by Merel Pierce
He knew this man. He’d served the Petrovski family for years, and he certainly wasn’t someone Nikolai would have expected to betray him. Why the man hadn’t come to him the moment Bulgras approached him, he didn’t know. It was a disappointing revelation, to say the least.
Nikolai maintained his hold on the girl’s wrist even once she was behind him, not trusting that she’d obey and stay where he’d put her. Still looking at the fallen body of his employee, he took a ragged breath before addressing her.
“Talk fast.”
***
December twisted uncomfortably in the iron grip of her mate, mildly worried that he might break her wrist. “I had another dream. By the time I woke up it was too late to tell you,” She huffed, “They picked him because they didn’t think you’d suspect the cook.”
The alpha snorted. “Well, they were certainly correct.”
December found herself leaning away from the angry male standing in front of her. The violence he’d exhibited only moments before was fresh in her mind, and she was admittedly frightened. But she was also determined to say her piece.
“They kidnapped his brother’s family. The wife, their kids. All of them. They gave him a week to kill you, but he didn’t want to do it. He waited, hoping you’d act against Bulgras before he ran out of time. Then they messaged him tonight and told him he had an hour, or his family would die.”
She gave her wrist a little tug, effectively drawing the sharp gaze of the male. “I wasn’t sure how much time I had. So, I just ran down here and… Well,” she shrugged, her eyes sliding meaningfully towards the fallen man. “We struggled, and I clocked him with a pan.” Seeing how the male’s eyes narrowed, she rushed ahead.
“They were going to wait for word that you’d been killed, I don’t know if they were going to release his family or not, but that’s what they told him. But Nikolai, Bulgras is probably already dead if you told his son, remember? Maybe it won’t matter now. After all, his people will have more important things to worry about.”
The male turned to face her, his jaw working with frustration as he glared down at her. “You put yourself and my child at risk, and you expect me to allow the man responsible, a man who was tasked with killing me, to live?”
“Yes.” December frowned, shifting her weight uncertainty.
“I have every right to stomp him to death where he lays!” The alpha seethed, his hands now moving to grip her upper arms before giving her a brisk shake. “I could have lost everything tonight, and for no other reason than he was too much a coward to tell me what Bulgras had done, and you were too foolish to stay in our room!”
December choked on a sob, shaking her head in disbelief. “I just saved your life, you prick! Stop yelling at me like I did something wrong!”
“Enough!”
She winced when he snatched hold of her wrist again and dragged her through the kitchen, able to do little else but struggle to keep up. In the hall outside, his men remained, hovering uncertainly. As they exited the kitchen, Nikolai threw a thumb towards the room they’d left behind. “Detain him.” Her mate split a glance between the cowed pair of males, chest expanding bullishly. “If either of you so much as look at her again, I will kill you without a second thought. Do you understand?” The men both nodded, still obviously dazed by what had happened.
Apparently satisfied that the matter was closed, he wove his fingers between her own and resumed pulling her along beside him. Though she was upset, she had enough sense to be quiet. The male was angrier than she’d ever seen him before, and she had no desire to become the focus of his rage.
Soon enough, they were pausing before the dining room door. The male rapped his knuckles twice against the wood, and moments later, the older man named Donovan stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind him. Nikolai wasted no time addressing him. “Tell our guests the disturbance has been handled, but I will be indisposed for a short period of time.” He shot her a meaningful glance. “My mate needs to be reminded of her place.”
Her blood ran cold, fear of punishment and pain blooming rapidly as she watched the men exchange a look she couldn’t read. “Dinner is ready, but the chef is busy. Have someone bring in the meal to keep them occupied while they wait.”
“Of course.”
“Oh, and Donovan? Have someone check in on Bulgras’ son.” The alpha added as he began to lead her away, glancing back over his shoulder at the enforcer. “I have a feeling he might be ready to talk business.”
“Sure, Nik.”
He didn’t speak another word. Not on the brisk walk through the foyer, up the stairs, or even as they crossed the threshold of the office door she’d left open. His look had been chastising when he led her through the empty doorway into the bedroom, but instead of commenting on her carelessness, he merely turned to code it closed before finally releasing her hand
December backed away instinctively, realizing too late that it was an unwise decision. The male matched her retreat, advancing until the backs of her knees hit the bed and she was forced to stop. She bit her lip, trying to steel herself against the tirade she felt certain was coming. The sting of tears only worsened her humiliation. She’d been trying to protect him, and now it seemed he meant to punish her for it.
But the tirade never came, nor did the punishment she thought he meant to inflict. Instead, the male simply stared down on her in silence, searching her expression for so long that the worried creases marking his brow began to fade as his anger subsided. Finally, the male heaved a great sigh of defeat. “I have said it before, and I will say it again. You are truly the most infuriating female I have ever known.”
“Are you going to kill him?”
“We’ll talk about it later. Now isn’t the time.”
“Look, Nikolai.” December croaked nervously. “I’m sorry. I just, I couldn’t sit up here and let something happen to you.” He smirked as he lifted a hand, tracing the pads of his fingers gently down the side of her face before curling them beneath her jaw to tip her face higher. He leaned near, his forehead bumping her own as he looked into her eyes once more.
“You aren’t sorry. You never are. It seems to be part of your nature to act so rashly. But you will have to learn to obey.” The male angled his head thoughtfully. “I suppose I shouldn’t complain, considering how accurate your gift seems to be. It appears Ortega was right, after all.”
When she frowned quizzically, the male pressed a brief kiss against her mouth before drawing the confused female against his chest. “He advised that if I treated ‘The Sacred Omega’ well, she would change my world for the better. It was even suggested that you might someday save my life,” he explained as he angled his chin down towards the top of her head.
“Now, not only have you saved my life as he predicted--” December stopped him abruptly, holding up two fingers with a wry look.
The alpha conceded to her assessment with a dip of his head. “You have saved my life, twice.” he corrected. “What’s more, you’ve given me the most precious gifts I could ever have hoped for.” He kissed her again, tugging briefly at her lower lip with his teeth before freeing its plumpness so that he might continue.
“I have your love, and soon we will have a child. Truly, a blessing to be cherished,” he purred. “You will have to forgive me if I frightened you by behaving so brutishly downstairs, but the idea that my mate or child might have been harmed was simply too much for me to tolerate. I am unwilling to risk losing you. Honestly, if I thought threatening you with something harsher than a spanking would make you behave, I’d try it,” he mused. “But, if I have learned nothing else these past few months, I have learned that my mate is not meek, and will not be swayed once she sets her mind to something.”
“What about what you said downstairs?” She asked softly, trying not to let the throbbing warmth of the blossoming happiness she felt at his words blind her. “Are you not going to punish me?”
“I said you needed to be reminded of your place
, not that I intended to punish you. Although I do enjoy the sting of my hand against your backside.” With a wolfish smile, the alpha unfolded his arms from around her body and gave her a light shove.
“Oomph!” December yelped when she fell backwards unexpectedly, flailing her arms, as her back hit the mattress.
Before she’d had time to respond, the male was on his feet and shedding his clothes. Unlike before, this time she stared with open admiration of the man before her. She didn’t shy away from his gaze when he sought her out, nor did she deny the needs of his ego by daring to feign disinterest at the magnificent sight of his bronzed, muscled body. This time, she allowed herself to be awed by the sight of him.
It wasn’t long until he was naked and crawling over her on the bed. December eagerly hooked her calves over his thighs as he jerked her dress up and off her body, pinning her wrists to the mattress the instant she was free of the garment.
Feeling the evidence of his arousal already butting between her folds, December took a deep breath and did something she’d rarely done for him before.
She purred. The dainty, tinkling noise tickled as it vibrated through her chest, much to the apparent delight of her mate. He groaned in pleasure and nuzzled at her throat as he inhaled deeply, returning her purr with one of his own.
“Is this how you remind me of my place?” She teased, emboldened by the male’s sudden shift in attitude. The throaty chuckle of his response was accented by teeth pinching his claiming mark on her skin. December hissed, wriggling and grunting impatiently beneath him.
“I am the protector, you are the nurturer,” came the muffled reply against her skin. “If I must fuck you repeatedly to ensure that you remember it, well, that’s a sacrifice I am more than happy to make.”
A snort bubbled up to interrupt her purring before she could stop it, and when the male lifted his head and raised an incredulous eyebrow, she couldn’t help but giggle girlishly. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you, little wolf, are a pain in my ass.” As if to punctuate his point, the male gave a brisk buck of his hips. She squealed in surprise when the action had his meat half buried in her sheath before she could react, stretching the clenching muscles of her pussy in the most delicious and painful way.
The male rolled his hips again, sinking himself further into a quivering space that was already desperate for more. Already awash in a fizzling sea of sensations, December closed her eyes and allowed the pleasure of his attention to overwhelm her. “I love you, Nikolai. I’m glad you aren’t dead.” She bit her lip, struggling to smother a smile at the awkwardness of her confession.
Again, the male chuckled, the pace of his thrusts increasing as he pressed his lips to her ear and cooed. “I love you too, my fierce little wolf. Always.”
Epilogue
December frowned, angling her head as if looking at the drawing from another perspective would change her opinion. It didn’t. With a huff, she rubbed the eraser furiously across the page. Once the offending lines were gone, she blew away the evidence of her mistake and set about redrawing the section she’d been working on.
She hummed as she sketched, occasionally glancing up to look at the birds on the feeders in the yard outside her new favorite window. Today was a good day, with very little pregnancy induced indigestion. Feeling happy, she hummed one of the sweeter lullabies Nikolai had taken to singing to her belly when they lounged together in bed.
She was now seven months along, and while she dismayed daily at how large she felt she was becoming, her mate grew more unabashedly adoring with each pound she gained. It was both strange and endearing to observe.
If she’d thought he was overbearing before, she was certain of it now. Her alpha was eager to be a father, and it showed in the enthusiasm with which he doted, indulged, and smothered the mother of his child with his affection and concern.
In preparation for the coming birth, he’d relocated his office to the first-floor study and helped her convert the room adjacent to their bedroom into a nursery. Just as he’d promised, the renovations included giving the bedroom a much-needed makeover. Both spaces were now decorated to her satisfaction, with the bedroom in warm hues and dark woods, and the nursery with soothing shades of smoky lavender with white furniture.
Once Bulgras had been found dead and his son relinquished control of his father’s business for a share of the profits, her alpha fulfilled the second promise he’d made her.
No longer had she been confined to the bedroom. She had full reign of the house, a security team that would take her anywhere she wished to go, and a mate who made certain to work fewer hours so that she need never be without his company for long.
On occasion, December still struggled with the trauma of her not-so-distant past. All the conspirators who took part in her abuse had been found and dispatched, save one. The man named Dante had practically vanished. It was assumed he’d gone back to his beloved France, but thus far no leads had produced a location. Though it was a fact that plagued her mate, December didn’t mind. As far as she was concerned, it was done.
With his elder brother dead, the boy named Maksim had been left responsible for an ailing mother and no means to provide for his fractured family. Nikolai had taken pity on the youth, offering him a job in one of the many restaurants he owned downtown. Additionally, Nikolai had taken on the burden of the older woman’s medical care and housing, allowing the boy to continue his studies. December didn’t need to question his motives for the kindness he’d shown. She knew he’d done it for her.
The cook whose family had been kidnapped to facilitate his cooperation in Nikolai’s intended demise was reunited with his kin in their home country, generously banished instead of executed for his betrayal. Again, December had no doubt that Nikolai had shown mercy only for the sake of his mate. She couldn’t help being pleased by the outcome.
With the assistance of the psychologist and a patient, loving man, she managed to adjust to her newfound life with relative ease. For the first time in as long as she could remember, December felt content. She was loved, and she was happy.
Her attention shifted when she heard the front door shut, the sound echoing across the foyer and down the hall through the open archway of the sitting room she was currently inhabiting. “Daddy’s home.” She murmured softly, smiling down at her stomach before sitting her pad and pencil on the table and getting slowly to her feet.
She ambled towards the door, listening to the muffled voice of her alpha as he spoke to someone he’d come across in the foyer. She paused in the archway, leaning a shoulder against the wood and folding her arms over her chest. She waited until the conversation was concluded, knowing he’d seek her out.
“December?”
It never ceased to amaze her how far his voice carried in the cavernous house when he called out to her. She imagined it was something like shouting into a valley and listening as the echo faded miles away. “I’m in the sitting room!”
She turned, waddling back to her seat to wait as her feet were too sore these days to stay standing long. At the rate the baby was growing, she hadn’t been surprised when she’d finally caved and let the doctor tell her the sex at her appointment that morning. It made perfect sense, really, considering how much discomfort she was experiencing. She’d have bet on her life the baby would be alpha, too. But they’d have to wait and see.
Soon enough, the male appeared at the entrance, grinned broadly as he approached. “Hello, sweet one.” He paused beside her chair, bending forward as December smiled sweetly and tilted her head back to receive the kiss he offered daily upon his return.
“Hi.”
As opposed to the chaste peck one might have expected them to share after so many days of the same routine, it was instead a passionate kiss that lasted several seconds longer than would have been decent had they been in mixed company. As he so enjoyed doing, he made certain to leave her breathless and flushed by the time he finished.
One large, warm hand then ca
me to rest on her stomach, squeezing gently. “Hello to you as well, little one. I hope you haven’t been tormenting your mother again today.” December smirked.
“Not today, he hasn’t.”
The male’s head snapped up, eyes widening in surprise. “He?” She tried to bite back a mischievous smile but failed. “You finally allowed her to tell you the sex?” He pleaded hopefully. December nodded.
“Yes, and it’s a boy. A rather large one too, she says,” she rolled her eyes. “But we already knew that part.”
Joy and excitement transformed the alpha’s face, only serving to enhance the utterly masculine beauty he possessed. Before she could protest, he’d swept her up off her seat into his arms, throwing his head back as he spun around and shouted a string of Russian praises at the sky amidst his joyous laughter.
December couldn’t help but be caught up in his excitement, smiling and laughing when the male finally ceased his spinning and sat her on her feet. “Oh, my sweet little wolf! How happy you make me!”
Hands cupping her face, he rained kisses down on her forehead, cheeks, nose, and lips. She grunted in half-hearted protest, tolerating the exuberance that soon led into another passionate kiss that had her weak in the knees and clutching the lapels of his suit to keep herself upright.
Inevitably, as it always did between them, his kiss led to roaming hands and the low rumble of a building growl. This time however, December pulled back and slapped playfully at his chest. “Behave! That’s not the only news I have today, or don’t you want the rest?” She scolded.
Undeterred, the male turned her around and pressed himself against her backside, nose to her ear and hands resting on the swell of her belly. “Why don’t you tell me later?”
Her brain went fuzzy at the edges, arousal fast encroaching on her ability to protest as he nibbled his way down the side of her throat.