Page 2 of Roommate Wanted (Knotty #1)

Lyall

My fingers brushed against the wooden door as I passed Nia’s apartment.

Our journey would be long and arduous, but it was a small price to pay in order to seal my fate with the missing part of me.

I’d combed through her neighbours’ finances and socials.

One of them was a weak link. He was desperate, in debt, and would be easily tempted.

I dropped my lingering hand from her doorframe.

Soon, I would have full access to her.

The dim light in the hallway was a security risk.

The sooner I moved into the building, the better.

I shoved the letter into her neighbour's letterbox.

The offer was generous enough to make anyone move out.

My skin itched with the need to be near her.

Every hour we spent apart fed the beast inside me.

Conall’s frustration clawed against my ribs, but I kept us focused. Soon.

I jogged down the flight of stairs until I reached the exit, yanking the door open.

The lock was broken, but given that the owner of the building was an arsehole, it didn't surprise me

The night was clear and the streets quiet, but the air wasn't fresh.

As much as I longed to be back home, securing my mate was vital.

I glanced at her apartment, but it was dark.

In a few days, I’d be living next door to her. I smiled and walked toward the hotel where we were temporarily staying.

**

Two days later, we moved into the apartment.

I set up the smaller bedroom as my workspace, using the entire wall as a mind map, with Nai’s A4-sized picture at its centre.

In one corner were details about her history, work, apartment and roommate.

Beneath that was her family, but the worst part of my list was her history, which included her ex-boyfriends.

“Holy fuck. Ewan, get in here an’ check this oot.”

I ignored him as I pinned up more pictures.

“What ‘ur yae rabbiting on aboot?”

I didn't turn around when there was silence, refusing to give them more ammunition. I continued to rummage through the documents and pictures.

“That poor wee lassie. She dusnae know what’s aboot tae hit her,”

Callum murmured, shifting closer.

“Ah reckon he lost the plot in that hotel room,”

Ewan chipped in.

“Is he trying to woo her or abduct her? Ah cannae tell the difference.”

“I’m goin'tae watch aw this on a Netflix documentary one day an’ shout at the telly. ‘Ah knew him before he went all doolally.”

They both started to laugh.

At my expense. Until I stood up to face them.

“Uh, sorry, Alpha. We'd best be off. Cheerio,”

Callum said, stumbling out of the bedroom with Ewan quickly following him.

Peace at last.

I picked up the red wool and pins.

It was time to piece her life together with one minor adjustment.

Me.

**

Through the old ventilation system in our apartments, I could revel in her scent.

She made Conall feel like a giddy pup again.

As for me, I kept up a steady pace of following her around the city.

She stopped off at her local shop before catching a Tube to work.

On the route, she always got a Pret a Manger coffee, dusted with some cinnamon but no sugar.

Watching her go into the office building was always frustrating, but soon that would no longer be an issue.

The roommate left the apartment exactly five hours after Nia, and this was when I picked their lock to investigate my future living space.

The entrance was similar to my apartment, except mine had a chimney breast that ran through it.

I needed to find a spare key and set up my surveillance equipment, but the sweet scent of my mate pulled me towards her bedroom.

My fingers rested on the handle as I mentally prepared for the assault against me.

After taking one last deep breath, I pushed the handle down, opening the creaking door.

I scowled at the hinges.

They would need to be oiled before I moved in. I moaned when I sniffed her scent. It surrounded me.

The very essence of my mate.

Her shampoo.

Pine and spring blossoms.

A musky—

With a growl, I strode to the pile of clothes on the floor, crouching down to rifle through them. That’s when I saw it.

A scrap of white silk and lace.

I pulled a ziplock plastic bag out of my pocket and carefully placed the freshly discarded thongs inside. When I was about to seal the bag, the scent of her drifted my way.

I closed my eyes and swiftly sealed the bag before I came in my pants. My hand trembled when I placed the bag in my pocket.

Fuck. That was a close call.

I inspected the pile and traced my fingers over a red and black bra.

It was silk and lace again.

My mate had good taste, but when the rut began, she would remain naked day and night until her heat ended.

It was my job to trigger her heat.

I glanced at her bedroom, pleasantly surprised at the dark navy blue and pale pink decor.

Three walls were white, but one was navy with lights hanging along it and a few pictures.

The double bed was neat and tidy with numerous pillows on it.

Before I knew it, I was beside her bed, digging through pillows like a starved beast—until I found hers.

The one that cradled her head, soaked in her dreams.

I lifted it up and inhaled, torturing myself some more.

The large bay window caught my eye.

I stuffed the pillow under my arm, not ready to release it yet and flicked the old brass latch, unlocking the window.

The first-floor flat would be an easy climb if I couldn't find a set of keys.

Humans wandered around the street below.

Despite their weak physiology, they thrived.

Whereas shifters were bound to find their mate and bond until the female went into heat.

I stroked the plump, soft pillow, hoping her scent would seep into my hand.

I walked around the bed to the small shelf, which was full of books. There was a photo of her parents and siblings.

Six children.

It was something I could only dream of.

I traced my finger over her cheek.

For decades, I’d waited for my mate.

No female ever smelled or felt right.

Other than kissing or oral sex, I’d never experienced sex or a rut. Nia was born to be mine.

My mate.

Conall whined, echoing my need.

His silent retreat was partly a result of sulking and sorrow over not being close to Nia.

I squeezed the pillow against my chest.

He knew we needed to tread carefully if we wanted to successfully bond and breed her.

Our lineage would not die with us. I carefully placed the frame on the shelf before I ended up crushing it between my fingers.

The risk of losing our mate snapped me out of my funk.

I sniffed the pillow one last time before arranging it on her bed.

I began my search under her bed and made my way around her belongings.

The bottom drawer beside the bed had a hint of her sweet musk.

I opened the silk pouch and discovered a small vibrator.

“What the fuck is this? It’s fuckin tiny,”

I muttered to myself.

I inspected the curved smooth length, wondering how many times the silicone appendage had been inside Nia.

I pressed the small circular button, and the strong vibrations shook in my hand.

The mechanical vibrating sound was loud.

I gripped the phallus, surprised by how powerful the vibrations were.

The smaller section attached to it shook, and I realised what it was for.

I wanted to throw it out of the fucking window in a fit of rage.

But the desperate wolf in me held it against my nose as I began to drool at the faint scent of her pussy.

I knew what I had to do to the offending purple toy, standing up, I tugged at the button on my jeans.

Within seconds, my cock was in my fist while I used her scent to allow my precum to dribble out.

My dick was a masterpiece compared to this tiny fucktoy.

I closed my eyes to slide my hand up and down my throbbing cock, ignoring the ache in my knot.

The thought of Nia pushing the pathetic toy inside her while it was coated with my essence made my cock drool.

My eyes snapped open, and I used the vibrating toy to wipe up the clear liquid oozing out of me.

It wasn't enough.

I wanted my seed inside of her, anything to trigger her ovulation.

The scent of her pine, blossom, musk and eucalyptus shampoo made me pump harder. I could feel every vein bulging on my cock as I rapidly jerked off.

When I was close, I grabbed her pillow, dragging it to the end of the bed.

I placed the vibrating toy on the pillow and squeezed my knot, imagining that I was inside my mate.

My cock throbbed and jerked as I worked my hand harder.

With a grunt and stifled roar, my seed shot out, spraying the length of her white pillow.

The thick white semen hit the vibrator, and I watched it drip down.

I continued to rub myself satisfied when several more ropes of come covered the pillow and the toy.

I switched the vibrator off and coated it with my seed.

The satisfaction I felt of smearing my thick, wet cum all over it was better than our best cask of whiskey.

After sniffing it, I decided it would do for now.

This would be my daily ritual, marking her, priming her until her body screamed for me.

Until she was dripping and desperate, and no toy could ever compare.

Conall’s approval was silent, but I felt his tenacious determination burn at the pit of my belly.

He accepted the pace I would use to ensure Nia was ready to mate with us.