Page 38 of Omega Ruined

"Because I wanted to see what it looked like. And I heard it makes sex more pleasurable." His cheeks turned pink and I found it oddly endearing.

"Well, does it?" I was curious.

"I don't know," he said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"I, uh, never had sex after I got the piercings."

"Really? But you've had sex, right?"

"Of course, I'm a thirty-year-old man," he chuckled. "The possibility of going feral is higher if you experience intense emotions. Sex could cause me to go into a rut as a feral and it could be disastrous."

His grip around me tightened. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You've been fine for three days. When was the last time that happened?"

"It's been at least a year." He looked sadly out at the lake. "You don't realize how much something like this affects your lifestyle until you start wanting things again. My life has just gotten smaller and smaller over time. I don't remember the last time I left the house. Or talked to someone outside my pack."

"Vale, I hate that for you."

"I'm not trying to get you to have sex with me out of pity or anything," he said briskly, tugging his arm out from under meand sitting up. He wiped his arm across his face. "It's not that. It's just being here with you reminds me of how much I've lost."

"We're going to get it back for you, I promise." I wanted to tell him to claim me right here and now, but something stopped me. Maybe it was Zephyr sitting just a few yards away, or maybe it was the fact that he would absolutely take it as a pity fuck right now. Whatever it was, I held back and just sat there beside him as we watched the waves on the lake.

After a rousing game of rock skipping, we finally packed everything up and headed back to the pack house. The sun was sinking low in the sky as Vale pulled up in front of the house.

Zephyr got out and went into the house, leaving us alone in the car.

"I had a lot of fun, Vale. This was the best first date I've ever been on. Also, the only one I've been on, but that doesn't make it any less special."

"I'm glad you liked it. I thought you'd enjoy a picnic. Let's get your cheesecake into the fridge so it won't go bad."

"Wait. Aren't you supposed to kiss me at the end of a date?"

His eyes widened. "Do you want me to kiss you?"

"Yes, Vale, that's what I'm suggesting." I smirked at his shocked look.

Then he was right there, his lips on mine, his hand cradling the back of my head as he devoured my mouth. That's when I discovered he also had a tongue ring.

We kissed for what felt like a couple of minutes, but when we finally came up for air, the sun had dropped behind the trees and we were sitting in twilight.

"Guess we should go in," Vale said reluctantly. "Thank you for the kiss, sweet girl."

"Thank you for the picnic."

He let me carry the cooler with my cheesecake inside. As we stepped through the doorway, both of us still rosy-cheeked andsmiling from making out, we found Zephyr and Kienan trying to hold Dean back as he snapped and snarled at us.

Chapter twenty-one

Jealousy

Dean was spitting mad, literally. It took both men to keep him from attacking Vale. I could feel Vale stiffen beside me as his feral side came to the surface.

"Hey, Vale, no. You don't need to go feral. Smell me. Then go upstairs to your room, away from triggers."

He turned to me, his eyes blazing, already partly gone. "Safety. For mate."