Page 63 of The Princess and the Pack

I laugh. What a silly thing to ask. Doesn’t she understand? Can’t she see we’re all mad over her? As much as I protest in my own mind, I know what’s true in my heart. I may be scared, but I want her more than words could ever express.

“You’re my omega, Ivy. Every second is spent thinking of you. You have power over me like no one else does.”

“Oh, Oran.” Her eyes light up, her scent now sweet and sugary and so fucking fresh. Before I can even think, she surges towards me, her lips on mine, kissing me like I’m her life source.

Fuck. I’d forgotten. Or rather, I hadn’t rememberedjusthow transcendent her kisses were—how her soft mouth slants so perfectly against mine.

Everything is brighter with her touch, her hands in my hair, tugging me closer. I groan into our kiss, letting my tongue slip inside her mouth. How did I live without this? How could I have gone on without her soft whimpers and frenzied touches?

Her skin is so warm, my Ivy. Her body is so pliant as I reach down, grabbing her by the arse, and hauling her against me. My cock is aching something fierce, and she’s more than eager to rub herself along the length of me.

I break our kiss, panting, my teeth aching to bite her.

She doesn’t like that I’ve stopped, and slips her hand between us, squeezing my cock.

“Fuck’s sake, love.” I moan, my eyes rolling back. Pleasure shoots down my spine as she runs her delicate hand over me through my trousers.

I could come apart right here. Like a lad who’s never been touched. I could—will—if she doesn’t quit.

“Oran,” she whines, her voice silky and full of need. “Your scent.Your scent. I want?—”

My scent.

The heat growing inside me extinguishes all at once. I grab her wrist, gently as I move to break free from her scorching touch.

Ivy’s heat is near and I’ve spent the least amount of time with her. She needs my scent in her nest. I’m not here because she wants me, but rather because her omega nature demands it.

It’s the only explanation for why she could ever invite me in. I’m not as handsome or selfless as Cillian. Nor funny and confident as Sloan. I’m just some fucking fool who smells good to the most incredible woman in the world. But once the lust clears, she’ll see I’m not good for her or this pack.

She’ll reject me.Just as she should.

“Oran?” she asks, confusion taking over her pretty features.

I sigh, pulling back and sitting up. Ivy follows swiftly, reaching out to me but I halt her hands. It’s best she doesn’t fill my head with false hope. It’ll hurt even worse when she takes it away.

“I’ll send Sloan down,” is all I manage. He’s the one she wants. She bonded with him, after all.

I can’t look at her, can’t let her see how much I want her when I know it can never be.

“I don’t understand,” she says.

“What’s there to understand, Your Majesty? You’ve got my scent now, so I’ll retrieve the alpha you really want and be on my way.”

Ivy scoffs. She reaches out, and grabs my chin, forcing me to look at her.

“I wantyou, Oran. I asked you to be here.”

Regret washes over me, but I’m no fool. I want to believe her, but I can’t. I need to be on my own where it’s safe for my heart.

“You don’t know what you want,” I say flatly.

The sound that leaves her lips is broken, her blue eyes filling up with tears, and I want to die for how badly I’m fucking this all up.

It’s better we both accept this now.

I don’t say anything else. Simply retreat from her grip and roll off the bed. I linger for just a moment, stupidly hoping she’ll tell me I’m wrong, that she does want me, that she’ll ask me to stay.

But she doesn’t.

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