Page 46 of Alpha Exile

I feel jealous when Roarke is in Lance's current position. So jealous that it's like a stone sinking in my stomach.

Not because I don't want Roarke to be happy. Or because I don't want to share Delilah.

It's something else about it that bothers me.

The truth is, when I see Roarke with Delilah, she's not the only one that I want. I want to makehiseyes flare with desire. I want to have what Finn and Bastian have—that shared flame that surrounds a woman they both lust after—but with a lifelong friendship and a bond of love as well.

As I stalk through the woods, my head and my heart full and confused, I ruminate on all the chances I've had to tell Roarke how I've been feeling. Maybe if I'd confessed these thoughts and emotions aloud, they would've gone away completely. Or maybe they would've grown.

I won't know what he thinks about my attraction towards him if we never get him back.

Or worse, if we get him back and he's different. Changed. No longer in possession of his own soul—no longerRoarke.

I don't know which option is worse, but I do know that I don't like thinking about either.

As I raise my eyes towards the late morning sunlight filtering through the tree branches, a figure in the corner of my vision snags my attention. Heart leaping, I turn my head, seeing a silhouette of a man Roarke's height and size.

The sun is rising behind him, blocking out my vision of his features. But he's facing away from the caverns, and there's a small tunnel nearby, almost as if he came from deep within.

I'm moving before I can even think twice, my heart racing, lips parting to call his name.

Just as soon as I get close enough to cry out for him, my vision clears, and my heart sinks again.

"Hey dude." Finn jerks his chin towards me in recognition. "I was just checking out that tunnel into the caverns over there. It only goes ten or so feet in before it's stopped by a cave-in, but I bet it used to go deeper. Maybe if we find a way to tunnel out the rocks, we can go in this way instead."

"Yeah, maybe," I agree, holding back my disappointment and failing.

My head and my heart are a tangled mess. I need to get both sorted out soon, before I ruin everything by being too distracted to finish the mission at hand.

We have to get Roarke back, we just have to.

And Delphine will pay for what she's done to him. To all of us.

Twenty

Delilah

Ishiver in aroused delight as Lance prowls towards me, desire and hunger in his gorgeous eyes.

"You don't have to be so possessive," I murmur, as Kieran melts into the woods at our backs and Lance puts his hands on my waist. "We were going to finish up talking soon. There's no reason to—"

Lance dips his head down and nips at the base of my neck, making me gasp with strained pleasure. He murmurs against my skin, "You know you love it when I claim you."

I have to admit that I do. There's something about the tight grip he puts on my waist, the possessive expression on his face, and his clear physical desire for me that makes me melt. With Lance, I can let go and let him take over—and he'll do everything in his power to make me feel good.

"What do you want?" I ask him, twining my arms around his shoulders and stretching up to kiss him. His arousal presses against my lower body, firm and ready for action. "We could warm up a bit. Or we could move straight to the main event."

"It's all the main event with you, my darling." Lance presses his mouth to mine and kisses me deeply, until my toes curl and my heart flutters. As our lips part he murmurs, "But I think you've been warmed up enough. I want to hear your voice as I enter you and fuck you thoroughly. So bend over and spread your legs."

Swallowing, I let him turn me around so that my back is towards him. His hips cant forward and he growls, sending thrills through me as I feel his arousal slip between my thighs. Bending forward, I press my palms against my thighs and wiggle my ass back against him, gasping as he takes my hips in his hands and teases against me.

There's a brief moment where he parts from me to roll on protection, and then his body is warm against mine and he's reaching forward to grab my hair. I gasp and moan as I feel him line up against me and stroke inside, pushing forward an inch at a time.

"Tell me what you feel, Delilah," he cajoles, grabbing my hips and pulling me back onto his shaft until I whimper. "I want to know how much you love my cock."

Shivering, I admit, "It's so hard and thick. It—it fills me and stretches me until I can't think of anything else."

"Good girl," he praises me, rolling his hips out then back again, this time burying himself inside me completely. I can't help but cry out at the sensations, and Lance growls deep and low with arousal at the sound of my piercing cry. "You take my cock so well, Delilah. And you feel so good on it. Especially when you start to come, and that tight little pussy clenches me hard."