Alpha Tate’s POVColin is my friend.My closest friend since we were old enough to walk and talk.But right now, with my mate sitting in his lap while he fondles her, I want nothing more than to yank him up by his stupid blonde hair and rip his throat out.She needs a little extra attention…He’s giving her that alright.My hands clenched into fists at my side, a low growl escapes and a group of sweaty chicks strolling leisurely away from the training center look back at me curiously.Damn it.I was doing perfectly fine until she came back.Why did Jody have to mate with her sister?Shaking my head, I grab my shirt and pull it over my head, feeling the ladies sudden desire for me as I do so.Jody always said I could have any woman that I wanted in the pack, or in the nearby town.I probably could.But I just can’t bring myself to.None of them are as beautiful as Sarah was.Or stir something unfamiliar inside of me like Kit…Shaking my head again to get rid of that thought, I take off
Colin’s POVHesitating with my hand against the office door, I steel myself for Tate’s temper.He was always a moody guy, but it got worse after he rejected Kit, although he would never admit it.Then is got a thousand times worse when Sarah left and he refused to be with another girl after her.Jody and I have said multiple times over the last year that he needs to get laid, but now I worry that if he does, it will be with the one woman that I don’t want him to be with.My new girlfriend. Who just happens to be the mate that he rejected.As much as I love Tate like a brother, and respect him as my Alpha, I don’t want to give up Kit to him.He didn’t treat her right.She deserves better.I would never make her feel the way that he did.I want to keep her safe. Comfortable.Satisfied.Woa there…can’t be thinking about that before I step into the office with my Alpha. Don’t want him hearing those thoughts.Pushing the door open, I see that Jody has beat me here.He is perched on Tate’s
Kit’s POVColin and I hold hands to the training center, even as we walk through the door, I don’t let his hand go when he holds it open for me.When he follows me inside, he wraps the arm still holding my hand around my neck, pulling me close as he kisses the top of my head.A tiny bubble of rage seems to burst in my chest, and I grimace as I glance to the front of the room, catching Alpha Tate’s stare.I hate that I can feel him.Sense him.Share his emotions.It doesn’t matter if he is still kind of my mate.He is half the man that Colin is.Placing my hand on Colin’s chest, I lift onto my toes and tug on his shirt to get his attention.He looks down, grins, and lowers his head to give me a quick kiss.Another bubble pops.This one has pain in it.Screw him.Colin and I take the same mat as last time, Jody and Cami already beating us there and even more entwined with each other than Colin and I are.Alpha Tate clears his throat and I swear their lips make that sucking sound of two
Kit’s POV Frowning at my reflection, I blink as I angle my face to study the mascara that I just applied. Cami is the one who is good at make-up. Not me. Although, I think I did a pretty good job with it this time. I smile as I swipe some neutral lipstick on that makes my lips just a hint pinker. As much as I wanted to do it with Colin all day, and not just to spite Alpha Tate, which I admit, was a forethought on my mind, he insisted that we waited. I roll my eyes at my reflection. Fine. We’ll make it special or whatever. Running my fingers through my painstakingly curled hair, I wonder what he means by special. Sex is just sex. It’s just something that you need to do. The only way it can be ‘special’ is probably with your mate. I guess. Shrugging, I check my reflection one more time before stepping out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, trying not to make my new high heels clink too loudly against the floor. Smoothing my dress, I grab a pair of earrings from the dresse
Kit’s POV“Have I mentioned to you how happy I am that your sister mated to Jody and that you came back with her?”Colin is laying on his back on the blanket, the moonlight reflecting off his bare skin.My head is resting on his chest, my fingers splayed beside it, my leg hiked over his waist with his hand resting on my hip, the other massaging my neck.I could stay like this forever.He makes me feel safe. Wanted.And extremely satisfied.Snuggling closer against him, he gives me a tight squeeze.When he does, my stomach gives a low growl.Um…that’s embarrassing.Colin lifts his head to look at me.“Time to eat?”My stomach rumbles again in response and I bury my face against him.Guess I forgot to eat today.It’s been such a whirlwind since I arrived, I haven’t really been eating more than a bite here or there.“I could eat.”Colin grins as he sets up and reaches behind him for the basket.“Me too. You’ve got me working up quite the appetite.”He winks at me, and I flush in response
Kit’s POV“Good morning, beautiful.”With a small groan, I stretch and snuggle against Colin.I have never woken up with a man in my bed before.It’s nice.Colin touches my nose with his finger and then places his hand under his head.“Ready for training?”I make a gagging face and pull the blanket over my head.Colin laughs and tugs it back down.Sticking my tongue out at him, I bury my face against his bicep.“Can’t we skip it? Stay here?”I walk my fingers suggestively down his torso.Colin sighs dramatically and grabs my hand, entwining his fingers with mine.“I wish. I really really do. But I don’t think Alpha Tate would like that very much.”“Who cares?”I wiggle my body against his and he gives a little groan of regret before pulling his arm away and rolling onto his side.He looks seriously at me.“I do, and you should too. You’re staying now, remember. You’ll become a part of the pack again and you have to listen to your Alpha.”I wrinkle my nose and prop up on my elbow.“But
Kit’s POVLetting out a groan of frustration, I duck out of Alpha Tate’s reach and throw up my arm to block his kick, wincing as it makes contact with my elbow.“Keep your arms up!”“I am!”I practically spit back at him, raising my sore arms higher and leaning backwards to avoid another punch, then taking one more step back…and slipping in a pool of my own sweat, falling hard on my ass against the mat.With another low groan, I struggle onto my knees, my palms flat on the mat in front of me.I don’t want to get back up.Everything hurts and I am exhausted. I lower my forehead onto the mat and close my eyes.“Can we please stop now? I physically don’t think I can even stand up again.”My voice sounds muffled and wobbly as I refuse to look at Alpha Tate, who hasn’t even broken a sweat since we started all those hours ago.And once again, everyone else is long gone.“We can stop.”I look up in surprise.Alpha Tate holds out his hand, which I eye suspiciously before I slap my own into it
Kit’s POV After a few minutes, I stagger up from the floor, wincing at my sore thighs. If Alpha Tate hasn’t come banging on the door by now, he probably won’t come at all. Which I am so glad about. Shuffling over to my bed, I snatch my phone from the nightstand and quickly type out a text to Colin. Miss you. How’s it going there? He must be there by now. He said it wasn’t too far away and Alpha Tate and I were training for hours. Colin’s reply is fast. Miss you more. It’s extremely dull here. Wish you could have come with me. We could have found a way to make the time here a lot more interesting. He ends the text with a winking emoji, and I grin at it. We’ll just have to make it interesting when you get back. Deal! I smile wider as I read his response, then lower my phone and feel the smile slide off. Damn Alpha Tate! He couldn’t just let me be. Now he’s in my head, which is probably exactly what he wanted. Tossing my phone onto the bed, I start to pace back and forth,
Kit’s POV“This was a great idea! It’s so much fun! I’m glad that we are doing this.”Cami smiles at me over her shoulder as she jogs along the path winding through the woods, her high pony swinging behind her.“Yeah…so fun!”Two steps behind her, I frown as thoughts of Tate pop into my head, again. This time it’s how hot his grin was as he looked down at me just after he got me to climax for the second time this morning.My foot catches on a root and I trip, nearly face planting before clumsily righting myself again.Cami glances back.“What happened?”“Tripped. I’m fine.”Actually…“Cami, can we stop?”I slow to a walk and wipe the sweat off my forehead.Cami jogs in place as she spins around to look at me, clearly wanting to protest, but then nods and throws her arms into a stretch over her head.“Okay, so we will take a stretch break, then keep going? If we head back now, that’s only ten miles total.”Only ten miles?Sighing, I flop onto the grass and prop my back against a thick
Alpha Tate’s POV“Be safe out there and good luck. Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?”Jody frowns at me as he shakes my hand.“No, you stay. Keep the pack alert and ready for another attack, just in case.”Jody nods solemnly.Turning to go, I hesitate and turn back toward him, glancing around to make sure no one is listening.“Kit is excused from training today. Cami as well. Perhaps she can keep Kit distracted while I am away?”Jody looks confused, but nods his consent.“Sure…” He tilts his head to study me curiously, opening his mouth to ask about something that I really don’t want to go into right now, so I cut him off.“Thanks. I’ll keep in contact.”Noticing the dismissal for what it is, Jody steps back and holds out his hand for Cami, who is standing a few feet away on the porch, and she hurries to attach herself to his side.With a final glance at the packhouse where I just left my mate, who finally seems to be open to giving me a true chance, I can’t help but to f
Kit’s POV“I don’t want to, I really don’t want to leave you, but I have to go…”Tate kisses my neck and gives me a squeeze as he rolls away from my side with a heavy sigh.Nodding silently, I admire how the muscles from his shoulders all the way down to his calves seem to flex tantalizingly as he strolls to his dresser to pull out clothes.Even after nearly an hour of nonstop, magical bliss, I feel like if he crawled back into bed, I’d already be down for another round…The mate bond is quite insatiable. His arms already inside his shirt, Tate turns to grin at me before he tugs it over his head and, much to my disappointment, covers his perfect torso with it.“Hopefully I won’t be gone long. Feel free to stay right there and wait for me if you want.”Sitting into an upright position, tucking the blanket around my chest, I start to grin back at him, then frown, the full reality of what he is leaving to do hits me.Rescue his kidnapped ex…because they thought she was my mate’s Luna.“
Kit’s POVOh god.The moment that Tate’s lips connect with mine, I know there’s no stopping this time.No.This time I am going to let myself feel, without any reservations, exactly what this mate bond is made of.Because if I am truly honest with myself, I want this. I want to feel this. To know this. Even if it is for the one time only.Running my palms up Tate’s muscular chest, I tug his shoulders so that he leans closer, gasping as his own hand slips around my waist, palm flat on the bare skin of my back. At the same time, he grabs under my thigh with the other to hook it around his hip and hoist me up onto the cold counter.He exhales my name before he pushes my lips apart with his tongue and pulls me tighter against him.His lips taste so good…they mold perfectly against my own…but now I want more than a goodbye kiss. I need more.Lowering my hands, I hook my fingers into his waistband and tug so that they slip off his hips and fall soundlessly to the floor, his thick rod spring
Kit’s POV“Good morning, beautiful.”Smiling as Colin kisses my cheek, I reach behind me to run my fingers through his hair, giving it an affectionate tug to guide his lips to my neck.His hand slips down my side to grip my hip under the blanket.Rolling onto my back in response, I spread my knees and wiggle against him.Colin chuckles and teases me with his fingers.“You didn’t get enough last night?”“I always want more.”His eyes flash lustfully as he slides on top of me, holding himself, his arm muscles bulging in a tantalizing way.I run my finger down his chest, his abs, and nearly to his morning wood when he says something that makes me pause.“From me, right?”“What?”“You always want more from me, right? Not from…someone else?”“Colin!”His words make me feel self-conscious and a bit hurt, especially after the amazing night we had last night, so I awkwardly cross my arms over my bare breasts.He grimaces and rolls so that he collapses beside me.“Sorry, didn’t mean to kill th
Colin’s POVI start to pull away from Kit, but she doesn’t seem ready to let go since she mumbles breathily, ‘not yet’ against my lips.Lifting higher on her toes, she grabs my hair and tugs me close again.As much as I want to embrace her, carry her upstairs to bed and forget all about tonight while I explore every inch of her body with my tongue, I have to take care of something first.I kiss her back, but after only a few seconds, I grab her hands from my hair, kiss her forehead reassuringly, then pull Kit against my side as I look at Tate.“I’ve done all I can for tonight. We are in need of more supplies, and soon, or we could be in big trouble if we have another attack. There’s about half a dozen staying in the healing center overnight.”Kit must notice the faint smear of blood on my cheek, she tries to wipe it off like I had hastily tried to in the mirror I passed in the hall on the way here, but it’s dried on.Her hand still on my cheek, she tilts my face towards hers and gives
Alpha Tate’s POVEyeing the piece of paper in Lacey’s hand, I finally take it from her, carefully unfolding it while Lacey holds her breath.“You can go, Lacey.”She doesn’t immediately go, and I can tell she is hunting for an invite to spend the night together, but I have other things, more pressing things, to tend to.“Thank you.”Spinning on her heels, she exits.Taking a deep breath, I inhale Kit’s comforting scent and read the note.We have your mate. If you want her back, surrender your pack to us by midnight tomorrow or she dies.Dropping the note onto the desk, I rub my temples.It would be almost laughable if it didn’t make a new worry grip my very soul.This, this right here is just another reason why I couldn’t ever be with Kit.Even though this pack is just a bunch of morons, had they not been, it could be Kit that they have right now instead of Sarah.But they got it wrong. They thought the woman who was acting as my Luna for years was my mate.They have no idea that my r
Thirty minutes later, I tug a blanket around my shoulders as I look out the window, unable to see anything in the dark but a few feet of lawn.“Anything?”Shaking my head, I step away and move to the chair across from Cami, where she has a thick blanket tucked around her and is holding a mug of tea, black lines from mascara on her cheeks.“But that’s bad! We haven’t heard anything! They could be…”“Stop. They are fine. Don’t get all worked up over nothing.”Cami looks uncertainly into the fireplace, and I pick up my own mug, but don’t drink it.It’s one thing to give advice, a totally other thing to follow that advice yourself.How could I not be worried?Obviously, something is wrong.Intrusive thoughts race one by one through my mind.“Kit.”I meet Cami’s eyes, her lips tremble.“What if we finally find happiness only to immediately lose it…just like we lost mom and dad.”“This is nothing like that. It’s fine. Don’t…don’t think like that.”Cami doesn’t look convinced as she turns ba
Alpha Tate’s POVGlancing darkly at the closet door rattling in a rhythmic pattern, I decide it’s time to call it a night.In the morning, I will let Kit reject me back.I was fooling myself to even think that she might ever want to be with me.There is no way to earn her love like she has for Colin, who never damaged her like I did.To hear the way that she explained how she truly feels about me…a resistant attraction that she despises, and how she not only adores, but loves and desires to be with Colin and only him…I cannot put her through that torment anymore.She deserves happiness. Even if it isn’t with me.And I don’t deserve my mate at all after what I have done to her.Slamming my bedroom door shut, I consider working out, getting all the frustration out.But that doesn’t seem enough.Maybe more alcohol?There isn’t enough in this giant house to make me forget how I feel about Kit.My eyes fall on my bed.Perhaps that is the distraction I need, but not Sarah.Never her.Not af