Chapter 34 Rowan #2
“Course I do,” Griffin says, his voice pitched low. “But only if you want to. This is a big decision to make, Sweetheart. I know the situation is fucked, but the last thing any of us want is for you to feel forced into a situation—“
“I want to.” She’s quick to interrupt him, eagerly nodding her head. “I’ve always—I never thought—“
She closes her eyes, a little line of frustration forming between her brows. It’s adorable despite the tough subject. She seems frustrated with her inability to say all the words she wants to say, but the two of us wait patiently for her to collect her thoughts.
“I think back at the facility, a lot of the rules revolved around suppressing our omega nature. So there were whispers about what bondmates and bondmarks were, but it wasn’t until I—I met a new girl who came in who apparently had an entire pack of guys who loved her I realized... I wanted that.”
One of her delicate hands comes up to rest on her shoulder, squeezing the flesh there like she’s imagining what it would be like to carry a bondmark there.
“Do you—do you think the others will be mad?” She whispers, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
“Ash and Rage?” Griffin asks, using his thumb to tug her bottom lip from between her teeth.
She nods, her strawberry perfume souring in the air ever so slightly from her worry.
“I mean, I can’t say they’re going to be happy,” Griffin says, letting out a quiet huff of laughter. “I definitely wouldn’t be, in their shoes. But I think they’ll get it, if you’re the one to explain it to them. That it was your choice.”
“You biting me now... that won’t prevent them from biting me later?” She asks slowly.
“No, Sugar. Plenty of omegas have packs,” I answer, squeezing her hand reassuringly.
“Packs with betas in them, too?”
“They’re a lot rarer, but yeah, some packs include betas.” It’s a struggle to keep my voice even. I don’t want my hope and excitement to sway her opinion.
The soft knock at the door is like a bucket of ice water on my anticipation. Dr. Stetson makes his way back into the room, scrubbing a hand through his salt and pepper hair.
“Your family is certainly... something,” he mutters under his breath. He offers Mirabelle a nod and a warm smile when he glances up and sees that she’s awake. “Hello, Mirabelle, I hope you’re not in too much pain?”
“Not right now. It’s not as bad, since I have Rowan and Griffin taking care of me. But when it gets bad, it’s still really bad.”
“Yes,” Dr. Stetson nods attentively. “That makes sense, it matches with what I’m seeing from your hormone levels. Have Griffin and Rowan had a chance to explain everything to you?”
“I need a bondmark in order for this heat to stop, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“I want that. But—“ She cuts her gaze to me and my heart stutters in my chest at the smile she flashes me. “Can a beta bite me, too?”
“So unfortunately, a beta and an omega bond doesn’t function the same as an alpha and omega one. But that doesn’t mean one can’t be formed. You would be the one biting him. While he could bite you, it wouldn’t leave the same bondmark.”
“Oh,” she says, nodding slowly.
“The bond will also take significantly longer to form completely, in terms of the other characteristics and advantages, like feeling each other’s emotions.
You’d be able to feel how he’s feeling, but it would take time and close proximity for him to be able to feel how you’re feeling, since he’s a beta. ”
She turns her gaze on me, leaning back against Griffin like she needs the support. Like she expects she’s not going to like what I have to say.
“Is that okay with you, Rowan?” She asks softly.
I fall to my knees in front of her, clasping her hand in mine and pressing it to my forehead. “I’d be honored, Sugar, if you wanted to make me a part of your pack.”
“Then let’s do it,” she says, reaching down and brushing her lips on the top of my head. It’s such an innocent and tender gesture.
My shoulders slump forward. I didn’t realize how tense I was holding my entire body.
“Just the thing we like to hear, Sweetheart,” Griffin growls, running his nose up the column of Mirabelle’s neck. I don’t miss the way his jaw ticks at the presence of the collar. But I still don’t have the key to that thing.
Dr. Stetson clears his throat and winces, when all our gazes cut to him.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but unfortunately, I think Griffin will be the only one who can bite you tonight.”
Just my luck. I knew it was too good to be true.
“What? Why?” Mirabelle says, squeezing my hand and sitting up further in bed.
A low growl leaves Griffin’s throat and he tugs the fuzzy blanket up to Mirabelle’s neck, more than covering her decency.
She lets out a returning sound of frustration, slapping Griffin’s fussing hands away and focusing her attention on the doctor.
“Because of how that call went with Mr. Mercer,” Dr. Stetson sighs. “I do hope that one day, you’ll be able to explore all the relationships you want to, but for now, your safety is of my utmost priority. And if we go against Mr. Mercer’s wishes, that safety of yours is jeopardized.”
“So he only approved Griffin biting her?” I ask, pushing myself up to my feet.
“Yes, that’s right. Reluctantly at that. But I made it clear that it was the choice between a bonded omega and no omega at all.”
“Fine,” I sigh. “Then that’s how it has to be, we’ll—“
“No!” Mirabelle says. Her perfume practically explodes out from her, a swirling storm of sugary, syrupy sweet strawberry jam, spicy with her frustration.
It’s a version of her perfume I’ve never scented before.
Maybe because I’ve never actually been around her when she’s angry.
“Did he—did he explicitly say Rowan can’t bond me?
What if Rowan hides the bondmark? Will anyone be able to tell? ”
Dr. Stetson’s brows raise in surprise, but he nods slowly, thinking over her question.
“He didn’t. I don’t think the thought occurred to him.
It was more so just clearance for one bite, from Griffin,” Dr. Stetson says, nodding towards the alpha.
“Theoretically, no one would be able to tell for a while, because the changes to his scent would be quite slow and other than the bondmark itself, that’s the only noticeable marker. ”
“Then I’m biting him today too,” Mirabelle insists, reaching out and squeezing my hand.
“There would need to be precautionary measures set up to make sure that... physical intimacy didn’t accelerate the bond forming between the two of you.”
“What do you mean?” Mirabelle’s brows draw down in confusion.
“That means Rowan can’t fuck you, Sweetheart,” Griffin murmurs, his arms wrapped around her and keeping the blanket covering her from Dr. Stetson’s gaze firmly in place.
Despite how intensely devoted to Mirabelle’s care he’s been throughout the past week, there’re certain things that remind me that he still is a hot-blooded, nearly feral alpha.
“Yes, that’s right,” Dr. Stetson nods.
Mirabelle’s bottom lip pops out in the most adorable pout ever.
“What about things other than that?” She says.
“It would be unfair of me to say that you shouldn’t have any physical contact with him, especially because the likelihood that you’ll have access to your other bondmate at all the times you’d need him are slim,” Dr. Stetson says.
“So it’s okay,” she says, seemingly insistent on figuring out the rules of this situation.
“It is.”
“Okay. That’s good,” she nods.
“That all you’ve got for us, Doc?” Griffin drawls.
“Yes.”
“Then, respectfully, get the hell out.”