More like when we're ready, and that’s okay.
He exchanged bites with Dimitri, they marked each other. There’s significance there for my sweet boy and I’m not going to push him into something neither of us are fully on board with.
I believe him when he says he wants to bite me, though. My jaw aches over how badly I want to do the same to him, so I don’t doubt our feelings or his words, but I want him to be comfortable with what it means, how claiming me fits in with claiming his scent match.
Ourscent match.
Fully bonded or not, I know that’s the truth, too.
I won’t bring it up, though.
The idea of having alphas out there, of having more true mates than Niko is still scary. I don’t want to forget my other mates, the ones who saved me, who chose me, when no one else had before.
“Your tattoo is for them, isn’t it?” I glance down at my chest as Niko carefully lifts my necklace. “The bumblebee.”
I watch him slide the charm back and forth across the chain and nod. “They called me bug.” I feel him smile against my skin and I can’t help but do the same. “Theirbusy little bee. We met when I was almost fifteen and I basically imprinted on them. I followed them everywhere, always had to know where they were and what they were doing.”
They were the first people to ever make me feel seen and safe, and they were stuck with me because of it.
“Would you ever get any more ink?”
“For the right reasons.”
Niko sets my necklace down and tilts his head to look up at me. “Or the right person?”
“In a heartbeat.”
“You’re a beautiful canvas, Liv,” he says as he settles again. “I’d love to brand your skin with a design to match.”
My sweet omega is an artist as well, a tattoo artist in his free time, or at least he was before the shelter. “Say the word and my skin is yours.”
Niko chuckles and rubs his cheek against me as he holds me tighter. “You make it sound like I want to wear you like a suit.”
“Oh my god.” I dissolve into a fit of giggles, cracking up over his random thoughts.
He’s so fucking cute. And morbid. But really cute.
Getting to know Niko like this, a week of nothing but the two of us out here, it’s been eye opening and perfect.
“I’m hungry,” he grunts, like he’s annoyed by the feeling. “For more than your cunt, unfortunately.”
My cheeks heat but I smile. “Sorry, honey. If I could sustain you with nothing more than my pussy, I would.”
He growls as he playfully nips at my breast. “Don’t tempt me, Liv. Your taste alone is enough to have me testing the theory.”
“I’m not one of the basic food groups.”
“Not for anyone else.” He shifts around and plants a forearm on either side of my head. “You’remyfavorite food group.”
Niko dips his chin and kisses me. “I’d prefer you include the rest of them, though. I kind of love you and want to keep you around. Death by pussy isn’t something I want for either of us.”
My omega barks out a laugh, gives me another quick kiss then rolls off of me and walks his perfect naked bubble butt toward the fridge.
“Then you, my fierce littlekotik,need to go get groceries if you’re going to insist on a more balanced diet.”
“I have to go?”
He nods with a grin. “You do. I want to go next door and hit a joint with Caroline while they pump me for details.”
