Chapter 24 Dalton
DALTON
As we stepped inside Theo’s apartment, a sense of unease and awkwardness settled over me.
Suddenly, the atmosphere was awkward. The date had been fun.
There had been lots of laughter and getting to know each other.
But now, we faced the reality of being alone together in a more intimate setting without the intensity of Theo’s heat to guide us.
I didn’t know about Peyton, but nerves struck me and wouldn’t let go. Or maybe it wasn’t just nerves. It was the knowledge that we were playing house while our real lives were still waiting for us back in West Virginia. Things were unsettled as we tried to figure out what our future held.
“So, um, how should we do this?” Theo asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Peyton looked at me before turning back to Theo. “We figure out what it means to be in a throuple. Theo, you’re our omega. That means you’re the center, the one who holds us together.”
Theo nodded, but he was fidgeting. “I guess we should figure out how this is going to work,” he said finally.
Peyton gave a little smirk. “Well, one thing is for certain; there’s plenty of room in Theo’s bed for all three of us.”
“Omega in the middle, that’s cute,” I couldn’t resist saying.
We all laughed and, just like that, the tension vanished. But my mind was still drifting north. I looked down at my hands—my instrument. They felt empty.
“I miss it,” I said suddenly, realizing I’d spoken out loud when both Peyton and Theo looked at me.
“Miss what?” Theo asked.
“My gun. My tattoo gun. My sketchbooks.” I rubbed my hands together. “I left in such a rush, I didn’t bring anything. I feel naked without them. If we’re going to be here, if I’m going to start working again… I need my tools.”
Peyton’s expression sobered. He nodded, acknowledging the silent conversation we’d had earlier about unfinished business. “We’ll get them. We’ll make a trip of it. Maybe next month? Once we’re settled here.”
“Next month,” I repeated. It felt like a promise and a threat all at once. Going back meant facing everything we’d run from. But looking at Theo, I knew it was necessary. We couldn’t build a future here on a foundation of abandonment.
“So, Theo, I don’t suppose you know how to cook?” Peyton asked, deftly changing the subject, sensing the shift in mood.
Theo snorted. “Uh, I can barely boil water. I eat over at the diner most nights. The local Italian place does a great pizza. My mom drops off freezer meals for me.” Suddenly, Theo turned pale as a ghost and a little whimper fell from his lips, his hand going to his stomach.
“How could I forget my mom?” he said, his voice almost a whisper.
Peyton and I exchanged a worried look before Peyton stepped closer to Theo and put his hand on the omega’s shoulder. “Hey. It’s okay. We’ll figure something out.”
“Maybe Theo could invite his mom over for dinner so we can explain the new situation,” I suggested.
Theo slowly nodded. “That might work. That way she won’t feel left out. I’d hate for her to find out from someone else. She kind of knows about you guys, but she doesn’t know about… this. Is tomorrow too soon? I kind of want to rip the bandage off, if you know what I mean.”
“Tomorrow is fine if your mom’s available,” Peyton said.
“Great! Now we just need to figure out what to do until tomorrow night,” Theo said, tapping his chin with his finger as he thought about it.
His eyes suddenly widened as an idea struck him.
“Wait, what if we all went out to see a movie? It could be a way for us all to relax before things get too serious.”
Peyton chuckled at Theo’s energy, though I noticed the omega seemed a little more subdued than usual, rubbing his temples as if he had a headache.
“Or we could stay here and test out the mattress in your bedroom again.” He moved closer to Theo, his fingers cupping Theo’s jaw before leaning in and pressing his lips to Theo’s.
Theo’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. It was definitely a better plan than going to a movie.
Theo nodded eagerly, stepping closer to Peyton and pressing their foreheads together. “That sounds like a great idea,” Theo said softly against Peyton’s lips.
Peyton chuckled before leaning in and pressing his lips more firmly against Theo’s. They kissed slowly and tenderly. Then, Peyton pulled back slightly, frowning. He leaned in, sniffing Theo’s neck deeply.
“You smell… different,” Peyton murmured.
“Different bad?” Theo asked, anxiety spiking in his scent.
“No,” Peyton shook his head, looking confused. “Different… sweet. Sweeter. Maybe it’s just the after-effects of the heat.”
I moved closer, catching a whiff. It was sweeter, like milk and honey. It made my mouth water. “You smell amazing,” I whispered, leaning in to kiss him.
Theo’s eyes fluttered open when I got close, surprise on his face as he realized that I’d been watching.
He smiled a shy smile as I leaned in and kissed him.
His lips were soft and pliable under my own.
The omega’s mouth opened, and I took advantage, sweeping my tongue inside to taste his sweetness.
When we broke apart, the omega looked dazed, his lips deliciously swollen from our kisses. His eyes fluttered open. Desire blew his pupils wide as he looked at Peyton and me.
“Shall we?” Peyton asked, nodding toward Theo’s bedroom. Theo nodded eagerly, catching each of our hands in his. Together, we all walked into Theo’s bedroom, our fingers laced together, ignoring the looming shadow of West Virginia just for tonight.
“Shall we?” Peyton asked, nodding toward Theo’s bedroom. Theo nodded eagerly, catching each of our hands in his. Together, we all walked into Theo’s bedroom, our fingers laced together, ignoring the looming shadow of West Virginia just for tonight.
The soft light of Theo’s bedroom cast shadows across the walls, making everything feel a little dreamlike.
The moment we stepped inside, the air shifted—thicker now, laced with tension and anticipation.
Theo stood between Peyton and me, his fingers still intertwined with ours, his breath coming in shallow, excited bursts.
I let go of his hand only to step closer, my chest brushing his back. He let out a soft gasp, the sound barely audible, but the way his body melted toward me told me everything I needed to know. He was ours. And we were his.
Peyton moved in from the front, not wasting a second. He leaned down and kissed Theo again, slower this time—deeper. I watched the way Theo’s body responded, the way his knees buckled just slightly. I caught him by the waist, steadying him, my fingers curling into the soft fabric of his shirt.
“You okay?” I murmured against his ear, my voice rougher than I intended.
“Yeah,” Theo breathed. “More than okay.”
I kissed the shell of his ear, then the curve of his neck, tasting the sweetness that had been teasing me. Milk and honey. Warmth and want. My hands slid beneath his shirt, fingers tracing the lines of his ribs, taking my time. He shivered under my touch, arching into me.
Behind him, I could feel my own control slipping. Not in a way that scared me—more like a slow unbuttoning of everything I’d kept locked up. I wasn’t just beta here. I wasn’t just watching. I was part of this. We all were.
Peyton pulled back from Theo’s mouth just enough to meet my eyes.
There was heat there—challenge and invitation.
He tugged Theo’s shirt up, and I helped him pull it the rest of the way off.
Theo’s skin was flushed, his chest rising and falling with each breath, and the sight of it—him, exposed and eager—sent a jolt of want straight through me.
I leaned down and kissed the back of his shoulder, then his spine, slow and deliberate. Peyton’s hands moved to Theo’s waistband, undoing the button with practiced ease. Theo whimpered, his head falling back against my shoulder as I wrapped an arm around him, holding him close.
We moved together like we’d done this before, even though we hadn’t.
This was nothing like the raw urgency of Theo’s heat.
This was a slow seduction. Peyton dropped to his knees in front of Theo, tugging his jeans down as he went.
I held Theo as he stepped out of them, my hand sliding down his stomach, teasing just below his navel. He gasped again, louder this time.
“God, you’re beautiful,” I said, voice low.
Peyton looked up, eyes dark with hunger. “Bet he tastes even better.”
Theo moaned at that, his body trembling as he leaned into me, trusting me to keep him upright. And I did. I always would.
Peyton leaned in, slow and teasing, and Theo’s fingers curled into my arm, his nails digging in just enough to make me groan.
I kissed his neck again, then his jaw, turning his face toward mine so I could capture his mouth.
He kissed me back like I was the only thing keeping him grounded, and maybe I was.
His body moved between us, surrender and demand in equal measure. I could feel the heat of him, the way he arched when Peyton’s mouth found his cock, the way he whispered our names like a prayer.
We weren’t just playing house. We were building something real here. Messy and raw and ours.
And when Theo came apart, it wasn’t just with one of us. It was with both. Between us. Because of us.
I held him through it, Peyton rising to meet us, pressing kisses to Theo’s chest, his neck. We collapsed onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and breathless laughter, skin slick with sweat and satisfaction.
Theo nestled between us, his hand resting on my chest, his leg thrown over Peyton’s. I traced lazy circles on his back, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing, the quiet, steady thrum of his heart.
Tomorrow would come. West Virginia would come. But tonight, we had this. And it was enough.