43. Lakelyn
CHAPTER 43
Lakelyn
The darkness envelops me, thick and suffocating, like a heavy fog that dulls every sound and sensation. I’m running, my feet pounding against the ground, but no matter how fast I go, I can’t seem to escape. A sense of urgency coils tightly in my chest, an instinctual need driving me forward. I can feel it—Chad's emotions swirling around me, vibrant and chaotic, yet just out of reach.
I call out for him, my voice echoing in the emptiness, but it only seems to deepen the void. “Chad!” My heart races, fueled by a strange mixture of fear and desperation. It’s as if he’s right there, just beyond the veil of shadows, but the closer I get, the farther he feels.
Images flicker in my mind—Chad's laughter, his smile, the way he glows when he talks about the things he loves. But now, all that remains is a haunting silence that gnaws at my insides, leaving me hollow. I push through the fog, my instincts screaming at me to find him. I need to reach him, to tell him that he’s not alone, that I’m here.
But then, a flicker of something darker pierces through my thoughts—an overwhelming wave of desire, raw and untamed, pounding against me like a violent tide. The intensity of it floods my senses, making me dizzy. My breath quickens as I’m swept away by the storm of emotions, feeling Chad’s desperation like it’s my own. I stagger, almost losing my footing, his need crashing down on me.
“Chad!” I cry again, my voice strained. I’m caught in a maelstrom of longing and need, and I can’t seem to find him. I reach out, fingers grasping at the shadows, but they slip through my hands like smoke.
I wake up with a sharp gasp, heart hammering, tangled in sheets that cling to my damp skin like remnants of the nightmare. The last traces of panic pulse through me as I blink, grounding myself, my breath still unsteady. But then I take in my surroundings, the soft fabric of Chad’s nest beneath me, and a warmth at my side—a weight grounding me in the moment. Mason’s arm rests over my abdomen, his hand solid and warm. I run my fingers across the back of his hand, letting the familiar sensation calm the last remnants of fear.
But my skin feels tight, buzzing with an uncomfortable heat that’s foreign, a prickling restlessness I don’t recognize. My gaze drifts, catching sight of Chad and Dean, entwined together, completely wrapped up in each other, oblivious to anything beyond the other’s presence. It’s then that I understand—the echo of emotions churning in my chest isn’t mine alone.
It’s Chad’s need, still spilling through our bond like waves crashing into my mind. The warmth between us is undeniable, an intense mixture of lust and raw yearning radiating from him, amplified by Dean’s steady presence. Their combined scents drift over to me, intensified and laced with extra sweetness. The tang of limes, sharp and zesty, cuts through the air, unmistakably Chad. It blends with Dean’s musk, a grounding aroma of fresh earth and dampness, heavy like the air before a storm. The scents interlace, rich and heady, like something forbidden yet deeply alluring.
I close my eyes for a moment, absorbing the intoxicating mix, both soothed and unsettled by it. When I open them, my attention locks on Chad, the raw emotion coursing between us, tightening the invisible thread that binds us. This is his need, his longing—flowing through me like my own, weaving us closer, impossible to ignore.
A flush spreads over my skin, hot and insistent, as if the need seeping from Chad has set me on fire. My pulse quickens, and every nerve feels electrified, every heartbeat throbbing in sync with his desire. It’s overwhelming, an ache that digs deeper with each breath, as if I’m the one in heat, not him. Because I know without anyone telling me that is exactly what’s happening.
My body seems to absorb his need until it feels like my own—an insatiable hunger building inside me, impossible to deny.
I swallow, my lips part as I try to steady myself, but the potent, layered scent surrounding us only tightens the knot low in my belly. I can’t help it; I’m drawn to him, pulled across the small distance between us as if some invisible force is tugging me forward.
It’s as though every fiber of my being demands closeness. I can’t resist inching closer, the overwhelming sensation in my body urging me to feel his warmth, to be nearer to him.
As I move, Mason stirs beside me, his arm slipping away as he blinks awake. His eyes land on me first, then shift to Chad and Dean, and a shadow of recognition crosses his face. In an instant, his entire demeanor changes, his gaze sharpening as he realizes what’s unfolding in the nest. The charged air between us thickens, strung tight like a bowstring, his eyes flicking back to me, assessing, absorbing everything in silence.
Slowly, Mason inhales, nostrils flaring as he takes in the potent blend of their combined scent—the sweet lime intensity and earthy musk that hangs thick in the air. It seems to awaken something in him, a primal spark igniting in his gaze, darkening his eyes as his tension grows. My heartbeat stutters, my pulse matching his, caught between the pull of Chad’s need radiating through me and the simmering heat in Mason’s stare, his presence magnifying the fire already blazing inside me. The boundary between my own desires and Chad’s blurs until everything is dizzying, too much and yet not enough.
“Lake,” Mason murmurs, his voice rough, the strain clear in every syllable, his jaw clenched as he watches me with barely restrained intensity.
Mason’s grip tightens on my wrist, pulling me back to him with a quiet insistence. His gaze is fierce, locked on mine, his pupils blown wide with a hunger that sends a fresh wave of heat through me. His hand slides from my wrist to my waist, fingers digging in just enough to make me feel his hold, his control. The restraint in his eyes tells me he's been holding back, but right now, he's not letting me slip away.
“Lake,” he murmurs again, his voice rough, thick with barely contained desire, as if he’s savoring every syllable of my name. There’s something raw in his tone that makes me shiver, my own restraint unraveling under the intensity of his gaze.
Before I can catch my breath, his mouth is on mine, the kiss searing and possessive, pulling me deeper under his spell. It’s more than a kiss; it’s a release, a shared surrender to the need burning between us. His hand slides up my back, guiding me closer, his fingers pressing into me as though staking his claim. Every touch, every movement, stokes the flames higher, sending a shiver down my spine and leaving me breathless.
Mason pulls back just enough to meet my gaze, his lips grazing mine as he whispers, “Let it go, Lake. Let yourself feel everything.”
The world narrows to this moment, to the warmth of his breath, the press of his body against mine, and the intensity in his eyes. He kisses me again, slower this time, savoring it, drawing out every spark until I can feel my own restraint slipping, surrendering to the heat he’s pulling from Chad and into me.
I don’t know how it’s possible, but it is.
Dean kneels between Chad’s legs, his breath ragged; he has obviously succumbed to a rut. His motion is erratic as he slips his sweats off his hips, his long, thick cock bobbing between his legs, the knot already attempting to form at the base. He pauses long enough to stroke Chad’s length, which sends pleasure tingling down my spine and settling between my legs. Everything he’s feeling, I’m feeling, too.
And I need more.
Dean spreads Chad’s legs wider, dragging him towards him in one smooth motion. Chad gasps and whimpers. “More,” he begs. “More, Dean.”
His strokes become firmer, more insistent, and I moan. Mason breathes in my moans, before capturing my lips again. His hand runs down my stomach and below my sleep shorts. He growls as his fingers find my folds, and he slips through effortlessly. I’m wetter than I’ve ever been.
“Lake,” he growls again. His fingers dip into me, curling into a spot that makes me see stars, and Chad moans in pleasure. The bond runs both ways, apparently.
"Slick," Mason murmurs, voice thick with awe as he pulls his hand from my waistband, his fingers glistening with evidence of my desire. He brings them to his lips, eyes locked on mine as he takes each finger into his mouth, savoring every trace. His gaze darkens, a shiver running through him. "Blueberries," he breathes, the hint of a smile touching his lips.
He’s right; my perfume’s out of control. Stronger than it’s ever been. Mixing with the three of their scents effortlessly.
“Omega,” Mason growls, his voice reverberating with a primal heat that seems to pierce through every barrier I didn’t know I had. His pupils are blown wide, fixated on me with an intensity that’s both terrifying and thrilling. The word alone sends a jolt down my spine, an involuntary shiver following in its wake, and I feel… different. Unmoored. Like something deep and forgotten has stirred to life inside me.
It can’t be. I’m a beta. I’ve always been a beta. But with the way he’s looking at me, the way my body responds to his touch as if drawn by an instinct I’ve never known—I’m no longer sure of anything. My scent, my reactions, the wild pull deep inside of me… it’s as though I’m on the brink of shifting into something I didn’t know I could be.
I stare at Mason, his gaze unwavering, his whole presence grounded, pulling me toward him with an undeniable authority. “I… I’m not…” The words die on my lips, swallowed by the sheer force of sensation, the electric pull that makes me question everything I’ve known about myself. It feels real, but it can’t be. I’m not an omega—I’ve never been, and I’m way past the age of late presenting. Yet right now, with him in front of me, his primal energy calls to something inside me I don’t understand.
Every atom inside of me is burning alive, and I can barely focus.
“You are,” he insists.
He tugs my shorts off, lifting me and pulling my tank top off. He lays me back on the mattress and spreads my legs wide. Then he runs his hands down my thighs to my center, where I’m on fire with need. Two fingers slide through my folds, circling my clit until my hips come off the mattress. A whimper explodes from not only me but Chad, too. Mason watches me in awe.
"You're going into heat as an omega, Lake," he says, his voice a mix of astonishment and barely-contained desire.
“That’s not possible,” I gasp, my heart racing as I try to process his words.
Mason leans over me, his gaze locked onto mine, fierce and unwavering. “We’re a scent-bond pack; it’s possible,” he insists, his voice low and urgent as he reaches out to cup my cheek, the warmth of his palm sending a shiver through me.
His fingers trail down my neck, igniting a heat within me that’s impossible to ignore. I can feel the pulse of his need echoing in the air between us, and my breath hitches as I struggle to comprehend what’s happening.
It feels as if I’m drowning. Slowly going under. And as Dean shifts between Chad’s legs and sinks into him, I’m gone. The sensations as he rocks into him are overwhelming and delicious, exactly what we need. Yet, Mason doesn’t let me stay in the link long. He shifts back to his knees between my legs, his intense stare watching me.
I watch him back, waiting for his next move as sensations roll over me.
His sweats tent between us, and I dip my gaze to the evidence of his arousal. Hesitating for only a moment, I reach out and tug them down, freeing his heavy cock. Pre-cum forms on the tip as soon as his sweats settle around his thighs. As he shifts between my legs to remove his clothes, he taps against me, sending a shiver of need through me.
“Mason, I need—” I suck in a breath. I don’t know what I need. But it feels like he can give me whatever it is.
“My knot,” he murmurs, grasping his thick cock with his long fingers. “You need my knot, my sweet, sweet Lakelyn.”
My stomach dips. Beta’s can’t take knots without the help of an omega’s slick. Still, I don't protest as he nudges my entrance.
He slides in, stretching me wide, and my eyes roll into the back of my head. My wetness makes it easy for him to push further until I can feel his knot attempting to form at the base of his length. But he doesn’t try to push in more; instead, he pumps his hips, Thrusting me into the mattress in the best way possible.
His lips find my neck, brushing over my pulse point, and he trails warm, lingering kisses there. Slowly, he laps at my skin, his tongue pressing in a way that sends sparks through me. I arch instinctively, leaning into him, silently pleading for the mark his teeth promise.
And he doesn’t hesitate. He answers my silent request, his teeth pressing into my skin as he sinks deeper, filling every inch of me. His knot swells, locking us together, and I gasp, finally drawing in a breath, the overwhelming fullness anchoring me in a way I hadn’t realized I craved. The sensation settles in my chest, a profound, grounding warmth that reaches down to my core.
I’m an omega. At least, in this moment, I’m omega. I just took a knot without it pulling me apart, without the aid of Chad’s slick.
My heart hammers in my chest, the thundering pulse echoing Mason’s steady heartbeat beneath my touch. Driven by an instinct so deep it feels ancient, I press my lips to his shoulder and bite down just enough to mark him. His skin is warm, his breath catching as my teeth graze him.
Then it happens—an electric current surges through me, a rush of heat and emotion so overwhelming it’s like nothing I’ve ever known. His feelings spill into me, raw and powerful: strength, fierce protectiveness, an intensity of desire that wraps around me like a steady flame. The sensations blend with the lingering heat and need from Chad, creating a mix so potent that I feel it all blur together.
I gasp, swaying as every part of me fills with their combined presence, a warmth spreading from my chest outward, flooding my veins with pleasure until I can barely breathe. My vision swims as my own emotions ripple back, magnified—need, trust, a spark of something deeply primal—reflecting between us until the connection swells, blurring every edge.
I barely stay conscious as my orgasm washes over me, encouraged by their combined energy. And I need more. When my gaze lands on Dean, I know he’s the missing link inside of me. One I’m not leaving this nest without.