Chapter 77
I’ve never had a heat that consisted of so many power naps, I swear. Maybe it’s just because I won’t be sleeping much for the foreseeable future, my body’s decided to pass out when I’m not cramping. Of course, it’s not like I got a lot of rest last night since the spikes started.
Being an omega sucks ass sometimes. Then again, this is my first heat with someone to take care of me and not on suppressants, so that could be factoring in too.
Regardless, it feels nice to wake up cuddled against a warm, purring chest. It was a shock the first time I woke up cuddled with Greg, but now it’s something I look forward to every morning.
My beta gives amazing snuggles, and sometimes it makes it really hard to get out of bed.
The warm body underneath me right now isn’t my beta; it isn’t a beta at all since it’s purring.
Coarse chest hair brushes against my cheek as I rub against him, and Paul’s purr tapers down.
He never stops completely as his hand comes up and brushes my hair back from my sweaty forehead, making me tilt my face back to look at him.
He has that sweet smile again, the one I want to see more of.
“Hey there, pretty girl. How you feelin’? ”
I think about it for a few moments, assessing my body.
He isn’t locked inside me anymore, and someone has draped a blanket over me.
It’s lightweight but warm, a butter-soft turquoise blanket that I remember Spence handling at the nesting store.
I drag it up to my cheek to test the feel against my face and I’m instantly taken aback that it doesn’t smell like any of my pack.
I quickly pull it away from my nose, rubbing it against Paul’s chest and neck, where his scent is strongest. He freezes for a moment, and I’m worried I’ve done something wrong until his arms tighten around me and his purr grows even louder than before.
He drops his face, rubbing his jaw against the top of my head and making me never want to leave this warm little cocoon we’ve made.
Unfortunately, my body has other ideas about what I need, and I still have an alpha I need to claim…
even if it’s only in my mind. I’m still not sure if he really wants me; he’s so broken and he doesn’t like omegas—I can’t even blame him for that.
Though I would like to get ahold of that skanky ho that made him feel this way and beat the bejesus out of her for hurting him.
She better hope she never comes back to the center, ’cause if I find her, it’s gonna take more than her pack to stop me from kicking her ass.
From what I heard, they’re more intellectual and would probably just run around, waving their arms and shouting for help.
I can count on Greg keeping the other guards away until I’m done.
I look over and meet Al’s eyes where he’s sitting next to Spence and Greg.
Something about my face makes him recoil and it takes me a moment to realize that there’s a downright evil grin spread across my features at the thought of beating the shit out of that little tramp in his defense.
It’s frustrating because as much as I would enjoy that, it also means that my possessive instincts are flaring up again, and I’m going to need him sooner rather than later.
I want to make sure he knows how I feel before I become nothing more than an incoherent, demanding body that takes and takes and takes.
I need to make sure he understands that it’s him I want, not just any available alpha.
He looks uncertainly around at my other guys as I disentangle myself from Paul and crawl across the mattress to him, stopping in front of him to sit up on my knees before leaning in and scent-marking his chest and face.
He’s short enough for me to reach much easier than any of the rest of them.
His eyes are wary, like he still expects me to kick him out of my nest even when I’m sitting nearly in his lap and leaking slick like a fucking faucet.
Of all the alphas here, his smell reminds me most of home.
They all smell good, and they all remind me of certain parts of growing up, but some of my first memories were of waking up to this smell as Abuela worked in the kitchen after the weeks we spent harvesting pecan trees.
It was usually in the time leading up to Thanksgiving break, so there were often pies and stuff too, but this is the one I remember the most.
He stares at me, eyes flicking back and forth between my own before his hand reaches out.
He lets his fingers trail over my cheek and down to cup my jaw before pulling me close to kiss me, and my eyes fall shut.
It starts off soft, tentative, like he’s afraid I’m going to pull away.
Suddenly his other hand is there, holding me, tilting my head back so he can deepen the kiss.
He’s insistent, his mouth crushing against mine, his teeth nipping at my lips.
A low growl rumbles from his chest, causing me to whine and open for him, and then his tongue is there, demanding entry.
It feels like I’m being consumed as he takes over completely, tilting my whole body back and covering it with his.
I hear Greg and Paul mumbling something and Spence’s voice a bit louder.
“Al, come on, it’s not like she’s trying to get away, chill.
I said relax, not unleash the beast.” But I can’t focus on any of that because that’s what it feels like, being overwhelmed by sensation and the waves of desperate need rolling off this man.
His weight comes down against my thighs, and I open without thinking, my legs raising to wrap around his hips as he rocks his hard cock against me, finally breaking the kiss.
The growl grows louder, broken by grunts as he thrusts against my core, his hard shaft grinding my clit.
Thank fuck I’m so wet, or the pressure would be uncomfortable instead of the easy slide that’s already pushing me close to the edge.
I was worried he’d have the same issue as Spence, but it looks like I’ll be coming first if he keeps this up.
I force my eyes to open, to look up at the face above me.
Alistair looks nearly feral, teeth gritted in a snarl as he stares down at me.
His eyes lock on mine; they’re are filled with desperation, though whether it’s from holding back or something else, I don’t know.
His head drops again, nuzzling between my neck and shoulder, scraping his teeth along the sensitive skin there.
I’m not afraid, not like I was at the start.
These men would never try to bond me without consent, so I tip my neck, allowing better access.
Al nips up the side of my neck, his teeth teasing my earlobe as he grunts out, “Mine!” in a rough, broken voice. That’s all it takes to push me over the edge, and fireworks go off behind my eyes as they squeeze shut against the overstimulation.
He finally slows as I come down, going back to soft, tender kisses wherever he can reach, across my cheeks and forehead, over my eyelids, down my neck, and it’s almost too much; it makes me feel wanted, cherished.
It makes me feel like I actually belong here with these guys, and for a moment I wish I could stay forever and never have to go back to my lonely dorm room with just me and Greg and Shaggy.
I feel vulnerable in a way I haven’t before, and I’m not sure if I like it, or if I want to crawl under a blanket and hide.