Page 46 of Rejected By My Shadow Alpha
I turned her gently, drawing her to face me fully, and gathered her naked body into my arms. She melted into me without resistance, her warmth sinking into my chest, her bare skin slick against mine, soft and real and mine.
I kissed her forehead and the curve of her cheek, lingering there, breathing her in. Her breath fanned my neck, slow and unsteady. Her fingers rested lightly against my ribs, like she didn't know whether to stay or pull away, but I held her tighter.
I stroked her back in slow, reverent circles, my fingers tracing every ridge of her spine, memorizing the feel of her all over again. I never wanted this moment to end. The rise and fall of her chest matched mine. Our hearts were beating in sync, wild but quiet, like the storm between us had finally passed.
I tucked a damp strand of hair behind her ear and leaned my forehead against hers. My eyes were heavy, not from exhaustion, but from a strange kind of peace that I hadn't known in years.
I exhaled and whispered against her skin, "I love you, Ruby. Deeply. Always."
Her fingers curled into my chest.
I meant it. Every word anchored in the truth of how much I'd lost and how much I was willing to fight for. "I'll never let you go," I murmured. "Not again. I lost you once, and I will not let go again."
Chapter 20
Ruby
Drew's voice echoed in my mind like a heartbeat.
I love you, Ruby. Deeply. Always.
I lay curled in his arms, our bodies tangled in the afterglow of something that felt indescribable. My skin still hummed from his touch, my breath steady now against his chest. His fingers had stopped tracing my back moments ago, stilled by sleep, and yet the imprint of his hands lingered on my waist, my thighs, and my heart.
I closed my eyes, letting the memory of what we shared settle inside me like a secret. It was different this time, deeper, fiercer, and soul-deep. The way he touched me and kissed me felt like I wasn't a mistake or a tool for revenge, but something he needed to survive.
It wasn't like Westbrow. It didn't feel like the night he marked me and watched me walk away with ice in his eyes. That memory jabbed like a thorn, even now. No matter how warm his embrace, it couldn't erase the cold I'd once known.
I raised my head to look at him.
Drew slept beside me, naked and peaceful, his brow smoothed, his lips slightly parted to a perfect O that made me want to kiss him. He looked young and vulnerable and not like the man who'd rejected me, not the avenger of his pack. He was just Drew, the man I'd once desired and was attracted to, the man I still somehow wanted. But what did I know of his love now? What proof was there that he wouldn't wake up and see me again for what I've always been to him—his enemy's daughter?
My heart twisted.
He had saved Liora and fought off a deranged wolf with no hesitation, protecting her like a true father would. He'd said the wolf was sent, not just feral. We'd been safe, quiet, and hidden in Littleton until he came. Now it was one attack after another. Nia had warned me: The storm is coming.
And what if it's already here? I couldn't stay tangled in this lie, this fantasy. I slowly shifted in his arms. His brows furrowed, his grip tightening instinctively around my waist. I held my breath, pulling free gently, careful not to wake him, but his eyes fluttered open, catching me mid-step.
"Ruby?" His voice was sleep-laced and low. "What's wrong?"
I looked down at him, resisting the urge to kiss him and lie next to him and stay all day in my bed with his arms around me. My heart thudded with dread, pained at what I was about to do.
"Nothing," I said. "You should get dressed. You need to leave."
He blinked, confusion chasing away the sleep. He sat up slowly, sheets pooling around his waist. "What?"
"I said leave, Drew," I said, my tone firm and insistent, a far contrast to how shattered and torn I felt within.
His jaw clenched. "Ruby, please don't push me away. You were in my arms minutes ago, and I swear, it felt right."
"Not to me," I lied, my heart sinking at the denial. I gestured between us, my voice sharp and cracking. "This thing betweenus was a mistake. It's not real. Whatever fantasy we slipped into some moments ago doesn't erase the past."
He shook his head, his eyes dark. "You're wrong, Ruby. What we shared was real. Every part of it, and I meant every word. I love you."
"You don't get to say that now!" I snapped, stepping away. I picked a robe from my hanger and covered my nakedness. "You don't get to reclaim me after rejecting me. You chose hatred and vengeance. Do you think a few words and a kiss will fix everything?"
"I'm not going anywhere," he said firmly. "Not now. Not ever."
I stared at him, my heart pounding, surprised at his firm stance. What would it take me to get him away from Liora and me? I kicked myself for letting my body betray me at the feel of his touch. Drew stared at me, his gaze pleading yet firm with a quiet resolution.
