Chapter Eight

Alex

He is my mate.

I felt the draw to him the first time I saw him. It was at a gathering of friends, and I caught a glimpse of the young omega sitting in a corner looking lost. My wolf came on full alert, and I started over, anxious to meet him. I had never felt such a strong attraction to anyone. His downcast eyes and slumped shoulders had me wanting to know what made him so sad. Nobody could deny how good-looking he was, but not a bit of confidence clung to his form.

The room was crowded, loud voices and louder music making it hard for anyone to hear conversations more than a few feet away, or even to get to them, but my wolf’s determination made it impossible not to try. His outrage at the omega’s sadness sent a rumble from my chest and out my lips. Not that anyone could hear it.

I fought my way through the crowd, gaining little ground, having various people try to start conversations with me, until I vibrated with frustration. My wolf was demanding I do whatever it took to reach the omega. I finally ducked under someone’s arm and emerged right where I’d seen him. But he was gone. I spent the next two hours struggling through the people in the room, unable to even ask about him since I didn’t know his name and “sad omega wearing blue shirt” just didn’t seem useful.

An hour later, I saw him—with Emile. A friend of mine who was totally vanilla but a good guy otherwise. Emile had his arm around the blushing omega’s waist and was whispering in his ear, and he towed him toward the exit.

I tried to forget about my draw toward him, to think of him only as Emile’s omega, but it was difficult, and when we encountered them at a party or gathering of any kind, my wolf’s fussing made it hard to keep it together.

And now he was inviting me to his home for dinner?

I stopped on the way and picked up a bottle of good wine. West was clearly interested in me, but he had lost Emile not so long ago, and I had to be careful not to be his rebound or have him lean on me just to ease his heartache. Maybe think it was more and end up realizing he’d made a huge mistake.

Which would not only hurt him, something a dominant should try to avoid, but break me. I’d suppressed my feelings when I thought he was happy and where he should be, convincing myself that I should be glad for him. But the more we talked, the more I learned, and the less I liked what I heard.

I parked in front of his place and looked up at the lit windows. Not so long ago, Emile would have been sitting at the dining room table with West. Maybe. I was starting to have doubts about how good an alpha my friend had been. Memories of things he’d said in passing were coming back to me. He had bought that membership wanting to try new things with his omega, but was that the truth?

I’d likely never know. He was gone, I was here, and if I could keep from jumping too fast and ruining what might grow between us, I could learn if he truly did belong to me.

The door opened, and he peeked out then stepped onto the porch, lifting his hand in a wave. The porch light revealed his happy smile, and I couldn’t wait a second longer before leaving the car to join him on the porch and pull him into a hug. “Hello, omega. Were you watching for me?”

“Is it okay if I was?”

I kissed him, deeply, inhaling his scent and heat. Straightening, I set him away from me and sighed. “More than.”

Dinner was great, even if I barely knew what I was eating. My whole attention was focused on the omega as he talked about his day and the weather and anything that came to mind. I wasn’t sure if I should stay the night, even if he asked, and our time in my office made me fairly sure he would.

He had lit a couple of tapers on the table, and his face in the light was so lovely, it took my breath away. When we finished eating, I helped him carry the dishes to the kitchen and clean up, continuing our conversation about his day, my work, and whether I thought he’d enjoy the club. Everything about being with him was a joy, and despite my best instincts, when he turned away from the dishwasher and bumped into me, my arms went around him, my lips were on his, and I was walking backward out of the kitchen, bringing him along with me.

He shifted away from my lips, halfway through the living room. “Up the stairs to your right.” Kissing recommenced ,and how we made it the rest of the way across the room, up the double flight of stairs with a landing halfway, and into his room without landing on our heads, I will never know.

But we did, and I began to undress him the moment we crossed the threshold. His skin was warm under my palms as I pushed his shirt over his head. I’d never wanted anyone more, but I tried my best not to hurry, although my cock was throbbing, and all I wanted was to bury it balls deep in my omega. Not mine, not yet, but a male could hope.

“Please hurry,” he moaned, grinding his groin against my upper thigh. “We can have slow and sweet later, but I need you now.” He stepped out of his jeans and pushed down his shorts, kicking off his socks along with the rest. “Now.”

It would take a better man than me to resist him bent over the side of the bed, his ass in the air and slick hole glistening in the light of the lamp by the window. One I’d been looking up at from the car. I hadn’t known it was his bedroom then, but I would from now on.

“Omega, are you sure? I want to make this good for you.”

“Don’t make me beg. Actually, I think I’m already doing that.”

“Then let’s make sure it’s very good for us both.” I grasped his hips and lifted him onto all fours. “Grab your cock.”

He shuddered, but he did as I asked, now balanced on one arm and his knees, but he was already jerking at his dick, his elbow sawing back and forth when I tested his slick. So slippery, I put the head of my cock at his hole and rocked my hips, the head disappearing inside him. Now I was the one with tremors, but I locked my legs and drove in deeper, his hot walls closing around me. In and out, faster and faster, my grunts creating a harmony with his moans until I leaned in and ordered, “Come now, omega.”

No marking…this time.