Page 17 of Safe in His Arms

“You don’t have to say anything. I know your heat is coming, but it’s not here yet. How about we spend the day together, and you can decide if you want me to help you with it, and claim you… or if you’d like to ride it out here by yourself… no pressure.”

“And you won’t force…” Devon’s voice trailed off, but Roman could figure out where the sentence was going.

“I would never force you, I swear.”

Roman hated that his mate even thought that he would, but he also knew it wasn’t about him, and if that was what his mate needed from him to feel safe, then he was more than happy to give Devon the assurance, and leave him alone for his heat, no matter how difficult it would be for him and his wolf.

“Okay.” Devon’s reply was soft, but it had Roman wanting to run around cheering like he’d won something.

Now he just had to figure out how to go on a date with his mate, without leaving his house.

“How about I make us breakfast and you can tell me a little about yourself?” Roman suggested.

Chapter Ten

Devon

Devon hadn’t been sure what to expect from the alpha, but what followed was probably the best day of his life.

Which was pretty sad, because all they really did was talk, and watch some shows on the television.

The alpha told him about his brothers and his parents, and Devon told him he didn’t have either of those. He tried not to mention his past, because, well… he didn’t want the alpha to look at him differently.

Roman told him about growing up as a twin, and being the youngest, even though he emphasized that he wasn’t totally the youngest, because he was older than his twin, Ronin, by ten minutes. Apparently, it mattered.

Devon knew that the alpha owned his own construction company, and that his brother, Rick, was the alpha of the pack.

But when Roman described pack life to him, it was nothing like Devon had ever experienced. It almost sounded too good to be true.

Devon could have listened to the alpha speak all day.

It was all so nice and normal, and Roman made them breakfastandlunch. When Devon offered to help, the alpha had told him to rest, and he wasn’t sure what to do with that.

In a way, it felt like a time out of time—if that even made sense—like there was a clock on it, and he would wake up and it would be over, or he would wake up back in his cold room, in Anton’s house, with his single mattress on the floor.

It didn’t feel real, or maybe it did, but he was too scared it would all be taken away from him if he tried to hold on to it.

Devon knew when his heat was peaking, and he could tell that Roman noticed, because the alpha’s arousal was heavy in the air.

He’d made his decision, because even if it turned out all the fated mate stuff was BS. Well, it would be the first time since he started getting his heats that he got to choose who he spent it with, and he would agree to getting claimed, well, because it couldn’t be worse than everything he’d been through so far, could it?

Roman was the kindest alpha he’d ever met, and if it was a fantasy, well… he would survive just like he always had. Besides, it beat riding out his heat alone and in pain…

Roman was telling him a story about his parents, and how he couldn’t wait for Devon to meet them. He knew that he would soon be too far gone to tell the alpha, yes, and his gut told him the alpha wouldn’t do anything without his consent, so before he couldn’t make his wishes clear, Devon blurted out, “Yes.”

Roman stopped speaking and tilted his head to the side, like he was trying to figure out if his mate had said anything else.

“Sorry… did I miss something?” The alpha asked.

“Yes, I will mate with you and… you know… you can help with my heat.”

The alpha’s mouth rounded in an O…

“Are you sure? Because there’s no pressure. You’ll have other heats. We can get to know each other more.”

Devon shook his head, “I’m sure. I want to.”

All a part of him could think was, maybe if this wasn’t a hoax, or another alpha using him, then maybe he could be part of this amazing family that Roman had described.