Being Alpha
by Aileen Erin
(Alpha Girl #7)
Published by: Ink Monster LLC
Publication date: February 13th 2018
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
For the first time since Tessa met Dastien, life is quiet. The evil witch, Luciana, is six glorious feet under, St. Ailbe’s is closed due to human trespassers, and people are finally getting used to the fact that supernaturals exist in the world. It seems like the perfect time for a honeymoon.
Tessa and Dastien’s trip to the Caribbean is turning out to be the honeymoon that fantasies are made of—sunset cruises, long walks on the beach, and every romantic cliché you can imagine. She couldn’t be happier. So, when a local man turns up inexplicably dead on the beach, Tessa brushes it off. Not every bad thing that happens in the world is a supernatural mystery to be solved. And when Sebastian—one of the Council of Seven Alphas who rule all the werewolves—appears on the island, she thinks it must be a coincidence. Everyone needs a break now and then. Even council members. Right? Besides, Tessa is beyond determined to not let anything get in the way of her romantic vacation.
But when Dastien goes missing, the honeymoon is most definitely over. Tessa can’t ignore the signs anymore. Something huge is going on. And whoever messed with Tessa’s mate is in for a rude awakening. Because if there’s one thing fighting rogue witches and werewolves has taught her, it’s how to be Alpha.
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Tessa and Dastien’s trip to the Caribbean is turning out to be the honeymoon that fantasies are made of—sunset cruises, long walks on the beach, and every romantic cliché you can imagine. She couldn’t be happier. So, when a local man turns up inexplicably dead on the beach, Tessa brushes it off. Not every bad thing that happens in the world is a supernatural mystery to be solved. And when Sebastian—one of the Council of Seven Alphas who rule all the werewolves—appears on the island, she thinks it must be a coincidence. Everyone needs a break now and then. Even council members. Right? Besides, Tessa is beyond determined to not let anything get in the way of her romantic vacation.
But when Dastien goes missing, the honeymoon is most definitely over. Tessa can’t ignore the signs anymore. Something huge is going on. And whoever messed with Tessa’s mate is in for a rude awakening. Because if there’s one thing fighting rogue witches and werewolves has taught her, it’s how to be Alpha.
Add to Goodreads
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“Breathe!” Dastien screamed, but his voice sounded a million miles away.
The world shook, but I didn’t know where I was or what was happening.
Something hit my chest over and over. Each slam rocked me.
I wanted the pain to stop. I needed to breathe. But I couldn’t.
Why couldn’t I breathe?
There was cursing in French. It sounded louder than his words before.
It felt like bricks were thrown into my chest. I tried to yell for it to stop, but then I was coughing.
The world tilted and spun.
Water gushed out of my mouth.
“That’s it. That’s it. Get it out.” Dastien’s voice shook as he rubbed a hand up and down my back.
My whole body heaved until nothing else could possibly be left in me.
When I was done, I collapsed back into the sand exhausted as if I’d run back to back marathons. Every muscle ached and throbbed. My throat was on fire, and I wasn’t sure how I was still alive.
“Hang on.” Dastien disappeared for a fraction of a second and then helped me sit up. “Just a sip,” he said as he tipped a water bottle to my lips.
One sip was enough. I’d had enough water for the next year. My heart was pounding, and I couldn’t believe what had just happened. “Did I drown?”
“Yes, but you’re a werewolf. You’re hard to kill.”
Thank God for that.
I grabbed the water bottle. My hands were shaking so much that more water splashed on me than got in my mouth. The pain had left my limbs, but terror lingered. The waves still lapped at my toes, and I wanted to move back but couldn’t.
I wasn’t sure if I should be crying right now, but I felt disconnected. Like I was floating above my body.
“You’re in shock.”
I licked my lips. “I don’t understand…” My hands still shook as I drank from the water bottle again, this time taking little sips. The fact that I’d almost died was so crazy and felt surreal. “What happened?” I asked Dastien, who was kneeling beside me. And then I realized something scarier.
I grabbed his wrist, needing a connection to him. “Why can’t I hear you in my head? Why can’t I feel—” For a heartbeat, I could feel his paralyzing fear so strong it was as if I was drowning all over again. I couldn’t breathe as his confusion swamped me. His anger raged through my veins. And guilt. Guilt so strong I--
He tightened the bond, and all his emotions dulled just enough to make it bearable. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He paused his forehead to mine, and I knew he needed the touch just as much as I did. “I don’t know what happened. All I could tell was that you were in pain and disoriented. If you never go swimming again—”
“It wasn’t the swimming—”
“Being a wolf and sw—”
“It was different.” I drew up my knees, creating space between us.
Swimming might be harder as a Were, but I was fine out there. Whatever had happened to me out there, it was a magical attack. I knew that much. “We’ve been here for nearly two weeks. Have I had any problems in the water?”
He was quiet because we both knew the answer.
I laid back on the sand, throwing an arm over my eyes to block the sun. My senses were on overload and I felt raw and empty. What had happened out there?
The world shook, but I didn’t know where I was or what was happening.
Something hit my chest over and over. Each slam rocked me.
I wanted the pain to stop. I needed to breathe. But I couldn’t.
Why couldn’t I breathe?
There was cursing in French. It sounded louder than his words before.
It felt like bricks were thrown into my chest. I tried to yell for it to stop, but then I was coughing.
The world tilted and spun.
Water gushed out of my mouth.
“That’s it. That’s it. Get it out.” Dastien’s voice shook as he rubbed a hand up and down my back.
My whole body heaved until nothing else could possibly be left in me.
When I was done, I collapsed back into the sand exhausted as if I’d run back to back marathons. Every muscle ached and throbbed. My throat was on fire, and I wasn’t sure how I was still alive.
“Hang on.” Dastien disappeared for a fraction of a second and then helped me sit up. “Just a sip,” he said as he tipped a water bottle to my lips.
One sip was enough. I’d had enough water for the next year. My heart was pounding, and I couldn’t believe what had just happened. “Did I drown?”
“Yes, but you’re a werewolf. You’re hard to kill.”
Thank God for that.
I grabbed the water bottle. My hands were shaking so much that more water splashed on me than got in my mouth. The pain had left my limbs, but terror lingered. The waves still lapped at my toes, and I wanted to move back but couldn’t.
I wasn’t sure if I should be crying right now, but I felt disconnected. Like I was floating above my body.
“You’re in shock.”
I licked my lips. “I don’t understand…” My hands still shook as I drank from the water bottle again, this time taking little sips. The fact that I’d almost died was so crazy and felt surreal. “What happened?” I asked Dastien, who was kneeling beside me. And then I realized something scarier.
I grabbed his wrist, needing a connection to him. “Why can’t I hear you in my head? Why can’t I feel—” For a heartbeat, I could feel his paralyzing fear so strong it was as if I was drowning all over again. I couldn’t breathe as his confusion swamped me. His anger raged through my veins. And guilt. Guilt so strong I--
He tightened the bond, and all his emotions dulled just enough to make it bearable. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He paused his forehead to mine, and I knew he needed the touch just as much as I did. “I don’t know what happened. All I could tell was that you were in pain and disoriented. If you never go swimming again—”
“It wasn’t the swimming—”
“Being a wolf and sw—”
“It was different.” I drew up my knees, creating space between us.
Swimming might be harder as a Were, but I was fine out there. Whatever had happened to me out there, it was a magical attack. I knew that much. “We’ve been here for nearly two weeks. Have I had any problems in the water?”
He was quiet because we both knew the answer.
I laid back on the sand, throwing an arm over my eyes to block the sun. My senses were on overload and I felt raw and empty. What had happened out there?
Aileen Erin is half-Irish, half-Mexican, and 100% nerd–from Star Wars (prequels don’t count) to Star Trek (TNG FTW), she reads Quenya and some Sindarin, and has a severe fascination with the supernatural. Aileen has a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She lives with her husband in Los Angeles, and spends her days doing her favorite things: reading books, creating worlds, and kicking ass.
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Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads
