Mate (Bride, #2)

by Ali Hazelwood

“You can keep me forever,” I mumble into his throat, and his cock twitches under me. “Is this okay? I’m making a mess of you, and—” “Do more of it.”

JESUS CHRIST

“Serena.” I hear the blurry edge of his smile. A quiet sigh. “I would throw away my pack, my life, and my entire world for you. Which is the exact reason I cannot have you.”

THIS IS SO UNFAIR FUCK

To Koen, the covenant is not something that’s been imposed by the huddle leaders—an arbitrary, unjust restraint. To him, it’s a guarantee that history won’t repeat itself. And that guarantee has never mattered more than it does now, with the cult threatening the Northwest once again. And the last thing I want is to ask him to make an impossible choice. So I reach out. Run my hand through his hair, trying not to sigh at the way he leans into it, like my skin is his North Star.

Killing myself

“So this is what’s going to happen. I’m going to walk in there and take the drugs Layla gives me. This Heat won’t happen. And as soon as the issues with the Vampyre council are officially over and Ana is safe, which will be any day now…I’ll go back to the Southwest, where I won’t be keeping you from the people who need you. And you and I…we’ll make sure to avoid each other in the next few decades. Won’t we?”

I FUCKING HATE IT HERE

It happens so quickly, when a strong arm loops around my waist, my first reaction is to strike back. Then I realize who I just hit, and gasp. “Sorry!” “Fucking sharp elbows,” Koen mutters.

LMAOOOO

“It’s okay. They’re not here for you. Saul, can you please look less like you’re craving steak? Thanks.”

I'm cackling

I frown. “What instincts do you have?” “They are much less wholesome.” His laugh is a half groan. “Less about making nests, and more about…wrecking them.”

OOP

“Let me make something very clear, Serena. I’m never going to regret any of this, okay?”

Killing myself!!!!!!!!!!! Again!!!!!!!!!

“I saw these the first day we met. Been thinking about them.” He lifts the hem of my top and just stares. I squirm as he presses his thumbs to each side of my spine. “Dimples. Very cute. Wholesome, really. Ready to be defiled.” He leans in, and his tongue traces the cleft of the right one. “C’mon, Serena.” “W-what?” “I thought you were joking. Joke some more.”

Oh my fucking god

“All good. Serena tackled me,” I hear him say. And, after a pause, “Told you, she beat me up. Slapped the phone out of my hand. What is there to understand?”

PLS SNDNSKDJDJSJSK

“You don’t need to call Layla. And you definitely don’t need to stay away. You know what you need?” I shake my head. His cool lips press against my heated, blotchy cheek. “You need to be fucked, Serena.”

GOODBYEEEEE

“Is this what worries you?” he asks. “That you’re too wet?” I nod. Cannot bring myself to say anything. “You really have no idea, do you?” A moment later, his face is in my cunt.

I'M ON FIRE

He wraps his hand around my throat, thumb and index finger on either side of my jaw. He doesn’t press, but it’s a warning, a reminder of who’s in charge. I wonder what’s wrong with me, that I experience so much gratitude for it, tears stream down my face.

RAHHHHHHH

He kisses my lips, gentle. “In a matter of days, you’re going to leave, and I’ll spend the rest of my life as your fucking servant. Whatever you ask me for, you’ll have. But here you are. Defenseless. Mine for a short time.”

KILL ME JUST KILL ME

“Thank you,” I tell him. “For this.” “I told you not to—” I arch to shut him up with a kiss, and with a soft curse he slides one arm between my back and the mattress to pull me up. “You’re welcome. Lucky for you, I’m so fucking”—a harder stroke—“selfless.”

NYEHEHEHEHEHE

“Spoiled,” he mumbles against my lips, but there’s a touch of a smile at the corners of his eyes, in the webs of wrinkles irradiating from them. “Nuisance.” So he seats me on his cock and splits me open, and as I strive to relearn how to breathe with him inside, he feeds me slices of fruit, whispering, Sweetheart. This is really fucking good.

It hurts to see other people living your dream

“Unbelievable, how fucking unreal you feel, soft and wet and warm and every good thing in the world, baby.”

I WOULD DIEEEEEE

But it’s good, the quiet. It gives me a chance to say the one thing I’ve been holding back. To lean over and whisper in his ear, “I love you. And I’m never going to stop, no matter what.”

GAHHHHH THIS IS DEVASTATING

“I’m going to step down.” I ask, “From what?” But I already know, so I don’t give him time to answer. “Why?” Regrettably, I already know that, too. That only leaves me with “You can’t.” “See, that’s the thing about being Alpha. I can do whatever the fuck I want.”

BITCH HOLY FUCK

“Things have changed.” “Things—nothing has changed. You love the Northwest more than anything.” “Not more than anything, Serena.”

RAHHHHHHHH I FEEL SO ALIVE

My eyes lock with his, willing him to understand. “You are the heart of this pack, Koen.” He nods. Even as he says, “And you are mine, Serena.”

FUUUUUUUUCK

I nod, willing away the full, prickling feeling at the back of my throat. Watch Koen spin around and put some distance between us. But he stops. Takes a deep, shoulder-heaving breath. Turns again and marches back to me, taking my face in his palms and pressing our lips together.

MY HEART

“Where is she?” “Um, so. Koen was, um, mad.” “Ah.” “You have been de-aunted, I fear.” “How tragic,” I say, not giving a single fuck.

LMFAO

Can I just say—I’ve had a lot of time to consider recent revelations, and I’m not at all surprised that you come from a long line of cult leaders. You’ve talked me into so much weird shit through the years, and I always wondered why I kept falling for it.”

MISERY PLEASE

“But, Serena, the thing about Ana and Lowe and Juno and every other person I’ll meet for the rest of my life is…they’re not you. They don’t get it. They’re never going to get it.” I think—I know that if she could cry, she would. I certainly am. “Just like Koen or Amanda are never going to get it. They’ll get other things. They’ll get other moments—they’ll get their own exclusives. But they won’t get this.”

I LOVE FEMALE FRIENDSHIP

“Serena?” “Mmm?” “Should we cut each other’s toenails and talk about the knot thing?” I think about how little I want to do it. How overdue we are. “Are there clippers in the bathroom?” She stands and goes to look for some.

MY GIRLSSSSSSS

“I think your toaster is broken,” I inform him. “You don’t say.” “No, I mean—it was broken before.” “Was it?” His gaze travels to a spot on the counter. I follow it, and… Okay. Fine. The damn toaster wasn’t plugged in, and I have learned nothing. Cool.

I KNEW IT LMFAO

“Serena, our first meeting sent you into Heat.” I flush. “Well, we don’t know that. It could have been a coincidence.” He looks doubtful. “Seriously. Maybe Alex the IT guy sent me into Heat.”

WHY IS MY MAN ALEX ALWAYS CATCHING STRAYS

He sighs. Tightens his hold on me. “Such a fucking nuisance.” I wonder why it took me until this very moment to realize that it’s been his way of saying I love you all along.

EEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

“I think,” he pants against her ear, ragged, “you should just start coming on these trips with me.” His hands are trembling. He wants her too much.

HIS HANDS ARE TREMBLING OH I'M SICKKKKKKK