Chapter 9
DELANEY
Another meeting wrapped up in the office Soren shared with Shifter with a low murmur of conversation as the brothers gathered their notes.
I sat beside Soren, my hands clasped tightly in my lap to hide the slight tremble in my fingers.
Although I’d spoken only about the historical and symbolic aspects, it still left me emotionally raw.
But I expected I’d quickly get past the feeling like I had each of the other times Soren had asked for my expertise in a particular area.
Soren turned toward me, his eyes steady on my face. “You did good.”
The pride in his voice helped me to manage a small smile. “I just didn’t want to miss anything important. If my knowledge can actually help…”
“It does.” He squeezed my hand. “More than you know.”
Jax gave me a respectful nod as he closed his laptop. “Appreciate you walking us through all that, Delaney. The Victorian ritual shit is creepy as hell, but it paints a clearer picture.”
One of the other brothers grunted in agreement before they began filing out. Soren stayed seated beside me until the room emptied, his hand resting possessively on the back of my chair.
When we were finally alone, I let out a shaky breath. “Thank you for including me again. I like being useful instead of just the girl everyone has to protect.”
Soren’s expression softened, and he reached over to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re not just a victim to me, Delaney. Never have been.”
The intensity in his eyes made something deep inside me shift. I realized I wasn’t just grateful or clinging to the safety he offered. I was genuinely falling for Soren.
That knowledge stayed with me over the next few days as I settled further into the rhythm of the compound.
One afternoon, I helped in the kitchen while a couple of the brothers wandered in and out. Soren appeared behind me, his hand settling on my hip as he reached around me for a chocolate chip cookie I’d just baked.
“You good?” he murmured against my ear.
I nodded, my cheeks warming at the casual touch. He didn’t move away, staying close while the others talked around us.
That evening after dinner, he pulled me onto his lap on one of the big leather couches in the common room. His arm stayed wrapped around my waist as he listened to the brothers talk about a big race next month. I noticed how they asked him for input, even when he barely spoke.
During a lull in the conversation, his fingers traced slow circles on my stomach. “You’re fitting in here.”
“Everyone’s been so welcoming, it’s hard not to.”
He brushed a kiss against my temple. “Good.”
The attraction between us kept building. Stolen kisses in hallways, his hands under my shirt when we were alone, him making me fall apart with his fingers and mouth more than once. He always stopped short of taking me fully, no matter how desperate I got.
There were still hard moments. A certain scent in the hallway made my pulse spike one afternoon.
Another time, being alone too long in his room brought back flashes of stone walls and incense.
But Soren always seemed to sense it. He’d appear, pull me into his chest, and ground me until the panic eased.
And I slept better when I was cuddled against him, his solid body chasing away the nightmares.
This evening, the kitchen was filled with noise as a group of us gathered for dinner. The long table was covered with platters of grilled meat, roasted vegetables, fresh bread, and bowls of salad. Laughter and overlapping conversations filled the air while people passed dishes around family-style.
In the days I’d been here, I’d met so many of his club brothers, along with the wives of those who were married. And the kids.
I was almost afraid to drink the water around here, with how many small children and pregnant women were a part of the club.
I sat beside Soren, who kept one hand resting on my thigh under the table the entire time. The easy camaraderie between everyone made me appreciate them even more. These people genuinely cared for each other.
Toward the end of the meal, Alanna turned to me with a tired but happy smile. “Delaney, would you mind holding Waverly for a minute? My arms are killing me, and I need to grab the dessert.”
Her husband, Drift, had stepped out for a moment, so it wasn’t as though she could hand the six-month-old off to him. And I was sitting right next to her, so asking me made sense.
I hesitated, my stomach tightening. Part of me wanted to politely refuse, but I still reached out to take the baby in my arms. “Sure.”
The baby girl blinked up at me with big, curious eyes and grabbed a fistful of my shirt. Something painful twisted inside my chest as I gently rocked her.
She was so small and innocent.
I didn’t know how anyone could bring a child into this world. I had barely escaped a monster who wanted to preserve me like some sick artifact. And the danger wasn’t over because Dr. Kinghorn was still out there.
Soren was dangerous too, even if his violence felt protective. This entire life was soaked in risk. How could I ever bring a baby into a world where people like Dr. Kinghorn existed? Where motorcycle clubs and hunting killers were just part of everyday reality?
I couldn’t.
The decision solidified in my mind. I would never have children. I couldn’t condemn an innocent life to this kind of fear.
Soren watched me holding the baby with a heated expression.
His eyes darkened to a stormy gray-blue, clear with approval and something deeper.
He leaned closer, his voice low against my ear so only I could hear.
“You look real good holding a baby, Delaney. Gonna look even better holding mine someday.”
The words slammed into me like a physical blow, and my heart lurched painfully.
I more than liked Soren. I had started hoping he wanted me for real, beyond just keeping me safe during this nightmare.
Our heated makeout sessions and the comments he made about the future had given me hope that he saw something lasting with me.
But his remark made everything feel impossible. He clearly wanted a future with kids. A family. And I was certain I could never give him that.
I forced a small smile and nodded, but inside I was spiraling hard. Panic and sadness mixed as I gently handed the baby back to Alana when she returned to the table. My hands shook slightly as I picked up my water glass, trying to hide how deeply that single comment had rattled me.
Soren had no idea how impossible the future he casually mentioned felt to me. And he didn’t give me any space to figure out what I was going to do about that.
He stayed close as we left the kitchen, his hand on my lower back the entire walk back to his room.
The moment the door clicked shut behind us, the tension that had been simmering between us all evening ignited, fueled in part by my desperation to at least have this time with him if I couldn’t have forever.
After all the fear, I deserved a little taste of happiness.
Soren turned me in his arms and kissed me hard, backing me up until my legs hit the bed. There was nothing careful about how his mouth claimed mine with raw hunger, his tongue stroking deep as his hands roamed over my body. My fingers gripped his shirt as I pulled him closer.
He didn’t waste time. Within seconds, he had me laid out on the bed, his big body covering mine. His hand slid under my waistband, his fingers finding me already wet and aching.
“So fucking ready for me,” he growled against my throat. “This pretty little pussy is dripping, angel.”
I gasped as two thick fingers pushed inside me, curling just right while his thumb circled my clit.
He kissed me through every moan, swallowing my cries as he worked me higher and higher.
When his mouth replaced his hand, licking and sucking with devastating focus, I shattered hard, trembling beneath him.
Even as I came down, still shaking, he refused to go further. He kissed his way back up my body and pulled me tight against his chest, his breathing ragged.
“Not tonight.” His voice was rough with restraint. “Not until you’re completely mine in every way.”
I didn’t try to push for more this time, not when I had so many doubts about what the future would hold for us.
He wrapped his arms around me, tucking my head under his chin. “Rest, Delaney. I’ve got you.”
I lay against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. My body still hummed with pleasure, but my mind was a storm of conflicting emotions. I was falling hard for Soren’s quiet strength and protectiveness. He made me feel so safe and desired.
But when he talked about babies, terror gripped me. I didn’t know how to tell him I could never give him the family he clearly wanted. Not after what I’d survived.
I pressed closer to him, torn between how deep my feelings already were for him and how impossible our future seemed.