Chapter 8 #4
“Even the dog thinks this is ridiculous,” I muttered, finally managing to unwrap my arms from around Stefano’s neck, though my legs seemed reluctant to follow suit. “Can I please maintain some dignity and finish washing myself like a normal person?”
“After that display of aquatic panic?” Marco asked with a grin. “I don’t think normal applies to you anymore, little wildcat.”
Stefano finally loosened his hold enough for me to slide down his body, though he kept his hands on my waist to steady me. The movement made me acutely aware of every inch of contact, from my chest sliding against his to the way his hands spanned my waist with casual possession.
“Better?” he asked, though his grip suggested he was ready to catch me again if needed.
“Marginally,” I admitted grudgingly, trying to ignore how my body missed the contact immediately. “Though my dignity may never recover from the fish incident.”
The bathing concluded without further fish-related panic attacks, though I remained hyperaware of every shadow in the water. By the time Stefano lifted me from the pond and wrapped me in a towel, I was exhausted from the combination of physical weakness and emotional overwhelm.
Back at camp, Marco had breakfast waiting—eggs, bacon, and what appeared to be fresh bread that somehow smelled like heaven despite being cooked over a camp stove.
“Here,” Stefano said, settling me in one of the camping chairs before taking the seat directly across from me. But when Marco approached with a loaded plate, Stefano simply pulled me into his lap instead.
“I can sit in my own chair,” I protested weakly, though I had to admit his solid warmth felt good against my still-shaky body.
“You’re trembling,” he pointed out, one arm wrapping around my waist to steady me.
He’s not wrong. My coordination is still shot, and sitting on my own feels like more effort than I want to expend. But admitting that feels like another surrender.
“Here,” Marco said, settling beside us with the plate. When he held out a forkful of eggs, I reached for the utensil automatically.
“I can feed myself,” I insisted, but the moment my fingers closed around the fork, it became obvious that was optimistic at best. My hand shook badly enough that I nearly flung the eggs across the campsite.
“Clearly,” Stefano said dryly, gently taking the fork from my unsteady grip. “Open.”
Like I’m some invalid who needs spoon-feeding. Though considering I can barely hold a fork without committing accidental food violence, maybe that’s not entirely inaccurate.
“This is humiliating,” I muttered but opened my mouth anyway. The eggs were perfectly seasoned, and I realized I was starving.
“This is practical,” Stefano corrected, offering another bite. “You need nutrition, and you can’t manage utensils right now. Simple problem, simple solution.”
The feeding continued with methodical care, Stefano ensuring I ate every bite while Marco kept up a steady stream of commentary that was clearly designed to distract me from the indignity of the situation. By the time the plate was empty, I felt marginally more human.
“Better?” Marco asked, noting how some color had returned to my cheeks.
“Marginally,” I admitted, leaning back against Stefano’s chest without consciously deciding to do so. “Though I still feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.”
“The suppressants will clear your system completely in another day or two,” Matteo said, efficiently packing up the last of their gear. “Until then, you’ll need rest and proper nutrition.”
That’s when I noticed something that made my remaining energy spike with indignation.
Three vehicles were partially hidden behind some bushes near the campsite—ATVs, four-wheeled off-road machines that could navigate rough terrain with ease.
Their black frames were nearly invisible in the shadows but unmistakably there.
What the fuck.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said, my voice rising with the last reserves of my outrage. “You had those the whole fucking time?”
The three alphas exchanged glances, and I caught something that looked suspiciously like amusement in their expressions.
“We might have,” Marco admitted with a shrug that was entirely too casual for the magnitude of his betrayal.
“MIGHT HAVE?” I exploded, all the fear and humiliation from last night crashing into fury at their manipulation.
“You scared the shit out of me about walking through the forest at night during my heat! You made me think it would take hours to get back to the cottage! You manipulative, lying pieces of—”
Before I could finish my tirade, Stefano’s hand clamped around my jaw, fingers digging into my cheeks hard enough to bruise.
His mouth crashed against mine with bruising force, his tongue forcing past my lips to fill my mouth completely.
I gagged around the invasion, my hands flying to his shoulders as he kissed me with ruthless efficiency.
His tongue swept against every surface of my mouth, claiming and possessing while I struggled for breath around the thick intrusion. When his teeth caught my tongue and bit down just hard enough to make me whimper, the sound vibrated against his lips.
When he finally pulled back, I gasped, my lips swollen and raw, as I stared at him in shock.
“Better,” he said with dark satisfaction, his thumb roughly wiping away the moisture from my abused mouth. “Much quieter.”
Oh, hell no. He did not just—
“You could have driven me back in twenty minutes last night!” I snapped, my anger reigniting despite the way my lips still throbbed from his assault. “Instead, you made me think I’d have to suffer for hours, that I’d attract every alpha for miles! You made me desperate enough to beg you to—”
This time Marco’s hands framed my face, tilting my head back as his mouth descended on mine.
Where Stefano had been brutal, Marco was devastatingly thorough.
His tongue slipped between my parted lips, stroking and exploring with maddening skill.
He sucked my tongue into his mouth, teeth grazing the sensitive muscle until I was trembling against him.
“Such a pretty mouth when it’s not complaining,” he murmured against my bruised lips, his breath hot against my skin. His thumb traced my swollen lower lip, pressing into the tender flesh. “Looks even prettier when it’s been properly used.”
I stared at him in outrage, my face burning with humiliation as I tried to form words around my abused mouth. “You can’t just kiss me every time I try to—”
“We made you realize what you needed,” Matteo said quietly, moving closer. Before I could react, his fingers tangled in my hair, gripping tight enough to make my scalp tingle as he guided my head back.
“What I needed was to go HOME, not to be manipulated by three alphas who think they can just—”
Matteo’s mouth claimed mine, his kiss methodical and devastating. His tongue traced the roof of my mouth, finding spots that made me arch against him. When his teeth found my already tender lower lip and bit down, I couldn’t stop the broken moan that escaped my throat.
His free hand gripped my chin, holding me exactly where he wanted me as his tongue delved deeper, stroking against mine with calculated skill. Each movement seemed designed to catalog my responses, to learn exactly what made me melt.
“Fascinating,” he murmured when he released me, his amber eyes studying my dazed expression. “You make the same sound every time I bite your lip. And your pupils dilate exactly three seconds after initial contact.”
Taking notes. They’re literally taking notes on how to dismantle my defenses most efficiently.
“You can’t just—” I started, but my voice came out hoarse and breathless, my mouth still tingling from their systematic assault.
“One more outburst,” Stefano said conversationally, “and we start the cycle again. Though I suspect by the fourth round, you’ll be too busy moaning to form coherent complaints.”
The threat sent unwelcome heat spiraling through my exhausted body, my traitorous omega biology responding to their dominance despite my conscious fury.
“I’m never trusting any of you again,” I finally managed, though the words came out weaker than intended, my voice still affected by having my mouth thoroughly claimed by three different alphas in rapid succession.
“If that’s what you need to believe,” Stefano said, his thumb brushing across my swollen lips with possessive satisfaction.
Before I could protest further, he was lifting me toward the nearest ATV, settling me on the seat in front of him. Zeus bounded over to claim his spot behind Marco while Apollo positioned himself behind Matteo with obvious familiarity.
Stefano swung his leg over the seat behind me, his chest pressing against my back as his arms came around me to reach the handlebars. The position left me completely caged against him, surrounded by his scent and warmth.
Trapped between his arms for the entire ride back, pressed against him like his personal omega accessory. This definitely won’t reawaken any inconvenient feelings.
The engines roared to life, and we began the journey back through terrain that would have been treacherous on foot even in daylight.
The narrow trail wound through dense forest, over rocky outcroppings, and around fallen trees that would have been invisible obstacles in the dark.
Deep ruts and loose stones made the path challenging even for the four-wheeled vehicles, requiring careful navigation and constant adjustments.
No wonder they didn’t offer this option last night. Even with headlights, trying to navigate this terrain in the dark while I was in heat would have been suicide. We could have driven off a cliff or wrapped around a tree before making it halfway back.