Page 38 of Outback Mate
“Say it.”
I clench my fists.
“It can result in death.”
She stares at me, wordlessly waiting for me to confirm that no, I don’t want either of us to die.
Instead, I’m overcome by how attractive my Omega looks freshly fucked. I sigh at my errant thoughts. It’s like the mating bite has rewired my brain.
I can still taste her blood on my lips, and it’s driving me to distraction.
She takes my silence as acceptance, and her fist props on her hip and she continues her sassy rant.
I struggle to listen as I stare at her plush lips intently.
“Exactly. I’m your patient and you have a duty to my care. More than that, no matter what you seem to think, we’re mates. You bit me. Claimed me as your Omega. Wherever you go, I go. We’re stuck together. So get over yourself and accept that as scent matches, this was always going to happen. We had Buckley’s Chance of fighting this.”
A clap of thunder punctuates her speech like a full stop. It makes Poppy jolt, and she steps closer to me, unconsciously seeking comfort from her Alpha. Her fingers touch my forearm and I suck in a breath at how good it feels.
“I just want to get through this and be with you without you pushing me away and rejecting what’s between us. I know you have to go, but don’t leave without me.”
The wind howls around the clinic like an evil spirit determined to wreak havoc. Another boom of thunder makes her fingers dig into my arm, and I pull her closer.
She smiles up at me. It’s small, but it’s there. Like she can’t stop the affectionate expression from pulling at the edges of her lips despite how I’ve treated her.
I melt.
That small smile and her touch is a blow torch applied directly to my icy heart.
It’s been years since I’ve felt such strong emotions, and they make my knees shake with their intensity.
My frozen soul has come back to life, and it fucking hurts.
It’s been less than a day together, but she’s changed everything. I’m just not sure how to put aside my guilt about trapping her.
It’s as if she’s reading my thoughts, because she launches into a rant that pinpoints my doubts.
“Alpha. Don’t shut me out. This isn’t a choice for you to make. You don’t get to decide whether we’re scent matched, and it’s too late to take back the bite. I get it. You need some time to get yourhead around that, but I’m here and I’m your mate, and if you need to go be a superhero doctor in the middle of a storm, then you’re going to need to get used to me being your sidekick.”
Her tone is matter-of-fact as she calls me out and orders me to let her follow.
It’s clear she won’t take no for an answer, and it makes me feel relieved. She’s right, this is not a choice I need to make. It’s facts. I can deal with cold, hard facts.
We’re scent matched.
She wears my claiming bite.
The two of us can’t separate while the bond settles.
I have to go help my friends in their moment of crisis.
Logical. Factual. Clinical.
She’s speaking my language. I don’t know how she’s become fluent in only a few short hours.
Her lips press together like she’s daring me to try to argue with her.
“Yes. Okay. Fine,” I say with a curt nod. I pick up the torch and my med bag, and turn on my heel.
