“About wanting you to make our pack whole, Tessa. Wanting you to be our Omega. We’re already yours, can’t you tell? The second you stepped out of that limo, you had us hooked.” He took one hand from my body, lifting it to cup my chin and tilt my face up to stare directly into his stunning honey eyes. “I know it’s too soon for you to believe that, but we’re going to do everything we can to convince you.”
“I can’t live without Josie,” I whimpered back. “The contract changes only said she could stay if she didn’t?—”
“We don’t give a shit about that contract,” Dixon cut in.
“She’s part of our pack too,” Mac promised.
“And someone can take Josie over my dead body,” Tray quipped. “I've waited my whole life for a pet.”
“I don’t believe any of this is real.” I shook my head, closing my eyes tightly. I refused to cry again.
“Oh, it’s real, Tessa.” Ryder’s voice floated into the darkness behind my lids. The silky sound of his words weeded into my cortex.It’s real. It’s real, Tessa.
I sensed him getting closer, but I couldn’t part my lashes. I needed to stay, just a moment longer, in a sightless sanctuary. I knew what was happening when his warm breath first tickled my forehead. I didn’t move as he lowered further, cinnamon breath continuing to whisper against my face. Automatically I tensed when I felt the way he hovered, finally in position. But I didn’t want him to read my body language as a sign to retreat.
I opened my eyes. He was so close. Dangerously close. His eyes glowed like sunlight through amber, revealing secrets hardened by time.
Though I’d once thought I would never kiss this man again, that I’d neverwantto kiss him again, I gave a barely perceptible nod of permission. Ryder studied me for a moment. This wasn’t like the concert. This wasn’t a five-alarm fire that could only be quenched by reckless abandon. This was a spark, one that had to be fanned gently, and fed carefully if we wanted to create something capable of warming us for a lifetime.
“Just kiss me,” I finally whispered, unable to wait even a millisecond longer.
He didn’t need to be invited twice.
Tenderly, he pressed his lips against mine.
The kiss was everything I didn’t know I’d needed—sweet, but also unyielding, passionate, but also carefully controlled. It ignited something deep within me, something I’d buried a long time ago. As his soft lips moved against mine, I felt the first pieces of my armor slip. And that waswhy I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him away. It was too much, too soon. Despite all the pretty words and promises, I’d learned that everything could change in a snap of fingers. I felt breathless, chest rising and falling erratically as I plummeted from the high of being kissed for the first time since that concert, since forever.
Mac cleared his throat. I looked over, finding his hand tightly wrapped around Dixon’s wrist as if he’d needed to hold him back. I focused on Dixon. His face had gone slack with need, an expression so different from the intense, guard dog energy he’d exuded since my arrival. The sight of him in this way made something fracture inside of me. My Omega nature flared, glands releasing an intense burst of scent as if they wanted to soothe his desire. When the aroma reached Dixon, his eyes fluttered closed and he inhaled deeply. Mac let go of Dixon’s wrist as he too became afflicted with my body’s special brand of aromatherapy. Mac shook his head roughly before retreating from the kitchen. Dixon opened his eyes, gaze locking with mine before he ran one large hand down the front of his pants. I followed his movements, eye widening at the bulge forming between his legs. When I lifted my head, Dixon shot me a satisfied grin before following Mac out. I couldn’t see Tray... but I could still smell him. He wasn’t far, maybe in the pantry.
Ryder leaned back down to me, pressing his cheek to mine and pitching his voice low so only I could hear.
“If you do that again, it won’t just be Dixon who can’t control himself.”
“I didn’t mean to,” I admitted quietly, biting my lower lip. “I could feel his need and it’s like my body had to respond.”
“Oh, you definitely responded. And he’s probably continuing his response in another room right this second.” Ryder turned his face to trace his lips across my cheek before standing up. He must have seen the confusion I was feeling plastered on my face, because he clarified. “What you just did was like… putting on exactly the right porn for each one of us. Your scent hits our Alpha and takes shape in specific, arousing ways. Hell, I haven’t seen Dixon smile like that in months.”
“But I didn’t do anything on purpose,” I shook my head.
“You haven’t been around many Alphas since getting your heat, have you?” He quirked one dark eyebrow curiously.
“Yes, I have,” I protested, feeling like he was judging my inexperience. “At my parents’ parties. I was always surrounded by Alphas.”
“Let me guess,” Ryder smirked, “Alphas your age?”
My eyes narrowed, before dragging out a one-word reply. “Maybe.”
“Trust me when I say that teenage Alphas, aren’t real Alphas.”
Before I could figure out a clever response—since admittedly I’d never once been attracted to any of the guys my age, given that they’d all smelled like stale booze and greasy food to my immature Omega—Tray’s voice busted through the rising banter. Apparently, my overzealous scent had taken its time wafting towards him. Ryder moved behind me, unblocking my view so we could both stare at Oblivion Haze’s resident drummer and jokester.
“Daaaaammmmmnnn.” He strode out of the pantry, flour-covered Josie cradled in his arms, “Fire our dealer. Tessa’s the only fix we’ll ever need.”
“Your… dealer?” I really hoped he didn’t mean what I thought.
“Just kidding,” he grinned mischievously, dimples cratering, “We’ve never done drugs. Not once. We’re the picture of sobriety. Write all our hits fueled by decaf coffee and dreams.” Tray jostled Josie around gently, then pretended to jot something down on his open palm. “Note to self, actually fire nonexistent drug dealer.”
I didn’t believe him, not one bit. And I’d have told him so, if Josie hadn’t sneezed loudly and distracted me. A cloud of white powder puffed off her furry body and floated down over Tray’s body. Josie had the absolute nerve to look at me in horror afterwards, as if she didn’t remember exactly how she’d ended up covered in flour.
