Page 62 of Wrestling With Werewolves

We part, and I slide a hand up to grip her throat. “My space is your space. Come here any time you want me.” Big Daddy’s growl enters my tone at the demand.

Her lip quivers. “We said we’d go slowly.” She wipes a hand over her brow. “And I know this is fast and messy—we are fast and messy—but I want it, Richard. I went to the church and prayed and Alaya sent wind to brush my cheeks and I, anyways, here I am.”

I grin and stroke her throat with the tips of my fingers. “Alaya has already blessed us, Lola.”

She covers her face with both hands. “But why is it so complicated? Ugh!”

She’s right, it is. So I gently pull her hands from her face to ensure she sees how serious I am.

“Do you trust me to help you figure out your dreams later? Because I don’t want you to give up a single one, Lola. I want you to tour and play, and I don’t know what we’ll have to do to make it work, but whatever that is, consider me all in, ten thousand percent.”

Her eyes flash, her hands coming to the bottom of my shirt. She slides them up under the fabric, her fingers exploring the dips and valleys of my stomach. “I do, Richard.”

Her words make every muscle in my body tense and achy. I’ve wanted someone for so long. But I was resolved to be single if I didn’t find the right woman. And I don’t think I realized how much that hurt inside of me until Lola came along.

“Every minute I spend with you is a blessing,” I whisper, pulling her tighter to me. “You’re going into heat, Sweetheart, and I can’t wait to share it with you, assuming you allow me in there.” I jerk my head to where she’s turned my sofa into a nest. It’s traditional to ask to enter.

She slaps me on the chest playfully. “You better ask nicely, or I’ll make you watch me in the nest for a while before you get to come in.”

A deep, needy groan rumbles out of my mouth. “Torture me, please, omega. I like the idea of you getting rough with me.”

She whines and backs up, pulling me toward the sofa. “Need you now, Alpha.”

I halt, pulling carefully out of her grip. “We need supplies, my love. I’m going to run out and grab a few things, and I’ll be back shortly, okay?”

She bites her lip, and I expect a protest, but she nods and wraps her arms around her body.

Console her, Big Daddy snaps, but my feet are already moving toward her again.

Wrapping my arms around her, I bury my face in her neck, brushing my mouth along the curve of her delicate ear. “To be clear, this is not a rejection of you or your nest. But when I get in there with you, I’m not coming out for days, Lola. I need to be able to be a good partner while you’re in heat, and I won’t be rational when we’re in the middle of it.”

She rubs her cheek along mine, whining softly. “Hurry, Alpha. Please?”

It takes every ounce of grit in me to promise I will and pull away from her. Leaving her alone in the treehouse is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, every step away is wrong. Big Daddy paces anxiously, on edge and snappish as I comm Connall.

The moment he picks up, relief floods me.

“Connall, I need to see you urgently at my office.”

“On my way,” he agrees. “I’m with Arkan; do you need him too?”

“Bring him,” I command, clicking off. Between the two of them, they can manage Shifter Hollow entirely without me for a few days.

But ten minutes later, they’re not at my office yet, and my patience is wearing thin. My dick’s a baseball bat between my thighs, my body flushed and hot. It’s preparing for her heat, to answer the call of her body’s intense need. My omega’s upstairs, nesting and hot and ready to fuck, and these two are standing in my way.

Just as I ball my fists and head to the door to find them, they sail through. Connall takes one look at me, slipping both hands into his pockets as he flares his nostrils and scents the air. “I’ll be damned, Alpha. Is this what I think it is?”

I snarl, “If you think my omega’s in heat, and I look like I’m ready to be in bed with her, then yeah.”

I’ve never spoken this rudely to Connall and I regret not telling him everything about her earlier. He’s a great listener; he would have understood. Kind person that he is, he gives me a knowing, happy smile instead of berating me for not trusting him with the information.

“I should have told you,” I murmur. “I’m sorry, Second.”

Arkan snorts. “Gods, it’s fun watching wolves lose their minds when a heat comes around.” His smirky expression grows bigger. “We’ll handle the Hollow while you’re indisposed. What do you need?”

“I’ll send up groceries,” Connall says. “Sorry it took us a few minutes to get to you; we were with Leighton’s folks.”

I wave his concern away. “I was due downtown for a meeting about?—”

---