Page 106 of Taken By the Alpha Priest

He smiles, stroking my hair. “As soon as I was healed enough to run, we made a plan. Frankie scouted the settlement, found a way in. The others…they didn’t even hesitate when I asked. Everyone wanted you back, Tilda.”

“Everyone?”

“Me, Frankie, Grant, Charlotte, Elijah, Mateo and Peaches. Will and Suyin wanted to come too, but they stayed behind in case something happened.” He chuckles. “A whole damn pack came to rescue you, but you couldn’t just wait for us, could you? No, you had to save your own stubborn self first.”

I can’t resist the laugh that bubbles out of my chest as I stare up at him in wonder. “Sorry,” I mumble. “It’s kind of who I am.”

“And I love you for it,” he says.

He kisses me again, and I let myself enjoy the sensation of his body pressed against mine. We’re completely naked. I have no idea where I left my clothes. I really don’t even know where we are.

“Where are we?” I ask. “If we’re close to Homestead…aren’t we in danger?”

“I’m not sure,” he says. “You led the way. Made me chase you.”

“Seems like it’s your fault you didn’t catch me faster,” I tease.

“I was a little out of sorts.”

“You were horny.”

“Fine,” he deadpans. “I was horny. You do know it’s more than that though, right? The rut…I can’t even explain it.”

I nod. “Is it always going to be like that?”

“I think so,” he says. “Not that I’m sure. I’ve never indulged in a rut before.”

A distant voice distracts us both, and our heads snap toward it. Reyes shifts, lifting himself up on his muscular arms to get a better view, the movement making his shoulders flex and ripple. I can’t resist the urge to run a finger down his bicep, the warmth of his skin grounding me in the here and now.

“The moon isn’t out, but I’m still so fucking turned on,” I mutter, half to myself. “I wish we were just back home at the den.”

His lips curl into a soft smile, and he glances down at me with a mixture of amusement and wonder. “I think you might be in luck,” he says, his voice low and rumbling.

He kneels, peering out over the grasses, his sharp gaze fixed on the horizon. I push myself up to join him, squinting at the faint outlines in the distance. Over the rolling prairie, I see a fence rising against the dawn light, its worn edges as familiar to me as the back of my hand. A lone watchtower looms just beyond it, a guard silhouetted against the brightening sky.

“It’s the den,” I whisper, a wave of relief washing over me.

“How…?” I ask, my voice trailing off as I try to piece together how we could’ve ended up here.

Reyes lets out a soft scoff, shaking his head as if he can’t believe it either. “I guess I must have run us here last night,” he says. “You told me to take you somewhere safe, and I didn’t know where else to go.”

“So we’re home,” I murmur, the words feeling foreign on my tongue but warm in my heart.

Reyes crouches beside me, his amber eyes searching my face. His large hands gently cradle my cheeks, the touch so tender it nearly breaks me. “Is it your home now?” he asks, his voice quiet but filled with a raw, vulnerable hope.

I reach up, covering his hands with my own as a smile spreads across my lips. “It was all I could think about while I was trapped in Homestead,” I whisper. “You’re my home, Reyes Garza.”

The tension in his face melts away, replaced by something soft and unguarded. He stands, gloriously naked, his silhouette almost otherworldly against the dawn. With a playful grin, he extends his hand to me. I take it, letting him pull me to my feet, feeling lighter than I have in days.

But as I rise, a flush of heat creeps up my neck. The reminder of last night lingers, impossible to ignore. I glance down at my thighs, slick from our time together, and groan in embarrassment. “Oh my God,” I mutter, covering my face with my hands. “I’m so embarrassed. I think I need a bath.”

Reyes chuckles, a deep, warm sound that seems to vibrate through me. “Good thing we’re at home,” he says. “You can…”

His laughter fades abruptly, his expression shifting into something serious. His brow furrows, and his amber eyes take on a contemplative gleam.

“What?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him. “You’ve got that weird look on your face again.”

“Tilda, I don’t mean this to sound weird,” he begins, clearly hesitant.

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