by Merel Pierce
***
Since they were now minus a table and chair, they’d had a picnic style breakfast together on the bed. While it wasn’t unpleasant, the fact that both parties were distracted by their own worries made it a quiet affair. When they were finished, December feigned interest in her tablet and furtively watched him dress.
Her alpha was not a modest man. Though he did not openly acknowledge her attention, she began to wonder if the casual treatment of his own nudity was a thing intentionally designed to entice her. If it were, she had to admit the venture had been somewhat successful. His body no longer evoked a fear of sexual violence as it initially had after her ordeal. Instead, the sight had become a familiar part of everyday life.
Over the past few weeks December would have sworn she’d felt his ego humming proudly through their bond under the weight of her attention, as if he’d known she were watching. While she would have liked to call him out on it, that would have required admitting she was looking in the first place. The potential awkwardness of that conversation wasn’t something she was ready for.
December was still watching when he slid off his pants in front of the dresser, leaving him completely naked. She saw the corner of his lip twitch up coyly as he retrieved a pair of underwear, the male sending a sidelong glance her way as he stepped into the garment and pulled it on. She quickly averted her gaze.
As his amusement trickled into their link, December blushed and cleared her throat, embarrassed that she’d been caught. Thankfully, he took pity on her and said nothing.
When he’d finished dressing and shrugged on his suit jacket, the alpha returned to the bed where she still sat. He lowered himself to her side once more, purring when she sent another sheepish look his way. “Lunch may be later than usual today, sweet one.”
“You could just have the staff bring it.” She offered with a shrug, trying to sound indifferent about the suggestion. The idea of someone else coming into the bedroom while he was gone made her sick to her stomach, but she didn’t like how dependent on him she’d started to feel. “You don’t have to stop what you are doing just to bring me lunch.” The male’s expression darkened, his jaw clenching.
“So long as other alphas are on the property, no one else will have the keycode for the doors but myself.” The implication was clear. Until he’d found all the conspirators, no one could be trusted completely. He reached behind him, retrieving the lanyard with the fob for the panic room from the bedside table. She dipped her head as he extended the item, allowing him to slip it over her head. The male offered a smile of reassurance when she glanced up as she pulled her hair through the lanyard and settled it around her neck. “And you.”
When she frowned her confusion, he extended a finger and tapped the little black box resting against her sternum. “The code for the office door has been taped to the back of the fob.” He paused a moment as she turned the device over skeptically. There on the back, a tiny piece of paper with five digits and a star had been taped to the plastic. “That is, if you need me, and it cannot wait,” he explained. “Though I would urge you to knock first and allow me five minutes to come to you before opening that door. Additionally, if you have any concerns about what might be happening, I’ve installed another camera in the panic room that covers the office, not just the hallways or entrances.”
A little surprised and uncertain of what to say, December bit her lip. “Uh, thank you.” Her response seemed to satisfy the man, whose purr changed pitch as he rose from the bed.
“Have a good morning, little wolf. I’ll try not to keep you waiting too long.”
She nodded, offering a half-hearted smile to the waiting male. In truth, she was nervous for him to go. It would be the first time in weeks he was away longer than an hour. The fact that he would be next door didn’t do much to ease her discomfort. She knew it would be fine, but she still wasn’t certain she wanted him to go. On the other hand, she tried to convince herself that it might be nice to have some time to herself.
“Sure. See you later.”
Chapter 29
His assessment had been correct. She saw very little of him over the next few days. His mornings and afternoons were filled with business, and many of his more clandestine meetings extended late into the evening hours.
The moment she saw vehicles begin trickling into the drive from her window seat each morning, December retreated to the panic room with her tablet. She left the door open, feeling too claustrophobic to shut herself in. The lanyard remained around her neck, and she was always ready to hit the button and seal the portal at the first sign of trouble.
A good portion of her days were spent in the cramped little chair or on the floor of the space, alternating between the streaming service on her tablet and watching the tiny monitor focused on the room next door.
She ventured out anytime he returned, attempting to make small talk for the brief spells he was present. The male tried to engage, but it was obvious his attention was elsewhere.
Just as he’d said he would, the alpha continued to bring all her meals in himself. He issued distracted apologies and only stayed long enough for her to finish eating each time before he disappeared again. Often, lunch came at the same time as breakfast. Generally, it was sandwiches and fruit or other food items that would hold over well until the noon hour.
Dinner seemed to be later every night. Once, he’d even forgotten. Considering the constant fluctuations of anger and frustration she felt coming from his side of the bond, she wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t difficult to feel or even see that he was exhausted and annoyed. But he was always relatively composed when he came to her.
After the last of the vehicles left each night, December showered and went to her nest. She was almost always asleep before he returned to the room, despite attempts her attempts to wait up. The few instances she had, his mood had been sour enough to spoil her own. Dejected and missing the warmth of his purr, she’d given up trying to make conversation and returned to her nest.
By the fourth day, December was feeling rather agitated herself. Nikolai hadn’t had time for them to take their daily walks and spending her time locked away alone had begun to grate on her nerves. Not that much had changed, save the male’s absence in the room. Considering how little they spoke to one another when he was present, she wasn’t certain why his lacking presence bothered her at all. But apparently, it did.
She tried for hours to sleep but was unsuccessful. There were still two alphas in the house aside from her own, and it was past two in the morning. She’d already been pacing for the better part of an hour, trying to keep herself awake until they left. She had grown so uncomfortably warm that she’d even changed out of her pajamas into a camisole type nightie made from light, jersey style fabric. Having so much of herself exposed made her nervous, but the cool air against her skin felt nice enough that she tolerated the jitters it inspired.
When she grew tired, she’d tried dragging a blanket to the panic room, then the closet floor outside it, then finally attempted to tuck herself into her nest. But she couldn’t get comfortable, no matter where she tried to bed down. Finally, desperation sent her to his bed.
She took several pillows from the nest, along with one of her comforters. The side of the mattress he slept on was closest to the closet, and she told herself it was for practical reasons that she chose to crawl onto that side. With other males still in the house, she couldn’t be too careful. The closer she was to the panic room, the better. She plumped her pillows, propping one up on either side of his own, then spread her blanket out and pulled it up over her head as she laid down. With the comforter resting on the pillows, it formed a makeshift tent above her head.
She knew it was childish, but somehow being hidden beneath the blankets always made her feel safer. While this trick hadn’t worked in her nest tonight, the fact that the small space was now filled with the scent of her alpha seemed to make the difference. December curled up on her side, rubbing her cheek against the pillow
as she inhaled deeply. She blew out a long sigh, expelling all the air from her lungs that she could before drawing in another greedy breath of the male’s musk.
The tension in her muscles lessened. She twisted her fingers into the pillow case, plucking the fabric up to press it against her nose. After several minutes, her eyelids began to droop. With the comforting smell of the familiar male enveloping her, it didn’t take long for her to surrender to sleep.
***
It was nearly four in the morning before Nikolai finally returned to their room. His mood was bleak, and he was tired. It had been a long day filled with discussions about the best way to handle Bulgras without risking a war with the smaller factions still aligned with the traitorous man.
Already, Bulgras had turned several of his own allies against him, which Nikolai had monopolized on the instant he got word that unrest was brewing. Several other organizations had been blackmailed into crossing over to his side of the line as well. It was really all rather cloak and dagger, eroding Bulgras’ business foundation. The planning and execution alone were tedious and time consuming.
In addition to the mundane daily tasks involved with running his legitimate and illegal businesses, he was now directing the paths of several dozen lieutenants and foot soldiers. They were out on the street gathering intel, threatening bodily harm, and enacting any number of other tasks in the name of the Petrovski Reign. Needless to say, he was more than ready for a hot shower and a few hours of sleep.
She’d left the bathroom light on for him again, even though she’d stopped waiting up days before. His little female was feeling neglected and moody. He didn’t blame her. Unfortunately, it couldn’t be helped. Until this issue was resolved, his focus had to be on the task at hand.
Nikolai glanced towards her nest as he began to shed his clothing, pausing when he noticed it was disrupted and empty. Keen eyes slid across the space, searching for the missing omega. To his surprise, she had taken up residence in the bed. On his side of the mattress, in fact. He took several silent steps towards the center of the room, tilting his head curiously as he regarded the mess she’d made of his bedding.
The light filtering out from the open bathroom door revealed that she’d dragged part of her nest along with her. One pillow had already fallen to the floor, and the other was currently tucked under the sleeping woman’s arm. She was laying atop the blankets, her own comforter covering most of her body. The lower half of her legs extended from beneath fabric that had been bunched up around her thighs, exposing bare skin he certainly hadn’t expected to see. One brow quirked as he took another step closer.
Usually, she wore pajama pants to bed. Tonight, she appeared to be wearing either shorts, or a nighty. He couldn’t be sure which. Either way, it was more skin than he’d seen her risk exposing since he’d brought her home. It was an interesting development, to say the least. Suddenly, sleep held less interest for him.
Reluctantly, Nikolai retreated to the bathroom, intent on bathing before he crawled into bed beside the flighty female. After spending so many days locked away in the office with agitated alphas, he’d noticed she seemed to be particularly sensitive to the scent of other men lingering on his person. Even being in close proximity to them made her nose wrinkle unconsciously when she caught wind of another male on his jacket. No, he wouldn’t risk upsetting her. Not when she’d crawled willingly into his bed.
His shower was brief and perfunctory, the male eager to return to his mate, who had finally grown brave enough to venture into their bed of her own volition. He dried himself quickly, slipping on his standard lounge pants before padding quietly towards the place where she slept.
For several moments he stood in silence, studying her. The woman’s hair was tousled, her lower lip plumped out in an adorably familiar pout that accompanied the more obvious signs of restless sleep. The arm that extended from the blanket exposed more bare skin, all the way to the girl’s shoulder where a thin strap of fabric was the only indication that she was wearing any clothes at all.
Careful not to jostle her, Nikolai eased onto the bed. Slow, calculated movements brought the alpha to his side near where she lay. He gently pulled the pillow out of her grasp, discarding it on the bed behind him as he edged closer. She grunted, brow knitting unhappily as her lashes fluttered up. He began purring the second she opened her eyes, smiling crookedly when she struggled to focus on him.
“Hello, sweet one.”
The female blew out a small, exasperated breath. She was obviously surprised that he managed to sneak in without waking her, but she didn’t balk at his being so close.
“Hi,” she muttered thickly. Nikolai continued to purr, lifting a hand to smooth back her hair in a gesture that had become wholly second nature, given the often-wild state of his omega’s hair.
“I am sorry I woke you.”
She shrugged, stifling a yawn with the back of her hand. “It’s ok. Um. How was your day?” The question was cautious, as if the girl were wary of his mood. He allowed the pad of his thumb to trace over the curve of her cheek before settling his hand against the side of her neck.
“Tiresome. I find that work holds far less interest for me now that you are here.” The little female bit her lip against a presumably smart retort as she rolled her eyes. He wisely chose to ignore the action. “I am glad to see you, little wolf. I have missed you these past few days.”
For a moment she was quiet, appearing to debate something with herself. Instead of responding however, she inched towards him until she had tucked herself in against his chest. Above her bowed head, Nikolai smiled in secret triumph. Pleased, he closed his arms around her smaller frame and began to stroke her hair.
When he felt her fingers trailing tentatively up over his side in a half-embrace, he pressed her closer to the wall of his chest. Through their link he could sense her relief at his nearness, but the enjoyment of that knowledge was jumbled by a strange sense of anticipation and insecurity that she seemed also to be feeling. Curious about the cause, he chose to simply continue his petting and remain quiet as he waited to see what might develop.
For a while, nothing did. Then after a time, her fingertips began to wander. Feather light touches skimmed over the peaks and valleys of his ribcage, raising goosebumps along his skin as the tentative explorations dared to travel so far south as his waist. When her nails skidded along the waistband of his pants where they rode low at his hips, the muscles of his stomach fluttered and clenched beneath her attention. It was all he could do to be still. She paused, the nervous puff of her breath warming his chest as she tried to gather the courage to continue.
He continued sifting his fingers through her hair, the rumble of his purr offering subtle reassurance when her hand played faintly over the thickening bulge beneath the fabric covering his groin. He wanted to encourage her. Simultaneously, he wanted to assure her that she didn’t have to do anything she was uncomfortable with. Instinct told him speaking would be a mistake either way. In the end, he allowed her careful explorations to continue unimpeded.
The girl’s breathing became more rapid as the teasing, testing touches continued. Over the swell of his sex, across his thigh, up his side and back again. She lingered there, tracing the shape of his cock through the fabric, cupping her hand against the hardened length as she moved up and down his shaft slowly.
The air grew thicker between them, the scent of his arousal mingling with the smell of her own interest and fear. By the time she grew brave enough to push her hand beneath the waistband of his pants she was trembling, and Nikolai was itching to take control. Still, he refrained.
The only indulgence he allowed himself was for his fingers to dip as low as her waist with each downward pass through her hair, the pads of those same digits tracing swirls up her spine each time he returned to the task of toying with the silvery strands.
Her back arched unconsciously with every caress, her breath hitching when her hand closed around his shaft and she gave that first stroke to his
neglected meat. Encouraging her came naturally enough. The feeling of those tiny, hot hands on his flesh pulled a groan from the alpha’s throat that he didn’t bother to squelch.
She grew bolder at his wordless praise, working his shaft with a level of skill he’d nearly forgotten she possessed. Nikolai grunted, grinding his teeth as little threads of pleasure zig zagged through his body and lit his nerves on fire.
When he couldn’t stand it any longer, he sank his fingers into her hair and settled them against the back of her skull. A light, steady tug tilted her head back so that he might see her face. Her lips parted as he angled her chin upwards, those half-lidded eyes widening as her hand froze in place. Despite her encroaching pupils and the slight flush to her cheeks, uncertainty flickered through the girl’s expression as he stared down on her, threatening to ruin her mood.
Eager to banish the fear he saw in her expression Nikolai lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss over her mouth. The touch of his tongue against her flesh was light, teasing and imploring as he traced the swell of flesh before dipping into the valley between her parted lips. When he met with no resistance he continued, his free hand drawing her body snugly against him as he kissed her so that it made it difficult for her to move the hand he’d trapped between their bodies with the action.
She made a noise of protest, a sudden panic causing her to wriggle until he allowed her the freedom to push back and put space between them. He frowned, mildly frustrated that she’d denied his attempt at affection when he’d made an effort to be so gentle. His disappointment was destined to be short-lived, however.
The moment she pulled free of his grip she sat up, shoving her hair back from her face in a flustered huff. Without explaining, she crawled over his thighs and grabbed two fistfuls of fabric at the front of his pants, jerking at them with an obvious purpose in mind.