When he finally managed to force himself to break the kiss, he was panting. So was she.
“Damon…” The sound of his name coming from her mouth was musical, but he needed something else.
“The mates of Alpha Protectors call their mates Daddy, Baby girl.” He stroked her cheek, watching her reaction.
“Daddy?”
“Mm hmm. It’s a term of endearment.”
“You don’t want me to call you Damon? Your name?”
He set his forehead against hers. “You might be inclined to shout it at an unusual decibel when I’m buried inside you while you come so hard your eyes roll back,” he teased. Sort of.
She gasped.
He chuckled. “Let’s go home.”
She swallowed hard, and her voice squeaked as she responded, “Okay…Daddy. My mother said you’re going to carry me in your arms. Is that true?”
“Yes. I can give you a few drops of a mild potion that will put you to sleep during the journey. That’s what most mates do to help their females relax during the trip.”
She licked her pretty lips again. “Do I have to?”
“No, especially not if doing so gives you even more anxiety. You could close your eyes, hold on to my neck, and focus on something other than the climb up the mountain.”
“Because it’s kind of scary for a sighted person?”
“Yes.” He wouldn’t lie to her. That was the reason.
“I’ll be fine. I promise I won’t panic. Will you please let me hold on to you and stay awake?”
“Yes, Baby girl. I’ll do whatever makes you most comfortable. If you change your mind along the way, I can always stop and give you the potion.”
“Okay.” Her heart rate settled, letting him know his Little mate would prefer not to be put to sleep. He didn’t mind. It simply meant he would need to take his time and go slower than he would otherwise.
She giggled when he picked her up and cradled her against him. “We’re not dressed for a climb up the mountain.”
He chuckled. “It’s a weird tradition.”
When she leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed, he kissed the top of her head and strolled toward the exit. Several other Alpha Protectors would accompany them up the mountain—yet another tradition.
Soon he would have his precious mate in his home.
She suddenly lifted her head. “My bag…”
He spotted it against the wall. “I’ve got it, Baby girl.” After swinging her small satchel over his shoulder, he stepped out of the room and into his future.
Chapter Two
Olivia held on to her mate as tightly as possible during the long trip. It was definitely stressful, especially since she couldn’t see much of anything. Her vision had deteriorated significantly since she’d approached him a year ago.
At the time, she’d still been able to make out some images. Now, she was reduced mostly to light and dark at any sort of distance. The only way to make out anything specific was to bring it within an inch of her face, and even that was fading.
She was pleased to be able to at least see her mate enough to know his features before she lost all ability to see in the not-too-distant future. She knew his skin was a shade lighter than hers, his hair was brown and thick. His eyes were also brown.
And his smile… She wanted to memorize that smile and hoped she would never forget it.
“We’re home, Baby girl,” he finally declared as he stepped onto a different surface. She recognized the sound of wooden planks against his shoes and assumed they were on a porch. The darker shadow in front of her would be the house.
