Page 43 of Hunted
“Even just this is a wonder and a gift,”he signed slowly.“Sadavir...you have no idea.But it is enough.”He leaned down and kissed me again, slow and sweet.“Thank you, alpha.”
I didn’t realize I was crying until he touched my cheek to wipe away the wetness there.“I’ve got you,” he said, repeating my earlier promise back to me as he joined me on the ground, pulling me into his arms.
I had failed again.Failed to convince this amazing gamma to let go so I could take care of him.I couldn’t instill enough trust.My stupid alpha instincts, muddling the water and making a big deal of the whole thing.But I couldn’t quite push the thoughts away.The memories and the sense of helpless frustration were back, and they were overwhelming.So much for my attempt at escape.
I never would have expected such steadycareto come from Dusek, of all people.A bubak.A walking nightmare.A gamma.But there was no denying my response to him.He held me until the trembling stopped.Until the fire in my chest softened and I could talk sense to my alpha side and it’s stupid urge to solve every single problem with sheer presence.
Until the echoes of Josh’s anguished voice inside my mind faded into silence.
I hated it.Hatedthat I was showing such weakness and vulnerability, when what I had wanted was to take care of someone, to feel like the provider I was supposed to be, just for a moment.But I forced myself to set that aside.Itwasa massive show of trust for Dusek to share what we had just shared.
And sometimes even alphas needed help.It was a lesson my father and my tutors had drilled into me from a young age.Being strong didn’t mean you always had to handle things alone.The strongest alpha was one who knew when to lean on his clan.
We didn’t speak for a time.I simply allowed myself a moment to soak in the comfort he offered.And I allowed him the privilege to give it.After all, the experience was probably as rare and unique to him as it was to me.
Finally, he pulled away.I was sure he would leave now, and probably feel like this whole thing was a mistake thanks to my overreaction.But he surprised me once again.
“Can I...touch you now?”he mouthed, gesturing at my body with a somewhat flustered wave of his hand.
A surprised laugh escaped me as I signed.“I was intending to take care of you, gamma.Not demand favors for my own pleasure.”
But he just shook his head, not joining in my humor.“You don’t cower in fear when I touch you,” he said seriously.“I’d like to know I can bring pleasure with my touch, rather than fear, for once in my life.”
I smiled sadly at him, realizing the absurdity of this whole interaction, but not willing to have it end.“Come on,” I said, standing and reaching out a hand to pull him to his feet.Once he was on his feet I stopped speaking aloud and signed instead.“Come back to my room with me.It’s lonely sleeping alone, and...”
I stopped and shrugged, the obvious ending to that sentence hanging between us.One of my lovers was a newly turned vampire with a monster in his head, and the other was the omega of a large, powerful court who could have her pick of bedmates.I spent more nights than I’d like alone.
He huffed.“Poor alpha,” he said, deadpan.
But he followed me to my room without comment.
We spent a long time cuddled up in bed together while he explored my body in a reverent, but mostly platonic way, his quiet awe at the experience of touching someone without fear enough to melt even the most stoic heart.
“Haven’t you ever done this with Robin?”I asked at one point, suppressing a laugh when he ghosted his fingers over my ribs in a ticklish touch.
He froze and met my eyes in surprise.“I...no, of course not.”
I frowned at him.“She can’t shake off the fear?”I assumed it was my alpha nature that allowed me to tolerate his aura.But maybe I was wrong?
Dusek rolled onto his back, an arm over his face to hide what I suspected was a very un-boogeyman-like blush.“What am I doing here?”He mouthed the words, and I don’t think he really intended for me to be able to read his lips.But I could.
After a moment, he finally lowered his arm so he could sign.“I’ve never tried to touch her.She teases me, but I never really allowed myself to dream that she might be serious.And...I just assumed she’d react like anyone else.”He sighed.“Robin is a gorgeous and awe-inspiring woman.But she is not interested inme, not when she has an entire court of attractive,normallovers at her beck and call.”
I arched my brows at him in surprise.Sure, the other alpha and potential true mate to my omega raised my hackles and made me want to shift into snake form and crush her in my coils much of the time—maybe give her a good dose of paralytic venom just for good measure.But evenIcould see how beautiful she was.How magnetically attractive she was to everyone around her.And I had observed the way she interacted with Dusek.He must be blind to think she wasjokingwhen she flirted with him.
“Dusek,” I said on a disbelieving groan.Then I turned to him to sign.“Do yourself a favor and tell your alpha you want to fuck her.”
He just stared at me, his darkly handsome face devoid of humor or expression.
I laughed, long and hard, the first time I’d done so in far too long.But I couldn’t help it.The bubak was such a dark, mysterious, imposing figure, full of shadow magic and power.And yet, here he was, revealed for who he really was under all that bluster—a tender-hearted, awkward mess.
I rolled to lie on top of him, pinning him to the bed as I grinned down at him.“Pleasetell me you’ve changed your mind about sex,” I said aloud, since both hands were busy propping me up.“Because I really need to fuck you now.You are socute.”
He shoved me off, and I let him.But I saw the faint smile that played about the edges of his stern expression before he got it under control.“Go to sleep, snake.”
“Only if you promise not to leave,”I signed while giving him a commanding look and a little bit of alpha push.
He rolled his eyes.“Fine.”But he didn’t resist when I pulled him close and lay my head on his shoulder.His arm wrapped around me, and he held me there.
