when he leaves in the next couple of days. I want to see you two.”

“Sounds good, Sunny. I have some good news for you, too.”

I gasp, my heart somersaulting. “Oh, goddess are you pregnant?”

“No, no, no, no, no. Sunny, no. I told you we’re not even trying. But it is about a baby.”

“What baby?”

“Remember Jordy, my dad’s sister from Utah?”

“Yes, of course. I never met her in person, but I remember Johnny talking about her.” I gasp again, catching up. “Is she pregnant?” I can’t help it, I get excited about babies even when it’s someone I only met once who lives in Utah.

Foxfire laughs. “Yes, actually! Turns out, she ended up in Tucson. She mated—I mean married this big guy named Grizz and they’re expecting their first baby.”

“Oh goddess, that’s wonderful! I want to see them when I’m there. Maybe we can arrange a shower for her? I mean, we are her family, after all.”

“I bet she’d love that, Sunny. I’ll see if I can throw something together last minute. When exactly are you getting here?”

“I’m not sure, but I’ll let you know. In the next couple of days, I imagine. Titus is making arrangements.”

It literally kills me not to tell her everything that’s going on. I’m a terrible secret-keeper. But Titus’ secrets are important to me, so I have to honor him.

“Great, Sunny. Can’t wait to see you.”

“Me neither, darling. Bye!”

I hang up and beam at Titus, who is looking at me quizzically. “My daughter’s aunt is in Tucson now with a guy named Grizz and they’re expecting a baby!”

Titus’ smile is totally indulgent. He drops a kiss on the top of my head. “That’s great, sunshine. I know you love those babies.”

I snuggle against him and lean my head on his chest. Try to ignore how right it feels.

Titus

Sunny and I meet the Taos wolves at the appointed time and place.

“Hi, guys!” Sunny beams that bright smile and waves from the doorway.

Four of them sit at a table in the back corner, sharing a couple pitchers of beer. It’s the same three from earlier today and one more who also appears military-trained.

They look over. Rafe barely acknowledges us with a slight lift of his chin.

“Hey,” she tries again when we sit down. She leans across the table and sticks out her hand to the guy we don’t know. “I’m Sunny.”

He’s younger than the others, probably late twenties, with Captain America good-looks. “Channing.” His dimpled smile is just as bright as Sunny’s.

A low growl starts in my throat when he takes her hand and he immediately yanks it back. “No offense, silver.”

At first I think he’s referring to my beard, but then I realize he was the fourth wolf out during the full moon.

Normally after a wolf marks his mate, the extreme possessiveness and jealousy eases. I don’t know why mine seems even worse. Probably because despite my wolf’s claim, I haven’t figured out how to keep her.

Rafe pushes the beer and two empty glasses our way without a word.

Quiet fellow.

Once again I’m struck by the stillness he embodies. I follow suit and don’t speak, pouring a glass of beer for myself and Sunny and taking a long sip.

“Well?” Rafe says.

“We’ll take them all. No problem. I’ll take care of transport.”

Rafe cocks his head. “You don’t know how many there are.”

“Doesn’t matter. Alpha Green will figure it out. His son owns nightclubs and real estate all over Tucson, and the pack owns a brewery north of Phoenix. We can replace jobs for them. Get them integrated. Help with the PTSD.”

Lance gives a solemn nod. “Good. You have an understanding of what they’re dealing with.”

“I know a few from the California lab. They function… but barely. Real paranoid and jittery. Definitely off.” I think of Declan, Laurie and Parker and shake my head. They are definitely unique characters.

“Good,” Lance repeats.

“We have two dozen refugees,” Rafe tells me. We took them in six weeks ago when we located the lab and took it down. They are currently camped nearby.”

“Two dozen. Okay. I can hire a bus to take them down to Phoenix.”

Rafe nods.

When I realize we’re back to silence, I decide to try to get some of my questions answered. “So do you guys work for the government?”

“Contractors for hire. Former active military. The order to shut down that lab came from the government, though.”

Sunny and I glance at each other, digesting that news.

“Yeah, if we’d known such a thing existed when we were in the forces, we probably would’ve all defected, right then and there,” Channing offers. Clearly he’s the only talkative one in the group. “Because what we found in that lab was wrong.”

All four of them nod, a haunted quality sneaking into their sharp gazes.

“All wrong,” Deke agrees, and throws back his beer, draining a full glass in a few gulps.

“So why did the government send you in to shut it down forcibly, if it was their lab to begin with?” Sunny asks.

Rafe shakes his head. “They didn’t brief us much, but from what I understand, it was a joint-venture project between government and private industry.”

“Data-X,” I concur.

“Right. The major players in Data-X were eliminated. I’m guessing by your network.”

I nod.

“The government chose to close the project and eliminate any evidence of what remained.”

A chill runs up my spine. Are these guys government assassins?

Not wanting to know one way or the other, I down my beer and stand up. “I’ll arrange the bus. When can we meet the refugees?”

“Let us know when you book the bus and we’ll give you the location,” Rafe says.

I barely manage not to roll my eyes at their cloak and dagger shit. “This time can I at least get a phone number?”

“Yes.” Rafe turns on his phone.

I pull mine out and it beeps with a message.

“That’s me,” he says.

I don’t even bother asking how he got my number. These guys probably already know everything there is to know about me, Sunny, and my pack.

Sunny isn’t deterred by their reticence. “So what’s the scoop—were you guys, like, special ops?”

All four of them consider her, which tells me she hit the mark. Her intuition is always spot on.

“Shifter ops,” Channing grins and takes a sip of beer.

Sunny’s eyes light up and she leans forward. “You were all like, shifter CIA? Navy SEALS? Special Forces?”

“Something like that,” Rafe mumbles.

“And now that you’re retired, you’re a pack?” she asks brightly.

“Something like that,” Deke answers.

“We’re a company—Black Wolf Security,” Channing offers.

The other three look at him.

“What? It’s not a secret.”

“Need to know,” Deke sing-songs.

“We’re a legit company. Rafe bought a headquarters.”

“Still,” Rafe says. “Low profile.”

Low profile, minimal words. I’m getting the essence of these guys. And while I think they’re the good guys, I’m also certain danger surrounds them. And my wolf doesn’t like Sunny near danger.

I stand up and help Sunny out of her chair. “I’ll be in touch, then.”

Rafe nods. Channing lifts his glass. Deke and Lance remain still.

I shake my head as we leave. Not sure I’ve met a stranger shifter pack since those crazy three moved over from California.

And they had good reason.

Of course, these guys probably do, too, but I doubt I want to know what it is.