Epilogue - Six months later
“You guys, you can’t have any. Chocolate is bad for babies.”
Pumpkin and Muffin didn’t care, both of them staring pleadingly at me while I arranged cookie dough on a sheet for Maverick’s copycat Girl Scout treat. The troop we had booked for a guided hike wouldn’t be coming out for another couple of weeks and I wanted to fulfill his craving until we could get our hands on some authentic boxes.
Muffin and Pumpkin wiggled happily, wagging their tails. They’d been best friends since Muffin’s arrival. One sniff and a quick play session, and they were sisters for life.
“Come on, you two.” Maverick got on his knees, snaring an arm around each of them. “You’re slowing Mom down.”
Once the cookies were safely in the oven, I got onto my knees with the dogs, fetching a treat for each of them from their jar on my way down. They both scarfed them down excitedly.
Maverick’s eyes gleamed when he caught my gaze. “Ready for this afternoon?”
Desire rolled through me. “I might be.”
Exposure therapy had been going well. Between the walks and the therapy and Muffin’s arrival, the forest had gotten a little more comfortable every day. It wasn’t perfect, and sometimes the panic would hit me out of nowhere, but just like I had chosen not to let Brandon take me from my pack, I had been fighting not to allow him to take the forest too.
He had been tried and convicted, the jury unanimous on their first vote, his life sentence coming down like a hammer. Unfortunately, we still had no news on Maisie or any plans to help the omegas at the Decker compound, but I kept hoping. At least Brandon was dealt with, and he was locked up hours away. That had been a pivotal moment in my healing journey.
He couldn’t hurt me anymore.
“You two will have to stay inside,” Maverick told the dogs. The alphas had suggested a game, but none of us wanted to risk Muffin or Pumpkin getting confused about the intentions.
Anticipation zipped through me.
The others had been pushing through their chores, making sure everything would be ready for the arrival of a group coming for a foraging walk. I had taken on the task of welcome treats, making sure we had an assortment of baked goods they could snack on while they got settled.
While the cookies baked, I got dressed for the game. A sundress wasn’t my usual attire, but it offered easy access. The pack had worked hard at keeping all of the main trails clear and accessible so I wasn’t going to have brambles to contend with.
The bolt of lust shooting down the bond from Maverick when I came back downstairs had my pussy clenching.
“We haven’t even started yet,” I said with a laugh.
“Not my fault I want you at all hours. You’re the one who came down here looking hot as hell.”
My cheeks warmed. “My thighs are gonna be slippery before we even get out there.”
“Tragedy.” Maverick waited for me to pull the cookies out of the oven and set them safely on the stovetop before wrapping his arms around my waist, lips teasing their way down my throat.
“The sooner you let me get these on the cooling rack, the sooner we can go outside.”
“We can delay a minute.” One of his hands swept beneath my dress, going straight for my bare pussy. I gripped the countertop, shaking as he lifted one of my knees to plunge his fingers into me. “Gotta make sure you’re all warmed up for playtime.”
Fucking in our kitchen wasn’t exactly a daily occurrence, but it wasn’t uncommon by any means.
I whimpered, canting my hips against his hand, his name coming out breathy and broken. “ Maverick , oh god.”
Maverick pulled away, leaving me aching and desperate. “There we go. All ready.”
“You’re not going to let me come?”
“Saving that for the game. You’re gonna come so many times you won’t even be able to walk.” He dipped his slick-soaked fingers into his mouth, and I moaned, my body wishing they were back in me already. If my heat flares hadn’t calmed down, this would probably be dangerous to do so close to guests arriving, but after a dozen or so flares lasting no more than a day each, my body had finally settled down, leaving me on a much more reliable schedule.
I quickly transferred all of the cookies onto a cooling rack and moved them to the top of the fridge, topping them with a picnic screen for extra protection.
Maverick got Pumpkin and Muffin settled in their beds with some chewy treats to occupy them, and then we swept outside. My hiking boots didn’t quite go with the aesthetic, but I wasn’t eager to twist an ankle during this.
Kit swept me up as he came around the corner. “Ready for our little fox hunt?”
“More than. Maverick was teasing me in the kitchen, so one of you’d better catch me fast.”
“You’ll have a sixty-second head start,” Ryder said. “I’ll set the timer when you start running.”
Bear looked me over, his gaze like fire on my skin. “Safe word?” he signed.
“Muffin.” We figured it would be a good one to start with since I was used to calling for her now whenever I felt the panic sneak up, so I wasn’t likely to forget it in the heat of the moment. They would be able to tell in the bond if I wasn’t having fun, but it didn’t hurt to have a backup.
Bear’s kiss left me panting, half wanting to ask them to fuck me here and now instead. But that would spoil the fun.
My alphas stripped off their shirts, lust and anticipation a dull roar in the bond. They turned around and I took off running down the main trail. I knew the path I wanted to take. The lush leaves of summer wouldn’t do much to hide me, not with my red hair, but at least the dress was green.
Each footfall against the ground had my adrenaline surging, excitement from the alphas growing with every passing second. They would each take a different path, and the name of the game was to get me on a knot before one of the others caught up and took me for themselves.
My thighs slipped together as I ran. Cardio had been a hefty goal of mine the last few months, determined that I would be able to run as long as I needed to if anything ever happened again. I hadn’t been specifically practicing for being chased down in the woods by my alphas, but primal play did provide a unique motivation.
I felt Bear’s excitement before I heard or saw him. He must’ve caught sight of me.
My feet left the trail without warning, Bear’s arm around my waist snatching me up. I landed on the edge of the trail, where moss cushioned my knees. I scrambled for purchase, but Bear flipped my skirt, driving into me without preamble, knowing Maverick had made sure I was ready to go.
“Fuck.” I gasped against the forest floor, digging my nails into the soft dirt. Bear took me like a wild thing, the force of it rocking my whole body, my pussy greedily swallowing him each time he thrust in. Pleasure screamed through me. He didn’t stop when I came, only when Kit arrived to stake his claim.
“Thirty seconds, little fox.”
I staggered to my feet, dazed and steeped in desire.
That was the rule. If someone caught up, whoever had me had to relinquish their claim, give me a chance to run, and let the next person try their luck.
My instincts sang. The desire they fed me down the bond kept me focused, kept me sprinting ahead. I spotted Maverick through the trees, and Ryder in the distance.
I stumbled, and that was all it took for Kit to catch up. He took advantage of my position, his cock filling me up while I whimpered into the dirt, hoping against hope he’d get me off before one of the others caught up. He fucked deep and ravenous, his craving glowing like a beacon in the bond, but our pack was closing in.
Maverick reached out, his hand making contact with Kit as I was brushing the bright edge of pleasure. The immediate loss of a cock in me had a frustrated growl forming in my throat.
“Run, run, sweetheart.” Mav grinned down at me, a predatory lust in his eyes that made me simply want to turn and present for him. He smacked my ass cheek to get my attention. “You’re wasting time.”
Ryder stopped where he was when I bolted, all of them waiting out the timer, but they were getting closer and closer each time.
I ducked around some thicker trees, sprinting down a deer path that connected to another trail. I couldn’t outrun them on open trails, so the only way to get enough distance was to be sneaky.
A huge fallen tree with its root system exposed lay silent and imposing off one of the trails. I slipped behind it to catch my breath. Bear and Kit ran past me, and Maverick sprinted down another path a little further away. I peeked around the roots, almost leaping out of my skin when a hand closed around my mouth.
“Found you, firecracker.” Ryder must’ve come down the tree trunk while I was watching the others. With a quick spin and boost, my ass was parked on a smooth spot where the bark had fallen completely away, his hand back over my mouth to keep me quiet. It was the best chance we both had of finishing.
Urgency drove me to the edge quickly. If someone stole me away before I could come this time, I wasn’t sure I would make it.
“Fuck, you feel so good.”
A whimper was the best I could offer him while he was in the middle of obliterating me. Every stroke unraveled me a little more. Between the thrill of the hunt and everyone’s lust ping-ponging through the bond, I didn’t stand a chance.
I fell apart for Ryder, but he didn’t get to follow me over that edge before Maverick appeared.
“Motherfucker.” Ryder growled. “I was so close.” He eased away, helping me back onto my feet.
“Sneaky little omega.” Maverick kissed my cheek before I leapt back onto the trail, running in the opposite direction.
I was wet to the knees with slick at this point, every inch of me begging to be thrown down and knotted, fucked end to end until my brain flipped off.
My steps were unsteady, but they carried me forward nonetheless. Lungs burning and pussy throbbing, I moved in the direction of the lodge, skirting out to further trails as quickly as I could. Tucking behind one of the trees gave me another moment to breathe. The property didn’t have too many that were big enough to completely obscure me, so I took advantage of this particular gift.
Craving for all of them seared through me. I had to keep reminding myself of the game and not give in to the temptation to fall to my knees in the middle of the trail and wait in a full presentation.
I risked a glance, seeing their shadowed silhouettes scattered through the trees. No one was running anymore. They were listening, waiting for me to give myself away. Sometimes I forgot they had years of hunting experience, and now all of it was honed, tracking me as their prey.
I dug my fingers into the tree bark. How were they all so hot? I kept waiting for the rose-colored glasses to break, but maybe they were just as good as their romanticized versions.
Keeping control of my breathing was a feat in itself. My lungs protested all of the running and as much as I tried to breathe quietly, I knew it wasn’t silent.
Maverick had dropped out of sight. Where the hell had he gone? My heart kicked into double time. I crept low along the trail. My hair wouldn’t let me hide, but hopefully they were looking a little higher up. I peeked around a tree on my hands and knees, coming face-to-face with Maverick’s shins.
“Hey there, sweetheart.”
My pussy clenched, knowing exactly what was going to happen next. He flipped me easily, snatching up my ponytail like a leash, giving me a hot second to adjust before he lifted my skirt and fucked in. Maverick hoisted me up by my hair, closing a hand over my mouth.
“That’s my good fucking girl.”
I braced one hand against a nearby tree to stay upright. Maverick’s hips were ruthless: taking, claiming, possessing me with every stroke. I whined against his grip. Suspended and helpless, my options were to struggle or submit. He wouldn’t hurt me if I struggled, but it was already hard enough to run from them when I knew how good being caught felt.
My muscles seized in Maverick’s hands, pleasure sweeping me away.
The others heard me. Already their footsteps sounded closer. I whimpered, awaiting and dreading being pulled off yet another cock.
“Tag, you’re it.” Kit beamed down at me and I dropped, gasping, to the trail as Maverick pulled away. “You look good enough to eat, little fox, but time is running out. Better get going.”
I stumbled to my feet. This game was mean. My body didn’t care that I had already gotten off a couple of times during it. All it wanted was more. The only way I was getting that was if I hid well enough that someone could finish fucking me into oblivion before we were found.
Maybe I could get back to the lodge. The woodshed felt like a recipe for splinters, and the new bunk house they’d put in felt like cheating. I scanned the trees, realizing exactly where I was.
Bolting again, I sprinted down the trail, ducking out of sight as quickly as I could. Bear’s fort wasn’t far. The only saving grace there would be if the others didn’t know I knew it was there. A few sharp turns in the trail let me toss myself inside. I tucked further out of sight, waiting.
The first footsteps followed shortly, and Bear peeked in the opening, a grin bursting over his face when he saw me. I gave a little wave and then he was sweeping in like a storm, shifting me so I could balance my weight against the smooth crossbeams supporting the back wall.
“Stay quiet,” Bear ordered, his whisper rough in my ear. I had to bite my arm to comply as he fucked his way in. When he leaned over my back, bracing his hand next to mine, letting his other one take over securing my mouth, I lost it.
I bucked and writhed in his arms, silently begging, praying I would finally get that knot. I was losing steam, and if someone didn’t fuck me all the way to the end soon, my body was going to riot.
The first rise gave me hope. Bear drove into me with a wildness that set my blood on fire. My eyes rolled back, pussy grabbing him when he gave my ponytail a yank, sending me over the edge again.
So close.
Shivers wracked every inch of me and I arched further, the shift in the angles striking new spots, my ability to stay quiet rapidly vanishing. Bear tugged my ponytail again, craning my head back so he could claim those sounds with his mouth.
I whined, quickly losing control.
Every thrust had stars dancing in my vision, even when my eyes were closed.
Please, please, please.
Bear groaned, hips stuttering. I could hear someone coming up the trail and desperately slammed my hips back, catching Bear off guard and knocking him off the edge with me. He dropped his head, moaning against my skin. My mouth broke free, the feral sound I made as his knot swelled alerting the whole pack to our location. But luckily this time it didn’t matter.
I was on a knot.
Bear had won the game.
A fresh feral noise leapt out of me when Maverick dipped inside. I reached for him, dragging him closer so I could shove down the waistband of his pants.
“Slow down, sweetheart. There’s no rush.”
I responded with a growl, wrapping my lips around the head of his cock. I didn’t have to ask him to take hold of my ponytail, which gave me a few extra seconds to scrub my hand against my dress to get it cleaner before I wrapped it around his cock.
Bear settled me on his lap, hands on my hips, while I went to town on Maverick. What I really wanted was to fully surrender. A brief pawing against his ass cheek, digging my nails in, and driving him forward was all he needed to do exactly what I wanted. I kept my hand braced so he couldn’t go uncomfortably deep, but otherwise I let go, letting Maverick fuck my face and hand with each thrust.
Taking advantage of my spread-open position, Bear played with my clit, getting me impossibly wound up between the two of them. Their pleasure at having me like this crashed through the bond, satisfaction, lust, and affection all but drowning me. Sparks of surprised delight flickered from Kit and Ryder, my only indication that they had found us while I kept my eyes on Maverick. The arrival of the others sent him over the edge, spilling hotly down my throat.
Before he could even stop dripping, Bear’s movements pulled me away, tipping me backward to sprawl against his chest. Ryder dove in, tongue against my clit.
Every inch of me was vibrating, desperate sounds tumbling from my lips as Ryder focused on ruining me. I bowed up like a cat, slick flooding hard against Bear’s cock, too much trapped by his knot, the pressure enough to destroy me. I tugged against Bear’s knot, craving relief I knew I wouldn’t get.
I struggled to sit up, but Bear helped support my weight, letting me reach for Kit. My alphas were going to finish one way or another, and if I couldn’t get off Bear’s knot to take someone new, I would put my mouth to work. Kit used his own hand to spare me his full size, keeping a firm hold on my ponytail as he fucked into my mouth so I could melt and take it.
My thoughts blinked out one by one until there was nothing but the reality of an omega with her alphas. Surrendering on purpose was still new to me, but they made it easy. They knew my limits, and while they got close sometimes, they felt me in the bond and knew when to pull back. I was near my limit this time, but not there yet.
They played my body like a violin. By the time Kit spilled over my tongue, Ryder managed to wiggle me off Bear’s knot, using our packmate to hold my thighs open while he took his turn.
Every time I was with all of them, it felt like the first time when the old me had been burned away and reborn. How was I supposed to have an earth-shattering experience and not feel that way? They were what I hadn’t known I needed. Fate had aligned us, setting us up to support each other, to connect in the unique ways each of us required.
As Ryder’s knot unleashed, sending me spiraling once more, I let go of everything, allowing myself to free-fall, knowing they would always catch me.