Things were about to get very interesting at the Allegiance Compound.
***
Jury waited in Koe’s room, intimately sore yet splendidly satisfied. After he’d carried her to the manor, he’d locked them away in his room and had finally claimed her, repeatedly. Fingers tracing absently over his mark on her throat, she smiled happily. Happily! It had been so long since she’d felt genuine happiness that she’d forgotten what the emotion felt like. Right now, she felt so fortunate and grateful. The Alpha had chosen her, and it still felt so surreal. She didn’t feel worthy, but she’d work on that. She’d work on believing that she deserved all the things that Koe told her she did, and not just because he was the Alpha, but because he was a good man.
A good man.
She’d stopped believing in them. Then Koe had shown up like a knight in shining armor and given her faith right back. Andit wasn’t just her happiness that was awe-inspiring. Narae was safe, mated, and happy too, and that probably meant more to Jury than her own joy. Narae had thought for so long that being born of Bragga meant that she’d inherited some of his evilness. Jury knew it was one of the reasons, Narae was such a caretaker. She was trying to kill any dark parts of herself because she feared they’d come from Bragga. Narae fought hard to be the light, and she was. She’d kept Jury going, and now that they were safe and loved, Jury was so excited about the future. Maybe she’d get pregnant, maybe Narae would! Either way, it’d be a miracle that neither thought they’d ever receive. For the first time in her life, Jury was excited for the future. She was excited to learn about her mate.
At the thought of him, the door clicked open, and Koe walked in carrying a plate piled high with food. Just the sight of him stole her breath. He was beautiful and considerate. He’d made her stay in bed while he got them food, and to him it was a simple task, but for her it was being cared for in a way no one—other than Narae—ever had. Hell, she didn’t know that males did things like this. And maybe they didn’t. Maybe it was just a Koething. They’d only been mated for hours, and he was already taking such good care of her, and she got it, because she wanted to take care of him too.
“I hope you’re hungry,” Koe beamed, walking to the bed and settling the plate of food onto her lap before climbing onto the bed beside her.
Teasingly, Jury asked, “You mean for food, or…”
“Nope!” Koe grabbed a doughnut and ripped off a bite with his perfect teeth before pointing a finger at her. “Don’t even try it. I’m feeding you before I touch you again. Then we’ll shower and rest.” He winked at her, “And then we’ll start again.”
Jury smiled, her heart squeezing at his patience and consideration. Other men wouldn’t care about her hunger or cleanliness or exhaustion, but Koe wasn’t one of those other men. He was hers! Sucking back the grateful tears, Jury couldn’t stop the breathy, “I love you,” that left her.
Koe stopped chewing. Eyes on her, he studied her face before he said, “I love you too, baby. And I’m grateful for you.” Swallowing the bite of food in his mouth, he reached for her handand then stopped because there was sugar on his fingers from his doughnut.
Seeing his dilemma, Jury grabbed his hand and brought it to her mouth, where she closed her lips around one long finger and sucked the sugar off. Eyes on Koe, she watched his mouth fall open before he hissed, “Goddamn you, Jury.” Then he pulled his hand back, took the plate of food from her lap, and rolled to put it on the bedside table before he covered her with his body. “Just this once,” he breathed. “Then we’ll shower and rest.”
Jury laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. She relished the fact that she could snap his control. It was heady because it showed what he was. Hers!
