Chapter
Twenty
KELLAN
My wolf whimpered in my head as I beat myself up. I’d been trying to take it slow with Emme, who was as skittish as a rabbit caught in the scent of my beast, but it had only taken one moment of listening to her heavy breaths and soft whimpers—not to mention scenting that sweet slick of her arousal—for me to lose all rational thought.
I’d had my hand on her bathroom door about to bust in and claim my omega. It had taken fucking everything to control myself, and then she’d walked out glowing from the hot water, a mere towel separating her naked body from me.
Fuck towels. Fuck them right off. Who the hell even invented them?
It should be my tongue lapping up every drop of moisture from her creamy skin, following the path of freckles dotted across her body…and I was so fucking gone over her.
I didn’t give a shit what it took, I was going to win the heart of my omega, because the thought of her running again broke me.Yeah, Hunter had warned me that she was ninety percent flight risk, and I told him that if she ran I would follow.
I will follow. No matter where she went, there was nowhere in the world far enough to hide from me. I’d go full-on psycho stalker just likeDaddy Alpha, but fuck, I shared my soul with a predator, and while we enjoyed the lighter side of life, deep down we wereallbeast.
After a shit night’s sleep, I woke to find that Emme had already left with Hunter for Golden Fin, our restaurant which opened for lunch and dinner.
I’d already planned on stopping in to see her since we had a random day off from training. Usually, I’d head into the office and familiarize myself with the current product timeline and dispatch routes. Fin and I wouldn’t play hockey forever, and we both had positions in Reeves Industries when we were ready. With that in mind, I made it my mission to stay up to date with the inner workings.
Fin, on the other hand, gave zero shits and knew absolutely nothing about the company. Not that it mattered. We had more money than we could ever spend, and if none of us wanted to work again, we didn’t have to. But I, for one, needed to stay busy.
It kept the darkness at bay.
Emme called me a sunshine wolf, and for the most part she was correct. I didn’t fuck around with the heavier emotions or darker sides of life, but there would forever be a part of me that craved the chase. The fight andflightof the beast. If I’d let my wolf have free rein last night, Emme wouldn’t be unbonded this morning—she’d be chained to my fucking bed, and there she would stay until she craved me with the same intensity I craved her.
I’d only lost control of the monster inside me once before, and I wrought destruction in a way I never wanted to experienceagain. Now I channeled a golden boy, and luckily I enjoyed fulfilling that role even more.
“Asshole!” A heavy palm slammed against my door, and Finley didn’t wait for me to say a word before he had opened it. Poking his head inside, he found me sprawled across my bed, brooding. “You wanna hit the ice for a free skate?” He leaned against the frame, expression neutral.
He showed no physical sign of how shitfaced he’d been last night, but there were shadows in his eyes, and for that reason I nodded. “Yep, bro. But I’m going to fucking annihilate you out there for interrupting me and Shortcake. Just give me five to grab my gear.”
He ran a hand over his face, and I swore he wiped away a smile. “Sorry about that, Kel. My fucking bad. I need to keep it together a little better, and for that, I need to stay out of the omega’s way. Starting withdon’t fucking add me back into that group chat.”
“For sure, brother,” I lied, straight to his face.
I’d already added everyone, including Slade, back into the chat this morning. My good morning message remained unanswered though, and I wondered if Emme even remembered to take her phone with her to work. Knowing Hunter, he’d tied it to her hand so she wouldn’t forget.
Finley waited while I grabbed my bag, then we headed downstairs to throw on our shoes, and steal a few of the breakfast muffins Gerald left in the fridge. They were a combination of eggs, bacon, and protein powder biscuits, giving us a good shot of energy to start the day.
Finley drove his TRX to the rink, the roads busier than usual as everyone started preparing for the Summit. Over the next week, we’d see thousands of shifters pouring in, most of them staying with friends and family, or in Golden Claw’s few short-term accommodations.
Our city would explode with shifters for seven days of trade negotiations, exchanges, peace talks, and security updates. “Did they send through an update on the Summit schedule?” I asked Fin.
In response I got a shrug. He cared about hockey, cars, Kenzo, and us.
Most likely in that order.
You’re my favorite.Shortcake saying that would never get old.
I’d never been a favorite before, not even in my family where I was the youngest child, and spoiled rotten, but also considered an annoying shit.
Even in our pack, I wastheannoying pup.
Emme made me feel like I wasn’t a complete fuck up, and for that I’d lie down on burning coals and let her use me as a walkway. If that very specific situation ever should arise…
“Did you learn anything aboutheryesterday?” Finley asked suddenly, sounding tired. “Where did she come from? How has an unbonded omega just been gallivanting around the States without ever getting caught. She’s eighteen, right?”
