Page 60 of Tempted By the Alpha Outlaw

I don’t know what I’m feeling at first when pain sears through me, erupting on my neck only to be followed by intense, mind-blowing pleasure. It makes my hips thrust harder, more brutal—and my knot slides inside her, trapping me as I shoot my load deep into her womb. Magnolia is still clinging to me, her tongue lathing at my pulse now, something hot dripping down my neck and collarbone…

She bit me.

Holy fuck, she bit me, and I just…I just knotted her and came inside her. I’m gonna get her pregnant. I…I fucking want to get her pregnant, I want her so fucking bad…

I feel the world spinning out of control as an aftershock rips through me, my cock throbbing inside her as I somehow shoot another, smaller load. I'm panting heavily, my breaths hitching with every spasm that rocks through me. I can't think, can't breathe. All I can do is hold onto her tightly as I come down from the high.

Through it all, I'm aware of her body against mine, of her ragged breaths echoing in my ear, of how she's still sucking on my neck, soothing the bite with her lips and tongue. I want to do the same thing to her—so I’ll always be able to feel her, so the whole world knows she belongs to me.

"Oh God," she gasps, releasing her bite to look at me with wide eyes. There's fear and uncertainty there, but also a wild kind of joy that has my heart stuttering in my chest. Her pupils are dilated, her eyes taking on the iridescent sheen that results from a partial shift. "Did...did I...?"

"Yeah," I answer gruffly. I don’t know how to tell her what she’s done—I’m not sure if she even knows. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not, I didn’t mean to,” she says. “I’m…”

Her eyes meet mine—and I think we both realize it at once, as her bite settles into my soul.

The way she smelled so fucking good from the moment I met her…how we couldn’t seem to stay away from each other, how every interaction has been charged and fraught with meaning.

“I’m your mate, aren’t I?” she whispers.

I swallow hard, nodding. “Yeah…” I rasp. “Yeah…I think you are.”

21

MAGNOLIA

The sun is already high by the time we finally leave the observatory. We’ve stayed longer than I expected, the morning slipping into afternoon, then evening, as we move through the domes and crumbling halls, scavenging for parts and talking about…everything.

I didn’t think a day like this was possible, where the world feels so quiet, so far away. Colt finds what he needs for the projector—some kind of filament, a few tools, and a dusty old box of wiring that he says might come in handy. I gather a few treasures of my own: a handful of star charts, some battered but beautiful astronomy books, and a little glass orb that catches the light just right. It was part of some display once, but now it’s a piece of magic I can’t leave behind.

But it’s not just the scavenging that keeps us here. It’s Colt. The way he leans against the telescope platform, his eyes following my every move as I study the constellations on a map. The way his voice softens when he talks about the stars, hesitant, like he’s sharing something secret. And the way he looks at me when I finally ask about the bond—this undeniable pull that hums between us, as if the universe itself is drawing us together.

“I’m not imagining it, am I?” I ask, my voice quiet but steady. “This…thing between us.”

He doesn’t answer right away. His gaze drops to the ground, his jaw tightening. But then his eyes meet mine, and for a moment, his usual guarded expression cracks wide open.

“No,” he says, his voice low and certain. “You’re not imagining it.”

I want to say more. I want to ask him everything—why it’s happening, how he feels, what it means for us. But the words catch in my throat. I told myself this trip was about helping the den, about finding parts for the projector and collecting teaching materials for the kids. But standing here, in the golden glow of fading sunlight, I know the truth. This trip has always been about him. About us.

He kisses me again before we leave, slower this time. His hands cradle my face like he’s afraid I might break, and for a moment, it feels like I might. The weight of his lips on mine, the way he tastes like a promise—it’s overwhelming and perfect all at once. And as much as I want to stay here forever, to let the observatory become our little world, I know we have to go back.

We pack up in quiet companionship, loading everything onto the motorcycle. I steal one last glance at the observatory as we pull away, its domes glinting faintly in the sunlight.

The wind rushes past me as the motorcycle roars down the road, the morning sun casting long, golden rays over the horizon. My arms tighten around Colt’s waist, my cheek resting against his broad back. I’ve never felt anything like this—this wild, giddy sense of freedom.

The memory of last night sends a flush to my cheeks and a tingling warmth through my body. I made a choice, one I’ve never been brave enough to make before. And when Colt kissed me, when he touched me, it felt like the universe itself had aligned to tell me I was right.

He’s my mate. I’m sure of it now. Every instinct in me howls that he’s the one. My wolf stretches languidly in my chest, a sense of deep satisfaction humming through me as I press closer to him. The world could end right now, and I’d still feel complete.

About halfway home, Colt pulls the bike over to the side of the road. The gravel crunches under the tires as he brings us to a stop near a shaded patch of trees. The air feels cooler here, the scent of earth and greenery mingling with the heat of the sun.

“Stretch break,” he says, cutting the engine and swinging off the bike in one fluid motion. He glances back at me. “And maybe a snack if you’re hungry.”

I slide off the bike, my legs wobbly from the ride. “I could eat,” I admit, grabbing my bag from the back.

We settle under the shade of a tree, the leaves casting dappled patterns over the ground. I pull out some of the leftovers from our picnic—a couple of slices of bread, some fruit, and a small jar of jam—and Colt offers me a water bottle from his pack. He doesn’t say much, but I can feel him watching me, his gaze steady and assessing.

---