Page 32 of Her Knotty Alphas

Our conversation had lasted way past the point that our food had been taken away, and before we knew it, the restaurant was thirty minutes to closing, and Enzo had paid the bill, apologizing to the waiter for loitering.

Now, he takes my hand as we walk down the small downtown street, heading back to his car. Strings of Edison bulbs are draped above the road, giving everything a warm glow. There aren't as many people out as there were earlier, and we have a small semblance of privacy. "Thank you for tonight," I say, my voice breathy.

His steps falter, and he looks at me with softness in his eyes, teasing clear in his tone. "Are you ever going to stop thanking me for doing the bare minimum?"

Biting my lip, I shake my head, taking in the way the soft light illuminates his handsome face. "It's not the bare minimum. Not to me. I've never…"

"You've neverwhat,reinita?"

Swallowing roughly, my voice goes small. "I don't think it's a secret that I've never had success with packs, Enzo." Why did I have to ruin a good moment? Now my face is heated, and not in a good way. He's going to start to question what's wrong with me, if he hasn't been already.

He surprises me though. A finger under my chin for the second time tonight. "I regret the loneliness you've felt over the years, truly. But don't mistake me, Hannah, I'm a selfish man. I can't bring myself to regret that you've not had any luck, just as I can't bring myself to regret my own loneliness. If circumstances were different…" he shakes his head. "I don't want to think about what would have happened if I found you, but you were already with a pack."

"I don't want to think about that either," I admit, and shuffle closer to him, looking up. Could it have been worth it? All the rejection, all the lonely nights? All the wondering what's wrong with me? Was it all just so I could end up in this alpha's arms? His eyes darken as he looks down at me, and it never occurred to me until now just how small I am in comparison to this alpha. Not quite as large as his brother, but still formidable. "You…you make me feelsafe, Enzo. You feel like…maybe it was all worth it."

"Reinita…" his voice is pained as his hand moves my chin and threads through the hair at the base of my skull, "I'm trying so hard to be a gentleman, but…can I kiss you?"

"Please," I whisper, and then he's bending down, capturing my lips in a featherlight kiss. He tastes even better than he smells, but he's pulling away too soon, and before I know what I'm doing, I'm gripping the collar of his shirt, yanking him back down to me.

He groans into my mouth, as my tongue teases his lips, his other hand coming around my waist as he holds me close to him.My body presses against his in the most delicious way, sending sparks of lightning up my veins.

Mine.

My alpha. My mate.

My body moves of it's own accord, and before I know it, I'm climbing him like a fucking tree, my legs wrapping around his waist and my core grinding into his stomach. It feels so good, so right—a growl lets loose from my alpha and I snap back, looking around wide eyed, barely making note of Enzo's blown pupils. He's detected a threat.

There's a group of people passing by, with at least two alphas, which is probably what drew out Enzo's growl.

"Get a room, would you?" A female beta sneers, her eyes locked on my mate.

My omega doesnotlike that.

Enzo's growl sounds again as he turns me from their view as my teeth snap at her over his shoulder, and her eyes widen before she turns back to her friends, and they hurry along. I swear I hear someone muttering, "fucking omegas".

The words clear something inside my mind and I realize I'm currently wrapped around Enzo like a damn koala. In public. Oh my gods. I just….acted like a damn feral…

I pull back, looking tentatively at Enzo, whose eyes are screwed shut tight. "I'm sorry," I say quietly, trying to get down. But he holds fast, exhaling through his nose.

"It is my fault,preciosa. Normally…normally I have a much better grip on my control."

He doesn't have to say it. That the true scent match has his instincts close to the surface. And apparently mine as well.

This time, when I try to get down, he lets me, and I shiver at the loss of his body heat.

"Here," he shrugs off his sport coat and drapes it over my shoulders before grabbing my hand again, "this will keep you warm."

"What about you?" I frown, looking up at him, but pulling the lapel close to my nose to inhale the scent embedded in the material.

"I run warm," he gives me a sheepish smile, "and, my alpha is dying to have you covered in my scent."

My chest warms, my heart doing a little backflip. He's claiming me. He wants me in his scent. Usually, by now, whatever pack date I'd be on would have fizzled out. But Enzo…he still wants me.

The rest of the walk to the car is uneventful, and by the time he's walking me back to my apartment, his fingers entwined with mine, I feel like I'm walking on air, my head in a puffy little cloud of scent match happiness.

That is, before I see the man waiting by my front door. Reality slams me in the face, and Enzo's steps falter, pushing me half behind him, a quiet snarl leaving him.

Instincts still on edge, then.

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