“Yes... no,” she moaned, leaning more against him. Her hand moved under the water, the soft sound mingling with her moans and driving him insane. Sensing she was getting close, he slid his hand into her hair and gently tugged her head back. Held her in place so he could watch her face.
“That’s it. You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, keeping up a soft monologue of compliments and praise. “Does that feel good? Just a little more, shar’ai.”
“Y—yes.” The confession made her cheeks heat in a delightful blush.
“If you let me kiss you again, you can touch yourself where you need it most.”
Her eyes flew open and she stared at him, lips parted, breath coming in hard gasps.
“You want this. I know you do. Say yes and you can have what you crave.”
She bit her lip and then shuddered as another surge of desire hit. “Yes!”
The word tumbled out of her mouth.
“Good girl. Now, come for me.” His mouth crashed down on hers the moment he’d uttered his command. This time, she responded to him fully, mouth open, her soft cry muffled against his lips as she bucked in his lap.
He growled as he crushed her to him, letting her ride out her climax. His lips plundered hers hungrily and, in the midst of her pleasure, she yielded to him so sweetly. When she went limp, he eased off, kissing her gently as he gathered her into his arms.
Then, gently, he began to wash her...
There were words Savannah had heard in her life but never understood until now. Languid. Relaxed. Sensual. Rath had taught her the meaning of them all in a single encounter. She still couldn’t believe she’d done what she had—at the orders of an alpha, no less.
She’d let him see her naked. Let him watch... and she’d liked it. So had he. But even afterward, when she resigned herself to what she was certain would happen next... he hadn’t forced her.
He’d cleaned her, helped her out of the tub, and toweled her off gently but embarrassingly thoroughly. She’d liked that, too.
She had to be out of her mind.
Now she watched him from the comfort of the big couch, wrapped in a nest of soft blankets he’d given her. She flushed as she remembered how she’d snatched them out of his hands, arranging them to her liking.
Now he was cooking for her. At least, that’s what she thought he was doing. It smelled good anyway.
“What is that?” she asked, too sleepy to care that her voice was a little slurry.
“Food. Not the best, but passable fare considering we’re not at the citadel. You’ll like it there.”
She curled deeper into her blankets and then stopped to rearrange them again so the silkiest one was against her skin. “I don’t want to go there.”
He glanced over at her, surprised. “You’ll be safe there. Well fed. Protected. With every luxury yours for the asking.”
“No.” The citadel was a terrible place—blood-stained and full of alphas that weren’t like Rath. They’d hurt her… or worse. “Please?”
He muttered something in a sharp, guttural language she didn’t understand. “We can stay here for now.”
Relief filled her, along with a growing appreciation for Rath’s kindness. “Thank you.”
She snuggled down a little further, trying to quiet the rumbling of her stomach. It sounded like she was hiding a small animal under the blankets she was so hungry. Rath kept glancing her way and she was fairly sure he was trying not to chuckle.
“What kind of food?” she asked when the silence stretched out again. Why she was pushing him, she didn’t know. No woman, certainly no omega, engaged an alpha in conversation. Ever. But, he... she was... she didn’t know. He didn’t act like she expected. Like all the stories of alphas she’d ever heard. “It smells good.”
Instead of answering, he filled a tray and brought it over to her, kicking a small table into place so he could set everything down within easy reach. “Soup. Bread. Juice. Light things your stomach will not reject.”
Fruit was even on the tray, neatly cut into bite-sized squares. She had no idea what it was exactly, but it smelled sweet and tempting and she grabbed that one first.
Flavors exploded on her tongue. It was tart but sweet, and so good it made her want to cry. She grabbed several more and ate them quickly before sucking the juice from her fingers.
“Easy, little one. Go slowly. The food isn’t going anywhere.”
“But it’s so good! What is that?”
“You humans call it melon. We call it cantar. There’s more in the pantry. It’s tinned. It’s better fresh, but there’s nothing like that here.”
“Why not?” She picked a bit of bread up and ate it next. It was fluffy and delicious, without a trace of grit or anything that might crack a tooth.
“This is just a way-station of sorts. No one lives here.”
“All this and no one resides here full time? It’s a palace!”
He arched an eyebrow and she caught the hint of amusement in his eyes. Without a beast deforming his features, he was the most handsome man she’d ever met. She shivered, not wanting to think about him in the... other state and ruin the fantasy she had going on here. Nothing was handsome or appealing about an alpha in beast form.
“This is no palace. Wait until you see the citadel.”
“Not yet, though. Right? You promised we’d stay here.” And for some reason, she trusted him to keep that promise. She was definitely losing her mind.
“Not yet,” he agreed and then leaned forward, dipped a thick chunk of bread into the soup, and then offered it to her. “Eat this. How’s your leg feeling?”
She took a tentative bite of the bread. Dipped in the broth, it was even better than the fruit. “I still can’t feel it.” In fact, she’d forgotten she was hurt at all. She’d gotten so used to ignoring her body’s various complaints over time. Pain, hunger, and cold were constants in her life. Or they had been.
He frowned, the expression tiny, but she caught it. “The painkillers should have worn off by now. Perhaps I used too much? You’re so tiny.”
She didn’t speak again until the bit of bread he’d given her was gone. Then, with reluctance, she made herself actually pay attention to her body. The pain was there. It was little more than a dull throb, though. Tentatively she moved the blanket aside and poked at the edge of the wound. The pain flared hot and bright again, and she pulled her hand away. “I guess I’m just good at ignoring things I can’t change. It does hurt, but I think it looks a little better.”
“Do not ignore the pain again. Tell me when you hurt and I will give you something for it. You will not suffer while in my care. Do you understand?”
The suppressed anger in his voice made her pull back a little, instinctively wanting to bury herself into the nest of blankets. But she straightened her back and looked him in the eye. “You’re bossy.”
He blinked, the surprise evident on his face. “Yes. I am. I am your alpha.”
“So, you’re all like this?”
“Yes. But you are not like other omegas. You are still...” he sketched his hands in the air. “Difficult.”
“Difficult?” She laughed. “You think I’m stubborn? You should meet my mother. She could teach a masterclass.” The mention of her mother brought with it a wave of sadness. She’d never see her again. Couldn’t. Even if Rath wanted to help find her, she wouldn’t do that... it would mean her mother would be caught, too.