5. Five - Tate

five - tate

. . .

Mine.

The one word that comes to my mind when I lay eyes on her. Long blonde hair frames her face, full lips pout, and her eyes are dark, makeup hiding her pure beauty from the world. She's wearing a stunning silver dress that exposes her long legs and her ample chest, baring her cleavage to whoever looks her way. I grit my teeth. She shouldn't be showing that off. Well, to anyone except me.

I fist my hands at my sides, resisting the urge to go to her. To demand that she be mine. Patience, I remind myself. I've never had such a visceral reaction to a woman. I haven't even kissed her yet, but she's it… or she will be soon enough.

My eyes stalk her like I physically want to. She comes with her friend, a tall, skinny brunette who's not half as attractive as my star. They start off with eight shots. She inhales her four, and with each drink, she gets more free, more touchy. Her smile isn't held back as much. I imagine the alcohol taking over her body, caressing each spot it travels, leaving a warmth in its wake. A little while later, I watch her excuse herself from the table and head towards the bathrooms.

I'm tempted to follow her, stake my claim, but again, I remain still. "Dude… what the fuck is wrong with you?" Lex laughs, and I find him staring at me. The cocky little bastard has his typical egotistical smirk plastered across his face.

"Oh, fuck off." I wave my hand at him like he means nothing to me.

Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. One of the alphas who's been watching her since she got here stalks off. I know his intentions. I probably have the same ones, but the difference is that I have a modicum of self-fucking-control.

My feet are moving before I even realize what's happening. Making insignificant conversation with a female at the end of the bar, I watch him stalk towards the ladies room. He leans up against the wall, arms crossed on his chest. A smug grin baring off-color teeth.

Disgusting.

When she comes out of the bathroom, I watch the interaction. It's intense, and her body language is giving him fuck off signs, but he doesn't seem to be getting it. I grit my teeth. I can't go all caveman, not yet. I want to see how this plays out; what exactly he plans to do before I end him.

I whisper a silent prayer… just a little while longer, mate. The need to know holds me in place. I plot what I want to do as I stand there watching her fight him. Is it wrong that watching her fight him has me damn near hard in my jeans? The fucking zipper is about to take a bite out of my dick. It's sick that I'm rock hard seeing her struggle. She's a fighter; that gets me going like none other.

Seeing him trying to take advantage of her drunkenness pisses me off the longer I stand here.

Another thought twists in my mind and has me gritting my teeth. She only had a couple shots. I don't remember looking away. She's not pencil thin, so she shouldn't be this out of it, and I'm starting to wonder if someone drugged her. The bartender maybe? Did he put something in her drink? I would've seen it right?

Her eyes are watery and unfocused as she tries to fight him off weakly. Her hands catch on the doorframe, and a nail breaks from the force.

There is zero chance that she's getting away from him without assistance. As soon as the door closes behind them, I sneak up along the wall. Giving the door a shove, it opens just slightly so I can see in. Bastard couldn't even lock the damn door behind him, too interested in assaulting my omega. My blood boils when he wraps his hand around her throat, and when his other hand goes feeling her up as she slowly loses consciousness, it turns to lava, hot enough to make hellfire.

I see red. I've seen enough to know where this is headed, and he'll be dealt with accordingly. I'd ask my teammates, but I doubt they dabble in this type of vigilante shit. I've already sent a text, letting my buddy know we've got another alpha problem. One who doesn't seem to understand the word no. Hitting send, I shoot him the address, and he replies that he'll be here in ten.

I'm not the most above board player on our team. Most of the guys don't know much about me, and I like it that way. I keep to myself and observe. Money is a strong enforcer, and I'm not too cocky to admit that. It buys a lot of things and a lot of people. I learned well from my father how ruthless life can be, watching him crawl his way to the top with bloody nails. But he fucking made it, and now he's on top of the Goddamn world.

Wanting to deal him a dish of his own medicine, I creep up behind him and wrap my hand around his throat. I don't give him time to get used to it as I continue to squeeze, feeling his pulse quicken as panic sets up. He tries to talk, but it comes out incoherent as I squeeze his neck, cutting off his air supply. I have no time for it. He had his chance to be a decent alpha and walk away. He didn't. Now, he gets to deal with me.

My eyes fall to my mate, who's barely conscious. She's slid down to the floor, and her back is against the wall. He takes my distraction as an opportunity and swings at me; barely missing once I realize what's happening.

Adrenaline pumps through my veins, and I start swinging. It doesn't matter where I hit as long as I make contact. I should kill him right here, but then she'd have to answer questions. I won't do that to her. So I'll make him go away quietly, but not before he knows not to touch another omega again with ill intent.

Not that I expect him to be smart enough to figure it out. I should beat the shit out of him and leave him to die, but I'm not sure that I could control myself before actually killing him. I don't need to be locked up for murder.

Her fear still lightly tinges the air, and it's bitter. His anger joins it in a wicked dance of sour bitters.

My knuckles bleed from the continual smack of skin-on-skin. Bloody knuckles is just a way of life, though. Lifting my hand, I wipe my mouth with the back of it. A red tint stains in a line. Great, my lip must be bleeding. I don't remember him getting a good hit in, but I'm losing it right now.

He falls to the ground after I deal him one solid punch, holding his head and moaning as if he's in agony. Could've been a lot worse, motherfucker.

"Get the fuck out of here before I end you, and if I so much as see you around her again, you'll wish you'd been dead," I growl, menacingly, meaning every word I've spoken.

He scrambles to his feet, warily watching me to see what else I'm going to do. My job here is done as far as I'm concerned.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I don't have to look at it to know he's here. He'll take care of our little problem.

He pauses briefly at the door, glaring at my omega one last time before I'm moving towards him, and he scurries away like the underwater dweller he is.

The door shuts behind him. All I can do is stand and stare at my mate, looking so fragile on the floor. I'm irrationally angry, but I can't show that side to her. Not yet, at least.

Ever so slowly, I reach out to touch her shoulder, and she jerks away from me like I'm a hot iron just brandished from the pits of hell. "Shh… you're all right," I tell her. "Let's get you home." Her eyes are closed, and she just nods, trusting me without having the slightest clue of who I am.

I pull her in close, my nose running just barely against her smooth skin. Her scent engulfs me, and my cock rises to the occasion. Fucking worst timing, dude. The cinnamon and apple pie mixture has me salivating. Closing my eyes, I shake my head. Wake the fuck up, Tate. Get her out of here.

I could be a serial killer for all she knows. We'll have to have a discussion about that at some point, but not right now. I will not allow her to put her safety at risk again like she did tonight or she will find punishment as her closest friend. Disobeying directions will not fly with me. Unless, of course, she wants to see me burn the world to the ground, in which case, I would be more than happy to.

Her dress rides up her thighs, letting me see just the very bottom of her ass, and I picture how red and perfect it will look from my handprints. My palm twitches to spank her right now. Bend her over my knee and remind her that carelessly drinking is a bad idea. And where is her friend? Why isn't she concerned? Her friend didn't come from the table to check on her when she didn't return.

Leaning down, I pick her up bridal style, one arm under her legs and one at the small of her back. She grunts as I lift her, and her head falls against my chest. Now, she's officially unconscious, but she's breathing. Her chest rises and falls slowly as I watch it.

I put most of her weight on my left side as I drag open the door and leave the dimness of this bathroom. They need more lighting.

Her friend eyes me as I walk down the hallway and head to the table. Anger brews behind those gray blue eyes with each step. She's pushing her friends to get out of the booth so she can slide out, and then she's pointing a finger in my direction. "What the hell did you do to her?"

"What you weren't doing… looking out for her. If I hadn't been here and seen her being followed into the bathroom, this night could've been a lot worse for her. Which begs the question, why the fuck didn't you come looking for her when she hadn't returned?" At least she has the decency to look away, embarrassed.

Turning to her friends, she excuses us, and we head towards the door. "I'll just call an Uber. I'm sure there's one close by."

"I'll carry her home." I tell her firmly, not caring how far away home may be. They didn't even drive here? On one hand, I'm happy that she's smart enough not to put my mate in a drunk driving situation, but I'm also pissed. What if they had needed to get away quickly? What then? But I don't say it. The frown lines are prominent across her friends' brows. "How far are you?"

"Not too far." She gives her address, and I'm the one frowning. This side of town is not exactly the best place to live. "I'm Nova, by the way. And that's Rebel…"

I roll her name around on my tongue, liking the way it moves. I repeat her name just to see how it sounds coming from my mouth.

"Tate."

"You have a last name?" She raises her brows at me, a hip cocking slightly.

"Yep, but it's not important. I'm just being a gentleman and walking you back to your home so I know she's safe." She nods her understanding, and for the rest of the walk, there's complete and utter silence. It gives me the opportunity to really look at the fragile omega in my hold. She looks so peaceful as her breath fans in and out slowly, heating my shirt where her lips touch it. Her makeup is dark, but it suits her. I'd love to see the golden color of her eyes again, but they're closed. Soon, I tell myself.

Her dress has ridden up her thighs as I've been carrying her, giving me an eyeful of sexy thigh. My cock reminds me that it's still there, not so patiently waiting.

"Well, this is it." I follow Nova up the two stairs and onto the front porch. Her house is a small one story ranch. My mind immediately whispers easy access. It's a little too dark to see what the actual house color is and any details, so I decide to save that for another day. I'll definitely be back; especially now that I know she exists.

Nova's hand shakes as she lifts the key to the front door. She's nervous. Good. Maybe she learned something about not being a shitty friend. Finally, the lock disengages, and the door slides open. Hints of fresh baked apple pie smack me in the face, and there's a lingering of vanilla, too. The beta . Dipping down, I run my nose against her throat and inhale.

As I suspected, it smells better from the source. I groan because it's fucking heaven. Making sure her friend isn't watching me, I lick the side of her neck, needing to know if her skin tastes just as she smells. It does.

"Okay, her room is just in there. Do you need any help?" Nova asks, and I shake my head. She walks down the hall, leaving us alone. Wow, her friend has way too much trust in me. I could be anyone… I thought best friends were supposed to have each other's backs? I'm praying it's just the alcohol because she's definitely tipsy, too.

Rebel's overwhelming scent smacks me in the face as I step into the room. It's bigger than I imagined it would be, standing on the outside of the house. I peer around in the dark, seeing shadows standing tall, of different types of furniture. I could turn the light on, but the glow of the street lamp outside gives me enough light to find her bed. Walking over, I turn down her sheets and set her down gently upon them, watching as Rebel rolls to her side and snuggles into the pillows. Rebe l… I say her name quietly. It fits.

I shake my head. Did Nova even lock the front door? Two single females living alone, you would think they'd be more concerned about their safety. That's like the number one rule. Irrational anger flashes through me at the carelessness.

Leaving Rebel's room, I go to the door and lock it, making sure no one can get in and harm my omega. As I move silently back into her room, I take a look around, trying to find spots that wouldn't be obvious to hide cameras because you best believe she's getting cameras… and soon. I'm a non-trusting, possessive bastard. Seeing her laptop open on the desk, I walk over to it and hit the spacebar. The screen comes to life, displaying a picture of her and Nova. I turn to make sure the blinding light doesn't wake my sleeping beauty and find she's snoring softly, so I get back to snooping.

Like the front door, her computer is also unlocked. Freaking anyone could log in and monitor her, and she wouldn't have a clue. My hands clench as they ball into fists. The thought of someone breaking in here has me gritting my teeth.

I feel down my pockets, remembering that I was at the bar, and I don't have a zip drive with me tonight, which means no software. I'll bring it next time. In the meantime, I grab her phone from the side table where I placed it after tucking her in. The lack of a passcode is sadly not surprising in the least.

Loading the apps, I download one that I'm all too familiar with. It's an app that will track her location wherever she goes. I want to know everything there is to know about Rebel, my mate. If I had a tracking device on me, I'd slip it beneath her skin tonight between her neck and shoulder, but I'm not prepared.

A deep groan grabs my attention, and I study her. She squeezes her eyes firmly together, even though they're already closed. They move within her eyelids like she's watching a movie. Her breath puffs out a little faster, and her hand involuntarily slips under her dress. It takes me a minute to realize that she's playing with her tits. I push my lips tightly together so I don't let out the groan dying to escape. Is she trying to kill me?

I wish the dress was a little higher up on her chest instead of her stomach so I could see what color her nipples are… dusty peach or light pink? I picture them, and my mouth waters. I wouldn't care either way. I imagine they'd be the perfect size for my large hands.

Eyeing a chair on the side of the room, I can't resist sitting down and watching her.

Plopping down, I strain to hear if her roommate is still up and about; everything is silent, except for the pounding of my heart and the anticipation of being caught. There's no longer any light coming from the hallway. Being here without Nova's knowledge shouldn't be turning me on, but it is.

Her blonde hair fans out across her pillow, and when she moves, the sheet slides down her body, exposing more skin.

My body temperature rises. My cock throbs, rock hard, reminding me that it's there. Like I could forget… The urge to creep over and whip the sheets down her body hits me, but I resist. It would be easy to climb over her, to spread those silky legs, and finger her until she's ready to take me, before finally giving myself what I want and thrusting into her with one brutal stroke.

My dick bounces with that solid idea, but I won't. Not tonight . I want her to remember the first time I break that sweet pussy on my cock. Doesn't mean I can't enjoy the show. My hand is already on my cock. I push my pants down, giving myself room, and it springs free willingly. Spitting into my hand, I start to stroke my length slowly, from my balls, with a twist at the top over my mushroomed head. A quiet groan bursts free, and I immediately look at her face.

I can feel the pressure building already. I'm going to come faster than I ever have before, and I'm not even inside her yet. Her dress slips away more as her hand moves, and I admire the tan strip of skin exposed above the sheet. Her perfume slips out, and I struggle to remain in control. The perfumed scent is sweet, and I have to wonder if it's because her heat is near or if she's normally that way. My mind goes dark when I think about her next heat and another alpha helping her through it.

A growl slips between my teeth on a hiss as she rolls onto her back. Her nipples pebble underneath her dress, and my mouth waters at the sight.

She lets out a breathy sigh, and I watch as that naughty hand slips lower, under the waistband of her panties. The sheet slides down more, giving me just a tease of bright red panties, and that tiny string holding me together snaps. Boom . It was tenuous from the start; only a matter of time.

Delicate fingers rub that pretty pussy, not even aware that it's happening, but her hips begin to move against her hand. I wonder who she's thinking about right now. Is it me or another alpha? I grit my teeth against the mere thought. This time, I growl, and it's not quiet, but all that slips free from her is another moan. Does she do this often? Fall asleep and finger herself?

I rise from my chair, cock shifting with every step, as I make my way across to where she lays so peacefully. I step up to the side of the bed before I can talk myself out of it. Because I will regret it if I go home and don't get to at least see her.

She lets out a heavy sigh, and it's my downfall into the land of the possessed.

Dragging the sheet down, I find my prize; her hand on her pretty cunt. My knot swells, and I have to grip it to quell the need to expand. The sweetness of her perfume hits me, taking me out at the damn knees. I'm a goner; blowing my load all over my hand, but I keep stroking through it.

Wanting her to think of me… I concoct an idea, looking at my hand before finding her lips. I let my cock fall and lift my fingers to her lips, cum dripping from my fingers, and I smear it across the bottom one, waiting a few minutes for it to dry before applying another layer like glossy chapstick. My cock starts to grind back to life just looking at my essence on her.

I want to cover her entire body with my cum. No refractory period means I can last for a long time without needing a rest, but I won't do that tonight.

With my alpha side almost satisfied that I've marked her, I turn one last time and let my eyes flit around the room. It's very normal; a bed, set of dressers, a walk-in closet, and a wooden desk in the corner. I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting.

A set of keys lays on her desk, out in the open for anyone to snatch, and for a moment, I contemplate my next move. I shouldn't… but fuck it anyhow.

Carefully picking up the keys, I cringe when they clink, but she sleeps through it. In my pocket they go for safe keeping. I'll have to find a way to get them back to her. Now that I know where she lives, it shouldn't be that hard to conveniently run into her. I could say she dropped them at the bar or something. Nah, that may come off sketchy, and she'd probably start asking questions I don't want to answer.

My eyes roam over her body. I can't believe I found her… and now I'm never letting her go. I will die before that happens. Rebel better get on board with that when I start to pursue her because I won't stop until she's mine ; mind, heart, soul, and pussy. I almost pity the fact that she's going to end up with me, come hell or high water. Almost. My lips tip up into a grin.

As much as I'd like to stay here and watch her all night. If they wake up and I'm still here, they'll freak and be pissed. Unable to resist the temptation, I leave staggering kisses down her neck and over her collarbone. She squirms, moaning in her sleep, and I can't help the way my chest puffs out at her unconscious praise. I lean in and bite the nipple currently teasing me through her dress. Her hand cranks up, more demanding on that cute little bud of hers. Okay, maybe another minute or two. I want to know what her face looks like when she comes, even if she is asleep.

A few minutes later, I'm greeted by a raspy moan; her head is thrown back as her hips jerk. I resist the urge to touch my cunt. Soon, I promise myself, and my cock that's hardened back to life.

"See you soon, Omega."