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complete control of a mate.
He remembered closing the door and sealing himself in the room alone with the other
man. He remembered discovering that his new submissive was a wolf rather than a man. He
remembered discovering what a perfect match Bennett actually was for him.
It can never happen again.
Marsdon blinked his way back into the here and now, pushing away his memories of
what felt like perfection in order to face the imperfections of the situation in front of him.
It seemed like a lifetime ago now, but Marsdon knew what he remembered was right.
They d both wanted it. From that first moment where they stood there like idiots in the back
room of a human club with no idea how humans would act in that situation, and with no
idea what a wolf should do either, they d both wanted what they found there. They d both
needed it.
Marsdon met Bennett s eyes across the barn. He felt just as clueless now as he had
then.
THE MARK OF AN ALPHA Kim Dare
52
You were thinking about how things were in the club, Bennett accused.
It wasn t a question, but Marsdon answered anyway. Yes.
That can never happen again, Bennett repeated.
Marsdon studied him for several long seconds. So, if not that, what do we do?
Because if Bennett thought he knew the answer to that, he was destined to be very
disappointed in him.
Other alphas manage to mate as equals. There s no reason why we can t, Bennett
said.
Marsdon raised an eyebrow at the idea. It was hard to work out which of them his
mate was trying to convince.
You said you recognise that I m an alpha, that I m your equal, Bennett challenged.
Prove it.
Marsdon stepped forward, slowly closing the gap between them, willing to try
anything at all if it might get them out of this stalemate.
Bennett stayed exactly where he was in the middle of the barn, studying his every
move. He was as still right then as he had ever been in bondage. Stopping in front of him,
Marsdon touched his cheek. It was a request for him to tilt his head back and be kissed. Not
an order, a request. Bennett allowed him to guide his head back.
Marsdon carefully brushed their lips together. Bennett made no objection. When he
deepened the kiss, Bennett allowed that too. Marsdon felt a rush of relief sweep through his
body. If all his mate needed him to do was learn nicer manners, that was easily fixed.
Half a step forward brought their bodies together. Bennett half reached out to him in
return and then he hesitated. Marsdon pretended he hadn t noticed any of it. Bennett was
unfamiliar with the freedom of movement he had right then. It was only to be expected that
everything would be a bit tentative between them.
A minute passed. Bennett cautiously lifted a hand and threaded his fingers into
Marsdon s hair. That deserved a reward. Marsdon deepened the kiss even further, sliding his
tongue against Bennett s lips, hoping to coax a pleased little murmur from him.
Bennett stayed silent.
THE MARK OF AN ALPHA Kim Dare
53
Marsdon frowned. It felt like an eternity since the mating ceremony ended. But now,
when he was finally being welcomed close and he was finally allowed to touch his mate, it
felt like they were both moving through treacle.
Everything was ridiculously slow and careful. Part of Marsdon could accept that, part
of him even saw that it was to be expected. Everything was new all over again. They were
only just getting to know each other. It was more complicated than things had been back in
the club. Marsdon could understand all of that. Hell, if it was what made Bennett happy they
could move at glacier speed. Slow wasn t the real problem.
Marsdon s frown deepened as he tried to work out what really felt so wrong between
them. Even though his hands rested on Bennett s body, it still felt like he was miles away.
The connection he d felt with his lover seemed dull and muted. Marsdon persevered,
deepening the kiss once more, searching for what he d felt in the club, desperate to feel truly
alive again.
He settled one of his hands on the small of his mate s back, encouraging him closer
still until they were pressed tight together. Bennett complied. Marsdon rocked his hips a
fraction, the way he had so many times when they were back at the club and he wanted to
tempt his pup to pull against his restraints in an effort to thrust back against his master.
Bennett stood very still, making no effort to copy the movement. Marsdon pressed
carefully against his back, trying to nudge him into following his lead without making any
demands upon him. His mate shifted his stance, but that was it.
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