Page 9 of An Alpha's Commitment

Talius hesitated. I worried. Surely, this wasn’t bad?

With a sharp inhale, Talius drew himself up. He looked strong, powerful, commanding. He was a magnificent alpha, and I wanted to throw myself at his feet.

But when Talius said, “I was just on the phone to the Council”, I shivered. The Council was usually only involved when there was some sort of problem. Was I the problem? Or was there a problem for me?

“Isca! Stop.” Talius’ brows had drawn together. His lips pinched. He looked fierce. I gulped. Then he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

The back of his other hand traced the curve of my cheek. “Stop worrying. There’s no problem. I was simply making an enquiry. An enquiry that concerns you.”

Irian had stopped tending to the dinner and was standing, turner in hand, watching us.

Talius continued, “I’ve asked a friend to make some discreet enquiries about whether it’s possible to safely break a mate bond.”

“B-break a mate bond?” I paused as my mind put things together. “You mean… my bond with Zarbius?” I’m sure my eyes must have lit up in surprise.

“Yes. I don’t know if it can be done, but it might be possible, especially as it’s only a partial bond. But I need to be sure… if it’s possible, would you want to break it, Isca?”

I was speechless as the possibility ran through my mind. I could finally be free of my old mate? What would that mean for me? Would Talius mate me properly? Would Irian be okay with that?

My failure to respond must have alarmed Talius because his voice lowered and softened.

“That would leave you free for me to mate you… if you wanted that,” there was an unaccustomed touch of vulnerability in his voice that brought me to my senses. I couldn’t bear to hear this amazing alpha uncertain, especially when he was offering me my heart’s desire.

“Yes!” I surged out of my seat, closing the distance between us and without second-guessing myself for once, smashed my lips to his.

The impact knocked him back in his seat but rather than break contact, he grabbed me and hauled me across the table until I was sitting in his lap. His arms tightened around me. His tongue slid past my lips as he claimed me in a punishing kiss. It was my perfect delight to yield to him, my body softening in his embrace, my mouth and my tongue following his lead.

A possessive growl rumbled through Talius’ chest, vibrating against my ribs.

“My omega!” he growled, pulling back from the kiss, his eyes luminous. His wolf was near the surface. He dropped his head to the base of my neck, his nostrils rubbing along the tender skin, sniffing. He rested his fangs in the little hollow where the mating bite would go, where the little silver scars from Zarbius’ bite marred the flesh. The pointy teeth dragged across the skin, bumping up against bone. I shivered. I wanted that mating bite from him. I wanted it so badly.

“Your omega,” I whispered, trembling in his lap. I caught a glimpse of Irian watching us, a tender smile dancing across his lips. There were no worries there. He wanted this as much as I did.

Chapter 06

IRIAN

It was both heartbreaking and breathtaking to see the hope on Isca’s face when Talius told him about his – no, our – plans to dissolve his old mate bond so that Talius could form a new one with him. I knew we’d made the right decision to tell him about it. Even if it didn’t come off, the fact Talius had gone to the trouble of finding out if it were possible should go a long way to reassuring Isca that he was equal in our triad. I’d been surprised when Talius told me Isca didn’t feel that way already.

I really hoped it would happen. I had high hopes for a three-way mind-bond with Talius and Isca, and wouldn’t that be fun? Apart from anything else, I was sure the sex would be mind-blowing. Well, more mind-blowing than usual… things had really heated up now we’d found our stride as a triad in the bedroom.

When dinner was over and the kitchen cleaned up, I took Isca by the hand and led him back to our room. Talius had disappeared into his office, no doubt trying to catch up on some of the work that had been put on hold during the days he had been helping me through my heat.

Ten minutes later, freshly showered, and skin pink from the hot water and being rubbed down with towels, Isca settled in the sheets beside me.

“Do you really think it’s possible?” he asked, bubbling with excitement. His beautiful brown eyes shone with hope and anticipation, and he seemed to be looking into the distance, as if he were already imagining the possibilities.

“I don’t really know. I hope so,” I told him, running my palm over the firm muscles of his upper arm. The fine downy hairs glinted, still damp from his shower. “And Talius doesn’t either, really. He’s hoping there’s something in some of the old texts about it. He’s got someone looking into it, but he can’t ask openly or word will get out that it’s for you. There’s still a possibility Zarbius might come for you if he ever learns you’re alive.”

I winced when I saw the look of terror that flitted across Isca’s pale face. I shouldn’t have mentioned the name of his old mate. It was only a couple of months since Zarbius had raped him and left him for dead in the forest, and while his body had long since healed, the incident had left other scars that would take far longer to recede.

“Don’t worry,” I traced a finger over his scrunched up brow. “Talius has a friend on the Council. He’ll be discreet but it might take a while to get an answer since he can’t ask straight out.”

“I can’t believe Talius is doing this for me,” Isca whispered.

“Of course, he is!” I insisted, indignant that Isca would think himself unworthy of the effort. “You’re important to him. And to me… I can’t wait… well, I’m hoping it will work out. Talius doesn’t want us to get our hopes up, but it’s kind of hard not to, isn’t it?”

Isca’s smile said it all. Goddess, I hoped it worked out. He’d been through so much already.

---