Alexander
He felt like a captive in his own home.
That was his reality.
He was aware that stepping outside would be too overwhelming. Heâd almost lost control a few times already. He knew her heat was inevitable. He hadnât made a plan for it. Resist? Surrender?
Now that the moment was here, he realized he never had a chance of resisting her. Especially when she was so ~eager~ to give herself to him.
A nest?
That was a first. He hadnât seen it coming.
He didnât know what it looked like. He was curious. He wanted to ~make love~ to her there. Sheâd prepare it for them. She was different from when they first met, but she was still so human.
Yet, her desire for him was so intense, sheâd surrendered to her instincts and done something sheâd never done before.
For him.
For them.
Heâd been grasping at straws for some time.
His longing for his mate pulsed through him while she carried on with her life, mostly unaffected. But now she was taking action.
And he couldnât overlook it.
The attraction was too powerful.
Perhaps if sheâd pushed him away. Fled. Told him to get lost. Then maybe.
But she hadnât done any of that. Sheâd pursued him repeatedly. Craving his warmth, his scent, his company. He was strong, yet he was weak.
It had messed with his mind so much that heâd delegated more than he should have, and he wasnât leading his pack properly. This should help him get his head straight. Things would be okay after this.
The one thing that left him unsure was her response. How would she react once her heat was over? She didnât seem ready to be his mate. Being intimate with him and becoming his mate were two different things for her.
Would he be able to distinguish the difference too? Or would he succumb to his instincts?
No.
He was a damn alpha, not a puppet. If he decided not to mate with her, then that was that.
Things were still complicated between them, mostly on her end. If he crossed that lineâ¦heâd be no better than the bastard who had turned her against her will. ~He could maintain control~.
Heâd lose himself to her.
~Knock. Knock~.
His nose twitched, and he knew who was at the door. He tilted his head back, sighed, and his eyelashes fluttered; even if he said no, sheâd enter anyway.
âYes?â
The door opened, and Mayaâs red hair appeared. She gave him a grin, and he knew she was fully aware that he wasnât in the mood for games. She shut the door behind her and tossed something at his chest.
He frowned, picking up a small box that had landed on his lap. ~Ribbed for her pleasure.~ What?
âShe made you a âbang-me-pup-meâ nest. Have you considered it? Have you ~discussed~ it with her? Are you two planning on having babies already?â
No. They hadnât. Because it was absurd. They didnât even have a solid relationship. ~Obviously~, they shouldnât be having pups. His mind understood that.
But if his mind understood that, why hadnât he thought about the condoms? Birth control?
Even in heat, alpha or beta females werenât very fertileâespecially alpha females. The chances of conception were slim. With Olivia? They were high. Almost guaranteed.
If he slept with her, heâd get her pregnant.
And he hadnât even considered it.
âMayaââ
âBecause if the answer is ~no~, you need to prepare for it ~before~ you see her. Otherwise, youâll be two idiots too wrapped up in it to care.â
If Olivia was in front of him right now, heâd make love to her passionately and ~unprotected~. But Maya was right.
If he was willing to resist marking her, he should resist getting her pregnant. Sensible, pragmatic Alex ~understood~ this. The wolf stirring in his chest?
He wasnât thrilled about the idea of a barrier between him and his mate.
Reason would win.
âThanks. Anything else?â
âDid ~you~ just say thank you? Am I losing my mind?â
His eyes narrowed.
âAlright, alright. Nothing else. Do ~you~ have any questions?â
He blinked. âWhy would I have questions?â
She gave a nonchalant shrug. âSeems like Iâve been hanging out with her more than you have.â
Her voice was devoid of any blame.
He was aware that she got why he was doing this. It wasnât a joyride for him either. âThings will be smoother once her heat passes.â
âAnd after that? Unless you mark herâ¦~And~ believe me, I want you two to sort your shit out but I donât think tonight is the right time.â
âUnderstood.â
âSo?â
âThings will settle once her heat is over. Weâll handle it then.â
âDo we have enough people on patrol?â
He licked his lips. âIâve dispatched most of the guys.â
She looked puzzled, her head tilting slightly to the left.
âWhy woââ She bit her lips, but it barely concealed the grin that spread across her face. âYouâre keeping them away from ~her~.â
He raked his fingers through his brown hair, twining them around his fingers.
âNo one here has ever been around an omegaâ¦â
âAnd if youâre barely holding it together, youâre worried they wonât either.â
Up until now, no one had attempted anything, but who could predict what might happen once her heat was in full swing and they were in the thick of it? He couldnât take that risk.
He didnât want to contemplate what he might do to someone if they tried to touch her. This was the safer option. âThat pack is after her.â
âDo you know why?â
âThey want to boost their numbers? For the prestige? I donât give a fuck, honestly. Theyâve trespassed on my territory, and theyâre gonna pay for it.â
He hadnât retaliated yet. He couldnât. Not when he was this distracted.
But once everything calmed down, heâd make them regret ever crossing the border. Heâd make every single one of them who tried to get to her pay.
Every single asshole who thought they could snatch his mate away from him.
âTheyâre a small pack, they donât stand a chance.â She smacked her lips. âBut youâre about to have your hands full.â
âIâve got it under control.â
She nodded. âYouâre the boss. Youâll just have two problems to deal with, thatâs all.â
He raised an eyebrow, not quite catching her drift.
âOlivia. After the heat subsides. What do you think? Sheâs gonna change your name on her phone to âBF heart emojiâ? If so, Iâve got a reality check for you.â She leaned back into the chair, her shoulders sagging.
âSheâs trapped in her own thoughts. Or sheâs waiting for Prince Charming. I donât know. But sheâs holding back, and screwing her senseless isnât gonna fix it. Itâll help though. Iâm sure if she loosens up a bit, she would be more open.â
âI donât know.â
That was the most sincere and vulnerable response he could offer. He had no clue what would happen once the heat subsided. He was familiar with everyoneâs habits and behaviors. Most were governed by hierarchy and instincts.
But Olivia didnât operate like that.
Heâd have to wait and see.