Page 19 of The Alpha's Temptation
Penny sighs, setting her fork down like the weight of it is too much.“I’m sorry,” she says softly.
I freeze, my mouth dropping open as I stare at her.
“For what?”
“For…all of it.”She twists the napkin in her hands, eyes shiny.“I was letting old hurt get in the way of what’s right in front of me.I know you.I know Selena.I trust both of you.And I know you’d never hurt me on purpose.”
My chest goes tight.“Penny?—”
She shakes her head quickly, cutting me off.
“I don’t want to stand between you.Not when it’s fate.Not when it’s love.I want you to be happy, Foster.I want her to be happy.And I think…maybe you only get that with each other.”
The knot in my throat nearly chokes me.
My wolf surges forward, ears pricked, tail high, ready.Ours,he growls.She’s giving us permission.Go.
“You’re sure?”My voice is raw.I need to hear it again.
“Yes.”Penny’s smile wobbles, but it’s real.“Go get your girl, Foster.”
That’s all it takes.My chair scrapes back, my pulse already thundering as I sprint for the door.My wolf is a live wire under my skin, clawing to get out.By the time I hit the front porch, I’m shifting, my clothes ripping to shreds as my bones break and reform in a rush of power that feels like freedom.
The night explodes with scent—pine, damp earth, and beneath it all, the sweetness that is only hers.Selena.My mate.Mine.
I run, paws pounding the ground, the forest a blur as I tear across town.The moonlight sharpens everything: the pull of the bond, the fever in my veins, the need to get to her before I combust.
Her house comes into view, small and dark against the glow of the streetlamps.I don’t slow down.I shift back mid-stride, skin prickling as I hit the porch.The door doesn’t stand a chance.I kick it open so hard the frame splinters, the wood groaning under the force.
“Selena!”My voice is a snarl, rough and desperate.
She appears in the hallway, red hair a fiery halo, eyes wide and startled.She looks flushed, wrecked, like she’s been fighting the same battle I have.
“What’s going on?”Her eyes widen even further as they drop to my hard cock.“And why are you naked?”
I ignore her question, consumed by the need to touch her.“You’re mine.”The words tear out of me, no hesitation, no restraint left.“You’re my mate.”
She shakes her head, stumbling back a step.
“No—we can’t.Penny?—”
“She knows.”I close the distance, my chest heaving.“She gave us her blessing.She wants us to be together.”
Her lips part, her body trembles.
“Thank God,” she whispers.
And then she launches herself at me, arms winding tight around my neck, mouth crashing into mine like we’ve been starving for years.
The bond flares, wild and hot, snapping into place with a force that steals my breath.My wolf howls in triumph, and I kiss her harder, deeper, finally giving in to what I’ve been denying.
“Bed,” I snarl.
Selena nods eagerly, pointing over her shoulder to the hallway.“Last room on the right.”
I pick her up, cradling her curvy body against mine as I practically sprint toward her bedroom.
“I can’t believe that this is happening.That this is real,” she whispers as I lay her down in the center of the bed.
