Desired By Three Alphas; Fated To One

Hailee's POV

My bones felt broken, my body drained, and all I wished was to remain in the comforting arms of Dane. His warmth was the only thing anchoring me, keeping me from floating away. Every muscle of mine ached, but his touch soothed me—his hand stroking my back, his breath steady against my temple. I pressed closer, burying my face in his chest. His scent wrapped around me, comforting me. My throat was raw, my lips swollen, but my heart… it felt full. Every shiver that ran through me was met with his embrace, his voice whispering words meant to tether me back to him.

Dane's arms tightened around me, his chest rising and falling in steady rhythm against my cheek. For a moment, it was easy to forget the chaos waiting for me outside this room. Easy to pretend I could stay here forever, safe in his warmth.

"Hailee…" His voice was rough, hesitant, but full of nervousness. I lifted my head slightly, meeting his eyes. The rawness in them nearly unraveled me.

"I love you," he said, his voice breaking at the edges. "I don't care what anyone else thinks, or how complicated this is. I want you. I want you as my mate."

The words slammed into me. My breath hitched, my heart aching so fiercely it felt like it might split in two. This was the third time. Three men. Three confessions. Three promises of forever. And I couldn't hold onto any of them.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to nod, to give him something. "I'll… think about it," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I'll give you a response soon."

It was a lie. I knew it. But I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth—that in just a few hours, I'd be gone. Disappearing from his life, leaving only questions and broken hearts behind.

My chest tightened so painfully I had to look away. "You should go now," I murmured, brushing my thumb along his jaw one last time. "My mother will be here soon."

His grip on me didn't ease. Instead, his eyes hardened, his jaw clenching. "No. I can't leave you like this. You still need aftercare. You're trembling, you're exhausted. I'm not walking out on you until I know you're okay."

Tears burned my eyes, but I forced a weak smile, pressing my palm against his chest. "I'll take care of myself, Dane. I promise."

He shook his head, stubborn, his thumb tracing the side of my face like he was memorizing me. "You don't understand… letting you out of my arms right now feels like cutting off my own heartbeat."

I closed my eyes, letting his words sink deep where they could only cause more damage. If I stayed another second, I'd shatter completely.

So I forced myself to whisper the lie again, softer this time, almost like a plea. "I'll take care of myself."

And before he could answer, before he could see my tears, I buried my face against his chest one last time, clutching him as if it was the final anchor keeping me from drowning. Because it was.

"I'm a dominant, Hailee," he said quietly after a moment of silence. "And what we just did—what I just put you through—it wasn't ordinary sex. It was BDSM. That means I take care of you after. Always. I don't just walk away and leave you trembling like this."

His thumb traced over my cheek, his eyes dark with both softness and worry. "You're mine to protect after the scene, not just during it."

My chest squeezed painfully. God, I wanted to let him. I wanted to stay in his arms until every ache faded. But time wasn't on my side, and the longer he lingered, the more dangerous it became.

I forced myself to shake my head, my voice small but urgent. "Dane… you can't stay. My mother will be angry if she sees you here."

He frowned, his jaw tightening. "I don't give a damn if she's angry—"

I cut him off quickly, my hands clutching at his chest. "Please. You have to go." My throat burned with the words, because all I wanted was the opposite. "I'll take care of myself, I promise."

His eyes searched mine, torn between stubborn defiance and the fear of leaving me alone. The silence stretched until I thought he would never let go. Finally, with a low, frustrated growl, he exhaled sharply.

"Damn it, Hailee," he muttered, pulling back just enough to look at me fully. "This goes against everything in me. But if you insist…"

Reluctantly, he slid out from under the blanket, his movements tense, like every step away from me cost him everything. He stood at the edge of the bed, the muscles in his back rippling as he reached for his clothes.

I watched in silence, my heart cracking as he pulled his shirt over his head, buttoned it slowly, then tugged his trousers into place. Every movement was slow, controlled, but I could feel the storm brewing inside him.

When Dane finished dressing, the room felt colder, emptier. I clutched the blanket tighter around me, my chest aching as I watched him adjust his sleeves with mechanical precision, like it was the only thing keeping his hands from reaching for me again.

He stopped at the door, his back to me, as if he was fighting himself. I could almost see the war raging inside him. Leave, like I asked… or stay, like he needed.

Slowly, he turned back. His eyes burned into mine, dark and desperate, and before I could say a word, he crossed the space between us in three long strides. His hand cupped my face, warm and rough, and then his mouth crashed down on mine.

It wasn't a kiss for comfort. It was a claim. Fierce, lingering, desperate—like he was pouring every ounce of love, pain, and fear into it, branding me with his taste, his fire. I kissed him back with trembling lips, my heart breaking with every second, because I knew… this could be the last time.

When he finally tore his lips from mine, his forehead pressed to mine, his breath ragged. "I love you, Hailee," he whispered, voice raw. "No matter what happens, don't you ever forget that. You're mine."

My throat burned, my eyes stung, but I forced myself to nod, to whisper back, "I'll… I'll remember."

His hand lingered against my cheek, thumb brushing once more as if memorizing the feel of me. And then—slowly, painfully—he pulled away.

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me in silence. My lips still tingled, my chest still ached, and as tears slid down my face, I clutched the blanket tighter.

I looked around the room, swallowing hard. I have to start packing.