Chapter 37

thirty-seven

KITANIA

I drifted awake slowly, cocooned in the warmth of my mates. For a moment, I kept my eyes closed, savoring the feeling of being wrapped up in them.

Marco’s leather-infused scent mingled with the fresh minty-lime of Tommy’s signature, while Gio’s earthy musk was slightly further away. The blend was heady and addicting.

As my senses sharpened, I became aware of the solid bodies pressed against my sides. Marco’s arm was draped heavily across my waist, his calloused fingers splayed possessively over my hip. With his face nuzzled into the crook of my neck, each steady breath tickled my skin, sending pleasant little shivers skittering everywhere. On my other side, Tommy had curled himself around me, one leg thrown over mine. His fingers were tangled in my hair, as if even in sleep he couldn’t bear to let me go.

I could just make out Gio’s form on the far side of Tommas. My mountain of an Alpha was sprawled on his back, an arm flung over his head, snoring softly. A fond smile tugged at my lips. They all looked so peaceful, so unguarded in sleep.

The moment was almost perfect, except for the one man who wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

Dimitri.

Anxiousness filled my chest as I remembered he hadn’t returned home with the others. After taking a long shower, I’d tried my best to wait up for him, watching a movie with the guys to help pass the time, but I must have fallen asleep. The last memory I had was Tommas covering me with a soft, warm blanket. And then… nothing.

Where was Dimitri? Was he alright? Had he come home?

A gnawing sense of unease settled in my stomach. While my mind raced with one worry after another. I bit my lip, wishing, not for the first time, that we were bonded, just so I’d know he was okay.

Carefully, I began the complicated process of extricating myself from the tangle of my mates. It was slow going, my movements measured and deliberate to avoid waking them. Every time I shifted, one of them would unconsciously tighten their hold. But eventually, I managed to wiggle free.

The penthouse was eerily quiet as I padded down the hallway, checking Dimitri’s bedroom first. Gathering my courage, I rapped my knuckles lightly against the door, then cracked it open.

His room was pristine, artfully decorated in neutral tones. Part of me wanted to give in to my curiosity and explore, to run my fingers along the personal effects he kept on his dresser, to take my time studying the pictures he put on the walls. Anything to glean something new about my most enigmatic mate. But I gathered my wits about me before I snooped, focusing on the bed instead, which sat crisp, perfect, and completely untouched.

Backing out of the room, I searched all the common areas. My heart sank when I found them all empty. I chewed my lower lip, fighting back my disappointment.

It wasn’t like him to not come home.

Instinct pulled me toward the elevator, and before I could second guess myself, I pressed the button for the roof. The ride felt as if it took ages, and I bounced on my toes on the way up. As soon as I stepped outside, cold air nipped at my nose and sent goosebumps trailing along my skin.

The seasons were mid-change, and it was freezing out here.

Then again, I was only in a thin nightgown. Spaghetti straps did little to ward off a chill. Hugging myself, I padded across the rooftop.

And there, under the moonlight, was the man I was looking for.

My breath caught in my throat at the sight of him.

Dimitri sat half-submerged in the bubbling hot tub, steam rising around him, curling toward the star-studded sky in wispy tendrils. The silvery light of the moon bathed his inked, golden skin in an ethereal glow, making him look like some sort of Greek god come to life. Colorful lights from beneath the water’s surface danced across his body, highlighting every defined muscle.

His short, dark hair was wet and slicked back, save for one rebellious lock that had fallen forward, curling over his forehead. It drew my eyes to his face, where droplets of water clung to his strong jaw and full lips. I watched, mesmerized, as rivulets cascaded down the hard planes of his chest, tracing paths I longed to follow with my fingertips.

Taking a deep breath, I moved closer. “There you are…” I called softly.

He turned, surprise flickering across his face before it settled back into careful neutrality. “You were looking for me?”

I hugged my arms around myself tighter, suddenly aware that my white nightgown probably didn’t hide much from view. “I... I was worried about you.”

Something softened in his eyes. Even from this distance, I could see the intensity behind them. They were deep chocolate pools under the cover of night, seeming to hold secrets and shadows I couldn’t begin to fathom. His gaze locked onto mine, and I felt pinned in place, unable to look away.

“Come here, my little Omega.”

My heart stuttered, and I hesitated only a moment before obeying.

DIMITRI

I sensed Kit before the elevator doors ever opened. Somehow, even without the claiming bite and subsequent bond, I could feel her—knew when she was drawing near. It had been a long fucking night, and the sight of her settled me in a way the steaming water hadn’t been able to do.

She was a vision in the moonlight, all soft curves and delicate features. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her angelic face. Those ice-blue eyes of hers seemed almost electric, wide and vulnerable as they locked onto mine. The city lights twinkled in the distance behind her, creating a backdrop of glittering stars.

Fuck, I didn’t deserve her. The things I’d done this evening alone…

If she knew, she’d never have me.

My Omega was light and love and everything fucking good in this world. I was half afraid to touch her for fear of corrupting any part of her.

And yet, I couldn’t stay away if I tried.

She came closer, her bare feet padding softly across the rooftop. “There you are,” she said, relief evident in her voice.

“You were looking for me?” I had no idea why that small admission shocked me so damn much. The last I’d seen of her, she was cozied up with my brothers, a bundle of Omega wrapped up in warm blankets and warmer bodies. I hadn’t wanted to disturb the peaceful scene to let anyone know I was home, so I’d gone to my room to shed my bloodied clothes before tugging on my swim shorts and heading for the hot tub to soak the tension from my muscles.

“I… I was worried about you.”

Was that a hint of guilt I saw flicker through her expression? She couldn’t possibly be blaming herself for tonight… could she?

I hated that look. Desperately wanted to erase it from her face.

The Alpha in me demanded I fix it.

Watching her predatorily, I tracked the hitch of her breath, the way her eyes caught the light, how her teeth abused her pink bottom lip, the tightening of her arms as she tried to hide the shade of her nipples, which happened to be visible beneath the nearly translucent nightgown she wore.

“Come here, my little Omega,” I rumbled.

She only hesitated for a moment before heeding my command.

And goddamn …

Her submission was absolutely fucking beautiful.

I watched as Kit approached, her steps timid yet graceful. The thin fabric clung to her curves, leaving little to the imagination. My cock twitched beneath the water, already half-hard at the mere sight of her.

“You must be cold,” I prompted, spotting the prickle of goosebumps along her skin and how she shivered when the breeze kicked up. It blew her scent in my direction, her natural mossy, floral signature mixed with Marco’s leather and motor oil in a way that wasn’t simply from sleeping beside each other.

Interesting…

“I am, but it’s worth it to see you. I must have fallen asleep while I was waiting for you to come home. I just… I wanted to check that you were alright.”

Before I could think better of it, I found myself asking a tantalizing question. “Why don’t you make it up to me by joining me?”

That endearing as fuck blush painted her cheeks as she glanced down at her flimsy sleep dress. It barely brushed the tops of her thighs, and I drank in the length of her toned legs.

“I… I don’t have a swimsuit,” Kit stammered, flushing an even deeper shade of pink.

I couldn’t help the wolfish grin that spread across my face. “Who says you need one?”

Her eyes widened, and for a moment I thought I’d pushed too far. But then she bit her lip, considering. The sight of her teeth sinking into that plump flesh sent a jolt of desire straight to my groin.

“I suppose I could just… keep this on?” she offered shyly, plucking at the soft cotton.

“Perfect,” I purred, holding out my hand to help her in.

Kit placed her delicate fingers in mine, and I marveled at how small and fragile they felt compared to my own scarred, calloused hands. Gently, I guided her into the water. The nightgown billowed around her before clinging to her curves like a second skin. The white material turned practically transparent, leaving only a veil of modesty between us.

She settled across from me, submerging herself up to her shoulders in the steaming water. A soft sigh of pleasure escaped her lips as the heat enveloped her, and I had to stifle a groan.

Damn, even the smallest sounds she made drove me wild.

“This feels amazing,” Kit murmured, lashes fluttering closed as she tilted her head back, her hair floating on the surface.

The long line of her throat was exposed, and I fought the urge to surge forward and claim it with my teeth.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. The way the water lapped at her collarbones, how her nipples pebbled to sharp points, the flush creeping across her chest… She was fucking gorgeous, and it took every ounce of self-control not to pull her into my lap right then and there.

Instead, I forced myself to stay put, spreading my arms along the edge of the hot tub to keep from reaching for her. I needed to let her set the pace.

With a happy sigh, she opened her eyes, a soft smile curving her lips. Until her gaze drifted to where my hands rested.

She gasped. “Dimitri, your knuckles...”

I peered toward the injuries, noticing the angry red scrapes and bruises that decorated my skin. Shit. I’d forgotten about those.

Before I could stop her, she slid through the water, crossing the distance before gently lifting my hand to inspect the wounds. Her touch was feather-light, almost reverent as she traced the edges of each mark.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

There was no way in hell I was going to answer that. While she knew about the fight at The Pit, she had no clue about what the rest of my evening held—a little light torture and disfigurement to try and glean information off of one of Valentino’s henchmen.

Anything to learn what his plans were—when he’d strike next in an attempt to steal Kit back. Or worse, to try to end her entirely.

Now that he knew she was our mate, the stakes were higher. Kitania was our kryptonite, our Achilles’ heel. Alphas didn’t do well with the loss of their Omega, especially if the loss was tragic.

My fathers were proof of that. While my mother hadn’t died violently, she’d been taken from us almost as insidiously, dying slowly from cancer. Watching her suffer and not being able to fix her agony, her pain, had taken a toll on all of us, but my dads had been hit the hardest. And once she was gone, their distress didn’t lessen. They tried to hide it, but they were declining, wasting away little by little as the years passed without her.

My mother had been the heart of the pack, and I understood that now more than ever.

Scent matches forged the most powerful of bonds, and I couldn’t fathom how they’d lasted this long. Day after day, they pressed on the best they could, but their grief was palpable.

Eventually, heartbreak would take them from us, too. It’s why my father was eager to pass the torch, to let the empire he’d helped build transition to a new generation.

We were strong, on the cusp of bonding. We had the entire city at our fingertips, but none of it meant anything without our Omega.

For most packs, losing their Omega wouldn’t affect them as deeply if they hadn’t bonded yet. The emotional damage was severe, but they’d survive it. Scent matches, however, were a different beast. The connections were stronger; the attachment starting from that very first scenting. Bite marks between true mates simply solidified the already growing relationship, reinforcing the bond and linking the pack on a deeper level.

The thought of losing Kitania made me see red. Made me wanna go back and pummel that asshole to confirm beyond a shadow of a doubt that he didn’t know anything about Rocco’s or Vincent’s next move.

I swallowed hard, torn between wanting to pull away to shield her from this part of my life and craving more of her soft touch. “It’s nothing, Kitten.”

Disbelief clear, her brow furrowed, her fingertips still gently tracing the wounds on my knuckles. “This doesn’t look like ‘nothing,’” she murmured. “Does it hurt?”

I shook my head, mesmerized by her concern. “I’ve had worse.”

Hell, someone could flay the skin from my body and I’d grit my teeth and bare it if it meant keeping her safe.

She looked up at me then, those ice-blue eyes piercing straight through me. “That doesn’t make it okay.”

Her genuine worry for my well-being hit me like a punch to the gut. No one had ever cared about me like this before. Not about the little things. Not about scraped knuckles and bruises.

“I’m fine, sweet girl,” I assured her, my voice coming out rougher than I intended. “Promise.”

Kit bit her lip, clearly unconvinced. “You should at least put some antiseptic on these. They could get infected.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her mothering. “Yes, ma’am,” I retorted, earning a playful swat.

But then her hand lingered, her palm flat against my pec. I watched as her eyes widened slightly, taking in the feel of the rippling muscles beneath her fingers. Her gaze traveled over my chest, down to where the water lapped at my abs.

Goddamn. I sucked in a breath, every thought fleeing my mind except for how fucking good her skin felt against mine and the way my cock jumped just from having her touch me.

“See something you like, Kitten?” I couldn’t resist teasing her, my tone dropping to a low, gravelly challenge.

That blush I loved so much bloomed across her cheeks again. But rather than pulling away, she surprised me by inching closer.

“Maybe,” she whispered, her eyes flicking up to mine, gazing at me from beneath the coal of her lashes.

Fuck, she was intoxicating. The way she looked at me, like I was something she adored instead of the monster I knew myself to be.

She wasn’t afraid of me, of what my scabs meant, of what I’d done not hours before to keep my family and my territory safe.

To keep her safe.

I couldn’t take it anymore. The space between us was absolute torture. With a low growl, I pulled Kit onto my lap, relishing her soft gasp as she straddled my thighs. Her nightgown floated up around her waist, and I could feel the heat of her core pressed against me, separated only by the thin fabric of her panties and my swim shorts.

“Dimitri,” she breathed, her hands coming to rest on my shoulders.

I cupped her face, my thumbs stroking her cheeks. “Tell me to stop,” I murmured, giving her one last chance to back away.

Instead, she leaned in, pressing her lips to mine.