An Alpha's Favor

Chapter 8: Need A Break

-Elijah-

“F*ck, yes! Oh Goddess, I’m coming!”

Julia clutched the sheets tightly as I thrust into her from behind, feeling her walls grip me tightly as she reached her cl!max. I pulled out, flipped her over, and plunged back in hard, listening to her whimper in pleasure. She tilted her head back, biting her lip as I continued to drive into her. Soon, she was screaming and writhing beneath me, coming again and pulling me along with her.

I growled deeply as I released into the condom. I’d never been a fan of going bare, but the idea of marking someone, even just a little, left me feeling… dirty. The thought of my scent lingering on them—one they might postpone washing off because it gave them a sense of power—made me uneasy.

I gripped the base of the condom and pulled out, then carefully removed it, tying a knot before quickly tossing it in the bathroom trash can. I stepped into the shower, feeling a lingering sense of dirtiness as the pleasure of coming faded away. I just wanted to clean up.

“Mind if I join?” Julia asked, pushing open the shower door and stepping inside before I could respond.

I wanted to say no, but then she sank to her knees and started stroking my c*ck until it hardened again, quickly engulfing me with her mouth. It was hard not to get lost in the pleasure and forget why I wanted her out of here. But as the org*sm began to build, my balls tightening, I grabbed her by the hair, pulling her back just as I released myself onto her chest. I quickly stood her up and ensured she washed herself clean.

At least Julia didn’t want to carry my scent. She knew her mate would find out, and that made her happy with how we handled things. I leaned down to claim her lips, feeling her moan against me, all while pushing aside the swirling darkness that wanted to be rougher with her.

F*cking seemed to be the only way to calm my darker urges, which I had tried to suppress since returning here.

Once we were both out of the shower, I wrapped a towel around my waist while Julia began to get dressed. I walked into the bedroom and headed towards my closet when I heard a ding from my phone. I walked over to where it was lying on the nightstand while being charged. I looked down at it, a bit surprised to see who it was from.

“Hunter…”

I hadn’t heard from him since his last visit, which was months ago, and now he was suddenly texting me.

It’s been a while. Come to England, my friend. We have a lot to talk about, and I have a little surprise for you.

– H”

A surprise?

I didn’t mind surprises in general, but whenever Hunter had one for me, it usually ended in trouble, blackouts, or having s*x with stranger. It was never calm around him, and he ensured that those in his life didn’t get a moment to sit down either. So, reading about his surprise didn’t exactly fill me with good vibes.

Still, I didn’t mind a short visit to England. It had been a while, as he mentioned. Besides, I glanced over my shoulder to see Julia pulling her wet hair into a small bun, her lips now a vibrant red. I could definitely use a break from dating and all the female attention—it was starting to wear on me.

I looked down at my phone and texted him back, letting him know I was on my way but he could keep the surprise. I was only coming for a brief visit.

“Who is it?” I heard Julia ask.

I walked over to my desk at the other end of the room, sat down, and opened my laptop to book a flight.

“A friend wants me to visit,” I replied, not wanting to go into details.

“A friend? Should I be jealous?” she teased.

I didn’t meet her eyes as I booked my first-class ticket for tomorrow morning.

“He’s just an old friend,” I said, glancing up at her briefly.

“Oh, he,” she said, her tone now oddly calm.

I shook my head at the slight possessiveness in her words. It annoyed me, especially since we were nothing more than two people using each other for physical release.

“Well, have a nice visit,” she said, walking over to me and running her hand through my hair.

I quickly pulled her hand away, holding her wrist and leaning back. I released her almost as fast as I had pulled her in, but while her smile faltered, she quickly masked it, pretending it hadn’t hurt.

“When will you be back?” she inquired.

I shrugged. “A few days… maybe weeks,” I replied.

“Weeks?”

I nodded.

“He must be an important friend,” she said, crossing her arms.

I sighed, meeting her gaze with tired eyes. “Won’t your mate be home in an hour?”

She glanced at the gold watch on her wrist, her eyes widening in panic as she hurried to grab her shoes and purse. She slipped them on and threw the purse over her shoulder before practically sprinting out of my house.

I let out a long breath as I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my eyes with my thumb and index finger. I could feel a headache brewing, which only annoyed me further. I had hoped that being with Julia would ease my stress, and while the org*sm had relaxed my body, my mind was racing. I had thought finding—or choosing—a mate would happen quickly, but maybe I was just being too picky. I had to make a decision once I got back… that was the plan, right?