Chapter 34
chapter
thirty-four
“Finally.”
It’s odd to have Colt say anything when I walk in the door, but that greeting is also a new one for us.
I probably shouldn’t be surprised, given the very clear message they left for the whole team in our locker room.
Tossing my keys on the counter, I tilt a look at the three alphas huddled in Bridget’s living room. “Have you three ever even heard the word ‘subtle’?”
Dante keeps his bare arms spread wide—one along the back of the pink sofa and one resting on the tufted arm. His shoulders roll in a lazy half-shrug as he speaks around the apple dangling from his left hand. “Never really been my thing,” he crunches.
Yeah, no shit.
Jesse’s brows crouch low over his green eyes, but otherwise, he seems looser than he has in weeks. Not surprising, given the intimate way his scent and Bridget’s covered the locker room bench.
Envy burns through my gut, but I stuff it down. Patience , I remind my Alpha. We’re letting her come to us .
And it’s working .
But we also had a major setback today.
I decide to start there. “The situation has been contained, but it isn’t perfect.
I got the footage pulled from the major networks, and security escorted any instigators out of the stadium.
But it was impossible to remove everyone involved—and, of course, we have no access to their phones.
It’s possible someone will post on social media. ”
Colt exhales roughly, dropping his head back to glare at the ceiling. “This is so fucked.”
I nod my agreement, scanning the room for any trace of our omega. “Is Bridget in her nest?”
Jesse nods, his whole face softening. “Yeah. She was really tired.”
I haven’t seen the finished room since we upgraded it, but pride still warms me. I love that her safe place is better because of me. And I’m satisfied she’s finding comfort in it now.
“Poor querida fell asleep on me in the Uber on the way home.” Dante’s mouth curves up at the corners. “We must have worn her out.”
I fix each of them with a serious stare. “Look, I get why it happened today—but if I ever find out one of you has fucked our omega anywhere someone else could see her, we’re going to fight.” I look from Colt to Jesse and end on Dante. “You will lose.”
I know he believes me when he pouts instead of grumbling an insult. Colt mutters, “I didn’t like it either. Made my Alpha crazy, knowing all the guys would scent her.”
Mine, too. I spent the entire post-game recap with my muscles locked into utter stillness, breathing through my mouth.
Seeing how many of our players had to adjust themselves after catching wind of our omega’s mouth-watering lemon sharpness didn’t make it any easier to hold myself together, but I was determined.
Today has already been a disaster; the last thing we need is a rut.
Jesse chimes in, scratching the back of his neck while his face heats, “I liked it. Claiming her in public. I think she needed it.”
Dante nods, as solemn as I’ve ever seen him. “For sure. Our girl needs more of that shit.”
Our girl?
I can’t help the smile pulling at my lips. “She’s ours now, huh?”
“Technically, she’s been ours for a year,” Colt grouses, closing his eyes. “We’re just saying, maybe making the deal with her was stupid. Maybe we should have just?—”
“Courted her?” I supply. “Like grown men? What an insane notion.”
Dante glowers at my dry quip. “Yeah, yeah, Golden Oldie. We get it. Point taken. But what do we do now ? Just keep trying to convince her to give us a real chance?”
“If she’ll forgive us,” Jesse mumbles.
Dante chips back, “So we apologize first?”
Jesse looks queasy. “I think we apologize a hundred times. Then, yeah, if she’ll let us, I want to court her. And take care of her during her heat. I know we agreed to leave her alone for it, but...”
I can’t quite suppress the growl that builds at the thought of my little blue, alone and afraid and in need . I’ll never allow that.
“Just because of today?”
I have to understand. This is important. I’m not going to approach Bridget—especially regarding her heat—with anything less than complete certainty. This pack has put her through enough as it is.
Jesse’s face flames as chagrin burns the toasted edges of his scent. “She’s always meant something more to me. I think that’s why I suggested we approach her for this whole arrangement last year. I liked her; and I thought about her a lot, even though I hadn’t seen her in years.”
Dante chomps on his apple, staring thoughtfully into space.
“I’ve been catching feelings for her ever since the story broke online and we came here to make it right.
Before that, the only interactions we’d had were fights.
I assumed we would hate each other, so I never bothered to try to get to know her.
Which was fucking dumb , because she is incredible. ”
They’re well-matched, actually. I didn’t expect it, but something about Dante’s quick fuse and Bridget’s sharp mind—yes, they fight. But they also have similar inner flames. And warmth for the people they care about.
She and Jesse connect on their own separate level.
Both kind souls who feel deeply. Bridget does her best to hide her emotions under humor—Jesse papers over his with politeness and people-pleasing.
But in the rare moments they both strip those veneers away and really look at one another, they’re a perfect fit, too.
Bridget and I are still building our dynamic. So far, she’s everything I ever dreamed my omega would be. Brilliant, gorgeous, and sassy, with a heart big enough to love a whole pack and then some.
It’s more than that, though. Some innate trust that I don’t understand. She’s always looked to me. Searched for my approval and praise, even when she didn’t realize it.
Those moments are sacred to me. This beautiful girl, needing me to be proud of her. There’s nothing more I could ask for.
Which just leaves?—
“Colt.”
We all turn to our fourth packmate. “We want to apologize to Bridget and try to court her, but the decision has to be unanimous,” I say. “If her Omega thinks she’s fragmenting our pack, it will devastate her. We can’t do this unless you agree.”
He scowls, shifting in his seat, briny scent growing saltier. He captures my gaze, intensity darkening his. “You guys weren’t there with her today. You didn’t see her face. An apology isn’t going to fix everything.”
Silence swells through the room. Colt sighs, sitting forward with a wince before adjusting his injured shoulder.
His gray gaze snaps to Jesse and Dante before sliding back to mine.
“She doesn’t believe in any of this, Adrian.
We’ve never given her any reason to, but I think there’s more to it than that.
We talked a little, after the whole thing, and… ”
She’s fragile .
He sees the same thing I do: under all her confidence and wit, Bridget has a big heart. And it’s been wounded.
“We’ll start with an apology,” I determine, straightening. “You three will plan it. And dinner tonight. Bridget said she likes to grill on the weekends, so we’ll start there.”
If the itch under my skin wasn’t climbing to a screech, I’d probably chuckle at the way they all snap upright. No one argues, though, so I push my luck and toss Bridget’s new car keys at Jesse. “Might as well gas her car up and get it washed while you’re out.”
Colt mutters complaints about his “useless” leg, but seems completely steady as he pushes to his feet. Dante shrugs and throws his apple core into the kitchen trash can. “I know how to make grilled fish tacos.”
Jesse laughs, throwing Dante a shirt. “Since fucking when ?”
Dante pulls the tank top on. “Since forever. I just didn’t want you fuckers to know I could cook and make me do it.”
Colt shakes his head. “God, it’s sad how much that tracks.”
They all snatch their wallets and keys off the island, bickering among themselves over who has to “ride bitch” in Bridget’s “clown car.” Dante loses rock-paper-scissors and tries to nab the keys from Jesse, who dodges a headlock as the side door slams shut behind them.
I shake my head, but my usual glimmer of fond amusement is absent. Instead, my Alpha feels a little too satisfied knowing they’re all out of the house.
Way too satisfied .
Fucking hell.
No , I tell myself. Not today. Bridget’s been through enough. She has to rest .
The urge to rut needles at me. I grit my teeth, threatening my Alpha with a mental image of our team’s new rut facility. We had them built into the latest section of the stadium—if I’m actually about to lose my shit despite all the blockers I take, I need to go there immediately.
The voice in my middle gives the equivalent to one of Colt’s grumbles. Some of the pressure wrapped around my chest dissipates. I wait another moment before starting toward the hallway.
I’ll just knock on Bridget’s nest door , I decide. To let her know I’m home if she needs anything .
It’s an idea my Alpha and I agree on. He wants to see the nest. I want to hold my little blue and look her in the eye after what she went through today.
But— goddamn it —the scent of lemons and sweet cream filling the air in Bridget’s cramped hall is strong enough to knock me back a step. The moment it curls in my lungs, my vision fogs.
I grit my teeth, reaching out to steady myself. On the second inhale, my blunt nails gouge the wall’s cheerful white paint.
My cock and knot are rock-solid before I have the chance to blink. When I do, a bleary film blurs over my gaze.
Shit. I’ll never be able to drive back to the team’s facility if I can’t see .
And I will not put this burden on Bridget.
I haven’t proven myself to her yet. My pack hasn’t apologized properly for the harm they caused. We haven’t courted her or had an opportunity to really spoil her?—
An image of Bridget relaxing on a mountain of pillows while I worship her pussy with my mouth sends a tingling ache through my canines. They pulse along with my knot, begging.
Rut. Knot. Bite. Claim .
But I have to deny myself.
I have to…
Take her. Sink your teeth and knot into her. Never leave her side.
No. I need to?—
Make her mine .