Page 16 of A Promise of Forever
Otto glances around the room nervously, then back at me. "This really isn't a conversation to be had in front of an Omega..."
The suggestion that Sterling's presence makes him uncomfortable, that my Omega should be excluded from discussions in my own house, triggers every territorial instinct I possess.
A growl rumbles up from my chest, deeper and more threatening than before. "Mine! He'smyOmega!"
The possessive declaration seems to surprise everyone in the room, including me. But the moment the words leave my mouth, they feel absolutely right. Sterlingismine, in every way that matters, and anyone who suggests otherwise can find themselves a new employer. Caelan snorts with what sounds like amusement mixed with relief. "I got this, brother. I'll debrief you later. Take care of Sterling." He moves toward Otto, clearly planning to remove the fighter from the situation before hisstupidity can cause more problems. “Fucker, I told you to wait at the goddamn door, but you justhad tocome in here, didn’t you? Because what? I’m only an Alpha? Did you forget that I’m Forrest’s fucking brother or that I’m his right hand? Did you forget that I’m the King’s best fighter?” The cackle that falls from my brother’s lips is terrifying as he gestures for Otto to head back out the door.
Thea bows her head toward me. “Sorry, boss.”
I snort. “It’s fine. Otto will pay for his disrespect at a later date. Let the staff know that he’s no longer allowed in the house.” I catch her frown and immediately follow it up. “Normally, he’d be banned from the property merely for his disrespect of my time and my space, but disrespecting my Omega is much worse. Otto, I don’t care what you have to fucking say at this point. Keep talking and I will make sure you’re fighting shrimp come this weekend and betting on the fishes.”
That shuts Otto up and he stalks out, Thea on his heels. Caelan throws me a mock salute for good luck as I throw him the middle finger before the door closes behind them, leaving us in silence again. I look down to find Sterling staring up at me with glassy eyes, his pupils dilated and his breathing slightly uneven.
"Yours," he murmurs, the word soft and wondering like he's testing how it feels on his tongue. "Yours, yours, yours."
The repetition sends heat flooding through my chest and straight to my cock. This time, I can’t stop my reaction as I spread my thighs to give myself a little more space, a groan sitting at the back of my throat when my knot presses against the buttons of my pants.Fuck.
He continues murmuring the word, each repetition more breathless than the last, his scent shifting to pure sugar. The sweetness is more pronounced now, edged with something that makes my mouth water and my hands want to claim every inch of his skin. And then I realize he’s not saying ‘yours’ anymore,that he’s half gone and the word on his tongue is going to make me come undone completely.
“Knot. Sir, I need… knot…”
Sterling
My body feels like it’s on fire, a relentless blaze that starts deep in my core and radiates outward, licking at my skin with invisible flames. Every nerve ending is alive and screaming, as if my veins are filled with molten lava instead of blood. Kneeling in front of Forrest, needing him and yet being terrified of what he could do to me if he wanted, is making it worse. I clench my hands into fists on my thighs, nails digging into my palms, trying to anchor myself against the wave that crashes over me. But it’s not enough.
I rub my face along Forrest’s thigh, the silk fabric of his dress pants scraping against my cheek, offering a momentary distraction. Until the full force of his scent hits me, that rich mixture of rum and coconut and something else. Something that feels like home and all mine. It’s intoxicating, pulling at the omega in me, but it also terrifies me because I know what’s coming.
My eyes blast open, panic clawing at my chest as I realize that I’m on the edge of a heat spike. They’ve never really been this strong before and I’ve never been in need because Wilson and my other exes never left me alone for long. I never truly got to be needy when it came to sex. My jaw tightens as I weather a cramp, pressing my thighs together the moment slick coats the inside of my briefs. I squeeze my eyes closed as it soaks through my pants, my own scent blooming through the room, making me feel exposed and vulnerable even though I’m still fully clothed.
“Please,Valla,” I whine, needing something to soothe the ache. I reach down to cup my cock through my pants, whimpering at the fullness in my palm. A few seconds more and I’m going to be insatiable. The need for the Valla sitting right in front of me is overwhelming, a primal urge that demands I submit, that I take him inside me to quench this fire. But terror keeps me from acting on that desire. Forrest is huge and powerful, with those broad shoulders and piercing eyes that see too much. What if he hurts me? What if he turns into another Wilson, using my body like a toy, and discarding me when he’s done? What if he adds to the scars?
The memories of my ex-Alpha flash through my head, bringing back nightmares of pain that lingered for days. I can’t go through that again. I won’t.
I look up, my vision blurry from the heat haze clouding my mind, and meet his gaze. Forrest is still sitting there, his thighs spread slightly, both of his hands resting on his legs, fingerssplayed as if he’s deliberately keeping them in view. His chest rises and falls with labored breaths, the muscles beneath his shirt straining with each inhale. Beads of sweat glisten on his forehead, his eyes locked on me, dark with desire but tempered with something else. Concern? Restraint? He’s not moving, not reaching for me, just watching as I move closer, unable to help myself and kneel between his spread legs, my face inches from his crotch. The air between us thickens, charged with tension, the scent of my slick mingling with his Valla musk, creating a heady cocktail that makes my head spin.
Another desperate whimper tears from my throat, echoing in the quiet room. I don’t know what to do. My body screams for relief, for him, but my mind is a whirlwind of fear. Run? Beg? Hide? None of it makes sense, but the heat won’t let me escape.
“There’s no one in here, Sterling,” Forrest says, his voice a low rumble that vibrates through me, soothing and commanding all at once. It’s like velvet over steel, wrapping around my frayed nerves. “Take what you need.”
I swallow hard, my throat dry. “I’m scared,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. Admitting weakness to a Valla feels like baring my throat, but something in his eyes makes me think he won’t strike.
“I know,” he replies, his tone softening further, laced with understanding that surprises me. He doesn’t move. He doesn’t lean forward or try to touch me. “But you’re going to hurt yourself if you deny what you need. And as much as I want to give you what you need, I don’t want to terrify you. Take what you need.”
His words pierce through the fog, offering a lifeline. Control. He’s giving me control, something I’ve never had in these moments. My fingers tremble as I reach up, hovering over the button of his pants. This Valla is letting me have power over him and it’s just as intoxicating as the mixture of our scents.Knowing that the bulge between his thighs is because of me gives me a little bit more confidence as I fumble with the zipper next, but I can’t quite grip it. “I can’t,” I choke out, frustration and fear mingling in my chest as tears fill my eyes. Why can’t I do this? Why does my past haunt me even now?
Forrest nods slightly, his expression full of patience I’m still wary of. He moves slowly, his hands coming up to undo the zipper for me. And then, he pulls out his cock, thick and veined, already hard and leaking at the tip. The sight makes my mouth water, my omega instincts surging forward, but I hold back, heart pounding in my chest. “Use your color if it gets too much,” he purrs as he reaches his free hand to sift through my hair. I hum as a response, my gaze locked on the one thing I need.
I manage a nod before leaning forward tentatively. My tongue darts out to lick at the tip of his cock, tasting the salty pre-come that beads there. The relief floods my system, easing the burn for a heartbeat. I groan around it, the sound muffled as I take more of him into my mouth, the flavor exploding on my tongue—musky, Valla,Forrest. But the relief is fleeting, replaced by a greater need, a void that demands to be filled. I wriggle closer on my knees, my hands moving to grip his thighs for balance. Forrest shifts forward a little, giving me a better angle, but doesn’t force the pace. He lets me stay in control, that one hand still gently moving through my hair as if for reassurance.
“You’re doing so well, little dove.”
Pride swells through me at his praise as I suck him deeper, my lips stretching around his girth, my tongue swirling along the underside. The heat in my body pulses in time with my movements, each bob of my head sending waves of pleasure-pain through me. Slick drips down my thighs now, soaking the floor beneath me, the scent filling the room like a perfume of desperation. I shift uncomfortably, needing a release of my own, but I focus on him, on the way his breathing hitches and the lowgroans he makes that vibrate through his body. It’s empowering, in a way, bringing this powerful Valla to the edge. I hollow my cheeks, taking him as deep as I can, gagging slightly but pushing through, the need overriding everything.
His knot flutters inches from my lips, pleasure running down my spine and straight to my hole as more slick coats my briefs. I dig my fingers into his thighs as I bob my head a little faster, imagining that fat knot inside of me, my nostrils flaring when Forrest’s scent thickens a little more. He drags me off his cock, my lips still parted. “Little dove, do you want me to come down your throat? Because I will. You have a delicious mouth, but I’m not about to terrify you.”
I fight against his hold, Forrest wrapping his other hand around his cock. It takes me a few seconds to realize he’s waiting for me to tell him what I want. “Please, sir. Give it to me. I need it.” I’ll feel embarrassed later, but the haze of the spike keeps me from speaking too much, Forrest loosening his grip on my hair enough for me to wrap my lips around his cock again. He starts running his hand up and down his length before shooting his load down my throat, my eyes rolling into the back of my head as I drink him down. My body hums with partial satisfaction, but the fire still burns, demanding more. Not even seconds after I pull back, meeting his gaze again, still licking my lips does Forrest ask me another question.
“Do you need more?” Forrest asks, his voice rough, edged with restraint. He runs his fingers through my hair before gently cupping the back of my neck.
