Chapter 154
Mason
"Mark me."
I choke on my glass of water. Spray nearly goes down the wrong pipe, and I end up coughing hard enough that my eyes sting.
"What?" I wheeze, staring at him incredulously.
Harry doesn't even flinch. His face is steady, serious. "Mark me."
I set the glass down carefully before I drop it. "Harry, you can't just ask me to mark you."
"Why not?" he counters instantly, like he's been waiting for this conversation.
I exhale, push up from my chair, and walk over to him. My hands find his, warm and stubborn, and I guide him toward the couch in our apartment. He sits, eyes never leaving mine, and the weight of his gaze makes my pulse unsteady.
"I can think of several reasons why not," I tell him, voice low.
"For instance—our relationship is… ambiguous." I wince at the word.
"We've not gone all the way yet. You still have your career ahead of you. And this—" I squeeze his hands for emphasis, "—this is a big decision. Something both of us should think about seriously."
Harry doesn't even blink. His lips press into a thin line before he speaks. "Our relationship is not ambiguous." His fingers tighten around mine. "I love you."
The words slam into me. My heart jumps into my throat, choking me all over again.
No. No, I did not know that. He's never said it. Not once.
For a second, all I can do is stare. My chest feels too tight, my palms damp. Harry's never been this open before never said those words—and now he's looking at me like they're the simplest truth in the world.
"And you love me… don't you?" Harry asks, voice softer now but steady, almost daring me to deny it.
"I mean… yeah, I do." The words tumble out before I can stop them, clumsy, unpolished. My chest tightens, still reeling from his "I love you."
Uhm.
My brain is stalling like an old car in winter.
Harry leans in just slightly, eyes bright and unwavering. "So that's what happens when an omega and an alpha love each other—they mark each other."
I swallow, my throat suddenly dry.
"That's… part of it, yeah," I manage, rubbing the back of my neck.
"But Harry, a mark isn't just a symbol. It's binding. It changes things—physically, emotionally, even chemically. Once it's done, there's no taking it back."
His lips curve in the faintest smile. "Exactly. That's why I want it."
"No, Harry. Think about it—it's a major decision." My voice comes out sharper than I meant, but my heart's hammering.
"About us not going all the way… does it matter?" His head tilts, blue eyes locked on mine
. "And about my career...are you trying to imply marked omegas can't have careers?"
"What?! No. No, no." My hands fly up defensively.
"That's not what I'm saying at all."
"Then what are you saying?" His tone's cool but his eyes are molten.
"Harry, you're still so young. This is a permanent decision. We've never even spoken of it before." I'm trying to keep my voice even, but it's like trying to hold back the ocean with my hands.
He looks at me with those infuriatingly beautiful eyes. They're so pretty, but I'm not falling for it today. I can't.
"What brought this about?" I ask quietly.
Harry shifts under my gaze, almost shy. "Well, you see… I want to be with you."
"You are with me," I remind him, trying to inject a little humour into my voice, but it comes out rough.
"No." He shuffles closer, knees bumping mine. His scent is everywhere, sweet and nervous and heady.
"I want to be with you. Like… forever."
The seriousness in his tone makes my heart stumble.
"I want to wake up next to you every morning," he continues, voice trembling a little but steady enough to cut through me.
"I want to grow old with you. I want to share my good news with you, curl up in your arms when I'm sad, have you proud of me. I want to stand next to you and scream to the world that you're mine. I want children with your eyes. Sometimes I want to burrow into your skin and live there." His throat works as he swallows.
"I want to be so close to you—closer than a human being could ever be. I'm so overwhelmed by these emotions sometimes."
My heart races.
Wow.
"Still… Harry…" I start, my voice breaking a little, my face flaming. He shifts even closer, so close his scent wraps around me like a net.
"This isn't an impulsive decision," he says softly but firmly.
"I've thought about it, long and hard. For a really long time, you know. Mason Greene—" his blue eyes lock on mine, shining with something raw "—I want you to be my alpha. And I want to be your omega… forever."
I don't know what to say.
I'm silent.
What can I say?
This is the first time he's ever expressed himself like this. I didn't even know he felt that way. I had this whole long game planned, because I knew he liked me—I planned to get him to fall in love with me eventually. I didn't know he already felt this way.
"Do you… not want to?" he asks softly now, and with those words all his certainty and courage drain away. His shoulders curve inward, eyes flicking down, and the insecurity in his voice hits me like a punch.
Fuck, Mason.
"No, no. My beloved… of course I do," I say quickly, cupping his face in my hands. His skin is warm beneath my palms, his eyes bright and uncertain.
"I want to. I really, really, really do. Hell, I've thought about it so many times," I confess, my thumbs stroking his cheeks.
His breath catches. "So?" he asks, searching my face.
Wow. He's really serious. My heart pounds in my chest.
"Okay," I say.
"Okay?" he repeats, blinking.
"Yes," I murmur, smiling a little, my voice rough. "Okay. Let's do it."