"Yes, that's why I'm barely holding on. If only you weren't such an asshole, we could just get this over with."
"If I were really the asshole you think I am, I would have just grabbed you and given you what your body is craving. What we're both craving. I wouldn't worry about your no's or your refusals. The only thing I would care about is my own need. Instead, I'm about to fucking burst because my mate is giving off enough sweet slick to light a trail to her cabin door for any alpha in the fucking area."
She wipes the sweat from her brow. "Don't just don't. My head's gone blank. My head is bursting. It's never been like this."
"Because you've never been this close to your alpha before." She makes it to the door before she breaks. Her hand slams on the panel; her voice becomes a keening mew that rips through the fragile barrier of my restraint.
"Oh, for God's sake, you won't even make it inside. Let me help you."
A broken laugh that she barely completes makes it out. "That's what they all say. I didn't fall for the blue balls line when I was a kid, and I'm not falling for it now."
"The more your scent ramps up, the more my alpha is going insane. How much control do you think I have? How long do you think I can last with you emitting like this?"
"I'll get inside. Lock the door. Call room service for ice and—"
Her hand is shaking too badly to even turn the knob. "Fuck this shit, I'm not going to let us both suffer because of your pride."
"It's not pride, you hurt me—"
"Fine. I'll apologize later. After you're mine. I'll apologize every day for the rest of our fucking lives. But first I'm going to get balls deep inside you, carve my name and plant my seed. So that while you're deciding if you'll accept me, your body will already fucking know."
She stops so fast I almost collide with her. Spins, and her eyes are wild, the brown gone molten. The mask cracks — beneath it is the girl I tortured, the twenty-two-year-old omega who stands before me now, terrified and furious, is so fucking magnificent I can't breathe.
A cramp rolls through her body, and she squeezes her arms around her belly. She falls to her knees, but I scoop her up before she can hit the ground. Her lips part. Her tongue darts out, wetting the bottom one. "No—"
I growl before she starts. "Not like this. This can't mean anything—"
"—Everything."
"Let's set some ground rules," she tries again as I carry her through the door and kick it shut behind us. Sealing us with our fate.
"Nope. No rules. You'll take your chances. The same as me."
"What if—" She breaks off, hands flying to her face, fingers pressing into her temples. "God, I can't think. It hurts. Everything hurts and you smell like—" She inhales sharply, her whole body arching toward me involuntarily. "You smell like—"
"Yours. I smell like yours, Just like you smell like mine." Outside, I could pretend to be civilized. Inside, with her heat-scent dismantling logic one layer at a time, the pretense vanishes.
Sharma stands in the center of the room, back to me, shoulders shaking. "I took the suppressant. I was supposed to be safe."
"There's no safer place than in your mate's arms," I tell her as I let her slide down my body.
"You don't even know me. You didn't even recognize my name."
"I know everything about you, Sharma. I know you graduated summa cum laude from Wharton at twenty. Yes, I looked you up last night. But it was just filling in the blanks. I know you have a scar on your left knee from falling off Viv's bike when you were twelve. I know when the two of you tried sneaking out of the house to go on your first double date. Never been happier that I caught you." Another step. "I know you're wet right now justfrom my voice. I know your body is aching for something only I can give you."
She makes a sound—half sob, half growl. "Stop."
"I know you're a virgin."
The admission lands in the room. Neither of us moves. "You can't know…" her voice wobbles. "Viv would never have told you that." It's in the way she holds herself. She never let anyone close enough. Never trusted anyone not to hurt her. Not after I damaged her confidence.
"She didn't have to. I see you, little omega. What you are and all of that glorious potential."
"What? The potential to be your mate?"
"That and everything else you'll accomplish. Accomplishments I'll take pride in as your alpha."
"Roan." My name breaks on her lips, as she crumples over in pain. Agony killing any further arguments.
