Page 37 of Take All of Me

“Why the fuck didn’t you say anything yesterday? Or this morning?”

Dakota cuts in, a little growl tearing from his throat as if warning me to calm down.That’s new.“Maya’s dealing with enough bullshit and she didn’t need more stress.”

“Roman reached out to his brother, ‘cause they’re art collectors or some shit,” Brogan adds, “and the police have been alerted. Honestly, I think if we don’t get a protective order, he’s not gonna stop.”

Dakota’s frown deepens, eyes narrowing at Brogan but the anger isn’t directed at him. “Do you actually think he’s gonna forcefully bite her or something?” he asks, and my stomach lurches, because—fuck, yeah, I do.

I drag a hand down my face, exhaling hard. “Fuck, yeah. He chased her through the goddamn hall, Dakota. There’s no telling what a man like that’ll do to save his ass.” She’s not going to like the fact that she’s still not free of his bullshit but it’s better that she knows and it doesn’t creep up on her. “I’ll mention it to her and we’ll go from there. Yes, I want her protected, but I don’t wanna put a target on her back either.” Trying to shift gears, I change the topic. “Where’d Roman take her?”

Dakota grins, his eyes lighting up, mischief cutting through the tension. “He took her to get a coach jacket. Said she needed to represent.”

“I think I might have to talk to him about what a date entails,” I say, teasing, because a jacket’s cute, but Maya deserves more—dinner, lights, maybe even dancing.

Brogan laughs, low and warm, his green eyes glinting. “Nah, he wanted to talk to her alone. I think he’s feeling a bit lost with all the changes. It’s easier with Dakota. However, I do think that Roman found one of the old coach jacket’s… her father’s I believe.”

In that case, it’s going to be a very good date. Bringing back a piece of her father? He’s definitely getting brownie points for that and he deserves it.

Roman

Standing outside the campus gift shop, I’m worried that this isn’t going to work or that she’s going to think it’s stupid. I’m also hella nervous having her alone. I want her, fuck, I want her so bad it aches—her in my arms, her lips on mine, my knot claiming her—but it’s not just that. Becoming an Alpha this late has thrown a wrench into everything I thought I knew. My body feels like it’s not mine anymore. I’m half-hard all the time, my thoughts spiraling to her, to Dakota, to Brogan, and I’m trying—god, I’m trying—to taper it down, to not let it scare her. The cream mildly helps but with my mates constantly circling around me, it’s hard not to want more.

I talked to Holt yesterday, cornered him after practice, desperate for answers. He said it’s normal, this urge to protect Dakota, to claim Maya, to pull Brogan close, but it’s all hitting atonce, a second puberty that’s got me all fucked up. I’m walking around, cock twitching at the worst times and I don’t know how to control it, how to stop picturing her beneath me, my teeth on her neck, when Iknowthat’d terrify her. I’m staring into space, one hand rubbing my arm, chewing my lip raw, when a thumb gently brushes my bottom lip, pulling it from my teeth. I blink a few times before looking down, Maya staring up at me, her warm smile softening the edges of my chaos.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Her vanilla scent sweetens a bit, helping me relax a little further.

I exhale, a shaky laugh slipping out. “I really did want to do something nice,” I say, gesturing to the gift shop behind us, its windows stacked with Northvale gear. “You don’t have any Northvale apparel and our coach definitely needs that.” I grin, trying to keep it light, but my heart’s pounding, because this is more than a jacket, more than a date. It’s all me, trying to show her I care, that I’m not just this new, hungry Alpha who can’t think straight.

Her smile falters, a sad shadow crossing her face, and she tucks a curl behind her ear. “I used to have some but I stupidly didn’t keep most of it when I left with Nox. And what I do still have… it feels like I don’t deserve to wear it anymore.”

“Dakota gave us a little rundown of things,” I say, careful, because I don’t want her to feel exposed. “I hope you don’t mind.”

She shakes her head, her eyes meeting mine. “So, you’re bringing me here to buy something?” she asks, a teasing smile creeping in.

“Something like that.” I guide her inside, my hand light on her back. Nodding at the cashier, a familiar face from last week, I move to the counter, asking for the bag. She hands a plain paper sack, Maya’s brow furrowing, confusion flickering in her expression as I lead her back out to a park bench under an oak.

I sit, patting the space beside me, hoping that she’s going to be excited as I am when I found this. “I got you a little something.”

Her brows furrowing a little deeper before she plops down beside me, her thigh brushing mine, vanilla spiking soft and sweet. It takes all of my self control not to dip my head into her shoulder and drag my nose along her scent gland, to drink up her scent. I fold my hands together over my lap, groaning as my cock thickens beneath them, thankful for once that Maya can’t smell me.Jesus Christ, this is embarrassing.

She digs into the bag, pulling out a thick embroidered Northvale Hawk’s jacket, her eyes widening as her fingers trace the number stitched on the chest. “Damn, 86? That’s my dad’s number.” Then she frowns, turning it over, and freezes, a small red stitched smiley face glinting on the sleeve. “Wait, thisismy dad’s jacket.”

“It was among the stuff cleaned out a while back. Had it dry-cleaned, thought it might look better on you than hanging up in a trophy case.” I watch her, her eyes glistening, not quite tears but close, and I’m scared I’ve fucked it up, but then she smiles, clutching the jacket like it’s a piece of her heart.

“Roman,” she purrs, my name soft on her lips. “Thank you. Oh my god, this is perfect.”

I stand, reaching for the jacket, my fingers brushing hers, sparking heat. “Here,” I murmur, helping her slip it on, my hands guiding it over her shoulders, smoothing it down her arms. It’s big, a little oversized, but it’s hers and she looks… right, like she’s claiming Northvale again, claiming a piece of herself. She turns, rising on her toes, and leans up, her lips finding mine. I string an arm around her waist, pulling her close into my side as I deepen the kiss.

Then I pull back, just enough to breathe, my forehead resting against hers. “I’ve been waiting to do that for so fucking long. Like a real, honest to god kiss that’s just ours. But I’m… I’mterrified I’m gonna be too much,” I admit. “It’s a lot, changing into this.” My free hand gestures at myself. “And I’m at the edge of my control, Maya.”

I know she saw how close I was to knotting Dakota’s mouth. My body needing to lock something, my knot screaming to thicken and fill a hole. It didn’t care if it was Dakota’s throat and Holt rolling over to his side, pulling Dakota free was his saving grace. I can’t lose myself like that with Maya. I won’t let myself.

Maya tears me out of my thoughts as she presses her hands against my chest. “Then we take it slow. I’m terrified too, of all the changes. I swore off Alphas after Nox, and then you and Holt just came barreling in.” She punctuates her words with a soft laugh but I caught the undercurrent of terror.

“Yeah, we’re kinda hard to resist,” I tease and she rolls her eyes, but her laugh’s brighter now, pulling me in. I cup her face, my thumb brushing her cheek, and kiss her again, just tasting her, eagerly waiting for the moment that I can truly call her mine, when I feel her around me, Maya carrying my bite.

My stomach rumbles, destroying the moment as Maya pulls back. “Let’s get you food before you get all growly or something, like Dakota.”

“You have to admit that shit is adorable,” I say, picturing Dakota’s caveman antics, his growls when he’s hungry or needy.

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