KELLAN
Emmeline stayed in my arms for far longer than I’d ever expected her to. Her lush curves pressed against the hard length of my body was enough to send me and my beast into a frenzy. I loved how she fit against my larger frame like she’d been made for me. Which she had.
Her curves though… fuck me dead. I’d kept my hands to myself. Barely.
When she’d finally opened up and started to bare her soul, I’d been consumed by my need to know her whole story. It was a pivotal moment in our relationship, and even with my fury toward her mom’s old pack, holding her while she shared her past brought me moments of peace.
I’d had no fucking clue it was possible to quiet my wolf in the way Emmeline’s presence did. To ease the alpha that wanted to hunt, dominate, and control.
Emmeline soothed the beast.
When she finally wiggled against me, I decided that if I didn’t let her go this time, the hard cock pressed between us wouldstart causing issues. Now was not the time or place, especially after her heavy reveals, and I refused to rush the natural progress of our relationship.
It was a forever connection. True fucking mates. Bonded for life.
Going slow might be hard, but the alternative of spooking her into running was unthinkable. These moments of holding her would have to satisfy for now, even if my beast was ready to hunt and chase our mate until she submitted to our claim.
“I’ll meet you downstairs,” she said softly, gaze lowered. She was beating herself up, and I had no idea if it was about the cuddling or her confessions.
That fucking pack.
Were those alphas still out there? The ones who had scarred my girl, and then overstepped when she’d bloomed into puberty. If I ever found out their location, I would gladly pay them a friendly visit. Definition offriendlyto be determined.
There was nothing I could say to reassure her that we were nothing like them other than continuing to show up in every way she needed. “Of course, Shortcake. Meet me in the kitchen.”
She nodded, and finally lifted her head to hit me with the full force of her depthless blue eyes. Her stare was a fucking shot to my heart. Amongst other places. “I’ll meet you there.”
Fighting every instinct in my body, I reluctantly left her room, palming my cock which had mostly been rock hard from the moment she’d landed on me. Even the story about that pack hadn’t fully deflated the asshole, who desperately wanted to be inside his mate.
With no time todeal with the issue,I ordered it to get its shit together, and settle down to a semi-chub. I couldn’t function with a baseball bat in my pants.
The house was silent as I padded down the stairs, all of our packmates still in the gym for their morning workouts. I’d gottenup extra early to work out before Emme woke up so I wouldn’t miss any time with her today. Yeah, I was whipped, but I gave exactly zero shits about how that made me look.
I’d never be embarrassed to show up for my girl. If you weren’t a little obsessed, was she even your mate?
In the kitchen, I got the coffee machine started and threw a dozen of the breakfast sandwiches Gerald prepared last night into the oven. The rain pelted the windows, and while it was disappointing not to make the track, at least Emme was stuck inside with us. I already had a plan to help build connections between the pack, and I couldn’t wait to tell my brothers their new plans for the day.
As the scent of freshly ground beans and bacon permeated the air, Emmeline appeared still dressed in jeans and my hoodie. Her curves covered by my clothes created a very Neanderthal reaction in my brain, turning me and my beast feral. The only way that sight would improve, was if she also wore my claiming bite.
One day.
“Coffee?” I said, handing her a perfectly doctored mug. Emme liked her coffee milky and sweet, and I might have added a shot of caramel to remind her of her favorite alpha.
She groaned, and it shot straight to my, once again, rock hard cock.Fuck.
“You’re a gift, Kellan Jackson. I don’t know how I’ve ever functioned without you.”
My chest tightened at how freely she offered her praise. The urge to bundle her up and drag her back to bed for the rest of the day was so strong that I had to grip the side of the counter to stop from moving toward her.
As I battled with my baser nature, she took a seat on a stool and sipped her coffee. Her gaze turned briefly toward thegloomy day outside the windows and then back to me. “Will you still meet at the track today?”
“Nah,” I croaked, still not quite pulled together as I busied myself with my own coffee. “The weather is only going to get worse. A bit of rain doesn’t bother us, but a full-on storm isn’t worth the headaches. Even if it’s fucking awesome to take our drift cars around the wet track.”
Her cute nose screwed up as she sighed. “That’s a shame. I’ve really been looking forward to it. Oh, actually… I’ve been meaning to ask if any of the road bikes in the garage are yours? I know the precious,preciousPanigale is Slade’s, but what about the others?”
Her puffy lips parted and her eyes all but rolled back in her head when she mentioned the Panigale. I filed that away under gifts I would be buying my beautiful Shortcake.
The fact that my soulmate loved cars and bikes had me thanking the goddess for her blessings. “I love when you talk dirty to me, baby. Bikes, cars, engines, and racing. It’s like a shot of adrenaline straight to my co—” She coughed through a sip of coffee and I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Cold heart?”
