An Alpha's Favor

Chapter 9: Flying

-Hunter-

Angela sat in front of me, a white seatbelt securely fastened across her lap. I had clicked it closed myself, giving me the chance to get close enough to feel the warmth of her skin before I walked to the seat in front of her. I had settled down and simply watched her. She ignored me, of course, staring out the window with her arms crossed over her chest.

Angela was truly something else. Her deep blue, round eyes were so sweet and innocent that when she looked at you, you felt like you could melt.

She seemed almost otherworldly. That meant something coming from me. No woman had ever taken my breath away, made the world feel like it had stopped spinning, or made me want to chain her to the bed just to keep her safe from this brutal world.

Angela made me want to do all of that. I couldn’t get enough of saying her name, even in my head.

Angela… Angela… Angela…

It made me smile as I chanted her name. She, on the other hand, didn’t seem very happy with the situation. Her shoulders were drawn up, and she took deep breaths to calm herself. One of her hands gripped the armrest tightly… Something wasn’t right. That’s when I realized…

“Not much for flying?” I asked.

She turned to look at me, her eyes slightly narrowed, but her anxiety overshadowed any anger she might have felt.

“It… It’s actually my first time flying, and I can’t say I’m thrilled about it,” she admitted.

By the Goddess, she was adorable. The way she nervously bit her lower lip stirred dark and carnal desires within me, but more than that, it awakened my protective instincts—feelings I didn’t think I could have towards anyone. I wanted to unbuckle her seatbelt, pull her onto my lap, and wrap my arms around her, letting her find comfort in me, knowing I would never let anything hurt her.

“You’ll be okay,” I reassured her.

“How can you be so sure?” she inquired.

“Because plane crashes are very uncommon. In fact, the odds are 1 in 11 million.”

Her expression softened a little at my words, but I knew I could do so much more for her if I could hold her. Unfortunately, I sensed she would fight me on that. She wasn’t exactly my biggest fan right now, and somehow, I was already starting to act like a gentleman, giving her the space she clearly needed. Unbelievable. Less than a few hours with her, and I was already becoming a different person.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be there soon enough,” I said.

She nodded but didn’t seem much calmer, so I decided to change my approach.

“Tell me something about yourself,” I suggested.

She looked a bit confused and asked, “Why?”

That made me chuckle lightly before I folded my hands in front of me and leaned back slightly. “Because I want to get to know you.”

“Me?” she inquired, pointing at herself in disbelief.

I nodded. “You’re my mate.”

“Which you so gracefully announced to everyone. Did it occur to you that I might want to keep that a secret?” she shot back, crossing her arms.

I admired her bravery for speaking to me like that. Anyone else who tried would find themselves in a world of trouble, quickly becoming an example for anyone else who dared to intimidate me.

“Love,” I said, leaning forward over the table between us. “You now have one of the most powerful males in the world willing to give up his life for you, someone who will ensure that nothing bad ever happens to you. You should want to shout that from the rooftops! But if you use that tone with me again, I’ll bend you over this table and spank you, and I’ll make sure it hurts.”

Her mouth dropped open, and her defensive posture collapsed. Her arms fell to her sides, and her eyes widened in surprise. The sight made me smile as I leaned back again to watch her. She slowly collected herself, brushing some hair behind her ear and clearing her throat. Did the idea intrigue her? But then she narrowed her eyes, straightened her back, and made it clear how “offended” she felt.

“If you do that, my brother will break you in half!” she warned.

I couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. She was playing the big brother card, but I knew it would come up eventually.

“Your brother isn’t coming for you,” I said.

“Of course he is,” she replied, pulling out her phone. “All I have to do is call him.”

I glanced at the phone, watching her beam with pride. In a swift motion, I snatched it from her and tucked it into an inner pocket of my jacket.

“Hey! Give that back!” she exclaimed, trying to jump from her seat but forgetting about her seatbelt.

She unbuckled it and stood up, which I didn’t appreciate.

“Sit down,” I told her.

She ignored me and stepped closer, extending her hand. “Hunter, give it back.”

I looked away, shaking my head. She sighed in annoyance and took a small step closer. That was when I decided to pounce, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her onto my lap. She gasped in shock and began to thrash around. I hadn’t fully wrapped my arms around her, and her elbow connected with my chin, making me groan. She had used quite a bit of force.

Instantly, she froze and looked at me with concern. “Oh sh*t! Are you okay?” she asked, momentarily forgetting her anger.

I was taken aback by her question, simply staring at this remarkable person in my arms. Despite thinking I was the arseh*le, she still felt bad for hitting me. She was the most beautiful person on this ugly earth, wasn’t she? For the first time, I felt my heart race, all because of her and the way she looked at me with genuine concern.

Unfortunately, the moment didn’t last. She quickly remembered why she had elbowed me, and her expression hardened. But I could see her trying to suppress her feelings of guilt.

“I mean… you… deserve it,” she said halfheartedly.

I tightened my grip around her, pulling her closer. She shifted her upper body slightly away, trying to create some space, but it only gave me better access. I brushed her long blonde hair aside, exposing her creamy neck. Leaning down, I hovered an inch above her skin, taking a deep breath that sent my head spinning from her sweet scent. My c*ck throbbed painfully against the zipper of my pants.

Having her on my lap was pure torture. I could easily turn her, yank down her pants, and have her ride me right here, even with my men sitting just a little further back. Goddess, no! No one else can see her like that—only me. I was already feeling possessive, and I loved it. It fed something primal deep inside me—real caveman instincts.

I felt her shiver against me. Good, she wasn’t completely unaffected, and the sweetness of her jasmine scent intensified. I leaned in closer, finding a patch of bare skin on her neck that her white shirt didn’t cover. I placed a kiss right over her racing pulse. This time, she jumped slightly in my arms and turned her head to look at me as I pulled back.

“So beautiful,” I murmured, brushing some of her long blonde hair away. It kept falling into her eyes, so long and soft, like the finest silk, with a stunning golden hue that was already making me obsessed.

“W-Why are you looking at me like that?”

She truly was innocent, wasn’t she? With a brother like hers and a crazy father, I imagined she had been protected her whole life. Had she ever been touched before? Had she ever been this close to a male who wasn’t family?

“Because I want to mark you right here and right now,” I whispered, leaning in closer so my lips hovered over hers, our breaths mingling. “I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”

“Y-You do?”

I nodded, and then I noticed her inching a little closer, her eyes drawn to my lips as she unconsciously licked her own.

“Have you ever been kissed before, Angela?”

She didn’t answer at first, her eyes still on my lips, but then she slowly shook her head. By the Goddess, she was killing me, looking at me with so much curiosity and desire.

Mmhmm… I can already taste her, I thought as I moved closer, but then a ding broke the moment. She glanced over her shoulder at the illuminated seatbelt sign, indicating it was time to stay seated until we landed.

Dammit!

I reluctantly let her go, and she stumbled slightly back to her seat, her cheeks flushed and her eyes avoiding mine as she buckled her seatbelt. It was the most adorable sight I’d ever seen, and I wished I could pause this moment and replay it. I smiled as I watched her, happy to see how affected she was, clearly having forgotten all about her phone.

Good, because she wasn’t going anywhere.