Chapter 30
THIRTY
CHRISTMAS DAY
My Omega smells like heaven. His chocolate and citrus scent is intoxicating, his heat making it sweeter and so thick I can feel it on my tongue.
“My reward?” He whimpers against my lips. “I want it, please, Alpha.”
“Don’t you want to know what it is?”
He shakes his head, his curls slightly frizzed from sleep and bouncing around. “Nope. Don’t need to know. Gimmie.”
I laugh and tap the end of his nose. “Okay, Omega. Take these pajamas off.”
He scrambles and sheds his new pajamas so fast I haven’t had the chance to blink. He kneels in front of me and rests his hands, palms up, on his thighs. When he dips his chin and fixes his eyes on the ground, I recognize the position he’s naturally fallen into as one of submission.
“You’re in the rest position. Have you been in a protocol relationship before?”
When we were together two days ago, I assumed that he was going to be a little bratty, so this isn’t what I expected at all.
Not that I’m complaining.
He catches himself in a half nod before clearing his throat and answering out loud. “Only during my heats. And only a few times. It’s hard to find someone to trust.”
Alpha and Omega pairs often have protocol relationships. High-protocol relationships involve established rules and expectations and are more formal. People typically practice that type all the time, whereas a low protocol relationship can be more informal, with rules selectively enforced.
“Is that what you want, Omega?” I say, squatting in front of him. “You want me to give you rules and boundaries?”
A soft whine accompanies his breathy affirmation. “Only during my heats, though.”
I brush one of his curls from his forehead, tucking it behind his ear. “What are your safe words? Before you go mindless with heat, I need to know what you’re comfortable with.”
“Red, yellow, green.” The stoplight system is my favorite consent structure. I appreciate that there is a middle ground, not just a hard stop. A way to acknowledge that things need to proceed with caution.
“Limits?” His eyes are fixed on the floor, so I tap his chin for attention. “You can look at me, Omega.”
His glazed eyes meet mine, and a soft smile lifts the corners of his mouth.
“Nothing more than spanking. At least not yet. I don’t want my mouth knotted.” The sweet, timid Omega doesn’t waver as he explains what his boundaries are. “I would like to be with you and Clara at the same time. I want to be knotted.”
“And what about me and Clara? Are you comfortable with us being together?” While Clara and I will have a relationship, not every Omega is okay with their Alpha paying attention to anyone else during their heats, whether they are a Beta or another Alpha.
I should’ve known that wouldn’t be Felix.
“I want to watch,” he says, a blush staining his cheeks. “I want to be a part of it, and I want to watch you two. I want you to tell us both what to do.”
I stroke his hair, humming. “Thank you for telling me what you want. I’ll speak to Clara about whether she wants to be directed like you do.”
“I could be persuaded,” the Beta says, drawing my attention to the door of the nest. “My limits are the same as our Omega’s.”
Every time we refer to him by his designation, Felix preens.
Not all Omegas go deep into their hindbrains while in heat, but I have a feeling Felix will.
That means it is imperative that I know his boundaries before we begin, so that Clara and I can take care of him properly.
We could be here for five or six days, and it’s our responsibility to make sure he is safe, eats, and stays hydrated.
“Well, then, Beta, would you please strip and join Felix in the rest position?” Clara doesn’t scramble to obey in the way Felix does.
Instead, she calculates the situation before stripping and lowering herself beside him.
“Are you comfortable topping Felix?” I ask her, brushing her hair from his face.
“And are you sure you’re ready to be with me? ”
A broad smile spreads across her face, pushing her cheeks up until her eyes squint. “I’m sure. This feels right.”
I look between the two of them, both so beautiful and bare before me. “Are you on birth control?” I ask them. I would prefer not to have to keep track of condoms during the heat, but I will if I need to.
“I have an IUD,” Clara confirms.
“And I’m on the shot.” Felix looks over at Clara, smiling sheepishly. “I guess we should’ve talked about that before we slept together.”
“Probably,” she responds. “Though I think Omega and Beta pregnancies are rare.”
“Can’t be too careful,” I say before leaning down and kissing Felix on the forehead. “I think it’s time to begin, don’t you?”
“One more thing, Alpha,” Felix says softly. “I have something to ask you both.”
I kneel in front of them, placing a hand in each of their upturned palms. “Anything, Omega.”
“Let me bond you.” Even though he’s whispering, his voice is strong. “I know it’s fast, but I want it. Please.”
“Absolutely,” Clara breaks position and pulls her hand from mine to clasp his face. “I want nothing more.”
He sinks into her touch, sighing in relief. He presses his lips onto hers so fast that she almost topples over. Their kissing grows frantic before I clear my throat.
“I am also happy to accept your bond.”
Felix jolts upright, eyes wide with surprise. “Really? I … Are you sure?”
“I have known since I interviewed you that you were special. Now that I know it was my hindbrain recognizing that you’re my scent match, it all makes sense.
The way I couldn’t look anywhere but you whenever we were in the same room, how I would go out of my way to pass you in the hallway. We’re supposed to be together.”
“Yeah,” he says quietly. “We are. We all are.”