Page 24

I can feel a rumbling chest holding me, and I know it is Ren from the Pine trees and fresh snow scent. I also feel the brush of unease I’ve only ever felt around omegas. I decided to take a gamble and hope I’m right.

“Grumpy, stop growling. You’ll scare the omega.” He sighs and starts to purr. I hear a startled squeak and a chuckle from Ren’s left, which is in front of me as he’s holding me bridal-style.

Opening my eyes I see a gorgeous man with blue pinstripe slacks, a light blue shirt with black suspenders, and black Converse shoes. When I reach his face, his features are more feline but more kitten than cat, ice blonde hair and striking blue eyes with unique smokey eye shadow. He’s an albino Panther, but not entirely because of his eyes, and I instantly want to snuggle and have a movie day with him.

He won’t make eye contact, but I don’t often myself. I then notice he’s sat on the arm of my twin’s chair, with Brayden’s hand on his thigh, Dex and Levi are giving me smug looks their tails wagging in happiness. The omega is my twin’s mate. I smile and relax more into Ren as I notice Brayden watching me guardedly. I averted my eyes and turned to look at Mika. Wow, he wasn’t joking when he said he was identical to his brothers, I’m glad he showed me photos of everyone, not only so I know who to trust but so I don’t go insulting my new uncles.

“Ren, are you going to put my daughter down so we can talk?” Mika asks.

Ren tenses and starts to growl. I see Brayden’s mate recoil, and I twist and swat Ren’s nose. He promptly stops growling and whines at me,

“Emmy, don’t do that. You know it hurts,” he says while burrowing his nose back in my hair and complaining about my braids.

He spins me round and busies himself, taking them out. I look at Mika and raise an eyebrow. Lucian, Bastille, and Brayden burst out laughing, Dominic smirks, Declan and Brayden’s mate looks confused, Mika sighs, rubs his face, and starts to explain,

“Boys, this is your sister . I won’t go into how she came back to us right now, know it wasn’t brilliant. It might take her a while to accept that she is wanted here.” Ren hums behind me, happy my hair is now loose and knowing a little of my story.

“You're safe now. They all know how my brother and I feel about his Quinny!” Ren says, and recognition flashes in everyone’s eyes.

“, what happened just now? Do you need a doctor?” Mika asks, already reaching for a phone. I decided to lie slightly, not wanting to say it was the shock the wolves from my dreams were both inside my twin, does that mean one should have been mine?

“I think I was just overwhelmed. I saw a few faces I recognized, but the recognition I got when I saw Brayden was just too much.” It then clicks. I’m still sitting on Ren’s lap and can feel things, hard things, knotted things. I stand up; he holds my hips to keep me steady if I fall again.

“If it’s okay, can I go to bed? It’s been a long day?” Mika takes in my pleading look and agrees, asking Miles, who is Brayden’s mate, to show me to my room and find out my sizes so he can get me clothes tomorrow, as winter is still in full swing, and I have the bare minimum.

Ren follows us out, but the rest start firing questions at Mika as the door clicks shut. Ren has yet to let go of me; I turn slightly, already seeing the pretty blonde from before watching us.

“You best get back to your girlfriend; thank you for catching me, and it’s good to see you again, Alpha Firefall!” I state and try to keep my emotions on lockdown.

I turn and follow Miles upstairs as he rapidly fires questions about clothes, style, makeup, and underwear at me. I laugh and shake my head. He stops and pouts at me, putting his hands on his hips. I smile.

“I’m Curvy, think Marlyn Monroe, but no pink or frills. I prefer emo/steampunk/skater style, and panties need to cover my arse, so no dental floss. I need supportive bras, I’m self-measured, so I might be wrong on actual sizes.” I take a breath and tug on my hoodie sleeves.

“I need long sleeves and nothing above my knees to hide my scars. I can cope with leggings as long as they don’t have big seams and nothing tight, as they rubs on my scars.” I’m mumbling by the end, and I've not looked at his face once.

“I haven’t cut my hair for years, other than snipping the split ends myself and doing a little shaping round my face, so I tend to wash and condition with what I can get hold of, then dry it in braids so it’s easier to tame. I’ve never worn makeup, and I could do with some period things soon.” I look up as I finish.

"My diet's been poor to starving, until three years ago when I got a decent home, but I’m naturally curvy, so don’t get any hopes that you’ll find a Barbie doll under my baggy clothes." I try to laugh, but it's hollow. When my eyes finally get to his face, he’s crying. Before I apologize, he flies at me, turning into an octopus—not physically, but it feels like it. He hugs me so tightly.

“You are gorgeous. If Brayden wasn’t my mate and you had a dick, I would be shaking my ass to get your attention.” I laugh, and the hug starts to loosen a little,

“We start covered, but we will work together to improve your confidence. You're hot and the official badass pack princess. I will have you wearing your battle scars with pride like armor. We finally have someone to fight the pack princess wannabes off and show them who’s boss.” I burst into giggles. Pleased with his work, Miles nods, releases me, kisses my forehead, and leaves with

“Goodnight, sweet cheeks, the bathroom has basics. I’ll get you better tomorrow.” I manage to get out

“Good night, pretty kitty. Thank you.” as the door clicks shut.

I shower and put on one of the T-shirts Xander got me, along with a pair of panties and some socks. I braid my hair and slip into bed.

I fall asleep with tears running down my face, but I’m not 100% sure why.

I’m safe,

I have my friends back, and I’m wanted here.

I feel so vulnerable, and I’m safe to be that way—I hope so anyway.

I stir sometime later. hearing the door click and then feel someone slide into bed,

“Shh baby, it’s just me. Go back to sleep. You’re safe.” Ren pulls me into his chest, and I fall into a deep sleep.

I startle awake. The sky is still pitch black.

I feel Ren against my back, but he waits for my breathing to slow before saying anything, just lays running a soothing hand up and down my side, until I start to relax.

“Tell me what you need, Emmy.” I turn to look at him, really look. His brown hair is still wild but now shorter on the sides, long enough to run my fingers through the top. He's lost the baby face and is all chiseled jaw and defined muscles. He has stubble covering his cheeks, giving him that lazy Sunday afternoon in bed look. I sigh,

“Your girlfriend won’t be happy you’re in here.” I'm flat on my back before I can move away from him.

The 6-foot 6-inch grumpy Alpha is now above me, his thighs pinning me to the bed as he straddles my hips, his left hand supporting his weight next to my head and his right cuffing my throat. He leans in so our noses are almost touching, and his voice takes on a growl full of Alpha dominance,

“I don’t have a girlfriend. Since I was four years old, I’ve known who I was destined for, and no female has tasted my kiss, felt the caress of my touch or the heat of my body against theirs as only one female is worthy of me.” He leans closer, his lips brushing my ear, his breath heating my skin.

“Now, my Luna, tell me who hurt you and why you were chanting no, don’t touch me in your sleep.” My thighs clench as I feel and hear the possessiveness in his demand. I've never touched myself before, never felt the need to, but I may have to, or at least have a cold shower.

“Before I came here, I got hurt., that’s why I was in the hospital” I don’t look into his eyes, and I hope that will suffice, but it doesn’t. He squeezes my throat a little, so I carry on with a sigh, closing my eyes with shame,

“I have a claw mark from my right shoulder to my left knee. I was getting away, but he started to shift. H…He injected m...me with something that m...made me w...woozy and t...tried to....to.” I can’t say it. Tears fall, and I shake my head. I can feel Ren has gone stone still.

“He tried to rape you?” he inhales as he says the word rape but continues after a beat.

“He tried to rape my mate?” His weight changes on me, and his voice goes softer.

“You will tell me who! But not right now!” He moves so he’s between my legs, his weight on his elbows on either side of my head. My core is pulsing from the feel of him against me, not all shifters have Knots only Alpha Wolves, and I can feel his pulsing in time with his heart against my core.

“Open your eyes, baby,” his voice has gone from Alpha Bark to soft request, and now it’s a fucking croon,

“Emmy baby, I need you to tell me how to banish your bad dream so you can rest as you need.” As he speaks, his lips brush my forehead, eyelids, cheeks, and nose everywhere but my lips. I need something, some form of relief.... deep breath, , internal pep talk for the win!

“I can still feel his hands on me.” My voice is shaky but good, . Keep going, open your eyes for him.

“he never got under my clothes, but he was rough and left bruises.” Ren shifts to only lean on his left arm as I open my eyes. His thumb strokes my cheek,

“Where did he touch you? Will you let me replace it with my touch?” I hold his gaze as Pine flashes in his eyes as he speaks. Before I have time to second-guess myself, I nod but make a request before answering his questions

“Kiss me! Be the first, please!” Ren starts to purr again, but his lips touch mine. He starts slow and shy, but with my gasp when I feel his tongue against my lip, every nerve ending in my body seems to light up, and with the moan that slips out of me, his kiss becomes a claim.

I feel my whole body submit to him. As he pulls back, I whimper slightly, but he doesn’t go far. He rests his forehead on mine, once his breathing has slowed, his lips still brushing mine as he speaks,

“Fuck baby!” he swallows some more breaths.

“Goddess baby, you are everything! It is taking so much to keep Pine locked down, as he wants our mark on you.” He kisses me again. This time, his hands roam, stroking my breasts. He circles my nipple with his thumb through my shirt, making me gasp,

“Did he touch you here?” he whispers against my lips. With my nod, as I don’t think I can speak right now, he pulls my shirt up, revealing my perk breasts with a moan, he lowers his mouth to my nipple. Using his tongue to circle the peaked bud. As he starts to suck the bud into his mouth, his thumb begins to circle my other nipple. My hips give an involuntary buck, grinding on his hard thick length, which causes us both to moan at the action, he switches which bud is in his mouth, and his free hand slides into my panties to cup my ass, urging me to keep grinding up into him.

“Did he touch your delicious ass, baby?” I nod and start to regret it as he lets me go and goes up on his knees. His cock is tenting his boxers as he slides his hand down to cup my core. He puts his hand in his boxers and moves his cock so it’s facing up and the tip now peeking out the top. He squeezes himself, and I see precum seep from his tip.

“What about here?” he asks with a sneer but swipes the precum with his thumb and then swipes it around my nipple, getting another moan from me. I nod, but I still can't find words. He snaps my panties off in one quick motion and falls forward, kissing me like only I can give him oxygen.

“Can I taste you, ? I want your cum on my tongue.” I finally find my voice.

“Please, Ren, I need... I need....” what do I need? I don’t know, I try to think, and then I work it out, I need him, just him

“You, I need you.” I manage to voice, then my voice leaves me to fend for myself once again. I manage to suck in a breath before I even realize he’s slipped down my body, then I feel his tongue trace over my folds.

“Oh fuck,” I breathe, I feel his chuckle, and his hands are back cupping my ass. I don’t have time to be conscious of how big it is, but I do take note. His hands cup each cheek like they were made for each other, he feasts on me like he hasn’t eaten since we were 6 years old, he alternates between thrusting his tongue inside me and nibbling on my clit, one of my hands ends up in his hair as he flattens his tongue and licks from my core to my clit in one smooth slow motion, I can see the smirk in his eyes, he repeats the motion five times but gets quicker adding an extra flick with his tongue as he reaches my clit, one hand slides from my ass his pinky finger brushing over my rear hole, getting a gasp from me, he slips his middle finger inside me, giving three slow pumps.

“Play with those tits, baby, pinch those nipples, pluck them till they're sore and need my mouth to soothe them, get as much of them in your small hands as you can and squeeze! Fuck baby, you’re so tight!” He gives me a few more pumps, leaning up to kiss my lips,

“Your so fucking hot, Luna baby. I can’t believe you're mine.” His voice ends in a growl, and I can feel the precum dripping from him onto my stomach.

He kisses back down my body, still pumping me with one finger. He sucks each nipple. Then as he slips a second finger inside me, his thumb flicks my clit at the same time his tongue does.

He slips a third finger inside me as I tire of his teasing. Grabbing his hair with both hands, I pull him back up to kiss him as I start to ride his fingers, him swallowing my moans, his purr adding a vibration to the sensations.

“Ride my fingers, Luna, take it all. It’s yours as you are MINE!!!! He will never touch you again. This right here is what you will think about whenever you get a flash of that pain.” His hand slows to drawn-out movements, and he mimics the movement with his hips rubbing his cock against the scar on my left hip.

“Tell me you’re mine?” his words are a plea, not a demand.

“I’m yours.” I breathe out, and his thumb starts to swirl my clit with each inward stroke of his fingers.

“Tell me I’m yours,” I hum, loving the feelings that move through me at those words.

“You’re mine, Ren.” I feel my climax coming as Ren’s hips start to stutter.

I don’t think I say the words continuously if I had an alter I would say it was in control, but I start our mating bond

“Mind.” Thrust

“Body.” Thrust

“Heart.” Thrust

“And soul.” Thrust

“I’m yours.” Thrust

“For eternity.” Thrust

“I love you, my Alpha.”

My climax hits on the last syllable. I bite his right pectoral over his heart, breaking the skin. His blood coats my mouth, and I feel something shift within me. I feel warm liquid hit my hip and stomach as Ren’s mouth finds the juncture between my neck and shoulder, as he bites. His cock pulses again, and warmth hits the base of my boobs. Something else moves inside me. I now feel an awareness of Ren. He pulls away slightly, leaving us forehead to forehead.

“Mind.” Pant

“Body.” Breath

“Heart.” Pant

“And soul.” Breath

“I’m yours.” Pant

“For eternity” Deep breath

“I love you, my Luna.”

He kisses me, mingling our blood in our mouths, and something else clicks into place. He pulls back again slightly and doesn’t move while we get our breath back.