Tilly

Tilly

Iwokeinthe middle of the night and watched Jackson sleep. My alpha. I scented him the whole night. He purred as he sent me into a blissful sleep. It was so nice snuggling him, being curled up inside him. A man who looked like a freaking angel he was so beautiful and I was sure he was purring the whole time he held me.

Not that I was complaining about that.

Being held so tight, it was so wanted, so needed. I hadn’t felt the warmth of someone since I lost my family and yes, nan was nice to me and I still had my cousin Blair, but I sometimes felt more of a hindrance than anything else.

This was divine.

I didn’t know what to do. Continue taking suppressants or giving my designation a go. Jackson promised he, Luca, and Cruz would wait for me. Apparently, they’d waited this long, a little longer wouldn’t hurt them.

I smiled, thinking of Luca, then of Jackson. But it was the same as each time before now that I thought of Cruz. I felt him, felt he was mine, but there were still so many unanswered questions surrounding my family, and he knew the answers I craved.

My nostrils flared as Jackson puffed his scent, making something hot slither across my chest, worming its way in my stomach and further south. I was hot and aroused, and more than a little excited.

I needed a cold shower and fast because the instinctual, primal side of me wanted him and wanted him right now. But instead of getting up and sneaking out of the bed, I ran my fingertips over his chest. Not scratching, but feather light touches as I felt his skin.

“Tilly,” he rasped, his breath came out forced, his hand patted over mine as he held it against his skin. His eyes boring into mine, searching for what I wanted.

I wanted him more than anything.

The shy omega in me wanted to look away, but my neediness was coming to the forefront and I laid, challenging him, staring at him. Jackson was safe, and I was ready to explore.

“I want you.”

“No.” he replied with no hesitation.

“Oh.” I blinked, not expecting him to say no to me. But I was a fool last night, taking a suppressant to stop me from wanting him, and he reacted in a way I never expected.

I pulled my hand from underneath his and turned on the bed.

“Turn around,” he barked.

I shook my head and pushed myself off the bed. But before I could move, he pulled me back and straddled over me.

“Don’t shut me out.”

“You shut me out,” I responded quickly.

“I’m willing to be led by you, Tilly, help you get to where you need to be, but our pack has made a pact to not push you.” He lowered his body onto mine, his hands cupped my cheeks. He closed his eyes, and I gasped as his scent puffed out of him, closing my eyes and breathing it in like I needed it to live. “Need us, not just your omega needs. We want all of you. We want your heart.”

“I had sex with Luca,” I said defiantly.

“And you needed it,” he said, and it shocked me he knew.

But this was a pack, of course he knew.

“Okay, I’m fine now,” I said. But I wasn’t and my heart pounded in my chest as my inner omega wanted him to want me. I wanted to show him my throat and have my alpha take me.

Get a fucking grip, Tilly.

You only need the sex.

“I need to go to the bathroom.” For a shower. Freezing cold and for a very long time, maybe the rest of the day.

Jackson finally let me go with a huff and I clicked the door shut in my en-suite, turned on the shower, and spun to face myself in the mirror.

I needed suppressants because I couldn’t stand this need I had for him any longer. I was virtually about to beg, to whine, to plead my case and do anything to feel him. And it was not yet three o’clock in the morning—I would never last the night.

I needed to do anything I could to keep away from him. I massaged my hair with a large dollop of shampoo, closing my eyes as I inhaled the coconut smell that was helping to ease Jackson’s pheromones that coated my body.

The squeak of the shower door opened, and I ran water over my face to wash away the suds.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

I scowled. “Having a shower, washing you away.”

He shut the door behind him and placed a handful of the body wash in his palm and closed the distance between us.

His hands dropped on my shoulders, foregoing the loofah, and his touch was exquisite. My head dropped forward as he tried to wash away the discomfort.

“This isn’t helping me to forget you,” I said.