Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
SYDNEY
I'd been a quivering mess all day. Every time I looked at my alpha, or hell, even my beta and delta, my insides squeezed tight and I had to rub my thighs together. Catalyst. The way Luka's eyes burned when he said the words had my omega damn near throwing herself to her knees at his feet and begging him to take us. But he hadn't yet, and I wondered if his declaration of his desire was really spoken out of truth.
Except I had felt it. Felt the length of him long and hard against my stomach, begging for me to wrap my hand around him. If only I was brave enough to do so. But I wasn't. I was a coward when it came to the alpha. Afraid of disappointing a man who had lived a world of experiences while I spent years locked inside of a building.
As I watched them work from my corner in my alpha's office, I decided I needed to try. I needed to work harder for my alpha to want me. For them to want me. I was lucky. I couldn't have children, yet they refused to take me back to the Omega Industries. I should show them how much I appreciated what they had done for me.
As the day dragged on, I decided that was exactly what I would do. Starting tonight, at home, in our private space. Maybe we'd swim. Or watch a movie. Or maybe I could get Alfie to take out one of those board games he seemed to love so much and insist I play too, even though I didn't quite understand the rules. They all had been patient with me, and I knew they wouldn't mind teaching me.
"You okay, omega?" Felix asked as he leaned over my desk, brushing a strand of hair from my forehead.
"Perfect."
"Yes, you are." He gave me a beaming smile as he issued his compliment. "But I asked if you're okay. You're looking a little pale."
I waved him off. "I'm fine."
And I was, even though my skin felt tight and overheated. It had since this morning, but I attributed it to the way my alpha made my insides quiver with his single touch. The Omega Industries had taught me that sometimes the presence of the alpha could do that to their omega, and I had been locked in an office with him all day. Even with him keeping his distance, his mind focused on work, his scent still flooded me, reminding me of how good he would feel if we hadn't had the barrier of clothes between us.
"If you're sure." He exchanged a look with Luka. "Let's get you home, love."
I looked at the clock, shocked that I had somehow lost a whole day thinking and dreaming about what it would be like to be naked with these men. I should be ashamed. But there was something deep down that refused. My omega was bold in her wants and she had no problem lusting after them, so why couldn't I?
Lick him, she urged, and I rolled my eyes. I wouldn't lick my delta just because the girl was horny and longing for the slightest taste of their skin.
I placed my palm in Felix's offered hand and let him pull me up. While he helped me into my sweater, Luka stood and strolled over. "Omega. You've been quiet today."
"Just thinking." More like dreaming of what you looked like without pants, but honestly, when your alpha looks that fine, who could really blame a girl?
"About?"
"Swimming," I blurted out.
They way their eyes sparked, I doubted they believed me; still, they didn't call me out. "We could swim this evening. If you want."
Was swimming what I wanted? No. But would a nice dip in the water might cool off my throbbing, burning skin? I sure as hell hoped so. "Absolutely. I'd love that."
"Then it's done." Luka grabbed my handbag. "Alfie is picking up food and will meet us on the way home. Any requests, omega?"
I wasn't used to having a say in what we ate. At the industries, they served the same food weekly. It was to the point where I couldn't bear to look at gravy any longer. Everything was served with gravy. Just beige sludge slopped on the meat or thrown over the vegetables. But here, they always gave me a choice, even if I hadn't known the proper way to answer them.
"I - I think I'd like a cheeseburger," I stated, finding it hard to not give over the control of what we consumed to them when they were offering me a choice.
"That's our girl." Felix smiled wide. "A burger sounds great, right, Alpha?"
"Perfect." Luka's eyes smoldered as he watched me.
"Omega, Alfie is about to get you the best damn burger in the city. Just you wait and see," Felix promised, his hand squeezing mine as he refused to let go.
I'd rather be eating him, my omega cooed, and my eyes went wide as I scowled at my inner lusty girl. I didn’t know where that thought came from and why she felt so bold to voice it to me, but now that she mentioned it, all I could think about was what his skin tasted like. Was he salty? Sweet? A perfect mix of both? Why did it matter so much? No one went around licking the skin of their delta, unless...
"Omega!" Luka's voice barked and I jumped.
'Yes Alpha," I stuttered. "Sorry."
"You okay? We called your name multiple times and you didn't respond." Probably because I was too busy thinking about what their skin tasted like.
"Sorry, Alpha," I said again.
"Luka," he corrected.
"Luka. I was lost in thought."
"Feel like sharing about what?" Felix squeezed my palm as he asked.
Shit. I couldn't tell him the truth. Not without looking like a freak.
I bet he'd like it, my omega vibrated with an odd mix of excitement and desire.
"Just that burger. It's been years since I had one," I explained. Not quite a lie, but clearly not the full truth.
"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Luka asked as he pulled open the door. "We would have gotten you anything you asked for. You know that, right? We've made that clear."
"You have, Alpha." I felt guilty at the look on his face, a look that told me that the usually confident alpha was questioning if they made their intentions clear enough. If they had made me comfortable enough to voice my needs, and if they were doing a good job taking care of their omega. "You've done amazing at providing for me, Luka. I just hadn't really thought about a burger until now. You've provided me with so many other meal options that it never entered my mind."
He assessed me for a moment. "If you're sure."
"I am," I reassured him.
"Well then, let's get you home, little omega, and feed you."
You could feed me your cock, Alpha, my omega cackled as I choked on a cough and replied, "That would be perfect, Luka."
"You've got a little sauce on your chin." Alfie pointed to a spot on my chin, and my body lit up with embarrassment. "I could get that for you, if you want."
I did want. I would love nothing more than Alfie using his mouth to remove whatever sauce was on my skin. In fact, my omega begged me for it. My whole body burned with a foreign feeling that vibrated under my skin. It made my skin feel tight and burn, and yet, somehow my body didn't hurt. It felt almost... pleasant, even when my omega begged for me to rub against my men and soothe the ache.
She was such a slut for them. If they could hear the words she spoke about them, or the thoughts she purred into my ear, I'd be mortified. She didn't care that they were living beings. They were hers and that meant she could objectify them as much as she wanted, even if she hadn't officially claimed them yet.
Mine. Claim. Ours. She chanted through my mind and the place between my thighs pulsed at the thought. Luka's eyes closed as he inhaled deeply, before growling something so feral I stumbled back slightly, unsure the sound came from him. But it had, and the look in his eyes was an inferno, the flames directed at me.
"Have I done something wrong?" I whimpered as my omega practically rolled over, offering up her stomach to her alpha.
His molars ground together, the sound making me cringe as it echoed through the quiet dining room. At first, I was unsure he was going to answer, but after a moment too long, he responded, "Everything is perfect, omega."
"If you’re sure?—"
"I'm sure!" Luka snapped before his eyes softened. "It's not you, omega. It's my alpha."
"Is something wrong?" I reached for his hand that was resting on the table, concerned for him, and he pulled his hand away, not allowing me to touch his skin.
"He's fine." He closed his eyes again, and Felix took over the conversation.
"Omega, why don't you go put on your suit and meet us outside. We'll clean up." He stood, reaching for the bags of garbage, already crumbling up wrappers. I reached forward, trying to help, but he stopped me with a hand on my wrist. "Please, love. Give us a moment."
I tried not to betray my emotion as I nodded, but my feelings were hurt. I'd never once felt excluded since I'd joined them, but suddenly an overwhelming feeling told me they did not want me around, and I didn't know what I had done. It took every ounce of control I had to not let the tears fall until I had turned away.
My feet carried me fast to our room, and I resisted the urge to throw myself down in my nest and surround myself with their scents, lulling my heart into a false security. But I knew that they would be waiting on me, ready to swim in seconds while I took much longer. I searched through the shared closet, finding my swimsuit, the one I knew the alpha liked best, and carried it into the bathroom.
I had just entered the bathroom and closed the door when the first intense cramp hit. I gripped the wall and closed my eyes, fighting against the pain as the men filed into the room on the other side of the door. A whimper escaped as I tried to stand straight, and that single sound brought Felix to the door.
"Omega, are you alright?" His voice sounded straight through the wall.
Was I okay? My omega seemed to think so as she purred and laughed in glee at my pain. And it was beginning to fade, so maybe the food just didn't sit well. I forced in a deep breath and released my hold on the wall, standing straight. "I-I'm fine. I'll be out in a few minutes."
"If you're sure." His voice was near, as if his nose was right at the crack of the door. "We'll meet you outside, if that's okay. I think we need some fresh air."
"That's fine." I bit my trembling lip as my lower stomach pulsed. "Just-just give me a few minutes."
The pain had already started to ease, and I was sure I'd be fine in a few minutes. I waited until their footsteps departed before I dared strip myself of my clothing. I got dressed, putting on the two-piece suit I knew that the men loved, even though I felt slightly self-conscious in it. Then I splashed some cold water over my face in an attempt to cool my heated skin.
Get it together, girl.
Easier said than done when one’s skin felt tight and hot, while a single look from any of the guys made my omega melt into a puddle.
My omega needed to calm down.
Except just thinking that had her getting more riled up, begging for me to seek them out and rub my scent against them, claiming them so there would be no doubt in anyone's mind who owned them. Us. We owned them. My omega and I would have to be pried from their bodies if anyone wanted to even try to talk to them.
I paused, shaking my head as I patted water off my face with a towel.
Whoa. That thought, definitely not me.
I searched out a pair of sandals before exiting the bedroom. I followed the sound of music out to the patio, where the men were already in the water. The moment I stepped outside, their eyes found mine.
"Little omega," Luka ground out, the words scratchy as he spoke.
Then silence. Silence so heavy I felt the weight of it crush me as I stood there, all eyes on me in a suit I already felt self-conscious in. Was anyone going to talk? Please someone, say something. I needed this awkward silence broken now.
Instead, my senses got slammed with notes of cinnamon and pepper, and a hint of fresh shaved pine. I closed my eyes and inhaled deep, savoring the alluring notes of them.
"Omega," Luka groaned, and my eyes popped open again, seeing his fingers grip the cement edge of the pool as his chest heaved.
Alfie cleared his throat before using his arms and pushing himself out of the water. He stood, dripping wet, the water streaming down his skin, pooling slightly in the grooves of his abs and well...
My omega almost died on the spot and took me with her to the grave.
We could not look away.
Hell. I didn't want to. Had my beta always looked so delicious? Surely, he had and I just?—
"Look at you, darling. A work of art on the eyes. I couldn't create a better masterpiece if I carved it in my workshop myself." Alfie beamed as he approached. He stopped at my side, his palm finding the bare skin of my midriff, and pulled me into his side.
Fire consumed me at the single touch, and I gasped. A whimper escaped through my clenched teeth as pleasure and pain mixed with his single innocent touch and instantly, his hand fell from my skin. He didn't acknowledge the sound, though I knew he heard it. Instead he held out his hand, palm up, offering it to me. I placed my hand on his, and he linked our fingers as he pulled me toward the pool.
"Our omega," he announced, "is ready to get wet."
Little does he know, we already are, my omega cackled, and my eyes widened in horror, as if they could actually hear her. But they couldn't, and I knew that. So when Alfie continued on like my omega wasn't being crude, it was a relief.
"I've made you this floating tray for your drinks." Alfie held up a carved tray.
"And I made the drinks," Felix announced as he struggled out of the water to grab the drinks from the table.
When he handed the liquid to me, I struggled not to tilt my head back and swallow it all in one gulp. Being drunk wouldn't help me. Hell... I wasn't sure what would. But damn it, I suddenly felt like I was going to need all the alcohol and liquid courage I could consume to get through the night.
After sipping it, taking the tiniest of tastes and letting the fruity lemon flavor dance over my taste buds, I sat the glass down on the table. "Absolutely delicious."
"You are," Alfie confirmed.
I turned to him, rolling my eyes. "Laying it on heavy."
"Absolutely not. If I was laying it on heavy, you'd know." He smirked. "I'm only saying what we all were thinking."
My eyes met Luka's and Felix’s, wondering if they would say something that contradicted Alfie's statement, but they remained quiet, and for some reason, that fact caused my body to pulse. I squeezed my legs together slightly, trying not to make my discomfort obvious.
Felix cleared his throat when the silence became insufferable. He stepped forward before grabbing my waist and dragging my back to his chest so he could whisper in my ear. "Ready to get wet, love?"
"Yes?" I whimpered my answer, unsure if I was or wasn't ready. All I knew was the flutter of warm breath against my skin caused my heart to race and a sheen of sweat to break out over my skin.
"That's our girl," his gruff voice said, and I swore I felt the tiniest of flick of his tongue against my skin before he pulled back enough to tighten his hold on my body. He wrapped his arms around my waist before he lifted me up, scooping me into his arms and shifting me so that his arm was under my knees and my arms were holding tightly around his neck. The fact that he could support my weight was impressive, but to carry me? Damn, I never wanted to let go. I wanted to rub against him, marking him with my scent so that everyone knew who this impressive male belonged to. "Hold your breath love, we're going under."
He gave me only a few seconds of warning before he jumped from solid ground and had us sailing in the air. A squeal left me, before I inhaled and held my breath seconds before water consumed us both.