Chapter 33
O ur mate was bonded.
I waited for the jealousy, but it didn’t come.
Anyone with eyes could see that Beau didn’t really want to leave her. Trying to protect himself—and her, eventually—was a noble pursuit, but still bullshit, in my opinion. He cared about Charlotte, and that just made me like him. I totally understood him being scared. Hell, if it was me in his shoes, having already lost a partner? I’d have probably chickened out the hot second I realized Charlotte was a match. But he was still here, and I respected that.
The magic of money was seriously impressive to get our dreams moving forward. Beau managed everything with a frankly terrifying efficiency: He paid for movers for everyone —both Charlotte and her kids, and our neighbors—handled the lease with an upfront payment to smooth the landlord’s ruffled feathers, and even arranged a pack suite at a hotel for Carmen and her pack so they could all be comfortably out of the way during the move, and so cleaners could scrub Charlotte’s new home top to bottom. At least twenty people moved in and out of the suite neighboring ours the whole next day, cleaning, painting, and organizing.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with myself. Our original plan had involved us helping to move Charlotte out of her old place and into this one, but with Beau’s dollars at the wheel, it wasn’t needed.
“I can’t believe she’s only gonna be a wall away,” said Dylan, bouncing on his toes. “Do you think she’ll let us sleep over?”
“Maybe, but she’ll probably want a night or two to herself.”
Dylan pouted.
“We’ll have plenty of time to woo her and show her we’re the pack she needs once she gets settled. You know we can’t rush things with her.”
“Full speed is the only speed I have,” Dylan lamented.
“Sorry, but you’re gonna have to learn to pump the brakes.”
Eduardo joined us, a cup of coffee in his hands, standing in the halls to survey all the people turning Charlotte’s new apartment into a comfortable home. “What must it be like to have so much money you can make this happen in a blink?”
“I think it would be weird.” I shrugged. “Didn’t sound like Beau had much to spend his money on. He’s probably like a kid in a fucking candy store, getting to dump all this on Charlotte.”
Eduardo hummed thoughtfully. “That makes sense.”
I risked a peek inside. A huge team of cleaners had already been in, polishing every inch until it gleamed. New beds had been set up in every room, a pack-sized bed in Charlotte’s new nest and castle beds in each of the boys’ rooms. What I presumed to be Beau’s room had only an alpha-sized twin tucked against one wall, the rest of the space occupied by an office setup.
“Think it’s a good sign he’s making himself at home?”
“Do you think he’ll stay if he does?” Eduardo asked.
“I think there’s no true escape from the gravity of Charlotte. We couldn’t stay away from her either if we tried. He can tell himself all he wants that he’s going to leave, but I have my doubts.”
“Don’t say that out loud around him,” Dylan laughed. “He sounds very committed to his plan.”
“I’m sure he is, at least intellectually.”
“So we should get to know him and make sure we’re all suited as a pack?” Eduardo asked.
“I think that would be for the best, yeah.”
Charlotte liked him enough to live with him already, and that meant she felt safe with him. That was good enough for me. Beau was pack whether or not he realized he was ready for it. I knew we couldn’t erase the pain he was running from, but Charlotte would be happier if he stayed, and I wanted to make sure we made him feel welcome. I could only imagine how intimidating it was to face an already formed pack and not know how you fit into it. Charlotte living next door would be a good opportunity for both of them to learn that.
“Speak of the devil.” A grin broke over my face as Charlotte and Beau arrived. “How are you feeling, duchess?”
She went straight into my arms, her lemon meringue scent washing over me. “Overwhelmed.”
“That makes sense. It’s a big change.” I cupped the back of her head, stroking my thumb over her hair until she was purring. “Do you want to come into our place for a rest and cuddle while they work next door?”
She melted further against me. “I was going to make sure everything was unpacked properly, but now that I’m here I don’t want to move from this spot.”
The movers were like a little army, each box labeled and packed to perfection. I angled her so we were out of their way but could still see into the apartment. Everything was handled with fresh gloves and tucked away into drawers and cupboards.
“Anything that’s not where you want, we can fix later,” I assured her. “I couldn’t help but notice that you ordered a pack bed.”
Her scent got sweeter, thicker. “Is that bad?”
“Absolutely fucking not,” Dylan interjected. “I’m going to sleep over as often as you let me.”
Eduardo passed a bundle of keys to her and Beau. “We won’t ask for one for your place until you’re ready, but you’re welcome in ours. There’s one for the boys to share, too. Our home is their home.”
Charlotte looked up at him with misty eyes, squeezing the keys in her hand. “That’s really sweet. Thank you.”
Beau carefully added the key to his keychain and returned it to his pocket. “I’ll have copies made for our place as soon as Charlotte gives the go ahead.”
She shifted in my arms, tucking impossibly closer. “You can have an emergency key now. I don’t anticipate a repeat of what happened before, but you never know.”
It was another small step, and I would happily take each one.
Huge pieces of a purple sectional couch marched past us, movers dismantling the boxes and plastic and putting it all together in the living room.
Thank god Beau had money. I’d have given her every dollar I had to make this place a reality for her, but it was still a relief that she could get everything she needed without that. If Beau wanted to use his wealth to make her comfortable, I wasn’t going to stand in the way of it.
“Your place is turning out so ritzy, princess.” Dylan peered around the space, everything brand-new and gleaming. “It barely looks like the same apartment.”
“Beau insisted. I must’ve looked at a hundred online catalogues after I agreed to the move.” She yawned, burrowing deeper against me.
“Let’s get you some coffee. The pot is still pretty fresh.”
We retreated into our apartment and I selfishly grabbed the blanket off my bed to wrap around Charlotte while she curled up on the couch with the coffee Eduardo brought her. Beau fetched his own coffee and we all sat down together, keeping the door open so we could watch the progress.
“Feeling better?” I asked.
She let out a little omega huff of protest and I raised an eyebrow in question. “I’m not being cuddled.”
“Well, we can’t have that.” I scooped her up, sat down, and settled her on my lap again.
“How did you do that without spilling any coffee?” She purred, taking tiny sips as she tucked herself into a tighter ball.
“Pure skill,” I said with a laugh.
Dylan wedged himself next to us as close as he could possibly get. His elbow was digging into me, but Charlotte purred harder so I didn’t mind.
While we cuddled, Beau worked on his phone, and Eduardo set up some tray tables in the hallway with a flat of water bottles and packaged treats for the movers.
“I wasn’t expecting everything to happen so quickly,” said Charlotte.
“A few things will still be coming,” said Beau, “but you can accomplish a lot when people have enough incentive.”
I snuck my hands under the blanket, laying my palms against Charlotte’s bare skin for the pure indulgence of it. Her breathing shallowed instantly, lemon meringue infusing my blanket exactly like I had planned.
“Chico,” Dylan hissed. “Are you playing with our omega under there?”
Everyone stilled, turning to look at me. “I’m not.”
Dylan looked skeptical, and lifted the blanket to double-check. “Okay, fine, but if we’re playing with her, I want in.”
Charlotte squeaked, her scent growing stronger. “The door is open.”
“You don’t like a little risk, duchess? You fucked Dylan in the stable, but an open front door is too much?” I teased.
Her cheeks flushed, pupils dilating when she looked at me. “You shouldn’t tease me. My instincts are wonky, having all of you so close.”
“I won’t if you don’t want me to.”
Charlotte’s lip jutted into a pout, a valiant battle going on behind her eyes.
“Your choice, duchess.”
She chewed her lip, looking to Beau.
“Don’t let me stop you.”
“It’s not weird with the bond?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to work while at attention since meeting you.”
Dylan broke off in a cackle, and Charlotte buried her face in the blanket, giggling.
“So what’ll it be, duchess? If you want to play, I bet we can get you off at least twice before they need to come ask you about anything.”
“Okay,” she whispered. “I don’t want them to catch me, though.”
“Guess you’d better get good at controlling yourself, then.”
Her protest died against my lips before it could form. Maneuvering around the blanket and her tiny shorts, I managed to wedge my fingers beneath them and tease through the thatch of hair. She bit down on the blanket, her perfume overwhelming this close. Her slick welcomed me as I brushed over her clit and dipped deeper.
I groaned. “You’re wet for me already.”
Charlotte squirmed, pressing her hips closer to my touch.
“Impatient?” I chuckled.
“I wouldn’t have to be if you’d get a move on.”
I drew back to circle her clit until she was twitching in my grip, her face flushed and eyes squeezed shut. Dylan snuck his fingers beneath the blanket with me, tugging down her shorts and panties so they weren’t in his way. Eduardo dragged the chair he was sitting on closer so we could tip her head back and claim her mouth. With a couple of quick adjustments beneath the blanket, Dylan worked his fingers into her while I played with her until she was bucking desperately, Eduardo stealing every delicious sound for himself.
Beau shifted, adjusting himself, his pants fighting valiantly to contain him while he absorbed Charlotte’s pleasure through the bond.
“You could join us,” I offered.
“Someone has to be lookout.”
“Suit yourself.” I pinched her clit and she broke apart for the three of us, but we had promised her at least two, so Dylan doubled his efforts, finger-fucking our omega until she was shaking. I found an easy pattern that would result in a slow climb. It wasn’t difficult to make an omega come, but finding ways to delay their gratification without making them feral was definitely harder.
Eduardo cradled her throat, stroking his thumb along her jaw, and closed his fingers over her mouth just in time for her to break again.
“Goddamn, princess. That grip is wild.” Dylan paused his pumping, letting the roll of her hips carry her down from the peak she had just scaled.
Our omega liked the thrill, the possibility of being caught. I nipped the curve of her throat, sucking a mark onto her skin while she squirmed for us. I might not be able to sink my teeth into her just yet, but I could still mark her as mine, however temporarily.
We all withdrew scant seconds before one of the movers popped their head into the doorway to ask an opinion.
“I’ll be right there,” Charlotte promised, her voice strangled. She held the blanket in her teeth and hopped off my lap, pulling her shorts and panties back on. I watched her scamper away, all lush curves and eager spirit.
Oh, yes. We were definitely going to have fun with her living next door.