Chapter 74
Iwasn’t planning on biting her, what I really wanted was a kiss…
but since she hadn’t offered, I wasn’t trying to make things awkward if she didn’t feel like kissing me.
Of course, then I had to go and taste her and I went and screwed that all up.
Deep down, I know she probably only wants us for this one heat, and that makes my chest ache almost bad enough to deflate my knot from where it’s stuck right now.
Which would defeat the whole point of us helping, so I’m just kind of stuck in this Mobius loop of suck.
Not the experience, that’s amazing, she’s amazing…
but the wanting and still knowing she’ll leave.
It sucks.
It’s a mystery how she goes from passion to worry to purring on my chest—and now snoring on my chest, in such a short period of time.
Maybe it’s the hormones that make her so mercurial, but from what I’ve seen, it’s most likely just her.
She gets angry easily and then swings back to smiling a few moments later.
It could also be the hormones. My sisters are all betas, but they can have really heavy mood swings too sometimes.
Not that I’d tell them that. It’s usually more of an offer-a-hot-water-bottle-and-chocolate then back away slowly sort of situation.
I wonder if Sarah likes chocolate. I think everybody likes hot water bottles.
That’s probably not a very good courting gift, even a cute one… if she lets us court her.
I’m glad she likes the nest, though I wish I had time to finish it—I’m still not sure what stars to use.
Greg scoots closer, running his hand down her hair and over her back.
His voice is a quiet whisper. “She feels less hot, but it’ll probably ramp back up soon.
Do you need me to get you a bottle of water or anything?
” It’s surprising that he’s being so friendly after earlier.
I thought he’d be mad at me for knotting his girlfriend, even if he is the one who brought her over.
Betas must not be as driven by instinct, so it definitely makes sense to have one in a pack.
Of course, he’s her scent match, so he’ll follow wherever she leads, and it makes the most sense for us to get along.
Across the room, Paul is leaning against the wall.
I’ll need to look at getting some couches or something to sit in here.
Tiffany told me that I needed to make sure the nest was comfortable.
I just kept thinking of the bed and how it looked, but from this position I can see where some pretty, gauzy curtains would work well for the ceiling too, maybe a couple of end tables for the sides of the couch when I get it.
Something for when we’re waiting to be invited into the nest. Tiff said that’s really important, but I don’t think she needed to tell me that part.
It felt wrong to invade Sarah’s space without an invitation, and whether I like it or not, this is now her space.
Of course I love the idea of her wanting to stay, of this being hers.
I didn’t know when I was making it, but that feels right.
Al sticks his head in the door a few minutes later, while we’re still waiting for Sarah to wake up.
She’s alternating between purring and snoring in her sleep, and it’s adorable.
Though I am worried she’s gonna get a leg cramp in this position—maybe I should try to roll on my side so she can stretch out.
That’s easier said than done, and she ends up getting jostled around by my movements.
Her head comes up slowly, so at least she doesn’t head-butt me.
Not that I wouldn’t take that again to have her here with us.
She tilts her head just as I roll us over, looking up into my eyes.
Hers are clearer now, less pained as she slides off my softening cock.
It feels too cold without her, and a shiver travels down my spine at the sensation.
She stares up at me for a few more minutes before scooting her body close enough to finally give me the kiss I’ve been craving.
It’s soft and sweet, a barely-there brush of her tender lips across mine.
I have to lock my arms down to keep from wrapping them around her.
After earlier, I gotta be super careful not to scare her again.
My body shivers, making her draw back enough to look around.
She sees Al pulling his comforter and pillows into the room and starts purring again.
Hopping lightly off the mattress and stalking towards him, she stares up into his eyes, waiting for him to hand them over.
He offers them into her outstretched hands and she takes them, standing on her tiptoes long enough to scent-mark his jaw, then looks intently at his clothes.
He looks around, confused for a moment, addressing Paul instead of her.
“What does she want? She’s just glaring at me.
” Paul starts to snicker at the question, considering that Al is the only one of us with real experience with an omega.
It seems to dawn on him that everyone in the room is naked except for him.
He lets out a strangled, “Oh!” before quickly stripping out of his pajama pants and T-shirt and passing them over.
Sarah smiles up at him then, and it’s beautiful and happy, and I want to see her smile like that all the time.
She leans forward again, scent-marking his chest and leaving a small, smacking kiss over his heart before turning around and crawling back into the nest. She drags her treasure over the lip, disturbing some of the work she’s already put into it, and huffs in annoyance.
Growling at Greg and me until we get moving so she can start adding Al’s bedding and clothes to the pile and reworking the edges, tucking everything in around us.
She takes one edge of his blanket and throws it over my chest, tucking me into the nest along with the pillows, and Greg starts to laugh at what must be my look of shock.
“Well, you did seem cold earlier. Just assume she wants to take care of you and go with it.” His smile is huge as he looks over at the sweet little omega who’s fussing with Al’s shirt, trying to get it spread between a couple of pillows.
Eventually she snarls loudly, and starts biting the fabric, yanking until it tears down the middle and is wide enough to fit the space she wants.
Al raises his hand like he wants to say something, but then just shrugs and walks over to take up a space of wall near our oldest packmate.
I guess as long as she’s happy, no one is going to complain right now.