Chapter 86
“Because I want to see my pups,” Christian murmured, his voice dropping into a low, honest rumble. “We are going home, Fleur. It’s been too long, and my wolf is practically clawing to get back to our kids p>
A warm, teasing smile broke across Fleur’s face, her eyes flashing with a sudden, playful mischief.
“So, all this rushing around was just an excuse to see the kids, huh?” she teased, her voice dropping an octave as she hooked her fingers into the edge of the heavy duvet. She pulled it flush against her collarbones, an instinctual, futile attempt to shield herself from the sheer intensity of his gaze.
Christian laughed—a deep, resonant sound that seemed to shake the very walls of the room and set her pulse into overdrive.
“No, baby doll. I was dead serious when I said I love you more than anyone or anything in this world.” His eyes darkened, the amber ring around his irises flaring with dominant, possessive heat.
He leaned in, his scent of crushed pine and raw, predatory ozone enveloping her. “And another thing—stop hiding what’s mine. Every single inch of your body belongs to me, Fleur p>
His voice was a husky, gravelly command that sent a violent shiver cascading down her spine. Under the heavy weight of his alpha authority, her grip weakened, and the duvet slipped from her fingers, baring her skin to his hungry stare.
His gaze roamed over her with an unadulterated, possessive hunger, tracing every curve, every dip of her waist, and the flush rising on her chest. Fleur’s heart hammered against her ribs, a sweet, aching heat pooling deep in her core. Unconsciously, she shifted, pressing her thighs together to contain the sudden, overwhelming wave of desire rushing through her veins.
“I haven’t felt this at peace in a long time, my queen,” he whispered, his rugged features softening with a rare, striking sincerity. “And I want to celebrate that peace with our children p>
The casual weight of those words—our children—sent a massive wave of emotion crashing through Fleur’s chest.
The secret burned like silver on her tongue. She was right on the precipice of shattering the illusion, of confessing that Chloe and Gabriel weren’t just the pack’s future, but his biological pups.
The truth hovered between them, a fragile, heavy thing. How would his beast react? Would he howl with pure, unbridled joy, or would the ruthless Alpha burn the world down in a fury because she had kept his own blood a secret from him?
Fleur forced the suffocating thoughts down, swallowing the truth for now. Christian already adored them, and they were happy. For today, that had to be enough.
A sharp, rhythmic knock on the door cut through the heavy tension.
“That will be your clothes,” Christian announced, his voice instantly snapping back into its cold, authoritative tone. He swung his legs out of bed, his powerful, scarred back flexing as he strode toward the door with predatory grace.
Fleur glanced over at the tattered remains of her previous outfit scattered across the floor and let out a soft groan, rolling her eyes. There had been absolutely no anatomical need to rip the fabric to shreds.
She dragged the covers back up to her chin, retreating into the blankets. The bedroom was isolated by a deep entryway lobby, keeping her completely obscured from anyone in the hallway, but Christian still didn’t take any chances. He cracked the door just a sliver—barely enough to snatch the garment bag—and shut it with a firm, decisive click.
As he turned back toward the bed, the harsh buzz of his phone broke the silence. Christian frowned, pulling the device from his pocket. The screen flashed with Lucas’s name. Giving Fleur a quick, silent gesture to stay put, he stepped out onto the balcony, sliding the glass door shut behind him to isolate the sound.
“Speak,” he barked.
“Alpha, where the hell are you? Your tracker went dark,” Lucas’s voice cracked through the speaker, laced with uncharacteristic panic.
“I’m safe. I’m at a secure hotel,” Christian replied, keeping the parameters strictly vague. “What happened p>
“Your car was ambushed. A hit squad opened fire on the vehicle, operating under the assumption that you were inside. They scattered into the wind before our enforcers could lock down the perimeter. Why did you leave the compound without your security detail p>
Christian’s jaw clenched, his grip tightening until the plastic of the phone groaned. If he had been in that car—half-blinded by alcohol and raw grief—he would have been a sitting duck. He wouldn’t have survived the night. Fleur hadn’t just anchored his fracturing sanity; her presence had literally pulled him out of harm’s way. She was his salvation in more ways than one.
“Did you identify the ambusher? Who ordered the hit?” Christian’s voice was pure ice.
“We tracked the scent trail and the vehicle plates,” Lucas confirmed, his tone hardening. “It’s the Diamond Claw Pack p>
“Those vermin,” Christian hissed through gritted teeth. He looked down at the fresh dress in his hand, then through the glass at Fleur, who was waiting patiently in the warmth of the bed.
“I will dismantle them personally,” Christian ordered coldly. “Until then, lock down the information. Let them believe their little trap worked and that we’re completely in the dark p>
He cut the line, standing on the balcony for a beat as he forced his breathing to slow, burying the dark, lethal instincts of the beast beneath the surface before sliding the glass door open. When he stepped back into the room, Fleur’s intelligent eyes were tracking his every move, heavy with silent questions.
Christian’s lips curved into a wicked, devastating smirk. He tossed the clothes onto the foot of the bed and leaned over her, his massive, heavily muscled frame casting a dark shadow over her small form. The stress of the ambush evaporated, replaced entirely by the intoxicating pull of the woman beneath him.
“Do you require my assistance getting into these?” he purred, his voice dripping with dark temptation. He planted his palms on either side of her hips, crowding her space until his heat radiated against her skin.
Fleur’s breath hitched. She bit her lower lip to suppress the breathless, giddy reaction to his shameless flirting. Shifting backward until her spine met the solid wood of the headboard, she bunched the sheets tightly in her fists.
“I assure you I am perfectly capable of dressing myself, Alpha Christian,” she whispered, locking her gaze with his.
“God, baby,” Christian growled, his eyes darkening to a dangerous, predatory black at the formal title. “You drive me absolutely insane when you use that name. It sounds like a sin pouring out of that sweet mouth. It honestly should be illegal for you to look this beautiful p>
Before she could process the words, his hand shot forward, wrapping around the bunched fabric of the duvet.
Fleur’s eyes widened as she read the raw intent in his expression. She tried to tighten her grip, but against an Alpha’s strength, it was useless. With one swift, effortless tug, Christian ripped the cover away, the momentum jerking Fleur forward until she collided directly against his bare, hard chest.
“Weren’t you… weren’t you just talking about heading home?” Fleur whispered, her throat entirely dry as she stared up into eyes filled with an all-consuming, primal lust.
“The home can wait a few more minutes,” he murmured, his thumb catching her lower lip, tracing the soft, swollen skin from their earlier encounters. “Let me show you exactly how much you hold me captive p>
“You already showed me. Twice,” Fleur breathed, her senses entirely overwhelmed by his intoxicating, heavy scent. Her eyes fluttered closed as her heart completely abandoned its rhythm.
Christian let out a low, rough chuckle that vibrated against her ribs.
“Then consider this a brief encore, baby doll,” he muttered against her skin, his chest heaving with an uncontrollable, desperate need. “But I need to be inside you again. Right now p>
He caught her mouth in a bruising, possessive kiss, his weight bearing her down into the mattress as he claimed her completely.