I couldn’t totally shake the feeling of danger. But now I was almost certain this powerful warrior would fight beside me. But would he fight for me?
We’d need a few more kisses to determine that outcome. And that fight, I was ready for.
He moaned against my lips before he drew away just enough to break the kiss.
“You’re destined for greatness, Ashla. Once we get through this battle, you will have a great role in the prosperity of the city.”
A great role in the prosperity of the city? That was all he had after that kiss? I wanted—no, I needed—so much more from him. There was no way he didn’t feel my temperature skyrocket. His skin was dewy from it.
I needed to tell him, but all I could manage was that telltale whine. “Solen—”
“I know.” His eyes turned to golden lava. And I was so ready to burn. “Will you let me take care of you?”
Solen
Chapter Seven
Ashla’s heat was intense, pulses of pheromones slamming into me in a continuous wave as her distinct whine drove my animal to the brink of insanity. I felt more feral than ever before. More animal than man. But then again, I’d never rutted with an omega before. As an omega male in hiding, I’d had to stay far away from the Badlands and any possibility of scenting a female’s heat, lest I lose my senses and hunt down a rut.
I swallowed a growl.
The idea of my Ashla hiding in a dirty heat bunker while other males fought to get to her… to hurt and take advantage of her… it made my blood boil. She was mine. No male would touch her again. No matter what happened going forward, she would never have to ride out her heat alone and afraid again.
Because of my status, I could give her this guarantee. It made what she called my betrayal all worth it. She could think me a traitor if she wanted, but never again would she be vulnerable when she was in need.
My heart lurched as I stared down at her. I hoped one day she would understand why I’d allowed the Badlands to wither. Adalai was made to hate them under the training of his father. It wasn’t as if I could have used my status to persuade him. Not before he mated Zelene. No matter how alpha I appeared or behaved, I was omega, and Adalai could have had me banished to the Badlands if he’d wished. Or worse.
Could Ashla ever see that things had happened the way they did so that we would have this exact moment to ourselves? Things work out the exact way that they should. Always. My mother taught me that before being cut from my life.
No. Don’t think about family now.
I slammed the walls down on my emotions and focused on my mate. Taking care of her now was going to soften a lot of those hurts that I’d stuffed inside for so long.
“Solen?” Ashla touched my cheek and for a moment the lusty fog that clouded her expression cleared. “Do you want this?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but she wasn’t finished.
“You can leave me here. Lock me in and come back for me in four days. But you have to go now, before it’s—”
My snarl ripped from my throat, stopping her just before my lips crashed into hers. No way in hell was I leaving her here. Her nails raked down my back, giving me a clue to just how needy she was.
Pulling back, I used a claw to slit the front of her shirt down the middle. She bucked up when the cool air hit her bare chest, presenting her tight nipples for my attention. The heat radiating from her was intoxicating.
I braced my forearm under her back to keep her propped up so perfectly, and watching her reaction, I slowly lowered my tongue to lap at one hardened bud. Her cry of pleasure pierced me like a weapon, threatening to make me lose control.
Closing my lips around her nipple I sucked until she writhed in my arms before moving to the other one to repeat the action. My cock pressed against my zipper and she found the hardness, rubbing carelessly against it with her pussy through our clothes.
Need to be skin on skin.
Lifting to my knees, she followed me up, clawing at my waistband until my cock sprang free, bobbing and ready to sate her lust. All the breath rushed out of my lungs as she wrapped her fingers around my thickness and stroked.
“Fuck,” I croaked, straining for more of her touch.
Her gaze went to mine and beyond the sheen of sweat and lust, I saw her satisfaction. As if this made her feel powerful. And something unexpected happened inside me. I liked making her feel powerful. Was this the difference between an alpha and omega male? I didn’t feel the need to cage her, or dominate her.
Was she mine? Yes. Nothing would ever change that. Ashla belonged to me.
Did I want her beneath me, pounding her with my strength while we both came together? Yes. Fuck yes. But I also wanted to give her power over me. I wanted her to have her way with my body.
I wanted her to be the only one who ever could.
I… I wanted to belong to her.
I swallowed hard as she lowered her lips to take my cock deep in her mouth. A growl slipped out when I hit the back of her throat and my bones turned to jelly. Fuck, she was making me weak and I didn’t even care.
She sucked hard enough
