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“Okay,” she agreed and while he’d rather take the tray from dinner and hand it off himself than have her do it, he knew that was out of the question, unless he wanted to risk someone learning of his plans.
Once she was back in the room, the fragrant smell of chocolate wafting from their cups, he pulled her closer as they sat on the sofa. “Tell me what’s wrong, little doe. This man, who is he?”
“I want to tell you, but I can’t,” she sighed, her eyes filling with worry and he pressed another kiss to her forehead, wanting that look to never cross her face again.
“Alright, I won’t press right now. But I want your word that you will come to me if it gets worse,” he said and she nodded, her cheek pressing against his palm as he gently cupped it, and her lashes teased along his fingers when they closed. It sent a tingle through his entire body, and he never wanted anything more than to feel it over and over with her.
He stayed still, wanting to touch her more, in every way, but it was too soon. Rather than push as his wolf desired, he pressed a last kiss to her forehead, before handing over her cup of cocoa while he took his to occupy his hands.
They talked as they drained their cups, and her real smile ate at his resolve until he was ready to drag her under him, kissing every last part of her.
“Your smile…” Aubree said, her words stopping as color hit her cheeks.
“What about it?” he teased letting it cross his face further. “I’m pretty rusty with the big ones, so you’ll have to tell me if I’m doing it wrong, little doe.”
Her laugh filled the space between them, making him hungrier for a taste of her but her words stopped him. “It’s perfect. It’s like the warmth of the mid-day sun shining on me again, or the sweetness of roaming through a field of wildflowers as it makes them all wake. It’s been so long since I was able to enjoy either of those things.”
“What do you mean?” he questioned, his brows furling in confusion as her eyelids fluttered shut. “Aubree, what do you mean it’s been so long since you enjoyed them?”
“I…I’m not allowed to go outside,” she said, her answer filling him with rage. “I haven’t been allowed out of the packhouse for three years now. He claims it’s for my own safety but…”
“Your alpha?” he asked, and she nodded. He breathed hard trying to keep himself together, keep from going to find the man to take him out. “He never should have done that, if he can’t control his own pack, he has no right to be alpha. There should be no reason why you have to remain indoors all the time. Wait,” he added as a thought occurred to him, “what about runs? You said you can shift, are you allowed to participate in moon runs?”
“No.” She shook her head, sparkles of tears in her eyes and he couldn’t stop himself any longer. He pulled her into his arms, holding her as a few tears slid down her cheeks. “I can only shift in the conservatory when no one else is around and she hates it.”
“That will end soon, I promise, little doe. Come with me when the summit is over, and I will see that you can run to your heart’s content. I will keep you safe, I swear.”
“I’d love to, but my alpha will never allow it,” she whispered curling further into his hold and it tested all of his limits, his control on the edge to not lower his mouth and claim her as his right now. To not take her lips with his and taste every part of her. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to resist if she were truly his mate, and more than ever, he understood Katya’s need to be close to Brian.
“You leave him to me, sweetheart. I promise, he won’t be able to refuse when I’m done with him,” he assured her, keeping her close until she was calmer once more before ushering her to the door to get to bed. “Don’t forget to order your breakfast, little doe. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight,” she said softly, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead, letting her leave before he texted Simon for him and Sebastian to come to his room.
Simon’s brow lifted spying the two cups on the coffee table and Sebastian sniffed the air putting him on edge.
“At least I know it’s not that bitch from the first night,” Sebastian said giving a little shake of his head before they settled into the chairs in the sitting area, and he sat back in Aubree’s spot, letting her scent keep him from losing it.
“What happened to you not sticking your dick into anything but your mate?” Simon added, holding up his hands when Heath gave him a lethal glare. “Sorry…”
“First of all, I’m not sticking my dick into anything…yet,” he stated, making both men sit up a bit further at his words. “She may not be my mate but she’s everything else I’ve wanted, so I’m taking her as mine when we leave here.”
“Okay, so who is she and how did you meet her because you haven’t been around anyone but the summit attendees beyond that rancid bitch,” Sebastian questioned.
“She’s an omega here, the one assigned to me couldn’t keep her cool around me and Aubree offered to help her by bringing me my dinner that first night instead. Aubree isn’t allowed to be near the visitors or supposed to be working, so you two are the only ones that know this beyond me, Aubree and…Ellen,” he said, recalling Aubree’s constant reminder of the woman’s name.
“Not allowed to be near the visitors or be working?” Simon said, sharing a look with his brother and Heath nodded. “There’s more to it isn’t there?”
Heath took out his phone, pulling up the photo he snuck of Aubree last night. She was smiling softly to herself, sitting on the sofa as he’d come out of the bathroom, and it was as close to capturing her sweetness as he imagined possible. It couldn’t capture her full beauty though; nothing would be enough to contain that.
“Damn…no wonder you’re not more hesitant on this,” Sebastian said as Simon’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight of his beauty.
“It wasn’t her looks that got to me it’s her gentleness, kindness. She knew I had a headache when she brought up some actual towels rather than those hand sized ones after dinner that first night. She started the bath and ran down to get some oils one of the doctors gave her to help calm her anxiety. Her touch to just my temples, neck and shoulders sent every bit of it away and I knew I wasn’t going to just push her aside because she wasn’t my mate. I like her,” he added pulling half-smirks from the two brothers. They went everywhere with him, so they understood just how powerful those three words were. “I also want her in ways I’ve never wanted another. My wolf wants her as well and knowing she’s not safe here…”
“What do you mean not safe here?” Sebastian asked as he fought to keep his emotions under control.
“There is a man here that wants her, wants to make her be his mate, but she doesn’t want him. He has to be someone in power because she’s told me she can’t talk about it, not that she won’t or doesn’t want to,” he said watching their jaw’s tighten in understanding, “she can’t.”
“Could be part of what the pack can’t talk about that we’ve been trying to uncover,” Simon said, and he nodded.
