Page 85 of Marked for the Pack

His fingers on my scalp felt so heavenly, I couldn’t help it when a moan escaped. He massaged me some more before guiding me under the water to rinse.

When I turned back, his shirt and pants were soaked, doing absolutely nothing to hide the tent at his hips.

I grinned, and he chuckled. “Don’t mind me.”

“Oh, I don’t mind at all,” I flirted as he dried me off.

My body responded to his touch as always, issuing invitations I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep. Flint pretended not to notice, probably thinking I was too weak for that kind of fun. Personally, I thought it might help bring me the rest of the wayback to life. Though I had to admit, he’d be stuck doing most of the work. And I would likely pass out before we were half done.

“Do you want clothes?”

“Real clothes, please.”

Flint escorted me back out into the bedroom in my towel. His lips parted, but just then he cocked his head. When his beautiful eyes met mine, they sparked with happiness.

“Gage is here. I’ll let you two catch up while I find you some clothes.”

Flint stepped out into the hall just as Gage appeared. He rushed toward me, then pulled up short, as though he’d been about to hug me before changing his mind.

“Freya, they kept telling me — I’m just glad you’re awake!”

I laughed. I’d never heard the pack alpha get tongue-tied before. But when his eyes traveled lower, I realized maybe the fact that I was standing in nothing but a towel had something to do with it. Or maybe the fact that I still smelled of arousal from seeing Flint’s hard-on. My heat was long over, but that didn’t seem to change how easily I responded to them.

“I was so scared,” Gage admitted, his heavy hands falling on my naked shoulders. “Seeing Nira attack you…” he shook his head. “She used wolfsbane. Then she tried to kill you while you were unconscious and defenseless,” he growled.

“But you protected me,” I said, desire flaring at the thought of this tall, powerful man protecting me when I was completely defenseless.

I stepped toward him and ran my hand over his hard chest, up to his shoulder. His eyes darkened as his tongue darted out to wet his lips.

“The deal’s done,” I went on. “You didn’t have to protect me anymore.”

“Of course I did,” he said gruffly. “You’re pack. But even if you weren’t… I would’ve come for you anyway.”

Gage hooked his finger under my chin, then leaned in for a kiss. He moved slowly, as if afraid of startling me. It took me a moment to realize he was giving me the chance to say no, to turn my head, to deny him the kiss.

But denying him would’ve been denying something I wanted just as much. My eyes fell to his lips, and I tilted my chin up even more, giving him better access to my lips.

When his mouth met mine, he poured all of his emotions into the kiss. His lips gently nuzzled mine until I opened for him, and then he kissed me like he was rewriting the last several days in his head.

He started slowly, as gentle and hopeful as he must have been while waiting for me to wake. Then his tongue caressed mine more eagerly, our desire growing. Wrapping his arms around me, he clutched me close, almost desperately, as he deepened the kiss, and I could feel through our bond that he was as relieved as he was aroused that we were able to reconnect like this.

His large hands clenched around my towel, then ripped it away. He stepped back, his chest heaving as his eyes took in the sight of me. Gage stalked around me like a predator deciding where to take his first bite as I stood naked and vulnerable in front of him.

When he circled back in front of me, the satisfaction in his eyes made me realize he’d been checking me for injuries, for any lingering sign of what I’d suffered.

“You should have let Heath and Flint escort you to safety,” Gage growled, his eyebrows lowered. “I could’ve handled Nira alone.”

Just hearing her name made my blood heat with fury. She’d used me to get to Gage. She’d hurt him again, thanks to me.

“You never should have come back for me,” he continued.

Now my body heated for a different reason. Did my pack alpha want to punish me for endangering myself?

I looked up at him through my eyelashes, pretending to be chastised. Then I used his own words against him. “You’re pack. But even if you weren’t… I would’ve come back for you anyway.”

Gage closed the distance between us faster than I could blink, his arms wrapping around me once more, pulling me to him. His lips crashed against mine in a bruising kiss, making me whimper with need. Without a scrap of clothing on, my wetness slicked down my inner thighs.

He pulled back, his nostrils flaring, his eyes wild. “Tell me it’s too soon. Tell me you’re not finished healing, and I’ll back off.”

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