Page 54 of A Promise of Forever
My phone vibrates in my pocket, the intrusive sound unwelcome. "Ignore it," I murmur against Sterling's lips, not willing to break this moment for anything.
But Sterling is perfect and soft and everything I've ever wanted, and I find myself wanting more contact. I hoist him up, my hands sliding beneath his thighs to support his weight as he wraps his arms around the back of my shoulders. The new angle lets me kiss him more intently, our height difference eliminated as he holds onto me.
Sterling makes a small sound of pleasure that goes straight to my cock, his body responding to mine with the easy chemistry we've developed. His legs wrap around my waist, and I consider carrying him back to the cottage right now and spending the rest of the afternoon reminding him exactly how much I want him.
But then my phone vibrates again, someone clearing their throat behind us. I turn with Sterling still in my arms to find Marcus standing a respectful distance away, his expression apologetic but serious.
"I'm very sorry to interrupt," Marcus says, his voice carrying genuine regret. "But there are officers at the front door who say they must speak with Sterling. They're quite insistent."
All the warmth drains from my body in an instant, replaced by cold protective fury. "What?"
Sterling tenses against me, his fingers digging into my shoulders as panic floods through the bond. I can feel his heart rate spike, his breathing becoming more rapid and shallow as well.
Marcus continues quickly, probably sensing how close I am to losing control. "Wilson is not among them, and they don't seem to be here with the intention of taking Sterling by force. They did say they wanted to speak with both of you about the situation. I did not allow them inside the house without your permission."
The information helps slightly, but Sterling is already shaking visibly against me. I help him slide down to his feet, keeping my hands on him to provide stability as his legs threaten to give out.
"Hey, breathe with me," I instruct, cupping his face in my hands and making him focus on me rather than his spiraling panic. "In through your nose, hold it, out through your mouth. That's it, keep going."
I press a kiss to his forehead and hold him there, letting my scent surround him and my presence ground him. It takes several minutes, but eventually his breathing starts to even out and his heartbeat slows to something approaching normal.
"They won't take you from me," I tell him, making sure he's looking at me and hearing every word. "You're mine, remember? Always mine. No one is taking you anywhere."
Sterling gives me a small smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, but he's trying. That strange honey spike appears in his scent again, the sweetness almost overwhelming in its intensity. I file that observation away to research later, once we've dealt with whatever the officers at our door want.
"Let's go see what they want," I say, taking Sterling's hand firmly in mine. "But you don't have to talk to them if you don't want to. I'll handle everything."
Forrest
I'm talking with the officer at the door, my phone in hand showing multiple missed calls from Caelan that I ignored during my moment with Sterling. The officer standing on my doorstep isn't carrying the aggressive energy I'd expect from someone working directly with Wilson. But Sterling is just a few feet away, hidden from the officer's direct line of sight, and the acidic scent of his terror is absolutely killing me.
Every protective instinct I possess is screaming at me to slam the door in this officer's face and drag Sterling somewhere safe. But I force myself to stay calm and professional, to handle thisinteraction like a reasonable person rather than a violent Valla whose mate is in distress.
"Can you explain why you're here?" I ask, keeping my voice level despite the rage simmering beneath my surface calm.
The officer, whose badge identifies him as Officer Chen, nods with what seems like genuine respect rather than the antagonism I was expecting. "When you didn't show up at the police station with Sterling a few days ago for the requested wellness check, the problem was escalated through official channels. However, new information has come to light that changes the situation significantly."
He pauses, consulting notes on a tablet. "There are reports that Sterling is now bonded to you, which means Detective Cromwell's claims about ownership are not legally valid. A mating bond supersedes previous informal relationships, especially when there was never a legal marriage or registered partnership."
The information should be reassuring, but I'm still tense and waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Why do you need to speak with Sterling if you already have that information?"
Officer Chen's expression remains professionally neutral. "We need to hear directly from Sterling that he was not coerced into this relationship, that he accepted your mating bite of his own accord, and that he has no legal ties to Detective Cromwell. You'll eventually need to formalize this mating union through the proper legal channels, but a statement from Sterling would aid our internal investigation into the officer's claims and conduct."
I gesture for Sterling to come closer, and I can feel his terror spike through the bond. He steps into view reluctantly, his body practically vibrating with anxiety as he looks at Officer Chen and the other officer standing slightly behind him.
"Hey," Officer Chen says gently, clearly trying to put Sterling at ease. "Can you give us some insight into your relationship with Detective Wilson?"
Sterling's voice is small but steady when he answers. "He's my ex. I left him weeks ago, but then he came after me. He just won't let me go."
His fingers dig into mine with bruising force, nails biting into my skin as he tries to breathe through his panic. I press my lips to the side of his head, offering what comfort I can while the officers watch our interaction.
"And the Valla here," Officer Chen continues, gesturing toward me. "What is your relationship with him?"
"He's my Valla," Sterling says, his voice growing slightly stronger. "He rescued me and protected me from Wilson. Can we be done now?"
He's still visibly shaking, trying to pull back toward the safety of the house, and I can see tears welling up in his eyes. Every second of this interaction is torture for him, dragging up trauma he's been trying to process in safety.
"Just one more question," Officer Chen says quickly, recognizing Sterling's distress. "The mating bite that's been reported. Can you show me and confirm it was consensual?"
