Page 95 of Wild Games

Shaking his head, Kain moves closer.

"Take your time," Kain says, surprising me. "Do this right. Help your brother, settle any unfinished business. Enjoy your mating. Then come find me in a week or so. We've got a lot of work ahead of us—building a pack from scratch isn't easy. You need to be ready to hit the ground running."

Jax nods appreciatively at Kain for not putting pressure on him to leave with him on day one.

"Looking forward to it," Jax says, and he means every word. The prospect of hard work, of building something new, excites him in a way I haven't felt before.

Kain studies him for a moment, then nods, satisfied. "Good." His gaze shifts to me. "I could also use an experienced enforcer, even part-time. Especially one who can keep my beta in line. Rumour has it, he’s got a bit of a temper."

I laugh, and Jax pinches my side, looking offended that I’m enjoying Kain’s joke at his expense.

"Hey." Jax protests mildly.

"Just remember, first impressions count." Kain warns him. "That control you've found? We'll need to make sure it sticks. Having your mate close will help."

After he leaves, we return to focussing on breakfast, standing close together, hips touching, stealing bites from each other's plates.

"So," I say, crunching on bacon. "A week to wrap up your life here?"

"And enjoy our mating," he adds with a wink. "But yeah. I need to hand over my patient files, to make sure the clinic is left in good order. And there’s a lot to do, getting the pack back to normal now that everyone’s finally leaving." I feel a pang of sadness from him as he stares around the room.

"They'll miss you," I say softly.

He nods, but then as his gaze lands on the door across the hall, into the office that’s supposed to be Dean’s but never seems to be used, his mood darkens.

It’s the people here who he’ll miss, but there are painful memories at every turn.

Some distance will do him good.

"Kain's pack will need a healer too. And maybe..."

As he pulls me closer, I trail off, sensing the hope building inside him.

"You can start fresh, without the baggage of being the alpha’s son.”

Jax grins. “It’ll be nice just to be the healer and Kain’s beta, and not the broken wolf everyone's afraid of."

I wrap my arms around him and rest my cheek on his chest. "You're not broken. You never were. Just hurting."

He stares down at me, and the look on his face makes my heart skip. "I love you," he says simply.

He kisses me again, and this time, there's no interruption.

We momentarily lose ourselves in each other, in the bond that’s singing between us, in the promise of our future together.

When we finally surface, both breathing hard, he rests his forehead against mine. "Ready to start packing? I think I’m finally ready to get rid of the chains."

"Well, maybe not all of them. Just in case.” With a cheeky grin, I flash him an image of the leather cuffs, of him securing them around my wrists once more, and binding me to the bed.

He growls, lifting me, my legs winding around his waist automatically, as he sits me on the counter and buries his head in my neck, his desire pressing against my core, leaving me wet for him again already.

“I don’t think I want to eat anymore,” he whispers. “Or at least, nothing that can be eaten quite so publicly.”

I squeal as he tosses me over his shoulder, gives my ass a hard slap, and then races back toward the basement door.

Giggling, I cover my face in my hands as we pass a bemused looking Callum and Lynn, and a cheer goes up from the dining hall, as they spot us through the open doorway.

So much for avoiding being the centre of attention.