Page 126 of Lavender and Honey

I nod, and he stands, guiding me toward the living room with a hand on the small of my back. The gesture is casual, but I feel the warmth of it, the way it anchors me. We settle on the couch, and before I know it, he's pulling me onto his lap, his arms loose around my waist.

I blink, surprised by the ease of it, but I don't resist. Instead, I curl into him, letting my head rest against his shoulder. It's an intimacy I'm not used to, but one I find myself craving.

"Is this okay?" he asks, his voice soft in my ear.

I nod, my cheek brushing against his shirt. "It's nice," I admit, feeling a blush creep into my cheeks.

We continue our conversation, his questions gentle and curious. He asks how I'm finding life in the pack house, if I'm settling in. I tell him about my days, about the comfort I feel here, and he listens with an attentiveness that makes me feelseen. There's no rush, no pressure, just the steady flow of words between us.

Then he shifts slightly, looking at me with a knowing expression. "Heard you had an interesting day " He says, a teasing note in his voice.

I feel my blush deepen, surprised but not entirely. "Elias told you? Or was it Finn"

“Both actually.” He nods, his smile widening. "Didn't want to cross any lines. They wanted to make sure you were okay with everything."

The consideration touches me, the way they respect my boundaries even as they gently push them. "I would have said something if I wasn't," I assure him, meeting his eyes. "I promise."

Lucian watches me, his gaze steady and warm. "As long as you're good, that's all that matters," he says. "But we did want to check."

"I appreciate you checking in," I say, my cheeks warming with another blush. "But I promise, I'm perfectly fine."

He watches me, the corners of his mouth lifting in a teasing smile. "Fine enough to enjoy it?"

His question makes me laugh, a soft, embarrassed sound. I nod, unable to meet his eyes. "I did," I confess, and the admission feels like a release, a shedding of old fears.

Lucian's grin widens, and he tilts his head, studying me with playful intent. "Was it really that good?"

I meet his gaze, feeling a flutter of boldness. "Yes," I say, more certain this time. The word hangs between us, full of promise and possibility.

He leans closer, his breath warm on my skin. "Think I might steal a kiss?"

The question catches me off guard, but in a way that sends a thrill through me. I nod, my heart pounding. "I wouldn't mind," I whisper, the words barely out before his lips find mine.

The kiss is gentle at first, a question more than a demand, and I answer with a soft sigh, leaning into him. His mouth is warm and coaxing, and I feel the last of my resistance fade away. I shift on his lap, turning to face him fully, my legs straddling his hips as the kiss deepens. There's a heat between us, a building intensity that surprises and excites me. My hands move to his hair, tangling in the soft strands as his grip on my waist tightens. It's a new kind of closeness, one that feels both tender and urgent, and I lose myself in it, in him.

He pulls back just enough to look at me, his eyes dark and questioning. "You good?" he asks, his voice rough around the edges.

I nod, breathless and eager. "More than good," I tell him, and it's the truth, a simple, undeniable truth.

His eyes darken at my words, pupils dilating until only a thin ring of color remains. One of his hands slides up my back, steady and warm through the thin fabric of my sweater, while the other remains at my waist, anchoring me to him. The position should make me feel vulnerable— straddling the lap of the Head Alpha, my body open and exposed to him— but instead, I feel a curious sense of power. Like I'm exactly where I want to be.

"You're full of surprises, Lydia," Lucian murmurs, his thumb tracing small circles at the base of my spine. The touch is innocent enough, but it sends ripples of sensation up my back. "When you first came to us, I wasn't sure you'd ever let any of us close."

I duck my head slightly, acknowledging the truth in his words.

"It's still strange sometimes," I admit, my voice soft in the stillness of the night. "I spent so long keeping everyone at a distance. Building walls. And now..."

"Now you're sitting on my lap at three in the morning," Lucian finishes, his smile evident in his voice. His hand comes up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, the gesture achingly tender. "How's that working out for you?"

The teasing question makes me laugh, breaking some of the tension that's been building between us. "Better than expected," I confess, meeting his eyes with newfound boldness.

His smile widens, satisfaction evident in the curve of his lips. "Good." The single word carries weight, an Alpha's approval that resonates with something deep inside me. His hand moves from my waist to cup my cheek, thumb brushing across my lower lip in a gesture that's both tender and possessive. "Because I'm not in a hurry to let you go."

His gaze holds mine, the intensity there making my breath catch. Without warning, he shifts, his movements fluid and controlled as he lifts me and repositions us so that I'm lying on the couch with him hovering above me. The transition happens so smoothly that I barely have time to register it in my brain.

The change in position should alarm me— having an Alpha's body looming over mine, caging me in— but instead, a languid heat spreads through my limbs. Lucian's weight is balanced carefully on his forearms, giving me space while still surrounding me with his presence, his scent, his warmth.

"Still good?" he asks, ever attentive to my reactions.

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