Faith & the Dead End Devils (Sweet Omegaverse, #8)(119)

"One last thing to say and we're done. You angry, princess?"

"You know I'm not," Faith said, eyes bright and wild with happiness.

I marched us over to Rider, who seemed divided between smug victory and sullen suspicion.

"Guess you made your decision," Rider said, glaring briefly at Faith.

"I did. You and I both know that even now I could win the vote tomorrow," I said, drawing that stare back to me. "Meet me in my office an hour before church, and we'll settle this."

He frowned, puzzled, but nodded. I was still prez, and he would report to my orders until otherwise.

I pulled Faith away from the crowd at last, running into Bear on our way to the back door of the bar. "Give us an hour or so," I said.

"Long as you need," Bear said, grinning. "Glad to have you as pack, King."

The word still sat oddly in my head. I could more easily accept my role as Faith's alpha—it was necessary and right—than being part of a pack, but it would come. I liked Bear and Chance, and Ghost was an unlikely but not unwelcome addition now. And we all loved the same woman.

I drew Faith's fist to my lips as we walked into the bar.

"What you said to Rider is true? You have the votes?" Faith asked.

I nodded. "If I want them."

Her eyebrows rose as we hurried down the hall. "Do you?"

I stopped us in front of my office door, resting my hands on her shoulders, smiling down at the flushed, wet, beautiful woman in front of me. "What you said before I bit you, about what I've built here…how was that going to be finished?"

Faith's eyes rolled up as she thought. "Um…that, that what you've done here with the club was too important for me to tear it apart for a bond," she said, wincing.

I leaned in, cupping her chin and lifting it for my kiss. Her eyelashes still had water droplets caught in them.

"Nothing changes what I built. I don't fail because I decided to move on."

"Move on?" Faith whispered.

"Mmm, you're shivering. Come on. You can show me what your favorite bubble bath is."

"King," she huffed, but she followed along at my side.

"It's time to build something new, Faith," I said, and this time it was her turn to pull me to a stop.

She was uncertain, a question tugging in my chest, but I answered it without words. Was I sure? Yes. I was. I would've been certain sooner or later, and as annoying as it might be to admit—even to myself—I was just grateful Eve had made the decision clear before it was too late.

Faith's smile bloomed, and I hummed at the sudden bubbling sweet swarm of emotion flooding through me.

"Love you too, princess," I whispered.

Faith giggled, and when she jumped, my arms were ready to catch her, scooping her off her feet, my legs returning their march toward her nest.

"Love you," she echoed, the words already spoken in the bond.

"Now…I want you to tell me all the other fantasies you have. We can check them off one by one. I love a list," I said, grinning.

Faith laughed and tucked her face into my shoulder, the joyous sound bright and sweet in my ear.





41. FAITH





My foot jiggled, and King's hand landed on my knee, calm floating down the bond from his direction, the rest of my pack all hiding their twitching smiles.

My pack.

I had a pack. I'd fallen into their laps and chosen them out of a determination to survive. I'd been more concerned with whether or not they could protect me than make me happy. I'd been selfish, deceitful, determined, and frequently so out of my mind with terror, I'd acted on feral instinct.

And they were perfect for me. Maybe not for the girl before Omikron, or at least the one I'd been before Adam and I had started running, but they were certainly perfect for the woman I was now.

"It's going to be fine, princess," King murmured, resting his lips over his bondmark, tickling the tender edges with his beard and mustache.

I fought the dizzy rise of arousal. Every bondmark I had now was outrageously sensitive, and especially so when touched by the maker. King was taking eager advantage.

"You're gonna work her up and make Rider crazy when he walks in here," Bear said, catching my eye and winking at me as King settled.

King caught my chin between his thumb and forefinger, pulling my stare back to his, those ice blue eyes bright and glittering with promise. "I'm sure, princess. Not giving up anything but burdens today," he said softly. I sighed and nodded, closing my eyes and soaking up the confidence from Bear and King.

"Go stand with Bear so I can focus," King said, patting my hip.

I rose and King's hand swatted cheerfully at my ass just as the knock sounded on the door of his office. Bear's arms wrapped around me as Rider walked in.

I searched for the resemblance to Chance and found it in small doses, like the color of his eyes but they were surrounded with milky red the high arch of his cheekbones. Rider's frame was heavier, his hair a few shades lighter and several inches longer. He was handsome, but not beautiful like Chance, and he sneered when he caught sight of me in the room.

"Pussy at official meetings now?" Rider asked.

"Sit," King said, cold and firm.