Page 41 of The Alpha's Fated Bond

“Have you eaten?” he demands.

“Yes, I’m fine,” I try to reassure him.

We head outside for a walk, and I can smell blood everywhere. Alex doesn’t look injured, and it doesn’t smell like his blood, so I’m assuming that he really did beat up those two soldiers.

“Where did you go last night, Alex?” I ask him. “You weren’t here the other night, as well.”

His silence is heavy.

“There are some things that cannot be done in the light of day, Sophia. There are meetings held at night in secret locations. I have to be part of them.” He doesn’t offer more information than that. Instead, he suddenly looks angry. “I should have been there. I don’t know why I thought you would be safe with a couple of guards out front. I should’ve brought you with me.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I tell him firmly. “As long as nobody’s hurt, that’s all that matters. Alex, I talked to Lily, and I think we should begin working on breaking the link. We don’t have any time to waste.”

Alex gives me a dubious look. “Are you going to be safe?”

“Yes,” I reply confidently. “She’s going to stabilize me. If she thinks I’m slipping away, she’s going to yank me back. It’s a magic thing; she can explain it much better than I can.”

“Well, I’ll be having a word with her,” he retorts grimly.

“Alex,” I say, stopping and making him face me, “we need to hurry. You’re delaying things by worrying about me. I can take care of myself. The longer you postpone this, the higher the chances are of Karina figuring out that you’re back. Stop thinking about me and start thinking about the pups. Because if you don’t get on board, I’m going to ask Nathan and Patrick to bring me the children anyway.”

Alex’s expression stiffens. “How can you ask me not to be concerned about you?” His hand reaches up to cover my cheek, his fingers caressing my skin. His eyes are tormented. “I’m trying —”

My tone is blunt. “You are fighting with yourself. Do you think I can’t sense it?” I demand. “There is some conflict going on within you. I understand the situation is dangerous, and while I’m happy that you’re putting me first, I don’t need you to when it comes to this. I admit that in the past, I needed protection. I was weak. But things are changing for me now. I want them to change, and I want you to have faith in me and in my strength. These people are important to you, Alex. And that makes them important to me. Let me do this. Stop dragging things out.”

We’re standing on the side of the street, and Alex looks down at me. After a prolonged silence, he says, “You’ve made up your mind, haven’t you?”

“Yes, I have.”

He takes a step closer to me. “And if I try to stop you?”

My heart skips a beat at his proximity, and I force myself to meet his eyes. “I’ll still do it. I won’t be sheltered.”

Alex gives me a long look before murmuring, “It’s very hard to deny you anything.”

His eyes are burning into mine, and his mouth lowers to brush against my lips. The entire world goes still as heat blooms inside me at his touch. His other hand comes to wrap around my throat in a possessive hold.

We are not alone. There are people around us, but he doesn’t seem to care.

Just one kiss, and my knees turn weak.

Even though he’s been sleeping in my bed, he hasn’t touched me. At least, not the way I expected him to. But when he’s wrapped around me in bed, his arm across my waist, one leg draped over my hips, I’m hyperaware of him. I crave him in those moments. But I’m too shy to spell it out for him.

As he kisses me now, I feel overwhelmed, and my need explodes.

I want his hands on my body. I want to feel him touch every inch of me. I want to feel what he made me feel that day when he fucked me. Although it hasn’t been that long, it feels like forever.

Wetness forms in my pussy, and Alex pulls away, leaving me hot and bothered. I make a sound of discontent, and there is wicked laughter in his eyes.

“Did you want something?”

He’s clearly teasing me.

“Jerk.”

He laughs at my complaint before wrapping his arm around me and pulling me to his side. “I forgot we had an audience.”

His voice is low, but he seems quite pleased.

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