Emily
Langston’s knot is nothing like the textbook drawings I’ve seen, swelling out from his shaft like an angry red fist. But then, I’m not sure if a PhD on alpha anatomy could have prepared me for the way it feels as it stretches me wide, pain and pleasure sizzling up my spine as I suck it into my hungry body. All that slick that’s been leaking out of me suddenly makes sense, because even though he’s wedged deep inside me, every roll of his hips feels like the most perfect kind of friction.
But it’s my heart that swells as Derek takes my hand and tells Lang we’re a package deal. I know he’s had plenty of reason to doubt alphas in the past, but he trusts me . And if I want Lang to claim me – to claim us – then Derek has to be with me every step of the way.
And this is what I want, even if it’s partially because of my heat haze. The scientist in me knows that our desire to breed is a primal drive during a heat, but there’s no denying how good Lang’s knot feels as it seals his cum inside me and presses against my sensitive nerve endings. I want more of this – more of him – but I refuse to lose what I have with Derek in any way. And as much as I can see the three of us together, I don’t want to cause problems with the rest of Lang’s pack.
Although I might bite someone’s fingers off if they try to pry us apart right now…
“If I’m stepping on anyone’s toes…”
I’m speaking to the whole pack, but I direct my words to Soren, since he’s their omega. Thankfully, his grin just grows wider, his arm tightening possessively around Derek’s neck. “My toes are curling in anticipation, sweet girl.”
I blink through the haze to make sure he’s not just humouring me, and he must see some of my lingering worry, because he reaches over to clutch my hand. It’s the one Derek is already holding, and our fingers tangle together in a warm, comforting knot. “I mean it, . This pack won’t work if you two walk away now.”
Creed makes a soft sound in the back of his throat, and when his hand comes down on Soren’s shoulder, it’s as if I can feel the touch on my own skin. Only Finn remains apart, but that’s one connection that’s beyond me right now. If he wants us, he knows where to find us.
“.” Langston is still pulsing inside me, and I feel myself swept up in the blue radiance of his gaze. His skin is slick with sweat, his copper hair sticking up in every direction, but he’s never looked more alluring as his hard body flexes under me. “Give me your throat, sweetheart.”
I tilt my head back, my fingers still knotted together, and my body stuffed full. I thought that was as good as I’d ever feel, but nothing compares to the sensation of his teeth sliding into my skin.
Langston growls as he bites down, and after a flash of pain as he pierces the skin, pleasure sweeps across me on silken wings. I’m not sure if it’s another climax, because every inch of my body is buzzing, but I can feel a flare of heat in the middle of my chest. It’s like I’ve suddenly taken refuge next to a crackling fire, and I realise with a jolt that it’s Lang’s heartbeat flooding my soul with light.
“You’re mine, and I’m yours, .”
Words I never thought I’d hear, but they echo through me as the bond snaps tight. There’s the physical pleasure still thrumming through me, but it’s the way he fills all the lonely places inside me that has tears gathering in the corners of my eyes. “You’re mine and I’m yours,” I whisper back, burying my face in his neck as he licks across my mating mark. But I quickly pull back and brush my thumb over Lang’s mouth. “Derek, too. He needs to be part of this.”
If Lang was a different kind of alpha, he might remind me of the limitations of a beta bond, but he just cocks a brow at my boyfriend. “What do you say, Derek? I’d be honoured if you’d wear my claim, but there’s no pressure. Either way, we’re in this together.”
Derek shifts under Soren’s weight, and Creed climbs onto the bed, reaching for his mate. Soren goes with a coy smile, and with his lap now empty, there’s no mistaking the way Derek’s arms twitch, like he’s tempted to cross them over his chest. But he holds himself still, his gaze searching Lang’s face. “You really want this?”
“Your body, heart, and soul,” Lang replies, “but I’m willing to take your throat right now and work for the rest.”
If I wasn’t already locked onto his lap, I’d melt all over him for an answer like that. Especially when it brings a shy smile to Derek’s lips. “Okay. Then I accept your bond, Langston.”
I can’t help but squeal, my heart beating faster as Derek moves closer and positions himself at my back. Lang’s knot is still a thick wedge inside me, and I squirm happily as I’m squeezed between them. With their extra height, they have no problem meeting over my head, and I tip my head back to watch. But instead of just biting him, Lang pulls Derek in for a kiss. It’s a little stiff at first, their mouths moving slowly and their hands grappling for a hold, but then Lang makes a growling sound in the back of his throat and Derek melts against my back. The fact I can feel Lang twitching inside me just makes the exchange all the more erotic.
“You’re mine, Derek, and I’m yours.” The possessive growl leaves my boyfriend blinking, but he tilts his head, inviting Lang’s bite. I can feel his heart hammering against mine as he takes it, and then a second fire kindles in my chest, as glorious as the first.
“You’re mine,” Derek says, the awe clear in his voice. “Both of you. Now and always.”
“My perfect mates,” I hum, tilting my head back for kisses that rain down on me like sparks of joy.
I sit up with a racing heart, a black shirt tangled in my hand and a musky scent in my nose. I look around groggily, counting bodies, and frown as I come up one short. “Creed?”
“He’s checking on a couple of security issues,” Finn says from where he’s still sitting in the armchair, his long legs kicked out in front of him and his fingers laced over his lap. There’s an empty plate and a bottle of water on the table next to him, but other than that, it doesn’t look like he’s moved an inch.
I drag my attention over to the window, where grey light is filtering through the navy curtains. “What time is it?”
“Still early. About five a.m.” When my frown deepens, Finn checks his phone. “He’s in the gym, but I can text him to head back now if you need him.”
The gym? My body aches at the mere mention of a workout, but I ignore it as I tuck the covers more firmly over my mates. Lang is big-spooning Derek, which I find adorable, while Soren is curled up with his lips only inches from my boyfriend’s cheek. There’s a slight knot in his brow and he’s clutching a cushion tight to his chest as his eyes flicker behind his lids. I feel an instant pang of remorse that I haven’t taken better care of him, but so much of the last few hours is lost in the mist of my haze. “Is he okay? He looks stressed.”
“He never sleeps easily,” Finn replies quietly, “but this is the longest he’s been without showing signs of pain.”
My heart clenches in sympathy, and I can’t resist running my finger over that worry line between his brows. His eyes flutter open, and I hold my breath as they slowly focus, a soft smile tilting his lips. “Are you okay, sweet girl? Do you need anything?”
I start to shake my head but then change my mind. “Just a kiss.”
He perks up, pushing himself onto an elbow. “Our first?” His eyes narrow, his lips tipping up at the edges. “On the mouth, at least.”
A clarification that sends a bolt of heat through me, memories of our shower sex cutting through my haze. “It seems strange. I feel so close to you, and yet we haven’t had a proper kiss.”
“Then let’s remedy that,” he murmurs, tilting his head so he can press his mouth to mine. He tastes like cloves, with a hint of sweet vanilla seeping through, and I wiggle closer, licking at the seam of his lips. There’s only the briefest brush of his tongue, but it sends a jolt through me, and I pull back with a needy whimper. “Mmm,” he purrs, licking my taste into his mouth. “That was better than I imagined.”
I flush, remembering his eyes on me as I took Lang’s knot, then fell asleep with Derek buried inside me and my mate nuzzling our marks. “Good enough for another?”
“Good enough to dream about,” he smiles, but there’s a hint of exhaustion under the sweetness, and I nudge him back down. When he’s still, I feather kisses all over his face, stealing another hint of vanilla from his lips. We linger there for a moment, breathing each other in, before he gives a happy sigh, his eyelids drooping. When I pull away, he wiggles a little closer to Derek, his foot curling around my boyfriend’s toes. “Wake me if you need me, okay?”
“Sleep, sweet boy,” I tell him, dropping a kiss on the tip of his nose, because he’s as addicting as he looks. “I’m going to find your mate.”
His lips curl up, his eyes gleaming under their lids. “Make sure you kiss him for me.”
I smile, but he’s already drifting back under, so I tuck him in tighter and crawl to the edge of the nest. I can feel Finn’s gaze on me the whole way, and my skin tingles, little starbursts going off at the attention. Even in a room soaked in alpha pheromones and omega slick, I can smell his earthy, woody scent, like cinnamon-sprinkled cedar. It makes my mouth water, and I have to swallow a needy little whimper when he sits forward, tilting his head to take me in.
“Can I see?” Finn nods at my throat, and I flush as I realise I’m tracing Lang’s bite with my fingertips. There’s no anger in his voice, but I hesitate, since we all agreed there would be no claiming bites until after my heat.
Oops.
“Are you going to tell me off?” It sounds childish – especially after my speech about knowing my own mind – but he just pats his thigh, which is all the invitation I need to climb onto his lap. He’s the only one in the room left with any clothes on and I melt against his chest, my nipples tingling as they brush the soft material of his hoodie. His hands land on my hips, but his touch is more comforting than intimate, and I study his pale grey eyes. I imagine a lot of people think he’s cold, the way he can stare through you like a soldier on post, but the warmth coming off his body is enough to make me purr.
“It’s good,” he says, and I realise he’s talking about my mating bite. He’s pushed my hair off my shoulder, his thumb gentle where it traces the bite mark on my throat. I shiver at the touch, and he cups my neck. “Does it hurt?”
“No.” I pause, remembering the sting of teeth, the pain somehow morphing into the same pleasure as the knot throbbing in my body. “I didn’t want it to end.”
He grunts softly, his thumb brushing the mark again, like he can’t resist tracing its shape. “Your skin is so soft. Lang is a lucky man.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I drop my gaze to his hoodie, staring at the faint emblem. “Is my heat over?” Something about the way he keeps wearing the sweatshirt, long after its newness has faded, makes me want to climb inside it and wear him against my skin. “You said you were going to keep your distance until then.”
His lips tip up, no doubt at the salty edge to my voice. “You’re just experiencing a dip. You’ll have a few waves of heat over the next couple of days, followed by some spikes after it ends. Here, you need to drink.”
I grimace, since my body feels drenched in fluid right now, but when he tips the bottle of water against my lips, I gulp it down. A little spills from the corner of my mouth, running down between my breasts, and I wait for him to chase it with his mouth. There’s no hiding my disappointment when he wipes it away with the corner of his sleeve. “You’re really not going to touch me?”
I grind on him a little, to make my point, and while his hand stays loose on my hip, his head drops against the back of the chair. “To answer both questions, I’m not going to tell you off about your mating bite, since I’m glad it happened. You are exactly what Lang needs, and he’ll cherish you as only he can. And while I want to touch you more than you can imagine, I’m not going to do it now.” I open my mouth to protest, and he gives me a look that makes me both hot and shivery at the same time. “The things we need to talk about have to come first. Anything else would be a breach of consent.”
I study him, and while his expression is as unreadable as ever, it’s not hard to guess what he means. “You think I don’t recognise a master manipulator when I see one? I grew up staring at him across the breakfast table. But the difference between you and my father is that you keep your worst impulses on a leash, while he gave them full rein.”
His gaze dips away from me, and if it was any other man I’d think I’d won the argument. But Finn just rubs a thumb over my hip and shakes his head. “You don’t know me well enough to say that yet.”
“Maybe not. But isn’t that what courting alphas and omegas do? Get to know each other better?” I rock forward a little, breathing in his scent. The whole room smells divine, but Finn’s scent is high-octane, and I’m pretty sure one gulp could shoot me all the way to the moon. “Why else did you ask me to sit on your lap if you didn’t want to get closer?”
“Because I wanted to feel you. As much as I’ll allow myself.” He leans over, and I think he might finally be ready for more, but he takes a familiar testing kit from the table. “Plus, I need to check if you’re okay. Would it be alright if I took a reading?”
“Hmmm.” I frown a little as I eye the swab and vial. “Isn’t it my job to collect data?”
“This one’s for me. So I know my instincts aren’t just telling me what I want to hear.”
I’ve deduced enough to know it’s rare for Finn to talk about himself like this and I tilt my head, curious. “And what’s that?”
“That you’re right where you belong. With us.”
I can’t keep the smile from breaking over my face, because while I’m not sure what belonging to Finn Visser will feel like, he’s looking at me like he doesn’t plan to let me go. Which is exactly what I want, especially now I’m wearing Lang’s bite and can taste Soren on my lips.
“Okay. Same test as before?” I stick out my tongue, arching a brow at him when he doesn’t move. “What?”
“This one is to check your slick.”
“My slick?” I wriggle closer, eyeing the swab with more interest. “But I’m not sure I know how to take that test.”
“I can help you.” His voice has dropped an octave, and I shiver at the hint of a growl. Goosebumps prickle my skin as his fingers tighten on my hip. “Would you like me to do that, ?”
I lean into him, the vixen under my skin fascinated by the sheen of heat in his eyes. “Can you step me through the process before I decide? What exactly would you be doing during this test?”
If I’m trying to unnerve him, I fail miserably as he sits up straighter, his nostrils flaring and his dominance breaking over me in waves. I cling to his shoulders as he stares down at me, a thin black brow lifting in challenge. “I’ll part your thighs, check your pussy for any damage after taking Lang’s knot, then slip the swab inside you to see if you’re as sweet as you smell.”
Whatever dip I’d been in dissolves under a wave of heat at his words. I want that and so much more, and I arch against him, nodding my head and parting my thighs. They’re already damp with slick, and I watch his pupils dilate as he brushes his fingers over the damp skin. “So soft,” he murmurs, black curls falling into his eyes as he studies me. “Tell me if there’s any discomfort.”
Words are almost beyond me, but I force myself to say, “It’s fine. You can do the test.”
He catches my gaze for a moment, then gives a slight nod, his fingers dipping between my thighs. There’s no hope of hiding my reaction as he gently parts my folds, his thumb rubbing a slow circle over my sensitive skin. “There’s a little redness here,” he says in a voice full of gritty wonder. “Lang should lick this better, . His alpha juice will soothe the sting.”
I shudder, but he holds me still as he slips the swab inside. My blood is humming so wildly, I can barely feel it, but I give a disappointed moan as he pulls it free. Jerking his hair out of his eyes, he places the swab in the testing vial and gives it a stir, but I barely spare it a glance. I’ve never felt less like a scientist in my life as I squirm on his lap. “Finn…”
“You’re perfect,” he says, staring at the bright pink bottle. “Like the rest of you, your slick is beautiful.”
How am I supposed to hear that, and not come all over his lap?
“Alpha,” I whine, almost panting with need. “Please. I need you inside me.”
“Soon,” he tells me, his thumb brushing my twitching hip. “When your heat is over, we’ll talk, and if you still want me, I’ll own every inch of you, .”
As much as my body screams at me to stay, I can hear the dismissal in his words, and I force myself to climb off his lap. My legs shake under me, but I lock my knees, holding his gaze as I trail my fingers over Lang’s bite mark. “Wait too long, Finn,” I warn him, “and there may not be room for you anymore.”