Chapter 9

9

W ynter awoke—if he could call it that—the intensity of a true heat hitting hard. He sobbed, the need within a sucking hole, demanding to be filled. Without waking Cav, he climbed atop his mate and sank down the man's already hard shaft, moaning as he was filled. Slick leaked copiously from his body, making the coupling easy. As soon as he had Cav's cock balls deep, the alpha's eyes popped open, a growl of delight rising from the man's lips.

He met Cav's gaze, sure he would soon lose his mind. Until then, he rode his mate's big cock, their moans and mewls in perfect time to every slick slide. Cav's grip on his hips grew tighter, almost painful, yet it only added to his need.

When Cav flipped him over and pounded his poor hole, he cried tears of joy. He egged his alpha on, the innate words pouring from his lips as he begged for satisfaction, and the child a breeding would cause.

Somewhere, underneath the animalistic need, Wynter was there, hearing and experiencing it all while the other part of him was in control. Cav was rough with him, but never too rough, as if the man instinctively knew where the line was drawn and respected it. At one point, he was turned to his hands and knees, but never was his face shoved into the bedding. No, Cavanaugh pulled him back, angling his lips, and kissing him deeply as they fucked.

And they fucked.

Over and over again.

The first couple of days, there were only minutes between the chaotic rounds of sex. By the next, they'd calmed some, hours between waves of need. Hours they spent sleeping or whispering secrets to one another. His body grew swollen, his womb filled with Cav's seed. He could see his belly poking out from it.

By the end of another day, he awoke in the early hours, flung over Cav's hard body in the messy bed. He wasn't sure how many days had passed other than it had been more than one. They'd begun in the dark. He remembered the light of day and another night. If it was gray outside, that was a second day. Or maybe a third? Time had blended together.

All he truly remembered was the best sex he'd ever experienced—and from an adoring alpha. He smiled into the crook of Cav's neck, happier than he'd ever been in his life. Every inch of him was sore, but in a delicious way that only drove the need for more. He whimpered, realizing they weren't done. Not yet.

Cav slept deeply, a hint of a snore as he breathed in. Wynter closed his eyes, attempting to hold off and allow his mate to sleep longer. They were both exhausted, and considering Cav was doing most of the hard work, the man had to be even more so. He stretched, begging his body to still, but as the minutes passed and his slick dribbled copiously, he knew it would not be ignored.

Even in sleep, Cav's body seemed to sense Wynter's heat. His cock grew harder by the second, his hips moving slightly, as if trying to feed Wynter's need. Instead of waking his alpha, Wynter rose onto his knees and pressed his ass against the tip, sinking down on Cav's length inch by inch—just as he had in those first moments. He rather liked being on top and having that control.

He'd never been given it before.

His alpha's eyes popped open, those strong hands clenching his hips as he bore down.

"Fuck, baby," Cav said, his voice deep and sleep filled.

"I didn't want to wake you," Wynter murmured, rolling his hips uncontrollably against Cav's strong grip, which was preventing him from fucking his mate. "I was going to let you sleep."

Cav released one hand, using it to scrub his face and eyes. "No way I'm sleeping through this, my love. Your body feels too good around my cock."

Wynter chuckled, hovering above Cav. "So why don't you let go so I can have what I need?"

Cav released his other hand, holding both up in a signal of surrender.

Wynter sobbed before he rode his mate's cock as he'd intended. In that position, he was able to choose the angle, depth, and speed—and it was amazing. He flattened his palms over Cav's chest and abused his mate's cock. He looked down and got lost in his alpha's gaze as he worked his hole over that thick shaft.

Realizing it drove Cav mad, he leaned back, arching his back. Using one hand, he rubbed the head of Cav's cock as it pressed inside his womb, squeezing his belly tight to show it off even more. A guttural growl came from Cav, his fingers once again digging into Wynter's hips. Cav pumped up heavily, meeting his thrusts and making them all the rougher.

Wynter loved the sensation of Cav hitting his trembling womb. Days into the heat, his body was already well primed—as was Cav's. It didn't take long for them to reach the apex. Again, they both came together. He'd lost track of how many times it had happened. Wynter rushed over the edge first, and Cav followed him over, the knot forming within seconds.

Their cries filled the small bedroom already overloaded with the scent of their sex. Wynter's body was full of Cav's seed. It dripped from him and coated his inner thighs and ass. After they parted, his womb remained swollen with it.

He collapsed on Cav's chest, sucking in air to fill his burning lungs. Exhausted, he fought to keep his eyes open and experience every second of his alpha's claiming. Locked in place, he felt the jets of cum splashing inside, seeking the egg inside his womb. He reveled in the natural dominance of it.

When it had been Warden, he'd hated it.

With Cav, he craved it.

Perhaps that was simply the fact they were fated for one another or was it that Cav's body better satisfied him? Cavanaugh was bigger in every way. More muscled.

More alpha-y.

That size difference should've scared him, but it only turned him on all the more. Cav had a good three or four inches on Warden, Wynter was sure of it.

Yet he'd been gentler than Warden in most every way.

Some pains couldn't be helped, though. A bigger man took more out of him.

For instance, Cav's knot.

It was much larger than Warden's. At first, it had almost felt as if it was ripping him apart. It had ridden the edge of pleasure and pain—which he seemed to like when it was coming from Cav—and he'd soon grown accustomed to the sensation. After, he'd pushed and pulled to get that edge back. Cav had followed him there, too, appearing to enjoy the hint of pain.

Enjoying pain wasn't something he'd imagined he'd want, either. It had hurt with Warden, often did as he didn't seem to make as much slick as he did with Cav. With his true alpha, he was soaking with it, his body easily yielding to the size difference. Warden often had to use manufactured slick, if he bothered at all. Wynter's comfort wasn't something the man considered.

Wynter drew circles with his fingertip on Cav's chest. He didn't want to experience another heat with Warden. Ever. It was clear their bodies did not fit one another correctly, not like his and Cav's did. The term ‘made for one another' had been said time and again in reference to mates and he'd laughed at the concept.

After Cavanaugh, he understood it bone deep. His body had been made for his true alpha. Not the pretender.

Stop thinking about him.

As soon as the knot faded, Cavanaugh slowly withdrew. He sat up slightly and reached for something. He came back with a ready bottle of water. He pressed it to Wynter's lips.

Wynter gulped, so parched. His lips felt dry as a bone, and he moaned against the water touching his tongue. He drained the whole thing, and Cav was quick to open another. Wynter nearly drained that one, too.

"Shit. Now I have to pee," Wynter muttered. He was too exhausted to get out of bed.

Before he could say another word, Cavanaugh lifted him from the bed and carried him across to the attached bathroom.

"I wasn't asking you to do that," Wynter sighed. "We're both exhausted."

"You can barely keep your eyes open," Cavanaugh murmured.

He stood Wynter in front of the open bowl.

"How am I supposed to pee with you standing here?" Wynter asked.

"Are you able to stand on your own?"

Wynter wasn't sure. Even with Cavanaugh's support, his knees shook under him. "Maybe?"

Cavanaugh slid around to his side. He gripped the base of Wynter's cock with one hand and pressed two long fingers into Wynter's ass.

"What the hell are you doi ? —?"

Cavanaugh pressed against something inside Wynter's hole—and pleasure coursed through him. He immediately began to pee.

Red-faced, he turned to gaze at a smug Cavanaugh.

"Prostate massage," Cavanaugh said with a shrug. "You had to go, so now you're going."

"What's a prostate massage?"

"Fucking hell," Cavanaugh whispered. "I have sooo much to teach you, babe."

Wynter's face warmed more.

"No reason to feel any shame. I know it felt good, me touching you there."

Wynter chuckled. There were no boundaries left, it seemed.

As soon as he was done, his alpha closed the toilet and sat him on it. Cavanaugh scrubbed both his hands well, and then his face, before rinsing a washcloth and soaping it. He knelt in front of Wynter. "Close your eyes."

Wynter sighed as Cavanaugh washed his face. The warmth was delightful. As soon as his face was cleaned, Cavanaugh washed his hands with the cloth, too. His alpha rinsed the washcloth and then wiped the soap away with another round of delicious warmth.

"Any other needs before I carry you back to bed?"

"I can walk," he said, trying to rise to his feet. His knees went out from under him and he collapsed back onto the toilet.

Cavanaugh rose and scooped Wynter with what appeared ease. "How are you not shattered?"

"I can only relax when you do," his alpha murmured. "So, tell me what you need… and then we can get a little sleep, okay?"

"A little food?"

"I have a protein bar with your name on it, my love." He returned to the bedroom and laid Wynter onto the bed.

A messy bed, but such was life. That was the one perk with having servants. In the breaks, they would often come in and change the sheets and offer a bit of a respite. While he preferred little of their attention—a heat was a deeply personal event—a clean bed and cup of warm broth would've been lovely.

A pampered prince.

Wynter chuckled to himself, realizing he was a bit pampered.

Cavanaugh got him comfortable and covered up before offering the protein bar and a fresh bottle of water. They both sat side by side in the bed, eating and recharging.

Midway through the bar, Wynter lost his appetite, his mind racing too far ahead. "Do you really believe we have a chance to convince my alpha to detach from me?" Cavanaugh had mentioned detachment. He knew of it, but not much. He rarely heard the term used, only in whispers and gossip his papa had shared.

"Your husband?" Cav corrected. "We'll convince him. One way or another, he'll come to accept he no longer has a hold on you. He'll have no choice but to agree to a detachment. My claim eclipses his." Cav stretched as he lay in the bed. "In some provinces, I could sue and force it, but I'm not sure of the laws of Alexandria allow for that."

Wynter smiled. "I just hope we can come to terms over Jamie. That he allows me time to be with my son. I've already lost so much time connecting with the boy as it is."

"I'm sure we can convince him." Cav brushed his hair back. "Together."

"Are you sure… you can accept another alpha's child? Will you show Jamie the same kindness you showed me?"

Cav brushed his cheek with the back of one hand. "He's your son. Of course, I'll show him kindness and love. I don't care you were with another." His brow furrowed. "I mean, I care. I don't like it—but what's done is done. I won't deny you for that reason, not when there's no love or even basic care between the two of you."

"I haven't always shown Jamie the care he deserves," Wynter said. "I've not been well."

"You were depressed. You're working your way back to this world, and you've got a second chance with him."

"I worry though. Jamie looks so much like my alph— my legal mate . Every time I look at him, all I can think of is what I lost. I know I shouldn't feel that, but I can't help it. I tell myself this child is innocent, yet… I struggle."

"Are you cruel to him? Jamie?"

"No!" Wynter barked. He'd known cruelty at the hands of his papa, and he'd never wish that on anyone. "I've never struck him or screamed or scared him." Not like my papa did daily. "But then, has my distance been a cruelty? Has my illness in his formative years scarred him forever?"

"Kids are resilient. I think, if given the chance, you can build a relationship with him. Away from your husband and happy, with the love and support you deserve, things will change for you and him. I feel it in my bones."

Wynter smiled. "I hope you're right."

"I'm sure of it. You'll turn into the model papa in no time."

Wynter grinned.

Cav ran his palm over Wynter's distended, cum-filled belly. "And who knows. He might have a little brother soon."

"I know we're not ready, but I keep asking myself—would it be so terrible if we made a babe this cycle?"

Cav caressed his face. "Terrible? No. The timing isn't perfect, but you're my omega. Of course I want to see you grow round with my babes someday." He scoffed. "Good gods, I never suspected any of those are words would ever fall from my lips. This whole thing has been a serious mindfuck. One little scent of your hormones and I was done for."

"Do you wish we'd never met?"

"Honestly? If someone had asked me if I was ready and offered me a way off that train before I met you, I might've taken the escape route." He chuckled to himself. "Actually, that's not true. I'd likely have remained to prove to myself you'd have no hold over me and the whole system was built on a foundation of lies." Cav smiled at Wynter. "I've never been so happy to be wrong in my life."

Wynter hid the little pinch of pain at the thought Cav might've run instead of meeting him. He understood it, though. He hadn't walked on that train expecting his life to be flipped upside down. "It does feel strange, imagining chemicals unleashed inside my body, floating in my bloodstream, and attacking my brain—and all that tethered us together in a matter of an hour in the same cabin. Not just strange, but almost scary. It was so fast."

"Hmmm," Cav whispered. "Love at first sight."

"Love?" Wynter murmured. He'd sensed he'd already fallen in love with Cavanaugh, but to hear his alpha felt the same? He struggled for his next breath.

"I love you, Wynter. Chemicals or not, I don't care. I love you, and I want to be with you. Forever."

Wynter smiled. "I love you, too."

Cavanaugh's knot flattened, allowing his alpha to pull out and roll them over with ease. He hovered above, smiling down. "I've never felt this happy in my entire life. Euphoric. If this is what it feels like to have a mate, I won't let go. Fate brought us together and showed us our true path. There's no way we can go back to our old lives now, my love." He kissed Wynter gently. "You and I until the end, baby."

Wynter fought a rising sob and smiled up at his alpha. "Until the end."

By the end of Wynter's heat, Cavanaugh didn't have much strength left. Neither of them did. They lay back to front in a bed torn apart from countless hours of sex. Yet the rut still urged him on. He drove into Wynter's slick and cum filled ass, hips pumping, their bodies on the brink of utter exhaustion. His omega could barely move. Wynter's mewls and cries were weakening by the hour.

When Cavanaugh's orgasm sent him over the edge, he gripped Wynter's hip in a tight grip. His knot swelled, locking them together as he came deep against his omega's womb.

"Cav," Wynter whispered, his fingers threading into Cavanaugh's at the hip.

He held tight before collapsing behind his omega. Once he'd caught his breath, he dropped gentle kisses on Wynter's bare shoulder.

"Please let that be the last for a while," Wynter whispered.

"Already tired of me?"

Wynter chuckled. "For this cycle? Yes. My body has been pushed far past its limits. I think I might sleep for a week." Wynter glanced over his shoulder, his face too pale—yet he still offered a soft smile. "But I'll never tire of you, my alpha."

Cavanaugh would never tire of hearing those last two words. He brushed back some of Wynter's long locks, luxuriating in the silken feel of them. What parts weren't knotted and matted after days and days of intense fucking. "You're getting weaker. Hopefully this is the last time for a few days, at least. We both need time to recuperate."

He'd had no idea a heat would be so intense. And Wynter had used Heat Repress . If they'd shared a full heat without? He wasn't sure what kind of shape they'd be in. "I'll do better next cycle."

Wynter tensed against him.

He frowned, chalking it up to exhaustion. After offering water and another few bites of trail mix to Wynter, he eyed his omega.

"I suppose we should talk about what comes next."

"Do we have to? I'm exhausted, Cav."

Cavanaugh couldn't let it go. Not after his omega had stiffened at the mention of a next time. "You belong here with me."

Wynter tensed again.

"You… belong… here… with… me."

"I know," Wynter whispered. "Don't you think I know that?" Wynter cringed. "I want what you want. I do. I've done nothing but dream of Warden agreeing to detach from me so we could move on with our lives together. But I'd be a fool to think this will be easy. In the throes of my heat, it was simpler to think it would work. Now that my brain is a little more logical, I realize we likely have a massive fight on our hands."

Cav knew it wasn't going to be easy. He'd implied it would be to keep Wynter calm and open the omega's mind to an alternate future together. It would all come down to Wynter's husband and his willingness to let go. Not of only Wynter, but time with their son.

Wynter wouldn't walk away from his child and Cav wouldn't want it, either. What would they do if this other alpha wouldn't agree to terms of detachment? Could he sue for Wynter's bond to be broken? It would take time and planning, but there had to be a way through it.

If Wynter had him, this alpha might have an omega somewhere in the world. He'd be willing to use that as a ploy to help convince the man, even in the face of dwindling omega numbers. There was always the possibility.

Cavanaugh looked down and found Wynter fast asleep. He trailed his fingertips over his omega's arm, the skin there smooth and soft, almost as silken as the man's hair. He tamped down the possessive beast roaring inside, demanding he never let it go.

"Fight for us," he whispered, brushing back some of Wynter's silky hair.

"I will," Wynter whispered back.

Cav grinned, not having expected a reply.

Wynter opened his eyes and met Cav's gaze. "I'm not giving up on us. Only recognizing that this is going to be difficult. We need to be prepared."

"If he was honorable, he'd step aside the minute he learned you'd found your fated mate."

"He won't." Wynter trembled against him. "By law, he thinks he owns me," his omega said, a hint of a sob in his voice. "He can be possessive with the things he believes he owns, though I've not seen it much when it came to me, so perhaps I underestimate him. Yet, I don't know how he'll react to another laying claim."

"He might call you his by laws of Alexandria, but by natural law? We belong together." Cav's mind had been running in between Wynter's waves of heat and he'd struggled to sleep. "I once read a case like this, where an omega had been bound to an alpha who wasn't his fated mate. The true alpha sued and won. That shows precedent—although I don't believe this occurred in Alexandria."

"I've never heard of it happening there, but I live a fairly secluded life. I heard mention of it in Blacksburg."

"And others. I'll just need to do some research into the mating laws in Alexandria."

"I married a powerful, wealthy alpha. He has a bevy of attorneys who work for him. I don't know if you'd win your case."

"Yes, but the scandal it would cause might be enough of a threat," Cav said, noticing Wynter stiffened even more at the mention. "The scandal would be more for him, than you. You were forced to be with him."

"He was forced, too. It was my heat that caused the whole thing. My fault more than his."

"No fault. How about that? The point is, if he's wealthy and powerful, he won't want the bad press."

"His family has weight. They could threaten you. I think we approach him more gently than issuing threats," Wynter said. "Or fuck… maybe we just do what you first said and run away together. He won't be able to easily find us on the other side of the world."

"We can do that—if that's what you want. I don't want you to lose your son, though."

"Me, either," Wynter whispered.

Cavanaugh lifted his chin. "We'll try the legal route to keep your son close. We'll exhaust every avenue. If none of those work, we consider an escape, but only if it's the last resort, okay?"

"Are you sure this battle is worth it?" Tears pooled in Wynter's eyes. "I'm not worth it."

"You are."

"Cav, you nearly died because of me. I was terrified watching you battle that Wildling—yet I'm even more scared at the thought of you facing this fight than that one. I don't know the length my mate would go to in order to end this. I can't lose you."

"You're worth it to me," Cav said. "Am I not worth it for you?"

"Of course you are," Wynter said. "I love you."

"That's all that matters. We love one another. We're fated for one another." Cav pressed his lips to Wynter's. "Our future together is worth the fight."

Wynter nodded. "Okay."

"Never doubt your worth," Cav whispered, stroking Wynter's cheek. "You are everything to me."

A tear slid down Wynter's cheek. Cav wiped it away.

Cavanaugh closed his eyes, real doubts creeping into his mind for the first time. "The detachment will work."

He lay there in the heavy silence lingering between them, the thought of losing Wynter striking him hard. Alpha and omega pairs, particularly long-time mates, often passed close. One right after the other. When one half of a mating was gone, the remaining partner seemed to fade away, their will to live gone. It was heartbreaking to watch. His own father had limped along after his papa had passed—and he recalled his brothers' worry. He'd been so young; he hadn't quite grasped why they'd been so concerned.

Even as an adult, he'd scarcely understood.

Not until Wynter.

The thought of living a life without his omega tore him apart and they'd only been together a week. After decades together, he'd crumble, he was suddenly sure of it.

His omega rolled to face him, a new light in his eyes. "I might have something we can use to blackmail him. A scandal he would suffer from immensely. We use it… come in quickly, before my family hears wind of it, and we convince him to agree to the detachment."

Cavanaugh narrowed his eyes. "What do you have on him?"

"That's not important now," Wynter whispered.

"It's hard for me to agree to this without knowing what it is you plan to use," Cav said.

Wynter closed his eyes, his face growing red. When he reopened his eyes, they shone with tears.

"Please… I can't." Wynter shook his head. "I'm ashamed."

"Did he hurt you?"

Wynter trembled in his arms. "No. No more than he did by claiming me." He broke into sobs.

"Shhh, you don't have to tell me until you're ready, okay?"

"Okay," Wynter sobbed.

Cav's mind spun. What had that bastard done to Wynter?

"But we have to move fast. My family won't approve. My papa might try to intervene," Wynter said, a shiver racing down his spine. "My papa…" Wynter sighed. "We'd have to keep it quiet, so he couldn't find out—until it was too late and we were already gone."

"Okay."

"No, Cav—really. If he finds out, this is over between us. You don't understand the lengths my papa would go to prevent a scandal."

"I hear you," Cav said. "Quick and quiet. I'll let you pick the time and place we confront your husband."

Wynter relaxed in his arms. A glimmer of hope shone in Wynter's eyes, and it buoyed his own. "This just might work."

Cav leaned in and pressed his lips to his omega's, his heart soaring. "A few months from now, we could be off on an adventure together."

The corners of Wynter's lips curled higher. "And you're willing to put up with the pampered little prince who brings too many suitcases and expects porters to do their jobs?"

"Put up with your bullshit? Fuck that."

Wynter gasped.

"We'll fight and we'll bicker, just as we did on the train." Cav grinned. "And I look forward to every second of it. Especially the making up parts that'll come after."

Wynter's smile grew. He clenched Cavanaugh's hand in his and brought them both to his heart. It beat faster under his chest. "And Jamie…" The smile ebbed some. "While it'll be hard, he'd be better off for it. To grow up in a house lacking love and affection would be a nightmare for a child. I would know."

"Your parents didn't love one another?"

"No. My papa's a hard man. There's no love in his heart. At least not for me. He preferred his alpha sons, not that they got much better from him. They got mild disdain. I got outright contempt."

"Perhaps he'd been forced into a mating as you were," Cavanaugh said.

"If that's true, it almost makes my predicament worse. Knowing the pain and anguish of a mating like that and he forced me onto the same path? Sounds worse." Wynter shook his head. "None of my children will be forced to mate anyone. Do you hear me?"

"Heard," Cav said. "And agreed."

"Good." Wynter held Cavanaugh's stare. "You mentioned your parents weren't happy?"

"Not unhappy, just…" Cav sighed. "My father was a hard man, too. He'd grown up in a Wildling settlement outside the walls of Blacksburg."

"Oh?" Wynter asked, eyes wide. "You're the son of a Wildling? How did that happen?"

"When Blacksburg pushed back the walls to expand, they razed the chieftain's lands and demolished his small fortress. They slaughtered most of the older teen and adult alphas and incorporated the omegas and children into the province. My father was eight. Young enough to have survived, but old enough to be very angry. Old enough that some of the Wildling ways would never be driven out of him."

"Was he…" Wynter cringed. "Cruel?"

"Cruel? Not so much that, but there were moments he neared it. I don't think it was intentional. He was unbending. He could be harsh, especially with my papa. They argued often. Fortunately, my papa was willful and strong of spirit, so he didn't allow my father to walk all over him." He smiled, brushing a hand through Wynter's hair. "Sounds familiar."

Wynter smiled softly.

"I suppose I've picked up on some of my father's habits, considering how we argued when we first met."

"I wasn't exactly kind in those early moments, either. I was pissed off that I was being kicked out of my own home to go spend days with strangers who'd see me at my weakest moments."

"And his lack of desire sent you into my arms," Cavanaugh murmured. "You should be glad he sent you away."

"I am now," Wynter murmured. He snuggled closer, his face pushed into Cavanaugh's neck. "I just hope this ends up easier than I fear it will be."

"Try to stay positive," Cavanaugh said. "Think good thoughts. What you have over him—it'll work."

"Yeah," Wynter whispered, sleepily.

"Before you sleep, would you like that hot bath I promised days ago?"

"Later," Wynter murmured, already drifting into the abyss. "A nap first…"

Cavanaugh smiled, grateful his omega wanted rest. The urge to get up and tend to his mate roared in his blood, but he was truly spent. He closed his eyes, drawing Wynter ever closer, and followed his omega into slumber.

He dreamed of their life together, traveling the globe.

Wynter stretched, his entire body sorer than he'd ever felt it before. He opened his eyes and found the bed he'd shared with Cavanaugh empty. On the nightstand was a bottle of water and another of the protein bars. His stomach growled, but the thought of one more of those bars made him cringe. It took great effort to sit up. The bedding fell back, sliding off his shoulder, and a burst of chill air washed over his skin. He glanced around, noting the gray sky outside the windows. He heard distant noises in the cabin. "Cavanaugh?"

"Coming," his alpha called from the next room. He walked in carrying a small load of firewood. He tossed a couple of logs onto the dying fire and placed the other two on the hearth, the additional heat soon radiating out toward Wynter.

Cav looked over one shoulder. "That's the last of our firewood."

"Oh," Wynter murmured. "Can you turn on the heat?"

"The woodstove and the fireplaces are the heat," Cavanaugh said, grinning over his shoulder before focusing again on building the flames. "I hadn't been to the cabin for a while and didn't have a big supply. I wasn't expecting to be in bed for days once I arrived, either."

"I'm sorry," Wynter murmured.

Cavanaugh rose and faced him. "I'm not."

Wynter fought a smile that refused to be held back.

"But, the bad news is your bath will have to wait until I can go cut some more wood. I can't have you freezing in there."

"Can't you just buy some?"

Cavanaugh frowned. "From who, Wynter? We're out in the protected zone, outside the walls and up in the mountains."

"Your hand," Wynter said. He rose from the bed. "You can't chop wood. Let me cut it."

"Fuck, no," Cavanaugh spat. "No way am I sending you out into the woods after what you just went through."

"You went through it, too. And you're wounded."

"You can barely stand up on your own." Cavanaugh shook his head. "I've had days to heal— and I heal quickly." He peeled back the gauze and showed that the skin already appeared to be stitching itself back together. "I'll be fine."

Wynter lifted one brow, knowing full well that hadn't been enough time for Cavanaugh to heal. "Maybe Trout can loan you some until you can heal or purchase some. I have credits in my bag. I can contribute."

"No."

"Then let me cut it!" Wynter said.

"Have you ever used an axe a day in your life?" he asked Wynter.

"No, but how hard can it be? You jab at the trees until they fall down. Then you cut them into pieces. You can come with me. Tell me what to do."

Cav barked with laughter, the sound setting Wynter's teeth on edge. "I'll be fine to cut us a little wood. It might not look pretty, but as long as we have something to burn, we'll make do. That is if it's even dry enough to even light."

"I still think Trout might loan you some, given our situation. He knows what we did these past few days."

"I'm not going begging him for wood. He'd lose all respect for me."

Wynter sighed. Clearly, he wasn't going to win the argument. Cav was as muleheaded as he was.

Cav sat on the side of the bed. "I'm an alpha floundering in the afterheat hormones. My protective instincts are all firing, but I can't do a damned thing until I can warm it up in here. I know you're exhausted and sore—and I should be taking care of you right now. I'm falling down on the job. Please let me go and cut this firewood before I lose my mind. Then I can do what I'm supposed to do and relax."

"You've shown me kindness I'm not accustomed to already. You're not falling down on the job." Wynter grinned. "Warden never tends to anything after the chaos. The fact you want to means the world to me." His servants helped after his heats more often than not. They'd help him bathe, dress, and get back into a made bed, ensuring he'd been fed before he drifted off to sleep.

Cavanaugh's smile faded. "The more I hear, the less and less I like him."

"I'm not his omega." Wynter smiled. "Perhaps the instinct simply isn't there for him."

"Maybe," Cavanaugh murmured. "But that doesn't change the fact you'd been through days of hell under him, grunting like a pig."

"I'm yours. And the fact you're willing to go out to cut wood so I can take a hot bath—after what I put you through the last few days and your wound—proves you're more than capable of taking care of my afterheat needs in the future. Or that you're a total idiot, I'm not sure."

Cavanaugh pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "Just so we're square here, I'm not going out to get wood solely so you can have that bath. It's also so we both don't freeze to death. Nothing idiotic about that."

Wynter grinned. "Sure, sure."

"I'll be better prepared next time."

Wynter smiled at the thought of next time. Of all the times. If they could get Warden to agree. Why wouldn't he? They were both miserable. Warden would get his freedom, too, so they'd both win. As long as they worked together to raise Jamie, then that's all that would matter. Maybe he wouldn't have to use blackmail to win.

He had no problem using it, though. If he had to.

Cavanaugh tucked some of Wynter's hair behind one ear. "I can see the gears and axles working behind your eyes. What are you thinking about?"

"How to appeal to my alpha just the right way to convince him this is the right decision."

"Your alpha?"

"My legal alpha," Wynter corrected. "Not my real one."

"Husband," Cavanaugh whispered.

"I'm not a beta. I won't call him that!" It felt disrespectful to them both to call Warden the term. Why, he wasn't sure. Maybe it was that sense of propriety his papa had forced into his head his entire life.

Cavanaugh chuckled. "Fine." After stealing another kiss, he rose. "As long as you acknowledge who I really am to you, I don't care."

He crossed the room, all long legs and muscle, and Wynter inwardly sighed at the sight. Cavanaugh was the exact type of alpha he'd imagined he'd mate with when he'd been young and silly. Before he'd been forced into a life without.

No longer.

I'll have the man I always wanted. The man fate set apart for me and me alone.

Cavanaugh tugged on a flannel shirt and denim pants before returning to the bed for another kiss, another blanket in tow. He spread the blanket over Wynter and tucked it tight. "I'll be as quick as I can. Rest here until I get back. As soon as I get it warmer, I'll fix you that bath and do all the things your alpha should."

"And you can come share that bath with me. It looks big enough for two."

Cavanaugh grinned. "Possibly."

His alpha departed, leaving him with a couple more bottles of water and the protein bars nearby. Soon, the outer door closed, and the cabin grew quiet. He cuddled under the blankets, languishing in the sheets that smelled of their lovemaking. As sore as he was, the scent triggered a little something within, his cock thickening.

But he was too exhausted for it to get much more than that, thankfully. He was too tired for another wave, especially one alone. Wynter stared into the flickering flames, sighing when they began to die out. He forced himself from under the covers and grabbed the thick robe he'd used after his shower to keep warm. He'd never built a fire, but how hard could it be? He tossed one of the last logs on top of the dying embers and watched until it roared to life. He rubbed his hands near the flames and remained there, close to the warmth.

A knock sounded at the door. Wynter frowned, sure it hadn't been quite long enough to fell a tree, but what did he know? Maybe Cav had gotten some sense and borrowed some from Trout. He rose on shaky legs and tightened the tie on the robe before exiting the bedroom into the even cooler main space of the cabin. Looking over at the hearth, their first fire in the main living space was cold and dark.

Wynter turned his attention to the door. "Are my alpha's big, strong arms full of firewood?" He whipped open the outer door, a bright smile on his lips.

Only it wasn't Cavanaugh.