Chapter 34 – Riley Thomas
Riley Thomas
"H oly fucking shit. I did it again," Cannon groans into my neck as he hovers over me.
"Did what?" I ask.
"Fucked you without a condom or a conversation. I'm so fucking sorry, Riley. That night in the office I meant to ask you, but we got caught up in each other and I did it again with the guys, and just now." Cannon frowns, shaking his head.
I blink back at him in surprise, running a finger over his cheek. I figured Killian or Finn told him we're covered at least by now.
"You're most fertile during heats." Cannon curses as his cock jumps inside of me.
He looks sheepish as hell. "Impulses can be a real bitch.
I read up on omega health. They say your heats only return when you're healthy enough to carry another child, but fuck…
I don't even know if you want more kids. "
"I got the birth control shot," I tell him, trying not to laugh.
"And a couple months ago? My answer would have been hell no.
I thought I could barely handle two kids.
But everything is so different now. I'm no longer doing everything alone.
It's…" I shake my head to try to shake away the rush of emotion.
"The girls have someone other than me to care for them if something terrible happens.
I could probably be convinced to have another couple of kids somewhere down the line. "
Cannon's knot pulses inside me and we both groan. "Fuck, don't talk about breeding right now. I know we're covered, but yeah… my impulses are dicks."
I snort a laugh, smiling into his chest. "You'd want more kids?"
"A fucking yard full of them," Cannon agrees.
I chuckle at the look of hunger on his face.
"Do you want a bond?" Cannon asks, staring straight into my eyes.
Biting my lip, I nod. Of course . It's literally written into my DNA just like breeding a fertile omega is written into his. My hind brain knows I'll be safer with a pack of alphas at my side. Any omega who says different is lying. Biology literally forces heats to encourage bonding.
Maybe a few omegas can fight that impulse, but it's incredibly strong.
I also think maybe they just haven't met the right alphas for them.
Sure, I begged Jeremy during heats, but nothing like I've done with these guys.
When Jeremy was gone traveling with his team?
I never really yearned for him or obsessed about when he'd be back.
"I do," I agree. "With you guys. Whenever you're ready, I'm ready."
"Oh fuck," Cannon snarls, snapping his hips into mine.
Cannon's pheromones tinge the air and as I gulp them in I get high like I've never felt before.
This is why compatible alphas are so damn dangerous. It's not just the knot that makes the heat bearable, alpha pheromones help control the waves of cramps. My perfume comes to the party, trying its best to send the alpha into rut. It works. Cannon bucks and snarls and fucks me into oblivion.
* * *
"Cannon please," I beg. "Bite me, I'm yours."
Cannon stares down at me with a predatory intensity I've never seen from him. His head is tilted and he looks damn near animalistic. He growls.
"Alpha, please," I beg.
"Can't bite during a heat," he says, shaking his head. "I want you to be mine, but it wouldn't be right."
"Yes, you can. I want you," I tell him. Yanking his hand to my chest I hold it over my rapidly beating heart. "Make me yours?"
See? I'm forming coherent sentences. That alone proves I'm not lost to the fog .
Cannon's knot pulses and he fills me shooting hot jets of come inside me. He groans a deeply satisfied sound that turns into a growl as he bites and sucks, but doesn't break the skin.
I whimper, turning my head away and nearly start to cry.
"No, don't do that," Cannon says, tilting my head back to his. "Riley, I love you. I'm going to bite you." I perk up. "One day. I don't think it should be like this."
I frown. Things were looking up and it went downhill fast.
"Okay," I whisper, suddenly wishing we weren't locked together.
"Are you sure?" Cannon asks, nudging my face with his cheek. "You're sure if I bite you, you won't hate me forever for it?"
"I'm sure," I say, nodding.
Cannon takes my mouth in a filthy kiss. His beard scratches against my cheek as he fucks his tongue into my mouth. Then he's tilting my head and looking at me expectantly.
"Take what's yours alpha," I beg, pulling him closer by yanking on his arms.
Cannon snarls, licking the tender flesh of my throat. He bites and my body explodes with an unexpected orgasm. I quake and whimper while he slides into my senses like a cool breeze.
It's incredible . My chest aches with an overwhelming warmth that I realize is his love for me . I lose it. Sobbing like a damn lunatic.
Cannon cradles me like I'm precious. "Fuck, Riley you're all mine." He kisses me senseless. "You're okay, I've got you. I'm always going to have you from here on out. Do you hear me, pretty girl?"
Tears drip from my eyes and I nod.
My chest feels so full. It's always been so empty. It sounds bad, but a tiny sliver of my mind was always there whispering ugly things.
You're good enough to fuck, but never to bond. Who would want to be stuck with you permanently? Don't forget Riley, you're just poor white trash.
That part of my mind always sounded a lot like Jeremy, and it could never be truly silenced because it had never been proven wrong before.
Cannon just shut it the hell up real quick.
I fall asleep knowing everything just changed.
* * *
"Holy fucking shit," Jasper whispers, crawling into the nest. He's holding a small box. The gauzy curtains are down to make the space feel smaller. "He did it."
Jasper stretches out next to me in a pair of low slung sweatpants and nothing else. He's covered in strong lines of lithe muscle. A bit thicker and bigger than Finn, but not nearly as ripped as Cannon or Killian.
"Yeah," I agree, stretching lazily. "Come cuddle with me?"
Jasper nods. He reaches over and pulls me to his chest.
"How are you?" he asks, studying my face.
"I'm actually really good."
"Good," he says, kissing my forehead. "You know I never would have asked you to go to that thing if I knew-"
"I know," I agree, snuggling into his strong chest. His scent fills the air. I breathe through my mouth trying to stay clear. We're talking and I don't want to quite literally come off like a bitch in heat. I snort at the thought and Jasper gives me a funny look.
"You promise?" he asks, swallowing thickly. "You trust me?"
"I trust you, Jasper," I assure him.
"Fuck me. How am I supposed to keep from falling in love with a woman who has faith in me the way you do?
" He sighs, gently palming the back of my head.
"Not that I haven't made mistakes in life…
but I can't." He shakes his head. "I won't fuck up, the way you look at me.
" He bites his lip. "I don't ever want to lose that. "
"I kinda feel like you're being a little over dramatic here Jasper," I say, grinning. "Let's just be good to each other, how about that? Everyone makes mistakes and I don't want you to hold yourself to this impossible standard thinking that's what I expect."
Jasper rolls me over. My back hits the nest floor and the sheet I've been wrapped up in slides down. Dark blue eyes study me hungrily, darkening with lust.
"No, fuck," he grumbles, shaking his head. He blows out a heavy sigh. "I want more from you than sex."
I laugh, running my hand over his neck. "Impulses are tricky, aren't they? I'm an omega in heat, Jasper. You rocked my world earlier today? Yesterday? Hell, I really don't even have a clue what time it is."
"It's like three in the morning, so we'll go with yesterday," he says, grinning. "Spoke to my grandfather. You basically told me nothing. I knew from your reaction and I told Clayton that. He's going to see what he can do."
Nodding shakily, I try to push away the rush of fear that floods my system.
"Sorry, bad timing," he whispers, brushing his lips over my cheek. "You're safe enough now that you have a bond… I just wanted to put your mind at ease."
"Thank you," I murmur. My nostrils flare with his scent and he smirks down at me.
"You should open this," he whispers against my lips.
Leaning up on a forearm, I open the last box. It's got a hinge lid and the magnet closure makes it easy to do one handed. I snort a laugh when I catch sight of what's inside.
There's bright red, lacy lingerie, several types of lube, sex toys in bright colors. "Finn guessed right the other night," I say, laughing.
"That he did, now let me just ease that other ache you've got going on," he growls into my mouth as he pushes away the box.