Alpha Tristan

I sensed him as soon as I got back to the house. 

It was silent save for the sound of the heating keeping everything warm, but I knew he was there. My mark pulsed and I could feel the ache in my heart subside slightly. The desperation I felt in my heart was immense. I was desperate to be near him again—so much so that I had ran straight from the training field and didn't even look back once. 

Pulling off my jacket, I dr.a.p.ed it over the back of the sofa before kicking my shoes off and bounding up the stairs with a sense of urgency I had never felt before. With every step closer to the closed bedroom door, I was consumed by him. His scent was strong yet the grief rolled off him in waves. I got caught up in the tide, almost not able to breathe as I opened the door and stepped in. 

His broad shoulders were hunched over as he placed his elbows on his t.h.i.g.hs and gripped the silky strands of hair in between his fingers. He was still dressed in the same clothes from the day before, but he had discarded his suit jacket to be left in his white dress shirt and black trousers. 

The slim black tie was loose around his neck and even though he didn't look up as I entered the room, I noticed his shoulders straightening out slightly. 

It was like I would combust into a thousand particles if I didn't touch him soon. "Tristan?" I softly called out his name, falling to knees in front of him and lightly gripping his forearms. 

A sigh fell from his lips and I craned my head to  try and meet his gaze. My c.h.e.s.t tightened at his bloodshot eyes and his dark eyelashes lined heavy with tears. There was a sense of shock that filled me at the thought that his pain was strong enough to bring him to tears.

I knew at that moment, I had never seen man so strong. 

"Tristan. I'm here, okay?" I squeezed his arms gently and pulled his hands from his air to softly kiss his knuckles. I leaned closer to him so he could feel my warmth. "I promise I won't leave your side."

The silence weighed heavy in the air and when he broke it, his voice was strained and raw. So raw that it was like his pain was still an open wound—never healing and never less painful. "Your mother visited his grave…did you go with her?" he closed his eyes and his jaw tightened. 

I shook my head vehemently. "No. I swear I didn't."

"He's your father." He murmured lowly and I didn't know if he was taking it in again or stating it as a fact. 

"That man isn't anything to me, Tristan." I choked up, feeling the emotion come back to me tenfold. "But I understand if y-you don't want me anymore—"

In an instant, he wrenched his hands from my grip and lifted his head. Before I could gasp at his rugged appearance, he gripped my chin tightly and gave me a bruising kiss. His mouth was unrelenting against mine and my lungs burned for air. 

When he pulled back, his nose pressed against mine and there was a spark of anger in his fiery blue eyes. "Don't you ever think I don't want you, Kara. Do you understand me?" His fingers tightened almost painfully when I didn't immediately answer. 

"Yes." I gasped, gulping down the anxiety I had felt for the past twenty four hours. "I-it's just you never came home and when I felt your pain…" I reached up to grip his shirt in my hands, right where his heart beat in his c.h.e.s.t. "I thought I caused it after I promised to never hurt you again."

His grip loosened and the pain was back in his azure eyes again. "I needed to think. At first I was angry, but not at you." He shook his head softly. "Never at you. And then today came and it was too much for me to handle."

I watched him break down slowly. First, he exhaled shakily and then his lip trembled. I quickly stood up and cradled his face in my hands before he tugged me onto his l.a.p, gripping my shirt tightly as a raw sob racked his strong form. He buried his head in my c.h.e.s.t, his shoulders shaking as his arms wrapped around my body and held onto me for dear life.

His guard was down completely. He bared his soul to me and pressed himself so tightly against me, it was like he wanted us to be one. My arm wrapped around his shoulder as my other hand c.a.r.e.s.sed his hair gently. The floodgates had burst and he cried into my c.h.e.s.t, soaking my shirt with his painful tears. 

They expelled the pain deep in his heart and he found solace in my embrace when his sobs dwindled into low and tired m.o.a.ns. I held him against me through it all, having a new sense of admiration for him. 

His shoulders were weighted with the responsibility of hundreds of people, and add to that his own hardsh.i.p.s, he brought a whole new meaning to the word strong. He was unlike anyone I had ever met. 

Something deep within me sparked a need to help him with everything. Alphas' mates were arguably the most important key to running a pack successfully. Tristan led excellently and kept everyone together. But who held him together? He had gone through six years of sole leadership and before that had to experience a war full of death and misery. 

He didn't deserve any of it. 

Pulling his head back, I pressed my lips to his forehead then his eyelids, down the slope of his nose, his tear-stained cheeks and finally his lips. Kissing him tenderly, I caught the remnants of his shaky breaths, cradling his face in my hands. "I'll never let you go through this alone, Tristan." I wiped his tears away as the pain etched on his face struck a chord of sadness through my c.h.e.s.t. "Let me take care of you."

Gently untying his tie, I placed it on the silk pillows and slowly lifted myself off him. He gripped onto my shirt and the vulnerability in his eyes scared me. It was like he trusted me wholeheartedly. He didn't care that he was meant to be  the  Alpha Tristan. At that moment, he was just Tristan—the man behind the 'beast' and the one everyone misunderstood.

Grabbing onto his hand, I pulled him up with me and stared up at him. "I'm not leaving your side." I murmured before he threaded his fingers through my curls and lowered his lips to mine. 

I pulled away after a few moments and tugged on his hand, turning around and leading him into the adjoined bathroom. Our fingers remained linked as I ran the water, filling up the bathtub before facing him again. He was silent as I reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt. 

He watched me carefully and when I pushed the material off his wide shoulders, a small, barely-there smile made its way onto his face. I knew he relished in any sort of affection I showed him and I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't hold back anymore. I reached for his belt and glanced up at him to see if it was okay. 

Nodding his head, I took his belt off and allowed him to take off his remaining clothes as I finished preparing his bath. The suds stayed on my palm as I ran a hand through the water, testing its temperature before Tristan lowered himself into it. Kneeling by the bath, I watched as he leaned his head back, closing his eyes as his Adam's apple bobbed.

Threading my fingers through his hair, I leaned over and gently pressed my lips to his temple. I stayed there for a lengthy moment, breathing in his scent before I pulled back. 

He tilted his head and opened his eyes slightly. "Get in here, Kara."

My face warmed as I shook my head. "This is about you. I'm taking care of you."

A sense of longing filled his eyes. "Keep your clothes on or don't but I need to hold you, αγάπη—I need to feel close to you." His voice was rough but his words were tender. I couldn't deny him if I tried. 

For a few moments, I watched him in silence before nodding my head. With shaky hands, I stripped off every article of clothing that I had on and he kept his eyes on mine the entire time. The edge of the bathtub was cold as I pressed a hand against it to help me lower myself into the water. It was big enough for the both of us and before I could say anything, he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me against him. 

My head rested against his shoulder as he cupped my chin from behind and slanted his lips over mine. His kiss was gentle and caring and his nose pressed against my cheek as he inhaled my scent. "You're so beautiful, Kara. And perfect." He kissed me again roughly. "So f.u.c.k.i.n.g perfect."

I felt him against the small of my back and I shuddered in his arms. "I'm not perfect, Tristan. I'm far from it."

He shook his head adamantly. "You are. You thought I didn't want you but you came to me just so I wouldn't feel alone. You put me first and I can count on one hand how many people have done that for me." He stroke my cheek softly and linked our fingers together with his other hand. 

I kissed the back of his hand. "I'm just happy you still want me." My voice was small and I faced forward again. "I was so  scared, Tristan."

He buried his face in the back of my hair. "None of it matters to me, Kara. He left you and your mother and as bad as this sounds, I'm glad he did. He was cruel to his own mate, and if he stayed with you." He released a shaky breath, holding me tighter. "I can't imagine what you would've went through."

I felt the tears spring to the surface and I leaned further into him, squeezing his hand as I closed my eyes. He was right. I couldn't imagine what my childhood would have been like if I was raised by such a cruel monster. 

Twisting my upper body, I pulled his face closer to mine and rested my forehead against his. His eyes were still bloodshot and I frowned lightly. "I think you can. You've experienced pain like nobody I've ever met. What do you need from me to make it feel better?" I settled my hand over his heart and felt the organ pump his blood quickly as I felt what he felt. 

It wasn't l.u.s.t—it was more than that. 

"I need you , Kara." His voice was still raw and that solidified the fact that he did. Something had changed in our relationship, and suddenly I knew it was the right time. "I don't want to spend the day alone again. I need all of you."

I nodded my head, breathing in his scent as I brushed my thumb across his cheekbone. Wordlessly, he pulled me up with him, a firm arm around my waist as he reached for a towel on the rack. Water dripped from his muscular body as he wrapped the black towel around me, tipping my chin up as he pressed a kiss to my lips. 

Once a towel was secured around his h.i.p.s, he tucked an arm behind my legs and lifted me into his arms. His shoulders were strong and I flattened my hands against the muscles that flexed under his skin, lifting my gaze to his. 

His eyes seemed slightly lighter and he walked us back into the bedroom. With a gentleness that starkly contrasted his rough demeanour, he laid me on the bed and framed my face with his hands. For what felt like minutes, he simply stared at me almost reverentially. 

When I finally pulled his face to mine again, the blood rushed in my ears and I could acutely feel the way my heart thumped strongly in my c.h.e.s.t. His hands brushed against the hem of the towel, gripping it softly as the tip of his nose pressed against mine. 

"I'll be so gentle with you, Kara—I promise."

He kissed me slowly as he stripped me of the towel. I shivered and kept his lips on mine to take his attention off the anxiety that filled my c.h.e.s.t. Curving his hands around my waist, he leaned back and twined my legs around his h.i.p.s. 

I shuddered with every touch under his strong hands as he lowered his lips to my jaw, kissing my skin and dragging his hot tongue down my neck. I sighed into his ear and slid my fingers through his hair to pull his head back. He leaned up and raked his eyes down my b.a.r.e figure. 

He never failed to make me feel beautiful. He stared at me as if I was the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe. His large hands spread across my c.h.e.s.t and he blew out a low breath. "I've imagined you like this every single day since I met you. The image in my mind doesn't compare to the real thing." He closed the distance between us again and proceeded to kiss and touch every part of my body, pushing me to the edge as he focused on where I needed him the most. 

I gripped onto his biceps as I threw my head back and m.o.a.n.e.d out his name. I shuddered underneath him and his left hand flattened against my hip, pinning me onto the bed as he pulled his right hand away from me. He gripped my chin and passionately delved his tongue into my mouth, striking a chord of deep d.e.s.i.r.e through me as he kissed me expertly.

"It should be a sin to sound that amazing." He grunted as my knee brushed against him before I leaned up on my elbows and tugged at the towel at his waist. I pulled the material off his body and when I gazed at him in his entirety, I couldn't help but feel like I was incredibly lucky. 

He was sinfully handsome. 

"Tristan." I inhaled deeply, reaching for his shoulder to tug him down to meet my lips again. "I need more—I need to feel close to you too."

He instantly lifted my h.i.p.s towards his and pressed himself against me, eliciting a whimper from me. "There's no going back from this, Kara. After this, you're mine, my Luna." He was hard against me and I could hardly take it anymore. I just wanted him, no matter what it took. 

The s.e.x.u.a.l tension pulsed between us ever since we met and I was finally ready to put an end to it. "I'm already yours, Tristan. Make me feel like you're not going anywhere."

He g.r.o.a.n.e.d quietly and nodded his head, nuzzling his face into the crook of my neck for a moment before he pulled back to retrieve protection. He was quick with it all and leaned above me as I glanced down our bodies. "Look at me, Kara. Look at me while we do this."

Lifting my gaze to his, he slowly guided himself closer until I gasped and gripped his shoulders, feeling the guard I had held up when it came to our relationship fall down hard as the mate pull began to pulse between us strongly. It brought us closer until I wasn't sure where I ended and Tristan started. And with one swift snap of his h.i.p.s, we joined in the most intimate way possible. 

I kept my eyes on his, feeling my mouth drop open as I reveled over how he felt. He stuttered out a groan and his hands tightened around my h.i.p.s. I couldn't deny he felt amazing and I jolted underneath him when he pulled back only to rock our bodies gently. 

His pace was torturously slow, but the pain I initially felt quickly subsided until all I could feel was p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. He rested his forehead on mine and stared straight into my eyes as he moved against me with a sense of tenderness that almost brought tears to my eyes. 

"I'm never going to leave you, Kara." He whispered quietly as he rolled his h.i.p.s in a way that had me clutching on for dear life. I m.o.a.n.e.d his name into his ear and he g.r.o.a.n.e.d in response, thrusting into me slightly harder. 

His pace stayed the same, but the force increased with each thrust until he sparked my second climax of the day, latching his lips onto where I bore his mark. The gasp ripped from my throat and he guided my h.i.p.s up to meet him every time. It was then I felt the last barrier between us drop and I could finally hear his thoughts. 

I occupied every part of his mind and I gripped his face in mine before kissing him deeply. I swallowed down his grunts of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e and whimpered against his lips as the force behind his h.i.p.s jolted me further up the bed. I would have collided straight into the headboard if it wasn't for his hands all over my body. 

I never wanted to leave his embrace. 

"You feel so good, αγάπη." He g.r.o.a.n.e.d against my mouth, gradually slowing down his pace as I came down from my high. "Tell me how good I make you feel."

I threw my head back and closed my eyes, feeling him kiss the column of my neck as the m.o.a.n deep in my throat vibrated against his lips. " So good. Don't stop."

My wish was his command as he made it his mission to push me off that same edge once more, capturing my scream with his lips as he rocked me through it, squeezing my h.i.p.s tightly as he followed me off the edge, groaning deeply into my neck. His pace quickened almost inhumanly and I was reduced to a gasping mess underneath him. 

He lightly bit my shoulder and cradled my face with his hand. "You look so beautiful like this." A thin layer of sweat lined his skin and mine, and he pressed his thumb to my bottom lip, slipping it into my mouth as I gripped onto his wrist. I could barely think straight after it all, and the only thing I could think of was doing it again. "You mean the world to me."

I stared up at him with a newfound emotion and lifted my h.i.p.s to keep his flat against mine. I could feel everything and the mere heat made me dizzy with longing. "I don't want to stop. Do you?"

He shook his head and lightly thrusted into me once more. "We're not leaving this bed, Kara. Not until I show you just how much I care about you."