The ride back to Landon’s pack was quiet but filled with emotions. He could feel her fear to start a new life with him. Despite her silence, he could feel how tensed she was because she was close to him.
But his inner wolf wanted to take control and stake his claim on her. He wondered if she could feel his desire for her in the car. He wondered if she knew how crazy she made him feel, how she could easily mess with his control.
But he knew she was hurting so he decided he would keep his hands off her. He would let her heart heal from her recent heartbreak. His forehead burst into a hot sweat as he repeated that rule to himself. He wasn’t going to claim Daisy. He wouldn’t, not yet.
She needed to be protected–even from her own soft heart.
“Where are we?” She breathed, looking out the car’s small window when the car came to a halt.
He looked down at her shining eyes. “My pack.” His smile was warm. “My home.” They were standing in front of the palace surrounded by beautiful buildings.
Daisy shook her head as she looked at the beautiful palace, three stories tall, surrounded by gently swaying trees and the glimmer of a blue water pool.
“It’s beautiful,” she exhaled, then could no longer keep herself from blurting out. “Do you think your pack will like me?”
“Of course, they will,” he noticed the way her shoulders relaxed. “You saved me and gave me a new purpose, they would love you just as much as they love me.”
Daisy had always felt that their differences would be a problem in their relationship. As a lycan royal, his life was completely different from hers. And as far as she could tell, he was one of the few princes to have an omega as a mate.
“Okay,” she whispered, her confident swaying.
He led her through the exotic green garden toward the palace, and as they walked past the main hallway, Daisy looked up in amazement. The foyer was painted with intertwined flowers and vines.
She had never seen anything as beautiful as the palace. The Lycans were rich, their blood stained with royalty but she didn’t believe it could be quite magnificent.
“This is our room,” Landon informed her as they stepped in. She walked past him to find a large bedroom with high ceilings, exquisitely decorated, with two lattice windows, one facing a garden and the other pool.
“You can have a shower in here.” He guided her to the bathroom. “They are fresh towels too and I’ll get someone to get you some new clothes.”
She frowned. “I packed my entire wardrobe before coming. Why do you want to get me new clothes?”
He leaned back on the wall, his eyes closed and inner wolf tortured. “Each time I come close to you, I can smell him all over you. It’s driving me crazy and making it harder for me to control myself.”
“Control yourself from doing what?”
“From going back there to rip his heart out for hurting you.” He breathed. “But I also need to control myself from claiming you. I want to mark you each time I’m a breath away from you. You’re like a drug to me and you don’t even know it.”
Her cheeks colored and she drew closer to him. “Can I tell you a secret?” She whispered and he pulled her into his arms. He buried his face in her hair, taking in her scent.
She smelled like raspberries and nectar from the morning flowers. But he could still smell Alexander all over her. “What do you wish to tell me?”
Her lips trembled. “My wolf thinks you’re hot.”
A laugh escaped his lips. “What?”
She nodded shyly and walked to the bathroom. “I think she wants to claim you even more than you want to claim me.”
“Have a shower and we’ll talk about what your wolf wants,” he watched as she slipped into the bathroom.
Few minutes later, when she opened the door, he was sitting on the bed with his MacBook on. “Are you finally done?” His eyes ran down her bare legs which were straight and beautiful.
She looked more relaxed and a little smile was etched across her lips. “Yes.”
“You can wear any of my shirts,” he offered. “I’ll take you shopping tomorrow.”
She didn’t respond but quickly put on one of his shirts. “I love your bathroom.” She said, flashing him a warm smile.
“I love the way you look in my shirt,” he drew closer to her. “You look so sexy and beautiful.”
She didn’t meet his eyes, afraid he would notice how she was trembling. His hands gripped her waist, as he playfully pulled her closer.
As his fingertips stroked her skin, she felt his nearness, felt his powerful body towering over hers.
“Now, you smell like I want you to,” He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath close to her neck. “You smell like me. Perfect.” He could feel her heart hammering in her chest and the goosebumps on her skin.
“Do you like that?”
He lifted her chin to meet his eyes. “I love that. Now, tell me you’re mine and mine alone.”
“I’m yours.” She said, pouting. He smothered a curse, and his hands tightened around her waist.
“I want to mark you right now,” he growled.
“I don’t think I’m ready–”
“I know,” he cut her off. Damn her for making him want her and not seeing it. The heat in his groin rose to his head like a swarming hive of bees.
As he stared down at her, he could only think about the wet heat of her mouth against his. He wanted to be naked with her in a tangle of sheets and instead, she treated him like an annoying older brother.
But that wasn’t the worst part. She was his mate. The thought tortured him. Some buried, mate instinct flared to life and pushed him to make his claim. By law, she already belonged to him.
His breathing quickened and so did hers. He leaned slowly, their lips inches away from each other, as if waiting for her reaction.
She challenged him to turn his anger to desire, to feel her full lips trembling under his with all sweetness and passion. The important promise he made to himself, and his plans to resist her all flew out the window.
He decided to claim his mate.