Page 21 of Sold to the Alpha Wolf

Her voice was a little stronger as the most recent surge backed off. Senna fluttered her eyes open more, pegging me with a glare.

“I wanted to keep you safe. If it was discovered that a Collins wolf was mated to an Edwards, what exactly did you think Terrance was going to do?”

Reaching for her hands, electricity zapped through me at the contact. I pulled one of them toward me, laying her palm against my chest. Gods above, the feel of her.

“I…” Her voice faded into nothing as I held her hand. She laced her fingers between the unbuttoned halves of my shirt, gripping it tight.

“I’m so fucking sorry, sweetness.” I stroked my thumb up and down the back of her hand. “I wanted to protect you. I knew that you were mine the moment I saw you in that damn bar. But…you had no wolf. You were a Collins. I didn’t think…I didn’t think you’d survive what happened if the packs learned.”

At once, Senna hissed as another wave wracked through her. It would get painful now. She needed to fulfill the urge, or Senna was going to be in tremendous pain. How she’d survived through heats alone was astonishing. It wasn’t impossible, of course, but I couldn’t imagine going through that.

And the longer this went on, the harder it would be to keep my wolf at bay—keep all the wolves downstairs at bay.

Chapter 9 - Senna

Jet’s words were kind and gentle and the exact things I wanted to hear. He was using me. I knew it. He couldn’t possibly actually feel these things for me. He was just desperate to rut me through my heat. But denying that I wanted the same right now was damn impossible.

He smelled divine—pine and leather and mine.

With each passing surge, that mate bond was brought to the surface more and more. It was just as strong as the first time I’d met him now, and every bit of me ached to give into it.

Every bit of me ached anyway. The heat was going unanswered. It had so many times before. But this was so wildly different. I hadn’t been coming off the back of an excommunication then, or so close to my mate that I could actually touch him.

My mate.

Yeah, I knew it as much as he did. I wanted to deny it, but I couldn’t then, and I couldn’t now. But the memory of his rejection was still bright in my mind. The pain of an unanswered heat was nothing compared to that.

I refocused on what he’d said.

“I was barely surviving as it was, Jet.” Struggling, I pulled my hand back, crawling across the bed to get more space. “You damn near killed me with the rejection. And…and as you pointed out…”

My breathing was labored against the swell of hormonal need and exhaustion. Pain dragged still more of my breaths away, but I wouldn’t be silenced. Not now.

“I have no wolf…I was never going to be treated well by any pack member. Your rejection just reminded me of that fact.”

Jet’s mouth fell open slightly. Behind his dilated pupils, I could see the acceptance of my words. His brow was down, his face all screwed up into an expression I didn’t enjoy seeing. Turning away, I got near the head of the bed, the most distance I could get without leaving it.

Part of me didn’t want to leave it, the part that wanted a soft, dark den to escape into. But I couldn’t be near him. Being close to Jet was too much. I’d never be able to fight the raw need for him if I stayed there.

So, I pulled myself off the bed, and Jet was smart enough to stay where he was as I stumbled a few feet away, clinging to the sheets around me.

“Senna.”

His voice was that low growl, and I could tell he was barely holding himself back. Why is he holding himself back? He should’ve jumped on top of me at this point.

“I’m truly sorry.” Trivial words that didn’t change the facts. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have left you there.”

His voice wavered, the lust still there, but held behind a screen of regret that shocked me a bit.

“No. I should have risked it—for you. I…dammit, Senna. I’ve told the pack you’ll be staying, and I mean that. You’re safe here. No one is going to kill you or breed you. Not…not even me, if you don’t want.”

That got my attention.

I froze in place, nearly to the bathroom, with my back to him. My hair was still down from the bath. Even though I was desperate to put it up because of how hot I was, it dangled around my shoulders, the curls pulled long by the lingering water on them.

“Jet…”

I couldn’t find the words. I felt him just a few feet away. I felt every fiber of my being call out for him, because he was mine, and I was his. But it was so raw and new. I couldn’t…I couldn’t stand to get hurt again. I’d already been through too much.

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