Chapter 27
Home, as in Stark’s house, overflows with werewolves in the hours after we arrive. Members of the other cohorts have started to set up outside. Large tents cover the grass on the wide lawn beside the house. We’re running out of places for them to sleep.
“Give them my room,” I say to Stark and Otis. They’re staring at a paper filled with sleep arrangements.
“Where will you sleep?” Otis eyes me.
“I can sleep in Stark’s room when he’s on shift. It’s not a big deal.” I smile. I’ve been in his room the last few nights anyway.
“When he’s not there. Of course.” Otis winks at me.
“I don’t like what you’re implying.” I cross my arms.
Stark pays no mind to the stare-down between Otis and me.
“We can add another few sets of bunks in there. Should make things work, plus another bathroom wouldn’t hurt,” Stark says.
Over the last few days I’ve shuffled through the house, shaking hands, and giving advice in meetings for the attack set in two days. Stark never gets a second to himself. I sense him, though. Now, the tingles don’t wait for his touch. They flutter across the room the second he steps in.
Jocko hooks his arm into mine. “Who knew you could be so social?”
“Don’t remind me. He better empty this house for a month after this is over,” I say.
“Nothing like alone time with the man,” he says.
I squint my eyes. “More like alone time with myself.”
“Aloka, he’s my best friend.” He pats my arm.
“As you remind me daily,” I tease back.
“Then let’s hear the truth. I’ve never seen Stark with a smile on his face, and look.”
Stark eyes us from across the room. I’ve explained the brother-sister thing, but his alpha instincts still flare when Jocko gets too close. I give him a small smile, and his eyes glow as his cheeks lift. I can’t get enough of it.
“Spirits! The man smiled. Ever see him do that before?”
“Can’t say I paid much attention to it.”
“I’ll catch you.” He smirks. “We live in the same house, and now I hear you two are bunking up. What a coincidence.”
“Lirea,” I say as she passes us. I drop Jocko’s arm and leave him in the kitchen. There is a lot more to prepare.
“Need something?”
“Since I won’t be here at the house, I wanted to introduce you to Iris, Verna, and Wilde. They all have some form of medical training from the cities, like you. We are estimating that you’ll need the hands.”
“Yes.” Lirea’s face is wary, but it fades quickly as she addresses them. “It’s nice to meet you. I can show you where we keep all our supplies.”
“Yes, I’d like to get familiar.” Iris is a force in the way she holds herself, shoulders back, chin lifted like she owns the room. I know she will take command, which will be good for Faira—who hasn’t said a word to me since I got back.
“Thank you, Aloka. I can’t believe you’re going out there,” Wilde says.
“I’ll be careful.” I give a confident smile back.
They follow Lirea into the forum, now converted into a medical space.
I’m grateful for the extra hands, we can’t predict how many injuries there will be.
I slip back through the crowded main space and grab the rest of my things to bring into Stark’s room.
My packed bags are already on the floor of Stark’s room, my hair dye tucked into a sweater pocket.
I place Scarlett’s diary on the bedside table and move Pratt’s painting to rest on the dresser for now.
If only he could be here, doing this together like the team we were supposed to be.
The door swings open, and butterflies flood my skin.
“That didn’t take you long.” He wraps his arms around me, and I reach up for a kiss.
“Are you here for the night?” I ask.
He lifts me with steady hands and carries me to the bed. I sink into the mattress as he leans over me, his arms braced on either side of my head. “I’m anywhere you want me to be.”
“I want you,” I pry at him.
He slides his lips down my neck and races his fingers under my shirt.
I pull it off, revealing my red lace bra, which Stark eyes, letting out a growl.
He cups my breast and pulls the fabric back, his tongue circling them into hard points.
Wetness seeps between my legs and I rub them together.
He traces down my stomach with kisses and pulls on my tight black shorts. When they come off, he freezes.
“Red . . .” His eyes glow and his hand grips my side. My lacy red thong has finally come in use. None of my other tactics have worked. He’s the one who said the color suits me.
“You won’t break me.”
He takes both hands and wraps them around my waist. The hard length of his shaft presses against the fabric of his pants.
“Be a good Alpha and fuck me.”
I lick my lips as he kneels. He kisses high up between my thighs, and the tingle sensation floods me.
As he presses his lips over my dampness, I squirm.
His fingers follow and trace along the edge of the fabric.
I let out a moan, and his eyes harden. A low growl comes from the back of his throat, and he rips the fabric off.
His tongue makes contact with my skin and my whole body trembles.
I can’t even get mad about ruining my favorite matching set.
He pauses, leaning back just enough to look down my body, at me panting.
I run my hand through his hair as he lowers himself again, my other hand clinging to the sheets.
After days’ worth of buildup, I’m at a tipping point.
I breathe heavier as fire launches through me.
He restrains my hips with his hands, but I can’t contain it. The heat grows.
“Stark,” I cry out.
He feasts like there’s nowhere for him to be for days. “Come for me, Red, all over my tongue. I want to taste you.”
That’s all it takes before my legs crush the sides of his head and I shatter.
Grabbing a pillow, I scream into it. He runs his tongue along my flesh, then sucks at that bundle of nerves, while I ride through the waves of shocks.
When he sits back and looks at me, his grin is huge. He climbs up and kisses me.
The room is sweltering, but I try to calm the burning. My lungs rise and fall, similar to after a run. Pushing him onto his back, I climb on top. I slide down and grind my wet self on top of his hard shaft. He groans and grabs my hips, stopping me.
“I want this. We can go slow.”
“You don’t understand what sex is like when it’s your mate. We lose control. We mark. We claim. We bite. I won’t be able to control myself with you.” Except I’m not human and despite wanting sex, I’m not ready to tell him. I don’t know if I ever will be.
I lean over and run my tongue up his neck. “I’m stronger than I look, make me yours.”
He flips us over, his hand pressing against my neck, taking my air. “You’re mine, mate. Don’t think this makes any difference.”
I pull his hand off my neck to talk. “Sit down then.”
He takes one more look at me, then moves to sit on the edge of the bed. I rise up and slide off the bed. Stepping between his knees I pull down at the hem of his black boxers.
“Red . . .” he says, warning in his voice.
“Alpha, do as you’re told for once.”
He stays still this time, and I reach back, unclasping my bra. I pull the hair tie off my wrist and pull my brown locks into a high ponytail. His length rises tall, and I stroke it with my hand. Stark leans back and groans.
“Move back,” I demand.
He slides back and props himself up on a pillow. I climb up and kneel inside his legs. Lowering my mouth, I flick the head of his cock with my tongue.
“Fuck.”
His hips shift up and I take my tongue all the way down the base of his shaft.
I open my jaw and wet my lips before wrapping them around his head.
I swirl my tongue, then start lowering myself down to take his length.
I breathe in from my nose and go deep, deeper, until his cock starts sliding down my throat.
Tears prick my eyes from his size, and I rise again.
He pulls on my hair, and I clamp my legs back together over his.
I love my mate’s cock in my mouth. I start to suck faster and faster, cupping the base of his balls.
I let the heat surge again, letting fire touch my tongue, and I quicken my pace.
Stark’s growl grows. “Red . . .” He tries to pull my mouth away, but I feel his cock grow and tense under my lips.
There’s no way. I sink his cock back down to the back of my throat and squeeze my lips.
He grabs my head with both hands as his hot cum shoots down my throat.
I take my time and lick the rest of his cock when he’s done, then swallow.
I wipe my lips, satisfied, then I glance up at him. Shock covers his face.
“What?” I ask.
“Come here.” He pulls me down beside him, his naked chest brushing mine. He wraps me in his arms and I tuck in tighter.
I close my eyes, resting my head on his warm chest. We still can’t have what we both want. But I have him. And that’s enough to keep me breathing. My mate.
When I wake, I’m underneath the sheet. The solid weight of Stark’s arm hangs over top of me, his legs entangled with mine. Nothing can ruin this, not even my red hair—I hope. One more day to go and then I can focus on operation fuck my mate instead of destroying the Uprising.
A knock comes at the door. “Alpha, we were moving furniture and have a question.”
Stark groans and climbs out of bed. He’s so good at putting others first. I wish I was driven that way for others and not myself.
I stare at his perfect toned ass while he walks to the dresser for clothes.
Once dressed, he slides out of the door, while I pull the sheets up higher and snuggle into them.
A few minutes later, the door opens again, and Stark comes to the edge of the bed. “I need you to get up.”
“Why?” I say, stretching my legs out and pouting. I’m comfy.
“There’s something I want you to see.”
“Okay?” I slide out of bed and smirk as Stark eyes my naked body.
I dress and follow him out of the room, leading me right across the hall. The dressers have been moved to block the bookcases. The four-poster bed is up against the wall now, and bunks line one side, clustered together.
Stark leads me in further. “Give us the room.”
The few moving more beds in immediately lower them to the floor and exit.
Stark closes the door and strides over to me, his hand rising to my shoulder as he pushes me forward.
Circling me, he leans down and pulls on the edge of the rug.
My heart races as he rolls it up out of the way and runs his hands over the deep marks in the wood.
“Aloka, have you seen these before?” He only calls me that . . . when he’s mad.
I press my lips into a tight line to hide my panic, but the mask falters. “No, why would I?” I hate the idea of more secrets. I’ve spent most of my life keeping one.
“So you don’t know where they came from?” Complete disbelief radiates from him.
I lean back against one of the bunks the others left. “They were under the rug. Maybe the marks were here before I moved in.” It’s not illogical. How would I know who’s stayed here before me?
His eyes run over my face. “No, they weren’t.”
“You probably just don’t remember, or someone was afraid to tell you.” I shrug. If he keeps looking at me that way, I am going to lose my calm.
“They weren’t here. I know this because I filled this entire room for you the second I was told you were coming here.” His hands touch mine, and his brow pull together.
I ease my hands away and tuck them against myself. “How strange.” I move away from him to bend down and rub the deep splintered marks in the hardwood. I could’ve gone into acting if my body temperature didn’t give me away. I know better than to let him touch me.
“You don’t remember when a werewolf was in your room and changed?”
“No.”
Both his hands form fists, and that calm expression I despise looks back at me. “Red, if you had another man in your room . . . I won’t kill them. If it was before . . .”
I didn’t expect . . .
But maybe it’s safer for him if he thinks it was someone else.
“What if I did?” There were moments where he wasn’t around so much, except it doesn’t matter. I stride across the room and open the door. “Sorry I can’t be any help.”
“Are you telling me the truth?”
“Some truths take time. Good night, mate.” I blow him a kiss and leave the room.