Page 45 of My Brutal Alpha

With a groan, he tensed against me as it hit him hard while he buried his face in my neck, grip tight on my thigh before the tension subsided, and he let go of a relieved breath.

Slowly, we both came back down again, faces flushed with warmth as we panted quietly.

Ezra relaxed against me, and while he kept his arms around me, his grip was looser and gentler than before.

My senses were still heightened, but the peaceful quiet that settled between us put my racing heart at ease as we basked in the afterglow together.

He hummed and gently kissed the sensitive spot beneath my ear. His fingers idly traced up and down my side, and he settled into the crease of the couch and pulled my body against his.

Still dazed and unable to think of anything coherent to say, blissed out by it all, I leaned into him and took in his scent.

I was content knowing that we were on the same page and that our mate bond was the priority now.

Being committed to one another was thrilling, and I knew I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Chapter 21 - Ezra

As much as I wanted to completely forget about my parents and the whole situation surrounding them, I knew I couldn't that easily.

I cursed myself for ever allowing electronic contact between us when I invited them to visit. Ever since they were armed with my number, they wouldn't stop blowing up my phone. It got so bad that I considered smashing the damn thing. Even then, I was still considering it.

After Zoe and I decided to be together and communicated as we should have all along, I was well aware of how our mate bond intensified even more.

With no more resistance between us, and after nurturing it, that connection felt more alive than ever before, and it became such a strong presence within my chest.

With a sense of understanding and ease between us, I did not doubt that I wanted Zoe.

I knew nothing could change my mind or sway my opinion on the matter. She was my mate, and we both acknowledged that bond.

But even so, I didn't know what to do about Nora and her dad, let alone my parents.

I could pretend those issues didn't exist, but I had the sinking feeling they would all eventually come to a head.

Even if things were better for Zoe and me, and I was more than grateful for that, I could still feel the pressure from every angle, clouding my head completely.

Given the chance, I found myself in the garage and decided to keep myself busy rather than dwelling on everything going on.

But of course, being in the building alone with only the radio to keep me company, I naturally found my thoughts wandering.

Everything with my parents and the Nora situation was a completely different matter, but one thing I couldn't shake was how Sebastian might react to knowing his sister was my mate.

While there was no denying how important that bond felt or how badly I wanted it, dealing with his thoughts on the matter seemed like a whole new beast to deal with. Given how we were friends, it could either work in my favor or completely blow up in my face, and I wouldn't know until it came down to it.

He had no idea that our feelings had gone beyond the ruse, and the unknowns surrounding that situation had me at a standstill.

I spent some time underneath the car, tinkering and getting lost in thought while a few others joined me in the garage, working on their own projects. Even if my mind was all over the place, at least I was able to physically focus on something else. Plus, having a few of my pack members around, including Nick, helped put me at ease.

When I urged the more worrisome thoughts to leave, they were soon replaced with ones of Zoe.

Despite everything else, things felt good between us. We were being honest with ourselves and each other, and I couldn't deny how refreshing it was.

For the first time, we were connecting deeply, and neither of us wanted to ignore what was blossoming between us.

It was reassuring to know that even after messing up multiple times, she still cared for me and didn't want to give up on us.

In a sense, I felt like I didn't deserve her or that opportunity, but I was still incredibly grateful for it.

As I got out from beneath the frame of the car, I went to clean my hands off when a presence hit me, followed by a scent that seemed vaguely familiar—but not one associated with any significant memories.

---