Page 78 of Alpha Marked

"Then what are you going to do?" She narrowed her eyes as he continued to smile.

She gave in and sat next to him. He turned her away from him, and the first tug pulled the ends of her hair.

He was brushing her hair. No one had ever done that before except Bianca.

"Ares, you don't have to."

He bent and nipped her shoulder. "And you didn't have to wash me in the shower."

Fair enough.

They sat in silence, and the magnitude of the day pressed down on her shoulders. He'd found her. Her attacker had found her, but not only found her, he'd known where she lived all along. But Ares had saved her. Santiago had saved her. Lachlan and the others had saved her as well. River couldn't wait to go to Canada if it meant she'd be safer from her would-be attacker. She had to be safer there, didn't she?

"Ares?"

He kissed her shoulder. "I won't let him near you again. I vow it on my life."

Her chest squeezed, and she lay against his hard body and breathed him in. He wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled her against him for a long minute.

"For the first time tonight, I felt something I'd not felt since being bitten. And something I never want to do again."

"What, Beloved?"

"Vulnerable and weak."

"You are neither, and as my mate, I will make sure it never happens again."

She peeked up at him. "But I didn't feel it only for myself. I felt it for you as well. I wanted to stay and help you. Protect you. But I couldn't."

He stared down at her. "I love that you wanted to protect me, but that's my job. To protect you. I failed you tonight. It won't happen again."

He kissed her and then began brushing her hair again. They sat in silence for several minutes, but the silence wasn't tense or uncomfortable- it was peaceful.

"Coffee or tea?" Ares asked.

"What?"

"Do you prefer coffee or tea?"

"Soda."

He chuckled.

"What about you?"

"Water."

She smiled. "Sweet or savory?"

His breath caressed her skin. "I always like a little bite with my sweetness." He playfully nipped her shoulder, sending sparks shooting straight to her core.

Mate. Alpha. Mine.

She turned over her shoulder and brushed her lips against his. His tongue swept into her mouth, and she turned around and reached for him, but he pulled away.

She lifted her eyebrows.

He turned her back around. "As much as I'd love to, I'm only halfway done with your hair."

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