Mate (Bride, #2)

by Ali Hazelwood

he mumbles into me that “there’s no need,” that he’s “already fucking gone” over me, that I’m “so good,” it’s going to “destroy” him.

One stolen moment. And another. And another.

“How do you even know?” “I’m the Alpha of this pack. I know everything.” I squint. “What’s the square root of pi?” “Zero point nine.”

“You’re welcome. Lucky for you, I’m so fucking”—a harder stroke—“selfless.”

He is—perfect. Mine, mine, mine. Not mine at all.

“I love you. And I’m never going to stop, no matter what.”

Koen’s grip notches against me, leaving marks the size of his fingers in my flesh. He is a sting of wordless noises and unseeing eyes, wide with something I cannot comprehend. He never says that he loves me, but it’s written all over my skin.

“C’mere, killer.” I hang back, unsure. “Serena. Come.”

“I’m going to step down.”

“You can’t.” “See, that’s the thing about being Alpha. I can do whatever the fuck I want.” “Are you— Please tell me you are joking.” “While I’m widely known for my prankster personality and comedic timing, no. I’m not joking. Not about this.”

You love the Northwest more than anything.” “Not more than anything, Serena.”

You live to order people around.” He holds back a smile. “Guess from now on, you’re going to have to be people.”

“You are the heart of this pack, Koen.” He nods. Even as he says, “And you are mine, Serena.”

“You told me that you loved me, Serena,” he says simply. His eyes are earnest, liquid. So profoundly good. “And while I’m willing to resign myself to an existence without the person I love, I refuse to condemn you to it.”

“I read your letter.” “My…?” “The one on your desk. With my name on it. It changes everything, Serena.”

I feel close to you. So much so, sometimes I wonder if fate really does exist. When you’re around, the universe feels more bearable. This mate business—does it feel like I have you in my palm? Like we’re tethered to each other? Like I changed you at the nuclear level? Asking for a friend.

“I should have,” Koen mutters. In the sunlight, his eyes look darker than usual. “What?” “Chained you to my fucking radiator. I still could. I will.”

I’ve never had a family to disappoint before, and it’s a bit of a power trip. Lots of fun. I don’t understand what Misery has been going on about.

She’s a small wolf. Cream and white colored, with the same dark brown eyes as her human form, and pale yellow ears that are large for her body and more pointed than most. Her thick tail and delicate muzzle have a few light markings that make her utterly unique. So pretty, he thinks that if she were the last thing he saw, he wouldn’t mind. Not at all.

“You pathetic asshole.” The Vampyre voice jostles him awake. He’s asleep beside Serena’s bed—has been for…He doesn’t care. “It’s kinda gross, how madly in love with her you are. But please, continue. Pitiful, twitterpated men are very entertaining.”

“Oh, boy. He’s gonna be so pissed.”

“Who’s gonna be pissed?” “Koen. You’ve been out for four days, and he literally just agreed to leave this morning.”

Look out the window. It rains here. There are trees and shit.

“Did she shoot me?” “Irene? Yup, but only in the arm. Leg? I don’t know. You were in wolf form.” “Where is she?” “Um, so. Koen was, um, mad.” “Ah.” “You have been de-aunted, I fear.”

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.”

“Miss Girl, I don’t give a shit about that.” “Then what—” “Why do I have to find out from Lowe what a Heat is?”

I have this fucking child who looks at me like I’m a role model. Serena, she’s so fucking small, basically held together with spit and duct tape, and one of these days she’s going to join a biker gang or ask me how children are made—”

We’ll still see each other all the time. I mean, look at Lowe and Koen. They are just as codependent as we are.”

And you deprived me of the pleasure of making fun of you for having a three-day compulsory fuckfest.”

“I think your toaster is broken,” I inform him. “You don’t say.”

“Give me the keys to your car.” “You want to break that, too?”

“I’m just glad you figured it out.” “You mean, you knew?” “Not for sure. But there were signs.” “Oh.” I blink. “Really?” “Serena, our first meeting sent you into Heat.”

They said that I’m emotionally compromised over you. Which is true.” His thumb traces my lower lip. “Has been true for a while, really.”

“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.

and it’s just not plausible, that the twins came back from camp having switched places and the parents did not immediately figure it out from their scents.

Alpha instinct doesn’t normally concern itself with external approval, but Serena…she feels like another part of him. His heart, in another body.

he seems genuinely happy to have been domesticated and bedazzled. Koen can relate.

Waking up every morning wondering if he’ll survive the intensity of his feelings for her.

Koen is a hairbreadth away from asking Lowe and Maddie why the fuck he had to come all the way here only to get roped into business that no longer has anything to do with his goddamn pack. Until his patience runs out, and he growls, “Why the fuck did I have to come all the way here only to get roped into business that no longer has anything to do with my goddamn pack?

“Is it going to stick? Leave a scar?” Nothing has ever given Koen more joy than being able to tell her, “Oh, yeah.”

Waits for her request, whatever it may be, even though he already knows that his answer is going to be yes. It’s not like he’s ever going to deny her anything. He has tried and always, always failed.

“I was being a patient, considerate, respectful, non-intrusive, accommodating mate. I was trying to—” “Koen, you are the most intrusive mate ever. You never stop staring at me when we’re in the same room, you wake me up to have sex in the middle of the night, you keep tearing my clothes, and you want to be with me every second you’re not gone on pack business. You’re not really the space-giving kind of partner, and—” “I’m trying. I could be way fucking worse.”

The iron tang of her blood is strong and sweet. It tastes, Koen thinks, like forever should.