AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He must not have been expecting to be heard, voice pitched as low as it was, but someone had. The snarled curse was decidedly feminine, so perhaps it was this Raegan who punched the male so hard his breath left him in an explosive burst.
“That’s Rae,” Max said, not bothering to hide his smile as he stroked Devin’s cheek with an idle thumb. “She’s my second and you’ve never met a more loyal person.”
Max slid aside as Devin’s breathing slowed some, hand dropping away from her cheek to swing wide in indication of the tall brunette standing over the fallen man.
“N-Nice to meet y-you,” Devin mumbled automatically as her gaze skittered over the tall Alpha woman to take in the others.
“Pleasure’s all mine. Can I get you a drink?”
“Water,” Max answered before Devin had the chance to.
“Isn’t there anything other than water to drink around here?” Devin frowned at her feet, wishing she hadn’t spoken up as soon as the words left her lips.
“Oh, I like her,” Rae said with a quiet laugh, her long strides taking her off into the crowd.
The next twenty minutes were a blur. People coming forward to be introduced, stepping back as soon as they made their greetings so as not to crowd her. She barely remembered any of them and swore she’d never get them all straight even if she did plan on staying here. Only two faces stood out besides Raegan. Josh, the craggy rock of a man she’d glimpsed in the hall before, and a Beta woman, Lisa, married to a man with a peculiar name. The shock of red hair was enough to imprint her on Devin’s memory. But it was the smooth Southern drawl so familiar from home that endeared her to Devin instantly.
Given an iced tea that tasted bland and without half as much sugar as she preferred, Devin sat beside Max. Her fidgeting began to calm the longer she watched the rough crowd and nothing untoward happened. They didn’t snarl and bark at one another, milling about and making conversation in low tones. It was still loud for the sheer number of people, but it wasn’t as terrifying.
She scoffed at her nerves. Having been at the club dozens of times, she should be used to the press of bodies, but it was different here. These weren’t people out for a night of dancing and fun. No slushy margaritas or skimpy outfits. Well, not the garish clothing Devin was used to seeing, bedecked with sequins and crystals.
No, these people wore black leather and denim, the men and women on their arms in sleek outfits for the most part. More than one woman wore the skintight jeans and cleavage baring blouse similar to what Max provided for her yesterday. While Devin wasn’t the only one in a dress, hers was the most expensive looking. Which made sense. He was the territory’s Alpha, and he thought to show her off.
It took a while for her to grasp what was bothering her about the scene.
It wasn’t the press of people. Or at least, not just that. It was the slow comfort that seeped through her bones the stronger Max’s scent became around her. Sitting so close to him she practically sat in his lap, all she could breathe in was spruce and smoke. The smell of him brought her peace.
She wanted to blame instincts, the needs of a pregnant Omega, and there was no doubt there was truth in that. It wasn’t all of it though. As Max’s fingers rubbed small circles on the back of her hand, the callus roughened tips a soft abrasion, a near silent hum escaped her lips.
She loved Rey, adored everything about him, even his awful parts, but this… This was nice. There was nothing hard or angry there, no violence she had to make peace with. Max had been the perfect gentleman.
Watching him from the corner of her eye, he knew she studied him. Back straight as he smiled and laughed with the others, his fingers slipped down to rub those never-ending circles on the inside of her wrist. A teasing touch that he hid with a sly smile, green eyes dancing as he glanced at Devin. Hiding his actions in plain sight.
And damn her body, but it reacted.
A full body shiver took hold as their eyes caught and held one another, skin prickling with goosebumps at the coarse sensation of his rough fingers. The sudden question of what they would feel like elsewhere danced through her thoughts before she had a chance to stomp it into the ground.
He was too close too fast. Lips a breath away as he murmured a question she didn’t hear. Concern flared in the depths of those green-gold eyes before understanding smothered it. His smile was slow, easy. Not a threat as he waited for her to close the space between them. Not forcing her to do a damned thing even as Devin leaned forward and brushed her lips against the corner of his mouth. A mere peck that nearly undid all of her resolve. Her hand was on his jaw, tipping his face for a better angle when he caught her fingers. Squeezing them in a firm grip, he brought Devin back to herself.
Lazy heat dwelled in his gaze as he leaned their foreheads together for just a moment before he pulled away.
“I will treasure that, my little fighter, but I’ll kill everyone in here if they so much as get a hint of your scent,” Max whispered into the heated air between them, the rough, growling edge of his words thrilling her well beyond the point of reason.
Then his statement snapped into place. Devin was plunged into an icy bath of realization as her thighs began to grow wet. She was becoming excited, and she was in a room full of Alphas and Betas who wouldn’t be able to control themselves.
“Shh. Hush now, honey. No one’s going to hurt what’s mine.” Max swept a curl back from her face, smile easy and warm as he opened his arm in invitation. Offering her protection against his large body that he knew she would accept.
The hours passed and Devin found it more and more difficult to remain on edge about anything. She dared to laugh at overheard jokes, listening to conversation about silly things that had no importance. No Alpha was safe, not even her once beloved Ashley, but this…
It was nice.
And at the close of the night, when everyone had left with good natured cheers and hearty smiles to Devin, she was almost… happy. Max lingered in the bedroom before leaving so she could change, returning to take up his position on the couch. Purring for her as Devin sat in the too large bed that felt empty.
“Will, uh… I mean, I’m not asking for… but maybe you would like to… here?” Devin twitched the blankets beside her, staring hard at the two small lumps of her feet.
She let out a breath didn’t know she’d been holding when he slid into the bed. Still dressed in boxers, he climbed between the sheets and laid down beside her. Max didn’t attempt to touch her at all, letting Devin arrange her body as she wished so that their knuckles brushed against one another.
Yet he smiled the whole time.
