The Mate That Wasn't Mine novel Chapter 55

Chapter 55

TESSA POV

Clanging bells wake me. The rain hammers down. I’m disappointed. If the skies were clear I’d have an excuse to stay a bit longer.

As much as I want to flee, I equally want to stay. Specifically in this bed. With Maxim’s strong arms around me. The back of my thighs resting on his. So warm, solid and real.

It’s enough to make me sigh with contentment. Only for the memory of Irene to bubble up. The tide will turn against me soon. Not even Maxim will be able to save me when that happens.

Goddess, I wish the blue shirt could just vanish. Remove every single barrier and have his skin against mine.

It wouldn’t feel like a lie. Not for a second.

Which is dangerous.

If I stay, I’ll become a wretched creature. The leech that prevents Maxim succeeding. Everyone waiting for me to betray the Alpha or for him to just get rid of me anyway. Why take the risk?

I love Maxim, so I have to leave him.

Dangerous thoughts. I wriggle closer, grateful for the way his arms wrap a little tighter.

“Mmm Tess?” a sleepy Maxim grumbles.

“Yes?”

“You’re too far away.”

“I don’t see how,” lightly tapping my hand against his huge forearm, the one currently holding me a willing hostage.

“No. I want you here,” his dark, urgent voice commands whilst rolling away, flat onto his back. “Can’t see your face.”

I roll over to face him, his huge arm immediately tugging me closer. I’d miss it so much if he ever stopped manhandling me. He’s all healed, not a trace of injury upon his perfect features. “To talk about escape plans, we need to be closer, Tess. Walls have ears.”

His voice is pure grit, freshly–woken grump and it makes my heart race a little faster. When he has no time for pleasantries, I know anything can happen.

He takes my hand and places it on his chest. Where I can feel his heartbeat but not set off his bite. My breathing stalls when he reaches down under the sheets, gripping around the outside of my upper thigh, draping me across his thick, bare legs. “Better.”

The bells are still ringing. At least it’s not that dark, foreboding sound that spelled our attendance at the cliffs.

“So…escape plans?” I venture.

He grins wickedly. “Absolutely. Escape Tess.” His hand tightening on my upper thigh. The arm draped under my neck catches my wrist when I instinctively flinch upwards.

“You must be joking,” I giggle. It leaves us fighting in bed, my leg constantly rubbing up and down, his hands holding mine in place. I’m forced to straddle him in order to gain control. He grins when I finally take his wrists and pin them just above his head. “Escaped,” I whisper triumphantly.

“You know what those bells mean don’t you? No classes today for you. It’s a washout.”

My blush hits hard. My first thought is that get to spend a full day with Maxim.

“I think I would give every coin I’ve got to know what that pretty face is thinking,” he smirked devilishly. I sit back onto his thighs, releasing his hands.

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Chapter 55

They fly to my hips, holding me tightly. His amber eyes have regained their spark,

I was so worried he’d lost all that natural joy. Yesterday. When Irene was murdered. When Maxim’s friends turned upon him. When Allette saved us, and Briggs‘ failed to listen to me again.

Outside this bedroom door is not worth contemplating right now. We haven’t even talked about his friend attacking him. Let the rain fall a title longer.

Would a monsoon be too much to wish for? Maxim’s hands snake away from my hips and toward the bottom of his borrowed blue shirt.

Déftly, two of the lowest buttons opened. “Now. You can’t leave in the daylight…”

“I remember,”

Another button goes, revealing my stomach. “Where are you heading?“”

“Not the training grounds or the mountainside. The train lines,” tumbles roboticaly from my lips. Maxim’s hands are on my stomach and his cock is hardening in front of me. His black briefs disguise nothing. All his wants and thoughts are right there for us both to see.

“Good listening,” his slightly–mocking praise still enough to make my cheeks fire and coy smile rise. “What are you taking with you beautiful Tess? allowing his fingers to wander across my bare stomach. But not my hips, not where Luca’s bite remains.

Tucking some long red strands behind my ear. “Bow and arrows. Food that is well wrapped and low scent. A few clothes.”

“Do you have any money?”

“No.”

“Okay, well I can fix that,” he murmurs.

“Then I’ve robbed you.”

“You’re already leaving me Tess, robbery just adds to the believability.”

“Is that even a word?”

“Hmm,” he grunts, giving the next button a rougher tug. “People are going to struggle to see why you’d walk away from such a man you know.”

I laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. Replacing my hand carelessly, my fingers accidentally stroke along his bite mark. His grin transforms, to a lip–biting, vein–straining struggle.

“Tess! You…” he reprimands with a shaky breath, his tiger eyes narrowing dangerously. If he would give every coin for my thoughts, I’m too scared to know his. It only makes me want to touch his bite again. To touch every bit of him.

The little voice in my head, the realist, logical sensible bit of me tells me Maxim will be fine. He’ll have his mate eventually. I’m just a crazy few months of his life. We’re not a match in any way. Forced doesn’t mean fated.

Except the month I spent not talking or looking at him is starting to feel like the biggest mistake I’ve ever made.

“You are pretty great,” I whisper, my fingers trailing away from the bite and down his chest.

“Tessa-”

The door bangs. Warden Marshall’s crisp, annoying voice pipes through.

“Pagano!”

Maxim balls his hands into fists and rests them at his temples, muscles rigid with annoyance. I’m scowling like a sour cat.

“Yes?” he calls out, in a voice too light and carefree to match his angry body. He won’t let Marshall know he’s pissed him off. He keeps as much of his true

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Chapter 55

self away as possible.

“Prince Remy. Mind Link time. The Alpha wants to do it now before breakfast”

“I’ll be there soon.”

“Five minutes Pagano.”

“Ten!”

Marshalls not playing for a second. “I’ll wait outside.”

“Five then! Now piss off!”

With that his footsteps leave. I’m looking away at the wooden door, trying to work out if he’s truly gone when I find myself flipped over, my back hitting the mattress. Maxim’s lips are on my stomach. Kissing, nibbling, sucking a heated path up to my cleavage. His soft beard against my skin, his amber eyes eating me alive.

The remaining buttons on his borrowed blue shirt fly open, revealing my chest to him, before his firm grip returns to my thighs, roughly feeling as much of me as he could.

I groan, whilst fighting to keep hold of my senses. “But, but, you need to leave…”

“It takes me less than one minute to get dressed. I’ve got four precious minutes. I’ll do what the hell I like with them,” barks out. His lips wrap around my nipple, sucking hard enough to make me gasp whilst his hand darts inside my black lace panties. Claiming me sweetly, yet there’s a rough edge to him this morning.

All that hot, damp heat is from wanting nobody else but him wets his hand and there isn’t even time to blush.

“Yes…yes,” I whimper, spreading my legs apart, whilst he stares down at my flushed reactions.

“Fuck Tess, it’s not enough time. We’re never going to have enough time,” he growls into my stomach. Then he places kisses, lower and lower.

“We do. We have time,” arching my hips upwards, meeting his touch. The thin black lace underwear is soaked. And swiftly ripped down my legs, threading one leg out in seconds so he can spread me wide on the bed again.