9. NINE
NINE
Vera
Bas drops my arm, staring at me in horror. “Heat? But Vera you—you’re not—” He scrubs a hand over his face. “Are you sure?”
“How can I be sure? It’s never happened to me before! All I know is that Mom warned me at Christmas, and I didn’t listen. I didn’t believe her.”
“Slow down, slow down. Why did your mom think you were going into heat then?”
“No, she said I would. That I’d make the change. I thought it was just wishful thinking but—”
He frowns. “But what?”
“But all of my ah…symptoms fit.”
“What symptoms?”
I flush. It’s probably a bad idea to mention the fact that I’ve been dreaming about him for the last week and playing with myself each time because I wake up so horny I can’t stand it.
Or the fact that I’m currently wondering if he would taste as good as he smells because he smells pretty fucking great.
“Well, I’m feeling hot, for one. And my scent has changed. You must have noticed it.”
Now it’s Bastien’s turn to shift uncomfortably. “Yeah. I mean I did. But you’re sure?”
I shrug. “No, but if I am going to go into heat, don’t you think I should try to get back to town? To find an alpha.” I cough. “To rut me.”
Bastien’s jaw tightens. “Absolutely not.”
I stare at him. Is that… is he jealous?
He turns away, pacing toward the door. “It’s far too dangerous. I can’t let you go out there in these conditions.”
I’m fighting with my instincts to chase after him and wrap my arms and legs as far around him as they’ll go, and it takes me a moment to process what he’s saying. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that you stay here where it’s safe, and I’ll go and bring back an alpha.”
I blink. Bas go out there in the snowstorm and risk himself just to bring back someone else when all I want is him? “That doesn’t make sense. If it’s so dangerous then why would you risk yourself?”
He bunches his hand into a fist and slams it into the wall so hard I’m scared he’ll hurt himself. “Because I won’t risk you, Vera. Your family would never forgive me.” He turns to look at me and his expression softens. “I would never forgive myself.”
“But what if you don’t make it back?” My vision gets blurry, and I blink back stupid tears. A moment ago I was fantasizing about licking him all over. Now I want to curl up in a ball and weep. Definitely all the symptoms.
Bas is perceptive. He comes closer again and puts his hand on my shoulder. “Hey, it’s OK. I’ve got you. I’ll make sure you get through whatever this is.”
Warmth from his hand spreads through me despite my clothing, and I concentrate hard to prevent myself from squeezing my legs together around a sudden throbbing.
Bastien’s nostrils flare, and he lifts his hand slowly. "How long have you been feeling like this?”
I want to whimper at the loss of contact. At the same time, hearing him confirm what I already suspected somehow makes this so much more real. It drags a soft sound from between my lips that I fail so smother. “A few days, maybe.”
Bastien’s eyes widen. “I’ll go. Let me shift and I’ll—”
I grab his arm. “Don’t go! Please don’t go. I don’t want to be alone, and I don’t want some random alpha. I want—”
“Vera.” His tone is a warning.
I forge on anyway. “I want you. Why can’t it be you? I know you’re not an alpha, but I don’t care.”
“That’s not a good idea.”
“I’m on birth control. You wouldn’t have to worry.”
“It’s not that. It’s just not a good idea. I’m not a good candidate.”
“Why not?” I demand, not caring any longer about holding back. My hormones are screaming at me to do something, to fill the hole opening up inside me.
A huff of air leaves Bas in a laugh, shocking me back into the moment. “God, Ver, you really want to know?”
“Yeah.” Really doesn’t cover it.
He sighs. “It can’t be me because… because I’m too big.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh. “That’s your big reason?”
He gives me a look which tells me exactly what he thinks about my stupid pun. “I mean it, Ver, I’d hurt you.”
I scoff. That throbbing has leveled up to one million just at the talk about Bas’s package, and when I shift I’m noticeably damp between my thighs.
Bas swallows, his Adam’s apple working. “Vera, I know you think it would be fine but trust me. It’s too big.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “I highly doubt that, but OK. I guess the only other choice is for me to weather it here. Without a rutting.”
His mouth drops open, and he stares at me for a long moment. “Y-you can’t.”
“It can be done.”
“It won’t be pretty.”
I shrug. “I won’t die. I can’t promise not to try to have my way with you when it gets bad, but you’re strong. You can just tie me up, right? Or hold me down.”
I have to pause and bite my lip to hold back a moan at the thought of Bas looming over me, holding my hands above my head while he sinks his hard, thick—
A low growl from him startles me. “This is a bad idea, Vera.”
“Got a better one? One that doesn’t involve either of us potentially getting hurt or killed?”
He sighs. “No. I don’t, but I don’t like it.”
“Well feel free to change your mind and rut me any time you like.”
Three hours later I’m feeling a whole heck of a lot less cool and collected. Once we’d agreed neither of us would leave the emergency shelter, Bas began setting out emergency rations and sleeping gear.
I can’t force myself to eat, but I drink the water he gives me. I try to sit, but I’m too restless; however, pacing only makes me more conscious of my body and the constant ache between my thighs.
The wind howls outside, and I know I should feel cold, but I’m sweating. I strip down to my shirt, and it’s still not enough. Everywhere fabric touches my body makes me want to scream.
Bas looks up from where he’s sitting against the wall. “Why don’t we make you more comfortable?”
I almost get on my hands and knees right then. Goddamn hormones! I try to force the words to come out in a steady voice. “Did you change your mind?”
He shakes his head. “No, but I do know one thing about soothing an omega, and it involves nesting.”
“Nesting?” Some knowledge forced to the back of my mind rises to my consciousness as I remember. “Oh! But we don’t have a bed or anything to make a nest with.”
“Challenge accepted.” He gets to his feet, and within a short space of time, Bas has pulled out all the sleeping bags and emergency blankets from our stash.
He finds a corner of the cave where the roof dips low and tucks everything inside, blocking part of the entry by fixing an emergency blanket over it like a door using a tent peg and a mallet.
I crawl inside, and to my surprise some of the nervous energy swirling around my body fades.
I sigh. “That is actually a bit better.” For some reason being in the smaller space with the silky sleeping bags around me calms the frantic fluttering of my heart.
“But what about you? I’ve got all the sleeping bags. ”
“Don’t worry about me.”
I don’t like that answer, but I honestly don’t have it in me to fight with him right now, so I tuck myself into the makeshift nest and try to relax. It must be night by now. I shut my eyes and try to sleep, but I’m too restless. I can’t keep still.
I must have drifted, though, because next thing I know Bas is brushing hair back from my forehead and holding out my bottle of water. “Here. Try to drink something.”
As soon as his fingers leave my skin the heat prickles over my body and I shudder. “Wait. Keep touching me. It’s better when you’re touching me.”
I expect him to draw back, but instead, he strips off his jacket and crawls into the nest with me. The space is tight in here, especially with Bastien in here too. He slides in feet first, and I snuggle in against his side, letting out a deep sigh at the relief I feel with his arms around me.
“Ahhh. That’s so much better. Please don’t stop touching me.”
“Shhh.” He strokes my hair again. “You’ve got this.” A deep rumble comes from his chest and makes me feel all melty inside.
I look up at him in surprise. “Did you just purr?”
It stops. “Guess so. I’ve never been able to do that before.”
“Do it again.”
His face scrunches up into an expression of concentration and there’s a pause. But after a few seconds the sound starts up again and I grin. I feel so much better. All light inside and floaty.
I relax into his arms.
His scent surrounds me. The honey sweetness has grown stronger, and I press my nose against the place where there’s a gap between the buttons of his shirt to get more of it.
He stiffens, his arms tightening around me.
I’m too lost to my need for his scent to stop, though. My fingers push through the gaps between buttons to sink into the rough hair on his chest.
He stops purring and lets out a deep groan.
I can’t help it. My body reacts to the deep masculine sound, clit throbbing wildly. To my embarrassment a flood of moisture gathers between my legs before I can stop it.
It’s like I’m watching myself through a hazy lens. I’m aware of what I’m doing, but I have no control.
I sling my leg over one of his and grind myself against his thigh, gritting my teeth at the riot of sensation it sends through my body. It’s so good, I have to do it again. Soon my hips are moving in a restless rhythm and I’m clinging to him with fistfuls of his shirt.
“I’m sorry. You should stop me.” I sure as hell can’t stop myself.
He doesn’t stop me, though. Instead his hand slides down my back and cups my ass, and he lets out an unsteady breath. “It’s OK. Take it. Use me.”
I could cry with relief at the invitation. I grind harder, trying not to think about the wet patch I’m leaving on my clothing and his. I’m too far gone.
The pressure on my clit builds as I press harder against him. It’s so good, but at the same time I need more. I need to feel my naked skin against his. His heat, his warmth.
I wrap my leg further over his body, changing my angle, trying to get more sensation to where I need it, and then I freeze. As I shift position, my knee rubs up against a very large, very thick bulge in his trousers.
He lets out an incoherent noise.
I bite my lip, impossibly tempted. My fingers tremble as I release one fistful of his shirt and slide my hand down his body, lower and lower until I encounter the firm ridge beneath the fabric.
Neither of us breathes. Neither speaks. I trace the whole outline of the bulge, my mouth watering and the ache in my pussy growing to unbearable levels. “Is this OK?” I whisper, praying he doesn’t say no.
Bas grunts. “See what I mean?”
I really don’t. My hand roams up and down until I’ve explored the whole length of him through his pants.
The ache in my pussy is a red-hot heat. Too big?
It’s not too big. It’s more like a dream come true.
In fact, all I can think about is how fucking right it would feel to have that huge hard cock stuffed deep inside me.
Finally his big hand closes around my wrist and gently stops me. “Ver, you’re killing me.”
“I’m sorry.” My eyes fill with tears I have to blink back. I hate that I’m making him uncomfortable.
“Don’t be sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just… I won’t be able to hold back if you keep going.”
“Then don’t!” God, I want to feel him press me into the firm mats we laid down underneath the bedding. To grind me into the mat and steal my breath with how deep he fits inside.
He groans again, and his fingers flex around my hand. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t. Can’t we just try it? Please? I’m on birth control. It will be fine.”
“Ver, you know I’d do anything to help here, but…”
“But?”
He lets out a sigh of resignation. “You have to stop if it hurts, OK?”
I have no intention of stopping, but I nod, wriggling out of my clothing. I whimper at the feel of the cool air on my skin. Bas moves as if he’s going to climb out of the nest to strip down, but I grab his belt. “Can’t wait.”
“Wha—?”
Before he can finish the question, I tug at the buckle and get that baby open in the blink of an eye.
A moment later and the fastening of his trousers is undone too.
I tear at them as he lifts his hips to pull them down.
I’m so eager to see and touch him, I’m sure I rip them in my haste.
He doesn’t complain, though. When the trousers are off, I grab the waistband of his briefs and release his cock, but then I have to pause.
Because the cock I reveal when I pull off his underwear deserves a pause—it deserves a full minute of solemn silence to be properly appreciated.
It’s beautiful.
I know some girls might say a penis can’t be beautiful, but right now I’d fight them all because I’ve never seen anything as mouth-wateringly perfect as the sight of Bastien’s hard, thick cock jutting up to meet me.
He’s thick enough I already know my hand won’t wrap all the way around and so long I could stack both hands and he’d still poke out the top.
I stare at it and then him and then his cock again, unable to speak.
Bastien groans and tries to cover himself. Even he can’t hide it all with one hand, though. “I told you it was too big.”
“Are you crazy?” I pull his hand away and it springs up tall again. “It’s perfect.”
“It is?”
I nod.
He tries to speak, but I’m too obsessed. I’m kneeling between his thighs, so I lower my head and nuzzle my face along his thigh and across his shaft, savoring the heat and the way the powerful scent of him grows stronger as the tip drags along my cheek.
He lets out a choked sound and goes still again. So I take the opening.
While he’s lying there breathing hard, cock stiff and moist at the tip, apparently too stunned to move, I lift my leg and sling it over him, gasping with pleasure as I slide my sopping wet pussy right up the underside of his shaft, trapping it between us.