And knowing I spent time drawing her, that should be proof that she mattered.
“Because you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Keep that one too.”
I would have plenty of time to draw more of her, from every angle, every strand of her gorgeous moonlight hair. Those ones I’ll keep for myself.
I leaned in to brush my lips across her forehead, and Crescent pushed her head into the touch like an eager kitten.
“Thank you,” she whispered, and something about her fragile tone urged me to open up, just a little bit more.
“If I ever forget you, show me those drawings. Then I’ll know you’re special.”
A little furrow appeared between her eyebrows. “Forget me? Why would you forget?”
That, I wasn’t going to explain. “I probably won’t,” I lied. “But, just in case.”
“Well…” she frowned. “If you might forget, why don’t you keep this one with you?”
I looked at the portrait, thinking to the other I carried with me.
“It’s for you, Moonlight.”
“I want it in my nest when we get out of here. So you have to keep it so you remember me until then.”
I smiled, looking back down at it. “Deal.”
“I want this one, though.” “She clutched the sunset to her chest. Her body leaned forward, silently begging for another forehead kiss, and I was happy to oblige.
This time I kissed her forehead and then the tip of her nose, and she let out a delicate squeak.
When I pulled back, she rushed to grab one of the nearby pillows. There seemed to be an odd weight to the pillowcase, but I didn’t question it as she shoved her gift into the case and carefully rearranged the pillow to be perfect.
She wanted to keep my art in her nest?
I couldn’t help but grin.
Whether you got to give her oral or not, I won this round, Vandle.
20
VANDLE
It was a shame we had to bring Crescent out eventually.
These bastards didn’t deserve to look at her—my golden-eyed princess—and I was glad they weren’t going to be catching her scent. We had a limited amount of scent blockers, and we’d used some up for her.
After she’d showered off the aftereffects of her orgasm, of course. I’d showered too, just to be safe, but I could still taste her on my tongue. I hoped it would last until the next time she needed my help, but the whole pack was going to be fighting over the privilege now.
Phantom was especially pouty about it.
Probably because he’d missed the whole damn thing while he was in the shower, only coming out to catch the tail end of her orgasm.
After Karma and Sin returned, we had to wait a bit for the Emerald pack to get ready. Karma cuddled up with her in her nest, and I saw them hunched over what looked like a few of his sketches.
Whatever they were doing, he was becoming brighter in the bond. More stable? I thought so, as I watched them together. That was good.
When we left at last, our group was nine strong, flanking the delicate female omega at our centre, protecting her on all sides from anyone who would want to take her.
Even with all of that, it felt dangerous. There were feral alphas lurking all over, but more than that, too many packs who might turn on us.