“Hush now, love, the day is done, sleep will come with the setting sun.”
Okay, wow. Wilder is not only an amazing director and business person, but he can sing? It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s deep and beautiful. Almost haunting.
Slick wets my inner thighs, and I grip the handle of the door in my hand so I don’t run into the bathroom.
I swallow hard, eyes finding his body as he continues to sing. He’s standing under the spray of a luxurious rainforest shower. The frosted stall is huge, and the light above him is bright enough I can make out his massive, tattooed body. His back is to me, round ass flexing as he scrubs himself down.
Holy shit, are those dimples on his butt?
The scent of strawberries floats around me, and I’m grateful he’s under a spray of water and lathering himself up with soap, or there’s no doubt in my mind that he’d smell me.
“Dreams will hold you, warm and near, until the morning light appears.”
My heart squeezes in my chest, memories of hearing this song as I fell asleep as a child pushing into the forefront of my mind. My mom used to tell me to dream of my future pack, and while I did, more than I ever cared to admit, I also dreamed of my future. Of being a star.
My eyes burn and I take in a sharp breath before I can think about how loud it is. Wilder’s body stills and he turns. I close my eyes like a child who believes they can’t be seen if they can’t see you.
“Iris?”
I know I can’t just stand here gripping the door handle with my eyes closed, so I do what an adult would do and open them. My gaze meets Wilder’s through the frosted glass. I grit my teeth to keep from closing my eyes again, or gods forbid looking down to his crotch. I already saw his well-sculpted backside and those cute dimples I want to lick; I’ll be running straight into the shower if I see his cock right now.
So?my Omega sasses.
She’s lost her damn mind now that she has the reins. A little taste of power and a scent-matched pack and everything I’ve worked for is gone out the window.
“Sorry,” I clip out. “I was—”
Wait. What was I doing again?
Wilder doesn’t move, doesn’t try to cover himself. His eyes remain on mine, and I swear I see the corner of his mouth tipping up into a grin. He’s standing far enough out of the spray that the water hits his back but drops cascade down from his hair and beard that both appear darker wet. Seriously, the Alpha looks like he just stepped out of every wet dream I had as a teen. One where the tatted bad boy sweeps me off my feet and takes me for a ride on the back of his bike.
Okay, let’s be honest. I’ve had that fantasy as an adult too.
I swallow, frozen to my spot. I tell my feet to move, to speak, to do anything, but every time I try to turn to leave it’s like an invisible force is making me stay put.
“Do you need to use the bathroom?” He runs a hand over his hair, then down his face, clearing any rouge water.
Oh right. That’s what I came here to do.
I nod dumbly and he points behind me. “Just head toward the sink and go right. You’ll see the toilet. It has a door you can close for privacy.”
My skin burns and I nod again. “T-thanks.”
He steps back under the spray and a flare of rejection stings in my gut. That’s idiotic considering I walked in here on him inthe shower. He’s also being considerate. What did I expect him to do, bark at me and tell me to join him?
My clit pulses at the idea but before I flood the space with my perfume while I stand here awkwardly and stare, naked and covered in slick and cum I might add, and a plug still in my ass, I scurry toward the bathroom.
Safely inside, I shut the door behind me and begin to cry.
Chapter fifteen
Wilder
Irestmyforeheadon the cool tile of the shower wall, clenching my fists at my side. I’m fighting to keep my Alpha down. It was hard enough to walk away from her while she slept, but now that she’s in the bathroom with me, and we’re alone, my Alpha wants to chase after her and claim her. Put my mark on her neck so she can never leave.
I run my tongue over my canines and take a few calming breaths. I’ve taken enough rut blockers today to put down a pack of wolves, and I can’t take anymore. It’s why I left the nest when I did. I have a lot of control, but having our scent-matched Omega in the nest we built in hopes of finding her one day, smelling like pack and the best strawberry dessert I could imagine, I had to get out so I didn’t lose myself and claim her. It’s the one request she had of us, and I’m not going to let her or my pack down.
I step under the spray and turn the water near-scalding. The burning water is painful, but it’s what I need. A reminder that my body is my vessel and I’m the one in control of it. I don’t have to fall into my baser urges. Iris is here, she willingly came to our home, to our nest.Hernest. She’s not going to suddenly disappear—at least not yet. Not until her heat is over and we have to have some real conversations about the future. Hopefully she’ll stay and ask us to be her pack.
