Page 53 of Freed

I glance at Gage over Bain’s head, and he nods slowly, absorbing my words carefully. “We were stabilizing you. And the more we were touching you, the more you stabilized until you were balanced enough to control it yourself.”

“What you’re saying,” Chase says, his arms crossed over his chest and an eyebrow raised in amusement. “Is that we fixed her.”

“I’m not sure—” Gage starts but I cut him off.

“You did.” His eyes snap to mine, the amusement fading. “I don’t know if you’ll ever understand how much you all truly saved me. Being in that place was awful. I begged the Goddess that each death would be my last.” A collection of sharp inhales sound throughout the room, and Bain holds me tighter, even as his knot deflates and he pulls his cock from me.

Suddenly, I’m pulled from his grasp, but by the look on his face, I know he could have held on to me if he wanted to. That thought completely escapes me when I find myself back on my back, with Maddox leaning over me, his piercing green eyes staring into mine.

He runs the crook of his finger down my cheek and across my lip as he studies me. My breath hitches as he leans closer, his bare cock pressing right against my core.

When did he get naked?

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” he says gently. “I’m sorry we weren’t able to save you.”

“But you did—” He presses a finger over my mouth, silencing me from speaking any further.

“Yes, we came for you last time, but you never should have been taken in the first place. I’m your alpha, your mate, and the leader of this pack, and I failed in all those roles the moment you were taken from our home.”

I open my mouth to speak, but he presses his finger against me firmly, giving me a look that says he’s not done yet. I close my mouth and swallow, hating that he blames himself for what happened.

“If I were a better man, I would relieve myself as leader of this pack, as your mate,” I gasp, my eyes widening with fear as he continues, “I don’t deserve you. But I find I can’t leave you, either. So I vow, here and now, that if you give me a second chance, I will do everything in my power to make sure you are always safe and protected with us.”

“And loved,” Hunter adds, making Maddox’s eyes flick to him before returning to me.

He nods. “And loved.” Slowly, he pulls his finger away and watches me carefully as if there is any other option here.

I can’t believe he was considering leaving me. Anger starts to boil inside me, despite his cock pressing into me, and my hand tightens into a fist. Then, surprising both of us, I punch him in the chest.

Of course he doesn’t move. He probably barely felt it, but his eyebrows rise in surprise as Chase lets out a laugh.

“Did she just punch you?”

“Yeah, well, he deserved it.”

His eyebrows lower, as do his eyes and he nods. “You’re right, I do.”

“For the love of—Maddox!” I say loudly, growling out his name as I cup his face and raise it until his eyes meet mine again. “The only thing I’m mad about is you daring to consider, even for a minute, that you would leave me. That is unacceptable! How could you even think that?!” He opens his mouth to answer, but I keep going.

“And you are not to blame for me being kidnapped. That was all Blaze. We had no idea what sort of magic and power he had, but we do now. And if you love me, at all, you will understand how ridiculous your question about giving you a second chance really is. Have I, for one moment, treated you like I was upset, or didn’t want you?”

His mouth parts again, but I shake my head. “No. The answer is no, I haven’t. So don’t insult me by thinking I would ever have a reason to stop wanting you, to stop loving you. Promise me that no matter what happens, even if I’m kidnapped a hundred more times, you will never give up on us.”

When he just stares at me, I move my hands to his shoulders and give them a small squeeze as I tell him, “You can answer now.”

“I promise, I will never give up on you. And if it helps, I only considered it for like a half a second.” The corner of his lip pulls up in a hint of amusement, and I find my own mouth doing the same.

“Half a second?” I prod as my fingers trail down his arms.

“More like a millisecond,” he says, lowering his head closer to mine, his lips hovering so close I can feel his warm breath on my face, his scent filling my nose and reminding me of where his cock is right now.

“Maddox,” I whisper, my lips brushing his. His hips slowly move, gliding his cock through my folds as he looks into my eyes.

“My beautiful little mate,” he whispers right before his lips connect with mine. His hips move a few more times, then he reaches between us, his fingers finding their way inside me. “Goddess, Cherry. You’re drenched.”

“Need… You…” I pant out as I claw at his back. He pulls his fingers out, grabbing his hard cock and nudging it at my entrance. He presses his tip inside and I try not to tense up. Agonizingly slow, he moves his hands up the outside of my hips and starts to press in. When his fingers skim over my nipples, my back arches, and he surges forward, eliminating the space between us.

“Maddox!” I gasp as he starts to thrust, his knees on the bed between mine. My hands find their way to the back of his neck as my feet hook around his hips, encouraging him to thrust harder. My eyes roll back in my head. One long moan rolls from me as I’m brought to my peak at lightning speed.