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But the look on her face is killing me. And the fact that she’s apologizing for the single greatest moment of my entire life feels like a gut-punch.
My Alpha’s urgent need to care for her ramps up. The only thing I can think of is food. She must be starving, and the sandwich I made her is untouched.
In the pale moonlight, those emerald eyes are Serena’s only spot of color. So big. So bright. The rest of her looks puny and downright colorless by comparison—dark features and ashen brown skin.
Getting something in her belly suddenly feels more important than breathing. I hustle, lurching toward the bed, and she?—
Cowers.
Crouching down into the mattress, with her baggy sleeves piled over her face and head. A whine shatters the air.
Avery and I both go still, staring at each other. It’s honest to God the first moment I’ve ever seen fear in his eyes. And also the first time he’s ever voluntarily looked to me for help.
I’m not sure how I know what she needs, but I do.
Moving slowly, I lower myself into the mountain of pillows stacked behind her. Reaching over, I gently stroke my palm along her trembling back.
“Come here, omega.”
She shakes harder, peeking at me with one eye. “I—I’m sorry. I—I?—”
She thinks I want to punish her somehow. For needing relief while my pack leader tended her bite mark. The claim he made without her permission.
The need to protect her—from any other harm, from her own misplaced shame—vibrates in my blood. My purr revs louder as the hand on her spine slips lower. In one motion, I scoop her straight into my arms.
Avery goes stiff, watching me warily, but my Alpha isn’t concerned. His intuition blurs with mine, smoothing the edges of my purr while I hold her against my chest.
She’s so light; it’s a miracle she hasn’t blown away. She needs to eat now. But I want her to feel relaxed first.
Soothing sounds blend with my purr while I cuddle her tenderly, waiting for her body to realize she isn’t in danger. Not with me.
The second my chest touches the side of her face, her whine dies. A shudder of pleasure rolls through her, but it still feels like she’s bracing.
My purr rolls on anyhow. Serena’s shakes turn into shivers. When she sniffles, I realize she isn’t just quivering; she’s crying. And trying to hide it.
“Aww, baby,” I whisper, folding her closer. “You don’t have to hide how upset you are. Get it out.”
The poor sweet thing deserves to cry as much as she wants. She’s been through hell. And then the guy who was supposed to help her hurt her. If she feels like wailing for a week, I’ll stay here in her bed the whole time.
I run both of my hands over her skin, skimming her thigh and her back. Feeling how unbelievably small and fragile she seems against all my brawn.
My purr deepens, and she sways, letting her weight press into me. Her wet face finds its way between my pecs, nuzzling closer while her breathing hitches. I cup the back of her head, petting the thick black hair.
“I can take it,” I promise, nestling my face into her crown. “Just leave it all with me.”
I might not be as refined as Tris or Spence; and maybe she didn’t click with me the same way she clicked with Avery. But Serena hides her sobs against the middle of my chest, soaking her tears into my sternum.
And it’s enough for me to know that I’m never letting go.
I’m going to owe Avery for this later.
When Serena finally cried herself out, he whispered something into her ear and shot me a meaningful look while he vaulted out of bed.
Meaningful—as in, “Don’t fuck this up or I’ll kill you and have fun doing it.”
I nodded as he loped out, noting the way his muscles twitched with every step. If I had to guess, I’d say he needed to blow off steam in our gym. Which, all in all, seems like a pretty healthy reaction to everything that’s happened tonight.
Part of me expects Serena to panic when he leaves, but she actually huddles closer to me. I can feel how embarrassed she is about it, though. I don’t know if it’s because of what happened in the kitchen or the fact that we were strangers just hours ago. Either way, she clearly doesn’t feel like she should be accepting comfort from me, even when her body craves it.
