20. Emerald
CHAPTER TWENTY
EMERALD
I knew something had happened in the garden as soon as Talya returned with Ainsley and Ronan. When Ainsley got close to me, he smelled strongly of Talya’s sweet orange creamsicle perfume. The reaction in me was so strong that I growled and pulled him close so I could lick his neck. Startled by the swift change in myself, I froze.
He chuckled, his arms wrapping around me. “Like that, Em?” he asked, his voice a seductive purr.
Shivering, I nodded. “What did you do? Bathe in her?”
Ainsley grinned, rubbing his cheek along mine. His alpha soothed every twisted part inside me. When he calmed me, making me with his scent, all those warring instincts quieted down so I could think as myself instead of a designation. “No. I just fed her.”
I pulled away to look in his eyes. “Right. Just.”
His grin was mischievous.
Beyond him, I could see Talya outside. She’d dropped into Colby’s lap, and they were talking. Smiling. “Everything okay?” I asked. Her expression was serious, but I could also see the flush high on her cheeks.
“Perfect,” he answered.
“How perfect?” Blakely asked, sidling up beside us as he rinsed the romaine lettuce leaves he gathered from the garden.
I looked at the pleased and slightly aroused eyes of my alpha. “She’s agreed to be courted if it’s alright with Colby,” he answered.
Blakely’s hands stilled for a minute as he glanced into the yard. “Yeah?”
Ainsley and I shared a smile. They weren’t interested in Talya like we were. Their interests were in her alpha.
“How did that conversation go?” Blakely asked.
“Well, she understands that our pack is made up of different kinds of relationships and that while Ronan and I do not want Colby in the way we’d like to court her, we certainly want him to join our pack if that’s what they both want,” Ainsley said.
“And how does Colby feel about… that?”
Ainsley grinned and pushed Blakely until the other alpha looked at him. “Ask him.”
Blakely huffed and turned back to the sink and the romaine. “I will. They haven’t been here long, and I didn’t want to push even though I think we’ve been pretty obvious about our intentions.”
“To me, you have, but it sounds like they’ve had a hell of a time with packs up to this point.”
Blakely huffed again, but this time it turned into a grumble. He didn’t actually care about talking to Colby himself. What bothered him was how they’d been treated by other packs. Both of them—Colby and Talya. He wasn’t wrong. It was shit.
Honestly, I wasn’t surprised that their attraction was toward Colby instead of Talya. Kasen was their omega, even if he wasn’t an omega by designation. The way they doted on him and spoiled him and spoke to him, I knew they didn’t care that he was, in fact, a beta biologically.
Besides that, I was pretty sure that neither of them wanted an actual omega, though I was sure they liked her as a person. They just couldn’t help their biological response to her.They’d protect her until their last breath as they would anyone else in our pack, but the physical and romantic attraction just wasn’t there.
“I don’t suppose you included me in your courting questions?” I asked, raising a brow at Ainsley.
He covered my mouth with his in a possessive kiss that had my toes curling in my sneakers. “No,” he said into my mouth. “However, I did tell her ‘a few’ would be interested in courting her. Ronan confirmed he was one of them, but I left that wide open for you.”
I smiled into his mouth. “Good.”
“Stop kissing and finish making dinner,” Lohtus said as he came into the kitchen.
Ainsley snickered, then he kissed my cheek and pulled away. “Don’t be jealous that I’m getting kisses and you’re not.”
Lohtus stared at him for a minute before moving behind Blakely. He wrapped his hand around Blakely’s neck and tipped his head back, guiding their lips together for a hot kiss. Lohtus let him go, giving his ass a quick squeeze on the way past as he raised a brow in Ainsley’s direction.
Ainsley chuckled. “Savage,” he muttered, tossing a washcloth at him.
Lohtus caught it and dropped it on the counter. He turned to me. “Want to track down Kasen and set the table?”
“Inside or out?”
Lohtus glanced at the sky. Clouds had been rolling in for a while, but I wasn’t sure if it was going to rain. “Let’s eat inside. Just in case.”
Nodding again, I headed deeper into the house to find Kasen, though I didn’t have to look far. He was in the media room with a game controller in his hands and headphones on. For a minute, I just looked at him, admiring his sexy self. His curly hair was longer on top, so some fell over his forehead. The tip of his tongue stuck out between beautiful pink lips that were begging to be kissed. Or bitten. Maybe both.
He was smaller in frame. Lean. Fucking perfect for wrapping in my arms and holding against me. The best small spoon.
Kasen didn’t see me cross the room. He was so engrossed that when I took his chin in my fingers to bring his attention to me, he jumped and gasped in surprise. I kissed him, licking along his lips before I gave in to temptation and took his lower one between my teeth in a soft bite.
He shivered in my hold. I sucked on his lip for a minute before letting him go. His eyes were closed as he swayed slightly, skin flushed. My perfect little beta.
“Hey, you,” I murmured. My voice was deep, husky.
His eyes fluttered open, and a smile touched his lips. “Hi, Em.” I loved the breathless quality of his voice, especially when I was the one who’d put it there. So damn sexy.
“Ready to eat?”
Kasen nodded.
“Want to help me set the table?”
“Okay,” he said, smiling. He didn’t give the game more than a cursory look as he flicked the Switch off and left it on the chair with his headphones.
With his hand in mine, we returned to the kitchen and began gathering place settings. Glancing outside confirmed that Talya and Colby were still talking. They were relaxed, but it still appeared to be serious. Biting my lip, I turned away and followed Kasen around the table, setting silverware down as he placed napkins.
There was a sliver of doubt in my chest saying that we’d read the situation wrong. Sure, they were comfortable here, but maybe they didn’t want to be a part of this pack. It wasn’t like they’d chosen to be here.
“Are they okay?”
I looked up at Kasen’s question to find him staring outside, his brows knit together in concern. I wrapped him in my arms and kissed his temple. “Yeah. They’re talking about being courted. At least, I think that’s what they’re talking about.”
He looked at me with wide eyes. “Are you going to court them?”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Not both of them. Though I haven’t actually talked to Talya myself, I’d like to see if she’ll have me.”
His grin was wide. “That’s awesome. I wonder if my alphas will court Colby.” His gaze went distant for a moment before he frowned at me and bit his lip. I let him think about whatever had just pushed its way into his mind. Eventually, he said, “What if he doesn’t want me too?”
The question was quiet, and there was a quiver of doubt in his voice. I hated that tone. I hated when he felt uncertain about his place and those around him. Even in regard to Colby.
“You’re going to have to talk to him, but I don’t think that will be the case.”
“You don’t know that. He doesn’t like betas,” Kasen said. He already sounded defeated. Rejected.
I pressed his face onto my shoulder and hugged him tightly. “You’re putting words into his mouth. Sounds to me like whatever he and Talya have been through was at the hands of betas. It’s made him a little wary, sure, but you’ve all been through something traumatic, Kasen. Look where you’re at now.”
Kasen sighed. “Yeah. Okay. But what if I’m supposed to court him?” He picked his head up with panic in his eyes. “How do I do that?”
Laughter made me grasp him tighter. “You’re getting ahead of yourself, babe. Just take it slow. One day at a time. And talk to your alphas, hm? See what their plan is.”
He nodded. After another minute, we finished setting the table. By the time we turned around to begin bringing food over, we were met in the doorway by Talya and Colby, each carrying a plate of food. Kasen flushed and ducked past them. Talya watched him go, concerned, but Colby simply looked after him with an amused smile.
I was pretty sure this would be just fine. Everything about it would be fine.
We gathered around the table and passed the plates. I studied Talya while she looked between us all as if she were trying to piece together a puzzle whose pieces didn’t quite fit together. Or maybe she didn’t know how to interpret them.
Conversation was quiet and comfortable, never remaining on one thing for any real length of time. When dinner was finished, we took care of the clean-up as a large group then headed into the family room to watch a movie.
My focus remained on Talya, wondering if she’d be interested in me. I wasn’t an alpha, even if I could appear as one sometimes. Enough to trick your senses for a while. If I were just a normal beta, would she even consider me?
By the time we went up to bed, I was almost jittery with questions. Concerns. Doubts. And I was eager. To talk to her. To ask. Fuck, to know if she and Colby were even open to the possibility of being courted.
Lost in my thoughts, I followed Ainsley into his room. My alpha pulled me into his chest as soon as the door shut behind us. He still smelled like Talya, and it was driving me fucking wild. So much so that I was feeling all growly and possessive as I licked his neck and face.
“You know, I’m a little nervous,” I said as I sucked on Ainsley’s ear.
“Why? We’ve done this many times.”
I pulled away, slightly disoriented so I could look at him. “What?”
Ainsley laughed. “Never mind. What are you nervous about?”
“Asking Talya. Courting her. What if she only wants alphas? I’m not actually an alpha, and I’ve never courted an omega before.”
He kissed me softly for a minute. “Maybe not, but you’re being courted now. You know what I do to make sure you understand what my intentions are and that I want to provide for you, to keep you. Though it’s societally an alpha thing that we do for omegas, courting is not strictly something that is necessary. There’s no reason other designations can’t court each other. As you are Kasen.”
I sighed, leaning my face against his. “Thanks.”
He held me close for a minute then picked me up so quickly that I burst into laughter. Ainsley didn’t carry me like a bride or wrap my legs around his waist. Instead, he threw me over his shoulder and slapped my ass.
The sting of it made me shout again, but my breath left me when he heaved me onto the bed. “Ass,” I sputtered between laughter.
Ainsley grinned as he pulled at my clothing, stripping me down until I was bare before him. My hungry eyes locked on him as he removed his clothes, too. For a minute, he stood there, his gaze caressing over my body, setting fires everywhere it touched.
His knees dropped to the bed, and he crawled toward me, placing a hand on my chest. The contrast of our skin tones always made me stare in awe. He was so creamy in tone, tanned by most standards. Against my much darker skin, he looked nearly ethereal. It was beautiful to see.
“What do you want tonight, Em?” he asked, a purr in his voice that made me squirm.
I swallowed, my dick leaking where it laid hard against my stomach. “Touch me,” I whined. “Inside. Then cover me in your cum.”
Ainsley’s body came over mine, his mouth swallowing my moan when I felt his skin touching mine. I groaned louder as he rolled his dick against mine. “Purr for me,” he said into my mouth. As if I had a choice.
A purr built in my chest, and I let it out. Ainsley growled as he bit my lower lip. Hard . It felt like he was going to break skin. My heart pounded loudly, and my hands fell to his round ass. I gripped him, shoving my dick against his.
Bite me .
The words didn’t leave my mouth. I couldn’t do that, not right now, even though that need screamed inside me, begging for him to bite me for real.
His teeth loosened, but he sucked my lip to calm the sting. I nearly sobbed, the purr in my chest stuttering a little.
“I fucking love when you purr,” he said.
“Not as good as yours.”
He snorted. “It sure as fuck is, Em.”
He was not at all biased, not even a little bit. His hot, wet mouth moved down to my neck, and I gripped his ass harder, spreading his cheeks as I roughly pressed my dick to his. “Ainsley,” I groaned. “I really need you to touch me.”
The wet feel of his tongue trailing over my neck did everything to me. My body spasmed under him and broke out in chills. I whined pathetically, my fingers digging into his ass. Under any other circumstances, I’d laugh because whining while purring felt as weird as it sounded.
Neither were exactly as they should be. My purr was good enough to fool someone from afar but not up close, as was my whine. I loved, more than anything, when Ainsley growled in response and ran his teeth over my skin.
“Feels like you want in my ass,” he said at my neck. “You want that, sweet beta?”
I grunted, trying to decide if my body wanted to be buried in his ass or if I wanted his dick in mine. Fuck, I couldn’t be given these decisions when I couldn’t think straight. “Ainsley,” I grunted.
He chuckled. “Alright, love. Roll over.”
His body coming off mine gave me a chance to breathe after holding my breath for an hour. I sucked in a breath as I rolled to my stomach. Then his face was between my cheeks, and I whined loudly into the pillow at the feel of his tongue over my hole. I quivered under him, my hips bucking, trying to get his tongue in my ass.
Ainsley chuckled before his tongue was replaced by two fingers, gliding inside me smoothly. His other hand went to the small of my back, pushing me flat to the bed as he worked his way inside me and pressed against my prostate without wasting any time.
My breath was ragged as I whimpered desperately. He could undo me so easily, so fucking easily, but I was too impatient to enjoy it much tonight. The smell of Talya’s perfume was still in my nose, and Ainsley’s scent was wrapped around me. I was unhinged and wild.
His body came down to blanket mine as he rubbed his slicked-up cock between my cheeks. “Ready?”
I nodded into the comforter. His arms wrapped around my chest, pinning me down as he ran the length of his cock between my cheeks again. The head of his dick would momentarily get stuck at my opening before moving up further. I whined and begged.
“Ainsley,” I drew out his name, tears stinging my eyes.
He chuckled, and on the next slide I felt his knot. I hadn’t taken his knot before, though I’d thought about it. I was a beta. I couldn’t actually make my body respond like an omega, so I wasn’t na?ve enough to think I could take a knot like one either. But there was a faint shivering need in me that, every time I felt it, was just shy of making me spit out the demand to give me his knot.
I kept it in based on fear of the pain it might bring.
Finally, when his cockhead notched at my hole once again, he pushed inside me. For just a second, when the mushroom tip was fully in, he paused. We took a couple synced breaths, and then in one long, smooth stroke, he pushed further until his pelvis met my ass cheeks, only stopping short of his knot.
The noises that left me grew with every inch that made its way inside. It stung and pulsed and stretched me in such a delicious way that holding still would have been impossible if he hadn’t pinned me beneath him in a straitjacket hold.
I loved being held like this, unable to move. Unable to do anything but take his dick. His growing knot settled right at my hole, resting there like a pillow.
A pillow made of cement but a pillow all the same.
“You take my dick so fucking good, beta,” he growled in my ear.
“So deep,” I said, my voice higher than normal. “You’re so fucking deep.”
“I am. You like that, don’t you?”
I nodded. “Yes. Oh fuck, yes.”
Then he started moving—slowly at first but the leisurely pace didn’t last long. Soon enough, he was pounding into me. His upper body pressed down hard, forcing my shoulders and head into the bed. It was difficult to catch a full breath, which only heightened my growing arousal.
The sounds and whines and words never stopped spilling from my mouth as he slammed into me over and over. His dick laid me open while his knot slammed against my hole, taunting me.
That need to take it deep grew louder. The need to feel him in my chest, to feel his arousal inside me, was screaming in my head, demanding that I take his bite.
Somehow, even as mindless as I was right now, those words stayed inside as he fucked me so good my head spun, and then I was coming, my face buried in the comforter as I cried out and my ass squeezed his dick.
Ainsley growled in my ear as he buried himself so deep, I could feel it against my diaphragm. No, I didn’t care that it wasn’t possible nor that it wasn’t how a body was put together. I said I could feel it there, and I could—like violent hiccups.
In that moment as he filled my ass with his seed, his knot pushed against the tight ring of my hole, stretching it a little more. Begging to be let in, to be strangled by my smaller body. His hips pulled back slightly before shoving himself deeper still, and again, his knot was right there.
I bit my lips so I didn’t tell him to slip inside, to fully make his way into me. I wasn’t sure that he would be able to stop himself when he was this far gone, so I bit the blanket beneath me, forcing the words to remain inside. Even as tears stung my eyes because I wanted it in the worst way, fear held me back.
Beta bodies weren’t made for that. I knew that. But then again, my body was made a little differently than most betas. Maybe I could take it? Maybe I’d even like it?
Only the sound of panting filled the room as the thoughts that swam in my head cleared. His purrs were quiet, like a cat who was happy to have their belly rubbed.
After many long minutes in which we remained still, both of us catching our breath, Ainsley slowly pulled out of me. He kissed between my shoulders and left the bed only to return moments later to clean me up with the gentle hands of an alpha.
He murmured to me, quietly saying all the sweet things an alpha would say to his omega. But he was saying them to me , and my heart swelled with warmth and love. Finally, he turned the light off and joined me in bed, pulling me snugly to his chest.
The covers surrounded us, and my heart still beat a little wildly inside. Ainsley sighed. “Love you, Emerald.”
I smiled and turned my face to his skin so that all I smelled was him. “Love you,” I whispered. Maybe tomorrow I’d tell him that I was ready to be in his pack… and then we could discuss his knot in my ass.
A shiver of nervous excitement skittered across my skin, and his arms tightened. But a smile remained on my lips as I fell asleep.