“No, I said you won’t be livinghere,” he clarified.“I’ll buy or rent you a house.It’ll be a drive for me going back and forth, and as much as I’ll hate it there will be nights I need to stay at the pack compound because of my sister, but I want you to finish law school.I mean, youdowant to finish law school, right?Because it sounds like you do.”
She blinked, trying to process his words.“O-oh.Yeah.Okay, then.Glad we understand each other.”
He stepped forward, pressing her against the stairwell wall, and stared down into her eyes.“Dad…” He looked like he choked up and needed a moment.“Dad told me to never force my mate to do what I want her to,” he said.“Because I’m a Prime.Because there are assholes who do that shit, even clueless humans in their own way, and no matter who’s doing it, it’s wrong.I want you to behappy.I want you to do whatyouwant to do.But I have to take care of my little sister, too.And the pack.”
“Dewi,” she whispered.
“Yeah.She’s only two.”Now his eyes did brighten, limned with tears much the way Badger’s had the other night.“Trent and I are all she’s got left.But—and I need you to keep this quiet because not many people know this—she’s turned out to be a Prime Alpha.Meaning me and Badgerhaveto be around a lot for her.”
“I get it.Can she live with us?”
“I want her to have stability.Once you’re through school, I’m guessing you’re who Dad used to mention about hiring on as a new attorney for the pack?”
Heat filled her cheeks.“I hope so,” she said.“I’d talked to him about it a while back.”
He smiled.“Okay, then.We can easily make you living in Spokane work for the next two semesters.Weekends, you can come back to the compound.But,” he added, “youwilllearn how to shoot if you don’t already know how, youwillget a concealed carry permit, Iwillbuy you a gun, and Iwillhave an armed Enforcer at the house with you at all times.I can’t risk…”
He swallowed hard.“We have a lot to talk about,” he quietly said.“But every problem has a mutually satisfactory solution, I promise.Can we go take that shower now?”
She nodded.“Yeah.”Turning and not releasing his hand, she resumed the trek up to her apartment with him by her side.
Eight
Peyton
He meant every word, too.That he wanted her to finish her degree.
And learn how to shoot.
Because there was no way he could be in two places at once, and while every cell in his body wanted nothing more than to wrap around Gillian and spend the rest of their lives in bed together…
Dewi.
Their pack.
This was bigger than him and he hoped he hadn’t fucked up mating and marking her without having a conversation first.
Seconds after Peyton kicked the front door closed behind them and snapped the deadbolt, he and Gillian shed their clothes before they’d even taken a step toward the bathroom.
So when they hit the shower, they were already naked and kissing.He grabbed her by the hips, lifting her, easily notching himself again and loving her soft moans into his mouth.She hooked one hand around the back of his neck and with the other flailed for a moment to find the water knob and turn it on.
As they kissed he long-stroked her, loving how perfect her body felt against his, how her legs wrapped around his waist, how his hands cupped the sweetly rounded curves of her ass—all of it.
Every bit of her.
This time he didn’t bother waiting for her to finish, burying himself inside her with a final groan, holding still with her pinned between him and the bathroom wall, and snaked a hand between them to find her clit.
She tipped her head back, exposing her throat and he lightly grazed a path down it with his teeth, lapping at the hollow, savoring every moan escaping her and every flutter of her body around his cock when he pulled several orgasms out of her like that.
And still he was hard.
He kissed a trail down the valley between her breasts, licking and sucking first one nipple, then the other, drawing sweet moans from her, the sounds of which deeply embedded themselves in his soul and he knew he’d take the memory of them to his grave.
Her.
His.
“Look at me, baby.”Her eyes fluttered open, a gorgeous leafy green, and he wasn’t sure if she could even process English at that moment.
