New Alpha – New Rules(6)

“Any of the rest of you wants to disrespect the lady?” Ryder said to the crowd. All heads shook and two of them pulled Jake away from the pissed off Alpha. Their Alpha didn’t frequent bars. Max was at home with his mate and pups as he was most evenings.

“Thank you.” Harper said quietly.

“You were doing fine on your own until he got physical. I won’t watch a male abuse a female. It’s not right.” He put his hands on her shoulders and leaned down to touch his forehead to hers. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Jake was Bronson’s best friend, Bronson was my mate. He died.”

“I gathered. He wasn’t good to you either.” She grimaced. “He’s gone and you survived whatever he did to you and whatever he did behind your back.”

“Hey sweets, come back to the table, we’ll chat.” Sidney interrupted them and looked Ryder up and down. “Sir.” She widened her eyes and tilted her head then looked back at Harper. “You can bring your friend if you want.”

“I don’t want to intrude. Your burger should be out any second.”

“You bought her dinner?” Sidney asked and he grinned. “Then you have to join us, I mean if Harper wants you to. Besides, I think you know that good looking Beta over there and I’d like to get to know him better. Maybe you could ask him to come over and join us.” Sidney nearly bounced in her heels. Harper wondered how she did that and decided she must have very big feet to get that kind of leverage in her heels. Harper’s feet wouldn’t lift her one millimeter higher.

Ryder turned and looked at his pack then jerked his head toward Harper’s table across the dance floor. One by one, they picked up their drinks and made their way through the growing crowd. Along the way, they picked up two tables and extra stools to bring with them. They surrounded her table just as her burger arrived. She felt self-conscious about eating in front of them when none of them had anything but she was hungry so she took a huge bite of the grilled meat and groaned. Ryder shifted in his seat and she glanced at him, he swallowed hard. His eyes went amber on her and she offered him a bite. She knew this was taboo and was only done by mates but tonight was a night for breaking rules. He wet his lips with his tongue, his eyes never leaving hers.

“Come on, I know you want it.” She coaxed.

“Oh, I want it…more than I’ve wanted anything for a long time.” Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. Curtis reached across the table for one of her fries and Ryder’s hand gripped him by the wrist in a flash. He dropped it without a word and apologized to Harper. When the blonde server happened by, Curtis bought a round for everyone and two baskets of chili cheese fries.

“My apologies again for my rudeness everyone, food and drink on me, my bad. Ma’am.” He nodded and Harper smiled at him in acceptance. “Miss Sidney would you care to dance?” He asked.

“I would love to.” Sidney gushed. The music was a bluesy tune with a heavy beat and Sidney pulled all of her signature moves on the unsuspecting wolf. His hand covered one side of her ass while the other was planted between her shoulder blades. She couldn’t escape if she wanted, not that she looked like she wanted. Harper watched while she nibbled her burger. Her first bites had been huge but now she wasn’t as ravenous and tried to mind her manners. He still watched her then followed her line of sight to the dance floor.

“When you’re done eating, I’m going to ask you to go out there with me. When I do, are you going to say yes?” His voice was deep and coaxing. Harper felt her toes curl in her shoes.

“I’d like that.” She swallowed. “I don’t remember when I danced last.”

“That’s a shame. You’re a very beautiful woman Harper and you should be shown off. Any wolf would be very proud to have you on his arm.” She finished her burger while he watched her. It was eerie how his gaze never left her. Her own mate never paid that much attention to her not even in the beginning.

“Come dance with me.” He helped her off the stool and led her out onto the floor. Sidney and Curtis were still out there and Sid looked like she was having the time of her life. Her smile and her eyes were bright. She also noticed other pack members around the room watching them.

“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.” She looked over at a small group huddled together while they glanced anxiously at her. Her pack was getting restless and it was her fault. They didn’t like it that she was dancing in this outfit with an Alpha that they didn’t know.

“Nonsense.” He twirled her around and she forgot them. His hands were warm against her through her clothes. He kept them above her waist and on the outside of her clothes, unlike Curtis who had a handful of Sidney’s rear end the other hand up under her shirt. She seemed to like it, but that was Sid. If he did anything that she didn’t like, the whole county would know about it. That was probably why she wasn’t mated at her age. Sidney had no secrets and if you were with her, you gave up your right to privacy. “You’re a good dancer Harper.”