So the first week went by quite quickly. I really had nothing to complain about. I had a great view of the crown city through the large windows of the guestroom of Francis’ nice little penthouse; I was fed Tanya’s great cooking; the bed was fit for a king and the TV was so large it could’ve hidden a truck behind it; and most of all, I had the best caretaker in the entire world.

My baby boy.

Rene worked hard to nurture me back to life. He kept me company, not leaving my side unless he went to get me something to eat. We talked a lot. I told him stories of my life, and he told me about all the things he wanted to do. Things he never thought he could experience even back when he was still with Jomica. Terrorists didn’t really have many luxuries. And then he was given away as a slave…

I had to battle against my anger quite often. Every time I was reminded of how they treated Rene, I had to search for my phone and call my allies to ask if they had any news about Jomica, and especially Ruben Campbell. My allies had already dug up little pieces of information, names and locations, but nothing groundbreaking. The general assumption was that after failing so miserably at terminating me, they’d retreated back into hiding to lick their wounds.

Good. But also bad. They now understood they weren’t prepared enough. Their next comeback would be much more devastating. But we’d be ready. I already had guns being shipped to me. Lots of them, like I’d asked. And the customs would look away, thanks to Hale.

After a week, I still wasn’t feeling well enough to stay out of bed for too long, but I tried taking little walks around the penthouse, and I even spent time sitting outside on the balcony with Rene. There was a little nook where we were completely out of view. A perfect place to share a few kisses and touches with my boy – and I didn’t have to worry about possible sharpshooters. 

Little by little, I grew stronger. And so did my little Rene. He was gaining weight and muscles so fast that after two weeks at Francis’ place, his body had gotten very nice to look at. There already was a little bit of something to hold on to now. He still had a long way to go, but he was no longer skin and bones, only skinny.

One night, a little over two weeks after I got out of the hospital, I watched Rene as he got ready to go take a shower. I laid in bed, cozy under my covers, enjoying the little teaser as he slowly took off his pants, his back turned partly at me as he stood right at the end of our bed. He knew he had my eyes on him, but he still made sure of it by taking a short look at me before undressing his shirt.

I smiled at his boldness, taking in his tall frame, now covered only by his underwear.

“You look good,” I muttered, tilting my head. “Such a nice body… And it keeps getting better with each passing day…”

“How would you prefer me?” he asked softly, making his way slowly to me. “Soft and fair like this, or bulky and strong like most of your men?”

“Healthy,” I said. “The rest is up to you.”

He sat down on the edge of the bed. I couldn’t resist touching him. He shivered when I ran a finger down his side.

“So not skinny like this?” he asked, and I shook my head. “Should I start working out then?”

“It’s up to you,” I repeated. “You’re my pretty little mate, no matter what.”

He hummed, then touched my arm, massaging my muscles. “I want to be strong. I want to know how to fight. To protect us.”

I smiled at him and rubbed his back. “We can teach you.”

“Good,” he said, leaning against my touch. “I think muscles are hot.”

“They sure are,” I agreed. “Am I in good enough fit? Do I look strong enough?”

“I don’t know,” he said softly, playfully. “My memory fails me.”

I laughed lightly while tossing my covers aside. I only had my underwear on, and his eyes greedily took in my strength.

“So… What’s the verdict?” I asked.

“Hmm…”

He touched my stomach, his fingers slowly making their way up to my chest, then back down. He glanced at me, and when our eyes met, he let out a chuckle.

“Yes, you are very, very pleasing to look at,” he said.

“You like big, strong men?” I asked playfully, but his smile changed into a softer one with a hint of sadness in it.

“My alpha…” he murmured, his fingers now inching closer to my new scars. “It never desired omegas, so… I always thought there was something wrong with me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” I told him gently. “That’s just more True Order bullshit. That alphas can’t lay with alphas.”

He nodded lightly while studying my now fully closed wounds. “I… I secretly dreamed of alpha men… Strong men… Good men, like you.”

I took his hand in mine and kissed his fingers. “And now I’m right here.”

“Yes, you are,” he whispered, his smile growing warm and wide. “So… Have you been with an alpha before?”

“I have. That lady friend I had was an alpha,” I told him.

“And have you had any gentlemen friends?” he asked teasingly.

I chuckled. “I’ve had my experimental age.”

He raised his eyebrow at me in amusement. “Experimental age, huh?”

“I was a wild youngster in my day,” I said playfully.

“Really?” he asked just as playfully.

“What can I say? I’m a charmer,” I said.

“Uh-huh… And how many special friends did you have?”

I laughed. “I’m kidding. The only real relationship I ever had was with that lady friend, but… It didn’t work out. We were… Our social statuses didn’t really match. She was a good girl from a good family, and I’ve always been a criminal, so…”

“Oh,” he uttered softly. “Do you… miss her?”

“Nah. We’re still good friends, and we’re better that way,” I said. “She’s got her own mate now, too, just like me, so it’s clear it wasn’t meant to last.”

“So you are still in touch with her?” he asked, and I nodded. “Maybe I can meet her one day,” he suggested carefully.

“Uhh…” I grinned at him. “There might be a bit of a technical issue with that.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, frowning.

“Well, uh, she’s… the governor.”

He stopped to stare at me. “Your ex… is… Governor Morgan?”

My grin grew bigger. “What can I say? She had her experimental age, too.”

“Wow…” he said, chuckling and shaking his head. “Wait… That’s why you’re friends with Captain Hale. She owns him.”

“Yeah, we met because of her…” I agreed.

“Wow…” he repeated, still chuckling. “Is that also why they’re letting you run your mafia here in the crown city?”

“I mean, I guess,” I said. “As long as I don’t piss them off, we’re fine. They really don’t care about anyone else except the terrorists. And for a good reason, too. The rest of us aren’t killing innocent people in bulk.”

He nodded slowly, turning his attention to my scars. I looked at them as well, but got distracted by his delicate fingers dancing on my skin. I needed to feel his smooth skin, so I caressed his arm, quickly gaining his attention. He smiled at me, and let his hand travel back up to my chest, where he played with my hair a bit, then lowered it back down. Quite a way down…

“Boy…” I murmured in a warning manner when his fingers teased my skin right above the brim of my boxers.

“Just admiring your body…” he said, acting innocent.

I let out a low chuckle, taking that hand in mine so I could kiss his fingers. He moved closer to me, his eyes growing dark… When I rested his hand on my chest, keeping it gently pinned, he leaned in to give me a little kiss. Which didn’t stay little…

This boy…

He forgot all about his shower. He swung his leg over me, taking a seat on top of me, his hunger growing. I, of course, had no objections… I kissed him just as greedily as he kissed me, my hands moving on their own as I enjoyed his smooth skin under my touch. My alpha was awake, calling to his, and his answered.

We both knew it would happen soon. We were both ready to claim, and the only reason it hadn’t happened yet was because we were waiting for the right time, that perfect moment. The tension was there, and it was slowly building up. We’d not talked about it, no. He knew about my intentions because the day I got out of the hospital, I’d told him I’d claim him soon, but we hadn’t brought it up since. But his intentions were just as clear. It was his alpha who’d let me know about them.

The signs had been subtle at first. The kisses we shared had started getting a bit out of hand ever since we moved in with Francis’. It was normal for two people as they fell deeper in love, so I paid no attention to it. I still thought nothing of it when he bit my lips while we kissed for the first time. Maybe he just liked it a little rough.

But this behavior continued… and grew. Days later, he bit my cheek in his heat. Then my neck. After that, I paid attention. There was no way I could not pay attention to his behavior anymore. For one, he couldn’t stop taking little tastes of me whenever there was a chance, and there sure were plenty of chances since it was hard for him to keep his hands off me. And two, his alpha always drowned us in their pheromones whenever we were being even a little bit intimate.

I kept an eye on these little signs, and I answered his advances with the same passion. I didn’t want to miss out on any of it while he and his alpha were finding the courage to claim me. I loved watching him grow, and even though he would always be my sweet baby boy, he was not a boy. He was a man, and both he and his alpha knew what they wanted.

I smiled when Rene moved his lips away from mine and felt them on my neck instead. It didn’t take long before he nipped at me, pinching my skin between his teeth. He kissed that same spot, then bit me again, but lower. I rubbed my nose against his jaw and neck while he continued his way down to my shoulder, leaving his little marks and kisses behind. I let him have his fun, but my alpha was upset with me for not letting it take a taste of our own.

It didn’t understand I wanted to give our mate a moment to have his fun, because once I’d bite him, no matter how lightly, he would go almost insane. So instead, I snuggled up against his neck, caressing his back and sides to keep him warm, waiting for him to drive himself insane. And he was already well on his way…

He bit me harder, his need to claim me growing. I could almost hear his alpha urging him to mark me, to make me forever theirs. It took him a moment before he was able to pull back and kiss the marks on my skin. Since I wasn’t yielding to my alpha’s commands, it was trying to convince Rene’s to drug me with their pheromones, and I had to admit, it was working quite well. The scent of roses was strong, and more alluring than ever before…

I closed my eyes and leaned back, hoping that the fresh air would clear my head. The boy in my arms bit me harder, growling lightly while making sure I wasn’t escaping. Like there was any way I’d want to leave his arms… I chuckled drowsily at his dominant behavior. Neither of the alphas could understand I was only doing this because I didn’t want this moment to be over too soon.

Because it was clear… This was the moment. That perfect moment.

I wrapped my arms around him, one hand on his lower back, one behind his neck, and held him still. I enjoyed the light pain he was causing me. It was the right spot… Right on top of my gland… Little more, and I’d be his…

Rene suddenly shivered. Those shivers soon turned into trembles as he fought his alpha back. He let go of my neck, breathing hard. He spent a moment regaining his senses, then licked my skin, and planted a kiss on the spot he’d left sore.

So… He didn’t want to hurry it, either…

He sat up in my arms, his blue eyes meeting mine. Oh, they were dark now… His cheeks had gained color, too. His breathing was not calming down. There was something primitive in him when he stared at me. Both the boy and the alpha were sharing the control of the body now.

I smiled at him and offered him my lips. He kissed me slowly while wrapping himself around me, his skin slowly turning warm while another kind of need heated him up. As I kept caressing him, his body moved with me, pushing against my touch wherever my hands traveled. It was… like an erotic dance… slow… and arousing… With it, he set my body on fire, and I had to break the kiss before it could go too far.

He gave me a confused look when I cupped his cheeks and stared at his beautiful face. We’d not been intimate yet, and I wasn’t sure… With his past…

I smiled at him and brushed my hand through his hair.

“Baby… The way you tease me is giving me these… urges…” I muttered.

“That’s the whole point, my love,” he whispered back and kissed me shortly.

I chuckled lightly, then hesitated while I watched him. “Are you sure it’s what you want? Being intimate like that so soon? I can wait for as long as you need.”

He kissed me again, then looked deep into my eyes. “I’m not afraid of intimacy with you,” he whispered. “The only fear I have is losing you.”

I held him closer. “Roses truly are good with romancing,” I muttered, earning a little chuckle from him. I touched his cheek, and he leaned into it. “I would never do anything to break your trust in me…”

“I know,” he said.

“I would never hurt you, either. I don’t want you to lose your love for me. Not even a little,” I continued, and he smiled. “So… Please… Be honest with me. Are you sure you’re ready for that kind of intimacy with me?”

His expression grew soft, and he rubbed his nose gently against mine. “I am.”

I nodded, enjoying the little touch and his breath on my face. “All right.”

He kissed me again and didn’t pull back. I rested my hands on his hips and just held them there as I waited to see if we were even getting back into the right mood. The kiss stayed slow and cute, and even his heat seemed to have come down quite a lot.

Or so I thought.