“Okay, then,” I say, turning fully to him. “Do you still wantme?”
His eyes snap up to mine, wide and stunned. But then his features soften as he sees my point. “Yes,” he says with a bashful smile. “Of course.”
I pull my arm out of his grip, then thread our fingers together. “Thenwhy on earthwould you think I wouldn’t want you?”
He doesn’t get the chance to answer. There’s a soft tap on the door.
Charlie tenses as Oli steps in, his tall frame hesitating at the threshold. His gaze sweeps across the room and lands on Charlie.
“You okay?” he asks, voice low. Concerned.
Charlie ducks his head, already flushed. “We’re having a private conversation.”
Oli blinks. His jaw tightens like he’s trying not to show how much that stings. “Right,” he says. “Sorry.” The alpha turns to go, but not before I catch something different in him—something quieter. Softer. A kind of restraint I haven’t seen before.
Mated Oli is a completely different alpha.
He’s still an alpha, still sharp and fierce in the way all alphas are—but something in him has changed. His edges have softened. The bond with Charlie has tempered him.
I glance back at Charlie as the door clicks shut again. He’s watching it too, hand still curled loosely in mine.
“He’s different now,” I say softly.
Charlie nods, then bows his head. “So am I.” He won’t meet my eyes. His hair falling in front of his face. His fingers pick at the edge of a pillow like it’s the only thing holding him together.
“Charlie,” I say gently.
He finally looks up, gaze unsure, guarded.
“I love you,” I tell him. Simple and honest.
His breath catches and the look in his eyes softens.
“I love you no matter what kind of dynamic you are.Alpha, omega, or anything in between. You’re stillyou.And that’s all that matters to me.”
For a long moment, he doesn’t say anything. He stares at me, lips parted slightly like he wants to believe me, but can’t quite allow himself to. So I show him.
Leaning forward, I close the space between us and press my lips to his.
He’s stiff at first, startled, like he doesn’t know how to respond. We haven’t kissed since his heat, and even then I’m not sure if he really remembers.
But then—he relaxes.
His hands reach for me, one hesitantly brushing my waist, the other curling around my wrist. His mouth moves gently against mine, tentative but needy. Like he’s been aching for a connection but didn’t know how to reach for it.
We’re still sitting in the middle of the nest, the soft heart of our shared sanctuary cradling us as he leans in closer, breathing me in. His scent is sweet now, a little musky at the edges—but underneath it all, it’shim.The sweet beta that gave me so much comfort at that boarding house, and now it’s my turn.
“Lie back,” I push at his shoulders. He moves easily for me. Eager to obey.Such a good omega.“I need you.” I pull my shirt over my head, baring my upper body to him.
Charlie’s eyes flash, then he licks his lips as he stares at my tits. “I need to feel you.” He tugs off his own shirt, then pulls me to him, kissing me deeply. My breasts push against his firm body, spilling out between us. He gasps, palming my flesh.
I moan as his tongue slips between my lips, tasting me. There’s nothing rushed or hungry in his kiss, just warmth and the steady pulse of something deeper. Something that makes my body slick and thrum.
Charlie’s arms tighten, holding me close as he breathes me in. I feel the way his whole body relaxes when I melt against him—like the tension that’s lived in his bones for weeks finally starts to melt.
“Please,” I whisper as my fingers tangle in his soft hair. “I need you.”
He hums in response, his hand moving to my back, holding me like I’m something precious. Then he rolls us, forcing me onto my back and his hips between my legs. There’s a shift in him as he looks down at me. A heat.
