Chapter Thirty-Four

Kane

Pack Hoffran takes every chance they get to put me to work.

“If you’re not gonna hunt, you can at least make yourself useful.”

Like I give a shit. They can have me chop up every goddamn log in this forest if it means I can keep an eye on my omega.

It’s been four days, and she can still hardly stand. Mindy and her alphas come by during mealtimes, bearing tea and winter berries—so far the only thing that doesn’t make Willow’s stomach turn.

“I was the same, early on.” Mindy pats her pup bump.

My alpha regards her with idle interest. Then I realize what she’s saying.

“Wait.” I jolt up. “You mean—?”

At once, Braze and Lachlan—the red-head and the beanpole—growl in warning. Mindy just laughs.

“Sorry,” she says, “I see how that might’ve been misleading.”

“You mean …” Slowly, I relax. “She’s not …?”

“Definitely not,” Willow asserts, then smirks. “I didn’t think you could get that pale, Kane.”

“White as a sheet,” Mindy giggles.

Even her alphas smile at that, though whether it’s at their mate’s happiness or my embarrassment, I’m not sure.

Truthfully, I would’ve liked to have jumped ship by now. Willow’s clearly not making any progress, no matter how much Mindy dotes on her. We’re no closer to figuring out what the hell is wrong.

“ That’s it, ” I said last night as I tucked her under my cloak. “ I’m taking you to Northside. ”

To my surprise, she recoiled. “ What? Why ?”

“ Why do you think? You need a healer, bunny. ”

“ But Mindy is —”

“ Desperate for the company, ” I grunted. “ I’m not gonna keep you here for her sake .”

“ What about mine ?”

To that I stopped, frowning in question. It hadn’t occurred to me until that very moment, but suddenly I couldn’t help but ask. “ Will … is there something you’re not telling me ?”

She went quiet. Hidden under my cloak.

When I asked again, she was already asleep.

I keep my hands busy, skinning the fresh meat Hoffran brought in. The blood doesn’t bother me, but I try to shield the omegas, blocking the gory view with my shoulders.

Mindy’s mates have to practically peel her off Willow when it’s our turn to bathe. Braze leaves us a half-boiled cauldron and a couple sponges. I wait until he and Lachlan are well out of view before helping Willow undress.

She shudders. “Thanks.”

I say nothing. If I don’t focus, I’m going to get hard.

Ugh. Too late.

I scrub her down, watching her pale skin turn ever-so-slightly pink . She’s so damn soft. So … delicate. I rub her neck, massaging the sensitive scent glands.

Imagining how perfect she’d look with my bite.

“Alpha,” Willow sighs. “I can feel that.”

I pause. Then, at her shimmying hips, I realize. I’m still hard. Scratch that—I’m harder than ever.

“What’d you expect?” I mutter.

“More like what I didn’t expect. Who knew you’d be such an exhibitionist?”

“Am I supposed to know what that means?”

She laughs, the sound making my inner alpha preen.

Begrudgingly, I let her take over, turning my back so she can sponge me clean. We’re sitting in front of an open fire, soaking up the warm water, and yet, somehow, her hands are like ice.

She focuses the sponge around my wrists. My pulse throbs, wishing I could scent her, when suddenly—

My eyes widen, feeling a sharp, distinct pressure.

“Omega!”

I snap sideways, finding Willow with her jaw wrapped around my inner wrist.

She pulls away. “Sorry.”

Sorry? She’s sorry? My inner alpha is ecstatic. Omega wants to bond !

My voice comes out low and gravelly. “Want to tell me what’s going on, bunny?”

“I—” She blushes. “I wasn’t going to bite you. Honest.”

A part of me believes her—her teeth barely pricked the flesh—but the other, bigger part doesn’t want to.

She explains, “I was just curious. Wanted to know what it might feel like.”

“Yeah?” I swallow. “And, uh … what’d you feel?”

Every second she doesn’t answer, I feel my heart beating louder. I’ve known since before Willow’s heat that I wanted to sink my teeth into her. I figured I’d hold out, not push it, hoping she’d come to me when she was ready.

Is that what this is? Ready ?

As I’m stewing, Willow’s eyes glisten. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”

I turn the rest of the way around. “Your omega,” I declare, “she wants me.” That’s gotta be it .

“I–I don’t know. Mindy suggested—well, she thought, maybe, bonding would be a good idea.”

“For what? Gettin’ you better?”

Willow bites her lip. There’s something she’s not telling me. I felt it last night, and I feel it again now, twice as strong. What could she possibly have left to hide?

“Alpha?” Finally, she meets my gaze. “Will you bite me?”

Yes. Yes. Fucking yes! my alpha roars.

But something’s off. Those watery eyes. The way she’s chewing her bottom lip to stop it shaking. If I’m going to bond my omega, my mate … it’s not gonna be like this.

Reading my face, Willow shrinks. “You don’t want to.”

I growl. “Omega.”

“I’m being selfish,” she rambles. “I mean, we’ve only had one heat together! Which, in fairness, is when most mates bond, but those are village rules, and neither of us live in a village anymore, and of course that’s for good reason, so I can’t expect you to just—”

“Omega,” I growl again, deeper. “ Breathe .” She sucks in a breath, and I take her face in my hands. “Who says I don’t wanna bite you?”

Her eyes widen. “So … you do?”

I’d be biting you right now, if I wasn’t such an asshole, my inner alpha snarks. I sigh.

“Did Mindy give you a reason this could work?” I ask.

“It’s a long shot,” she confesses. “But apparently it couldn’t hurt.” She eyes me sheepishly. “Like I said. Selfish.”

“You’re not the selfish one here.” I kiss her, tasting her distress. “I am.”

She scowls like she’s about to protest. I kiss her again.

“Listen close, bunny. The only reason—and I mean only reason—I’m not bitin’ you right this second is because I want it to be more than that.” I look around. “More than a damp cave and shitty fire, where those numskull alphas could walk in on us any damn second.”

She cocks her head. “You’re not biting me because … you want it to be romantic?”

“Basically.”

Her lips stretch into a small smile. “So full of surprises.”

“You making fun of me?”

“No, alpha. It’s one of the things I love about you.”

Every muscle stiffens. I stare, waiting for her to realize what she’s said. Maybe for her to realize she’s made a mistake. My alpha claws at my chest, but the barrier remains, not letting him hear the words until she gives me some kind of signal.

This time it’s Willow who kisses me. She taste sweet now. No trace of fear.

My body opens, then closes around her, crushing her against me. I love you, I try to tell her through each stolen breath. More than anything, I love you.

The kind of love where nothing else matters.