Chapter Forty-Three
Gy
“I’m going to fucking murder you!” I whisper-shout at Cujo, who’s wrapped around our omega in my bed. The feral fucker just went completely over the edge. And snuck in to steal her first bond—one she offered me.
The sting of betrayal burns brightly.
“You hesitated. When it comes to her, you don’t hesitate.” Cujo hauls Willow closer, like a rabid animal, bending his bloodstained lips to lick her bite. His tongue laps at the mark, cleaning and sealing it. “Now, be quiet. My honeybee needs rest. Bonding sapped her energy.”
Cujo’s favorite knife glints on my nightstand, calling to me. Stab him in the face. The need to maim this fool is second only to my desire to check on my omega.
Instead of doing anything drastic, I flip him off, then remove my shoes before getting closer to the bed. He growls at me in warning, not wanting to share his treasure, but fuck that.
When Willow doesn’t so much as stir, I reach for her wrist. A steady pulse thumps under my fingertips, and I watch her chest for rhythmic breathing. Everything seems normal, but…
“I’m going to call Doc.” Pulling at the strands of my hair, I hide my jealousy behind worry.
“No. Don’t. I’m…” Willow’s soft voice breaks, and I spin around, immediately affected by the sadness in her tone. Willow wiggles against Cujo, then winces. “Can you let go of me?”
“No.” He snuggles her closer, and my omega’s eyes narrow. I step forward, ready to intervene. Cujo’s a big fucker, but with the way I’m feeling right now, he could easily be a dead fucker.
I can’t. They’re bonded.
“I’ve stabbed you once. I’ll do it again,” Willow threatens. God, she’s perfect.
“Please do it. Or let me.” I grab Cujo’s knife from the bedside table, then step forward, hand outstretched to offer it to her. She huffs, waving it away.
“Maybe later, when I know how to block his pain out of the bond. I don’t want to hurt myself.” Exhaustion is etched on every line of her face, a single tear trickles down her cheek, and I catch it with my thumb.
“Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. Death, dismemberment, say the word, and it’ll be done.” A small smile peeks through, a bright light in the darkness.
“I’m right here, motherfucker.” We both ignore him.
“It’s okay. Someone had to bond me, and you didn’t want to…” Fuck. The sadness isn’t because Cujo bonded her before she was ready. It’s because she thinks I rejected her.
“Willow.” Cujo holds her closer, and I want to tear her from his embrace. “Baby girl. Look at me.”
She slowly raises her silver eyes, luminous with tears, and my heart squeezes. I did this.
“I can’t wait to bite and bond you.”
“But you didn’t, you stupid fuck.” Cujo’s smug face grins over her shoulder.
Ignoring him, I address the only person in the room who matters, “I want our bonding to be because you consent, not because you were coerced. Willow—I love you.” I give her those three little words. Words I haven’t said since I was a child. Since my parents died and left me to avenge them.
“You do?” Her uncertainty guts me.
“With everything I am. And I promise I’ll do anything to prove it to you.” Her nose wrinkles adorably, and she shifts uncomfortably on the bed.
“Okay.” She doesn’t say she loves me back, and I get it. Her faith in me is shaken, but I’ll work day and night to earn it from her.
She repositions again. “Now, do you want to tell me what about my bed is disturbing you?” I’m really hoping it’s not my scent. “Let me take care of you.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s something.” Cujo finally speaks. “It’s like an itch in the bond.”
“Ugh! Do I not get any privacy anymore?” She sits up, disgruntled.
“We can’t fix things if you don’t tell us, baby girl,” I remind her.
“It’s not that serious. I’m dirty. And in bed. My instincts hate it so freaking much.” Her cheeks flame, and it’s an improvement over the melancholy from earlier.
“I would love to run you a bath and pamper you, sweetheart. And to soothe your omega, Cujo will change the sheets.” He opens his mouth to object, not wanting to be apart from his newly bonded mate—but she clearly needs some space right now, and I’m more than happy to be her port in the storm.
Sending a frown his way, I try to make my stance clear without arguing.
Whatever Willow wants, she gets. With a heavy sigh, he releases our omega, and I reach forward, lifting her out.
My baby girl’s slight weight settles in my arms, and she presses her nose to my neck, taking deep hits of my scent.
Her skin’s a little warmer than usual, and for a moment, I wonder whether she might be in pre-heat.
A thrill races through me. The strongest bonds are built in heat.
But as quickly as desire flames to life, the precariousness of our situation douses it like a splash of cold water.
She’s too vulnerable, and we don’t have a true nest ready. However, that’s a worry for later. Right now, my omega needs care.
When I wander into the large ensuite bathroom, I’m thankful that I spared no expense.
There’s an enormous soaking tub. Holding Willow gently, I reach down and turn the taps on, waiting for the water to heat.
She nestles into the crook of my shoulder, and I hold her tight, trying to give her some of my strength.
“You okay, baby girl?” I watch as the tub fills.
She presses her face into my neck, taking a deep sniff as her breath tickles my skin.
“Just being stupid. I asked for a bite, practically begged for it, and Cujo gave me one. I just didn’t expect it to be so… invasive. And I thought it would be you.”
I’m such a damn fool. All my lofty ideals, and look what I’ve done. Cujo’s right— when it comes to our omega, there’s no room for indecision.
The water fills enough to set her gently in it, so I reach for the hem of her shirt.
“It’s not stupid, baby girl. Your feelings are real, they’re valid, and they should be honored.
Not to make excuses, but I think Cujo lost his mind when he thought Calloway might try something.
He needed that tether. Lift up.” She raises her arms, letting me remove the top that’s stained at the neck with blood that trickled from the bond.
I wince at the sight. “If you stand, I’ll take your pants off, and you can get right in. ”
She nods slowly and rises, her movements unnaturally sluggish, as though she’s waiting for another blow to fall. I slide off her pants and underwear, then lift her gently and place her in the tub. Although there are tendrils of heat curling from the water, she shivers.
“Will you let me bathe you, baby girl?” I ask, and she nods, tucking her knees into her chest and becoming even smaller. I turn to gather some shampoo, but a soft touch on my leg stops me in my tracks.
“Will you…” she starts, then glances up at me hesitantly. “Will you come in?”
The invitation makes my heart skip a beat, and I’m out of my clothing in a flash, climbing into the hot water behind her. Curling my large frame around her small body, I tuck her into my chest and hold on tight.
Her forgiveness is everything I don’t deserve. A rumbly purr fills the air, and she finally softens, melting against me.
“You’re going to be all right. We’re going to be all right.” Lathering shampoo, I slowly work it into her scalp, massaging her with every flex of my fingers until she sighs happily.
“It’s strange, having him inside my chest. I’m not mad… I just… don’t know what to feel.” Her honesty guts me. Gently rinsing her hair, I wait quietly, letting her sit with her thoughts.
“It hurt more than I expected, too.” She pokes at it with a hiss. “When you give me one, we should do it when I’m in heat or something. ’Cause, jeez, that was painful.”
My omega sighs as I work conditioner into her hair, then run a loofa over her back. “At least it got Calloway to leave me here.”
“If he comes back, we’ll be ready.” It’s all I have. There’s nothing I can say or do to make this better. I can only be here, showing her every day how much I care. How much she’s mine.
Willow grows more relaxed with every moment, and I cherish the time we spend together. She snuggles into my chest, so I wrap my arms around her, falling deeper in love with every passing second.
Mine forever.