Savage Prince by Alison Aimes

35

Panic gripped him.

Where could she have gone? If someone had taken her . . . if she was hurt . . . if she’d gone to Byrel in some insane attempt to sacrifice herself . . . he’d rip apart anyone who touched her.

Claws out, he whirled to go and find his brothers. Together they’d—

Anya stood in the corridor. “Looking for someone?”

“Tess. She’s . . .” He trailed off.

He took another look at his sister’s expression, noting the mix of disapproval and knowing in her gaze.

It took everything inside him to keep his hands by his side and his boots planted on the carpet. “Little sister, if you know something about where Tess is, you will tell me now.”

“More bossing. Isn’t that what got you into this trouble in the first place?”

“Anya!”

“Alright, fine.” She backed up a step. “She’s safe.”

“Where?”

“I know you can’t help yourself. I do think you get points for realizing you made a mistake and coming to fix it.”

His brow wrinkled, her words momentarily distracting him. “How do you know that?”

She shrugged. “I hear things.”

When she was young, he’d caught her crawling through the ventilation shafts. He’d thought a rotation grounded in her room and no dessert had discouraged her from doing it again. Now he wondered.

This, however, was not the time to find out.

“Where. Is. She?”

“Why?”

It took Maxheim several minutes to absorb the extent of his sister’s defiance. “Excuse me?”

“It’s just . . . if you’re only going to lock her up again, I might as well save you the trouble and just tell you she’ll find a way to escape. She won’t be imprisoned again.”

He growled low.

“I’m doing this as much for you as for her.” Anya spoke fast. “It’s obvious you love her.”

“Love is too small a word.” He swallowed hard.

His sister sighed. “I suppose I see why she’s so crazy about you too.” She gave him a real smile, the kind he knew drove the Alpha guards wild. “You’ve always been there for all of us, but you grew so cold and aloof. Now though,” she shook her head and laughed, “what a mess.”

He snarled, his patience only extending so far.

“It’s not a critique. I like you better like this.” She threaded her arm around his. “Come on.” She gestured for him to follow her down the corridor.

His brow crinkled. “How did Tess get down here and past the guards?”

Anya swallowed hard. “I’d rather not say.”

Since he didn’t want to rock the boat and stop his sister from leading him to his omega, he didn’t push. Though he damned well intended to later.

They reached the nursery. A good number of guards were at the door’s perimeter.

He drew in a more relaxed breath. At least Tess had been smart and kept herself safe.

But hadn’t she always taken care of herself? For years before he’d found her, she’d survived on her own in the harshest of conditions.

He needed to remember that—and respect it.

Anya pushed the door open.

His heart tumbled inside his chest.

Tess stood near Dahlia and the baby. Poxy glue and the ice castle sculpture he’d given her rested on the changing table. His omega’s perfect ass pressed against her gown as she leaned over to try to put it back together again.

“Look who I found in the hall?” Anya’s voice sent both females jumping.

Dahlia whirled around, a look of concern spreading across her face.

But it was the mix of pain and fear on Tess’s face that sliced deepest. He was the damned cause of it.

And only he could fix it.

“Everyone out.”

“We’d rather stay.” Dahlia’s voice shook, and he appreciated how she supported Tess anyway.

“I won’t ask again.” He growled, but he did soften his command by saying, “but I appreciate your concern, and I promise Tess is safe with me. Always.”

“It’s alright,” Tess told them as well. “Maxheim and I should talk.”

With a last look over their shoulders, the two omegas and the baby departed.

He waited until everyone was gone.

Silence filled the room.

Their gazes lock.

Only then did he stalk forward.

Tension crackled between them.

With each step he took, her chest rose faster, her breath coming harder, but as always, she stood her ground, that stubborn chin tipping up in defiance.

He barreled forward until he loomed above, so close his thighs brushed hers.

“Maxheim—”

“Tess.” He dropped to his knees, his cheek pressing into her belly as his fingers dug into the flesh of her hips. “Forgive me.”

* * *

Her lungs stuttered.Of all the possible outcomes she’d expected, this was not one.

From the moment she’d seen Maxheim Skolov in that auction room, she’d sensed his power and his will—and yet, he’d never seemed stronger than he did now.

Heart full, she dropped to her knees beside the Alpha she loved. “Always.”

She cradled Maxheim’s jaw in her hands. “If you forgive me too. I didn’t mean to make you feel as if you didn’t matter most. I only wanted to make you feel protected. Like you do for me.”

“I see that now.” He held her tighter. “I wanted to give you everything. I didn’t realize I was holding back the one thing you needed most.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “I will always do what I have to do to protect you, but I won’t shut you out again. We’ll find a way together.”

This time she let the stupid tears come, pressing feather-like kisses to his jaw, his mouth, his chin. “I love you, Maxheim. Enough to stay. Enough to trust—but only if you’ll do the same. Trust me too. Let me care for you too. Otherwise, I’ll always just be something that belongs to you rather than a true mate.”

“Tess, you’re strong as hells. Beautiful inside and out. But this galaxy is harsh and brutal. It’s in my nature to want to protect the strength and beauty inside you. To do whatever I have to do to keep you safe.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “This shell on the outside is so tiny. So delicate and soft . . . I can’t let anything hurt you.” He paused. “And it’s pure selfishness. Pure, savage ruthlessness. Because the fact is, I need you to be okay. I need to use my strength and my dirty strategies and ruthlessness because . . . without you, there is no life for me.”

She swallowed hard, shocked by the depth of emotion thickening his voice.

“You’re in my blood and my bones. Without you, what’s out there is just dull and bland and colorless. It’s duty and obligation. There’s no fire, no joy, no surprises, or wonderful chaos.”

She held him tighter.

“You are my true mate in every way, and it’s not your gift that makes you extraordinary. It’s your strength. Your refusal to give up. This galaxy breaks so many, but not you.” He pulled her onto his lap, so she straddled him, his intense gaze locked with hers. “You’re loyal. You’re kind. You shake up my life in the best of ways. You push me. Challenge me. Make me into a better Alpha and a better male. A better brother too. You’ve given my family back to me and me back to my family. You are my everything.”

Her throat was so full. “You are my everything too.”

He pressed kisses against her ear, her neck. “I’ll put down anyone who tries to take you from this world or from my arms because you are my survival. You are my mooring. You are my compass and my road home, my foundation and my pinnacle, my beginning and my end, my heart and my soul.”

Awe ran through her.

He loved her. Just as she loved him. But even more than that, he needed her, just as she did him.

It didn’t matter that he was mafia Brotherhood royalty, and she’d started as a slave. It didn’t matter that she’d been alone and forced to scramble for herself while he’d shouldered the cares of his family on his back for decades. They were two souls from very different worlds, twisted and remade by life’s challenges, who fit together perfectly.

She anchored him just as he did her. He strengthened her just as she did him. Together, they could think bigger and reimagine what was possible for them both.

“When this is over . . .” He pressed more kisses to her jaw. Nipped at her ear. Scrapped his fangs against her throat.

“Mmmm.” Her head tipped back, giving him better access. “More ground rules?” She was ridiculously breathless—and happier than she ever remembered being.

“Yes.” He smiled against her skin. “But in the meantime, I have a plan.”