7. Back
Seven
Back
MARIE
Our flight landed this afternoon, and I’ve been sleeping since I got settled at home. Hiding in slumber. Refusing to confront reality. My grandmother drove me home from the airport, fixed me dinner, and ordered me to bed. I tossed and turned all night, then only got out of bed to close the blackout curtains.
I don’t want tomorrow to come, and I will keep it at bay for as long as I can. I don’t want to talk to Maverick. Don’t have the heart or the energy for a confrontation. And God, seeing him again? I don’t know if I can take it. My bear is jumping all over the place, knowing our alpha is close. His claiming mark on my neck has been pulsating ever since we arrived in town. I lay a hand on my stomach and close my eyes, feeling a lone tear slide down my face. ‘It’ll be alright, little one. Everything will be alright.’
But even as I whisper the words, I know I’m trying to convince myself as much as the tiny life growing inside me. The truth is, I’m terrified. Terrified of facing Maverick, of seeing the anger and betrayal in his eyes. Terrified that he’ll reject me, reject our baby.
I’ve spent so long running, hiding from my feelings, from the bone-deep knowledge that Maverick is my mate, my destiny. And now, with our child nestled beneath my heart, I can’t run anymore. I have to face him, face whatever future awaits us.
But that doesn’t make it any easier.
I wake up with a start in my darkened bedroom, sitting up abruptly in my bed. There’s a loud noise -pounding. Someone’s at my door. I fumble around to find my robe, slide into my slippers and groggily make my way to the front door without thinking. Getting into action before my brain has even caught up with my body’s mechanical response. And it’s when I open the door, seeing who’s standing there with his fist raised to keep knocking the wood down, that I realize maybe, just maybe, I should have taken a second to think.
I haven’t seen Maverick Ursinus in four months. One hundred and twenty days of starvation. Haven’t drowned in his beautiful dark blue eyes, inhaled his woodsy scent, stood close enough to be enveloped in his body’s intense heat. Haven’t touched the perfection of him, felt the possessive grasp of his hands, the delicious torture of his mouth. God, how I’ve missed him! My eyes hungrily travel over his features, his body. He looks exhausted. His usually neatly trimmed hair has grown down to his massive shoulders. His beard is wild and magnificent. But he looks slightly smaller. Still a mountain of a man, but I can tell he lost weight. Oh Maverick…
* * *
MAVERICK
I stand there, frozen in place, blinking like a fool, staring at Marie’s rounded belly like I’m seeing a mirage. This can’t be. I have to be dreaming. My omega. My mate is carrying my cub! Bear wants to take over, drag her out of here, and run straight up the mountain to lock us in our den. I want to wrap her in my arms and never let go.
“I can explain,” she rushes to say.
My incredulous gaze comes to her gorgeous face. God. I missed her.
“Yeah? You have an explanation for this?” I nod at her belly. “For why my omega has been hiding from me for months? Forbidding her family to tell me where she went. For keeping yourself and our cub from me?” I end in a roar, and Marie jumps at the sound of my voice.
Hurt and anger war in my chest, battling with the overwhelming relief at finally having her in front of me. I don’t understand how she could do this, how she could stay away, keep our child a secret. The pain of her absence, the not knowing, has been eating me alive.
“Mav, if you just…”
“If I just what, Mate?”
“Let me explain,” she cuts in hurriedly.
“Go on, that should be good,” I growl, advancing toward her as she walks backwards.
I keep marching forward until Marie is backed up against the wall, my colossal frame looming over her smaller one, pressing into her soft curves. And for the first time in months, I feel at peace. Whole.
“Maverick,” Marie says softly, voice shaky, palms flat against my chest. And I don’t know if she’s holding me at a distance or if she can’t help herself from touching me. I take one of her small hands and gently kiss the soft skin of her inner wrist.
“I missed you so much, Omega. So damn much.”
She whimpers, melting into my body.
“Mav… it’s just our bodies talking. You don’t really want me. You don’t know me. We… we’re from two completely different worlds.”
Arrested, I feel my eyes widen. What nonsense is this? My emotions take over. Pain, fury, despair. Marie Flores is my entire life. And she thinks we’re just compatible in bed? There is no way I’m letting things play out this way. I take both her wrists in one hand and wrap my other palm around her throat. Holding her just strong enough to assert my alpha dominance.
My gaze burning into hers, I growl, “I’m done with your crap, Marie. First, you kept yourself from me for six months when you knew you were mine. Then you left after I claimed you. A claiming you agreed to. Now you’re heavy with our child and you lock yourself away in a remote Alaska cabin for months?” I shake my head. “Done with your nonsense.”
* * *
MARIE
My entire body vibrates with want, need, desire, relief, and pleasure at being so close to Maverick. My bear is pushing against my skin like never before. I’m so turned on, I feel like I’m about to spontaneously combust. The smell of him, the fire wafting from his giant body. How beautiful he is! My heart, mind and body want to submit and give him everything. Anything he wants. Damn the consequences. And the firm grip of his massive hand around my wrists? How he’s collaring my throat? Maverick Ursinus owns me. And I love it.
I want to kiss him and tell him how much I’ve missed him. What he means to me. That I’m scared he’s going to leave, too. That I don’t want our cub to meet him, fall in love with him, know how amazing he is, then have to watch him go when he finds a better suited mate.
I want to open my heart to this beautiful alpha and allow myself to believe, be his, trust in us, and never doubt ever again. Never fear, never run away. Be his, always and forever.
“You’re moving in with me.” My eyes widen, my mouth falling open, and Mav leans in to sweep his tongue past my parted lips. The taste of him explodes across my tongue and I moan into the kiss. He rumbles, “That’s what I thought,” before taking my mouth again. Kissing me until I’m putty in his powerful arms.
Then he lets go of my wrists, his large palm still wrapped around my throat. Mav lowers his head to rest his forehead on mine, both of us panting, our breaths mingling. And he wrecks my world with his next words.
“We’re getting married tomorrow, Omega.”
I suck in a sharp breath, my heart slamming against my ribs. Married. He wants to marry me. Claim me in every way possible. Make me his wife, the mother of his child.
Tears sting my eyes as I gaze up at him, hardly daring to believe it. “You really want me? Want this?” I whisper, one hand drifting to my stomach.
Maverick covers my hand with his own, his touch infinitely gentle. “More than anything,” he rasps. “You’re mine, Marie. Mine to love, mine to protect. Always.”
A sob catches in my throat as I throw my arms around his neck, burying my face in his shoulder. “I love you,” I breathe. “I love you so much.”
He crushes me to him, mindful of the precious cargo I carry. “I love you too, Omega. Never doubt that. Never doubt us.”
And as he holds me close, murmuring promises and endearments, I finally let myself believe. In him, in our bond, in the beautiful future stretching out before us.
Our little family.