"Please don't stretch like that, Rie. You're waking up parts of me that were behaving just a minute ago."
I let out a little chuckle even though I was still half-asleep when he said that, because how could I not? He was just so cute with that whiny voice. But despite his plea, my spine arched anyway, because that's what bodies do when cold air sneaks under the blanket. I swear I wasn't trying to be seductive or anything.
But he made it sound like I just committed a huge crime.
I turned slowly, letting the blanket fall just enough to tease him on purpose and brushed a few messy strands of dark hair off his handsome face. "Then tell those parts to stay asleep, will you?"
"They don't listen." He leaned closer, his eyes flicking down, then back up to me with that familiar heat. His hand came up to brush my hair away from my face. His fingers always lingered a little longer than necessary, like he was trying to memorize me. "Especially around you."
Whatever I meant to say to tease him was gone when his lips found mine. It was always like this, his kiss first and my brain came second. He started it slow and when he bit softly at my lower lip, the little gasp I made certainly wasn't dignified at all.
When we pulled apart, we were both smiling like idiots, and I swear the man had the nerve to grin like he had invented kissing.
Honestly, sometimes I still couldn't believe that this was real. That I, Ariella Wynters, a wolfless omega, was somehow the mate of Henrixon Hartwell, the future Alpha of Wintermore Pack, the strongest pack in the entire Northern Continent.
If anyone ever told me I'd end up with him in bed, I would've laughed myself until I pissed my pants.
But here we were. Naked under one blanket in an abandoned cottage laid deep in the forest at four in the morning.
It was wild to think that I had turned eighteen just six months ago and found my mate the same night, literally just minutes past midnight. I expected nothing except maybe leftover cake and the same quiet, invisible life I'd always had.
Omegas didn't expect miracles, futures, or anything like that. Most days, we didn't even expect people to look us in the eye like we mattered.
And yet, that night… him.
The mate bond slammed into me and everything changed. Our eyes glowed and suddenly the world kind of tilted like it was drunk. I used to imagine my mate would be from another place, someone simple, maybe just a beta.
Not… Henrixon freaking Hartwell.
Before that night, Henrixon and I had barely exchanged words in our lives. Honestly, I wasn't sure he even knew I existed. Come on. He was the future alpha. He was always surrounded by people, responsibilities, expectations, all those things that mattered ten times more than I ever would.
But then the Moon Goddess basically said, "Surprise! He's your mate!"
I pulled the blanket higher to cover my cleavage, even though not that it really mattered as he'd already seen everything as I asked quietly, "How long are we going to do this, RIx?"
"Do what?" He tilted his head, faking innocence so badly I almost snorted.
"Oh, please. You know what I mean. This. Meeting in hiding. Sneaking around like we're doing something wrong."
It wasn't exactly an accusation, more like a knot in my chest that had finally demanded attention. Ever since we discovered we were mates, we've been sneaking off to meet secretly here. This abandoned little cottage was old, with just two rooms, creaky windows, and a fireplace that liked to smoke more than actually warm anything.
But it was ours. Our own tiny space where we could do pretty much anything to each other. Just talking, asking each other how we spent our day. Laughing at the silliest things. And touching. Well… the rest you were welcome to guess.
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he pulled me closer, his nose brushing mine, and I could feel his warm breath against my face. We both knew why we were hiding.
He was the future Alpha, while I was just some omega with no wolf. Tradition said our pairing was… inconvenient.
When he'd first asked me to keep our bond quiet, I'd agreed. I understood the situation, but part of me has always wondered if this secret was protecting me… or protecting him.
Henrixon shifted closer and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me against his chest. The bed creaked with every move we made. It was a miracle the old bed hadn't collapsed from all the things we'd done on it.
"I know," he murmured. "I'm sorry I've made you wait like this." His fingers brushed slowly over my knuckles before he kissed them. "I'm sorry we have to hide like this."
I smiled, because I knew his apology wasn't hollow. He never lied to me. "I understand, Rix."
His eyes softened a bit. "My moonlight… just a little longer. After the Alpha ceremony, I'll make everything official."
His words should have soothed me. Not to mention he used that endearing nickname that made me feel so special. But today… something felt wrong.
"I'll fix this. I promise you."
When he looked away, something in his face tightened, enough to pinch my gut. He never had this kind of tension before.
"Are you okay? You look restless."
"Nothing," he quickly answered.
I raised an eyebrow.
"Alright, not nothing," he admitted. "More like… not anything you should worry about."
"Henrixon." I nudged him lightly. "That's not an answer."
He sighed, ran a hand through his hair, then looked straight into my eyes. "I'll be very busy and we might not be able to meet each other for a while. Weeks probably."
Oh? That little tightness in my chest earlier? It pulled harder.
I forced myself to smile. "You're the future Alpha. Obviously, you're going to be so busy. Go handle your responsibilities, don't slack around like now." I lifted my hand and poked his cheek gently.
He caught my wrist with a smirk. "Oh? But I know you actually like me slacking like this."
Before I could respond, his hand slid down from my waist to my hip… then lower. My breath hitched hard enough to embarrass myself and his grin turned mean.
"Henrixon…" I warned him.
"What? You started it. I'm only responding like any responsible mate."
"That's not what… aakkhh…" His fingers tracing upward like he knew every inch of me that quivers.
"I love when your voice gets soft like that."
Then his mouth was on mine again, deeper this time, more persistent. His hand, of course, didn't stop its slow, teasing path, and I kept letting out a helpless sound I definitely didn't mean to make. He swallowed it with another kiss, shifting his body over mine.
I gasped, fingers curling in his hair, and he looked up at me with a grin that should probably be illegal.
"Tell me to stop, Rie," he whispered.
I didn't.
His lips trailed down my neck, lingering on the spot where a mark should be one day. "You always make me lose it," he murmured against my skin.
"Maybe that's your fault."
He chuckled before his body pressed against mine. He knew exactly where his hand should go, where I'd tremble just enough to make him swear softly into my shoulder. It was slow at first. He always started that way, like he was trying to memorize every inch of me. Then it shifted into something more reckless.
There were whispers, pleas, shaky laughter when the blanket kinda got in the way, then a moment where he kissed me so hard I felt the bond flare in my chest like wildfire.
Much, much later, I was lying there on his chest with his thumb brushed slowly over my shoulder.
My heart wanted me to stay like this forever, but my brain feared the world outside would tear it all away.
I was pretty much almost drifting off to sleep when he said something that made my heart drop.
"No matter what happens, Rie… remember I love you."
I lifted my head slightly. "Henrixon, what does that…"
He kissed me before I could finish. A little desperate this time. And just like that, the questions were gone against his lips.
When the kiss ended, he pulled me closer and placed his hand down my spine.
I wanted to ask again, but his heartbeat under my ear lulled me, and exhaustion from everything we'd just done pulled at my eyelids.
So I let myself drift off, even though this unease started to grow in my heart.
What did he mean by "no matter what happens?"