Chapter 16 Sophie
SOPHIE
The moonlight filters through my window, faint and cold, casting soft shadows on the ceiling.
I lie awake, staring at it, letting my thoughts spiral out of control.
Ethan’s confession echoes in my mind, each word sharp and raw, cutting into the fragile calm I’ve been trying to cling to.
I spent the day alone, trying to get control of my spiraling thoughts and failing miserably.
“I still fucking love you.” His words play over and over again in my mind.
I squeeze my eyes shut, as if that will block the memory. But it doesn’t. It only brings up more—Ethan’s intensity, Brodie’s quiet confidence, Tyler’s teasing grin.
My heart feels like it’s being tugged in three different directions, each one impossibly strong. How did I get here? How did they all get under my skin like this? I always assumed I’d never find a pack and now the allure of having one is addictive.
I let Brodie knot me.
I roll onto my side with a frustrated sigh, the sheets tangling around my legs. It’s too much. The emotions, the guilt, the confusion. I don’t know how to make sense of any of it.
A faint noise cuts through my thoughts—a low, muffled sound coming from downstairs. I freeze, straining to listen. For a moment, I think I imagined it, but then it comes again, sharper this time.
It’s a voice. A distressed one. My heart pounds as I sit up, recognizing it.
Tyler.
I throw on my robe, the soft fabric brushing against my skin as I move quickly to the door. The hall is quiet, the only sound is the creak of the floorboards under my feet as I head for the stairs. The noise grows louder as I descend, low murmurs punctuated by sharp gasps.
When I reach the main room, I see him. Tyler is sprawled on the sofa, his body tense and thrashing, still wearing the day’s clothes. His face twisted in anguish. His voice is hoarse, muttering unintelligible words that tremble with fear.
“Tyler,” I call softly, crossing the room to him. He doesn’t respond, lost in whatever nightmare has its claws in him. My chest tightens at the sight—he’s always so confident, so steady. Seeing him like this feels like seeing a mountain crumble.
I kneel beside him, gently shaking his shoulder. “Tyler, wake up. It’s just a dream.”
His eyes fly open, wild and unfocused. His hands reach up to painfully grip my upper arms. For a moment, he looks at me like he doesn’t recognize me, like he’s still trapped in whatever darkness chased him in his sleep.
I keep my hand on his chest, grounding him, my voice steady and soft. “It’s okay. You’re safe. I’m here.”
His breathing is ragged as he rubs his face, his hand trembling slightly as he releases me. “Shit,” he mutters, his voice rough. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” I say firmly, sitting beside him on the edge of the sofa. “Do you want to talk about it?”
He hesitates, his eyes flicking to mine. For a moment, I think he’ll brush me off, make some sarcastic comment to deflect, but then he exhales, the tension in his shoulders loosening slightly.
“It’s stupid,” he says, his voice quiet. “Just…old shit. Stuff I keep thinking I got over a long time ago.”
I wait, letting the silence stretch, giving him space. Finally, he speaks again, his words halting at first but gaining momentum.
“My dad,” he says, his jaw tightening. “He wasn’t…kind. To put it lightly. He drank. A lot. It made him mean as shit. And when he got mean, he didn’t hold back.”
His voice catches, and he looks away, his gaze fixed on some invisible point in the distance. “I spent most of my childhood waiting for the next blow. Trying to figure out how to avoid it. How to protect my mom. But it was never enough.”
“Tyler…” I reach for him, settling close to him.
“When I finally got big enough to give it right back to him, it was too late”
My heart aches for him, for the boy he used to be, carrying so much weight on such young shoulders. I place my hand over his, my touch gentle but firm. “Tyler, I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”
He looks at me, his eyes dark and unreadable. “It is what it is. Made me who I am, right?” he says with a half-shrug. His chin drops to his chest on a deep exhale. “But sometimes all I can feel is that weak little kid unable to do shit about anything.”
“Who you are,” I say, my voice soft but unwavering, “is someone strong. Someone who cares, who protects. You’re stronger than you think, Tyler.”
His gaze locks with mine, and the air shifts between us. The vulnerability in his eyes stirs something deep inside me, a mix of protectiveness and undeniable desire. Before I can second-guess myself, I lean closer, and he reaches for me, his hand cupping my cheek.
“You’re the first person who’s ever made me feel like I matter,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough, his mouth so close I can feel his breath on my lips.
His words break something open in me, and I lean into his touch, my lips brushing against his. The kiss is soft at first, tentative, as if we’re testing the waters. But then it deepens, fueled by emotion and need, and I’m lost.
He pulls me onto his lap, his hands strong and steady as they explore my body with a mix of tenderness and urgency. His scent wraps around me, warm and citrusy, with an edge of spice that leaves me breathless.
My Omega responds instinctively, leaning into him, wanting more, grinding against his hard length. Slick pools in my core.
“Are you sure?” he asks, his voice a low rumble against my ear. His hands still, his gaze searching mine.
“Yes,” I whisper, the word trembling on my lips but certain in my heart.
“God, Sophie,” he murmurs, his voice a growl against my lips. “You have no idea what you do to me.”
I can feel the evidence of his desire pressing against me, hard and insistent, and it sends a fresh wave of arousal coursing through me. My slick dampens the thin fabric of my underwear, and Tyler groans as his hands slide up my thighs, gripping me like he’s afraid I’ll disappear.
His fingers move higher, brushing my wetness through my underwear. I arch to bring that most sensitive area closer to where I want him. A low, primal moan that’s almost a growl rumbles out of his chest.
His lips trail down my neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin there, and I moan, tipping my head back to give him more access.
My hands clutch his shoulders, anchoring myself to him as his kisses grow bolder, more possessive.
He’s marking me in his own way, his Alpha instincts driving him to claim me, and my Omega revels in it.
“Tyler,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I press myself closer to him, my body moving on its own. I don’t even recognize myself, but I don’t care. I don’t want to stop.
“Tell me you want this,” he says, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes. His pupils are blown wide, his gaze dark with desire but soft with care. “Tell me you want me.”
“Yes,” I breathe, my hands sliding down to his chest, feeling the solid strength of him beneath my fingers. “I want you.”
That’s all it takes. Tyler’s hands move to my back, pulling me flush against him, traveling lower to grab my ass with two big hands, setting a grinding motion that leaves me senseless.
His lips capture mine again, this time with a ferocity that leaves me dizzy. His fingers slide under the hem of my nightgown, tracing the curve of my thigh, my waist, until he’s tugging the fabric up and over my head, leaving me bare before him.
“Beautiful,” he murmurs, his eyes raking over me with reverence and heat. His scent is potent and feral. His hands explore every inch of my exposed skin, his touch sending sparks of pleasure shooting through me.
I lean into him, my body desperate for more, and he obliges, his mouth trailing kisses down my collarbone, across the swell of my breast, until his lips close around my nipple. I cry out, my fingers threading through his hair as he sucks gently, his tongue teasing until I’m trembling in his arms.
“Alpha, please,” I gasp, my hips grinding against him, seeking relief from the ache building inside me, wanting his knot until it’s all I can think about.
He growls softly, the sound vibrating against my skin. “I’ve got you, Omega,” he promises, his hands sliding down to grip my hips as he lays me back on the sofa. The cool fabric contrasts with the heat of his body as he leans over me, his kisses scorching a path down my torso.
His fingers slip between my thighs, finding me slick and ready, and he groans, his forehead resting against my shoulder for a moment as he struggles to control himself. “You’re so perfect,” he murmurs, his voice rough. “So perfect for me.”
When his fingers slide inside me, I arch off the sofa, my body instinctively seeking more. He moves slowly at first, his thumb circling my clit, leaving me gasping, my nails digging into his arms as pleasure builds and builds until I’m teetering on the edge.
“Tyler,” I moan, my voice breaking as I cling to him, my body tightening around his fingers. “I’m—”
“I know,” he whispers, his lips brushing against my ear. “Let go, Sophie. Come for your Alpha,” he says with a tiny bit of bark.
His words unravel me, and I come apart in his arms, my cries muffled against his shoulder as my body shatters with pleasure. Tyler holds me through it, his touch steady, his presence grounding me as I ride the waves of ecstasy.
When I finally come back to myself, he’s kissing me again, slow and deep, his hands stroking my thigh.
“You sure about this?” he asks, his voice soft but tinged with the barely restrained growl caused by his Alpha instincts.
“Because once I start, I’m not stopping until I’ve given you all of me.
Until I’ve filled you with my come,” he says, punctuating his words with a nip at the place where my neck meets my shoulder. The sensation is my undoing.
“Yes,” I breathe, arching against him. “I need you, Tyler. All of you. Fuck me. ”
That’s all the encouragement he needs. His mouth claims mine in a kiss that’s brutal and claiming. The edge of urgency is clear as he makes my body sing, like he’s been holding himself back for too long.
He pulls back just long enough to strip off his shirt, and my breath catches at the sight of him—broad shoulders, firm muscles, and a trail of golden hair leading down to the waistband of his jeans.
My fingers find his belt, fumbling to undo it. He lets out a low chuckle, his hands covering mine to help, and together, we free him from the confines of his clothes.
The moment his body presses against mine, skin to skin, I feel like I’m going to combust. His heat is overwhelming, his scent wrapping around me like a cocoon, grounding and intoxicating all at once.
My Omega purrs softly, a sound I can’t control, slick leaking from my pussy, and Tyler groans in response, his hand sliding between my thighs.
“You’re so wet for me,” he murmurs, his voice a mix of awe and hunger. “You’re perfect, my little Omega. Absolutely perfect.”
His fingers plunge deep no longer gentle, drawing gasps and moans from my lips until I’m writhing beneath him. But it’s not enough—not for me, not for him. I can feel the tension in his body, the way his Alpha is barely contained, and I want all of it. I need all of it.
“Please,” I whisper, my hands clutching at his shoulders. “I need you, Tyler. I need your knot.”
His eyes darken, his breath hitching at my words. “You don’t know what you’re asking for, Omega,” he says, his voice low and rough. But the way his body presses against mine, the way his hips shift between my legs, tells me he’s just as desperate as I am.
“I do,” I insist, wrapping my legs around his waist and pulling him closer. “Please, Tyler. I need you.”
With a growl that sends shivers down my spine, he positions himself at my entrance, his hands gripping my hips as he slowly pushes just his tip inside me. “Say you want me Omega. Moan for me.”
And I oblige, unable to deny him. With a deep growl, he plunges forward, seating himself the hilt inside me.
The stretch is intense, but the pleasure is immediate, and I cry out, clutching at his back as he fills every inch of me.
“God, Sophie,” he groans, his forehead dropping to my shoulder as he stills for a moment, letting me adjust to him. “You feel… you feel perfect. Your pussy squeezes me like a vice. So…good,” he says as he moves.
“More,” I whisper. “Please, Tyler, harder.”
He doesn’t hesitate. His movements start slow, measured, but it doesn’t take long for the heat between us to build to a fever pitch. His pace quickens, his thrusts deep and precise, and I can feel the growing swell of his knot pressing against me.
My Omega instincts take over, and I tilt my hips to meet him, needing to feel every part of him. The pressure of his knot sends me spiraling, my body trembling as another wave of pleasure crashes over me.
I cry out his name, my nails digging into his shoulders as I come undone beneath him.
“Good girl,” he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion as he watches me fall apart. “You’re so beautiful like this.”
But he’s not done. His movements grow more urgent, his grip on my hips tightening as his knot begins to lock us together. The sensation is overwhelming, a delicious mix of pleasure and connection that leaves me gasping.
“Tyler,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I cling to him.
“Easy girl,” he says, his lips brushing against my ear. “I’ve got you, Sophie. Let go. Let me feel you come on my knot.”
With one final thrust, his knot locks into place, and he growls low and deep, the sound vibrating through my entire body.
He rears up and with a final thrust. I feel him release inside me, hot come fills me, warmth spreading as he holds me close, his body trembling with the force of his climax.
For a moment, the world seems to stop. It’s just us, tangled together, our breaths mingling, our scents blending in a way that feels achingly right.
My Omega hums with contentment, the primal part of me recognizing Tyler as mine, as ours.
“You’re incredible,” he whispers, his voice soft as his hand brushes a strand of hair from my face. “You know that, right?”
I don’t know how to respond, so I just nod, my chest tight with emotion.
He presses a gentle kiss to my forehead, his arms wrapping around me as we settle into the aftermath of what just happened.
I fall asleep still naked, and his knot still locked and buried deep inside me.
When I wake in the early morning light, I’m nestled in Tyler’s arms, his steady breathing a comforting rhythm against my back.
For a moment, I let myself enjoy the warmth of him, the safety I feel in his embrace.
But then reality crashes in. Ethan. Brodie. The inn. My emotions swirl, a tangled mess of guilt and longing and confusion.
Quietly, I slip out of his arms and tiptoe toward the door.