Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
WILLOW
After two days of keeping Kaelen a prisoner in my nest, he finally convinced me to let him leave. I reluctantly agreed, burrowing further into the plush blankets that smelled of the ideal blend of espresso and honey—of us.
Now, I had to figure out how to ask my husband to claim me.
I tried to stay in the moment the last two days, keeping my mind from wandering to how to tell him I loved him.
I wasn’t a teenager anymore. My omega snipped at me, annoyed at me for not presenting for our alpha and confessing our love and devotion.
I snorted, ignoring her ridiculousness for the time being as I inhaled his lingering scent on the pillow.
My nose twitched, irked that it was already fading.
Like some crazed little thief, I crept into our bedroom, raiding the laundry before Aileen cleared it, stealing his shirts to add into our nest.
Kneeling on the bed, I wove his clothes in between the blankets, rearranging the shirts and pillows for far too long before I was satisfied. With both me and my omega content, I fell back asleep.
Eventually, I woke up when the sun was too bright to ignore anymore. After I showered, I wandered into the bedroom to get dressed, smirking at Shadow, lazily dozing on our bed. I crawled in beside her, scratching a spot behind her ears.
My lips turned down in a frown when I eyed the burned patch on the tip of her tail. Kaelen had found a vet and booked an appointment for Shadow in a few days. Hopefully, they would offer something to help encourage the fur to regrow there.
I hated the idea of her having to wear a permanent reminder. Subconsciously, my fingers drifted to my own scars.
After another hour of dozing with our puppy, I finally slipped into a lilac sundress, the silk whispering against my skin. The house was unusually quiet as I padded through the halls. A note accompanied the serving of soda bread on the counter.
Aileen insisted that I was still too skinny and needed to eat more. Kaelen said she told everyone that. Even Patrick, who ate enough protein to last a lifetime.
I rolled my eyes, picking at the loaf before plopping into an oversized chair in one of the sitting rooms. Unease prickled under my skin. I tried to watch something on TV, but nothing held my attention. A quiet voice echoed in the back of my mind, telling me to go find our alpha.
The more I ignored my omega, the louder she got.
“Fine,” I hissed out loud. “You’re turning into a real bitch, you know?”
Before I knew it, I was standing outside his study, my hand hovering to knock on the door. I gnawed on my raw lip. My heart jumped as I second-guessed everything. The sapphire on my Claddagh ring shimmered in the light.
It had only been a few hours since Kaelen had left the nest. I shouldn’t be so dependent on him that I was already seeking him out. The needy omega thing would stop being cute real quick if I continued to interrupt him when he was working.
My hand fell, and I spun, about to retreat to my nest and burrow into the blankets where his scent still lingered.
“I can smell your sweet cunt, little omega,” he said from the other side of the door. I squeaked, my cheeks stinging. “I want to see you, Willow. Join me.”
Ignoring the pounding in my ears and the stickiness on my legs, I pushed open the heavy oak door. It closed behind me with a click, and a moan slipped past my lips. Kaelen always looked good. Usually, straining the fabric of bespoke suits and custom-tailored button-ups.
His eyes lit up when he caught me gawking at him. Dark jeans clung to his muscled thighs while a black t-shirt stretched across his chest, showing off his tattooed arms. This was my new favorite version of him.
There was something debauched in his casualness.
Staying quiet, he crooked two fingers at me, beckoning me closer.
My feet moved on their own until I stood beside him behind his desk. A single strand of auburn hair broke free from his bun, hanging over his face.
A rough hand followed the curve of my ass, and a high-pitched whine filled the space.
“No panties,” he groaned, nails digging into my skin.
I sucked in a harsh breath, trying to hide behind my hair.
“None of that,” he said, pinching my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his.
“I want you desperate. My greedy omega is wonderful, panting for her alpha to take care of her. And I will. I’ll knot you and keep you full and sated.
Strung out from so many orgasms that you can no longer move. I’ll worship and protect you always.”
“Alpha,” I mewled.
“Come here,” he said, voice hoarse and commanding as he wrapped an arm around my waist and tugged me into his lap. “What do you need?”
Denim brushed against my bum as I struggled against his hold, unable to get comfortable. The emptiness ached with a need to be filled. I breathed in the hints of whisky and espresso like an addict.
And maybe I was.
When I didn’t answer his question, Kaelen grunted, tugging on the zip of his jeans, freeing himself. In one motion, he lifted me, sliding me onto his length. Something between a moan and a scream left my lips as all the air rushed from my lungs.
The burn of him stretching me quickly morphed into a delicious fullness that made me dizzy. Tentatively, I circled my hips, rubbing his crown against the spot that made me melt into a pliant, needy thing.
A warning slap landed on my thigh, and I hissed.
“Don’t move, Omega,” he said, mischief mixing with the intensity in his eyes. “I want you to sit still and keep my cock warm and snug in this pretty little pussy of yours while I finish reviewing this contract.”
“What?! You can’t be serious.”
“Deadly,” he murmured, ghosting his fingers over my abdomen. “If you can be my good girl and do that, I’ll knot you afterwards.”
“Sadist,” I panted.
“Only for you, mo chroí.”
The bastard had the audacity to wink at me. He twitched, and I groaned, my nails digging into his thighs. Minutes or hours passed. I had no idea how long it had been. I swore he had finished reviewing the paperwork on his desk long ago and was enjoying stretching out my torment.
A knock echoed around the room, and I scrambled to get off him.
“I didn’t say you could move,” he said. The authority in his voice made goosebumps break out over my arms. “Stay still.”
Terrified, I did my best to fluff out the hem of my sundress, grateful for the desk hiding us mostly from view.
“Come in,” Kaelen called, and his tip nudged against a sensitive spot, making me flutter around him.
Kaelen groaned and I smirked, loving that I wasn’t the only one unraveling at the seams. The door opened, and Aidan stepped in. His eyes flicked between me and Kaelen, his tongue pushing into the points of his canines.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he said, the emotionless, businesslike mask in place on his face.
Kaelen’s grip on my waist tightened. I prayed Aidan was unaware that I was impaled on Kaelen and staining his jeans with my come. I kept quiet, afraid that if I opened my mouth, I might moan.
“Just spending time with my wife,” Kaelen said, brushing the backs of his knuckles over my cheek. “Isn’t that right, Willow?”
Fucker. After Aidan left, I was going to kill him.
“Yes,” I said, hating how my voice cracked.
The smallest hint of mirth flashed across Aidan’s face, gone as soon as it came. He cleared his throat. I wished he would hurry because I didn’t know how much longer I would last without begging Kaelen to fuck me.
And the last thing I wanted to do was plead for my alpha’s knot in front of my new brother-in-law.
“I only came to let you know that Dimitri agreed to amend the contracts to include exceptions to allow for the use of the tunnels in cases of life or death without prior approval.”
The last thread of my willpower melted away. My hand curled around the back of Kaelen’s neck, and I scratched hard, smirking when he bared his teeth.
“Good,” Kaelen grunted. “I’ll have the final amendments finalized shortly.”
Now acutely aware of our foreplay, a blush crept up Aidan’s face as he backed toward the exit.
“I’ll leave you two to it then.”
“You’re a prick,” I hissed, barely waiting for the door to close behind Aidan.
Saying nothing, he stood, lifting me off him and leaving me empty and positively debauched. Air rushed back into my lungs. My bare feet landed on the lush carpet, and before I got my bearings, Kaelen splayed a hand between my shoulders and shoved my breasts into his desk.
“I love it when you’re feisty,” he whispered, covering my body with his own as he hiked up my dress around my waist.
“Maybe stop talking and start f—”
A sharp sting bloomed across my ass, rushing to my clit, turning my threats into moans. His rough palm rubbed soothing strokes over the spot he had slapped. Warm lips pressed to my pulse, sucking.
Almost too slowly, he filled me in one intoxicating thrust that made me forget why I was mad at him.
“Fuck,” he hissed, wrapping a hand in my hair and tugging enough to send a pleasant pressure over my scalp. “You’re like the finest aged whisky. Smooth, fiery, and leaving me wanting more. I’m addicted to you, Willow.”
A million thoughts raced through my mind, but I was too drunk on the feeling of him to make any sense of it. My hips knocked into the desk with every punishing thrust. Bruises had already formed, but I didn’t care as my orgasm rushed to the surface.
Long fingers collared my throat in the gentlest of caresses. A contented moan rose inside me at the feeling, leaning into the grounding touch.
Those three words lingered on the tip of my tongue. I refused to blurt out that I loved him like some teenager with a crush while he fucked me. Pressure built as a delicious feeling vibrated in my veins.
“Kaelen,” I breathed, sending his papers flying off his desk. “Please.”
“I love my name on your tongue,” he groaned, struggling to form the words as his knot swelled and caught with each stroke of his hips. “Choking my cock with this tight cunt of yours.”
This wasn’t the reverent lovemaking of the previous night. This was passionate. Primal. Claiming. Kaelen fucked me within an inch of my sanity.
A wave of heat tore through me, catching fire until I was screaming his name, begging my alpha to knot me. And soon, he was, his knot locking us together as he spilled inside me. My legs gave out, and I was thankful for the expensive mahogany desk supporting me.
Strong arms encircled my waist, carefully pulling me onto his lap as he lowered our joined bodies into his chair.
“Sorry about your contracts,” I murmured, limp against his sweaty frame.
“Fuck ‘em,” he said, rubbing his cheek against mine and scenting me.