Chapter 25

twenty-five

DIMITRI

I jolted awake to the sound of Kitania’s screams piercing through the floor. My heart raced as I threw off the covers and leapt out of bed. The door barely survived as I ripped it open with enough force to rattle the damn hinges. Taking the stairs two at a time, I hurried down a level, my pulse pounding in my ears as my Omega’s cries filtered into the hall.

The sheer distress in her sobs sent my Alpha drive into overtime. The need to protect her, to ease her fear, drove me onward until I reached her bedroom. Beretta was already there, his nose pressed against the wood of her door. He released a soft, high-pitched whine, looking up at me with pleading eyes while his nails clicked restlessly against the floor as he shifted with nervous energy, as though all he wanted to do was fix Kitania’s anguish.

You and me both.

My hand landed on the doorknob just as Marco emerged from his room, his hair disheveled and gaze wide with concern.

“I’ve got her,” I told him, my voice still rough with sleep. My brother hesitated, then nodded, retreating a step. With a low whistle, he called for Beretta, who begrudgingly obeyed and padded to his side.

I rapped my knuckles against Kitania’s door; the thuds echoing into obscurity. When no answer came, I was done waiting. Twisting the knob, I pressed inside. The room was bathed in shadows, but I could make out my Omega’s form thrashing on the bed.

My chest tightened, and I crossed to her. The sheets were tangled around her legs, a light sheen of sweat covering her body. Tears streaked her face, glistening in the faint moonlight filtering through the curtains.

I sat on the side of the mattress. “KitKat,” I murmured, reaching out to brush the damp hair from her forehead. Her skin felt clammy beneath my touch. “Kitten, wake up, baby. It’s just a dream.”

She flinched back, still deeply asleep. Another tormented whimper tore up her throat. My Alpha was precariously on edge, ready to tear the world apart and kill anyone responsible for her nightmares.

Goddamn it. I was already regretting the impulse to barge in. I should’ve let Marco be the one to wake her. To soothe her. As the caretaker, he was more equipped to handle the soft shit, and always seemed to know what to say. Hell, any of my brothers would’ve been a better choice. Somehow, they’d all bonded with her, finding a level of comfortability with her I simply lacked.

I had a sneaking suspicion she was mildly afraid of me. Whatever the case, the evidence all pointed to the same conclusion. She preferred them and would be more at ease with one of them here to take care of her.

I wasn’t the Alpha you went to for comfort. Intimidation, business, violence, absolutely. But this? I was woefully equipped to handle this situation.

And yet, now that I was here, I couldn’t bring myself to leave her side.

“Kitten,” I murmured again, petting her hair.

Kitania gasped awake at the touch, her eyes flying open, unfocused and glazed with fear. I braced myself, expecting her to recoil, to scramble away. Instead, to my absolute fucking shock, she lunged forward, holding onto me tightly as she buried her face against my chest.

The force of her embrace was startling, and we rocked backward momentarily before I regained my balance. I enveloped her in my arms, bowing over her small frame.

My Omega clung to me, fingers digging into my back, her entire body trembling. And my heart fucking broke —actual physical pain striking through my chest with the intensity of lightning.

Her hair tickled my chin as I breathed in her midnight forest scent—all fresh moss and the soft fragrance of moonflowers—an intoxicating aroma somewhere between jasmine and vanilla. I rubbed my cheek against the top of her head, scent-marking her and stealing some of her signature for myself. My Alpha side calmed at having the smell of her on my skin.

“Shh, I’m here,” I said, hoping it was the right thing to say. That my presence eased some of her anxiety.

Doing what felt natural, I kept murmuring nonsensical things into the soft strands of her hair. I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing, had never been the one to dole out comfort before, but the Alpha in me demanded I figure it out. As some of her tension bled away, I took it as a sign I was doing something right. And damn if that didn’t bolster my confidence.

Deep down, I feared I’d been too hard and unfeeling for too long to be soft with my mate when needed. Feeling her relax in my arms, trusting me to provide for her needs in this way, was a relief I couldn’t put into words.

Kit nuzzled her face into the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply. Her warm breath fanned across my skin, and my body responded instantly, heat pooling low in my gut. I snapped my eyes shut, swallowing down a growl as I resisted the sudden rush of desire.

This isn’t the time or place , I scolded myself, grappling for my control with both hands.

Gradually, Kitania’s breathing steadied, her heartbeat slowing to match mine.

“Good girl.” I kissed the crown of her head, then loosened my grip, prepared to pull away, but her fingers dug into my back. I stilled. “Kitten?” The endearment was a husky rasp that came out deeper, darker, and far more ‘alpha’ than I’d meant it to.

“Please don’t go.” Her plea was muffled against my skin. “Stay.”

And just like that, I was fucking destroyed all over again. My heart constricted once more, the striking pain from earlier now a dull, unceasing ache. “For as long as you want me,” I promised, the words escaping before I’d thought better of them.

She’d probably be more comfortable cuddling up to Marco or Tommas. Even Gio, who was as dangerous as a fucking grizzly to everyone else, was a mere teddy bear when it came to her.

Kitania shifted, tugging me down onto the bed with zero hesitation. I followed her lead, taking the spot next to her. Before I could reach for the sheets, she was pulling them up and tucking them securely at my back, wrapping us both in a soft cocoon of bedding. She curled against me, her knees drawn up to tangle with my legs. Her small body molded to mine.

A flicker of movement caught my eye, and I glanced toward the doorway. Marco’s silhouette loomed there, watching. My gaze narrowed at the intrusion, but there was no heat behind it. Honestly, I couldn’t blame him; I’d have done the same if our roles were reversed. The protective instinct of an Alpha was a powerful thing. Making sure Kitania was okay was all any of us cared about.

But as my vision adjusted to the darkness, I caught the expression on my brother’s face. The bastard was grinning, giving us the type of look one would make after seeing an adorable litter of puppies doing cute shit. In fact, I could’ve sworn I saw him mouth a prolonged ‘aw’ before he pulled out his phone. The screen’s glow illuminated his unapologetic smirk as he snapped a picture.

I glared at him, but then glanced down at Kitania. Only the tip of her nose peeked out from under the blankets, her breath warm against my chest. Her dark lashes kissed the beautiful curves of her cheeks. Something in me softened, and I looked back toward my brother.

“Send it to me,” I mouthed, careful not to disturb my resting Omega.

Marco’s grin widened, but he nodded, then retreated, closing the door behind him with a quiet click.

In the silence that followed, I became acutely aware of every point of contact between Kitania and me. The warmth of her body seeped into mine, her soft curves fitting perfectly against my harder planes. Her scent enveloped me, soothing and intoxicating all at once. It was like a fucking drug. One hit was never enough. I drank it down, one lungful at a time, enjoying the high.

As Kitania’s breathing deepened, signaling she’d fallen into a deep sleep, I found myself wide awake. My mind raced, grappling with unfamiliar emotions. This fierce protectiveness, this overwhelming need to comfort and care for her—it was all new territory for me.

I’d always prided myself on my strength, on being the immovable pillar my family could rely on. But lying here, with the woman who monopolized my thoughts nestled against me, I realized that true strength might just be allowing myself to be vulnerable.

The night stretched on, and I lay there, a silent sentinel guarding my Omega’s dreams. As the first hints of dawn crept through the windows, I wondered how I’d ever be able to let her go in the morning.

KITANIA

I woke to the gentle rhythm of Dimitri’s breathing, his chest rising and falling against my back. Warmth enveloped me, a cocoon of safety I hadn’t experienced before. It had been a long time since I’d gotten a stretch of sleep uninterrupted by nightmares, and it was all thanks to the handsome Alpha who was currently the ‘big spoon.’

I had never slept in the same bed with a man, but I was already addicted and unsure how I’d manage sleeping alone after this.

I blinked, adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains.

Instinctively, I wiggled back, pressing closer to Dimitri’s solid form. That’s when I felt it—the unmistakable hardness against my ass. My breath caught in my throat as his large hand grasped my hip to still my movements.

A low, rumbly sound vibrated through his chest—a cross between a growl and a purr. The noise sent heat spiraling through me before settling deep into my core. I bit my lip, hesitating for just a moment before daring to press more heavily against him.

Dimitri’s hips twitched forward, and mine reactively pushed back. We fell into a slow, tantalizing rhythm, rocking against each other. My pulse hammered in my throat as arousal flooded through me, leaving me aching and soaked.

His hand curved around my hip, fingers splaying across my lower belly possessively. I arched against him, my breathing growing heavy, each pant on the verge of melting into a moan.

I wanted more. So, so much more.

“Dimitri…” I begged airily, and his purr grew louder.

Finally, blessedly, he dipped between my legs and cupped my pussy. The solid, possessive touch was nearly my undoing as the heat of his palm seared through the thin fabric of my panties. I gasped as he bucked roughly, grinding his hardness against my ass.

His fingers found my clit, circling it perfectly. Teasingly. Adding just the right amount of pressure. I knew he could feel how wet I was as I canted into each caress, brushing his cock with every movement.

Heat spiraled through me, my core tightening. And yet, he never sped up. His pace remained rhythmic and controlled, driving me mad as he drove me higher. White hot bliss consumed me, and my pussy spasmed.

That was all it took. My orgasm crashed over me, sudden and intense. I twisted my head, burying my face in the pillow to muffle my cries.

Dimitri’s cock seemed to grow, the knot at the base swelling as his sandalwood and honey scent thickened in the air. Behind me, he grunted, his hips jerking erratically as he found his own release.

“Fuckin’ hell,” he groaned, his palm rubbing over my pussy, making me gasp all over again.

I lay there, trembling and tingling all over, as Dimitri’s hot breath fanned across my neck. His hand disappeared for a moment, and then it was back, pushing into my panties without hesitation. His fingers were slippery with what I immediately knew was his cum.

That same growling purr rumbled from his chest, vibrating through me as he mixed his release with my slick. Circling my entrance, he teased me, and then he was right there, thrusting those deft fingers back inside. I had the span of a heartbeat to adjust, and then he was plunging them in and out, nice and slow. Already sensitive from my first orgasm of the day, it didn’t take long before I was at the edge all over again.

As if he could sense it, he stopped, removing his hand altogether. The whine that filled the room was needy and desperate.

Dimitri chuckled, the sound so full of satisfaction it made the Omega in me preen.

“I think I like you slick, aching, and begging for me,” he rumbled. “Don’t worry, Kitten. I’m not nearly done with you.”

His fingers returned, having scooped up more of his release. There was no pretense this time as he shoved them back inside, fucking his cum into me hard and fast. The wet sounds seemed obscenely loud in the early morning quiet. My muscles locked up one by one, eyes rolling as pleasure built rapidly.

“Oh, God!”

He curled his fingers just right, massaging a spot along my inner wall that made the world go bright and glittery. My pussy fluttered, and coupled with the pressure and friction of his palm against my clit, I couldn’t hold on.

“That’s it, Kitten,” Dimitri’s voice was rough like gravel, a low, almost constant growl. “Sing for me.”

Those words sent me soaring. I came again, harder this time, clenching around his fingers as waves of ecstasy washed over me.

I lay there, panting and stunned, my mind reeling from what had just happened. My body hummed with residual pleasure, lazy and languid.

Dimitri’s lips brushed my ear, his deep, rough command sending shivers down my spine. “You’re allowed to clean up, but don’t you dare go near this pussy. I want to know you’ve got my seed on this sweet little cunt every time I look at you today.”

With that, he licked a stripe up my neck and nipped at my earlobe. Then his fingers withdrew, leaving me feeling achingly empty. Before I could turn to face him, the mattress shifted, and I heard the door open, then close behind him.