25. TATI
Chapter twenty-five
TATI
The couch is warm, soft, and smells like peaches and something faintly sugary—probably from the candle that was lit earlier. The glow from the TV flickers across the living room, casting lazy shadows on the walls. Some action movie is playing, but neither of us is really watching. The volume is low, the occasional burst of dialogue barely registering over the hum of our quiet breathing.
Carleen’s arm is draped across the back of the couch, her fingers tracing slow, absentminded patterns on my shoulder. I’m curled against her side, my legs tucked under me, head resting just below her chin. Her scent wraps around me—calming, steady. I’m not even sure how long we’ve been sitting here, just existing in this space, but at some point, I sigh softly and shift to look up at her.
Her brown eyes flicker down to meet mine, her lips pulling into a soft, curious smile. “What’s on your mind, sunshine?”
I hesitate, chewing the inside of my cheek as I try to untangle the mess of emotions sitting heavy in my chest. “Do you… do you think it’s crazy that I miss them already?”
Carleen’s fingers still on my shoulder for a second before she shifts, turning so she can face me better. “No,” she says softly. “I don’t think it’s crazy at all.”
“It’s just—it feels like there’s this empty spot in my chest, like something’s missing, and it’s them . Like Ryder’s steadiness and Ashton’s… Ashton-ness. ”
Carleen chuckles at that, the sound soft and real, her lips twitching into a smile. “Ashton-ness is definitely a thing.”
We fall quiet for a moment, the distant sound of gunfire and car chases from the TV filling the silence. Then Carleen speaks again, her voice steady but thoughtful. “I feel it too, Tati. I thought… I don’t know, I thought I’d feel suffocated, or like this was all too much, too fast. But it doesn’t . ”
My chest tightens, and I nod, snuggling closer into her side.
“I don’t know what the future holds,” Carleen continues, her fingers starting their slow tracing again. “But they’re the first Alphas I’ve felt truly safe around in a long time. Maybe ever. Ryder said something to me earlier,” she adds after a moment. “He said he won’t push me. That he wants me to speak up if something feels too fast, too much. That he wants me to feel safe . ”
I swallow hard, my eyes stinging slightly. “That’s good. That’s really good, Alpha.”
She nods, her gaze distant for a second before focusing back on me. “It’s a wonderful feeling, Tati. To feel seen. Not just for what I can offer, not just for what I can do in the kitchen or as an Alpha, but for me. ”
There’s a crack in her voice, just the smallest one, but it hits me like a punch to the chest.
I reach up and cup her cheek, brushing my thumb over her smooth skin. “You deserve that, Carleen. You deserve all of it.”
Her eyes soften, and she leans into my touch slightly, her lips pressing into a faint smile. “The thing is,” she continues after a moment, “today showed me something I didn’t even realize I’d been missing. I’ve put so much of myself into work, into proving myself, that I forgot what it felt like to just… let go.”
I nod, because same.
She tilts her head slightly, her gaze searching mine. “I forgot that chaos can be… good. That sometimes it’s okay to get messy, to laugh, to let someone else shoulder some of the weight.”
“Like ketchup on your fingers,” I tease softly, grinning up at her.
She huffs a quiet laugh, her smile finally breaking free in full. “Exactly like ketchup on my fingers. Which is why I’m done waiting. I’m done waiting for the perfect moment because there will never be one. I’ll always find an excuse, a reason, a why. So, right now is perfect. Hell, six months ago was perfect.”
My breath catches in my throat as I realize where this conversation is heading. I've been waiting for this moment, anticipating it, yet now that it’s here, I’m nervous and excited all at once.
“I want to take the next step, Tati—with just you and me here because I know that it’s going to be all four of us soon enough. Are you ready for that?”
I nod, unable to find my voice. The anticipation is killing me and I want her so badly it hurts. Carleen smiles, a slow, sensual smile that makes my knees weak. She leans in, her lips brushing against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. "Good. Because I've been dreaming of this moment."
Her hands move to my waist, gently pulling me closer. I can feel her warm breath on my neck and I tilt my head to the side, granting her better access. Carleen's lips trail soft kisses down my neck, pulling a soft moan from me.
"You're so beautiful, Tati," she whispers, her hands undoing the clasp on my crop top. "I've wanted to undress you for a long fucking time."
My shirt falls open, revealing the lace bra underneath and the swell of my breasts. Carleen's eyes darken with desire as she takes in the sight, her fingers gently tracing the curves of my body.
"You're all mine tonight," she murmurs, her lips finding the sensitive skin of my collarbone. I arch into her touch, craving more. Her hands move to my bra, unhooking it with practiced ease. My breasts spill free, the cool air causing my nipples to pebble.
Carleen's eyes glittered with satisfaction as she leans down, her warm breath ghosting over my nipples, making them tighten further. "I've been dreaming of tasting you," she says, before taking a taut peak into her mouth. Goddess, her tongue feels amazing as it swirls and sucks, a gasp tumbling from my lips as pleasure bleeds through me. She suckles one breast while her hand gently kneads the other, her thumb brushing over the sensitive tip.
My Alpha’s mouth is magic, my body responding, my core growing wet and needy. Carleen switches to my other breast, lavishing it with the same attention, her fingers now dipping lower, tracing the waistband of my shorts. I squirm, eager for more, my hips pushing forward involuntarily.
"Patience, sunshine," she purrs, her breath hot against my skin. "I want to savor every moment of this."
Her fingers work at the button and zipper of my shorts, slowly revealing my lacy panties and the dampness between my thighs when they’re discarded. Carleen's eyes meet mine, dark with desire. She hooks her fingers in the waistband of my panties and slowly slides them down my legs, exposing me completely to her.
Carleen's eyes feast on the sight of my nakedness, her tongue darting out to lick my lips. I’ve never felt so bare in front of someone before and yet I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in this moment, laid out for my Alpha. She moves to her knees, her gaze settled between my legs. “I’m already addicted and I haven’t even truly tasted you yet. Goddess, Tati, I want it all. Let me be your Alpha.”
My eyes widen at the promise in her words. I’ve been waiting to hear those very words for months . I’ve dreamt about this moment, cried about it, yelled to the stars—and now that it’s here? I don’t hesitate. “Fuck yes. Make me yours,” I cry out, running my fingers through her curls and tugging her against my pussy.
The first swipe of her tongue is heaven. It’s everything I dreamed it would be, my entire body responding to her touch. She wraps her arms beneath my thighs and thrusts her tongue inside of me. It isn’t gentle. She’s truly feasting on me, taking what she wants, and giving me pleasure in return. Especially when she stuffs two fingers into my pussy and starts sucking on my clit.
Goddess, I’ve died and gone to heaven.
I won’t last long either, riding my Alpha’s face but the pleasure wanes as she pulls away. A grunt of disappointment tears from my throat, Carleen chuckling at the pout on my face. “Sunshine, unless you want me to bite your clit, we have to resituate.” I hadn’t thought about that, my face turning a lovely shade of red as I move to lay across the lounge, Carleen hovering on top of me.
She kisses me, my taste on her lips as her fingers slide down my torso and plunge into my sex again. I wrap my legs around her waist, my hips meeting each of her thrusts. Her lips trail down to my jaw and then my neck, hovering delicately near my scent gland. This is it. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for my entire life.
The moment when an Alpha claims me as theirs.
At first, there’s nothing—just the feather-light brush of Carleen’s lips against my shoulder and then a brief white-hot searing pain that spreads through me. In the next second, it’s gone, replaced by pure pleasure, her name on my lips as I come on her fingers.
And then—perfection. That little tendril connecting me to Carleen, a fierce, beautiful bond strengthening with every moment. She licks at the new wound on my shoulder, purring into my skin, the sound running down my spine as her fingers begin moving again.
“I can feel you, Carleen. Fuck, it’s everything. ”
Her contentment ripples through the bond as she tends to her bite, ramping me up to another orgasm. I knew it would be amazing but I didn’t know it could feel like this. Carleen slowly pulls back when a second, smaller orgasm washes over me, my body deflating into the pillows. She rolls us onto our side, gently kissing my forehead. “You’re mine, now, Tati. No more running away, deflecting, hiding. My Beta. Goddess, I should have told you before but I love you. I love you so much my heart hurts thinking what could have happened had I pushed you too far away.”
“You have no idea how much I’ve longed to hear you say those words, Alpha. I love you so fucking much and you’re mine too, you know.” I say, cuddling up to her chest. Her purr starts up again, drawing me into a contented sleep, the bond thick and heavy between us. I can’t fucking wait to show everyone just who my Alpha is. And I still need to call Ellie and my parents and let them know—
“Tati, think those thoughts later.”
I snort and burrow myself impossibly closer. “Yes, Alpha.”
The first thing I notice when I wake up is warmth. The second is the gentle, steady rhythm of Carleen’s breathing beneath me. My nest is soft, perfectly arranged, and the scent of peaches and something earthy and warm wraps around me like a second blanket. I can only guess that she carried us to my bedroom but I’m not complaining.
I let out a soft sigh, nuzzling closer into Carleen’s chest. Her arm tightens instinctively around me, her hand stroking lightly along my spine. For a moment, I don’t move. I let myself soak it in—the safety, the comfort, the quiet intimacy of waking up wrapped around my Alpha.
Her lips press lightly against the top of my head, her voice still heavy with sleep when she murmurs, “Morning, sunshine.”
I tilt my head up, blinking sleepily as her brown eyes meet mine. Her smile is soft, her hair a little messy, and there’s something so unguarded about her in this moment that it makes my chest ache.
“Morning,” I whisper back, my voice rough from sleep. Her head dips to nurse the bite on my shoulder, pleasure shooting down my spine as I wiggle against her. Ellie explained what that felt like once but I always thought it was bullshit but it really is a magic pussy button.
I can’t determine whether or not I hate it.
As I wake up a little further, I realize that she’s also dressed us—Carleen in that large shirt she always wore to bed and me in one of her shirts as well. That part I fucking love, being clothed in my Alpha’s stuff and I’m about to milk that every chance I get. Carleen finally leans back, searching my sleepy expression. “How are you, Tati? After everything? After the other night?”
“You mean when we said I love you?”
Her face darkens, telling me that that’s not what she was referring to. I’ve been avoiding talking or even thinking about it because cuddling in my nest with all three Alphas had made it all better. Or so I hoped.
“Tati…”
“I’m okay. I think. For the most part? It was terrifying but you were there. You all were. I’m not sure what happens next time because there will be a next time. And you can’t always be there to save me. It was always Ellie and me against the world and now she’s started a family and I just want a stage to express myself.” I let out a heavy sigh, wondering how stupid that sounds. “Carleen, I want to go back but…”
“You don’t need to force yourself. I’m sure that Eugene will have no problems giving you a day or two off to collect yourself. He should have never touched you.” There’s a cute little growl to her words that makes me curl up to her chest and throw my arm over her hip.
“I don’t want to think about it. Can we just stay here for today or do you have to work?”
Carleen hums thoughtfully and then I feel her shift. A moment later, I hear the soft chime of her phone as she pulls it from somewhere behind her. She types something quickly, her brows furrowing in concentration before her lips curve into a smile. “Done,” she says, tossing her phone gently onto one of the pillows beside us.
I blink up at her. “What did you do?”
“Cleared my schedule,” she says simply. “It’s just us today, sunshine.”
A giddy, fluttery feeling bubbles up in my chest, and I can’t stop the grin that stretches across my face.
“Really?”
“Really.”
I practically tackle her, giggling as I press soft, playful kisses across her face. Carleen laughs, her arms wrapping tightly around me as she pulls me close, tilting her head so our lips meet in a proper kiss. It’s soft at first, slow and lazy, but it deepens quickly. Carleen’s hands slide down my back, pulling me tighter against her as her tongue sweeps into my mouth. I melt against her, sighing into the kiss as my fingers tangle in her messy curls.
When we finally pull back, we’re both breathless, our foreheads pressed together as we try to steady ourselves. And just like that, we’re back to cuddling—soft, warm, wrapped in each other.
The hours pass in a blur of slow kisses, whispered words, and long stretches of comfortable silence as Carleen nurses the bond on my shoulder. At some point, Carleen carries me to the kitchen and makes us something light to eat—toast and fruit and warm tea. We eat curled up on the couch, our knees touching, her eyes soft every time they meet mine.
I don’t know how long we stay like this, wrapped up in our little world, but I don’t care. I don’t want to care. I’m dozing lightly in Carleen’s arms again when my phone buzzes on the edge of the couch. I groan, fumbling around until I find it and squinting at the screen.
It’s a text. From Ashton.
Hey, doe. Ryder and I were wondering if we could steal you and Carleen for dinner tonight? Say yes. Please say yes.
My heart does a little flip, and a goofy grin stretches across my face as I clutch the phone to my chest.
Carleen raises a brow, smirking slightly. “Good news?”
“It’s Ashton,” I say, biting my lip. “He wants to take us out to dinner. Him and Ryder.”
Carleen’s smirk softens into a smile, her fingers tracing lightly over my cheek. “What do you want to do, sunshine?”
I shake my head, hating that it’s still her putting my needs first. If this is going to work, it’s going to be our pack. “No, what do we want to do? Do you want to go out on a date with them?”
“Yes, I’d love that.”
That’s all the confirmation I need as I text him back.
What time?
The reply comes almost immediately.
Pick you up at seven, little doe. Wear something pretty for me.
I roll my eyes, grinning as I show the text to Carleen.
She snorts softly, shaking her head. “That man is relentless.”
“You love it,” I tease, nudging her lightly.
Carleen just smirks, leaning back against the cushions as she pulls me closer into her chest. I settle in against her, letting my eyes flutter shut as her hand strokes softly through my hair. We have a date tonight. A real date. And it’s not just with Carleen. It’s with them. With our pack. I press a soft kiss against Carleen’s collarbone before letting out a happy sigh.