Epilogue
Neil
More than half the day is gone, and I couldn’t care less. I’m in a warm, comfortable bed, alone with my mate, and for the first time since we met, we’re not running for our lives.
I yawn and stretch my arms, then snuggle back into my pillow. Blake’s arm tightens around my waist and he nuzzles at the nape of my neck, letting out a contented noise.
“Morning,” he says, voice heavy with sleep.
“Afternoon actually,” I correct, tilting my head to give him better access to my neck.
He chuckles and pulls me closer, his very obvious erection nestling between my ass cheeks. “Does it really matter what time is it?”
“Nope.” I arch my back, pushing back into him. “Not. At. All.”
A low growl rumbles in his chest as he runs his nose down the side of my neck, then nips at my shoulder. “We’re alone.”
“Uh-huh.” I close my eyes as his fingers brush across the waistband of my boxers.
“Maybe we should take advantage of that?”
I nod eagerly. “Yes. Definitely.”
The fated mate bond has been mostly quiet since our reunion—though, we’ve been sleeping most of that time—but now it flares to life, a blaze of heat in my chest, urging me closer to Blake. There’s still the whole pesky pregnancy thing, but there’s always the pull-out method, right?
I’m just about to say the same to Blake when there’s a knock at the door. I huff. Somebody has shit timing.
“Yeah?” I call out, not bothering to hide the annoyance in my voice.
“I brought you a present,” says Raquel in a sing-song voice from the other side of the door.
“Don’t care,” I grumble. “Go away.”
“You don’t want me to do that.”
“Uh, yes, I do.”
“Just open the damn door, Neil,” she says, and I can almost hear her rolling her eyes at me. “This is something you’re definitely going to want.”
“Fine.” I sigh, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, shuffling over to the door, and pulling it open. “What?”
She flashes me a mischievous grin. “You know how you mentioned the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy preventing you from completing the mating bond before?”
“I know you laughed your ass off when I told you that, yes.” I narrow my eyes. “Why?”
“Because I have brought you the solution to your problem.” She brings her hand out from behind her back in a theatrical sweep, displaying the box of condoms sitting in her palm. “I talked one of the praetorians into driving me to a drug store in town this morning.”
My friend is nothing if not resourceful. And convincing.
I roll my eyes, but I take the box. “Is that all?’
“Yup,” she says, grinning. She leans around me to poke her head further into the room. “You can thank me later, Blake.”
“Get out of here,” I say, smiling and shaking my head.
She winks, sends me a jaunty wave, then heads down the hallway toward the stairs. Once she’s gone, I return to Blake, setting the box of condoms on the night table and sitting on the edge of the bed.
Blake raises his brows and glances pointedly at the box. “Are those what I’m supposed to be thanking her for?”
“Yeah.” Heat rises in my cheeks.
Blake sits up and moves to sit behind me, my back to his chest, his legs on either side of my hips, and his chin hooked over my shoulder. “I want you to be mine in every way possible, but if you’re not ready yet, we can wait.”
“No,” I say quickly. “I’m ready, just… I don’t know how to explain it.”
He presses his face against my hair. “We might not have known each other long, but I trust that fate knows what it’s doing bringing us together.”
I reach up and cover his hand with mine. “I do too.” Turning my head to face him, I add, “As much as it’s scary to make the leap, you’re it for me.”
He smiles softly, the corners of his hazel eyes crinkling with happiness. He brushes a finger down my nose, then says, “Solomon thinks I should take over as Alpha here.”
I blink, thrown by the change of subject. “Okay, that’s random. When did he say that?”
“Last night when you were talking to Raquel and filling her in on the accuracy of her mpreg fanfics.”
I snort. “She really got a kick out of that.”
“She did.” He pauses. “Solomon thinks because I’m from Rockcastle, the pack would be better off with me as Alpha. I won’t do it if you don’t think it’s a good idea, though.”
“If that’s what you want to do, I have no problem with it,” I say. “But I do insist on having a claiming bite on my neck first. Your claiming bite.”
Blake chuckles, tilting my head to the side so he can run his nose up the side of my neck, pausing just below my ear and inhaling deeply. “I have absolutely no objections to that.”
I squirm a little at the tickling sensation of his breath on my skin. “Before we get too much further, I’m going to suggest we make use of a couple toothbrushes and the shower.”
“Good idea.”
We quickly brush our teeth, then with our mouths all minty fresh, we jump into the shower. Blake presses me against the wall, kissing me hungrily as the water falls around us. I lose myself in the rhythm of his touch for a moment before pulling away and patting his cheek.
“As amazing as your mouth is, let’s not get distracted. I have no idea how big the hot water tank is and the last thing I want is a cold shower.”
He laughs and shakes his head, but grabs the soap and starts lathering up. We end up washing each other, soap suds and warm water creating a quiet intimacy.
The water eventually begins to go cold—good call me—so we get out of the shower, sharing the single towel to dry off, then Blake surprises me by effortlessly lifting me and carrying me to the bed.
He tosses me on top the covers, and I bounce a little on the mattress as he prowls forward on his knees, moving up the bed until he’s hovering over me, his arms braced above my shoulders and his hip cradled between my legs.
He pulls back slightly and holds my gaze, his eyes dark with desire.
His wolf hovers near the surface, giving his expression a predatory edge.
Even now, that hint of feralness remains. I don’t think it will ever fully leave him, but I accept him, wolf and all.
Hunger flares in his eyes, and he leans down to take my mouth in a heated kiss, pressing his tongue past my lips. I moan into his mouth, and he lets out a soft growl, the vibration sending a shiver down my spine as he nips at my lower lip with teeth slightly elongated past the human standard.
I run my hands down his sides to his ass, gripping and squeezing as he moves away from my mouth and licks his way down my neck.
He reaches my nipple, lapping it with his tongue before pulling it between his teeth and biting down, just hard enough to cause a sharp jolt of pain softened by pleasure.
He turns his attention to the other nipple, licking and gently biting until I’m writhing on the bed.
Blake glances down and makes a self-satisfied noise, then continues his path down my body and noses at my cock, hard and straining.
I choke off a gasp, almost coming on the spot, as he takes me into his mouth in one smooth motion.
I arch upward and he puts one arm across my hips to hold me down.
He lavishes attention on my dick, licking and sucking until I’m so close to the edge I have to push him off.
“I want you inside me,” I say. “Please.”
He guides me onto my stomach then lifts my hips and moves behind me. His breath brushes across my ass cheeks followed by the nip of teeth. He hums, one hand at my hip and the other stroking down my side to caress my ass. One finger slips inside me with very little resistance.
The omega lubrication factory seems to be functioning quite well.
One finger turns to two, carefully scissoring to prepare me to take him.
His tongue joins his fingers, and I let out a surprised squeak.
I was not expecting that, but I’m damn sure not complaining.
I let out a low keening noise and my arms give out.
My torso slumps onto the bed, but Blake’s hold keeps my hips in the air as his tongue and his fingers fuck into me.
“Blake… please,” I pant, breathless with want and desire.
“Have patience, mate,” he says, stroking my flank.
“Nope. I’m done with patience.” I wiggle my ass. “I need you. Now.”
He laughs, slowly sliding his fingers out then reaching across to the nightstand for a condom.
He makes quick work of rolling the latex over his cock, then returns to me and ever so fucking slowly pushes inside.
He’s not small, and it’s been a while, so there’s a bite of pain even with all the prep, but it fades away, drowned out by the pleasant pressure and fullness.
Blake moves with slow, steady thrusts, pulling almost all the way out before sliding back in with a groan. Pleasure sparks through my body, every point of contact a like an explosion of sensation. He bottoms out and pauses there, filling me, surrounding me.
He presses a kiss to the back of my neck then resumes the movement of his hips, smoothly pulling back and rocking forward again, his movements gradually speeding up.
Pleasure builds with every thrust, a cresting wave of desire, want, and need, rising and growing until it crashes over me, sending me spinning into the most intense orgasm I’ve ever had.
As fireworks go off behind my eyes, Blake’s fangs sink into the back of my neck, breaking through skin and drawing blood, the quick bite of pain quickly drowned out by the feeling of the fated mate bond settling into place.
He thrusts his hips one more time, pressing all the way in and shuddering through his own orgasm.
Blake carefully rolls to the side, taking me with him so he’s still inside, spooning me. He runs his hand down my side and presses a soft kiss to the nape of my neck, the place his claiming mark is now displayed. “Mine.”
“Yours,” I whisper, gently stroking the arm around my waist.