The corner of my mouth slightly upturns. He wouldn’t watch me like that if he didn’t miss me, right? Then my stomach slightly cramps in a way that usually only happens when I’m a week out from my heat. It’s been doing that since yesterday.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, clearly watching me.
“Nothing.” I shake my head. “The rose is on the mantle.”
He glances that way, but then focuses back on me. “Diana, we’re done with that. What’s wrong?”
My stomach cramps again, belonging to that sensation that only feels better with a lot of suppressants, or an alpha’s dick. “I feel like I’m going to heat. Like, notrealheat, but, I don’t know, something similar,” I mutter, confused. “Maybe something is wrong with me.”
He looks me over very carefully, leaning down to sniff me, and then looks into my eyes, and examines me. “It doesn’t smell like heat. Just that your hormones are changing.”
His calmness makes me feel better. There’s something claiming about it, because most alphas would lose their minds, but he’s steady because he’s the only one in here; not a threat in sight. It’s a display of his full confidence that I really do belong to him.
“Maybe the suppressants are wearing off?” I suggest.
“More than likely. Is it uncomfortable?”
“I…” I start, just wanting this sensation of heat to go away. My whole life, this sensation has meant danger, and I’ve honestly come to loathe it.
“Yes?”
I stare him in the eyes and can’t bring myself to say it. “I don’t want to ask for it.”
He looks me over, slightly grinning. “Your alpha can’t help you if you don’t talk to him.”
“You have rocks in there. You know what I want.”
He grins more. “Tell me,” he purrs.
I don’t want to, but something feels so interestingly right about it. Like I’m dirty for it, but it makes me excited. “Whatever this is, just make it stop.”
“Why do you fear the sensation of this?” he asks. “You’re safe in here, and I’ll make sure none of it becomes unbearable.”
What does he mean? It’salwaysbad to get this sensation. “It’s never good. It means I have to hide—” I look around “—like I am right now. It’s just, it’sbad.”
When I look back at him, something overcomes his gaze like he understands. And like he’s mad? His purr vibrates more in his chest. “You don’t have to hide anymore, Diana. Youhavean alpha. Tell me what you want.”
Fuck me, but I melt, like I’ve barely even attempted to hold myself up while he was away. “I want you to make me feel better,” I say, skirting around the point.
His eyes trail down my face, his jaw slightly flexing. “Will you let me take care of you more than the physical?”
“What?”
He brushes the hair out of my face. “I can take care of your heartandyour body.”
How on Earth has he managed to turn this around so much? As I look at those lips, the ones with a scar running through the bottom one, it’s damn near impossible to muster up any true opposition. “I don’t,” I start, my body weightless as I stare into his eyes.
I don’t even know what I was going to say.
Judge’s hand is on the back of my neck, the rough skin of his contrasting against my own. I’m utterly frozen as he presses his lips into mine. They’re warm and soft, breathing in his scent like this is heaven. His tongue presses through my lips, his hand on the back of my head pressing harder, so I have to let him in all the way.
I moan into his mouth, his fingers curling into my hair as he grins into the kiss. His lips move once more, kissing me with more passion. My hands reach out, touching his body with an intimacy I’m starving for. When his other hand snakes around my back, lifting me off my seat as I hold onto his shoulders, my legs wrapped around him, he takes us over to the nest.
His mouth hungrily trails down to my jaw, his breath warmagainst my skin as my vision slightly blurs like my body is overcome with hormones andheat. That sensation never escalates, feeling entirely medicated, like perhaps this is my body finding balance after going off suppressants. That brings me relief, because it also means that soon, I’ll beme. With no artificial thoughts.
Judge grinds into me, pressing his large body against my own. Even though he’s been balls deep inside my body, countless times, there’s something even more sensual to this.
He hasn’t had to growl.
