“She’s healed,” he murmured, his eyes falling closed. “You can wake her up now.”
Rather than wake her, I simply removed my healing essence from her mind, granting her the option to stir on her own.
Then I turned toward the map while we waited. “Has Ander gotten back to you yet?” I asked, referring to the Andorra Sector Alpha. He was an X-Clan wolf who had access to some of the world’s best technology.
Of course, it wasn’t as good as ours, but he had surveillance in areas we did not.
“His last message said he might have a lead, but he hasn’t confirmed yet. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear from him.” He checked his watch. “In the meantime, I think I’ll go call my mate, give her an update on things here. She’ll be pleased to know Kyra is in good hands.”
“Very good hands,” I heard her murmur from the other room. “Excellent hands. Alpha hands.Lorcanhands.”
My lips curled at the drunken slur in her words. “Someone is high on healing magic.”
She hummed happily in response while Kieran smirked. “Have fun,” he told me, shadowing out of the hallway before my wolf could even consider the fact that it washismagic Kyra was enjoying, not mine.
She’s healed,I told my beast.Don’t start snapping your jaws now.
He huffed, his irritation mild, but one look through the door had him perking up with interest, the altercation forgotten. Because his Omega was sitting up in her nest, looking perfectly rumpled.
And very naked.
I’d covered her with blankets before Kieran had arrived, careful to hide her beautiful form.
A ridiculous concept, really, considering we were both shifters who had to be nude before we could change into our wolf states.
But that didn’t stop my possessive instincts from flaring in her presence.
“What did Kieran do to me?” she asked dreamily. “I feel…free.”
“He unwove every strand of compulsion Fare has ever implanted in your mind,” I said as I stepped into the room.
The door shut softly behind me, closing us in her safe space.
She stretched her arms over her head, her breasts moving sensuously with the display. It didn’t matter that I’d just knotted her an hour ago. My cock was hard and ready for more.
And her scent told me she felt the same way.
I prowled toward her, my jeans disappearing along the way. I hadn’t bothered with a shirt or shoes, aware that my cousin had seen me in various states of undress several thousand times over our long lives together.
Kyra fell back into her nest as I climbed on top of her, her eyes lighting up with promise. “We’re going to need to talk about all the changes happening around here,” she said. “Including this role ofSanctuary Sector Alphathat I overheard Kieran mention. But I want you to fuck me first.”
“You heard us talking?”
“I did. Sort of. Like a dream, but not a dream.” She frowned then. “That was real, right? You telling him you… you can’t easily leave your mate?” There was a hint of insecurity in her voice, one that rivaled her thoughts.
Because I had left her before.
On the jet with Quinnlynn and Kieran.
And while I’d been gone, Fare had taken her.
She didn’t blame me. She understood why I’d left with my cousin and his mate. But it left her wondering now what had changed.
So I let her hear my mind. The conclusions I’d drawn after hearing Kieran talk about his pregnant mate. How I’d realized that I couldn’t leave Kyra. How my loyalties had changed.
I’m not sure when that happened,I admitted.Perhaps… the moment we mated. And it’s just slowly evolved from there. But I know how I feel now. I’m here to stay, if you want me.
I ensured she could hear how I wouldn’t force her to accept me. How I was okay with not labeling this for now. How I understood that this was a lot for us both. A significant change from our initial agreement.