I nosed along her cheek, inhaling her warm, sleepy scent, groaning at how it woke other parts of my body.
As I slowly roused, filling my nose with her scent while she still slept, it all fell into place: I wasn’t that same coward who had turned my back on Bryce all those years ago. No, I was the alpha who knew what he wanted. And, in the moment where the ifrit had blazed that fire wall between Cassie and me, I knew Bryce was my mate.
Bryce slowly woke with a soft murmur and a groan. Her back arched as she stretched beautifully, and I smirked at her when her eyes blinked awake, already trailing my way down her exposed stomach. The t-shirt I’d given her to sleep in, wanting her drenched in my scent, in my bed, had ridden up, exposing the black panties she wore.
My exact destination.
But as much as I wanted to devour her as my mate, I wanted to tell her that first.
“Morning,” I said, my voice rough with sleep.
Bryce hummed, a soft smile spreading on her face as her fingers slid through my hair. “Morning.” She turned her head, already looking for our daughter.
“Theo and Jackson took her,” I told Bryce. “Her scent’s still pretty strong, so they didn’t take her too long ago. It means we have plenty of time for ourselves.”
Bryce blinked, still waking up slowly. She always did until she had her black tea in her hands.
I moved closer to her face, pressing a kiss to the point of her nose. “Are you awake yet?” I teased.
Laughing softly, she shook her head. “No, I’m pretty sure I’m still dreaming. Especially when there’s a half-naked alpha on top of me.”
“Half naked?” I repeated, smirking. “If you give me your hand, you’ll find there’s a fully naked alpha on top of you. And a turned-on one at that.”
Bryce only laughed harder, pulling me down to kiss. Her nails scratched against my scalp, and I hummed, smiling against her mouth.
“Are you going to do something about that, then?” she asked, her voice all teasing and rough as well.
“Only if my mate gets on top of me today,” I told her. “Admittedly, I haven’t recovered enough to fully fuck you as you deserve while being on top.”
A bolt of nerves struck her face, but I kissed them away.
“Baby,” I purred, my hands already trailing over her thighs. “If you’re not comfortable, we don’t have to do it that way, but—”
“Mason,” she whispered, cutting me off. “Do you really like my body? You know… this way? Plenty of girls are toned, or thinner, or—”
“You’re perfect,” I growled against her mouth, licking my way past her lips. “Absolutely fuckin’ perfect, do you hear me? I’ve always loved your full curves.” I gripped her hip, rolling my erection against her. “You know, when I was fighting alongside you in the woods, I realized something I should have already known a hell of a long time ago. I don’t want you to just be my partner in fighting. I want you to be my partner in the pack, in my life.” My thumb traced circles into her inner thigh. “I want you to be my mate, Bryce. I love you, and having you back here… it only makes me know just how much I’m not willing to let you go again.”
“Mason,” she murmured again, her beautiful eyes fixed on me, searching my face, as if she searched for something to betray my words. “You don’t mean that.”
I growled, linking one of my hands through hers to pin her arm above her head, bracing myself over her. My side ached in protest, but I didn’t care. “I mean every damn word I say. I want you as my mate, Bryce. I want Cassie to grow up from here on out withbothof her parents. I want you waking up in my arms every day. I want to wake up buried in you, smothered in everything that my mate is. I wantyou. I always have done.”
Tears shone in her eyes, a hesitant smile playing on her lips. I leaned down to kiss her, snarling into it. She kissed me back with urgency, her tongue swiping my lower lip, but I wasthe one who claimed dominance over her. I rolled my hips over hers, letting her feel every inch of what she did to me.
“You’re my mate,” I told her, my voice hard. “I’m not letting you go.”
“Never,” she gasped, shifting her hips up so my cock brushed between her legs. Her hand was already reaching down to grasp my length. “I’d never dream of it.” The desire rose to a dizzying heat in my body, needing to claim her. Her own words were fevered with the claiming. “I’ve always loved you, Mason, even when I tried not to. Even when I ran, even when I kept my secrets. I’ve dreamed of the day you becamemyalpha.”
“Yours?” I teased, brushing the tip of my cock over her pussy.
“Mine.” And the possessiveness of her voice broke my final shred of restraint. I tugged her panties aside, finding her already wet. I met her eyes. Sheepishly, she admitted, “I like calling you mine.”
“I can tell.” I grinned, leaning down to press my face between her thighs, inhaling her scent. Groaning, I pressed my tongue flat to her pussy. My eyes flicked up to meet hers. Already, her pupils were blown wide, her hair mussed, and her lips bitten. “Say it, Bryce. Say that you’re my mate.”
I needed to hear it—I ached to hear it. The wolf inside me roared for her, howled for my mate.
“I’m—oh, fuck, Mason—I’m your mate!” Her mewling declaration came as I swept my tongue over her heat, suckling on her folds.
“Again,” I growled, returning to eating her out.
