When the clock strikes four, the spell is broken, and he breaks away in surprise. His gaze holds mine for a moment and then I hear Simon and Sarah’s laughter, hear Charlie muttering on about something. I drop my hand from his cock, realizing all at once the reality of the situation.
Fuck! This was not part of the plan!
“Emily, I?—”
I push Luke away.
“Don’t,” I say, clearing my throat. “Do not apologize right now, I can’t… I need?—”
I don’t miss the faint look of rejection in his eyes. I grab my fries and head towards our friends.
We should head to the boutique.” My entire body vibrates from the reality of what I’d just done.
Sarah looks between me and Luke, a knowing glimmer in her gaze. But she doesn’t say anything.
Luke growls and storms off ahead of us, seemingly leading the way, but I can’t help but feel more lost than ever.
Chapter
Eight
Luke
Ihave replayed the moment under the clock tower over in my brain time and time again for days. I can not for the life of me figure out where I went wrong.
Was it my kiss? Was it my words? She said it was her father’s wish that we meet, and my father had also admitted this confession before I’d been sent to fetch her from the airport. Yet despite the obvious…bondbetween us, this undeniable chemistry, she ran from me.
Which is why I’ve given Emily a wide berth since our return. Though knowing now what she tastes like, what her body feels like pressed against mine, it’s a torment I’ve never felt before. I’ve never felt this way about any omega in my life, and I know on some deeper level what that means.
She is my mate.
She is mine.But she is not trulymineuntil she accepts this bond, this connection between us, and given her most recent reaction…
I focus on shifting, on giving my body over to my wolf, on letting off this festering steam rather than the potential of Emily’s rejection. My wolf takes over almost instantly as I give myself up to him.
My form glides through the air, the scent of the forest a welcome home.
I smellher.On the wind, nearby.Milk and honey, so sweet it makes my mouth water. I barely get a howl out before I see a small, lithe white form bounding across the stream in front of me. She stands out like an angel in fur amidst the dark wood and verdant moss. I huff out a sound of challenge, and she looks at me, those pristine aquamarine eyes catching mine with interest. She kicks up moss and dirt, her legs moving with haste.
I chase her tail through the woods, gaining on her quickly. She may be small and fast, but I’m built for speed and agility, too.
I leap in front of her victoriously, blocking her path. She stops, her blue eyes catching mine as she huffs in annoyance, and then she pounces on me, knocking my body into the ground with a resounding thud. I’m acutely aware of my wolfish cock in this position, or rather how it slips out of its own accord without my knowledge from its sheath. I tense as she brings her maw down to mine. She lets out a low growl, her body pressed on top of me, and I panic, knowing one small move…
I growl back as I roll from beneath her, onto my stomach, sinking my cock into the grass beneath me even though my alpha roars at me that I am being cowardly.
No. This is not how I want to dothis.
It’s not that I have anything against mating in this form, but…
I would prefer Emily to be able to express her interest and consent in a more communicable way rather than an animalistic one. Call me old-fashioned. I want to hear her sayyes.
To me. To this bond that is eating me alive. I want Emily, the woman, to choose me, not just Emily, the omega wolf.
Only when I feel the soft touch of a slippery nose, do I open my eyes. She nudges me, a strange sort of comfort emanating from her. I whimper at the touch; at the intimacy it brings. She lays next to me, a soft chortle escaping her, as if somehow she understands even though I know she can’t. But for the moment, I pretend otherwise.
Her paw settles next to mine, and for a moment, we just lay there together in the grass. I don’t know how long we stay there. It could be minutes, hours. Days. All I know is when she gets up and trots off towards the estate, I follow her without question back, where I busy myself with showering and preparing for the Social, rather than focusing on Emily and how she’s turned my world upside down in a matter of days.
I wish I could take my time, perhaps even draw out this momentary release of built up tension, but I know there is much to do since the Cunninghams and the Fitzwilliams and Geralds and Harolds are coming amidst the smaller packs for the Social soon enough. So, I take care of myself, of my too-full cock as quickly as I can and dress myself in my new suit. I tell myself tonight is about showing theAmerican Omegahow we do things across the pond. How our alphas and omegas meet their mates.
