His Reclaimed Omega (The Mountain Shifters Book 9) Read online

  “I just want you to be sure,” Kent murmured. “I hate that it’s turned out this way. That I didn’t get the chance to court you properly, that you didn’t get to choose me freely.”

  “But I do, Kent. Life isn’t a series of choices that happen in isolation. I chose to come here, and if I chose to stay to say goodbye because I already had feelings for you,” he admitted, shuffling over to the edge of the bed to drape his arms around Kent’s neck. “If my heart hadn’t already chosen you, I’d be on a train to Kansas.”

  “Maybe that would’ve been for the best,” Kent said quietly.

  “Hey.” Nathan took the Alpha’s face firmly in his hands, forcing Kent to meet his eyes. “I’ve got enough Alphas trying to decide what’s ‘best’ for me. So far, all the best things in my life have come by surprise, and that includes being your mate. I want to be that, Kent. Not because I have to, because I want to. I’m not Tyr Amari.’

  “I know that,” Kent mumbled.

  “Do you? Because I think there’s still part of you that’s convinced if he didn’t choose you, no one will.”

  “I’m not good enough for you, Nathan. I’m not a pack Alpha or a genius or any of the things your mate should be.”

  As he spoke, Nathan realized the Alpha was finally putting to words the logic that had been brewing in his mind for some time. At first, Nathan had been convinced that Kent only put off confessing that he’d imprinted for so long because he was embarrassed to admit that he’d imprinted on Nathan, but he was beginning to realize the truth. Kent might have been the perfect image of an Alpha to anyone who saw him, but he was completely incapable of seeing himself as he was.

  “Kent,” Nathan breathed, “you don’t have to be any of those things. You’re you. I never wanted a mate, and I sure as hell didn’t want to be some Council Alpha’s trophy omega. In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t exactly fit the bill myself.”

  “You’re perfect,” Kent muttered.

  “No, I’m not. And neither are you,” Nathan said, running his fingers through the alpha’s close-cropped hair. It was a bit shaggier than usual, and it looked good on him. “But we are perfect for each other. Maybe neither of us fit the mold, but I never wanted that anyway. The whole reason I wanted to leave the pack for grad school was so I could find myself, and maybe even find someone who’d accept me for it. I found both of those things right here.”

  Kent’s gaze lifted, full of hope where there had only been doubt a moment earlier. He slipped his arms around Nathan’s waist and pulled him close. “I still think you could do better, but if you choose me anyway, I’ll do whatever I can to make you happy, Nathan. If you still want to go away to school after the baby is born, we’ll find a way to make it work.”

  Nathan leaned in and pressed his lips to Kent’s, relishing the Alpha’s claiming response. He smiled against Kent’s lips and whispered, “The only thing that would make me happy right now is having you inside of me.”

  Surprise flashed in Kent’s gaze, but need quickly took its place. “Here?” he asked doubtfully.

  “I can keep it down if you can,” Nathan purred, running his hands down the Alpha’s firm chest.

  Kent gave a husky laugh that Nathan felt sure would have sent him into heat if he hadn’t already been pregnant. The Alpha let him peel his shirt off, revealing the perfect sculpture of his torso, taut with powerful muscle. Nathan’s interest in Alphas was new enough that he’d never given much thought to his “type,” but in that moment, there was no doubting that Kent fit it perfectly.

  “I can just give you the bite,” Kent warned halfheartedly, letting Nathan pull him down on top of him. The omega reached between them, slipping his hands past Kent’s waistband.

  “I’d rather you give me something else,” he admitted, barely recognizing the sultry intonations in his own voice. The intensity of the need he felt for Kent rivaled the frenzied lust of heat, but Nathan knew that this time, the desire was all him. The effect Kent had on him in such close proximity, their bodies pressed close as Kent claimed his lips once more, was dizzying but only in the most enjoyable way. Nathan arched into the Alpha as Kent’s hips ground into him. Nathan’s fingers tangled with Kent’s as they disrobed each other in clumsy desperation, their tongues vying for dominance. As Kent settled on top of him, this time without the barrier of clothes between them, Nathan’s breath caught in his throat.

  “You alright?” Kent asked, brushing his knuckles across Nathan’s jaw as he gazed down at his omega in the utmost gentleness.

  “I’m fine,” Nathan said breathily. “Just a little overwhelmed.”

  Worry quickly ebbed into the lust within Kent’s gaze. “We can slow down.”

  “No,” Nathan pleaded, leaning up to kiss him again. “Not by this. I’m just overwhelmed by how much I want you,” he admitted, running his hands down Kent’s broad shoulders and over his strong back, admiring the raw power of the Alpha’s physique. Nathan was no waif himself, but Kent was so much bigger, so much stronger, and the stark contrast between what Kent was capable of and the gentleness of his touch was driving Nathan crazy. “I didn’t know I could want someone like this.”

  The words seemed to take Kent off-guard, but the earnestness with which he pulled Nathan to him made his approval clear. As Kent’s mouth found his neck, the Alpha’s tongue and teeth grazing his sensitive flesh, Kent’s hand disappeared between Nathan’s legs. He pressed a finger against Nathan’s tight entrance, pushing gently. The omega was already slick with desire, which made it easier for a digit to slip inside, but the newness of the invasion still made Nathan gasp. His body tightened around Kent’s finger as the Alpha stroked him from the inside, and the dull ache soon faded to a pleasurable tightness as he relaxed enough to take another digit.

  “You feel so good,” Kent whispered in Nathan’s ear, nipping lightly at his earlobe. The teasing made Nathan shiver with delight as Kent worked a third finger into him. The friction against his prostate was making it hard for Nathan to keep quiet, so he turned his head into the pillow in a desperate bid to silence himself.

  Kent’s husky laugh in his ear was doing absolutely nothing to help. When the Alpha had finally had enough of teasing him, he slipped his fingers out and lowered himself onto Nathan again. The omega eagerly wrapped his legs around Kent’s waist and arched to beckon him inside.

  “Easy,” Kent chuckled, positioning himself at Nathan’s entrance. Nathan bit his lip to stifle a moan as the Alpha’s crown breached him and Kent paused to give him time to adjust. Every sensation seemed to be magnified, both pleasure and pain, but Nathan found himself savoring even the ache that accompanied Kent’s considerable girth sliding into him.

  “Please,” he breathed, clawing desperately at the Alpha’s back to summon him in further. Kent obliged, slow and gentle at first before he started thrusting into Nathan at a steady rhythm.

  “You’re tight,” Kent grunted, his arm wrapped around Nathan’s back as he arched into the omega.

  As if in response, Nathan’s sheath clenched around the Alpha’s shaft and Kent let out a strangled moan. “Shhh,” Nathan whispered, silencing the Alpha with a kiss even as he tried to keep his own giddy laughter from bubbling over. Kent’s tongue slipped into his mouth and Nathan raked his fingers through the alpha’s hair, his thigh hitched up over Kent’s waist. The angle was driving him to the brink of self-control, but he wanted more. He wanted the Alpha’s knot and if he hadn’t been panting so damn hard, he would have begged him for it.

  “Nathan,” Kent warned, his voice rough with his own attempt at restraint.

  Nathan arched into his mate approvingly. “Mark me.” It was both a plea and a demand, and Kent wasted no time honoring it. The moment the alpha’s teeth claimed his neck, Nathan cried out in bliss, forgetting himself entirely. Pleasure surged through him with the pain, and soon there was only orgasmic fire under his skin as Kent’s bite claimed him irrevocably and his knot swelled. It felt too good, too right for Nathan to care about anything el
se, but he was grateful for Kent’s hand gently clasped over his mouth to help muffle his sounds as he rode out his orgasm.

  Coming from anyone else, the low growl rumbling through Kent’s chest as he claimed his mate might have been threatening, but Nathan recognized it as a deep, instinctive expression of affection and intimacy. As Kent’s seed filled him beyond comprehension, Nathan was overwhelmed by a fresh wave of pleasure. This time, Kent couldn’t cover his mouth in time to quiet his moan, but at least it was softer than the last.

  Kent withdrew his fangs from Nathan’s neck and kissed the omega tenderly. “Now who’s loud?” he teased.

  Nathan pressed a hand to his forehead and groaned. He knew his humiliation would take over once the heady bliss of orgasm faded, but he intended to enjoy it for as long as it lasted. At least the walls were thick.

  Not as thick as the knot buried inside of him, but thick. As Kent collapsed on top of Nathan, the Alpha made a delightful purring sound, pulling his omega into his arms. “That was...wow.”

  “Yeah,” Nathan agreed, still painting as he laid his head against Kent’s chest. “That was definitely wow.”

  “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “No,” Nathan said, nuzzling Kent’s neck. “Not in a bad way.”

  The Alpha reached down to stroke Nathan’s hair and they both fell silent, save for their labored breathing and the steady rhythm of the Alpha’s heart against Nathan’s ear. Nathan wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that before he drifted off, because it was impossible to think about arbitrary concepts like time when he was in Kent’s arms. Nestled close to his mate, he’d never felt safer in all his life.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  KENT

  The following morning, Kent felt like he was doing the walk of shame in his own home as he headed downstairs with the intention of making Nathan breakfast in bed before anyone else got up. He should have known he just didn’t have that kind of luck when it came to anything other than finding the omega of his dreams.

  Adam and Barnabas were both at the kitchen table, and both Alphas took a sudden interest in their coffee when he came in. Kent mumbled a word of greeting before opening the refrigerator and gathered the ingredients for pancakes.

  “It is a good morning,” Adam said, casually taking a sip from his mug. “Better for some than others.”

  Kent sighed heavily, turning on the stove. “Who exactly do I have to avoid eye contact with for the next year?”

  “Just me. Our room’s the only one in the wing,” Adam smirked. “But uh, if you want to survive Hurricane Duke, I suggest you both shower in lava because you smell like Nathan.”

  “And that is my cue to leave,” Barnabas said, pausing on his way out the door to pat Kent on the shoulder. “I’m not entirely sure congratulations are appropriate in this particular situation, but congratulations on finding your mate.”

  “Thanks, dad,” Kent said with an awkward laugh.

  “So,” Adam said once the older Alpha had left the room, “would this be a bad time to ask if you’re given any thought to my offer?”

  Kent cocked an eyebrow. “Seriously? You want me to think about that now?”

  “Hey, I figure this is probably the last anyone will see of you for a while now that you’ve got a mate to take care of.”

  Kent snorted. “As a matter of fact, I have thought about it.”

  Adam waited eagerly, shrugging when Kent drew out his pause. “Well? What’d you decide?”

  “I’ll be your second-in-command,” said Kent. “Under one condition.”

  Adam’s face fell. “What condition is that?”

  “When the Council takes a vote on the new breeding program, you vote no.”

  “Come on, Kent…”

  “I’m serious. Now that I have a mate, not to mention a kid on the way, the idea of a job that doesn’t require so much travel has its appeal,” Kent admitted. “But I’m not willing to serve a pack that would condone something like this, even if it is my own.”

  Adam watched him as if he was trying to tell whether his brother was bluffing. He finally sighed. “You’re not going to budge on this, are you?”

  “Nope.”

  “You drive a hard bargain, Kent,” Adam said, running a hand over his morning scruff before he extended it to Kent. “But you have a deal.”

  Kent stared at his brother’s hand, surprised. Agreement was just about the last thing he’d expected. “Seriously?”

  “Like I said, I trust you. Gotta start somewhere, and you’ve never given anyone reason to question your loyalty to this pack. Especially not now.”

  Kent finally returned the handshake. “I know the future of this pack is at stake, but I have to believe there’s a better way to secure it.”

  “Let’s hope you’re right,” Adam said. “For what it’s worth, I believe in you.”

  Kent couldn’t help but smile. “Good, because there are a lot of changes I’ve been thinking of making around here now that I’m back,” he said, patting Adam’s shoulder. “We’ll talk next week.”

  Adam groaned. “What have I done?”

  Kent chuckled, turning back to the stove. He finished the simple yet reasonably appetizing breakfast and did his best to arrange it in an appealing way on the tray before carrying it upstairs. Nathan was still sleeping when he made it back to the room, and Kent couldn’t resist watching him sleep for a bit.

  When the omega finally stirred, he blinked blearily at Kent. “How long have you been there?”

  “A little while,” said Kent, setting the tray down on the bed. “Not so long your breakfast got cold.”

  “I missed breakfast?” Nathan asked, sitting up with a yawn.

  “I brought it to you,” Kent grinned.

  “I didn’t know you cooked.” The smile that parted Nathan’s lips made Kent decide that was something he was going to start doing far more often. “You really are a Renaissance man, aren’t you?”

  “Never been called that,” Kent chuckled, leaning in to kiss Nathan. How the omega tasted that sweet after just waking up was beyond him. “How’re you feeling?”

  “Good,” Nathan said, taking a bite of the pancakes. “Better now. Hey,” he said suddenly, pressing a hand to his neck. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

  Kent reached out to brush his fingers over the spot where he could already see his mark forming. The wound Vance had left was gone entirely.

  “Looks good on you,” Kent said, unable to keep the desire out of his voice. The fact that it was matched in Nathan’s gaze was something he was pleasantly unprepared for, but he decided he could definitely get used to it. “There’s something I’d like to show you later, if you’re feeling up to it.”

  “I feel great,” Nathan said, stretching his arms over his head. “Another lake?”

  “No,” Kent laughed. “Just my house.”

  Nathan’s eyes widened. “Your house?”

  Kent hesitated. “I know a lot is still up in the air, and I still have to complete the mark, but while you’re here, I thought you might like living somewhere there’s a bit more privacy. You could have your own room, if you wanted.”

  Nathan blinked. “Why would I want that? Do you snore?”

  “No,” Kent snorted.

  Nathan set the tray aside and leaned over to nuzzle Kent’s cheek. It was a surprisingly intimate gesture, and an instinctive one. It melted the doubts coiling in the pit of the Alpha’s stomach better than words ever could. “You’re my mate, Kent. Wherever you are, that’s where I belong. I’m not going anywhere. But if I move in with you before the mating mark is complete, my dads will kill you,” he said in a deadpan tone that made it clear he was only half joking.

  “We could do something about that,” Kent offered, winding his arms around Nathan’s waist. “You up for a run?”

  Nathan’s face lit up immediately. “Yeah. Definitely.”

  Kent took his hand and helped him up. “We could wait,” he said, carefully assessing Nathan’s re
action as the omega got dressed and put on his shoes. “I know it’s not customary in Mountain Ridge, but if you wanted a ceremony--”

  Nathan grimaced. “Formal events about me still give me a panic attack,” he said carefully. “Is it okay if it’s just us?”

  “It’s more than okay,” Kent said earnestly. He had decided long ago that if a formal affair was what his mate wanted, it’s what he would get, but he couldn’t help but feel relief at Nathan’s preference. He and the omega had far more in common than he’d ever imagined. In Kent’s eyes, it was the mating itself that was supposed to be special. Surrounded by people and expectations, the focus would drift from where it should be, on Nathan and the bond they now shared. He couldn’t think of any better ceremony than the ancient rite they were about to perform and as they headed out under the cover of the early morning twilight, he couldn’t think of a better witness than the crescent moon.

  “We’re pretty far into the forest,” Nathan said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie as he looked around the densely wooded hills on the outskirts of Kent’s property. “You sure you’re not just taking me somewhere no one can hear me scream?”

  Kent groaned. “I’m never gonna live that one down, am I?”

  “Maybe by her eighteenth birthday,” Nathan said, patting his belly.

  “I know pregnant omegas are allowed to run, but maybe we should take it easy, just in case,” Kent offered.

  Nathan flashed him a mischievous grin that made it clear the omega was amused by his fretting. “Are you going to be like this the entire time I’m pregnant?”

  “Probably,” Kent admitted.

  Nathan came to a stop and slipped his sweatshirt over his head. He dropped it in the grass and walked forward until he was standing directly in front of Kent, settling his hands on the Alpha’s waist. “You’re very sweet,” he said, erasing any doubts that he meant it in an I just want to be friends way when he started unbuckling Kent’s belt. “But if there’s one thing I can do the conventional way, this is it. Besides, I feel better than I have in...well, ever.”