Page 83 of Pack Owned
They think I’m asleep, but I’m hovering in limbo, not quite awake. I want to stay here forever.
“Should we move her?” Dane’s protective tone seeps into my half-dreams, but the idea of leaving this spot, leaving their warmth, has me burrowing closer to them in silent protest.
“Nah, let her be,” Liam purrs, the sound sending shivers through me. “She’s perfect right here.”
“Yeah.” I can almost feel Ryker’s deep rumble in agreement.
Here, on this couch with them, I’m more than just an Omega—I’m a cherished part of their world. As my breath evens out, matching theirs, I surrender to the pull of sleep, knowing they’ll watch over me through the night.
CHAPTER 27
KAYLA
Iscoop Kayla up from the couch, her body curling against my chest, and I’m amazed she doesn’t wake. The weight of her in my arms is nothing compared to the heaviness settling in my chest. She’s so damn fragile, this Omega, with her dark blonde hair fanned out across my forearm and those pink lips.
I lay her down in her bed—where we had sex. The sheets still hold her sweet scent. I want her again, but it’s too soon. Shit, when did I start putting someone else before myself?
“Fucking lucky” doesn’t even begin to cover it. I’m a bastard covered in scars, inside and out, but she looks at me like I’m worth something. That thought alone has my hand lingering on her cheek just a second too long.
My throat tightens with words I don’t dare voice. I climb in with her and snuggle her. I’m growing fucking obsessed with her and can’t get enough. For a while, I hold her while she sleeps, but I can’t fall asleep. My cock is growing harder by the second, and she still has to be sore. I won’t push her.
I wait another hour, gritting my teeth, and trying to get my rock-hard cock to calm the fuck down before I quietly get up, so I don’t wake her. She looks like a goddamn angel with herblonde hair spread across the pillow, her lips slightly parted. Like Sleeping Beauty, who has my balls turning so dark blue, I can barely breathe.
Part of me wants to wake her—kiss her, make love to her—but I vowed to myself that I’d wait a bit longer.
So, I force my feet to walk away, to leave her.
The hallway feels longer on my way out, and closing her door behind me is like sealing away the part of me that’s learning to feel again. Fuck, I need air. I need distance from her softness, which threatens to undo my hardened edges.
Downstairs is dimly lit, the aftermath of our rom-com movie marathon. Dane’s in the kitchen, nursing a beer like it’s his lifeline. Liam’s passed out on the couch, snoring softly. If it weren’t for the danger lurking just outside our makeshift haven, I might laugh at the domesticity of it all.
The fact that Nexus was here not long ago sniffing around has the hairs on the back of my neck permanently standing on end.
“Beer?” Dane offers without looking up, his voice as rough as gravel. He opens the fridge, grabbing another for me.
“Yeah.” I snatch the cold bottle from him, the chill a welcome shock to my overheated skin. We lean against the counter, two soldiers on an unspoken night watch.
“Kayla still asleep?” he asks.
“Out like a light.” I tip back the beer, letting the bitterness wash over my tongue.
“We need to talk about Nexus.” Dane’s words are clipped.
“Fuck them.” The growl rumbles from my chest. “If we all claim her, they can’t do shit.”
Dane nods, the lines on his face hardening. “We protect our own. If they try anything, they’ll have to go through us.” Dane’s a medic, but I know he’s got as much fight in him as any soldier.
“Fucking right.”
Dane finishes his beer and gives me a nod.
“Night, Ryker.” Dane’s footsteps echo as he leaves, the house settling back into silence.
“Night,” I mutter, though he’s already gone. My beer’s empty, but my mind’s too full—of Kayla’s taste, her touch, her laughs like she did during the movies that I can’t get enough of.
I drag a hand down my face, feeling the stubble scratch against my palm as I head to my room. Tonight’s gonna be shit, but I can’t wait to see Kayla tomorrow.
In my bed, alone, I toss and turn, the sheets a twisted mess at my feet. My skin feels too tight, my thoughts fixated on Kayla—her soft lips, the tentative way she reached for me, how she sighed into our kisses, and the little sounds she made. Her scent clings to my nostrils, that sweet Omega fragrance that’s all her own.
