Emily
I swallow a moan but can’t resist taking another swipe at Langston’s thumb. It still tastes like sex-infused sunshine, and as I look around at the watching men, there’s no denying I want more . Their pheromones are calling to me, promising things my body understands, even if I’ve never experienced them before. It’s both exhilarating and frustrating, because if there’s one truth I’ve been able to rely on in my life, it’s that most things are mind over matter. Life is always going to challenge you, but if you apply logic, reason, and intellect to a challenging situation, you’ll eventually discover a solution you can live with.
But now, it seems, my world is ruled by sensation and instinct. I know that omegas go into a kind of haze state during their heat, where everything narrows down to their needs and the partners who are there to satisfy them. It’s always sounded a little indulgent to me, but now that I’m the focus of so many heated looks, I’m starting to get the appeal. Yes, I’m still a scientist, with a strong will and a clinical mindset, but I’m also a woman who craves intimacy and pleasure. The question is, can I have both, and still be me after it’s all over?
As I walk inside, I grip Derek’s arm. “Stay close to me?”
“Always.” He stops just inside a soaring foyer with sandstone walls and exposed beams, cupping my face with his big palms. “I don’t care what biology says, Em, I’m yours.”
The kiss he feathers across my lips carries me up the sweeping staircase, but the nerves start to creep back in when we reach the landing. There are half a dozen doors, all ajar, and I see room after room decked out in beautiful furnishings and priceless antiques. It’s so far from the couch in my sister’s apartment, it’s making me dizzy.
“You can pick any room you want,” Soren tells me, “but the one at the end of the hall has the biggest bed and the best view.”
Which probably means it’s their pack nest. In a house this big, I’m guessing they’d have a suite each but come together in a space centred around their omega. Sneaking a glance at Soren, it’s hard to feel like anything but a cuckoo bird who’s come to shove him out of his nest.
The guilt must be written all over my face, because he gives my hand a comforting squeeze as he pushes open the door. “I’ve only seen pictures, remember. This is all new to me, too, and I can’t think of a better way to break in a pack bed, can you?”
His wicked grin draws me into the room, my breath catching as I stare out the floor-to-ceiling window. We’re high enough to see over the top of the fruit trees and past the undulating sand dunes to the endless expanse of sparkling ocean. It’s stunning, but so is the room I’m standing in, with a soothing blue and grey palette that runs from the silk wallpaper to the soft throw rugs on the massive bed. I swallow as I stare at the nest, since it’s the first one I’ve seen outside of a magazine. It takes up at least a third of the space in the large room, and I don’t know whether to feel comforted or alarmed by the enormous, curved mattress with its piles of silky cushions.
“We should agree on some ground rules,” Creed says from behind me, and I whirl around to take in the three alphas. They’re standing shoulder-to-shoulder just inside the doorway, which to my heightened libido is like a splash of oil on a naked flame. Their combined scents are even more pronounced now we’re so close to the nest, and I have to clutch my hands together to avoid tearing off my clothes or sinking to my knees – both bad options when Creed is talking about ‘ground rules’.
“Firstly, there won’t be any claiming bites,” he says in his gravelly tone. “I know that might seem obvious, but it needs to be said. This is ’s first heat, not a pack bonding experience, okay?”
He looks around as he says it, and I know it's to make sure we’re all on the same page. I appreciate him putting into words something that would normally be decided long before we ever got this far, but I also have to swallow down a sliver of disappointment. My rational side knows that my hormones shouldn’t be the deciding factor in a lifelong commitment, but the needy omega in me likes the thought of being claimed - a lot .
“Okay, that’s good,” I force myself to say. “Anything else?”
“If you want us to, we can get a facilitator in here. There are a lot of good guys in the business, professionals who are discreet and experienced in first-time heats. They’d be in the room, but they wouldn’t engage unless something went wrong.” At my curious look, he explains, “During a heat, it can be difficult to remember the basics, like eating, sleeping, and staying hydrated. A facilitator would implement a schedule, as well as making sure none of us cross any boundaries.”
Soren gives a soft snort. “He means if I flip the crazy switch and try to bond you against your will.”
“That won’t happen,” Finn says in a voice that cuts through the tension like a hot knife through butter. “Creed is right. There are professionals we can call to come facilitate, but if you’re comfortable with it, I’d like to offer my services.”
I’m not the only one who looks surprised. “Your services?”
“If something needs to stop, I’ll take care of it.” He doesn’t need to say how, since he’s clearly the most dominant person in the room. A command from him would keep everyone on their best behaviour, but I’m not sure how I feel about him sitting out my heat. In one way, it’s a relief to know he’ll be our safety net, but there’s no denying my attraction to him. When Langston said they were all in, I just assumed he meant everyone in this room.
“That means you won’t be a part of it,” I say slowly, watching his face closely for a reaction. “At all?”
I’m not sure what emotion passes through his pale eyes, but he gives me a small nod. “It’s best that I remain detached. The others may slip into a rut, and a little distance will help me keep my head.”
I absorb that as I slowly approach the nest, my fingers brushing across a silver throw rug that’s almost exactly the same shade as his eyes. This might all be new to me, but I’ve read enough to know that an omega’s instincts crave strong mates even more than they like soft, silky things. Given that I don’t have a pack, I will be drawn to the most dominant alphas I can find, which obviously includes Finn. I appreciate him looking out for my wellbeing, but the simple fact is I’m not sure I want him to keep his distance.
He’s your boss, , and you need to respect his boundaries, even if he smells like chocolate-sprinkled sex.
Swallowing back the needy words hovering on my tongue, I tuck my hands under my arms. I’m not sure if it’s a defensive move or to stop myself from reaching for temptation. “Are there any more rules I need to know?”
“Just that you’re always in control, even if it doesn’t feel like it,” Langston tells me, coming over to stand beside me and brush a curl off my cheek. “You can start, stop, take a pause, or change things up, any way you want them. We’ll be guided by you, sweetheart.”
“We should also share our medical history,” Creed adds, pulling out his phone. “We’re all clean, with no health issues, but I’ve sent the records to your email so you can see for yourself.”
The information is hard to absorb with Langston standing so close, but I manage a nod. Clean, healthy, and ready to go. “I’m on birth control, and Derek and I both got checked before we… well, you know.”
This is starting to feel very awkward now, the reality of what we’re about to do almost overshadowing the need clutching at my belly. Thankfully, Derek glances inside an adjoining room and comes to the rescue. “How about a bath, Em? Looks like they have some amazing water pressure here.”
“Great idea,” Soren says, popping up from the edge of the bed. “Can you guys keep busy while we go freshen up?”
Langston nods, but I grab his sleeve. “Um, could you give me your shirt, maybe? Just… leave it on the bed.” I look around, suddenly uncertain. “I don’t know if that’s a normal thing to ask for…”
“It’s perfect,” Langston tells me, already slipping out of his leather jacket. “Take your time, and we’ll get the room ready.”
I’m also not sure what that entails, but I’m grateful for the chance to retreat and catch my breath. The bathroom is almost as big as the bedroom, and I give a gasp of pleasure as I take in the rainforest shower and huge claw-footed tub. But my attention quickly moves to Soren, who’s looking up at Derek with a wicked twinkle in his eyes. “Soak or spray? A bath would probably help with the cramps, but she might not be able to relax until she’s had her first knot.”
“She loves her baths,” Derek says slowly as a faint blush climbs his neck. “But I don’t think she’s ever had the pleasure of a double shower like that one.”
The grin that breaks across Soren’s face is filthy in the extreme. “Well, you definitely get more bang for your buck with a double showerhead. The problem is going to be keeping her on her feet, though. Are you up to holding her, big guy, or should we all get in the bath? Not as easy to manoeuvre, but also less chance of a slip.”
My eyes have grown wider with each comment, because there’s something incredibly arousing about all the innuendo flying around. I watch, mesmerised, as Derek’s smile turns almost as sly as Soren’s. “Soak or spray, Em?”
“Spray,” I manage to croak out, and they exchange a knowing grin as they strip out of their shirts. I don’t even pretend not to stare, since watching my boyfriend undress at any time is a treat. And it looks like Soren is enjoying the view, too, his pupils dilating as he takes in Derek’s muscular frame. I sweep my gaze over his broad chest, and when I catch his eye, his dimples pop. “Need some help there, Em?”
My hands are frozen on my zipper, but I shake my head as I quickly strip my trousers off, then start working on my blouse. My fingers are trembling too much to deal with the tiny buttons, and Soren comes to the rescue with a kind smile. He’s a few inches taller than me, but stripped down to a pair of boxers, he looks almost delicate next to Derek. When our gazes meet, he gives me a wry shrug. “I’m not quite the hunk of manhood I used to be.”
I know he means the toll his condition has taken on him, but his beauty still steals my breath. Maybe he’s lost the rosy glow of the boy on the beach, but the haunted look in his dark eyes is alluring in a different way. “You’re stunning,” I tell him as he works the last button free. “Everything about you draws me in.”
“Then we should finish what we started in the car,” Derek says, his arms sliding around me from behind. His mouth dips to my neck as Soren peels off my blouse and I shiver between them. “We’re going to take such good care of you, Em.”
“Please,” I whimper, my head falling back against his chest as Soren unfastens my bra. It’s nothing special – just plain, white cotton – but Soren makes a low sound in his throat as he draws it down my arms. Tossing it on the growing pile of clothes, he gives me a questioning look before slowly cupping my breasts in his hands. I arch my back, a shudder running down my spine as he thumbs my nipples. I’m so sensitive, I cry out as I feel another flush of liquid between my thighs. “Oh, God. I’m leaking again.”
“Slick,” Soren purrs, his eyes so black I feel like I’m drowning in them. “You smell so amazing; I can’t wait to have a taste.”
“Like honey and vanilla ice cream,” Derek says, biting gently on the side of my neck. “I can still taste her on my tongue.”
Soren has been fiddling with the shower controls, but now he leans forward and captures Derek’s chin, angling his mouth for a brutal kiss. There’s no warm-up, just passion exploding beneath them as their tongues battle for dominance. I’m still wedged between them, their bodies caging me in, but they don’t try to touch each other anywhere except their duelling mouths. I hold my breath, waiting to see if Derek’s natural dominance triggers something in Soren, but they just break apart with matching grins. “Who knew betas could kiss like alphas?” Soren smirks, running his tongue over his puffy bottom lip.
Derek lifts a brow at him, but there’s no denying the blush on his cheeks as the three of us manoeuvre under the shower spray. “Who knew alphas were worth kissing in the first place?” he muses as he starts to soap up my hair with some decadent-smelling shampoo.
“And who knew the pair of you kissing could be so hot?” I add, then raise my hand. “I knew, that’s who.”
“Smart mouth,” Soren responds with a mock growl, giving my nipple a pinch before he drops to his knees. There’s so much heat in his gaze, if I was drowning before, now I’m in danger of melting into a puddle. “See if you’re still sassing us when I take you apart with my tongue, pretty girl.”
“Yes, please,” I whimper, bracing my knees as he leans forward and kisses my mound. He buries his smirk against my soft folds, and the first swipe of his tongue dissolves all traces of his smile. Midnight eyes gleam up at me, and then he groans deep in the back of his throat, his fingers digging into my trembling thighs. I don’t know if I really taste like ice cream, but he seems to approve, because he licks me so thoroughly, I’m a whimpering mess before he even reaches my clit.
“Hold her open, big guy,” he tells Derek as he nudges my feet further apart. “She’s so wet, I need a little help down here.”
I groan, but it’s the best kind of dirty talk, especially when Derek reaches around to open my folds. Warm water cascades across my exposed flesh, and I shiver as Soren swirls his finger around my clit. “You’re so slick, you’re like my own personal waterfall, omega.”
Derek huffs in my ear, his teeth sinking into my shoulder right as Soren starts sucking on my clit. Pleasure buzzes at the base of my spine, and I tilt my hips wantonly, my fingers twining through his blue-black curls. “Please,” I beg as I rub my arse against Derek’s cock, desperate for more friction. “I need you both.”
“Then let’s hitch your leg up, omega,” Soren says, easing it over his shoulder. I’m now spread so wide, they both give growls of approval. But as Soren hovers in front of me, he gives Derek a quick glance. “You got a good grip on her, big guy?”
“I’ll never let her fall.”
“Exactly. Leave the falling apart to me.”
I whimper, but it’s all anticipation as Soren makes good on his promise, rubbing my walls with his finger while he sucks me to orgasm. I come in a panting gush, my legs so unsteady that Derek sweeps me up into his arms. I cling to him as he backs away from the spray, his eyes gentle as he takes in my wrecked state. “That was beautiful, Em.”
I want to agree, but to my dismay, another wave of cramping need has me in its grip.
“You need a knot, sweet thing.” Soren gets to his feet, but when my gaze dips to his enticing cock, he shakes his head. “As much as I’d love it to be me, it’s best you start with one of the other alphas.”
Derek’s gaze snaps to his face. “Why? What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing, big guy,” Soren says soothingly as he cups my boyfriend’s shoulder, but he’s already climbing out of the shower and reaching for a towel. “I’m feeling good – better than good – but I’m an alpha less than half the time. I’ll be right there, all the way, but ’s first knot shouldn’t come with any surprises.”
Given the amazing way he’s handled me so far, I think he’s doing himself an injustice, but I’m not about to push. I’ll take Soren any way I can get him, and besides, the next wave of heat is building so fast, it’s stolen my breath.
“I’ll ask Langston,” I say around a painful pant. “Just because I know him best.”
I don’t know what the etiquette is for passing over the mate of the guy who just gave you a mind-scrambling orgasm, but Soren shoots me a cheeky wink. “No need to explain, sweetheart, I can definitely see the appeal.”