Page 38 of Pack to the Wall

“Being fated to Tyson doesn’t mean you can’t kiss me,” I said softly. “You’re the alpha, you can do whatever the fuck you like. Alpha’s having multiple mates isn’t uncommon. Usually, they take and keep them by force, but I get the feeling you’re not like that.”

She shook her head with an appalled expression.

“But if you did want multiple mates, then you should know that Bronn and I are also interested. We’ve talked with Tyson and he’s good with it if you are. We’re perfectly happy to share you, if it means we get to be with you.”

A glimmer of expectant hope flickered in her eyes. “But Tyson and I are fated, and…” It was clear she didn’t know much about that.

Neither did I.

“I don’t know all the details, but from what I understand, being fated is just between you and your fated and doesn’t mean you can’t have others.” I went out on a hopeful limb. “I get the feeling you wouldn’t complain if Bronn and I wanted to mate youalong with Tyson?” I lowered myself enough over her that I was shading her eyes.

She let her arm fall away. Her cheeks flushed a bright, hot red, and I could hear her racing pulse.

“Do you?” she murmured.

“Want to mate you?” I replied matching her whispered tone. “Hell yeah. But for now, I’ll settle for a kiss.”

“Oh…” she said, her voice breathy.

“But I won’t, if you don’t want it.”

I didn’t know how long we stayed like that, eyes locked, with me bent close over her. I wanted to give her space to refuse while letting her know how much I wanted this. But perhaps I was crowding her too much. I began to pull away when she whispered, “Wait!”

My heart leaped and began racing. “Yeah?”

“I… I don’t know what I want. I don’t know what to think, but I know I like you being here, close and…”

I smiled. “Don’t think, just feel. What feels right?”

She closed her eyes for a moment, her chest rising as her breathing grew heavier, the flush on her cheeks deepening. “I just want to feel… I want…”

I had a suspicion of what she wanted, but she wasn’t allowing herself to feel it, to say it.

“Just tap me if I go too far, and I’ll back off,” I whispered, then leaned further over her, putting a hand on the rock on the far side of her to keep from rolling onto her completely.

I gently lowered myself until my lips brushed over hers. Her eyes fluttered open, shocked but not upset, and I let my lips press to hers again with a bit more force.

Almost instantly, she gave a shuddering sigh and relaxed into the kiss, her eyes closing again.

I kept my eyes open, wanting to see her pale skin and splash of dark hair, even if it was way too close and blurred. She tastedso amazingly sweet, like honey. I kept the kiss light, playful, mouths closed. I’d take my cue from her.

Her hand came up to my face, cupping my cheek, caressing. I’d shaved last night before going on watch, having suspected things would be a mess this morning. My cheek was smooth and so was her hand.

And when, with just the slightest push, she signaled for me to withdraw, I did.

Her lips were parted as her eyes blinked open to stare up at me.

“Sometimes,” she whispered, her voice faint, “I think this is a nightmare. Other times… it’s like a dream, full of wonders I can’t quite believe. Like this.” Her brow furrowed again. “Do you really find me attractive?”

Her doubts and fears were palpable in her tone and expression, and it made me want to crush whoever had told her she wasn’t the most amazing woman in the world.

“Yeah,” I said. “You were married, right? Didn’t your husband ever tell you how amazing you are? Or how lucky he was?”

She blushed again. “Only when he wanted…”

Yeah, I could fill inthatblank easily enough. “Then he was a moron.”

She gave a bit of a laugh, then sighed heavily. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, and I think he only married me because I had nice tits and I’d go down on him occasionally.” She turned her face away, clearly embarrassed, looking toward the stream. “He left ten years ago. I’d suspected he’d been having an affair for a while, ever since Milo had been born, but I hadn’t known the details. Then, when he left, I heard there was a twenty-something woman at his gym who’d vanished at the same time.”

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