I trusted my alpha. I trusted Kaelen.
Even though it terrified me to do that.
“Scáth beag,” he whispered, lifting the puppy so he could kiss the top of her head.
“What’s that mean?” I asked as we slipped into the back seat together.
“Little shadow.”
I grinned, watching as our little shadow snuggled into Kaelen’s lap as content with him as she had been with me. After a minute, she stopped shaking, her chest rising and falling with steady breaths. Kaelen splayed a hand over my thigh, giving it a squeeze.
Pieces of hair fell free from his bun, lying between his brows. I reached up, pushing them off his face. A vibration grew in his chest as his eyes darkened.
“Thank you,” I whispered, kissing him. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“Anything for you, Willow.”
I believed him.
Twenty-One
WILLOW
After we got home from the shelter, I stayed in bed with Kaelen and our little shadow. It was almost as if everything that happened to her vanished. She jumped onto the bed, nuzzling into the expensive duvet before falling asleep.
Kaelen snorted, unconcerned about the dog in our sheets. Careful not to disturb our new bedmate, he stripped down to his briefs, taking me down to my panties before tucking me into him. I lingered on the edge of sleep as he stroked my hair.
“Alpha?” I whispered, keeping my face burrowed in his neck.
“Hmm?” he groaned as I dragged him from the precipice of sleep.
“Could you ask Aileen to make any necessary decisions for the wedding? I’m not picky, and I’m overwhelmed.”
The premise of marrying Kaelen wasn’t as terrifying as it had been even a few hours ago. But I still wanted nothing to do withplanning it. Some girls spent their whole lives dreaming about their weddings.
For me, all it did was make acid crawl up my esophagus.
Propping himself up on his elbow, he cradled my face.
“Are you sure? What about your dress?”
“No cupcake ballgowns. But yes, I’m sure. That’s my only stipulation.”
Unconsciously, I played with the ring on my finger, the sapphire cool to the touch. He brought my ringed hand up to his lips, kissing it. I perfumed, and his nails dug crescents into my ass as he pulled me closer.
“Sleep, Omega.”
I reluctantly obeyed, wishing we’d do more than sleep.
Saturday morning came, and my skin crawled. I spent most of the previous day hidden away in our bedroom while Kaelen worked in his study. At some point, he had moved me into our bed after I passed out reading in a chair by the fire.
Something hard poked my bum. I rolled from side to side, acutely aware of the dull ache between my thighs. I wanted to wake up like this every morning. With my alpha’s solid chest pressed against my back.
I rocked my hips, grinding into him.
A raspy moan blew over my ear, and my omega preened. What started out as sexy turned into funny when he tugged at the bunched duvet by his feet.
“Blasted beast, stealing my side of the bed, hogs more of the blankets than you,” Kaelen grumbled as Shadow sprawled out her legs near his pillows.
