Chapter 13
“B e safe,” I whispered into Morgan’s ear as I helped her into her snowsuit. She didn’t actually need my help with it, but it was an excuse to touch her that she seemed to welcome.
Ryder and Maverick were outside making sure the two snowmobiles still kicking were running smoothly enough to make the short trip so they could take her out to the hot spring. If they flattened out the trail a little we could make the walk out there, but for now the snow was too deep.
Morgan stared at me with gorgeous gray eyes, worrying her lip between her teeth. I nudged it free with my thumb and her scent erupted, a tiny whine slipping free. She surged onto her toes, fingers locking in the collar of my shirt to drag me down. Her lips on mine were honey sweet, and I clutched her to me with a growing desperation. One kiss and it was over for me, apparently.
“Bear.” She whimpered.
“Yes, angel?” I whispered, the sound even rougher than usual.
“I’m sorry I kissed you out of nowhere. I should’ve given you some warning so you could say no if you wanted.”
I stroked my thumb along her jawline and dipped close, nipping her earlobe. “You could throw me to the ground and climb on right now, and I wouldn’t say no.”
She shuddered, her scent overwhelming even through the layers of fabric. “You can’t just say things like that.”
Maybe not, but her reactions were too tempting to resist. “Why don’t you take care of yourself before going out? I won’t tell them.”
Her perfect bottom lip pouted. “I can, but you?—”
“I don’t want to pressure you. If you want me, you only have to ask for me.”
Morgan let out a broken laugh. “The kiss felt like an ask to me, but I can be clearer. It’s all fast, but it’ll happen sooner rather than later, right? I can’t make myself feel bad for wanting you. I’d twist myself up into knots I could never hope to untangle if I let myself wander down that path. I know my heat is coming, and the only way I’m going to get comfortable with everything is by letting myself experience it, right?”
I nodded.
“Will you touch me, Bear?”
Fuck, yes.
My low growl had her scent spiking again. I scooped her up and set her on a lower portion of the wood pile. I imagined some people might see an omega spreading their thighs in a full snowsuit as comical, but it only made me more ravenous for her. I pulled the zipper all the way down, unwrapping her body like a present.
Morgan pulled me in again, the taste of her eroding my rational thought. I slipped my fingers into her leggings and under her panties, devouring her whimper when I brushed slick. It wasn’t easy for me to find partners so I didn’t have as much practice as the others, but Morgan broke my hesitation with a needy rock of her hips, encouraging me deeper.
With no desire except to oblige her in all she wanted, I teased over her clit and eased one finger inside the snug heat of her body. Her moan had me pressing my hips against the wood pile, desperate for friction and pressure until we were in a better situation and I could bury myself into her.
Right now it was only about my omega.
She made such pretty sounds for me, and I never wanted her to stop. Morgan curled her fingers in my hair, lips desperate and seeking. Gods help me, I craved every inch of this omega beauty. Part of me wished I was telepathic so I could fill her mind with all manner of filthy thoughts while we claimed each other’s mouths.
Morgan shuddered as I worked my fingers into her pussy. It squeezed tight with every brush of my hand against her clit. She adapted quickly, the muscles loosening and slick dripping to ease my way. My omega felt so incredible on my fingers; I could only imagine how good she would feel on my cock.
Her whimper into my mouth almost had me spilling in my pants. I ground my hips hard against the wood, letting the pressure on the sharper side of pain versus pleasure dull my response. She would probably let me fuck her right now if I asked. As desperate as I was for her, I wanted her to be ravenous for me, because of her own desire and not because she wanted to get comfortable with my touch. I was happy to oblige her for now and learn how her body worked, but I was going to need her to beg for my knot before I gave her that.
I pumped my fingers a little faster, angling my hand so the rock of her hips could grind her clit against the heel of my palm, and drinking down her little curses and whines, keeping them all to myself. I hadn’t kissed anyone in so long, and Morgan was a sweeter treat than all the others combined. Much as I might want more, I had to force myself to savor each bit she gave me.
Morgan broke away, burying her face against my throat, huffing and puffing as her pussy started to spasm around my fingers. I let her carry herself to her release, not daring to change a thing now that she was so close. Her whole body shivered. Morgan’s cry was muffled against my skin, her teeth sinking in, her hips bucking frantically.
I cradled the back of her head, whispering roughly in her ear as her movements began to slow. “That’s my good fucking girl. Feel better?”
Morgan groaned, slowly detaching her grip on me. She leaned back with panting breaths, staring at me with wide eyes, shuddering as I carefully pulled my fingers free.
Her scent flared when I stuck my dripping fingers between my lips, licking off her slick that may as well have been maple syrup for how sweet it was.
The door into the garage opened behind us and Morgan whipped up the zipper on her snowsuit so quickly she almost clocked herself in the face when she lost her grip.
Maverick and Ryder paused, nostrils flaring as they took in the scent of our pleasured omega, but both were smart enough not to say a damn word about it.
Ryder was the first to recover. “Ready to head out?”
“Yep,” Morgan squeaked. “I’ll be right there.”
The two of them stepped back outside and Morgan tipped forward, burying her face against my chest with a whine. “Was that weird? I don’t know what’s normal.”
I stroked a soothing hand over her hair before forcing her to look up so I could kiss her again. Once the tension had melted out of her, I offered her a soft smile and signed, “You were perfect.”
Her blush took over her whole face. “Thank you. I don’t have much experience with any of this so I’m probably going to flail all over you guys while I figure it out.”
“It’s new for everyone,” I signed, grinning wide. “We can flail together. Did I do okay?”
Morgan made a little squeak of embarrassment, squeezing her thighs together. “More than.” She looked up at me, licking her lips, gaze drifting to my mouth again.
I took advantage, sinking back into the taste of her. Scooping her off the wood pile, I carried her to the door, letting her open it for us, and then depositing her onto the snowmobile behind Ryder.
“Keep her safe,” I signed, staring them both down.
Pumpkin came racing down the external stairs from the second-floor balcony, hopping excitedly around the snowmobiles. If people were going on an adventure, she wanted in on it.
I gave Morgan one final kiss and patted Pumpkin on the head with my clean hand before the four of them set off. Returning inside, I set about enlisting Kit to help me with my plan.
* * *
“You’re sure this will work?” Kit asked.
Nope. But what other option was there? Morgan had been through the entire lodge in search of somewhere she wanted to make a nest and hadn’t found anything that suited her. It wouldn’t work long-term, but in the short term it should be pretty functional.
I shook my head with a smile and marched past with another load of blankets.
Ryder and Maverick would have Morgan out for the day at the hot springs. The wind had calmed down and it wasn’t quite so freezing, so I wasn’t worried about her turning into a popsicle. Honestly, I was surprised she wanted to go with them at all after her ordeal. I hoped that meant we were earning her trust.
As much as I would’ve liked to be the one to go with her, Kit and I had the benefit of her knowing about our scent match, and the others had to rely on only themselves to woo her.
I tied back the doors on the enormous canvas tent we set up in the living room. It didn’t look very pretty from the outside, but the inside seemed like it would fit omega sensibilities just fine.
“I think she’ll like it,” said Kit. “Hard to know for sure, though. Seems like she’s been fighting being an omega. Can’t blame her for that if all the alphas where she grew up are like the asshole who left her in the woods.”
I’d fantasized a few times about breaking his legs and leaving him in the forest. He wouldn’t deserve any more than that.
I turned to Kit, frown on my face, signing, “I need her to stay.”
“We all want her to stay, Bear.”
“No,” I signed, shaking my head. “I need her to stay.”
Kit paused in his blanket arranging, standing up straight. “I know she’s a scent match, but is there more to it than that?”
“She understands me.” My movements were snappy, bordering on frantic, trying to get my message across. “No one outside our pack understands me.”
“Like, communication-wise, or as a person?”
“Both,” I signed my reply.
It was pretty fucking prudent of fate to give us an omega who understood sign language. It should have been a lot more common than it was.
“I don’t know what she’s like in town,” I continued, brows furrowing as I concentrated, “but she’s at peace here, even without power.” I pointed to the dark lights overhead. We weren’t in the best position to give our omega the perfect home experience and she didn’t seem to mind. I had heard of some scent matches who were fundamentally opposed even with fate working on them. Thank the gods Morgan wasn’t a city girl.
Going into town was a unique nightmare for me. Communication was barely possible with the people there and half the time I had to write down what I needed. I didn’t go often, letting the others handle anything that needed doing around people, but every so often it was unavoidable.
I pinned a few more blankets on the inside of the canvas, making it look more like a mismatched mini circus tent than a camouflage hunting tent. I layered the bottom with a row of twin mattresses out of the bunk rooms, topping them with a ton of other blankets. The mattresses retained a bit of scent from our guests, but Kit and I could take care of that when we were finished.
“We got a brave one,” said Kit.
“Her heat spooked her.”
“Maybe so, but she doesn’t have to spend the day with Ryder and Maverick because of that. They don’t have their scents right now. She could get through the heat with just you and me, or suffer through it by herself.”
“It’s her first heat in years ,” I signed sharply. “She needs everyone.”
Kit sighed. “You’re probably right. Do you think we’re up to it? Regular heats can be rough. I don’t know what to expect from one that’s been suppressed since her first.”
Whatever happened, we would take care of our omega.
Kit took a break from nest building to load some bread dough into the little wood oven built into the fireplace to go with dinner when everyone came home.
I couldn’t wait for Morgan’s return. As much as I knew the others needed this time with her, I was eager to wrap around her in her new nest. Assuming she liked it, of course.
Maybe she’d like it enough to stay…