The first tear snaked down my cheek like the Judas it was, blatant and shameless in selling me out.
“Fuck,” he whispered, dashing it away with his thumb. “It’s going to be okay.”
“They’re replacing me. And they didn’t even have the courtesy to warn me first.” A sob so strong it rattled my whole chest had me burying my face in his neck. Tears flowed freely as his warm, masculine scent wrapped around me.
“I know. They did, and it’s okay to be mad at them. Hell, I’m mad at them on your behalf.”
I shook my head, but I kept my nose buried at the joint of his neck and shoulder, where that smoky, delicious scent was strongest. His mate scent, the one that was only for me. Selfishly, I loved that he was all mine, even though I wasn’t ready to admit that I wanted him that way.
“It’s my fault, really. I knew what I was risking, staying here with you. I was just lying to myself.” I sniffled, trying hard to regain my composure, pour it all out, and be done with it. “I was lying to myself to think that I could stay in limbo and nothing would change. That I could chase this connection between us, and as long as I didn’t have mate marks, it would be fine. I’d still be a maiden, still honoring my oath to my sisters, and… nothing would change. To experience a real heat with an alpha who cared about me, who… who I shared a real connection with. I wanted that. I wanted it with a selfishness that wasn’t honorable at all.” I finally pulled back, too ashamed to stay snuggled up to him when I’d just admitted I’d been planning to use him for my own selfish pleasure while hoping nothing changed between us.
“Why is that selfish, huh?” He gripped the back of my neck, refusing to let me hide from him. The hand on my hip slowly moved to my ass, his hold tightening as he pulled me closer, one of my knees threading between his as our hips slowly ground together. A fresh bolt of need ripped through me as I felt the evidence of his own desire pulsing against my lower belly. “You think you’re the only one who wants this?”
His lips dropped to my ear, his next words a shudder-inducing whisper. “I could fuck you right here, right now, and have no regrets.Thatwould be selfish.”
Valens pulled back, his eyes searching mine as if to make sure he hadn’t pushed me too far. I was sure that all he saw, though, was wanton lust.
Because it was all I felt. I was a burning being of need, nothing more. But he wasn’t done with me, not yet.
His next words were gentle, soft little death blows against my already battered soul. “It’s not selfish to want some part of your life to be for you. Everyone does. Every damn she-wolf on this planet wants to spend her heat with the wolf who loves her, who puts her needs first. And you deserve to doexactlythat. Fuck anybody who says otherwise.”
I closed my eyes, unable to meet his when they were filled with such intensity. This man believed every single word he’d just said. And one of those words was love.
I wasn’t ready to look that deep, not yet. Couldn’t bear to ask myself if our hearts were already involved when this whole situation, our whole budding relationship, felt like a powder keg built on a foundation of dynamite.
Ready to blow with one. Wrong. Move.
The thing is, I never claimed to be cautious. I don’t know how my fingers ended up tangled in his hair, or how my lips ended up fused to his, as if to break apart would mean instant death.
I didn’t even know how we ended up on his couch again, tangled up together. Kissing Valens was the blood in my veins, the oxygen in my lungs, the beat of my heart trying to slam its way out of my chest. He was all-consuming, and I was running on pure, primal instinct under his touch. My sword was forgotten on the floor, my arms wrapped around his neck as if sheer force of will could keep him on top of me until I’d had my fill.
But as he began to kiss his way down my throat, I knew therewasno fill. I was hunger and heat and want.
His hands traced down my sides, found the hem of my tunic, and lifted it off me with ease. The cool air kissed my bare skin, raising goose bumps everywhere it touched, my nipples pebbling in my simple sports bra.
Embarrassment tried to creep in since the first time he was seeing me shirtless, I wasn’t wearing anything sexier. I was in my uniform, and underneath were my everyday basics. A strappy sports bra and plain cotton panties that probably didn’t match. But the way he groaned as he slowly ran his hands up my bare sides?
The hunger in his eyes, the way he tortured his bottom lip between his teeth as his hands cupped my breasts?
Fuck me, the man didn’t seem to mind.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. You know that? You could be wearing a nun’s habit and I’d still want to get under it.”
I laughed, smacking him lightly on the shoulder. “I’m not a nun, I’m a badass. And you’d better not forget it.”
His slow grin spread, dimples appearing in his cheeks as he leaned down, bracing himself on the arm of the couch above my head. “There’s nothing about you that’s forgettable, Elodie Carmichael. Not one damn thing. And if you don’t tell me to stop, I’m going to peel every inch of clothing off you and memorize the rest of you.”
His hand hovered at my waistband, waiting. His fingertip teased my skin just underneath, sending shivers of want through me.
“I—”
A key entering the door lock broke through my moment of hesitation, we both froze right as the knob started to turn.
“Shit!” I swore and scrambled for my discarded shirt at the same time Valens hollered, “Don’t come in!”
The door froze, open only an inch. “Why, there’s nothing a girl loves to hear more thandon’t come inafter a long day of work,” Savannah drawled, her sarcasm heavy as she waited on the doorstep.
Valens looked down at me apologetically, mouthingsorrybefore standing and putting himself between me and the door as I pulled my shirt hastily back into place and tugged my sword scabbard back over my shoulder where it belonged.
