I pulled her closer, tucking her head beneath my chin. I wanted her to feel safe, protected**even in her sleep.
“Kennedy, wake up. You’re having a nightmare.” Her grip tightened, but she no longer cried out. “Wake up, little lamb, before the wolf gets you.” I smiled softly into her hair. I didn’t know if she could hear me, but I liked our little joke.
**
“Ryker, Alpha, help, please,” she whimpered against my chest. I didn’t know what to do. She was still unconscious, but calling for me**calling for us. I’d never felt so helpless before.
“Kennedy, angel, wake up. It’s just a dream. You’re safe. Wake up for me.” I pulled her closer until she was pressed against my side and kissed the top of her head. She gasped, struggling against me. Against every instinct, I let her go as she pulled away. The loss of her warmth hit me immediately.
“What? When did you get here?” She wrapped the blanket tightly around herself, and only then did it hit me**she’d been sleeping naked next to me all night. How had I missed that?
“I never left. You didn’t ask me to leave when I got in bed,” I shrugged. It sounded better in my head, but my wolf was right**when it came to Kennedy, words just didn’t come out right.
“I didn’t think you’d stay,” she murmured, eyes cast down at her lap.
“I thought I made it clear yesterday. I can’t fight this bond anymore. I still don’t know if I can mark or mate with you without hurting you, but staying away isn’t working. It’s hurting more than just me. You, my team, the pack**they all feel the distance. It’s too early for breakfast, but I’m awake. I can leave if you want me to.”
She looked up slowly, searching my face. I held my breath, waiting for whatever she’d say next.
“No, you’re fine. But I really should get dressed,” she said softly, shifting on the bed.
“Why?!” I asked, surprised by her sudden urgency.
“Because I just should. Last night, I didn’t have the energy to get up from the bed, let alone do anything else,” she admitted, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
“So, you enjoyed yourself then?” I couldn’t help but grin, the thought making my chest warm.
“Absolutely. Torturing you has become my favorite kind of foreplay,” she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.
“Well, you sure fooled me. You walked out completely calm, while I was barely able to keep myself standing. I still don’t understand what you did to me without actually doing anything. I even broke your shower, for God’s sake,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief.
“That you did,” she replied with a smirk. “Speaking of which, I need to take a proper shower this morning. Last night doesn’t count.” She fidgeted slightly at the memory, and I noticed how the thought seemed to excite her.
“You can use mine,” I offered casually, trying to sound nonchalant even though I desperately wanted to keep her close.
She nodded and started to get off the bed, gathering the comforter with her. Instinctively, I grabbed it away from her.
“Hey!” she exclaimed, standing completely exposed before me. She didn’t even try to cover herself, and I couldn’t help but love the annoyed scrunch on her face. Her toned curves revealed the hard work she put into her body, yet there was a softness beneath it all. My fingers itched to trace the curve of her round ass, but I forced myself to hold back. I reminded myself to take things slow, to build trust, and to let her lead when it came to intimacy. She both frustrated and fascinated me, and yesterday had opened a new door between us.
“You were pressed up against me just ten minutes ago. That view is mine now. You might as well get used to it,” I said, a teasing edge in my voice. “Go get what you need, and then we can head next door.”
She rolled her eyes but complied without protest.
“Bennet, are you guarding Ken’s room?” she asked suddenly.
“So it’s ‘Ken’ now?” I teased back.
“Shut up. Are you or aren’t you?”
“Of course, bossman,” I replied with a grin.
“Can you make yourself scarce for a bit?”
“Excuse me? You’ve been telling me for almost two months to stick to her like my life depends on it. What changed?”
“I’m with her, and she’s talking to me**kind of. But she’ll use you as a distraction, and I’m not ready for that.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.