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Lucia laughs off my inattentiveness, but I can tell she’s not impressed. “I asked if you want to join the enforcer training tomorrow? I have boring conference calls scheduled all day, and I need to set up some meetings for when we’re at the alpha’s conference. I don’t want you to be bored.”
“Of course,” I try not to sound too relieved. “Duty calls.” Playing the dutiful beta and lover was already going to be hard after meeting Belle, but knowing she’s here? It’s almost impossible.
“When you’re officially on board, you’ll be able to join me, of course. But not this time.” Lucia gives me a cheeky smile, as though we’re in on the biggest secret together. And more worryingly, as though it has already been decided that I’m here to stay. We never discussed that. I came here to give things a proper try, but she’s steaming on ahead, acting as though we’re already chosen mates.
“I understand. Do what you have to do.” I try to eat, but it doesn’t taste of anything and each bite sticks in my throat. Is Belle okay?
Joseph watches me curiously as my body shakes from the effort of holding back a shift. I need to pull it together, but my wolf itches to take control. He has no faith in my decision-making right now. As thoughts of Belle consume him. His sole focus is on her and what she needs - like I know mine should be.
“Maybe we can do something fun, just the two of us, tomorrow night?” Lucia suggests, a sultry look in her eyes as her gaze travels over my face. Under the table, her fingers trail over my thigh, and I grip the tablecloth to stop myself from batting her touch away.
“I have to survive training first. Something tells me they’ll be lining up to take a shot at me,” I joke, avoiding a response to her offer. Just the thought of being intimate with anyone other than my mate makes me want to retch.
I wait for as long as I can before excusing myself, claiming to have a call lined up with Cooper. When I’m far enough away from the packhouse that I won’t be easily seen, I sprint to the cute bungalow, knowing that I’m being reckless and could easily be spotted. But I don’t care. Desperate to see Belle, I sneak in through an unlocked screen door.
Pushing open her bedroom door, I fight the impulse to crawl under the covers and wrap myself around her. Instead, I just stare at her, marvelling at how incredible she is. So strong. Kneeling on the end of her bed, I frown as the mattress dips and she stirs.
“If you say you’re sorry, I’m going to kick you straight out.” Belle’s eyes are puffy as she blinks up at me. She turns her back to me and the blanket shifts, exposing a creamy shoulder and the side of her breast. “What are you doing here? Lucia will be looking for you.”
Unsurprisingly, her tone is bitter, and her comment stings, because I deserve whatever shit she gives me. All the way here my mind was tripping over everything I needed to say to her, but now I have no clue what to do. Instead of talking, I lean over her and kiss her shoulder gently. Her eyes fall closed and she doesn’t tell me to leave her alone. I kiss along her jaw, and, turning her face toward me, I take her lips in a passionate kiss.
“I had to see you.” It’s hard to get the words out. I’m battling my need to touch her with wanting to respect whatever boundaries she’s shoving up between us to protect herself.
“Should you still be on your date?”
My wolf whines, hearing the pain in her voice as she refuses to look at me. Grabbing a corner of the blanket, I tug at it and watch as she releases her grip, letting it slip down to her waist. Kissing her again, I walk my fingers down her waist and over the curve of her hip, grabbing her full ass and pulling her closer to me. Pushing her flat, I trail my fingertips from her bellybutton down to her beautiful pussy.
“We had some unfinished business I wanted to take care of.”
She gasps against my lips as I swipe one finger through her folds, dipping it inside her.
“This is a bad idea,” she mumbles, her protest half-hearted. Nodding as I kiss her, I completely agree, but I’m not going to stop. I need this, and I can feel that she does, too. Memories of our time in the cabin are the only thing getting me by. I have to believe that when this is all over, we can get back to that.
“Why are you doing this to us?” Belle’s words tear my heart into pieces, and I smother her face in kisses, trying to show her how much I care.
“You are my everything, Belle, but this is life or death. These people have come after my family and my pack, again and again. I’m the only one who can end it before anyone else loses their life.”
Adding a second finger, she gasps, one hand flying down to grab my wrist as she grinds against my palm, pressing it against her clit. Her hazel eyes meet mine and my chest aches at the mixture of pain and ecstasy I see there. I did this. To my own mate. Grasping her hands, I pin them over her head in one of my own, and press my lips to hers, my gentle kisses a contrast to the rough thrusting of my fingers into her warm, tight pussy.
“So, you’re not here for her. You’re here to find out who’s behind the attacks.”
“Before,” I brace myself for her reaction as I tell her nothing but the truth, “I thought maybe there was something between her and I, that we could work… but not now. How could I Belle? You’re all I want.”
My lips leave hers and I kiss a path lower, closing my mouth around a nipple and enjoying her little shriek as I bite down.
“But…” My clever mate knows I’m not saying all that’s going through my head. Neither of us are.
“All I want is you, but… I’d never forgive myself if they target you or the Joneses, because I failed to end this while I had the chance.”
She doesn’t reply, just arches off the bed as I move the heel of my hand in a tight circle over her clit, sucking and teasing her nipples with my tongue.
“I should have asked for your help, but I wanted to protect you. I wanted to have this sorted before you got dragged into the middle of it.”
Scoffing, she finally turns her face toward me and I see where the tears tracked down her face. “Is this what protecting me looks like to you?”
I can’t help myself. I reach up and smooth my thumbs over the wet lines on her cheeks and press my forehead to hers as I curl my fingers inside her, bringing her closer to the edge. Her leg twitches, wrapping around the back of mine as her body tenses, riding the wave of her orgasm as it approaches.
“I want our happily ever after, but I want it for my pack, too. Please tell me you don’t hate me. That we’ll get through this.”
