Chapter 30
Romeo Hall, Sanctum
T hree months later…
“Laurent would love these balloons. Olivia dragged him to thousands of parties but never threw one for her own son.” I adjust the column stand of purple birthday balloons in the ballroom, which are lit up with string lights. “But now, Laurent is missing—”
“Kidnapped,” Swan corrects.
Swan is putting the finishing touches to an arch of golden balloons, which hang in front of the gleaming mirrors behind the ballet barre.
Moonbeams stream through the floor to ceiling windows that line the grand ballroom. They glitter on the crystal and rose decorations, which Swan and I have spent the day decorating the room with for Benedict’s thirtieth birthday.
A huge banner hangs from the wall, which we painted with cartoon foxes, swans, and snakes, along with the words: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BENEDICT!
I slant my head back to see the stars that glitter on the black ceiling. The spherical chandelier gleams like the moon has risen inside just for us.
Curtain fairy lights are draped from the stars. They make the ballroom appear to have been been transformed into a magical grotto.
A magical grotto is the right setting for Benedict, who looks like a fox fae. He deserves a room as beautiful as this. We’re only returning him to his rightful realm.
And never a cage again.
Swan gave me a heart attack this afternoon, when he clambered up a high ladder to hang the fairy lights and then decided to try out his poses and dance moves at the top of it.
“Stop it, Feathers,” I gasped. “Come down before you fall. Aren’t you scared of anything?”
“Nothing. Bring it on.” Swan pushed himself onto tiptoes on the top of the ladder like a god amongst the stars. “If I fall, I know that you’ll catch me.”
Now, I take Swan’s hand and lead him across the dance floor toward the white, grand piano.
The ornate piano looks even more magical, now that we’ve wound roses around its legs.
I’ve swept on dramatic metallic eye makeup, as well as a pretty shade of violet lipstick. I’m wearing a short, sequined golden party dress.
Swan has dressed to match me in a spectacular golden evening suit with feather designs on his waistcoat and a bow tie that manages to give him the roguish air of a villain in disguise, who’s only here to pull off a dashing robbery.
Ironically, he already has, but it’s to rob this pack of their hearts.
Swan set out to court the Romeos. And I believe that Swan can achieve anything that he puts his mind to.
“This is Bec’s big day,” I say, firmly. “He was brought up to believe that he’d be abandoned, when he hit thirty. That’s his fear. We need to prove to him that it’s not true and celebrate him instead. Bec has done so much for us. Laurent would understand.”
Swan leans against the piano. “Laurent is Bec’s best friend. Of course he’d understand. But it’s tearing me apart, JuJu, that I don’t know where he is. Is this Olivia’s revenge, despite the fact that she’s locked in the Alpha Center? She’s cunning enough to have arranged it. Or is it one of those illegal underground fighting gangs? Laurent is the most beautiful male Omega in the fucking state. I mean, he’d be a prime target. I can’t bear that it’s been almost a week…”
Anguish washes through the bond, powerfully enough for my knees to buckle. I steady myself against the piano.
I feel it too.
When Laurent was snatched, it wrecked each one of us.
Laurent is like my brother.
He’s spent his life caged and abused but secretly fighting to help the Betas in the academy and to save me .
He’s alone and packless.
He’s been terrified of being forced into a bond. Yet he’s never even been kissed. I’ve been desperately hoping that he could find a pack who’d both understand and cherish him like mine do.
Except, now he’s been kidnapped.
What the hell is happening to Laurent?
“We’ll rescue him,” I say. “Ambrose has the cops on it. He’s hired the best private detectives. Plus, we have the resistance secretly working on it as well. This is our mission, and you know that Amby and Bec have barely been sleeping because they’re working so hard. They need at least a couple of hours away from their phones.”
Swan cups my cheek. “To celebrate.”
“To love.” I lean forward, allowing my distress to wash away, being replaced by the depth of love that I feel for this incredible man.
My mentor.
Protector.
The Beta who dared to dance with an Omega, as primo and prima.
The man who has never once let me down, but instead, has brought us both out of the darkness and into the light of the Romeos.
Because despite what Ambrose thinks, he was never the shadows that I should fear.
Together, we shine bright.
When I kiss Swan, I tell him all of this in the press of my lips and the way that our tongues dance like we’ve known each other for a lifetime and will for every lifetime.
Swan fumbles behind him, pressing something on his phone, which is lying on top of the piano.
All of a sudden, the happy, bouncy indie anthem “There She Goes” by The La’s bursts through built-in speakers throughout the room.
“There she goes.” Swan reverentially brushes a curl behind my ear. My breath catches at the intensity of his gaze. His sweet and sharp scent of lemons and strawberries winds around me. “My Ash Queen.”
“My Feathers.”
Swan bares his canines, grabbing me around the waist and swinging me into the middle of the ballroom.
Swan grins. “I bring the party music.”
“Isn’t this Vito’s playlist?”
“ Pfft , I’m still the party Beta.”
“The ego Beta.”
“The godly Beta.”
I laugh, as Swan dips me, then pulls me close against his hard chest. My breathing becomes ragged. His hot breath is against my neck.
He dances with me like we’re just a normal couple in a club, despite the fact that neither of us have been inside one before.
“We’re truly like ordinary people now.” Swan’s beaming with joy. “This room looks like a fairy tale.”
Nothing’s perfect.
But this, right now…?
Being bonded to these men is my fairy tale come true.
I glance out of the window.
In the dark, I can make out the Romeo and Juliet marble statue, which Ambrose had moved from the academy.
I smile, softly.
The statue is Felix and Nova’s monument — to the bravery of two dancers who dared to break free and love.
They’re at peace now, and seeing that statue brings me peace.
Finally, in the arms of my protective pack, I can sleep.
Beyond it, I can make out the arched roof of the cottage, where Ambrose’s rescued Beta dad, along with Olivia’s other Betas and Omegas, now live.
Watching Ambrose meet them again, after years separated, was beautiful and painful.
When Ambrose showed his dad the ballroom and told him that he had the freedom to dance there whenever he wanted but also to become an instructor at the academy as well, his dad fell to his knees and wept.
Then he danced in this same space that Swan and I am now.
Except, it was like a sudden rebirth of his soul, a coming to life.
Ambrose’s dad is still one of the best dancers of his generation.
I’m excited to work alongside him. And I will because I’m the new Dance Master, while Swan is working as the choreographer with the male dancers.
Butterflies swarm in my stomach at the thought of all our plans for the repertoire this season, but mainly for our reforms: Vito has decorated warm, comfortable dorms, everybody will be fed balanced but tasty diets, and nobody will ever be beaten.
Plus, Ambrose has hired a tutor to make sure that the Betas receive an education alongside their ballet training.
I lay my head on Swan’s chest, as we sway to the music. “Did you hear that Ari left the academy yesterday to return to her pack?”
Swan nods. “Once we changed the tradition about both buying Betas and taking the Second Betas from certain wealthy families, it was inevitable that some of the students would choose to leave. Still, not many have now that Amby is in charge. Or it could be because they’re excited that I’m their new instructor. I will be legendary. I’m fucking glad that Ari was one of those who chose to reunite with their families. Huh, it’s weird, but even after everything, I wouldn’t have felt great about having to kick her ass out. And I would have done because I won’t have bullies in our academy.”
“She was a bully but she was trapped too.” I lick my lips, unsure how to raise this. “How do you feel about the fact that Rem decided to stay? Can you teach him? I know that you probably feel like kicking his ass out or simply kicking it, now that you’re in charge…”
Swan arches his brow. “I’m not Dimitri. Also, Rem said sorry.”
Surprised, I pull back to study Swan. “He did?”
“This morning.” Swan’s smiling but without the typical snarl that comes with it. He looks relaxed and happy. The apology must have meant a lot to him. “Rem stayed behind after class. He looked terrified. I expected some type of weasel like grovel to get himself out of trouble. Instead, he fell to his knees. He was trembling. I felt like an asshole. Then he told me that when we’d been friends, Ari had come to him. She wanted to partner with him, but he had to break off his friendship with trash like me first. He said no. So, she threatened to have the Dance Master write to his Head Alpha about his behavior, as well as to set the rest of the elite Betas on him.”
I stare at Swan in shock. “Do you believe him?”
“Yeah, I do. After all, Amby already told us that Ari had blackmailed Rem into dancing with her. I didn’t expect it but I honestly felt sorry for the guy. She made his life hell.”
“Bigger question. Do you forgive him?”
Swan looks away. “Rem is a coward. But I hate to think what he went through under Ari’s control. He asked if we could be friends again. I told him that he had to earn it.”
“Fair.”
Swan’s eyes twinkle. “I am a worthy reward.”
I chuckle.
I lower my hand to the soft hair that curls at the base of Swan’s neck.
His eyelashes flutter.
“The cake has arrived,” Vito cheerily declares, staggering into the ballroom with a giant birthday cake.
Also, a spectacular one.
Amazed, I study the cake that’s round and white with musical notes bursting out from the sides, as if they’re floating. The top of the cake has been built up into a grand piano, which is being played by a suave looking fox in black tie.
A single purple candle is placed next to a large piped 30 .
“Wow, you’re talented,” I breathe.
“In many ways.” Vito curls his tongue behind his teeth, and I blush. “I did bake this chocolate cherry cake, but it was designed by my sister, Candy. She helped me to make this cake as a gift for my honey bee. Candy is the creative one at the Dough Knot. I didn’t realize that I missed working my knot off in that bakery but hey, I love that I’m back there.”
It's tough that Vito commutes back and forth to the Dough Knot.
But each of us is independent and talented.
Benedict is working as the first Omega music instructor, offering one-to-one lessons to the Betas, as well as composing music to add to the repertoire.
I miss Vito when he’s away with work. But I respect that he needs to fly, as much as I do.
Sometimes, people need space, as much as closeness.
Benedict has taught me that as well.
Vito carefully places down the cake on the top of the piano, before slipping a retro lighter out of his pocket and tossing it to me with the same swagger, as if he truly was the Alpha James Dean.
Although, one who’s dressed in black leather trousers and a Pixies band t-shirt.
“Light the candle for me.” Vito’s long, raven hair falls over his eyes, and it’s Swan who reaches to brush it back from his face.
I light the wick, then coo happily, as it flares up and fizzles like a violet sparkler.
Vito presses a kiss to the sensitive spot behind my ear, and I coo again. “It burns as brightly as you do, Jules. I fucking love you.”
“I’ve captured the birthday Omega,” Ambrose’s deep, echoing voice rumbles from the doorway.
Delighted, I look up, as Ambrose stalks into the room, looking dominantly gorgeous in a black tie suit with golden waistcoat, handkerchief, and rose cuff links in honor of the occasion.
Benedict is sprawled over his shoulder like his prey.
Ambrose looks like the wolf Alpha prince who has caught his enemy Omega elven prince and is now carrying him back to his lair to do very wicked — and naughty — things to him.
That’s the type of thing Dimitri would read about.
Hell, if the characters in the book looked like Ambrose and Benedict do, then I’d read it.
Especially, since Benedict is naked.
Vito’s eyes widen. “I didn’t know that you took birthday suit so literally.”
Ambrose carries Benedict toward the piano. “Stripping the birthday boy is a Romeo tradition.”
“No it isn’t,” Benedict’s muffled voice protests. “You shouldn’t lie.”
I chuckle.
Ambrose slides one hand teasingly over Benedict’s ass, making Benedict gasp. “It is for their special thirtieth birthday.”
Swan looks hopeful. “Is a birthday spanking a tradition too?”
“Only for Betas whose names begin with ‘s’.”
Swan looks over his shoulder like Ambrose must be speaking to someone else. “Huh?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect your ass, beautiful,” Vito promises.
Ambrose places Benedict down in front of the cake, holding his arms tightly around his waist.
Then he whispers with a softness that makes me smile because I love that he shares this side of himself with Benedict, “Happy birthday, Benedict.”
Benedict stares around the ballroom in wonder. “This is all for me?”
Swan and I nod.
“Happy birthday,” we chorus.
Benedict’s eyes glimmer with tears, but it’s pure joy that’s surging through the bond for being accepted.
“The lights are making me tingle. Can we keep them up, after today? No one has hung a banner with my name before or baked me a birthday cake. How many balloons are there?”
Distracted, Benedict attempts to twirl around
Ambrose holds onto him. “I’ve got you. We wanted to show you how much you mean to us. Is this too much?”
Benedict shakes his head. “You prepared me and put this party into my schedule. How many balloons?”
“Two hundred and forty-four,” I make up.
Benedict looks satisfied. “We can count them later.”
Shit, Benedict is right: I shouldn’t lie.
Swan winks at me. “That sounds like an Omega game.”
“But first, blow out the candle and make a wish.” Vito leans beside the cake.
Benedict scrunches his nose up in confusion. “Why?”
It’s easy to forget just how much both Benedict and Swan have missed out on, from birthday parties to ordinary life.
Yet from now on, we’re going to start living.
We are living.
“It’s something people do on their birthdays.” Ambrose grips Benedict by the chin and guides him to lean over the cake.
Benedict thinks hard for a moment, before blowing out the candle.
Swan and I clap, and Vito whoops, jumping up and down.
“I wish,” Benedict starts, “that—”
“Hey,” Vito says, quickly, “don’t tell us or it won’t come true.”
Benedict wriggles out of Ambrose’s hold, crossing his arms. “I rather think that has no factual basis. I wish that I will spend every birthday for the rest of my life with this pack, until the day I die.”
My breath hitches.
“None of you are allowed to die,” Ambrose commands, icily.
Vito salutes. “No dying, sir.”
“Presents. The most important part of birthdays, or that’s what JuJu has told me.” Swan dives behind the piano.
Swan exchanges a glance with me.
This is important to him.
This is the joint gift that we bought with our first pay check.
The first gift that Swan has ever bought.
Before now, he’s always had to risk punishment by stealing gifts.
Swan pulls out a present that’s almost as tall as he is. It’s wrapped in velvet, green paper with gold ribbon around it.
I spent over an hour trying to wrap it this morning.
Swan staggers back to Benedict, whose eyes widen.
“Happy birthday from JuJu and me.” Swan places the present down in front of Benedict.
Benedict hesitates, glancing at me.
I smile at him reassuringly.
He traces over the paper, which I hoped that he’d love. He bends to rub his cheek over it, before pulling off the ribbon. I’m sure that I’ll find the ribbon added to his nest.
I expect him to rip open the paper, but instead, he meticulously opens the present like he intends to keep the paper and add that to his nest as well.
Benedict gasps, as he reveals the almost human sized fluffy fox stuffie inside. Then he dives on it, knocking it to the floor and cuddling it, wildly.
Swan and I grin at each other.
It means a lot that he likes our first gift.
Benedict purrs, sniffing its fur. “How does the fox smell like you?”
“Well, Foxy ,” I kneel next to Benedict, carding my fingers through his curls, “we scented it. We wanted you to have something that smelled of us. So, when we’re working, and you’re home in the nest, you’ll be able to feel like we’re with you still.”
“Thank you.” Benedict launches himself up to wrap his arms around my neck and nuzzle me.
Ambrose prowls to lean against the wall, watching us hungrily.
His gaze darkens. “My present is inside the piano stool. Take it out.”
“Baby, you’re making me hot with that dominant growl.” Vito smirks but he obeys, opening the piano and lifting something out.
It’s not wrapped.
Instead, it’s a gorgeous, white-tipped fox’s tail, which is attached to a thick, knotted dildo.
I stare at it in shock.
“Doesn’t your Foxy need a tail?” Ambrose arches his brow.
I swallow my tongue, nodding because I can’t get the words out.
Is this Benedict’s birthday or mine?
I suspect that Ambrose is making it both of ours. He hasn’t stopped cherishing me, since we bonded. Just like Vito has continued to try out different foods for Swan, Ambrose has ensured that we’ve both had every experience that we can.
“Are you okay with this?” I check in, tracing down Benedict’s cheek. “Remember red means stop, yellow is slowdown, and green means keep going. What are you now?”
“Green.” Benedict’s eyes are already glassy, as I thumb over his nipples.
He whines.
“Vito, bend our birthday Omega over the piano and turn him into our Foxy,” Ambrose orders.
Vito places the dildo down on the piano. Then he buries his hand in Benedict’s hair and yanks him off the fox stuffie and toward the piano.
Benedict’s pupils dilate.
Vito pulls Benedict into a deep kiss that leaves them both panting, before he pushes him over the piano, slamming his front down close enough to the cake for him to be able to flick out his tongue and lick its frosting.
Vito smiles. “Good Omega.
He slides his hand down the pale expanse of Benedict’s back toward his ass.
Benedict is already wet with slick.
As Vito begins to finger him open, Ambrose’s gaze settles on Swan.
“New Romeo tradition, both Omegas should be stripped.” Ambrose casually crosses his ankles.
Swan grins, wickedly. “Finally a rule that I won’t rebel against.”
He marches to me, and I laugh, as he drags the dress over my head, before ripping my lacy panties off with a snarl like they’re personally offending him.
I slip off my bra myself, however, before Swan can tear that apart as well.
Swan’s panting, as he nips and sucks down my throat.
“Kiss each other,” Ambrose says like he’s not affected at all by either my nakedness or the way that Vito is now teasing Benedict by slowly thrusting the fox tail dildo in and out of his ass.
On the other hand, I’m wet. My core is throbbing. And I need to be fucking touched.
Hell, this is just like my fantasy, where I’d imagine Ambrose giving commands, while getting off on watching.
Despite what Ambrose is pretending, he is affected.
I can tell by the way his cock is tenting his pants.
Swan and I obey Ambrose.
We don’t kiss like we did when we were alone together in the academy.
Back then, we never knew if it would be the last time. Now, we can luxuriate in our kisses, revel in them.
Sensually, we hold each other tight, humping against each other. We’re high on the freedom to kiss in the open without fear.
“Now, kneel in front of our little Omega and worship her sweet pussy. But don’t make her come. That’s the birthday Omega’s present.” Ambrose is looking like he’s fighting hard not to leap forward and claim me himself.
When Benedict hears this, he moans.
He glances over his shoulder at me.
He’s glistening with sweat. He claws at the top of the piano. His thighs shake, but he’s focused on holding himself back from coming because he knows that he’s going to be coming inside me.
I’m this pack’s prize.
I hiss out a sharp breath.
How the hell am I not going to come now?
I’m already close to the edge.
Swan drops to his knees in front of me.
I slide my fingers into his thick, tumble of hair. “Tongue me.”
Swan looks up at me challengingly through his thick eyelashes. “Make me.”
My eyes spark.
So, this is how he wants to play it.
I tighten my hold on Swan’s hair just harshly enough for him to hiss with pain.
He looks delighted, before he can hide it.
“The little Omega is in charge.” I drag his face between my thighs, directing him by his hair where I want him to go.
Eagerly, Swan licks down my pussy, nudging at my clit with his nose.
I allow this for a couple of moments, then I tighten my hold further to hold Swan still and ride his face hard.
Right now, his breath is mine.
He doesn’t struggle. Instead, he licks and sucks desperately like my pussy is his life.
I chase the pleasure that’s winding through me like bright star bursts.
I whine, throwing back my head.
I’m close.
So close.
Almost…
“Stop,” Ambrose commands.
“Please,” I beg.
When Ambrose growls, the hairs rise on the back of my neck.
Ambrose’s dominant pheromones roll off him in waves. It’s just enough to pull me back from orgasm and get myself under control.
I release Swan, petting his hair. “That was perfect.”
Swan licks his lips, looking satisfied. “You’re the only one I’ll kneel for, my Ash Queen.”
“It’s time for the Omegas to put on a performance for us.” Ambrose’s gaze is scorching.
I look up and meet it.
Benedict and I are both his, as well as each other’s.
Ambrose has granted us an equality that I didn’t know existed. At the same time, he loves me with every part of his possessive, fractured soul.
Each time that we’re together like this is a gift from him.
I brush my fingers over my sensitive Soul Mark.
I’m about to be together with my beautiful Omega in a way that I’ve long dreamed about.
I stroll to the piano, deliberately swinging my hips and knowing that my men are all watching me.
I know how to put on a performance.
The tawny, fox tail is bushy. It swings between the pale globes of Benedict’s ass temptingly. I stroke my fingers through it, as Vito steps back to make room for me.
“Aren’t you beautiful, Foxy?” I purr.
Then I tease underneath the tail, over Benedict’s sensitive perineum, before fondling his balls.
Benedict growls and turns quicker than I knew he could move. He snatches me by the shoulders and pushes me down over the piano stool. When he cages me, his silky curls brush over my face.
He’s breathing hard. He looks a wild fox.
His thick cock brushes against my hip.
Benedict’s rumbling purr joins mine. He sucks on my lower lip.
Then he pushes into me in a single thrust, slow and deep.
I let out a surprised breath.
Benedict kisses me, beginning to speed up his thrusts. I tangle our hands together.
Ecstasy coils through me.
Benedict is smiling, purring, and happy.
Then he whispers like it’s a secret that he’s scared of saying too loudly, “I love you.”
He’s never said that before.
And just like that I come.
“Bec…” My eyes flutter closed.
I squeeze his hands tightly with mine.
Benedict shudders, pulled over the edge as well. He bites down hard on our bond bite.
White-hot pleasure slams through me.
Except, it’s his love that hits me the hardest.
Katerina warned me against pack. She believed that a rose’s thorns could only cause pain, but I know now that they can protect.
Love isn’t an illusion.
It’s real.
The Romeos are everything that I need, and I know that I can be what they need. Together, we’ve faced our fears and we can inspire others to break free in the future.
I won’t be the nova that burns bright and then fades away because now, I’m no longer shining alone.
What else can we change about our world?
I smile, excitedly.
The right pack bonds truly can change everything.