Page 40 of The Beta's Bargain

“We can’t.” I protest with the last shreds of my sanity.

He growls and presses against me, then he lifts me, and his lips trail down to the place on my neck where my shoulder meets. “I want you. I want you for me. I need…I just need…you. Just you.”

His words melt my brain. They seer themselves into my heart and soul. I will never ever forget this moment. It means too much. No one has wanted me since my mother died. And here is this beautiful, incredible man, and he wants me. Worse, I want him.

I wrap my arm around his neck and lift myself even further up out of the water until we are face to face. The water laps at us, and I realise we’ve moved further into the shallows.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Dylan. I’m trying to save you. You need to trust me.” It hurts to say the words, probably because I mean them so much.

I press my lips to his gently and kiss him the way he kissed me. But guilt and reality pull me back, and I laugh and search for a distraction.

“I’m going to tell you three true things about me. And I want three back. You don’t have to tell me now.”

“Why?”

“Because if you know these things, you might trust me.” I clear my throat and look into his beautiful eyes. The pool is steaming now, and I’ve never had a moment like this. “My dad called me Nanna to hurt me because he blamed me and my mother for the fire.”

Dylan shakes his head and presses close, kissing the corner of my lips.

“It wasn’t your fault. I heard about it. It was an accident.”

I close my eyes, trying to shake off the guilt that always comes. “It doesn’t even matter. He died believing it was my fault. Nanna is someone who should have taken care of things. It was sarcastic and bitter and a taunt, and Silvie knew that. That’s why I was so quiet at dinner.”

Dylan doesn’t say anything, but then he doesn’t really need to, his expression is so easy to read. He’s outraged for me. I have to look away to hide my shock at the flutter in my chest.

“I hate this job, but I've never had a dream of being anything else. I think my sister’s dreams became mine.” I say and fiddle with his shirt button.

“What are they?”

“A pack.” I say with a laugh. “Silly, isn’t it? A beta with a dream of a pack? But I was told to make her dreams come true, and I spent so long dreaming her dream that I think it became mine. I imagine a house full of love. Lots of children. Cuddling someone by the fire, cooking with someone else, finding safety with another. I just imagine big love, more love than can be…” I trial off.

Dylan closes his eyes, but when he moves, he spins us into the middle of the pool.

“Tell me the last one.”

I don’t have to think about it. I know exactly what I’m going to tell him. “When you kissed me earlier today…that was my first kiss.”

His eyes turn liquid. The scent of lemons overpowers the chlorine, and when he moves towards me, I’m powerless. I just stand there, helpless, as he gathers me up.

twelve

Onyx

Ipull back before he can kiss me. “Your turn.”

He stares at me, and his lips turn down. “The Treyfield pack are my scent matches. I met Falcon at a bar, and I just knew. When he brought Silas and Gray to me, it was like heaven existed. I’ve never been so happy. Scent matches are rare, but when you find them, it’s it for you. Well, I thought it was, until I found you.”

I suck in a breath and stare at him with wide eyes. There’s no choice. I have to ignore the last part of that confession. I’d assumed they were all scent matches, but I hadn’t known for certain. “No wonder they’re acting insane.”

He snorts.

“Okay, okay, second one.”

“I love pecans. My mother used to bake pecan pies. They always remind me of home. I ran away from my family, so, uh, well, I haven’t seen them since I ran from the pack.” He sighs. “I miss my mother.”

I frown. “Dylan, that’s awful. You must be so lonely. Why don't you call her?”

“And say what? I'm miserable, and I messed everything up? My pack are overbearing morons, and I don't even know who I am anymore? No, I needed to find out who I was and who I am.”

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