Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
MILO
Afew minutes into Hux, Shep, and the other Alphas talking about what we should do about Dormaunt and Trent, I felt the first tingle. Low in my belly warmth was starting to grow.
My heat had always been a slow, creeping thing. Typically, before the start of one, I’d have days of aches and feeling off. I’d never had one just suddenly show up.
A hand gripped my wrist where it rested on the table.
I looked up and met Sebastian’s concerned gaze.
Even if an Omega’s sense of smell was as strong as an Alpha’s, there was no way this heat was showing up in my scent yet, so he must have seen the confusion on my face. I gave him a small, reassuring smile.
Grabbing the pen still lying on the open notebook, I wrote a quick note in small script, then tapped Hux on the chest. He’d been speaking to Shep, but there was no irritation in his gaze when he looked at me. It only made me more sure of what I was about to do.
I pointed at the note I’d just written. Hux read it, eyes widening, and then read it again.
I’m going into heat. Could you take me somewhere private and spend it with me, please?
He swallowed and took a deep breath before he met my gaze again.
“You’re sure?”
I could have misinterpreted. Pretended I thought he meant was I sure about going into heat, but the sincere surprise and utter longing on his face left little doubt.
He wanted to spend my heat with me, to quell the inferno with his knot and seal us together as mates.
But he wanted to be sure that’s what I really wanted to do.
Leaning into him, I lifted my chin and pressed a single kiss to his slack mouth. When I pulled back, I gave him a nod and couldn’t help but smile at how the darkness of his pupil had all but swallowed the pretty blue of his eye.
“Um,” Hux said, rising to his feet and taking my hand. “We’ve got to go.”
Shep frowned for only a moment, looking back and forth between us. His eyes widened when it dawned on him what was happening. The rapidly spreading warmth beneath my skin must have permeated my scent.
“Of course,” Shep said. “We’ll talk later.”
Hux gave one decisive nod and started to pull me toward the door. I grabbed the still open notebook, pen, and let myself be led.
HUX
I tried not to walk too fast, mindful that Milo was so much shorter than me. Honestly, it was taking all my strength not to pick him up and run to my house. And not just because I couldn’t fucking wait to get inside him, to join us together like that.
No, it was the fact that my mate was going into heat, and we weren’t somewhere private. Somewhere warm and safe where Milo would be comfortable, and we could just be together without worrying about the rest of the world.
I’d never had that. Even before the silver spray trap cost me my eye. Even before the scars. I’d never been with someone who made me feel settled, accepted.
The simple act of holding Milo’s hand felt more right than any other contact I’d ever had. Having him completely? The thought sent the best kind of shivers down my spine.
Despite my longer legs, Milo was keeping pace with me.
Making me feel like he was just as eager as I was.
When we reached my front door, I pushed it open and headed for my bedroom.
The house was modest, smaller than Shep’s with only two bedrooms, but I didn’t need more than that.
Now, with Milo, we’d have to figure out if it was enough for him too.
But I couldn’t think about that right now.
The scent of Milo’s heat was getting stronger by the second, and my bear was rumbling his approval as that scent permeated our home, mixing with ours and making everything smell truly right for the first time in my life.
Milo gasped, stopping in his tracks and bending at the waist. Without a second thought, I scooped him up and carried him the rest of the way to the bedroom.
Carefully, I laid him down on the bed and pried the notebook and pen from his clenched fist. The other was fisted in my shirt, trying to pull me closer.
I chuckled, gently prying his fingers from the material so I could pull the shirt over my head.
His eyes widened, trailing up and down my exposed torso.
Faster than I thought he could move, he sat up onto his knees, sifting fingers through the dark hair on my chest and kissing up the side of my neck.
I groaned, getting my hands on his ass and encouraging him closer.
Breathy little puffs of air washed over my skin as I massaged him so close to where I knew he needed me, but he didn’t make a sound.
I wondered again about his voice. Had he been born this way?
Did he have an accident? He nipped at the sensitive patch of flesh beneath my ear, and all thoughts of conversation fled my mind.
It took more willpower than I wanted to admit to release the luscious globes of his ass, even when the only reason I was letting go was to remove the pants covering them.
Milo seemed very on board with this plan, shimmying around to kick his pants, underwear, socks, and shoes off and ripping his shirt overhead to toss onto the floor.
I followed his lead, removing the rest of my clothes.
The moment I was bare, he was on me again. Standing on the bed now, he threaded his arms around my neck. I reached for his ass again, growling my approval at the soft, warm skin filling my palms. He didn’t need my urging to wrap his legs around me.
Taking his mouth in a claiming kiss, I slid the fingers of one hand along his crease, finding his hole wet and begging for me.
Milo pulled back from our kiss long enough to give me a vigorous nod. He wiggled his bottom in my grip and shot me a sly little smile.
I growled, a blistering desire more powerful than anything I’d ever felt scorching through me.
This was my mate in my arms. Under my hands.
Writhing against me as his own desire took hold.
I’d never forget this moment. Never forget the trust he was placing in me, and the happiness shining out of his perfect purple eyes.
Supporting him with one hand, I kissed him again at the same time as I slid two fingers into him. He accepted me easily, kissing me back with abandon and rocking back on my fingers.
Fuck, he was perfect.
Plunging my fingers in and out of his tight heat, I stretched him until he pinched my side and narrowed his eyes at me.
“Okay, okay,” I said, chuckling. I kissed him again and reached for my neglected cock. Hoisting him up a bit, I placed my tip at his entrance and watched in wonder as he threw his head back—eyes closed and mouth slack—as I slid into him.
Bliss.
It filled my body, rising up and up until I thought I’d burst with it. Spreading his cheeks, I widened my stance and drove up into him.
Milo clung to me, little shudders going through him as I slid home again and again.
When I couldn’t hold back my knot any longer, I knee-walked us onto the bed and laid Milo’s head on the pillows without ever letting us become disconnected.
Bracing on my elbows, I cupped his head in my hands and used the leverage I now had to slam into him.
His eyes shot open, and a silent scream parted his lips. He grabbed two fistfuls of my hair and yanked my head down, taking my mouth in a bruising kiss. Resuming my rhythm, our kiss turned sloppy as we both panted.
My knot swelled. Grinding forward, I kept myself fully sheathed inside him. Milo stilled beneath me, every muscle going tense before he drew in a ragged breath, and warmth spread between us as his release coated both our stomachs.
The vice-like grip of his channel as he rode out his orgasm tore mine from me.
I came with a roar, pleasure surging through me as I emptied myself into him.
Locked together and breathing hard, I pressed my forehead to his.
After a moment, he opened his eyes and smiled, leaning up to press a soft kiss to my lips. I smiled back, unbearably content.
MILO
I laid my head on Hux’s chest. We were both damp from the shower and smelled like the spicy, woodsy body gel he used.
Pressing my nose against his skin, I inhaled deeply.
The smell was wonderful, but not as wonderful as the heaviness in my limbs.
I couldn’t remember a time I’d been this relaxed. Felt this at ease.
“Can I ask you something?” Hux’s voice was a soft rumble against the top of my head. After I nodded, he pressed a kiss into my hair. “How did you lose your voice?”
The question might have bothered me coming from anyone else, but not Hux. He was my mate, and I knew in my bones that it didn’t matter to him if I could speak or not. He wanted to know because it was part of me.
Sitting up, I pulled my notebook and pen from the nightstand. Using his chest as a table, I quickly wrote and then held it up for him to read.
Trent’s people kidnapped me from my college campus. I don’t know why exactly, but I haven’t been able to talk since.
Hux’s brow furrowed. “Do you have people we should contact?”
I shook my head and wrote, No. I was in the foster system. I never knew my parents.
He nodded and licked his lip. “I, um, I’d love to introduce you to my parents. My mom will love you.” A shy, hopeful smile pulled at his lips.
I returned it with one of my own. I’d like that, I wrote. Tapping the pen against the paper, I decided to ask a question of my own. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but…the scars?
Before I’d even finished writing, he lifted the hand not resting across my lap and touched just below his ruined eye.
I nodded.
He let out a quiet sigh. Not like he was irritated, but like it was a wound that still pained him.
“I was military. A special unit made up of shifters. We were deployed on a rescue mission, and the enemy must have known we weren’t human because instead of bullets, they set up silver spray traps.”
I winced and reached for his hand. I wasn’t a shifter, so I didn’t know how badly it must have hurt, but I’d heard that silver hurt shifters like acid hurt regular humans. Or worse.
Hux nodded. “I was one of the lucky ones.” We sat quietly for a moment, and I tried to convey with my eyes and touch and body just how sorry I was that he’d had to endure that.
Leaning up, I softly kissed the rough scar tissue on his cheek.
“Thank you,” he whispered. “After, I received an honorable discharge, and Shep offered me a place in his pack. We’ve known each other since we were cubs.
He knew I needed a place to heal and would need something to do to keep my mind and body occupied.
These woods and the bar have been perfect. ”
I gave him a small smile. I hated what had happened to him, but I was so grateful he had this place. And a friend like Shep.
He looked at me, giving my hand a squeeze. “I hope it can be as healing for you as it has been for me.”
With a nod, I set the notebook aside and laid my head back down, listening to his heartbeat until I fell asleep.