In a Rut

One Week Later

I turned the wrapped box over in my hand several times, feeling strangely nervous about giving it to Rainbow as I sat in the food court of the Crystal Emporium Mall. I’d ordered it the day after we’d gotten back together and I’d picked it up less than an hour ago, and now Rainbow was on her way here to meet me.

I wondered if it was too much.

We had already talked. For hours, actually, after a short marathon of sex as we caught up on our respective need for one another Rainbow and I had showered, laundered the sheets, and while those were running we’d laid on the couch, curled up together, and talked.

To my surprise, even outside of our sexual compatibility, Rainbow and I shared a surprising number of interests. We both liked run-and-gun shooters, and cartoons of various stripes, and finding all of that out just made me wish I’d tried harder, earlier.

Moreover, it turned out that Rainbow really had liked being my bitch. Not necessarily because she liked being browbeaten with it, but because she liked being doted on while still being able to be a brat about it.

And I loved doting on her, especially when she was being bratty about it.

It’s kinda hot, okay?

I turned the box over in my hands again, a strange little set of nervous butterflies taking up residence in my stomach as I considered what it contained. I didn’t want to insult Rainbow, and I didn’t think I would, but I wanted to see her smile really badly, and I was hoping this would do the trick.

She always smiled at me, of course. She did it all the time.

But I wanted to see that smile.

The one where her whole face lights up and her cheeks go a little pink, and I can kind of tell she wants to get all emotional and sappy and maybe cry a little but she won’t because it’s not cool.

Rainbow is surprisingly soft-hearted for an alpha, and I’m not sure it’s just because she was raised by an omega the way Applejack seems to think.

“Hey, alpha.”

I nearly jumped as Rainbow’s voice kicked me out of my inner musings and I looked up to see her working her way through the crowd.

“Hey, Ra…” I began, but my words faltered as I choked on them.

Oh no, she’s cute.

Her short, bobbed hair was freshly washed and styled in that purposefully punk and windblown way, with the two-tone dyed locks of scarlet and gold hanging over her eyes. She was wearing a denim jacket over a tight top that did wonders for her modest curves, but the biggest shocker was that she was wearing a skirt; an adorable little pleated skirt that went down to just above her knees and showed off her shapely calves.

And it was obvious that she knew exactly how good she looked to me.

“See somethin’ ya like, alpha?” Rainbow gave her best coquettish smile as she playfully flared the hem of her skirt.

A growl built up in the depths of my chest as I stood from the couch I’d been lounging on, crossed the distance between us, and grabbed Rainbow by her hips and pulled her against me, crushing my lips to hers hungrily as she curled up in my embrace and returned the kiss.

“You,” I hissed between kisses that had Rainbow purring, “are a cheeky,” another kiss, “little bitch, you know that?”

Rainbow’s cheeks were flushed and her lips warm with my affection as she smiled while I glared down at her, and she looped her arms over my shoulders and around my neck to hang off of me playfully.

“You love it, alpha,” Rainbow smirked as she buried her face against my neck and took a deep breath, then murmured against my skin, “because I’m the best little bitch, right?”

My hand went to her ass and gave it a hard squeeze that made her squeak as I nipped at her ear.

“Damn right,” I snarled.

I grabbed her by the neck as I said those words. My grip was gentle but implacable, and Rainbow knew better than to fight it as I moved her head to the side to run my tongue over the bonding mark on the back of her neck, reinforcing it again.

“Freaks.”

Rainbow and I both froze for a moment, and I turned my head slowly to see an alpha and omega pair walking past us. Both of them were giving us disgusted looks.

Like me, the alpha was female; she had short-cut green hair, and she was taller and broader than a female omega who was under her arm. Both of them were dressed for the warmer weather, and if it weren’t for the ugly looks on their faces they might have both been pretty. As it was, Rainbow wilted a little in my arms under their glares, but I just straightened my back, met the alpha’s eyes, and bared my teeth at her.

The air took on a thrumming tension for a long moment as the other alpha tried to square up against me, while Rainbow buried herself against me and Green-hair's omega did the same.

A low growl started to build up in the other alpha’s chest, but I drowned it out with one of my own as I advanced on her, my eyes and temper blazing. Omega and alpha alike backed up a step on instinct as my pheromonal rage clashed against them, but I didn’t let up my advance.

“You got something to say, say it,” I snarled. “We can take this to the parking lot if you want, shithead.”

Green-hair looked like she wanted to start something, but I could see the effect I was having on her giving her second thoughts. She wasn’t even remotely in my weight class as an alpha, she was closer to Rainbow if anything, and we both knew if push came to shove I would drag her happy ass across the asphalt and leave her in the dumpster behind Acy’s.

Good sense won out, surprisingly, and Green-hair just turned, drew her omega closer, and walked away, head bowed a little and tail tucked metaphorically between her legs.

I didn’t take my eyes off of them until they were well out of sight, and I made sure to extend my glare by proxy to anyone who even looked like they might be judging Rainbow Dash.

“I’m sorry,” Rainbow’s voice was small from under my arm, and I sighed quietly as I turned back to her.

“Nothing to be sorry about, babe,” I said as I pulled her closer and hugged her. “Just people being people, that’s all.”

“I know you warned me, but…” Rainbow trailed off as she took a long breath and hugged me back. “I feel like I’m dragging you down, alpha.”

“You’re not dragging me anywhere,” I stepped back from her, carded my fingers through her hair a few times and petted her gently before bringing my hand down to cup her cheek. “I’m right where I want to be, and that’s next to my bondmate.”

Rainbow purred softly as she nuzzled against my hand, and I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face as she looked up at me with those beautiful cerise eyes of hers. Every time she looked at me I knew all over again just how much she meant to me, and every time she smiled I knew I’d do anything to see it just one more time. This was what having a bondmate was supposed to feel like, and I knew that just as well.

On that note, I still had to apologise to Fluttershy.

Technically, we’d agreed to table anything like a relationship until she was back, so I hadn’t been involved with her, but I know the expectation had been there. She was barely gone a day before I was shacking up with Rainbow again, and while I know it’s more complicated than that, I still feel like a heel.

Whatever, I was ready to eat as many helpings of crow as I had to for my actions. I’d apologised to Rainbow already, and I’d sent Fluttershy a message explaining that something had happened and that I wanted to talk to her about it when she got back.

This wasn’t something I wanted to do over the phone. That felt like a coward’s way out. If Fluttershy was going to take it out of my hide she deserved to be able to do it in person.

“So uh…” Rainbow started, drawing my attention back to her, “what’s with the box?”

I glanced down at the gift-wrapped box I’d been gripping this whole time, and smiled as I slung my free arm around Rainbow’s shoulder and pulled her under my arm as I began walking towards the mall exit.

“Just a present,” I said with a grin. “For my best little bitch.”

There was that smile.

The one where her shoulders go up a little along with the dimples in her cheeks, and her eyes go a shade brighter as she wraps her arms around my middle and hugs me tight for a moment before going back to her comfortable place beneath my arm.

That was why I’d put up with Dash’s bitchy, bratty attitude any day of the week. That smile I get from her when I do something nice, and all the brattiness just goes away for a second and all that’s left behind is my soft, lovely bondmate being as happy as I can possibly make her.

“Gimme!” Rainbow snatched for the box and I pulled it away from her grasp.

“Not yet,” I said. “Wait til we get back to your place, okay?”

“Why~?” Rainbow whinged at me and her lip turned down in an adorable pout.

And there’s the brat.

“Because I said so, bitch.” I growled low, but Rainbow just stuck her lip out and met me glare for glare.

We kept walking and our staredown kept right on going until my temper started to actually rise. Rainbow was really pushing her limits with me today, it took a lot of balls to look your alpha in the eyes and scrunch up your nose like a petulant child.

Time to remind Rainbow just who those balls belonged to.

As we passed a small alcove in one of the emptier parts of the mall, I dragged Rainbow into it with me, getting a small yelp of surprise that turned into a strangled, choking noise as I pinned to the wall with one arm and snaked my free hand under her skirt to grab her by the jewels.

Rainbow froze for the second time that hour, but this time the instinct was a purely primal one.

“You’re really pressing your luck today, Dashie,” I said quietly as I pushed up against her until our noses were touching. “I think you forget who belongs to who.”

“I… I j-just… if you got me a present why can’t I just- eep!” Her words cut off as I squeezed just slightly.

“Are you seriously still giving me lip?” I asked with a small, chuckle. “The only lip I ever want from you is when they're wrapped around my cock.”

Rainbow’s cheeks were flaming up to a brilliant red, and I could feel her getting harder under my grip.

“Y-Yes, alpha,” she said sullenly.

“Good girl,” I said, and reinforced it by letting go her sensitive bits only to move my hand up to her slowly hardening length to begin stroking it through the fabric of her panties.

Her cheeks went a shade redder as she let out a quiet, shuddering gasp. “A-Alpha, what are you-?!”

I gave her shaft a gentle squeeze, and her sentence trailed off into a soft moan of pleasure as I started stroking her again. I decided I really did like it when my bitch wore skirts. I’d have to make it a requirement for any time we went out in public because this was just too much fun.

“Ssh,” I pushed my lips to hers and slid my tongue into her mouth, kissing her deeply as I continued to stroke her off.

Fortunately, my bitch was a bit of a quick-shot, and a few seconds later she was shuddering and moaning into my mouth as she stained her panties and skirt with her own seed.

I wiped the excess up with my hand before pulling it back from under her skirt, bringing it up to my lips, and licking my fingers clean while Rainbow panted quietly in my arms, coming down from her sudden high.

“That… that wasn’t fair, alpha,” she grumbled, and I just laughed as I pulled her back under my arms. Rainbow shifted her legs uncomfortably, the stains starting to set in along with the humiliation.

“Maybe next time you remember who’s boss, then,” I replied, smirking down at her as we reached the mall exit and I steered her outside. “Besides…” I leaned down until my lips were right up against her ear, “I’ll fuck you properly once we’re back in bed.”

Rainbow shivered at my promise and nuzzled closer to me.

“Thank you, alpha,” she murred softly.

As if I could do anything else. I was hard as an I-Beam after jerking my bitch off and having her come right in my hand like that, plus the submissive scent she was giving off was putting me right up in the same hormonal region that was usually reserved for my ruts.

When my bitch wanted to be bred, her body was painfully obvious about it, and right now it was practically screaming at me to mount her.

As I said, Rainbow did ‘omega’ better than most actual omegas I knew, and that list included Fluttershy.

“Did you have to do that like, right there?” Rainbow asked as we approached my motorcycle. “Now my skirt is all… sticky.”

“Maybe don’t be such a brat in public next time,” I said with a grin as I tossed Rainbow her helmet before putting mine on. “Now mount up, bitch.”

“Yes, alpha,” Rainbow grumbled as she fitted her helmet and got onto the bike behind me. She didn’t have her leathers which meant I’d have to go slow, but she lived close enough to the Crystal Emporium, so that was fine.

I revved the engine a few times before opening up the throttle, rolling out into the parking lot, and then towards the street. Rainbow wrapped herself around me from behind, pressing herself flush against me as I leaned into the speed and put us out onto the road heading west towards Whitetail.

The little gift I had tucked away in my jacket kept my spirits up. I was still looking forward to the look on Rainbow’s face when she actually opened it, but the alpha and omega from earlier were still threatening to spoil my mood.

Freak.

They weren’t the first, and certainly wouldn’t be the last. Ever since Rainbow and I had gotten back together and decided to do things properly this time, public affection included, we’d gotten more than our share of sour looks and unwarranted commentary.

It was everything I had warned Rainbow about, and I knew it stung her more than she let on. I didn’t care as much because, frankly, I could trounce any of the idiots who dared to give my beautiful bondmate trouble, but Rainbow was as proud and belligerent as she was lovely, and the derisive remarks hit her right in that pride of hers.

Even when I offered to be more circumspect about our relationship, though, Rainbow refused. She wanted us to be together and for the whole damn world to know it, come what may… and like always, I’d give her exactly what she wanted in the end. I was phenomenally shitty at saying no to Rainbow Dash and I suspected I always would be, but this was a matter on which I kind of wished I’d put my foot down.

Too late now, though.

I sighed quietly as we pulled into the driveway of Rainbow’s house. Her father was still out of town, although he knew the broad strokes of what had happened between us. I’d felt obligated to let him know that I was ‘dating’ his daughter.

Of course, by ‘dating’ I meant: ‘plowing six ways from Sunday’, and I’m pretty sure we both knew that, but I felt like saying ‘dating’ was a lot more respectful.

And I did respect him, just like I respected Dash.

I treated Dash like my bitch because that’s what she wanted. She wanted me to dominate her, and to dote on her, and to doll her up, and treat her like a princess, and endure her bratty little temper tantrums and rampages while knowing that I would kiss and fuck her just as hard afterward.

Rainbow Dash wanted to be able to act like a total brat and, with me, she was allowed to. By that same token, she didn’t want someone who would just let her run roughshod over them. Rainbow wanted me to push back and put her in her place, and I enjoyed doing that as much as she enjoyed being put there.

Whatever my words and actions were, though, Rainbow Dash knew one thing for certain, which was that I would literally die before I let anyone lay a hand on her.

Rainbow was safe with me, no matter what.

I held out a hand to help Rainbow Dash off the bike, which she took although she gave me another sullen pout at the offer. She still wasn’t used to getting off of a motorcycle though, and the first time she’d tried it she had faceplanted neatly onto the ground after refusing my help. Apparently, the idea of accepting my hand had become marginally less humiliating than risking another romantic encounter with the concrete driveway.

Rainbow moved a little unsteadily, and the way she shifted her legs under her skirt was all the reason I needed as to why.

That lesson would definitely sink in longer than the others.

At least until a few laundry cycles had passed.

“Ugh, why did I let you do that?” Rainbow said. “I just got this skirt!”

“So wash it,” I replied, then reached down, around, and under her skirt to grab her pantie-clad ass. “Also, you’re going to be wearing a lot more of these from now on.”

“This is my only skirt,” Rainbow wiggled her hips against my palm as she flared the hem of the skirt again and twirled it a little.

“Not for long it isn’t,” I gave her ass a firm smack that gets her trotting a little faster towards the house. “Now come on, or do you not want to open your present?”

That got her moving, and I grinned back at the bratty smirk she shot over her shoulder at me before unlocking the front door. I followed Rainbow into her place and took a deep breath of it. The little suburban house was a lot nicer than my place, and I liked spending time here, but a part of me missed doing this at my shitty apartment and having all of my crap nearby.

Also, there was just something primally satisfying about spending several hours in my bed with Rainbow Dash, alternating between fucking and napping until she was as wrecked as I could make her.

“I’m gonna wash up, okay?” Rainbow called as she dipped into the hall, and I just waved a silent reply as I walked to her room.

As the shower started to run, I could see her in my mind’s eye, peeling off her clothes and scrubbing herself down. She knew that I liked having a nice, clean bitch under me just as much as I enjoyed getting her all messy again. Rainbow was good to me, far better than I was to her, or at least better than I had been.

I was trying harder now.

I pulled the present from my inner pocket, then doffed my coat and tossed it onto her dresser to among the rest of her discarded clothes. Her room was still a mess, but it was kind of endearing in the same way her attitude was. I threw a pair of old socks off of her bed and into the hamper nearby which, somehow, managed to contain less dirty clothes than her floor, and sat down on the rumpled comforter as I stared down at the present again.

Rainbow would love it, that’s what I kept telling myself because honestly I was pretty sure she would. But I was still nervous… I wanted her to know how much I cared about her, and how much she meant to me.

I needed her to know how much I loved her.

My grip on the present tightened as my throat closed up and a sudden wave of raw emotion fell over me. I couldn’t keep my hands from shaking as I tried to take a few slow, steady breaths, that only marginally helped my nerves.

Was I doing the right thing?

I loved Rainbow, and she loved me, but those two assholes at the mall were only the tip of a douchebag iceberg. Being with me meant that we would never be free of them… that she would never be free of them.

Was I worth that?

“Alpha?”

I looked up sharply from. I hadn’t realised I’d zoned out badly enough to miss Rainbow coming back.

My breath caught in my throat as I looked at her, bare naked and still damp from her quick shower as she leaned against the doorway with a look of gentle concern on her face. Her slender figure was on full display for me, and as many times as I’ve seen it I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of looking at her.

“You okay?” She moved up next to me and knelt to rub her cheek against my hands which had finally stopped shaking.

“I am now,” I replied as I set the gift down, caught her chin in my hand, and drew her up to kiss her.

The kiss was long and slow. It was the kind of kiss I liked best because it let me savor the softness of her lips and the feel of her mouth. The simple sensation of Rainbow Dash was enough to be intoxicating all by itself, but the little sounds she makes when I stroke her cheek and trail my fingers over her neck make it that much more satisfying.

“I love you,” I said as I pulled back, then darted into to peck her on the nose, drawing a happy noise from her. “Now, c’mere…”

I moved further back on the bed and gestured for Rainbow to join me. My cheeky little bitch crawled up and deposited herself soundly in my lap, which was right where I wanted her, and wiggled her ass against my hardness, teasing me as she leaned back against me and smiled.

“Do I get my present now?” She asked with a cheeky grin.

I gave her an even glare before rolling my eyes and sighing. I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face when she looked up at me like that and she damn well knew it.

“Brat,” I muttered as I held up the present. “Here.”

A gleeful giggle escaped Rainbow as she snatched the present out of my hands and tore open the wrapping. Inside was a smooth wooden box, that was dark with a polished layer of veneer. She quickly worked her fingers into the seam and popped it open, and for a moment her features were painted over with confusion.

The interior of the box was lined with velvet and had three things inside.

The first was a wide steel band, the inside of which was lined thin layers of soft cotton, the second was an arm cuff, also steel and lined similarly, and the third thing was a coil of fine chain links.

Rainbow picked the steel band out first, and her eyes widened as she read the word that was engraved along the front of it in bold, curling print.

BITCH.

On the opposite side of the band was a small, boiler-plate-like stamp that read: ‘If lost return to Sunset Shimmer’.

“Here,” I took the band from her hand and worked my fingers around it until I found the catch, then clicked it open. “See?”

“It’s… a collar,” Rainbow said softly.

“I uhm,” I swallowed hard and held up to her neck, but stopped before I put it on her, “I wanted to get you something… something that showed how much I cared.” I took a deep breath as I braced myself. “But you don’t have to wear it if you don’t want-”

“Put it on me!” Rainbow demanded, and the sharpness in her voice took me by surprise, but she mellowed a moment later. “I… I mean… please?”

I nodded slowly, then opened the collar, fitted one half of it snugly against her neck, and slowly clicked it shut. It was a close fit, but the deliriously pleased smile on Rainbow’s face told me it was perfectly comfortable.

As I was locking it, Rainbow plucked out the last two objects. The armband, which matched the collar, was fitted for me. It bore my divided-sun symbol, and beneath the sun were the words: ‘I’m Sunset Shimmer’. The chain was several feet in length with each end terminating in a hook-latch.

Furrowing her brow, Rainbow ran her fingers across the metal of the collar underneath her chin, then grinned as she found the little loop of metal made to accept the latch and eagerly clipped it on.

“Give me that, you goof.” I took the armband from her and closed it around my right wrist.

I carefully clipped the opposite hook of the chain to the armband, then spun my hand around a few times, gathering up the slack of the chain in my palm until it drew taut and tugged Rainbow gently towards me.

Rainbow responded by wiggling her hips again and tracing the letters on the front of the collar with one finger as she smiled at me.

“Well?” Rainbow said. “You gonna remind me why I oughta be wearing this or what?”

I gave the chain a sharp jerk, bringing Rainbow’s forehead flush with mine as I growled low in my chest.

“You little brat.”

I let the slack go and pushed her over onto the bed, crawling over her as I nipped at her bare skin until I reached the gleaming steel of the collar. I sighed softly as I ran a finger across the smooth, cool metal before moving past it and pressing a rough kiss to Rainbow’s lips while my other slipped between us to grip her cock.

Rainbow Dash gasped as I began to give her slow, even strokes with one hand while I worked my jeans free and pulled them down with the other.

Kicking my jeans and pants off, I gripped Rainbow by her hips with both hands and flipped her over roughly onto her belly before clambering over on top of her, slipped my cock between the cheeks of her ass as I did, and rolling my hips a few times while I grabbed the lube from the little table beside the bed a dribbled some of it over my length.

I gave Rainbow Dash’s leash another sharp tug, rolling my hips to spread the warm oil evenly, and my bitch let out soft, eager moans every time I tightened my grip.

“How’s this for a reminder, bitch?” I said as I leaned in and angled my cock against Rainbow’s tight entrance. “Ready for some remedial lessons?”

“Mhm!” Rainbow nodded frantically as I tugged a little harder and pushed in at the same time, leveraging my newfound grip on her as my cock slipped inside of Rainbow’s ass.

“MMMF~UCK!” Rainbow bit down on the cover of her bed as I bottomed out inside her while pulling hard on the leash, and I felt her spasm and jerk her way into her second orgasm of the day, staining the sheets with her seed.

Every roll of my hips sent shockwaves of pleasure through me as I rode my bratty little bitch hard. Rainbow liked it playfully rough, and I knew just how hard she wanted it. The way she squirmed underneath me, cussing and moaning through a mouthful of fabric while her fingers gripped the sheets and covers tight, told me I was doing her exactly how she wanted it.

I wrapped another layer of chain around my hand, shortening the slack to keep up the pressure as I leaned in and slipped my hand around to her face, pressing my fingers to her lips.

“Open up, bitch,” I whispered as I laid my weight on top of her fully.

Rainbow shivered and opened her mouth obediently, letting the wad of cover she’d been biting down on fall away as I slipped two fingers past her lips. She suckled on them as I rocked my cock inside of her, and the blank, almost cross-eyed look on her face told me she was well out of her mind with lust.

“That’s my good girl,” I cooed as I pushed my cock deep while stroking her cheek with my thumb as she played her tongue over my fingers. “That’s my good little bitch.”

“Mm… Mhm…” Rainbow moaned out her wordless assent as I gave the collar a little more pressure.

There was nothing in the world like feeling Rainbow submitting underneath me. It was addictive and insanely intense, and although I wouldn’t normally call myself a quickshot in bed, Rainbow could push me right up to the edge in record time, especially when she got all soft and pliant like she was now.

“Get ready baby!” I snarled. “Get ready for me!”

Rainbow nodded frantically as my breathing started to turn ragged, and a familiar coil of pressure tightened up in my abdomen. A low, basso growl rumbled out of my chest as I pulled my fingers out from between Rainbow’s lips, then clapped my hand over her mouth at the same time I jerked the chain fully taut and hilted hard in her ass.

My voice turned to a harsh, barking growl as I hit my edge, and Rainbow Dash let out a muffled cry of ecstasy against my fingers as I came hard inside of her, my load filling her to the brim as I knotted her ass again. Rainbow’s whole body was quaking underneath me with the force of our combined climaxes, and my vision narrowed to a tight, grey tunnel as my hips jerked instinctively against my bitch’s ass.

I could feel Rainbow jerking her own hips in wild, chaotic ruts against the sheets, and I knew she was cumming just as hard as I was. My bondmate always had her most intense orgasms when I was taking her like this, so this was how she wanted it most often.

And I was happy to give it to her.

By the time the high faded my whole body had been reduced to putty, and I collapsed against Rainbow Dash who laid happily underneath me. Her whole chest was rumbling with a constant, satisfied purr, and it took me a few seconds to think to let up the pressure on the collar, unraveling the coils of chain from around my hand.

I winced at the red marks they’d left behind where the chain had been corded around my palm. I resolved to find a decent fingerless glove to wear next time we used the collar and chain, which would probably just be whenever we had sex next, so I should probably just overnight the damn the thing.

Fuck, this was an expensive little bitch I’d found.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Mm… alpha…” Rainbow cuddled against me and I returned the embrace, reaching up to unhook the chain as I did so it didn’t get tangled.

“I’m here, baby,” I said. “Your alpha is right here.”

She nodded and reached up, taking my hand in hers.

“Don’t… please don’t move.” Rainbow held on tight and shivered. “I like it when you’re on top of me like this… it feels good.”

I chuckled quietly. “Okay, I’ll stay right here then.”

I managed to grab a pillow to fit underneath hers and my heads before Rainbow Dash pulled my arms down to wrap around her. Knowing what was coming, I laid my head beside hers and snuggled against her gently, and sure enough, after a moment she started to shake.

This wasn’t unusual, sometimes Rainbow Dash would fall right asleep, and sometimes she would have these little crying fits. Rainbow tended to cry when she was overwhelmed with emotion, I discovered. It was just her way of getting it out, and although I’d kind of freaked out the first time it had happened a few days ago, I knew what to do now:

I tugged the collar down a little and lavished her neck with kisses right over her bonding mark, occasionally nipping it to reinforce it, and nuzzled against her to remind her I was here in a more physical manner.

“I l-love you,” Rainbow mumbled. “I love you, alpha.”

Like I said… overwhelmed.

“I love you too,” I replied between kisses to her neck. “I’ll always take care of you, Dash… I’ll always be here for you.”

“I know.” Rainbow curled up as she started to level out and I could feel her breathing starting to become easier and more steady. “I… I know…”

“Take a nap, baby,” I said. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

Rainbow nodded wordlessly, yawned, and a moment later she was dozing.

As always, the moment Rainbow Dash relaxed she immediately went into ‘power-save’ mode and fell asleep. I laughed a little as I pulled the sheets up and over us. I’d probably overheat a little but Rainbow got cold easily, even with me on top of her, and I had to keep my mate warm somehow.

Once she was tucked in, I indulged my own softer side and propped myself up on my elbows to stroke her beautiful prismatic locks. I loved looking at Rainbow… especially when she was asleep. I loved how soft she was, and how innocent she looked underneath me. I wanted to protect her… I had to protect her. She was my bondmate now, alpha or no, and that meant it was my responsibility to make sure she was warm and safe, clothed and fed, and perhaps most importantly: satisfied.

Well, at least I didn’t seem to have any issues with that last part.

“I love you, Rainbow Dash,” I whispered. “I love you so… s-so much.”

My voice cracked at the last few words, and tears started to track slowly down my cheeks. Not many, and not quickly, but they were there. I wiped them away after a moment, taking a deep breath to steady myself. Rainbow Dash wasn’t the only one who felt a little overwhelmed sometimes… part and parcel of our pheromonal bond, I guess. It was hard not to feel overwhelmed with a relationship this intense.

I settled in atop her, pressing a soft kiss to the bondmark on her neck as I did, and closed my eyes. I promised I would be right here when she woke up, and I intended to be.

Besides, I could use a nap.