Page 17 of Alpha Wolf (Return To Fate Mountain #6)

Chapter

Sixteen

Dom woke slowly, his body registering warmth and softness before his mind fully engaged. Valeria lay with her back pressed against his chest, her dark hair spilled across the pillow, his arm wrapped around her.

For the first time since he’d met her, she looked completely peaceful.

The lines of tension that had carved themselves around her eyes were gone.

Her mouth, usually tight with stress or suspicion, was soft and slightly parted.

She breathed deeply, evenly, the sleep of someone who’d finally found what she needed.

His wolf stirred with primal satisfaction, recognizing the scent of sex that clung to both their bodies.

Last night, he’d held back from the mating bite despite every instinct screaming at him to mark her.

But she was his now in ways that went beyond words or ceremonies.

Her bear had submitted to his dominance, accepted his protection, yielded to his possession.

The memory of her coming on his cock for the first time sent heat straight to his groin.

His length hardened; his morning arousal intensified by the intoxicating scent of his mate.

Dom’s hands moved of their own accord, skimming over the curve of her waist, the swell of her breast. Her naked skin was silk beneath his palms.

Mine.

Valeria stirred in his arms, and her ass arched toward him instinctively, seeking more contact. The unconscious movement made his chest tight with satisfaction. The mate bond pulled at him with increasing intensity, insisting he take what was his.

Dom positioned himself behind her, his body curving around hers like a protective shell.

His cock pressed against the curve of her ass, hot and insistent.

One arm slid beneath her head while the other traced patterns on her stomach, her ribs, the underside of her breast. Valeria made a drowsy sound of pleasure, arching more deeply against him.

“Dom?” Her voice was thick with sleep.

His hand slipped between her thighs, finding her already slick and warm. Her legs fell open for him automatically, granting access. The evidence of her desire made him growl with satisfaction. Valeria’s breath hitched as his fingers circled her clit.

“I’m still half asleep,” she protested weakly, but she moved against his hand, seeking more contact.

“Your body’s awake,” Dom purred against her neck.

He stroked her slowly, building her arousal while she floated in that space between sleep and waking. This was what he’d been craving—her complete surrender, her body yielding to his will without resistance.

Valeria’s breathing became ragged as the pleasure built, her hips moving in desperate little circles against his hand. “Come for me,” he commanded, increasing his pace. “Come on my fingers, baby.”

Her orgasm hit hard, her pussy spasming around his fingers as she cried out, her whole body shuddering through the intense waves of pleasure.

Dom lifted her leg and buried himself in her welcoming heat with a groan of satisfaction.

She felt incredible around him, tight and wet and perfectly suited to his body.

Her inner walls clenched around his cock as he began to move, drawing him deeper with each thrust.

“You feel so good,” Valeria moaned, her body moving with his in perfect rhythm.

Dom’s pace increased. His arms tightened around her shoulders and hips, holding her exactly where he wanted her while he took what was his. The sound of their bodies joining filled the small cabin—wet, primal, undeniably right.

“Mine,” he growled against her neck, teeth scraping skin. “You’re mine.”

“Yes,” she gasped, her hand covering his where it rested on her breast. “Yours. I’m yours.”

The admission pushed him over the edge. Dom buried himself deep and let go, groaning her name as he found his release. Through his own pleasure, he felt her shatter around him again, her body gripping his as she came with a broken cry.

Afterward, they lay tangled together in the narrow bed, breathing hard. Neither of them moved to separate, both seeming reluctant to break the connection. Valeria felt different in his arms. She melted against him like warm honey. The change was profound, visible in every line of her body.

“I believe you,” Valeria said suddenly. “About Becca. About everything.”

Relief crashed through Dom’s chest so intensely it left him dizzy. “What changed your mind?”

“Your behavior doesn’t match a killer’s profile. If you were a Crown Mountain mercenary, you wouldn’t have risked yourself to save me from that ambush.”

Dom’s throat tightened with an emotion he couldn’t name. The sex had done more than satisfy their mutual need; it had opened her mind to possibilities beyond her initial suspicion.

“I was thinking about the emergency response delays you mentioned yesterday,” Dom said quietly. “If it was an inside job, that’s county-level access.”

“Or higher.” Valeria pushed herself up on one elbow, cop instincts fully engaged now. “The delays were systematic across multiple agencies. Fire, police, medical, environmental response. Someone was orchestrating coordination failures.”

“Which explains why Becca was so scared,” Dom said. “She didn’t just discover criminal activity. She discovered official corruption at the highest levels.”

They lay quietly for several minutes, both processing the scope of what they were facing. This wasn’t just about solving Becca’s murder anymore. They were looking at a conspiracy that reached into the heart of local government.

“The real killers are still out there,” Valeria said. “Still active. Still dangerous.”

“They targeted you yesterday. They were probably listening to real-time encrypted police scanners, or they’re inside the department. Which is why you’re staying close to me until this is resolved,” Dom said. “No more solo investigations. No more unnecessary risks.”

“What about my family?” Valeria asked. “The department will be looking for me. I left my cruiser at the scene.”

“We’ll contact your father when it’s safe,” Dom said firmly. “Through secure channels, with limited information.”

She opened her mouth to argue, then seemed to think better of it. His mate was safe and willing to work with him instead of against him. The investigation could proceed with cooperation instead of conflict.