The Lost Pack (Paige) novel Chapter 2

** Poppy’s POV **

Leo’s mouth crashes back against mine, and this time there’s nothing restrained about it. No hesitation, no careful distance, just heat.

His hand slides from my jaw to the back of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair as he deepens the kiss, pulling me fully against him. I gasp softly against his lips, and he takes advantage of it instantly, his other arm tightening around my waist like he’s anchoring me to him.

The bond flares again, brighter this time, sharper. It surges through me, wrapping around my chest, my lungs, my heart, pulling, tightening, demanding.

‘Mine.’

The thought isn’t entirely mine. It doesn’t feel like Leo either. It feels bigger, and this time, I don’t fight it.

My fingers tighten in his shirt, tugging him closer even though there’s no space left between us.

“Leo…” I breathe, the sound breaking apart as his lips trail from mine to my jaw, then lower, slow and deliberate. His name feels like a surrender. Like a promise.

“I’ve got you,” he murmurs against my skin, his voice rough and unsteady in a way I’ve never heard before. Not the calm, controlled Leo I’ve come to know. This is something else, something stripped back and real. His hands move carefully, giving me time, giving me space to stop him if I need to. I don’t… I won’t. Instead, I lean into him, meeting every movement, every touch, every breath, as if I’ve been waiting for this longer than I realised. The bond pulses again, stronger and deeper. Like it’s threading something between us that can’t be undone.

My head tips back slightly as his lips follow the movement, and the world tilts with it. Every nerve ending feels alive, every thought narrowing down to him, his touch, his warmth, the way he says my name like it matters. Like I matter.

“I’m here,” I whisper, not even sure what I’m trying to say.

But he understands; he always does. His forehead presses briefly to mine, his breathing uneven, his eyes searching my face like he needs to see it, needs to feel that I’m still choosing this. Still choosing him.

“Say it again,” he murmurs.

It’s not a demand, it’s a need, and I don’t hesitate this time.

“I choose you.”

Something in his expression breaks open at that. His lips find mine again, slower now, but no less intense. Like this isn’t just about want anymore. It’s something else, something binding.

Leo’s hands move lower, and I already know what he’s planning without him needing to say it. I jump, his hands catching my thighs as I wrap them around his waist.

“Upstairs?” he asks, his voice low and husky.

A thrill shoots straight through me as I look into his eyes.

“Upstairs,” I agree, already breathless from the anticipation of what I know is about to happen.

Leo doesn’t waste a second; he moves towards the stairs with determination. Carrying me like I weigh nothing, whilst never

taking his eyes from mine. When we reach the top of the stairs, he kicks my bedroom door open, not bothering to close it behind him.

His grip on me eases, slowly letting my legs down until my feet hit the floor. I don’t let any time pass before my hands are on him, my fingers find the hem of his shirt, and I push it up. He helps without hesitation, pulling his top up and over his head, leaving his chest bare.

I can’t stop my hands from reaching out to touch him. He’s gorgeous, his chest is broad with defined muscles leading all the way down his abdomen. His skin tanned, like he’d spent the summer in the sun; it’s a stark contrast to my pale hand.

I brush my hands over him, lingering on the spot I know he was shot. There’s not even a scar there now, but my hand trembles as I remember the exact place it was. I was so close to losing him that night, and even though I didn’t know him then, I know now what a great loss it would have been.

Leo’s hand catches my wrist and brings it up to his mouth, kissing over my pulse point. I’m sure he can feel how he makes it spike with just a touch. His eyes meet mine again as his hands run along my arms, and then down my sides, stopping at my waist. It’s only as he begins to lift my top that I remember I’m wearing the most unsexy underwear I own.

As if sensing my sudden frustration with myself, Leo’s hands freeze.

“What’s wrong?”

He thinks I’m going to run again; I can see the fear in his eyes, and it almost breaks me.

“Nothing big,” I shake my head. “I’m just very much regretting my underwear choice,” I admit.

A slow smirk spreads over his mouth. “Then let me help you out of them.”

I lift my arms, allowing him to pull my T-shirt off. I feel the hair rise on my arms as I watch him. The way his lips part slightly, and the tip of his tongue darts out to wet his lips, tells me he likes what he sees, old greyed bra and all.

Somehow, he understands exactly what I want. His finger pushes inside me as his tongue flicks over my clit. We both moan in unison, and the vibration almost undoes me, but it’s his fingers curling around to hit that sweet spot as his tongue flattens against me that finally tips me over the edge.

I cry out as I become weightless with sensation, by body spasming around his fingers.

“That was beautiful,” he whispers. “You’re beautiful, Poppy.”

Time passes in a blur, because my eyes flutter closed for what feels like a bliss-filled second before Leo’s now fully naked body presses against mine. I open my eyes, and he smiles down at me, a real, genuine smile.

“You still sure?” He asks, and I feel his cock nudge at my entrance.

I bring my hands up to rest on his shoulders. “Hell, yes,” I smile, and then I wrap my legs around him, pulling him in.

My whole body sets on fire the moment he slides in. His eyes close, his mouth opens, and his head tips back slightly. He doesn’t move for a moment, just trembles as he braces himself above me.

“This is more than I could ever imagine,” he admits.

I can’t speak; the anticipation overwhelming me, so I just nod. When Leo draws back and then thrusts his hips, I see stars. I never fully understood the whole ‘made for each other’ thing until now, in this very moment. It’s as if his body was designed to hit every single nerve ending in mine.

I feel sweat break out over my skin as his every thrust increases in speed and strength. Each one drives me higher until I can’t hold it any longer. The orgasm crashes into me with a force that makes my whole body seize. I don’t even realise I’m screaming his name until my throat feels raw.

“I can’t…” Leo grunts.

It takes my dopamine-filled brain a moment to understand what he’s saying.

“Do it,” I pant, tilting my head to the side to give him access.

Leo growls as he lunges, his teeth sink into my neck, sharp and painful for half a second before I’m drowning in euphoria. The bond surges one last time, wrapping tight, pulling us together until I can’t tell where I end and he begins.

The moment the bond snaps into place, it’s not loud or overwhelming; it’s quiet, deep, and absolute. It feels like something ancient slipping into place, like a missing piece of my soul finally finding where it belongs.

Warmth spreads through my chest, steady and sure, threading through every part of me until I can feel him, not just his emotions, but his presence, constant and grounding. It’s not just connection, it’s recognition. A sense of home I didn’t realise I’d been searching for, settling into my bones with a certainty that cannot be undone.