I purr in response, pleased that she’s letting her animal guide her. Because that move was pure wolf.
“Please keep doing that.” Her voice is whisper soft, suggesting that wasn’t easy for her to say.
So I don’t ask her what she means.
I already know.
I reply by purring louder for her. She shudders, her nose pressing into my neck as her palm slides up to rest over my heart.
Alphas typically only make this sound for their mates, or on rare occasions when a troubled pack member requires soothing.
However, there are different levels to the vibrations.
The one I’m using now is the intimate reverberation meant for my intended Omega. It’s a natural hum that comes from my chest, one I embrace fully because it clearly pleases my beautiful Clove.
Her bare thigh slides over mine as she tries to crawl closer, to lose herself in my purr.
I almost move to wrap my arms around her. But I don’t want to disturb the moment. I let her find peace in my strength and in my presence. That’s what mates are for.
Her lips trace my throat to my collarbone, her nose pressing into my chest as she inhales.
“Peppermint,” she breathes.
“Hmm, you smell like honey and sweet cream to me.” The perfect dessert. “And your slick is pure ambrosia, so decadent and intoxicating that I’ve been hard for you for hours.”
There may have been a few periods of relief while she slept, but they didn’t last long. One look at the beauty on the bed had me saluting her all over again.
Her brown eyes meet mine, her pupils dilated with a mixture of desire and contentment. I increase my purr again and smile as she presses her face against my pec.
“Nantahala Alphas don’t purr,” she says, the words souring my mood. She needs to stop comparing us to her former pack.
But I can’t fault her entirely for it.
This is all new and confusing.
So for her, I’ll be patient.
And I’ll continue purring, too.
“Your Alphas don’t do a lot of things that we do,” I say, my voice resembling a low growl as a result of the vibrations in my chest. “They don’t cherish their females. They don’t focus on pack bonds. They use fear to keep order. And…” I trail off and wait for her to meet my gaze.
She does, her expression softly inquisitive.
“And they don’t have a knot,” I finish. “They also probably couldn’t handle an Omega’s estrus. It’s a lot of work to keep one satisfied for a week or longer.”
But it’s a challenge I’m very much looking forward to.
“Given how misogynistic the Nantahala Wolves are, I’m guessing they wouldn’t even try to please an Omega mate,” Volt adds from the doorway. “They wouldn’t want to risk their reputation by failing, and they wouldn’t care enough to try.”
I lift my head to meet his gaze over Clove. She’s still plastered to my chest, with one ear against my skin and her face turned in Volt’s direction.
“Food ready?” I ask.
“I put it under the burner to keep it warm. Figured Clove wanted you as an appetizer first.” He pushes off the door frame to saunter toward us. “When an Alpha offers to let you play with his knot, you indulge him, sweetling. Especially when he’s the only one who hasn’t tasted you yet.”
“Don’t ruin my fun, V.” The bastard wants to push her along to kill my game of delayed gratification.
“Your version of fun is going to take all night,” he drawls, joining us on the bed.
I shrug. “Not my fault that some of us have better stamina than others.”
He snorts. “There’s nothing wrong with my stamina, asshole. I just don’t want to wait until tomorrow to play with Clove again.”
“She’s sore,” I warn him as he draws his finger down her spine. She’s moved slightly, her cheek still pressed to my chest, but her eyes are on me again as Volt settles behind her. It was the same space he laid in before she started to wake up.
“I know how to properly care for a female,” he says, his dark gaze filled with devious secrets.
“Tell me you didn’t bring a knife in here,” I reply, tensing. I’m very aware of his sadistic penchants. And Clove is not ready for that side yet, evidenced by the way she’s now tensed against me.
Or maybe that’s because I stopped purring.
Volt takes over the rumbling vibration, his finger still tracing her spine. “I left the knives in the kitchen.”
I relax a bit. “Good.”