Stolen and Forgiven (Branded Packs #1)(21)

He nodded at Mandy who gave him a small smile. “Come on, siren. Let’s get you home.”

He met the gazes of others in his Pack, knowing they’d seen his mate at her weakest. Normally, that would have been fatal to an Alpha’s mate. But this was no normal wolf. This was a woman who had been tortured and brutalized, yet stood on her own two feet, facing those who had hurt her to not only protect herself, but the Pack she didn’t know. It was only after the guards had left that she’d broken down.

She was far stronger than anyone had given her credit for, and the others saw that.

He got her home and into his bed, knowing Soren and the others would deal with the outside world for now. He’d go back to his full role as Alpha soon, but he couldn’t do that when his mate was in pain.

He took off her shoes and socks before doing the same himself and climbing into bed with her. When she curled into him, he let out a small sigh and moved so his back was pressed against the headboard and Ariel lay on his lap.

She clutched his shirt and relaxed her body. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

He ran a hand through her hair and used his other hand to stroke her back and bottom. He couldn’t help himself; his mate was in his arms and not running away. Even if the worst had landed him here, at least he had her for now.

“For holding me when I couldn’t walk or hold myself up.” She nuzzled into him, and he had to swallow hard. Soon she’d be able to feel the evidence of his desire for her pressing against her ass if she didn’t stop petting him.

He couldn’t help it. She was his mate, and he was a man who wanted her more than anything. He just couldn’t rush her.

“I will always be here to hold you, Ariel. I know we’re just learning each other, and you’re finding your way in this new world, but know this, I will always be here. Just because we’re going about this mating thing the wrong way around doesn’t mean we’re actually doing it wrong.”

She snorted and looked up at him. “The way you said that, it actually does sound like we’re doing it wrong.”

He winked and lowered his head to kiss her on the nose. He’d made her smile just a little. Progress. “You know what I mean. We’re not doing things in the traditional way, but as you don’t know the traditional way, we can just do it our way.”

Great. Now he was rambling like a teenager rather than a man in his forties. He couldn’t help it. Ariel made his brain go dizzy. It could have been his wolf reacting to her, but he knew it wasn’t only that. The man wanted her to. He craved her strength, her beauty, her sacrifice.

Ariel was the one for him—body and soul.

Now he just needed to make sure she knew that and thought the same of him.

She slowly traced her finger along his chest, and he stiffened again, his cock filling. “I…I want you, Holden. Is that wrong?”

He cleared his throat and lifted her chin with his finger. “Never. That is never wrong. But I don’t want you to want me if you’re scared of me. I don’t want this to be something you feel forced into because of the circumstances.”

Why he tried to talk her out of this, he didn’t know.

She shifted so she straddled his lap, his jean-clad erection pressed against her heat. Dear God, she was going to kill him.

Ariel cupped his face, her fingers playing with his beard. “I want you, Holden,” she repeated. “I wanted you in the kitchen before, and I want you now. I know the world doesn’t make sense, and we’re far from understanding who we are together and who I am within these walls, but I know one thing. I want you.”

He licked his lips before sliding his hands up her thighs and settling on her waist. She was just so tiny. One wrong move and he’d break her. He wasn’t a small man in any respect and this wasn’t any woman.

This was his mate.

“If we do this, there’s no going back,” he warned, his voice low.

She tilted her head. “There never was a way to go back,” she whispered. “I don’t know what will happen next, nor do I know how I’m going to deal with all these changes. But I do know I want to feel you inside me. Make me feel good, Holden. Even for a moment.”

He ran his hand up her back and gripped her neck, her hair wrapped around his fingers. “It’ll be for longer than a damned moment, siren. That I can promise you.”

“Then kiss me.”

“And that’s all?” he asked before rotating his hips.

Her mouth parted and a gasp slipped out. “I want it all. Make me feel. Make me remember the good and forget the bad.”

“Anything, Ariel. Anything.”

She lowered her head and brushed her lips against his. “I don’t know who I am or what I will be, but I know I want you, right here, right now. Is that enough?”

“For now, siren. That’s enough for now.” He pulled her closer and kissed her fully, his tongue diving in and out of her mouth, craving more, craving everything.

And soon, he’d have it all.





Chapter 6


Ariel burned. Her body ached, and her mind whirled. She knew they were going way too fast, but she didn’t care. She wanted Holden, and damn it, she would have him. She wasn’t back in her small apartment trying to figure out life in a world where those with power held it all, and people like Ariel had nothing.