Chapter 73
Lucy
“Baby girl.” King stroked my back, his skin slightly rough against mine. “It’s time to wake up.”
No. It was sleep time.
“I know you don’t like the morning, princess. If you get up, I’ll go get you a latte and pastry.”
Tempting, but no.
I rubbed my cheek against my pillow, and it let out a low purr.
Hmm. Did it usually do that? Thick arms surrounded me, smelling like pine and home.
I sighed happily as I pressed my face to Wilder’s throat.
I didn’t know when he’d snuck into the nest or how long I’d been sprawled on top of him, but everything felt complete now.
His purr intensified, and his thigh slipped between mine.
The pressure against my bare pussy made me squirm.
King kissed a line up my spine, his lips ending on the bond mark he’d placed on my neck. Mmm, the morning was no time for conversation, but it was the perfect time for fucking.
He palmed my ass but didn’t move his fingers toward my core.
“Your bottle of suppressants on the bathroom counter is empty, baby. Do you have more somewhere?”
I let out a frustrated growl. “No, I haven’t refilled them.” My words were muffled against Wilder’s skin. If he could just slip his cock…
“Do you want me to swing by the pharmacy while I’m out?” King asked.
“No. I want you to cuddle me while sleeping in.”
Leo chuckled as he returned from the bathroom. He flopped onto the bed and threw his arm across Wilder and me. “Joonam, I’m sorry to tell you that most of the world considers nine in the morning sleeping in.”
“What do they know?” I muttered. He was all floral cardamom, and it made me hungry for him. “Wilder knows it’s sleeping time.”
The chest underneath me shook with laughter. “I’ve been up since six, sweetheart. But I’m happy to hold you all morning.”
“Our precious grumpy girl.” Leo’s kiss on my cheek was sweet and tender, but his wandering hands palming my ass were anything but. I arched against him, my nipples hardening as they rubbed against Wilder’s bare chest.
“We love our grumpy morning omega,” King said. “But she still needs to answer Daddy about her medication.”
His low voice made me shiver and I whined, hating how empty I was. I jolted when King pinched my nipple. My eyes popped open as I turned toward him in outrage. “What was that for?”
“What are you supposed to be doing?”
I jutted my lip out in a pout. “Sleeping?”
His lips twitched, but he didn’t relent as he gripped my jaw.
I let out a long sigh. “I don’t need my suppressants refilled because I’m not taking them.” My cheeks burned and my stomach fluttered, bracing for their reactions.
His grip tightened. “Why is that?”
“Because I want to have a heat.”
Wilder turned to stone beneath me, and waves of shock and arousal flooded me from all directions through the bonds.
“When did you stop taking suppressants?” King’s voice was strangled.
“I just skipped last night.”
“How long until you go into heat?” Leo asked.
“I don’t know. A couple days maybe?” I chewed my lip. “Are you guys mad?”
The tension in the room dissipated.
“Not at all,” Leo said. “Just surprised.”
“It feels a little sudden,” King added. “I don’t want you to think there’s any pressure, baby girl. You can take as much time as you need to feel ready.”
The lump in my throat was all gratitude.
“I know. I genuinely forgot I was out, but I’d been putting off refilling it because I feel ready for a heat.
If we wait any longer, it will be too close to the Midsummer festival.
I guess I could wait until after Midsummer, but that’s when I was planning to start working on my online sewing course and officially open up orders for custom clothing. ”
I finally braved a glance at Wilder. His reaction was the one I was most worried about.
Even alphas with regular hormone levels often went into rut during heats.
I hoped the whole chasing-me-through-the-woods thing had eased his anxiety about hurting me, but this was still a big step.
His expression was unreadable, and he was shielding his emotions from me in the bond.
I didn’t like it.
I scowled and prodded at the golden strands joining us on the deepest level possible. He let out a shuddering laugh and hugged me tight to his chest, his face pressed to my hair.
“You’re such trouble.”
“Don’t hide from me,” I grumbled back.
He opened the bond, releasing a floodgate of love, fear, and anxiety. He shifted so he was sitting up, keeping me straddling his lap.
He locked eyes with King and Leo. “I’m going to get an injectable tranquilizer that you can use on me in case I lose control.”
I tightened my hold on him. “You won’t—”
“Nonnegotiable, sweetheart. I’m not willing to risk your safety.”
I narrowed my eyes. I could feel his resoluteness in the bond, so I let out a little huff of defeat. “Fine. But you won’t need it.” I pressed a kiss to his jaw. “My omega can handle you just fine.”
He grinned, chest rumbling. “I’m sure she can.”
“Have you had a heat before?” Leo asked. “I don’t know a ton about them.”
I shook my head. “I thought about it with my exes, but it never happened.”
King and Wilder growled, but Leo kept a cool head as he stroked my hair. “Why is that? You were with them for a while, right?”
“Almost a year.” God, it was so embarrassing to think how long I stayed with them.
“They wanted me to have one. Well, that’s an understatement.
They said I couldn’t move in or have a nest at their house until I had a heat with them.
” I’d never told anyone the full story of what happened, and now that I’d started, the words spilled out.
“They said it wasn’t natural for omegas to be on suppressants, but I was really busy with my shop.
At least, that’s the excuse I gave them for not going into heat, but after we broke up, I realized the real reason was that my omega didn’t trust them.
The longer I went without having a heat, the more distant they became until they were withholding pretty much all affection, although they still acted like perfect alphas when we were in public.
I was actually relieved when I found the proof that they were cheating because it gave me the courage to end it. ”
“Oh, baby girl. They didn’t deserve you,” King murmured.
My friends had said the same thing for months, but it finally felt like the truth of it was sinking in.
“I think I know that now. But if you think it’s too soon for me to have a heat, I totally get it. I can refill my suppressants, and if I take a double dose today, I should be fine.”
“I don’t want to wait,” Leo blurted out.
I smiled up at him. “Yeah?”
He cupped my cheek and gave me a sweet kiss. “Fucking my girl for days? Sounds like a dream come true.”
“I don’t want to wait, either,” King said. His deep scent swirled around me, all bright citrus.
“Wilder?” I whispered his name and trailed my fingers through his short beard. “Will you see me through my heat?”
A surge of possessive arousal shot down our bond so strong I swore I had a mini orgasm.
“Yes, I will,” he said roughly.
I captured his lips, winding my fingers through his hair as I dipped my tongue in his mouth. He palmed my ass, pulling me tighter against his hard cock, concealed by his boxers. Since we were all here, and I was already naked…
“Oh shit,” Leo said, making Wilder freeze.
I groaned. Could women get blue balls?
“King and I are signed up to chaperone Ivy’s class trip to the New England Aquarium tomorrow. I’ll text her to say we can’t go.”
“Oh no. How tragic,” King said dryly.
“No, wait, you can’t cancel,” I said. “My heat shouldn’t start for a couple of days. Ivy said the kids are so excited for more of King’s fish facts.”
The alpha in question grumbled, but I saw through him. He was excited about the field trip, too.
“I don’t want to leave you,” he said, his anxiety and uncertainty reaching me through the bond.
“You have the next four days off, right?” I asked Wilder.
“Yes. I’ll also put in a request for heat leave, which I think is up to ten additional days.”
“See, Wilder will be with me, and Boston isn’t that far away if something happens.”
King ran a harried hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”
“Fish King cannot disappoint the children,” Leo said.
“I’ll take care of our girl,” Wilder added.
Any more sweetness and I’d burst into tears.
“I see I’m overruled.” King kissed the tip of my nose. “If you’re sure, princess.”
I ran my fingers down his cheek, rough with stubble in contrast to his usually clean-shaven self. “I’m sure.”