eo

ic Vale's penthous

I could focus on was him. Cedar, smoke, and expensive cologne layered over that unmistakable Alpha warmth that settled deep into my lungs every time I brea

hated how go

heel, his jaw clenched hard enough for tension to flash across his face every time headlights passed ov

asked eventuall

m fine,

gaze flicked briefly toward my trembling hands before r

e I could stop it. "You sho

t almost sounded like a laugh. "Yo

," I

porting me would have been the logical choice. Instead

wed at a red light. His expression looked harder th

would destroy you

th, delivered like it cost him something to say it plainly. My thro

*

too small with bot

of cedar and smoke around me completely. My skin felt feverish and oversensitive, enou

d a thought surfaced that I had

e convincing myself it was rivalry, adrenaline, aggression-anything except the truth. The suppressants had he

art of me had want

e the realization could settle,

*

finally turned toward me fully for the first

through the front of my jersey near my ribs. Concern tightened his exp

," he sai

ne," I

xt, low and warm enough for my instincts to react before my br

steadying my waist while the other supported my back. The moment his hands touched me, he

nt complet

iately. "Don't touch me

ened. "How am I touc

outh, but not

ay. It always had. Every collision against the boards, every face-off where he leaned too close, every

e gone, and my instincts

*

was a mistake because now he was directly between my knees, sm

et the gear o

I whis

e dropping once more to the blood staini

g inside

ple spoke about Omegas carefully, possessively, cruelly, but never gently. Never l

fter, something that had no business existing between rivals. My name sounded different in his m

t, worse than Dominic Vale knowing exactly what I was. Because sitting there on his couch with his hands still

to me for a very long time. And I had

t does not leave once it arrives. Then, before I could remember ev

into hi

d violently through my stomach. This was too close

word. He simply stayed there, steady and warm, like he

fied me more t