Page 136 of Fated Obsessions

“For the last month, I've been doing a lot of thinking. A lot. I realized that my anger over her mating with you has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me. I want my daughter to be happy. She’s the only light in my life. And you’re a male of worth, the only male I’d fully trust her life with.” He scrubbed a hand over his jaw again and looked away, as if he couldn’t look at my face anymore. “I trust every person in this pack, but as my Beta, you’re different, Tucker.”

I felt my throat tighten at his words. We weren’t just packmates. We weren’t just Alpha and Beta. I’d looked at Aidan as a brother of sorts. We had each other’s back more times than I could count.

So maybe me keeping my mating connection with Mia secret for as long as I did hadn’t been the right move. Maybe I should have been honest with him and trusted that we could have worked this all out. But I hadn’t, and I’d been part of this problem too.

“This doesn’t all fall on you.”

He looked at me then and nodded. “You should have told me right away. You should have trusted me.” I opened my mouth to speak, but he pressed forward. “But I know why you didn’t. I understand the fear of conflict and that I’d keep you from her.”

A thick, uncomfortable silence passed between us.

“After my mate died, I knew I’d forever be alone if anything happened to Mia. I knew I’d never live if she too was taken from me. I guess I pushed all that fear on to her and you, and that wasn’t fair. It’s my issues that caused everything after that, my need to not let her go.”

He took a step closer, and I straightened. I didn’t sense any malice from him, but I was instinctively on alert.

“I meant what I said back at that celebration. I meant it when I said if anyone was to mate with my daughter, I wouldn’t have wanted any other male but you to be by her side.” He held hishand out, and I stared at it for a moment. “You don’t need nor want my blessing, but you have it. Wholeheartedly. I want the best for you two, and I’m too tired to let my inner demons bring me—or you two—down anymore.”

We clasped forearms, and I felt a strange welling of emotion claim me. This wasn’t the kind I felt with Mia, the rush of pure feelings that a mate had for his other half. This was emotions of a bond I hadn’t known I’d been missing until this point.

“I’ve used the love I have for Mia as a crutch to deal with the pain I buried deep.” I felt his fingers tighten around my forearm. “I’m ready to move on. Finally.”

My chest felt tight, and before I knew what I was doing, I pulled Aidan into an embrace and felt all the pent-up emotions the Alpha of the Black Wolf Pack had been hiding. It was this violent wave of despair and darkness, hopelessness and fear. And it nearly took me to my knees.

And then I scented an aroma I hadn’t smelled in nineteen years. It was the scent of Aidan’s wolf. It was the scent of the male I saw as a brother, the wolf who’d run beside me before we had mates or been leaders of the pack.

It was a scent I’d forgotten until this moment.

I pulled back and grinned, and judging by his expression, he smelled that familiar scent coming from himself as well.

“Welcome back, brother.” And I meant that. With my whole heart.

Things were just as they were supposed to be. Finally.

Epilogue One

Mia

One year later

Imoaned as Tucker ran his tongue from my clit, down my cleft, swirled the muscle around my opening, and then repeated the action over and over again until I was writhing for him. He continued moving his tongue up and down until he was between the cheeks of my ass, and then he was licking that tight, forbidden hole.

I closed my eyes and arched my back, his hands on my thighs keeping them open as he teased that taboo spot on my body.

“That’s it. Oh God, Tucker. Yesss.”

He growled against my flesh, and I felt his thumb land on my clit. He rubbed the bundle of nerves back and forth until I found myself moving my lower body against his face and finger, seeking more, so close to getting off I could taste it.

He licked at my tight hole, over and over again, driving me insane with lust until I felt the air leaving me faster and harsher. The wet sounds of himdown therefilled my head like a drug until I was high from it and falling over the edge.

I heard the loud, long cry that left me, unable to tone it down, not even wanting to.

And the entire time, he growled against my flesh and rubbed my clit, prolonging the climax until I was so sensitive little tremors wracked my body.

When the pleasure receded and I was far too sensitive to have him touching me anymore, I gently pushed him away and let my legs fall completely open on either side of me. My eyes stayed closed as I rode the post-euphoric high. I sucked in a great lungful of air and felt him move beside me before wrapping his arms around my sated, sweaty body. I curled myself around him, his cock hard, the tip wet and smearing pre-cum along my still overheated flesh. But when I reached between us to grab him and let him find his pleasure too, he grunted and took my hand, bringing it to his mouth and kissing my knuckles.

“This was about you. Only you and your pleasure.”

I felt him brush a piece of hair from my forehead and forced my eyes open. My vision was hazy at first from the pleasure he’d given me, but after a few moments, it cleared, and I saw him smiling down at me, the expression on his face telling me he was one thing.

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