I need to claim her, mark her as mine so no one else can take her; so no one else can hurt her.
God, she smells so fuckin’ perfect with my scent all over her. My knot is nearly at the largest size, and I’m about to come when another hand grips my hair, pulling me away from her throat.
I come with a groan. “Fuck,” I hiss as I buck into her pussy, fillin’ her with my cum.
“What in the fuck do you think you were about to do?” I hear Axel’s voice as I look down at Lily’s perfectly unblemished throat. The asshole’s hand is still gripping my hair like a fuckin’ vice as I continue spilling inside of her.
My heart beats rapidly in my chest as my sanity comes back to me. My knot has us completely locked together as she pouts up at Axel. Her big brown eyes are fuckin’ pissed, and I can’t help the rumble of pride that she wanted my mark, or that she’s mad at herhusbandfor ruinin’ our special moment.
I holdTate’s head back as Lily glares at me. Her pupils are so wide I’m not even sure where her irises start. It’s hard to look at her like this when she isn’t fully herself, especially after all the horrific shit that just happened.
“Don’t give me that look. I’m not lettin’ this happen until you’re lucid.”
“Go away,” she groans at me, and I swear to fuckin’ God my heart sinks.
“What?” I ask her.
“Let go of my fuckin’ hair,” Tate snarls.
I nearly forgot he was balls-deep in my wife for a second. I don’t let go of his hair, and the fucker growls at me.
“Let me talk to her. You just stopped me from bondin’ with her. I know it was the right thing to do, but she doesn’t know that right now. It’s not personal.”
It sure felt fuckin personal.
It feels like Lily is mad at me for not being able to get my shit together and be the man she needed right away. I… I don’t have an excuse for how I reacted. I just saw one of my oldest friends dead and my girl nearly comatose. I just needed a second to pull myself together.
“Let go,” Tate repeats, and I release him with some force, making him groan. Lily’s eyes meet his, and she cups his face.
It feels like a betrayal if I’m being honest, and I hate myself for thinking it. I knew all along she needed Alphas; I worried that it would be like this, that I would be at the bottom of the totem pole when it happened. It’s like all my worst fears are coming to life as I watch all her attention focused on Tate.
“He’s your husband, your pack,” Tate states reassuringly, and I’m glad the fucker at least admits what I am to her.
Lily looks over me and her nostrils flare until her nose scrunches in disgust. I look down at myself; I am completely fuckin’ filthy. Not to mention I’ve been helping to get the other Omegas out of that hellhole and to the warehouse.
“Go shower and change. I think she can smell the other Omegas on you or somethin’,” Tate instructs me. When he says the wordsother Omegas, she tugs on his hair, and he groans again. “What the fuck is with grabbin’ my hair?”
“She’s a jealous one,” I say with a sigh, I drop my bag on the floor and follow his directions to take a shower. Even if my ego is hurt, hopefully, he’s right, and it’s just my scent irritating her. I’m half-naked and on my way to the shower when Tate calls out behind me.
“Where’s Cash?”
I sigh again as I grab onto the door handle and reply with the truth. “I don’t know.” He wasn’t around when we were getting the Omegas to the warehouse. I texted him multiple times, but he hasn’t responded. I sent him the address to the house; hopefully, he can pull his shit together enough to be here for Lily.
The shower feels nice as the hot water hits all of my tense muscles. I take a moment for myself while I’m in here. This is the last time I get to be sad for a while. I’ve got to hold it together for Lily.
I mourn my friend, who had drifted away from me, and now I know why. My mind still can’t grapple with the thought of him being a rat, but he sure as fuck had a Wraith’s cut on.
He was Tate’s inside man, and as much as I want to grill him about what he knows, now is not the time. Our priority has to be helping Lily through this, and then we’ll deal with everything that comes after.
Just thinking about the after makes me sick to my stomach, and I have to swallow it down. My gold band glimmers around my ring finger, and I use it to center myself. Lily is the center of my world, she’s all that matters right now.
I towel dry my hair and wipe down my body before wrapping it around my waist. My hand is on the knob, and I’m scared shitless she’s going to tell me to go away when I go back into the bedroom. It wasn’t the nest I wanted for her, but it’ll have to do. After this, she can have whatever the fuck she wants.
Tate’s left the room, leaving Lily resting on her side atop the mattress. She’s a mess, and I think about cleaning her up but decide against it. I really don’t want her glaring at me again. Instead, I crawl into the bed with her, feeling cautious and all sorts of fuckin’ insecure. Ihateit.
Tate has put a bandage on her face where they cut her, and I can’t help but touch the skin next to the band-aid. Her eyesblink open, and I feel like they’re staring at my fuckin’ soul for a minute until she sighs in contentment.
“Thank fuck, you know who I am?” I urge her.
