It is not easy keeping my promises, feeling the heat of her, taking in the scent of her. But I would not have it any other way.
That is a lie. If I could have my way, we would be bonded by now.
There are many times I wish I had not vowed to Sutton or Layla that I would not claim her. Not that my vow is the only thing standing in our way. Even if I had not made that promise, I would not claim her until she was ready. She is not. And she may never be.
There are still nights she cries herself to sleep, wishing Sutton would return. If I thought it would not end in one of us killing the other, I would take a shuttle to his home on the outskirts of the colony and drag him back. Sutton is more than capable of handling himself in a fight with an alpha. He more than proved himself in the training comb. Proved that his success with the alpha at his home was not an accident. I suppose, though… If I could get my fangs in him… Knock him out long enough to get him back to the Center…
I roll this idea around in my head for several minutes, if for no other reason than to distract myself from the throbbing between my hips as Layla tightens her leg around me.
Sutton’s scent was not strong, but it was enough to keep her safe. If he were here, not only could he keep her marked, but he could also keep her satisfied in a way I cannot. In a way, she is so obviously desperate for.
I grit my teeth when Layla rolls her hips and slick coats my length.
Her body senses me, even in her sleep. It wants what it wants, regardless of what Layla says she wants.
And I want so badly to strip this blasted blindfold from my eyes. I want to know if she is awake and acting knowingly. Perhaps she is even expecting me to respond. Or is this an unconscious act and another level of torture I simply must endure?
One thing is for sure: it is torture.
When she rolls again, I cannot help myself. “Layla,” I whisper and wait for her answer. My heart in my throat. “Layla. Are you awake?”
Layla’s body stills.
A moment later, her leg slips from around my hip before she turns away.
“There is no shame in wanting, Layla,” I whisper into the night, unsure if she is listening. “An omega’s need is undeniable even to the omega. If your need becomes too great, I am here to fill it.”
“Thank you, Zayd. Not tonight.”
My heart skips.
Not tonight.
Maybe another night?
It is not a guarantee, but it is not a no.
Am I holding onto a false hope?
Maybe.
But at this point, a false hope is better than no hope at all.
Chapter 16
Layla
“YouandZaydhavebeen holed up for some time. Things going good?” Angie asks, sitting across from me at one of the many Formica tables bolted to the terrazzo floor of the Courtyard’s food court.
I still can’t get over the time machine the alphas created here. The last update they got from us, before we sent for their help, before the virus nearly wiped us out, was in the 1980s. As a result, all of their human-friendly technology, architecture, fashion, and design are modeled for that decade. Because shopping malls were considered so common and beloved, especially by women, they made the Courtyard a damn fine facsimile.
And I have to say, it does have a comforting effect. I especially love the aromas of the different restaurants together. Sometimes I wish we could live…
We…
My brain still thinks I’m part of a couple. And that would be fine if the traitorous prick saw me here with Sutton. But no. It’s been long enough that I now see Zayd with me, carrying my bags, sitting outside the dressing rooms while I try on clothes.
Stupid brain. You don’t even really know Zayd that well.
