Page 5

~Carter~

In two long strides, he was so close, I could feel the warmth of his breath. Fingers speared through my hair, and I opened to a kiss that sent shockwaves through me. Adrian wasn’t the least bit hesitant and took over, tongue thrusting into my mouth to toy with my own. He tasted faintly of coffee, and my head swam with the overwhelming scents of wine and chocolate. It was so much stronger now, intensified by arousal and what I realized was his impending rut.

Adrian growled and swept me up into his arms before carrying me to his bed. He put me down on it, then knelt between my legs. I tipped my head as he kissed a path along my neck. A part of me prayed for a bite, but he didn’t do it. Instead, he rose up and stripped. I licked my lips as I took in the sight. God, he was gorgeous. Muscles, light dusting of dark blonde hair, and a thick cock with a bead of precome at the tip.

Adrian grabbed lube from the bedside table drawer, and I noticed a rubber package in his hand as well. Before he could open it, though, I stopped him.

“Carter—”

“We’re mates,” I said. “That means you won’t run off. Besides, I think your mother would skin you alive if you did.”

He chuckled and tossed the square package back into the drawer. “Yes, she would.”

Adrian slicked two fingers and stroked them over my hole. I grabbed my legs and held them up, angling my hips in an effort to get him inside. Smirking, he thrust both fingers deep into me, and I groaned, eyes rolling back a little. He worked my ass open, twisting, turning, spreading his fingers apart. Fuck, it felt beyond amazing, but I was impatient and growled at him. Adrian’s gaze went white-hot, and then the fingers were gone. A moment later, his thick cock filled me, the burn of the stretch absolutely fucking perfect.

“Fuck…”

He braced himself on his hands, withdrew a bit, then slammed into me over and over. Every single one took my breath away—almost as much as the look in his eyes. I never thought I’d find my mate, but here he was, hot breath panting across my lips, down my jaw to my neck. I tipped my head, aching to feel his bite.

“Please…”

Growling, Adrian grabbed my hands and pinned them to the bed. I locked my legs around his waist, the angle allowing him to nail my prostate. Shouting, I bucked as I shot. A heartbeat later, he shifted. I cried out as the cock buried in my ass thickened to twice its original size. Adrian tightened his grip on my hands and bit.

Pleasure I never thought possible flashed through me, and I struggled against his hold. Adrian thrust in hard and strengthened the bite. Heat filled my ass, and the knot formed to lock it inside. It sent me barreling over the edge again and left me breathless.

Panting, I closed my eyes and licked my lips. Adrian returned to his human form and kissed me softly, far gentler than I ever thought he could be.

“It will take a few minutes for the knot to shrink,” he murmured. Then he rolled us until I was on top. I draped over him, head resting on his broad chest. “Are you all right?”

I nodded. “I am now.”

His chuckle rumbled through me. “Good to know.” He sighed and rubbed both hands along my back. “I’m sorry.”

I lifted my head to look at him. “Why?”

“We started off on the wrong foot. My brothers—and Mom—tell me I can be an asshole. At work, it serves me well sometimes, but you don’t deserve it.”

Smiling, I folded my hands on his chest and rested my chin on them. “Well, you are an asshole, but you’re also nicer than I think you give yourself credit for. I mean, you swooped in when I needed help on the street. You knew what I did to make money, but you still wanted me as your mate.”

“About that… the money-making bit,” Adrian said. “I want you to stop.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised,” I said. “Okay.”

Adrian studied me in silence for a moment. “Okay…? No argument or anything?”

“Nope. I didn’t like doing it, Adrian. It was just the quickest and easiest way to make money. I don’t have any kind of ID, so getting employed anywhere was out of the question.”

“No ID at all?”

I shook my head. “Omegas weren’t allowed to have one in my family pack.”

Adrian sighed and wrapped his arms around me. He kissed the top of my head. “We need to fix that. You need an ID.”

I felt the knot shrinking and wanted to beg for it again. I’d never allowed an alpha to knot me before. It always seemed too… intimate. With Adrian, though, it felt perfect. He rolled us again and kissed me before pulling out. Before I could get up to find something to wipe off with, though, he put a hand on my belly.

“Stay put.”

Nodding, I watched him head to the bathroom. I heard water running, and then he was back with a wet cloth. I moaned softly as he cleaned me off, his touch gentle when he wiped the last of his semen and my slick from my ass. I closed my eyes so he couldn’t see the shock I knew was in them. I’d never had anyone do that for me, and I wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about it. He tossed the cloth in the direction of the bathroom and bent down for another kiss. It seemed like he couldn’t get enough, but, then again, neither could I.

“How about we get a nap? Then I’m sure Mom would love to give you the grand tour.”

“How many buildings are there, anyway? The house is huge, but I saw other structures.”

“We have four other buildings, mostly for storage, to be honest. When Dad passed, my brothers and I moved back home. The bulk of our belongings are stored. Those buildings once housed other pack members, but with Dad’s death, the pack kind of… dissolved. Most folks moved out of town, some decided to go the lone route, and a few joined other packs.”

I nodded and waited until he was settled before resting my head on his chest. “I was too scared to join another one after I left my old one.”

“What pack was it?”

Sighing, I figured I might as well be honest. “Ironcrest.”

Adrian stilled from where he’d been petting me. “Seriously?”

“Yes.” I tipped my head to see his face. “You’re not angry, are you?”

“Why would I be?”

“I knew they were causing trouble with a local pack, but I didn’t realize it was the Cross family until I caught wind of rumors on the streets.”

“Yeah, we’ve had a few run-ins,” Adrian said. “Mostly just troublemakers either at the bar or perps I’ve encountered. Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Are all the alphas involved in the babyfarming scheme?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. “Yes. I had no one to turn to. It’s why I ran.”

Adrian hugged me tighter. “You’re safe now. I swear no one will ever touch you, Carter.”

“I never thought I’d find my mate.”

He chuckled. “Likewise.”