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Chapter Twenty-Three

Owen

R ogue sits on the small couch in the corner of my office, eating her veggie burger and fries while she glances over Delta’s past cases. She wasn’t wrong when she joked that I rarely leave. I’ve spent many nights on that uncomfortable-ass sofa.

Days, too, for that matter.

In our line of work, we often work nights and sleep days. I have no idea how things will change now that she knows she’s my mate. My bear will no longer tolerate the long hours. He’ll demand we live together in one space, and the thought appeals to me too.

Simply smelling her scent has my cock acting like a fool. If I don’t give myself some distance from her, I’m likely to do something stupid.

“I’m going to take a quick shower in the locker room.” Clearing my throat, I gesture over my shoulder toward the door. “I smell like sweaty bear.”

“Oh?” She laughs without looking up from the folder she’s busy studying. “I didn’t notice, but okay. I’ll just be here.”

Her lips push together, and she flips the page before grabbing her soda. My bear pushes me to sit at her side, so we can be as physically close as possible.

He also sends me a barrage of images of other things we could do across the surfaces in my office.

Exhaling heavily, I almost run to the door.

It’s always been a challenge to be around her with how badly I yearn for her, but now that everything is out in the open, it’s a whole new set of struggles.

I keep a locker full of clothes for the times I don’t leave the office. I dress quickly after my shower and dry my hair with a towel, tossing it into the hamper on the way out.

There are a few people in the building, but this place is always more lively at night. Heading into my office, I close the door behind me and turn to face the room.

My jaw falls.

Rogue is in my giant coat. The soft dress she’s wearing clings to it or vice versa, and she’s bent over, digging in the bottom filing cabinet. The dress is pulled up in the back, showing me a perfect view of her ass and pussy from behind.

My bear slams his will into me, and my eyes glow as I struggle to shove him back down.

It doesn’t help.

His claws burst from my hands and fur sprouts on my forearms.

“Fuck,” I growl, shaking my head and trying to force him down.

He really has been biding his time and growing stronger.

It’s impossible to fight him for complete control.

Before I even know what’s happening, he’s in control of my body.

He forces me across the room and my hands land on Rogue’s hips.

“Were you cold? Or did you want to be surrounded by our scent?” My voice echoes with the extra bass and growl that proves just how in control he is of this interaction.

Rogue squeaks, dropping the file back into the drawer and standing.

My bear’s claws dig into her stomach and hips as he holds her in place. He guides me to kick the filing cabinet closed and nuzzles my cheek to hers from behind. “If you wanted my scent, I would have been happy to offer it to you directly.”

She spins around in my hold and jolts. “Oh, okay. You’re furrier than normal.

” She loops her arms under his and pulls them up between us.

“You know there could be serious consequences if anyone else saw you like this. Why don’t you let Owen take back over, and once we get back to the sithen, you can trade out? ”

“You prefer him over me.” The voice comes from my lips, but it’s one hundred percent my berserker.

Rogue snorts. “Hardly.” She stretches up on her tiptoes and pulls my face down by tugging on my beard.

Once my face is in reach, she kisses the apple of my cheek just above where my facial hair ends.

“The issue is that I’m afraid of the consequences if someone sees you.

That means we’ll have to be smart about when we spend time together.

Maybe we can make a schedule or come to some type of agreement? ”

My bear acts, pushing me to lift her.

Rogue doesn’t argue.

She wraps her legs around my ass and holds on as we head over so I can lock my office door.

My bear struggles for control as he walks us back to the couch, taking a seat. “No one will bother us now,” he says in my voice as he helps her get her legs situated. “Are you cold?”

Rogue shakes her head, making her light blonde hair fall around her face.

My bear brings my hands up to push it behind her ears, but his giant claws pose a problem.

At least shift our hands back to mine, or you’ll end up cutting her , I tell him, my patience wearing thin.

I fight for control, and he gives enough that his clawed paws transition back into my hands.

“Did you notice Delta likes to take cases involving missing artifacts?” Rogue asks, hovering over my lap on her knees.

“I didn’t, but I probably should have,” I admit. “Stop hovering,” my bear growls, shoving her down until her weight rests over my lap.

“I never gave it any thought until I started looking through her past cases,” Rogue says, wiggling to get comfortable.

It grinds my cock against my thigh, and I stifle a growl. “I don’t want to talk about Delta while my dick is hard.”

Rogue snorts and grinds over my lap like she wants to drive me insane. “Well, that’s reassuring. For the record, I don’t either.” She brings her hands to my face once more. “I didn’t mind the glowing eyes, but it’s nice to spend a little time with the human too.”

She licks her lips, and everything in me says she wants me to kiss her.

I want that too—more than anything—and I think she might need the reassurance that I desire her too. Not just my beast form.

My head dips, and I capture her lips.

She tastes like the remnants of her soda, but I’m more obsessed with the way her fingers dig into my beard as I nip at her lower lip. Gasping, she opens for me, and I don’t hesitate to take the opportunity to shove my tongue into her mouth.

My eyes pop open as her hands leave my face, but it doesn’t take long to realize she’s peeling herself out of my coat. She tosses it aside, using magic to float it…somewhere.

Now that I know she’s not trying to escape, I screw my eyes shut and focus on the way she desperately kisses me back.

My hand digs into her hip as the other weaves into her hair, cradling her skull. She whimpers and grinds over me, perfectly mimicking how she would ride me if I was inside her.

Fuck.

I ache for her in a way I’ve never experienced. It’s probably dangerous being this close with how badly I yearn to make her mine.

Ours , my bear growls.

As Rogue’s pheromones flood the air, the effect it has on my system is visceral. My cock jolts under her ass, and my knot aches. It’s a physical feature all alpha shifters have, but I’m not sure if Rogue knows to expect it.

She groans, snaking a hand between us. “The cramps are back. That’s not a good sign, especially if you intend to be all valiant and not?—”

A low growl rattles out of my chest.

I could blame the action on my bear, but I’m the one in control as I turn us, lying Rogue down on the couch.

I’m tall as fuck, which is inconvenient, so I keep a foot on the floor for leverage and let the other hang off the arm of the sofa as I settle between her thighs.

“Can you refresh the sound-blocking ward?”

“Oh, yeah, I can,” she whispers, raising a hand. Her light, smoky-teal magic spills from her skin. Her fingers land on the back of my neck as she stares up at me, and she’s so beautiful it takes my breath away.

I plant a hand by her head and lower until our lips almost touch. “Tell me what you need,” I murmur, brushing her hair away from her cheek. Alarm pulses in my chest as her skin heats mine, just from the simple contact.

Shifters call it going into heat for a reason , my bear growls in my mind. The longer you hesitate, the more she will suffer. Let me handle this.

“You,” Rogue chokes out. “I need you…”

My eyes light with my berserker, and her face glows orange.

You’re going to push her away if you’re not careful , I hiss at my bear. You’re too pushy.

At least she knows I’ll give her whatever she asks for . He scoffs, but I’m surprised that he hands control to me without any additional fight.

“I’ve got you,” I tell my mate, snagging her lower lip with my teeth. I tug on it gently as my free hand slides from her hip down to her thigh. Once I hit the bottom of her dress, I skim back up again, teasing her warm flesh.

When I dressed after my shower, I went for comfort.

I assumed sweats and a T-shirt would be fine for hanging around the office doing research, but the material doesn’t confine my cock at all.

It bumps around Rogue’s pelvis as we kiss, and I’m so lost to the feeling of her tongue teasing mine that I miss her hand snaking between us.

She cups my shaft over fabric, and I growl, brushing my fingers along her inner thigh as I work higher.

Although the scent of her pussy is heavy in the air just from the sensual kisses, I’m unprepared for how slick she is when I reach her sex. There’s no way I’ve done enough to have her this aroused, but I can fix that.

I circle her clit with my thumb, and she curls off the sofa and toward me. It makes our teeth bump, but it doesn’t take away from my enjoyment.

“I forgot I can do this,” she says between kisses.

Cool air hits my skin as my clothing disappears. Rogue’s follow a second later, and then her hand is wrapped around my bare cock. It takes everything in me to keep from bucking into her grip. Her skin heats mine and alarm pulses in my chest.

Right.

Quickenings are like heats.

They’re a biological reaction, not just simple desire, which complicates things.

“I need you inside me,” she begs, nodding frantically. It pulls her mouth from mine, and I take the opportunity to appraise her face. Her cheeks are pink, her hair is sweaty and stuck to her forehead, and she looks truly desperate.

“How about my fingers?” I ask, bumping my cheek against hers.

I nose her hair out of the way, suck on her neck, and rake my teeth over her sensitive skin.

She’s not a shifter, but everything in me says it’ll soothe the need she has to be bitten.

It’s dangerous to be this close when my bear could fight me for control at any time.

Hopefully he understands how quickly he can destroy everything if he acts rashly.

“Your cock would be better,” she whispers, jerking me haphazardly. The uncoordinated movements still make my length jump in her palm.

God, how I ache to shove every thick inch inside her, but I’m not going there until I know she can handle it.

My fingers dip down, testing her opening. She’s so fucking wet that I growl against her throat.

My canines pulse, and my bear pushes me to thrust them into her soft skin. So much for hoping he would understand decorum.

I shake my head, physically forcing away his influence. It’s fucking complicated, considering on some level…he is me. Still, I’m rational enough to comprehend how rushing things will only hurt us long term.

Pushing my middle finger inside her, I freeze. Her inner walls cling to my thick digit, and I’m almost afraid to add more.

“I’m not human, Owen. Stop hesitating,” Rogue groans. “I swear, all you men are maddening.”

Her words remind me how she smelled of the warlock, and a dangerous snarl vibrates out of my chest.

“Don’t bait me, little one,” I grunt, adding a second finger.

Rogue writhes under me as I stretch my fingers, twisting and doing my best to get her body ready to accommodate me. All my bear can seem to focus on is besting whatever performance the warlock put on.

Hell, I’m probably guilty too.

My berserker and I rarely agree on anything, but we need to satisfy her so thoroughly that she physically can’t think of anyone else.

Rogue finally remembers she’s holding my shaft, and she begins to steadily jerk me again. My tip leaks as she swirls her thumb around my crown.

I lick and suck on her lithe neck, grinding my palm over her clit until her legs start to tremble and a string of rambling begging spills from her lips.

The little fae freezes, her nails digging into the back of my neck almost painfully. Her inner walls lock down and she sobs, begging for my cock and my bite. She soaks my hand as she comes, and every breath I suck in seems to make my head foggier.

Fuck.

This might be a problem…