A Savage Debt (The Beholden Duet #1) - Zoey Ellis Page 0,41

keeping an eye on him, searched for his furs. His clothes were enormous and in the semi-darkness of the room, it was impossible for her to figure out what item she grasped. Only halfway through searching when he stirred, she quickly abandoned the task.

Her heart pounded as he turned over and reached for her.

“Come here.” His gruff voice lurched into the room.

Ana headed toward the bed, but as she neared her foot kicked something on the floor. The book he had given to her was by the underside of the bed. Picking it up first, she then slid back into the bed, and the Alpha engulfed her in his thick arms and kept her pressed against his chest. As she lay there, she marveled at the way he slept—holding her in his arms and completely unafraid. Did he sleep with all his woman the same way? Surely, there were some, more capable than her, who would take advantage of a slumbering outlaw—steal his money, try to kill him for the constant bounties placed on him. She traced his nose with her finger. It had only been two nights, and yet things felt so… she pushed the thoughts aside.

Using the moon’s light streaming through the window, she thumbed through the book she picked up.

It was difficult to know whether it was a story or a recounting of factual events. As she continued flicking through it, she realized it was about an Alpha and Omega. She carefully sat up and examined the book, turning it over in her hands to see how and where it was made. It was a simply bound book with nothing on either cover nor the spine, and no insignia of the bookmaker, which was strange. She started from the beginning and began to read.

Ana was almost halfway through when Maddoc stirred again. His hand brushed over her hips, swept down the back of her thigh and hooked under her knee to lift her leg and place it on his shoulder. When his lips caressed the inside of her thigh, her breath hitched.

He was already looking at her, that beautiful darkness in his eyes, and she slowly reached out a hand to brush the pads of her fingers over his dark bushy brows. He had such a distinctive look, and one that affected her in a way she never thought possible. Her finger trailed down his face to his beard, and she caressed his cheek slowly. He was definitely a handsome man, but in a different way from the other Alphas she knew. He wasn’t refined like those of the royal houses and was more rugged than Alphas who were soldiers or farmers. But that didn’t make him any less appealing, in fact, he was very attractive.

They stared at each other in comfortable silence for a long while, Ana taking her time to stroke the hair on his chin, brushing her thumb over his mustache while he stared at her with that dark desire.

“I’m reading the book you gave me. You didn’t tell me it was an Alpha and Omega couple story,” she said finally, drawing her hand away.

Maddoc lowered his head again and kissed the inside of her thigh, sweeping his tongue along her skin as he headed inward, but he said nothing.

“It’s filled with magical portals and orbs and shields,” she said, unable to hide the smirk in her tone. “I didn’t realize you believed in magic. I thought I was the one who believed in children’s folktales.”

Maddoc lifted his eyes to hers. “It is rare, but it does exist.”

Ana had to stop her mouth from dropping open. “You believe in magic?” She would have laughed if his expression wasn’t so serious. “Magic does not exist!”

Maddoc kept his eyes on her and resumed his journey up her thigh.

Ana stared at him. “You really believe in magic?”

“There are pockets within the kingdom where unusual people and unusual things exist. Sometimes there is no explanation for them except to believe the unbelievable.”

Ana scoffed and shook her head, but didn’t know what to say. Who would believe that the notorious outlaw Maddoc believed in magic? But at least now she had a way in to a topic her parents might want to know about. “You’ve traveled all over Allandis?”

Maddoc nodded.

“It’s never been fully charted.”

“No,” Maddoc said pointedly. “Because some places cannot be reached without believing the unbelievable.”

Ana had to smile and Maddoc immediately lifted his head to watch her.

“What was your favorite place?”

“Right here.”

Ana did laugh at that. “Here?