Page 54 of Stuck with my Pack
Ethan straightens, resting a firm hand on Brodie’s shoulder. “She’ll be all right,” he says, a heavy note in his tone. A promise.
Brodie nods once, something unspoken passing between them.
Without another word, Ethan and Tyler move toward the door. The sound of it clicking shut behind them echoes softly through the room, leaving me alone with Brodie once more.
His breath is steady against the back of my neck, his warmth seeping into my bones. He shifts slightly, pressing a lingering kiss to the side of my neck.
The vulnerability I heard in his voice slices through me, breaking down the last of my lingering exhaustion. My lips part, my voice barely more than a whisper. “You could belong here.”
He stills the near constant nuzzling he’s doing. I force my heavy eyelids open, blinking against the dim firelight, and find Brodie staring down at me, his amber eyes flickering with something unreadable.
His gaze softens, the moment of surprise giving way to something that makes my breath catch. His fingers move, brushing absently over my hip, as if grounding himself in my presence.
“The inn can be your home,” I murmur, my voice steadier now. “If you want it to be.”
Brodie’s gaze locks onto mine, something shifting in his expression—something dangerous and consuming. He leans in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he murmurs, “Maybe you’re my home too, Sophie.”
A shiver runs down my spine, my body reacting instinctively to the weight of his words, to the warmth of his breath against my skin. My eyelids flutter, exhaustion pulling at me again, butnot before I feel the way Brodie’s arm tightens around me, his grip firm and unyielding.
“Sleep, Omega,” he murmurs, voice rough with exhaustion but unwavering in its quiet command.
The last thing I think before sleep claims me is how right this feels.
How safe.
How much he feels like everything I’ve ever wanted.
24
BRODIE
The glow of the fire casts long shadows across the walls, flickering softly, wrapping the room in a golden haze. The storm outside has settled into a steady hush, the wind rattling against the windows like a whispered reminder of the chaos that led us here.
But inside, the world feels still. Quiet. Except for the soft, rhythmic breathing of the woman in my arms.
Sophie.
She’s curled against me, her body molded to mine, warm and pliant beneath the heavy blankets. Her weight is grounding, and her scent wraps around me in waves, intoxicating even though the overwhelming sweetness of her heat has faded.
It should be a relief that her body has settled, that she isn’t suffering the full force of her need anymore. But instead, something in me protests—some deep, primal part of my Alpha that hates the loss of that calling scent.
She stirs, shifting slightly, and her scent flares—still rich, still Sophie, still enough to make my pulse hammer against my ribs and my cock as hard as granite.
My hand tightens where it rests against her waist, fingers flexing against the soft fabric of her shirt. She’s smaller than me,delicate but strong, and every instinct in my body screams at me to protect her. To claim her.
I exhale slowly, willing myself to stay in control. I won’t be like other Alphas—selfish, greedy, taking what they want without a thought. Sophie isn’t some fragile thing to be consumed.
She’s fierce and independent, and if she chooses us, it will be her choice alone.
But fuck, she’s making it hard to be good.
The fire crackles softly, casting flickering shadows along the walls, but all I can focus on is the woman in my arms.
Her scent is everywhere, wrapping around me, seeping into my skin, making my entire body coil with primal awareness. Even with her heat dampened, there’s something about being this close to her that drives me wild—something that keeps me on edge, waiting for the moment when she finally asks for what we both know she needs.
She shifts against me, pressing back into my chest, and I bite back a curse.
A quiet, needy whimper leaves her lips as she moves again—this time deliberately, seeking me out in her sleep, her hips rolling just enough to press against my length. Fuck.
