Chapter 6

Mateo

I stood in my cell, looking out, sitting on the bed, and seeing that nothing was happening outside of my cell. I didn"t think there was going to be anything happening, but I was still surprised. I thought that there were going to be at least a few people passing by my cell, but nothing was going on. Absolutely nothing. I was alone in my cell.

I thought about Rylan. He had spent so much time with me only to be separated from me. Still, even though we were so far from each other, we could feel each other. I could still feel as though he was touching me right now, even though he wasn"t.

I knew that whatever he was doing, he was still thinking about me. Perhaps that was the reason why I felt as if he were right here with me.

The prison guards thought they could keep us separated, but it was never going to be so easy.

Looking up and focusing on the ceiling, I still thought of him and could picture him in front of me.

With me still thinking about that, a prison guard showed up. He appeared in front of my cell. I could barely see through the small window in the door, but I still knew his eyes were looking at me through it. He held a key in his hand.

The dirty smile on his face told me everything. I had always known that everyone hated me, but the way he was looking at me… It was pretty obvious he wanted to see me hurt.

Despite everything, he wasn"t really getting what he wanted. No matter how broad his smile was, I could tell he wasn"t happy. He wasn"t seeing what he wanted.

He would rather see me crying and being desperate, but that wasn"t what I was doing. I was anything but desperate. I knew there was hope and, for me, Rylan would do anything.

Some people might have said it was telepathy, but it wasn"t. I knew he was cooking up something and when it was done, he would save me. I had done the saving before and now he was going to do the same for me.

That was one of the reasons I knew he was my fated mate.

"Quite the predicament you"ve landed yourself in, Solstice," he said, a smirk playing at his lips. Of course he came here to mock me. Despite everything, he still wanted his little fun with me. "Your little omega won"t be too happy about this, will he?"

I glared at him, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. My omega wasn"t happy about this, but it wasn"t about him. Don"t involve him in this.

"You have no idea what you"re dealing with," I growled. "Touch him, and you"ll regret it." And he could tell I was being serious about it. No matter how much he wanted to think he didn"t fear me, he still did.

The guard laughed, the sound echoing in my ears. "Oh, I know exactly what you are, Solstice. A pair of fated wolves, bound by some cosmic force. It"s almost... romantic." His tone was laced with sarcasm, his eyes gleaming with malicious amusement.

He knew it was true. He knew it happened, but he still cared little about it. He knew he would never feel something similar.

I took a menacing step forward, my eyes narrowing. "You touch a hair on his head, and I"ll rip your throat out," I snarled. Considering everything at stake, I wasn"t afraid of the possible consequences resulting from that. "You have no idea what I would feel for him."

I really thought I would never say something like that about anyone, much less my cellmate.

The guard"s smirk faltered, a hint of uncertainty flashing in his eyes. He didn"t think I was going to feel so angry. He couldn"t even start to grasp what I felt for Rylan.

"Well, well. Someone"s protective," he said, recovering his composure. And yet, as much as he tried to show me he didn"t care, I knew it wasn"t what was really going on. "But it won"t matter soon. You"ll both be out of here and then what?"

My heart stuttered at his words. And then what? We would live out our lives. That was what would happen. It was that simple.

"What do you mean, "out of here"?" I immediately asked, my voice sharp. His answer confused me. "You"re not planning something, are you?"

If he was planning something, he would regret it soon.

The guard"s eyes glinted with a mixture of amusement and something else — a hint of fear. As much as he tried it, he couldn"t shake it off.

"Not me," he said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But let"s just say, someone wants you both out. Seems your little omega has some powerful connections."

My mind raced, trying to make sense of his words. Wait, what happened? I knew that Rylan was important, but did he really manage to pull that off? I didn"t think he would ever be able to do such a thing.

My thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of another guard, his face stern, his eyes hard. Something vital was about to ensue and I wanted to know exactly what it was.

"Solstice, you"re being released," he said, his tone clipped. I could tell he didn"t want to be doing this. "Get your things and come with me."

The first guard sputtered, clearly caught off guard. "What? But I thought—" And here I thought I was the one most surprised by this turn of events.

The second guard cut him off with a sharp glance. "Not your concern," he said, his voice cold. "Just do your job and let us handle this."

The first guard scowled, his eyes narrowing. He didn"t want to let it go. He wanted to make sure his buddy wasn"t hallucinating or something of the sort.

"Fine," he muttered. "But mark my words, this isn"t over. Solstice, you haven"t heard the last of me."

I ignored his threat, my mind reeling from the news of my release. For me, that was the most important thing. The guard threatening me didn"t matter.

I gathered my meager possessions, my heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. I didn"t think I was going to be released so soon. It felt like this wasn"t happening at all.

And what awaited me on the outside? And what of Rylan? Was he truly responsible for this turn of events? I had to find out. I had to ask him everything gnawing at my mind.

As I stepped out of the cell, my eyes scanned the hallway, searching for a familiar face. I was hoping to find Rylan somewhere, but I didn"t see him.

The second guard gestured for me to follow, his expression impassive. He just wanted to get this over with and nothing more. I could almost feel for him.

We navigated the prison"s corridors, my heart hammering in my chest with each step that took me further from Rylan.

This was it. My final minutes in this prison. I could hardly believe this turn of events. And, it seemed, all because of Rylan.

Finally, we reached the main entrance, the heavy metal doors looming before us. I had seen this part of the prison before, when I was put here, and it happened so quickly I didn"t remember much.

The guard halted, his hand on the door. "Here," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "You"re free to go."

I hesitated, my eyes narrowing. I had to ask about Rylan. I knew he was waiting for me somewhere.

"What about Rylan?" I asked, my voice tight. Truth be told, I didn"t even know if the guard remembered his name and who he was. It was a shot in the dark. "Is he being released too?"

Without him being released, I wouldn"t go anywhere. Everyone here knew that.

The guard"s eyes flickered, a hint of something — regret, perhaps? — flashing in their depths. Could it be that he had lied? Could it be that Rylan hadn"t been released after all? Worry gnawed at me.

"He"s already been taken care of," he said, his tone final. "Now go."

I wanted to demand more answers, to understand what was really going on, but something in the guard"s demeanor warned me against it.

It didn"t help that he wasn"t clear in his answer, either. I didn"t know what to make of it. He could have meant anything.

With a final glance back at the prison"s imposing walls, I stepped out into the blinding sunlight, my heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and unease.

Who could have thought I was going to be feeling this way about being released? Nobody could ever have convinced me I was going to be feeling this way about it.

And there, standing just beyond the prison gates, was Rylan. My heart skipped a beat. I had really thought he wasn"t going to be anywhere around here. I thought he was still in his solitary cell, feeling more desperate with each passing second.

His eyes widened at the sight of me, his face lighting up with a mixture of relief and joy. Just like me, he didn"t know it was going to work. He didn"t know, until now, he was going to see me again.

He rushed forward, his steps faltering as he reached me, his arms wrapping around my waist, his head burying in my chest. I thought he was going to trip and fall over. Thankfully, that didn"t happen. I would have done anything to prevent it, anyway.

I held him, my arms coming around him instinctively, my heart swelling with emotions I couldn"t begin to name. I was thinking about so many things and most of them were good.

"You did it," I murmured, my lips brushing his hair. "You got us out."

He pulled back, his eyes shining with unshed tears. And, he was surprised I knew. I could tell that just by looking at his eyes.

"I had help," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "It doesn"t matter now. We"re free, Mateo. That"s all that matters."

I searched his eyes, seeing the truth in them. Whatever he had done, whoever had helped him, it was a risk, a gamble that had paid off. But I knew Rylan, and I sensed there was more to the story, something he wasn"t telling me.

I couldn"t help but wonder what it was. Would he tell me? Did it matter at the moment? Yeah, it kind of did, but I also didn"t want to sour the moment with questions about that.

I wanted to press him for answers, to understand the full extent of what he had done. But in that moment, seeing the relief and joy on his face, I really couldn"t bring myself to ruin it. So, I simply nodded, my hands cupping his cheeks, and I kissed him, pouring all the gratitude and emotion I couldn"t put into words into that kiss.

As much as part of me was begging me not to do that, I still couldn"t do it, so I ignored it. I wasn"t one to worry about something all the time and it wasn"t going to be different now.

Rylan kissed me back, his arms tightening around me, his body pressing against mine. It was pretty obvious what he was telling me. He was telling me we were going to be together for a long time and I welcomed it.

Our kiss was filled with relief, joy, and something more — a promise of what awaited us beyond those prison walls. I was already forming so many plans.

We pulled apart, our gazes locked, our breaths coming in short gasps. That was hot. Oh, so hot. I could have kept on doing it for hours on end.

"Take me home," Rylan whispered, his eyes shining with a mixture of desire and something more. "My home. Tonight, we"re going to sleep well."

I nodded, my hands still cupping his cheeks. First time going to see his home and I was excited, to say the least. What did it look like? I could only wonder — for now.

"Your wish is my command, little omega," I said, my voice low and rough. I wanted to take him to his home as soon as possible, to claim him, and make him mine. Those things were all going to happen now.

And so, we went there. Rylan"s penthouse apartment was a far cry from the stark prison cell I had just left behind. Even though it was only a few hours after I left that place for good, it already felt as though all those things happened in another life.

The spacious living area was bathed in soft, natural light, the furnishings elegant and comfortable. It was such a cozy place. I could imagine myself spending hours here, not doing anything worthwhile, just enjoying myself.

My eyes widened as I took in the luxurious surroundings, a stark contrast to the harsh reality of prison life. I felt so much lighter being here. I knew that having a lot of money was good, but I didn"t think it could be so much so. I wished I had saved up more money before I was locked up.

Rylan led me further inside, his hand in mine, his touch warm and arousing. I knew what he was thinking and I was thinking the same thing.

"This is it," he said softly, his eyes flicking to me, gauging my reaction. "Home."

I nodded, my gaze taking in the opulence around me. Indeed, this was home. It was the best place for both of us.

It was a world away from the life I knew, a world of wealth and privilege that was foreign to me. When I was actively working for the cartel, I didn"t have as much luxury as what I was seeing.

But in that moment, all I could think about was claiming what was mine. I could only think about Rylan, and I knew he could only think about me as well. We were two halves of the same shared love.

I turned to him, my eyes burning with intensity. "You," I said, my voice rough. "You are mine. Now and forever."

He shivered at my words, his eyes darkening with desire. He didn"t feel hesitant about going on with this. He really wanted it as much as I did. "Yours," he whispered, his lips parting as he breathed the word.

And, God, the way he said it was so sexy. I wanted him to say it again, over and over. I wanted him to keep saying it until I was tired of hearing it.

I crushed my lips to his, my arms tightening around him, my need for him overwhelming. I pressed his body against mine as tightly as possible. I didn"t want to stop doing that for anything.

Our kisses were hungry, desperate, as if we were starving for each other. And, we might as well have been feeling that way. We actually didn"t spend so much time away from each other, but it had still been enough to hurt us.

I backed him against a wall, my hands roaming his body, mapping every curve, every dip and hollow. His skin was soft and his body was ready for my touch.

Rylan"s hands were just as eager, tugging at my shirt, his lips trailing down my neck, his teeth nipping at the sensitive skin there. He wanted all of me without anything being in the way. I certainly felt the same way.

I groaned, my hands fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, needing to feel his skin against mine. I was desperate. I could barely wait.

The fabric slid away, baring his chest, his skin smooth and pale. He was so pretty, especially in this place. He was already an eye candy when we were in prison, but here… Here his beauty was but potentialized.

I leaned down, my lips tasting the salty sweetness of his skin, my tongue tracing patterns that made him shiver. He pressed his body against mine, needing more of me.

Rylan"s hands slid down my back, his fingers deftly undoing my pants. I felt them moving, exploring every part of me. His desperation showed.

I stepped back, kicking my pants away, my eyes never leaving his. I glanced at my pants and thought I would never wear them again.

I wanted to savor Rylan, to explore every inch of his body, but the need burning within me demanded more. And, I didn"t even know if it was possible to have more. There was only so much of him I could have.

I lifted the omega, my hands under his knees and shoulders, and carried him to the nearby bedroom. I could actually do what I was going to do anywhere. It didn"t have to be his bedroom. I only took him there because it was the closest to us.

The room was bathed in soft, golden light, the bed large and inviting. It was such a good place for us. It was perfect. It was like it had been made for us.

I laid him down, my body covering his, our gazes locked, our breaths coming in short gasps. He could only see me. He didn"t even dare to glance at the sides of us. What was happening out of our bubble didn"t matter.

I kissed him, my hands roaming his body, my touch possessive, claiming every inch of him as mine. It was different this time, and it was possibly like that thanks to us being in such a cozy place.

Rylan arched beneath me, his hands tangling in my hair, his legs wrapping around my waist, pulling me closer. He knew what he wanted and couldn"t let go of it.

I wanted to take my time, to explore every inch of his body, but the need was too great. I thought I was going to do this slowly, but I couldn"t.

I broke away from his lips, my mouth trailing down his neck, my teeth nipping at the sensitive skin there, earning a soft moan from him, and it stayed with me.

"Please," he whispered, his hands threading through my hair. "I love you so much." And those words were like music to my ears.

They sent a jolt through me, a confirmation of the bond that demanded completion. I wanted to give him pleasure, to see him unravel beneath my touch. I was already imagining that happening, and I knew he was thinking the same thing.

My hands slid down his body, my fingers ghosting over his erection, earning a sharp intake of breath from him. His body was so warm and he was sweating a lot.

I wanted to taste him, to feel him on my tongue. And, there was no time to waste and no reason to do so. Thinking that, I kissed a path down his chest, my lips and tongue leaving a wet trail as I went. Rylan arched his back, his hands gripping the bedsheets, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. He groaned a lot under my touch, needing more of me.

I took him into my mouth, my tongue swirling, my lips tight around him. He tasted so good. I didn"t want to stop what I was doing no matter what happened.

Rylan cried out, his hips bucking off the bed, his hands tangling in my hair, guiding me. I was dictating what should happen, but he also had his input and it was welcomed.

I hollowed my cheeks, sucking hard, wanting to draw out his pleasure, to hear him cry out my name. And, it was working. He was on the verge of doing that.

It didn"t take long for him to reach his peak, his body tensing, his hands tightening in my hair as he cried out my name, his come spilling down my throat. I savored the taste of him, my wolf reveling in how this moment was unraveling.

And, I also swallowed down everything. I didn"t want to waste a single drop.

I kissed my way back up his body, my lips claiming his once more. Rylan"s taste still lingered on my tongue, our kiss passionate and deep. He didn"t mind the extra spice. If anything, he enjoyed the kiss even more than if it was happening without it.

I wanted to mark him forever as mine even more than he already was, to leave an indelible sign that proclaimed him as my mate.

I broke away, my eyes burning with intensity as I gazed down at him. He had difficulty breathing, his chest heaving.

"You have just one thing to say and you know what it is," I growled, my voice rough. "Say it."

He met my gaze, his eyes dark and hazy with desire. "I"m yours, Mateo," he whispered, his voice thick with need. "Always and forever."

Ah, those were the words I wanted him to say and he said them without even thinking twice about it. It was exactly what he was thinking this entire time.

His words sent a rush of possessiveness through me, my wolf stirring within. I growled, feeling possessive and my hands roaming over his body. He squirmed underneath my touch, letting me do anything I wanted.

There was only one way to go on with this, only one way to mark him as mine forever. Without doing it, this wouldn"t feel complete.

I positioned myself between his legs, my hands gripping his thighs, spreading him open for me. Rylan"s eyes widened, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness flashing in their depths.

"Relax, little omega," I murmured, my voice low and soothing. "I"ll take care of you."

He didn"t need to worry about what I was going to do. I was going to take care of him just like I was supposed to. If there was something he should be certain about, it was that I would always keep him protected.

He nodded, his hands gripping the bedsheets as I lined myself up with his entrance. He spread himself for me willingly and accepted me without hesitancy.

With a slow, steady pressure, I pushed inside, feeling the resistance give way as I sank into him, our bodies joining as one. He was warm and tight, just as I had imagined he was.

Rylan gasped, his back arching off the bed, his fingers digging into my arms. I knew I was big, but I didn"t think his reaction was going to be like that. I liked it.

I stilled, giving him a moment to adjust to my size, his body stretching to accommodate me. He opened himself up as much as possible for me and it was barely enough.

"You okay?" I asked, my voice rough, my body throbbing with the need to move. I would only go on if he said he was okay. Otherwise, I would try something different.

He nodded, his eyes fluttering open, his gaze locking with mine. "Go on," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "Please." And, given the look on his face, he didn"t have to tell me twice.

So, I did as he asked, pulling out slowly before thrusting back in, setting a steady rhythm. At the start, I was careful, but I quickly gained confidence in what I was doing. The next time we did this, I would already know how fast and hard I could thrust inside him.

Rylan moaned, his legs wrapping around my waist, his body moving with mine, our skin slapping together with each thrust. My hands roamed over his body, his skin shining with sweat.

I leaned down, my lips capturing his in a passionate kiss, our tongues tangling as our bodies moved in perfect sync. Rylan"s hands roamed my back, his nails scratching lightly, sending shivers down my spine. He could keep his hands there for as long as he wanted and I wouldn"t mind it.

The pace quickened, our breaths coming in short, sharp gasps, our bodies slick with sweat as we moved together, our bond strengthening with each thrust. He thrust back against me, matching my movements. I didn"t know it could feel so good.

Rylan"s fingers tightened in my hair, his hips still meeting my thrusts even though he was having difficulty doing it, his body arching off the bed as he approached his climax.

"That"s it, little omega," I growled, my voice rough. "Come for me." And I knew I didn"t have to say it again.

His body tightened around me, his release coating my stomach as he cried out my name, his eyes shining with a mixture of pleasure and something more — the depth of our bond reflected in his gaze.

I thrust into him a few more times, approaching my climax, my wolf howling within me, demanding that I knot him — and he didn"t need to worry. Of course I was going to do it.

With a final, deep thrust, I spilled myself into him, our bodies joined in the most strengthening way, our bond sealed with the exchange. After it was over, we knew that nothing could ever separate us more than ever before.

I collapsed onto him, my body spent, my heart pounding in my chest. His chest heaved and his body was slick with his sweat.

Rylan"s arms tightened around me, his lips brushing my hair, his breath warm against my skin. He didn"t want me to go anywhere and I wasn"t going to. I didn"t have any reason to do that.

"Mateo," he whispered, his voice soft and content. "We"re finally together."

I nuzzled into his neck, my arms tightening around him. "Together," I murmured, my voice rough with emotion. "Nothing can tear us apart now. That word means so much to me."

We lay entwined, our breaths evening out, our hearts slowing to a steady rhythm. Despite the rocky start when we met each other, we were at peace with our lives.

The love between us pulsed, a warm, comforting presence that soothed my battered soul. I exhaled loudly, pushing out any remnants of tension in me.

As the reality of our newly acquired freedom and our completed bond sank in, I felt an even greater sense of peace wash over me. Here, in Rylan"s arms, I was finally home.

I was thinking it didn"t matter where we were. Of course, it was better to be in his penthouse, but as long as we were wrapped around each other"s arms, we would always feel we were home.

We must have dozed off because I woke to the soft glow of sunset filtering through the bedroom window. God, how many hours passed? Probably too many. I felt like I made up for all the time I couldn"t sleep well in my cell.

Rylan stirred beside me, his eyes fluttering open, a soft smile curving his lips as he took in my presence. He probably realized, yet again, that it wasn"t all a dream and that this was happening for real.

"Hey," he murmured, his voice soft and sleepy.

I brushed a stray lock of hair from his eyes, my fingers lingering on his cheek. "Hey yourself," I said. "How are you feeling?"

He stretched, his body molding against mine, a contented sigh escaping his lips. He moved against me, putting his arm around me and pulling me closer to him.

"Better than I have in a long time," he said softly, his eyes searching mine. "Safe. Loved. And, most importantly, with you."

My heart clenched at his words, a smile gracing my lips. "You"re stuck with me now, little omega," I said, my voice gentle, and of course, also joking. "Whether you like it or not."

He smiled, his eyes shining with a mixture of love and something more — a hint of the future we would build together. He also chuckled after hearing what I said.

"Forever," he whispered, his fingers tracing patterns on my chest. I could tell he was already imagining what our life was going to be like. I was also wondering the same thing, and I had a feeling it was going to be good. Just a feeling, though? No, it was more like I just knew it was going to be.

I kissed Rylan softly, my lips lingering on his. He kissed back, his lips moist and warm, just like I liked them.

"Forever," I agreed. "Now, what do you say we order some food? I"m starving." My stomach rumbled.

He laughed, the sound warm and joyful. "I could eat," he said. "And then maybe we can talk about our future. Our family."

It wasn"t too early to talk about that. If anything, now was the right time.

And I smiled, my heart warming after hearing him say that. "As many children as you want, little omega," I said. "We"ll build a life together, away from all this."

I was thinking we should move out of the city and go somewhere we could have all the privacy we wanted. If we had a small house far away from civilization, it would be perfect.

He nodded, his eyes clouding over for a moment before he shook his head, clearing the sudden darkness that had passed through them. Did he just think something he didn"t want to share with me? No, it couldn"t be that.

"Anything," he said. "I want it all with you."

I kissed him softly, my lips lingering on his, and then I smiled. "And you shall have it," I promised. "We"ll make it happen, no matter what."

And that, of course, was a promise.