Page 87 of Mask and the Magnolia

He chuckles as his fingers slide along my jaw until they’re toying with the hair at the nape of my neck. “I got my omegas, Calix. I got my alpha.” Korvin searches my eyes for a moment then smiles a full genuine smile. “I’ve got my beta.”

My brow furrows as my heart starts slamming into my chest. “Who…”

“Don’t act like you don’t know.”

“I’m not acting like anything.” No one haseverclaimed me before and I’m struggling with what he could be implying. That’s what I’m doing.

“You’re my beta, Calix.You.You are mine.” His eyes drop to where I’m chewing on my lower lip as Korvin’s tongue darts out and wets his. “You’re mine, and I really want to make that ironclad because it’s eating at me knowing it’s not. It’s eating at you, too, I can see that. The only thing keeping me from losing my shit is knowing that even if I can’t touch them or be close to them, those three are mine. They have my mark. I’m still crabby and irritable, but nothing is going to change who they belong to. I need that with you, I need to feel whole. It’s the only thing that’s going to take the edge off. I can’t say I’ll be less of a dick, but it’ll help, and I can figure everything else out later.”

I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. My head is spinning. He can’t be serious, can he?

There’s no way.

“I’m dead serious, Calix.” My eyebrows shoot up and he smirks. “I can see the doubt and disbelief written all over your face.”

“Well, yeah. Most people don’t like me, for no reason other than because I exist. I’ve never had anyone be happy about it. I mean, if you are happy. I assumed, with what you were saying, but I guess maybe you don’t have to be happy about it but… I’m going to shut up now.”

Korvin nods, his fingers still toying with my hair. “I have to ask you a couple of questions because I need to know where your head is at, okay?”

“Sure.”

“And I’m not asking for any reason other than that. Not because I need anything to happen, not if you don’t want it or aren’t ready. I just need to know for my own peace of mind.”

“Okay, sure.”

His hands move to either side of my neck, his thumbs sliding back and forth over my erratic pulse. “Do you feel the same way? Do you feel our bond?”

I think for a minute, running back through the last few months in my mind and I guess I should have realized it sooner. Not that anyone has ever explained bonds and packs to me, but I knew Korvin was different. How I feel about him is different. I just didn’t know what to call it. He makes me feel safe. I feel seen when Korvin looks at me. I feel less worthless and like maybe I’m not a complete waste of space. He makes me forget all of the horrible shit that happened before he came here. I want to be better, to do good things because of the way he makes me feel.

Korvin makes me feel like a human being. A bond between us makes sense.

So, I nod. “I do. I, I didn’t know that’s what it was but I do feel it.”

“Good,” he says as his eyes drop to my lips again. “Have you ever been kissed before, Calix?”

I have, but I don’t want to tell him that.

Those kisses, they don’t count. They weren’t what a kiss is supposed to be. I know that much. Mothers aren’t supposed to kiss their sons that way, and it isn’t something someone should force on you no matter how old you are. A kiss isn’t something someone should take from you, it should be given because youwant to give it away. Not because you don’t have a choice. It shouldn’t be disgusting.

A kiss shouldn’t make you feel wrong.

I don’t want to talk about that.

“Not the way you’re asking.”

“Can I do that? Kiss you the way I’m asking?”

“You really want to?” I ask, my voice full of doubt that I have to quickly hide. “I mean, if you want to then yes, you can kiss me that way.”

“You’re sure?”

I nod and lick my lips. “I’m sure.”

Korvin cups my cheeks again, smiling softly as he dips his chin and brushes his lips over mine. His body tenses and he growls low in his throat as I grab the front of his tank top and even though it makes me flinch, I know it's not a bad thing. Not when Korvin does it. It’s a really good thing, I think, and it means he’s holding back. The fact that he’s trying to do that for me puts me at ease.

He inhales deeply, rubbing his nose against my cheek before he presses his lips to mine again, a little firmer this time. It’s soft and sweet, even as he tilts my head, turning it into a gentle open mouth kiss that makes me wish this was my first one.

He tastes sweet.