Chapter 11
RYLAND
She’s here.
Blair is here, in my home, and somehow, she’s about to be watching a movie with me.
Travis has been stupidly protective of her, trying to order us around and telling us to stay away from her—and I get it, I do.
He’s known her longer than us. He’s spent every day crushing on her before I even met her at the rescue, so it makes sense he would be careful with how we navigate this.
Rowan, however, could give a fuck less.
“She’s our match, too,” he huffs, angrily shoving a bag of popcorn into the microwave. “He’s hoarding her to himself.”
“You heard her talking to him,” I say, retrieving a bowl from the cabinet. “Tonight is a fucked-up night for her.”
My jaw dropped when I overheard her admission to Travis.
She truly believes that she’s the reason for her ex pack’s accident.
Which isn’t true, of course, but we barely know each other, and we haven’t really talked much since I handed her my clothes to wear.
My inner Alpha is pleased to see them on her, knowing my scent is what covers her body.
But it doesn’t cover up the scent of her shame, or the way her sweet, floral violet sours when she brings up her past.
“I can sense how upset she is,” Rowan mutters. “I can sense it, and I’ve hardly talked to her. It…hurts.”
Rowan’s always been the sensitive one. He’s able to pick up on moods before others, so I can’t begin to imagine how torturous this is for him.
His hands shake when he pulls open the microwave door, and the popcorn bag quivers in his grip as he pours it into a bowl.
“It just takes time,” I murmur. “It’ll be fine.”
“You don’t believe that,” he counters. “I know you don’t. This could all turn to shit before it even starts. She could still reject us.”
I nod.
I don’t know how any of us could survive a rejected scent match, and tonight feels like an audition I haven’t prepared for.
If she rejects this connection, I won’t know how to pull my brother out of his spiral.
“Thanks again for the clothes,” a light voice says, and I turn to see Blair smiling softly at me, Ash in her arms. The smile is tight and doesn’t quite meet her eyes, but it’s better than the salty scent of her tears.
“Of course,” I murmur. “Anytime.”
Rowan has done a fantastic job of keeping his poker face on, confidence and playfulness lacing his tone. “Movie night at three in the morning. My kind of girl.”
Blair snorts. “An impromptu movie night. I may fall asleep on you guys.”
Please, I think to myself. Please fall asleep on me.
Travis enters the kitchen and stands close to Blair so he can reach to pet Ash. I seethe with irrational jealousy, wanting to be just as close to her.
He’s already had so much time with Blair—months of being around her.
It’s my turn, damn it.
“Is there anything else you need?” I ask her. “Anything at all we can do for you?”
“You can hand me some popcorn,” she says. “And also, I’m sorry I ran from you the other week. I’m sure I made it more awkward than necessary.”
I shake my head. “I’d rather have you comfortable with me. With all of us.”
She visibly relaxes, and her smile isn’t so strained anymore. She puts Ash down, and he runs to Rowan, whining at him for some popcorn.
I realize now she was holding the cat as subtle protection, and it makes my chest hurt.
She’s still not completely at ease around us—which is valid—but I wish she knew that her safety and comfort are what drives us.
It’s engrained into my soul to protect her, to cherish her, even if she’s unsure.
The four of us pile onto the living room couch, which now has comfortable throw blankets strewn over it, thanks to Travis’s preparing.
Rowan manages to sit on one side of her, while I take the other.
We keep a comfortable distance from her, even though my brother and I are itching to be closer.
Travis takes the opposite end of the L-shaped couch, and I smile smugly at him.
Finally, finally I’m near her.
I grab for the remote before Rowan or Travis can take it and turn to Blair. “You pick. Anything.”
She laughs. “Something mindless, please. Something I don’t have to think about and can fall asleep to.”
“No horror movies, then?” I inquire.
She makes a face. “No, thanks.”
I catch Rowan’s gaze, and she notices. “What?” she asks.
My brother looks at me and shrugs, ignoring her question.
“Hey,” she snaps. “No more keeping stuff from me. If any of this,” she sighs and gestures between the four of us, “is ever going to work, no more hiding things. You know, like the fact that you three are roommates.”
Travis has the decency to look ashamed, and Rowan chews his lip.
“You don’t like horror movies?” I ask lamely.
“Nah. Not a fan of being scared.”
“Well, Rowan and I design horror video games. My entire job consists of scaring people.”
Blair raises an eyebrow. “Do you really?”
“Yeah.”
“Video games are different than movies,” she replies. “At least in video games, I can control the narrative, to a degree. That’s really impressive,” she says.
I beam, and Rowan lets out a quick breath.
“Thanks,” I mutter. “I’ll show you one when it’s not three in the morning.”
I would love to show her now, though. I can imagine her sitting on my lap while she plays through one of our paranormal ghost hunting games, my arm wrapped around her to keep her safe.
It’s a sweet little fantasy, and I hope she doesn’t notice the way my scent has subtly changed with my arousal.
But it’s hard not to daydream about her. I imagine the mating gland that’s hiding under my sweatshirt she wears, delicate and begging to be bitten.
I mentally slap myself. I need to keep it together, at least for Rowan, whose pupils have dilated.
He’s looking at Blair like she’s the reason he breathes and with an intensity so strong that I’m surprised she hasn’t run away screaming.
I need to think of something for us to watch, and quick, before the room becomes charged with pheromones.
I press and hold the microphone button on the remote. “Cat documentaries,” I say into it, and Blair lets out a loud, hearty laugh. It rings throughout the front room, and joy lightens her expression.
She laughs even harder when more than twenty options fill the television screen.
The sound is so contagious that even Rowan and Travis chuckle.
“Pick your favorite,” I tell her, smiling.
Her laughter is music to my ears after her night of hell.
Even if just a few hours of sitting on a couch with her is all we get for now, I’ll take it.
Just breathing her in and seeing her content soothes me in a way I haven’t felt for years.
“Let’s go with Treats and Feats,” she says, chuckling, and I press play.
I do a good job of pretending to watch the documentary for about ten minutes. To his credit, Rowan does, too, and Travis keeps his face carefully neutral every time he glances over at us.
The twitch in his fingers is the only thing that gives him away.
Blair is seated between Rowan and me, sitting cross-legged on the couch, her attention on the screen. Occasionally, her eyes flutter closed, and she leans her head back, subtly slouching further against the backrest every minute the film goes on.
“I can feel the three of you looking at me,” she slurs, her voice heavy with sleep. “Don’t make things more awkward than they already are.”
“Are you cold, baby?” Rowan asks softly when she crosses her arms around herself.
“Mm-hmm.” Her eyes close, and she lets out a soft breath.
My brother and I spring into action. Each of us grabs a blanket from the top of the couch and drapes it around her. I layer mine on her first and Rowan follows.
“Guys,” Travis warns, but her eyes flutter open again. The hazel hues meet mine, and my throat goes dry.
“Thanks,” she says to me. “Alpha.”
Then, she’s back asleep again, and my cock is straining in my pants.
She called me Alpha in that low, needy voice.
The voice of her inner Omega spoke to me.
The documentary plays on in the background, while I stare at Blair slack-jawed.
“The Siamese cat is one of the loudest felines, and is known for being quite dramatic.”
My hand is dangerously close to Blair’s knee, and I realize Rowan has moved closer to her as well.
She’s practically sandwiched between us, sound asleep.
The only light in the room is from the television, and soon, fatigue washes over me.
I fight to keep my eyes open just to stare at the outline of Blair’s heart-shaped face.
I breathe in her candied-violet scent, my fingers itching to move the couple inches over and place my hand on her knee.
If it’s this difficult for me, I can’t imagine how much Rowan is struggling.
Rowan, who has always had large, loud emotions, and still has to fight to keep them in check.
This must be agonizing for him if it’s torturing me this much.
But then, something amazing happens.
A weight suddenly appears on my shoulder, and violet-scented hair tickles my nose.
Blair fell asleep on me.
I freeze in place for a moment, shocked by the sudden onslaught of her sugared scent. I tilt my head up, and she tucks her chin into my neck, her breathing deep and even.
Rowan is already asleep, slouched and half-lying down on the couch. Travis is splayed out on his back, carefully watching us. Once he sees that Blair has shifted into my arms, he gives me a subtle nod, then closes his own eyes.
She feels so right in my arms. Little huffs of air escape her, along with pleased humming noises.
“Sweetheart,” I whisper. I run my fingers through a lock of golden hair, moving the strands out of my eyes. “Blair, you fell asleep.”
As tempting and delicious as this sensation is, I don’t want her to wake up with regret.
Only hours ago, she was ready to reject us and the scent match.
She had planned on leaving us and only stayed here because the weather reminded her of everything she lost.
“Blair,” I try again, shifting us so her face isn’t buried in my neck. “Hey beautiful, you need to wake up.”
She nuzzles me deeper. My cock strains against my sweatpants, and I’m grateful that everyone else is asleep.
My body is a live wire, stretched taut and ready to burst at the slightest touch from my scent match.
“Omega,” I murmur, using every ounce of command I can.
She lets out a whimper, and I inhale a sharp breath.
I’m left with two options.
I can either move away from her, causing her to lose her balance and flop onto the couch, or I can stay here and offer her the comfort she deserves.
Inhaling her, I listen to her pleased hums and make my decision.
I clutch her tighter, stroking the top of her head, and vibrate my chest.
I purr for her, deep and low, offering her every part of myself I can.
My inner Alpha longs for her, and the primal part of me that’s waited for her for years finally reaches out to my scent match.
I purr for Blair. I had convinced myself that this day might never come.
Sleep comes far too quickly, no matter how hard I fight it.
With my scent match in my arms, my body tells me I’m right where I’m supposed to be, and there’s no need to be awake when my Omega isn’t.
I drift off, clutching Blair tightly to me, hoping my erratic heartbeat doesn’t wake her up.