Happy with his explanation, I start snuggling. I mean, if we’ve officially started our weekend, no point wasting time fighting against this insta-lusty connection we share.
ChapterTwenty-One
RAMSES
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but a soft knock on my door was not it. I thought it would be Kai yelling down from the kitchen, or Darius thumping on his bedroom wall telling me it was time to come out.
Instead, it’s her.
I can’t see her, but JFC I can smell her.
And like every time I catch a whiff of Heidi Holmes, part of me settles while another part feels like it picks up speed, making me jittery with need.
“Whoa,” she whispers from outside my door. Her voice barely above an exhale, but like her scent, her voice is full of impact and is like having a megaphone held against my ear. And in a word, I get a reminder of who she is; formidable, strong, stubborn.
But I also know there’s going to come a point where her virtues will be tested, as yesterday and today come together in a messy collision. Rightly or wrongly, of course I feel a deep need to shelter her from it. “We don’t have to do this…”
“Pretty sure we do, because apparently it’s time for dinner, and I’m starving. I’m sorry about before, I’d been drinking and I jumped into being a judgemental primadonna…” Her voice carries from the corridor as she waves the door open and closed, fanning her scent into my room.
I want this. Her acting like we’re way past the past. And for a moment or two I let myself sink into a visual of her being here with me. The first notes of her sweet apple scent keep smashing against my shields, and my mouth waters as I hope. I lick my lips constantly because her unique Omega perfume is so thick and tasty. But I also know, I’m hoarding the memories in case this turns into a disaster.
It’s a weird phenomenon having met your scented mate and then trying to live without them… undeniably you suffer. You operate on half cylinders because a part of you is left forever pining. It’s overwhelming, but I’ve had a long time to deal with the fact. It also doesn’t make this reunion any less impactful.
For an Alpha, whose whole life is about being strong and ready to defend, it’s really fucking distracting. But no Alpha would ever give up time with their scent-matched Omega or if they did, you’d have to really fucking question who they are as a person, because that is fucked up.
The door goes flying open, and she stands in front of me, her leg half raised, looking as shocked she just did that as I am. I don’t move a muscle. Although, that’s not because I don’t want to, it’s because I’m locked up, terrified for the first time since I found her.
Her deep brown eyes are wide and full of question, but by fucking god, she looks good standing in my bedroom. My concern wars with a deep relief that has my Alpha purring, moving restlessly as I want to get closer.
“I’m Ramses,” I offer. A sweeping wave of protectiveness and need to comfort surges past my barriers and the words blurt out. “We didn’t really have a choice about how we did everything. And I’m sorry if you think we set you up…”
“You did, in a way.” She shrugs.
“True. But it wasn’t really a choice.” I blow out a breath and hold her gaze. “I… I… we’re…”
“You’re sure about what you want to say?” she teases. But it’s a poor attempt at making the situation lighter.
I close my eyes and feel like a failure as I keep screwing this reunion up. It takes a few slow and steadying inhales to recentre myself back to being Ramses Denali, Alpha, and Leader of my pack. I’m her perfect fucking match, and just as important, she’s mine, my ideal Omega.
When my eyes reopen I watch her reaction as she see more of my dominant Alpha side peeking through my tight constraints. My Alpha has no issue reminding me of the fact that Heidi Holmes is the missing piece of our pack. There will not be another day on this earth where she doesn’t know that.
I take a step nearer, my voice is deeper, more confident when I speak. “I suspected who you were when I handed you a drink before you took the stage. I figured a bit of liquid courage because you looked like you needed it, and I also figured it was too soon for me to send you off with a kiss, so a drink it was. My eyes did not leave you once when you walked away, your confidence was a sight to see. The way you owned the room even when you had no idea. When you spoke, you did it eloquently, but it wasn’t what you said, it was the way you ensured you reached every person, you touched them with a few words. I was so damn proud of you.”
Her eyes stay on mine. “You were there.”
“I was. And I know you have your own memories of what happened next, but I have mine too.”
Heidi stands as still as a statue, a mask of neutrality hiding her true emotions.
“Your scent was muted by all the suppressors you were hiding under. But for me, it was like being hit by a battering ram. I shouldn’t have played it safe; I should have thrown you over my shoulder and driven away. Which sounds extreme, but I would have if I had known that me not doing that would hurt you so much.”
Her hand covers her mouth and Heidi’s eyes shimmer, but she nods, telling me to keep going.
“The second the lights cut, I ran. It was chaos in the function room, people screaming trying to escape, but it was nothing compared to this insight I had to get to you. But I didn’t until it was too late.”
“I thought my bodyguard found me,” she says from behind her hand.
Moving slowly, I make my way to the dresser and open the top drawer where I’ve been hiding proof of me being there. I turn to face her, holding her watch out for her to take. As expected, her brown eyes flare in recognition. She reaches for it and at the same time I reach for her to take it.
