His movements were still stiff, but I melted when he gathered me in his arms, his crackly purr coming to life to soothe me. Unfortunately for both of us, that made me tip over the edge into crying.
“I’m sorry,” he rushed out. “Whatever I did?—”
“No, no, I’m just emotional. I didn’t realize how much it would mean to have someone like you have faith in me. I want to do a good job and make you proud. I need to prove to myself that Tyler was wrong, and that this is something I always should have been doing.”
Alve held me tightly, a shudder rolling through him when he let his chin rest on the top of my head.
“Alphas are meant to nurture their omegas, to support their aspirations. I’m truly sorry the alpha in your life prior to now wasn’t of that mindset. Whatever you need, if it’s within my power, please don’t hesitate to ask. Your success and happiness will only increase mine.”
My stomach twisted, grief for all the things I had been denied for so long overwhelming me. Everything Alve offered seemed too good to be true, but I wanted to believe all of it so fucking badly.
I pressed my ear to his chest, listening to his crackly purr evolve into something steady. “I really don’t mean to keep crying.”
“You’ve been through an ordeal. A long one. No one should expect you to heal from it so quickly.”
“I wish fate had introduced us sooner. Why did it wait so long? Why did I have to spend all those years with someone who didn’t love me?” My throat tightened to the point of painas I tried to hold back my sobbing. “Whydidn’t he love me? He didn’t even care. How can anyone else love me when I couldn’t make him give a shit after more than a decade doing everything I could to make him happy?”
Alve hushed me gently. “None of that is your fault. He had a treasure and failed to see your value. Not everyone will make that mistake.”
“But I can be a lot, I know I can be annoying, and get too excited, and?—”
Alve laid a finger against my lips to silence my ramblings, before cupping my cheeks like I was the treasure he’d described. He stepped away so I could see his face, and his dark eyes held me hostage. “You’ll never be too much for someone who can’t get enough.”
I swallowed hard. “But?—”
“Never,” he insisted. “Tyler was the wrong person for you and he made you doubt the fact that you’re a gift. He was wrong. Plain and simple. Whatever you and I end up being to each other, I will always care, and always take care of you. I haven’t even had the privilege of spending much time with you yet, and I can already see that the world is brighter for having you in it.”
I couldn’t breathe past the pounding of my heart. I was going to have a grudge against fate forever for not letting me meet Alve sooner.
Rising up on my toes, I followed the probably stupid compulsion to get as close to this alpha angel as possible. The sweetness of his mouth was tinged with salt from my tears. All I wanted was to climb inside his suit jacket and soak up the comfort he offered so freely.
It took him a hot second to fall into the kiss, but when he did, he swept me away. Alve kissed me like he’d been waiting his whole life for this moment, and I felt the truth of everything he’d said.
I surrendered to the sensation, desire going off like a firework when he backed me up against the wall. His hands glided down my arms, over my shoulders and up again, pinning my wrists overhead. Another internal firework went off, leaving me squirmy and desperate.
Alve broke away, panting, and let his forehead rest against mine. “I’m sorry, I—” At least he was as breathless as I was. “I shouldn’t have done that while you were upset.”
“I kissed you first, remember?”
His smile warmed me through. “I’ll never forget it.”
I shivered under his grip, his hands holding just tight enough I couldn’t slip away easily, but they released instantly the moment I moved to lower my arms. I didn’t go far, curling my fingers in his shirt. “Don’t feel bad. I don’t. I heard all the words, I think I just needed to feel them, too.”
I tipped my head up for a much more sedate kiss. He groaned against my mouth like I imagined he might if I had dropped to my knees instead. At least it would be impossible to doubt he wanted me. Alve was not a subtle man.
“Still nervous?” I asked, looking into eyes that were so close they merged into a giant one in my vision.
“I’m fairly confident I’ll never stop being that way.”
“We could make a pact?”
“What sort of pact?”
“You like me for my quirks, and I’ll like you for yours.”
His laugh was too cute. “I’m happy to agree to that.”
“Good.” I grinned. “Seal the promise with a kiss?”
