I Moved On, Why Don't You

The Long Way Around

Devlin's POV

I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. I could feel Joel pulling away from me almost instantly and I tightened my hold on him.

"You didn't let me finish. I can't make love to you and have you thinking about the men that hurt you . . . it's too soon and I don't know if I'll be able to control myself when I finally get to touch you."

"I-It doesn't matter to me if you lose control, I almost died and I would have left this world never being a true mate to you. I don't care if it hurts as long as it's you I can handle it."

"No, Joel . . . I love you too much to hurt you ever again."

"You love me?"

"No, I'm in love with you. I will never let you go."

"Then________?"

"Yes. I'll make love to you, but I'm not going to wait until the challenge. I'm going to make you mine right now."

I brushed a gentle kiss against his lips before lifting him into my arms and carrying him to the bed.

"Wait! What about Henry and the pups?"

"Henry already left and he took the pups with him."

"What about the pack . . . won't they___________ ?"

"No one will go near his room. He is their Alpha's mate."

"A-Alright."

Placing Joel on the bed gently, I kneel at the end of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Worshiping my mate."

Before he could ask what I meant, I lifted his foot, brushing a gentle kiss across the heel before I moved to the arch and then the sole, Joel's tiny gasps of shock and pleasure spurring me on.

"Do you know how beautiful you are to me, Joel?"

"I-I________."

"I know that other men made you feel like an object whose only worth was what they gave you, but I see you as my equal. No one not even our pups will be as valuable to me as you are. Tell me what you want."

"Touch . . . I want to touch you."

Smiling, I climbed on the bed, leaning over him without letting our bodies touch. Joel lifted a shivering hand and gently stroked my lips.

"He never kissed me . . . he said he wanted to wait until we were mated, please kiss me again."

I brushed my mouth against his, nibbling on his lips until he opened them to me and then I did my best to take his breath away. When we finally pulled away, he stared up at me with dazed, lust filled eyes.

"D-Did you feel that?"

"Like something was binding our souls together? That's because we're true mates, Joel."

"True mates?"

"Soul mates."

"Oh."

I chuckled against his lips, gently pecking them and he cleared his throat nervously.

"I . . . I guess we should get undressed and_______."

He let out a gasp and turned away, blushing and I realized I hadn't bothered to dress after I had shifted, my face turning red when I realized that I had been standing in front of Joel and Henry naked the whole time.

"Why didn't Henry tell me?"

Turning back to me with a soft smile, Joel pressed a hand to my chest.