Fighting the darker emotions that threatened to drag me under, my voice came out flat and broken. “How did they get this organized so quickly? There’s no way he could have known I’d come alone or so early, but he was ready for me.”
The heat of Hunter’s skin flared until it burned against mine, and it was clear that he was still far too out of control for this conversation. If anything, I needed to calm him before he went full feral alpha again.
He yanked on the shower lever with so much force I was surprised it didn’t rip from the wall. When the water was warm, he stepped under the stream, and I flinched as the hot stream beat against my chilled skin. After my body adjusted, I tipped my head back and let the cleansing stream wash over me, while waiting for Hunter to set me on my feet. Instead, he took a seat on the large bench running along one side of the stall, keeping me firmly in his lap.
When he dropped his head back against the tiles, I stared at the strong lines of his neck, tracing a path up his bronzed skin until I reached his eyes, which were closed. The tension in his rugged features remained present, but as we sat there in a silence that should be uncomfortable, his anger eased.
“We almost lost you today, Emme.”
The husky rumble of his voice had my eyes burning.
“We thought you’d run at first. The phone was on the bed, no note left to explain what happened or where you’d gone.”
“I’m sorry,” I rasped, feeling like the biggest idiot. “The guardhouse called and woke me up saying that Chelsea had left books for me. I knew she was dropping them off, so I didn’t even think anything of it. You were all in the gym, and I figured I could race down and grab them and get back before anyone noticed. I stupidly forgot my phone—I’m still not used to carrying one around—and I honestly never expected your guards would be a danger to me.”
Hunter’s arms tightened and I was shocked when he lifted me so he could bury his face against my neck, breathing deeply. “We let you down, little omega. I’m the one who is sorry.”
I didn’t fight my strong need to comfort him, pressing my hand against his cheek and dragging my thumb down the scruff of his facial hair. “I promise, you did not let me down. You were there exactly when I needed you. You saved me and killed that asshole.”
His nose traced gently across my throat, and I felt a pulse under my ass as his cock jerked. It was a good thing I remained clothed, because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop him from taking me right now. I wanted Hunter as badly as he appeared to want me.
His teeth scraped across my skin in this deadly game we played. He only had to shift to his wolf canines and he’d break the skin, claiming me in his bite.
“I need you to tell me everything that happened. In full detail.”
I almost missed his question, which felt like a splash of cold water against my heated libido. “Beta Jones called and woke me just before five. He said Chelsea had dropped off some books for me.”
I detailed everything, including how he’d touched me, and his abrupt order to Harry. When I explained how my ribs got injured, his chest rumbled hard enough to jolt said ribs before he forced himself to calm once more.
“I smashed him with a branch, which gave me time to get back to the booth. If they got to Harry, he must have had at least one other shifter out there waiting, so I’m extra thankful I doubled back to the guard’s hut.”
Hunter nodded his agreement against my skin, and I gasped when his lips pressed to my throat, lapping up the water. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again, little omega.”
I already knew this was going to heavily impact my future plans to escape this pack. They’d be all over me now, ensuring I was never alone again. But as Hunter’s lips moved down the neckline of my soaked hoodie, I found that at this moment I didn’t care all that much.
Chapter
Thirty-Six
Hunter dragged his hand over my breasts, kneading them through my hoodie, and I groaned at the sensation his rough touch stirred inside me. He cupped my throat, and when I caught a glimpse of theMINEwith those claiming wolf’s teeth, my core clenched hard. The primality of his claim was enough to have me slick and in need of my alpha’s touch.
Against my skin, he whispered, “I’m going to strip you bare now, Emme. Then I’m going to taste and mark every inch of your perfect skin to assure my wolf you’re here and safe.”
He wouldn’t get a protest from me.
Desperation guided my actions as I reached out and wrapped my hands as far as I could around his thick biceps. Which wasn’t far at all.
“Taste me, Alpha Hunter. Just no claiming bite.”
His growl ripped through the room, but he didn’t fight my command. “I promise, little omega. No claiming. Everything else is on the table though, so let me know right now if you have any hard limits.”
I didn’t. Just no claiming.
“Do your worst.”
The final sliver of his patience snapped, and within seconds my clothes were torn away, scattering in tatters around the shower stall. His mouth was on my breasts before I caught my breath, licking and biting across the smooth skin until he sucked my right nipple hard. His teeth pressed around my areola firmly enough to leave a mark, but he didn’t break the skin.
He moved on to the left and I cried out at the sensation, my hands buried in his hair. He marked my body as he nipped and sucked my skin into his mouth. All the while his hands gripped my ass hard enough to leave bruises.
