Mine too
Dane’s gaze didn’t go to Uriel. It went straight to the space behind me.
The bed. The pills. Instantly, he was in front of us, his boots crushing one of the white pills into the carpet with a sickening crunch.
He picked up a stray suppressant from the bed, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger before looking at me.
“You tried to block your need for us, Babygirl?” Dane’s growl made my knees buckle.
“Not you, I—”
“You broke your promise.” The hurt in Kade’s tone was a stab to the chest. He stepped into the room and closed the remains of the door behind him.
His gaze locked on Uriel like he was a fly he was going to enjoy squashing.
“You’re in heat and you ran to him?” His eyes lowered to his still-hard cock. A glint sparked in his eyes.
Now that they were within arm’s reach, I froze. Campfire and pine, cherries and chocolate.
Mate. Mate. Mate.
The word pulsed behind my eyes. A different ache split my chest open. For years, Amos had told me I was a defect, a broken Omega who couldn’t do anything right. What Alpha would want me? I’d spent my life believing I’d drift through life until I died, alone and unloved.
But I could smell them. I didn’t just have an Alpha. I had three. Three men who were written into my soul before I knew who they were. The impossibility of it wrecked me; I wasn’t alone. I’d never have to be alone again.
The room tilted, the corners of my vision going dark until only the three of them remained.
I picked up the empty bottle, offering it to Dane, but he yanked it out of my hand and chucked it against the wall. It bounced and rolled across the floor.
“You won’t need those. Ever again,” Dane growled.
“I’ll kill him,” Kade promised, his eyes on me.
Dread filled me. I fucked up.
“I’m right here. You wanna try, pendejo?” Uriel hissed, getting in Dane’s face. Dane didn’t even flinch; he grabbed Uriel’s shoulder and shoved him back onto the bed.
“No, no, no. Stop!” I reached out, my fingers trembling as I touched Uriel’s face.
He didn’t stay down. He lunged at Dane. I screamed as Dane caught him by the throat, stalling his momentum.
Before Uriel could swing, Kade moved like a shadow.
Kade’s thick arms dove under Uriel’s armpits, sliding up the back of his neck until his fingers locked tight behind Uriel’s head.
With a brutal grunt, Kade wrenched upward, locking him.
Uriel’s spine arched violently, his chest thrusting out and his arms pinned high.
He was a statue of forced surrender, his throat bared to the ceiling.
His caramel skin tensed, muscles cording in his shoulders as he struggled against the lock, but the more he fought, the more Kade’s knuckles dug into the base of his skull.
“Watch,” Dane snarled, his gaze dropping to me. “Watch what happens to anyone who touches what belongs to us.”
I didn’t even get to see the drunk at the party before they were on him. I didn’t want to watch them do the same to Uriel.
“Wait, no!” I screamed as Dane cocked his fist back. Then he socked him in the face. Dane’s fist connected with Uriel’s jaw, a heavy thud echoed in the room. Uriel’s head jerked with the force. Again and again.
I didn’t think. I pushed off the bed, my legs shaky with the desperate pull I finally recognized. I threw myself in front of Uriel, shielding him from Dane’s next move.
“He’s mine too!” I screamed, the words ripping from my throat.
Dane froze, but his fist stayed cocked, inches from my face. His knuckles were split and dripping. Behind me, Kade still had Uriel locked.
“He’s my mate. I can smell him. He’s mine, Dane. Just like you. Just like Kade,” I whispered.
Dane’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re in heat. You’d claim any Alpha right now because he has a knot.”
“I’m going into heat. I’m not there yet.” I shook my head, panicked. “You know I couldn’t smell before. Not you, not Kade, but I can now. I can smell him too. Don’t you get it? He’s supposed to be here. He’s—”
Kade released him, catching him at the ribs. I turned around as he ram his nose up Uriel’s neck. The sight did things it had no business doing to me right now. He inhaled deeply, and his expression shifted from rage to confusion to something darker—hunger.
“Fuck,” Kade breathed. “She’s not wrong.”
Dane stiffened. He turned slowly, his gaze landing on Uriel’s battered face. Then he leaned in, scenting the air near Uriel’s throat. His pupils blew wide.
“Vanilla and sandalwood,” Dane murmured, almost to himself. Then his eyes cut to me.
They weren’t just smelling me anymore; they were smelling how my scent tangled with Uriel’s, a perfect puzzle piece clicking into place.
Dane’s gaze turned from murderous to possessive.
Kade’s was now calculating. They had always been dangerous, but this was my first time witnessing them angry because of me.
Dane straightened, his jaw working. Dane glared at Uriel, the stranger who’d dared to touch what was his. But his scent didn’t lie. Biology didn’t lie.
“Yours?” Dane finally said, rolling the word around like he was tasting it. His gaze dragged down Uriel’s body. “Then he’s mine, too.”
“We’re pack,” I whispered. The words felt right—true. The words died as Kade slammed him back on the mattress. Uriel’s head lolled, his eyes unfocused.
“Be careful with him!” I lunged forward, but Dane caught me by the waist.
“He’s fine,” Dane growled in my ear. “Watch.”
Kade leaned down, his nose dragging along Uriel’s jaw, and Uriel’s entire body went rigid. His eyes flew open and locked on Kade’s.
“You smell like her,” Kade murmured, his tone reverent “Like stolen happiness. Like you’ve been rolling in our fucking bed.”
“I don’t—” Uriel started, but Kade’s hand wrapped around his throat.
“Don’t lie to me, pretty boy.” Kade’s grin was manic. “You could smell us on her and you ignored it.”
“Because she’s mine,” Uriel spat.
“You feel it, don’t you? That itch under your skin that says you’re supposed to be here,” Kade said, ignoring him.
Uriel’s gaze lowered to Kade’s mouth and a frantic, shameful want clawed at my chest. Uriel’s breath came in short gasps. His gaze darted to me, then to Dane before returning to Kade. “I don’t understand.”
“You don’t have to,” Kade murmured, his voice dropping into something darker. “Surrender is much easier.”
“Fuck you,” Uriel spat.
Kade laughed—wild and delighted. “Oh, I’m going to, pretty boy.”
My jaw dropped, but I didn’t miss how Uriel’s cheeks flushed.
Everything clenched as I imagined Kade and Uriel together. Dane sat down, pulling me with him on the bed. His hard cock dug into my back.
“You left us and ran to him. You’re still in trouble,” Dane growled. Uriel’s eyes found mine as Kade pulled his pants off. Caramel skin flexed under the light. He was hard before Kade’s hand even closed around his cock. I whined as Kade tugged.
This isn’t where I thought this was going.
“What’re you doing?!” I gasped.
I struggled against Dane, but he held me tight. I couldn’t look away as Kade straddled Uriel.
“Look at that,” Kade purred. “Your body knows who you belong to, even if your brain’s still catching up.
Uriel’s hand flew up, gripping Kade’s wrist. “Wait—”
“You want me to stop?” Kade mocked, his hand hovering inches from Uriel’s straining cock.
Uriel’s jaw clenched, his chest heaved. He looked at me, then Dane, and back to Kade.
“I don’t—” His voice cracked. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”
“You don’t have to,” Kade scoffed. “I’ve got all this pent-up anger, and nowhere for it to go. Her location pinged at The Heat and we saw red. We came here to kill you. But now? Now biology says you’re a brother?” Kade laughed, the sound bitter.
Silence. Then Uriel’s hands fell away from Kade’s wrists. His head dropped back against the bed, exposing his throat.
Submission.
“Good boy,” Kade growled, wrapping his hand around Uriel’s hard cock.
I whined, my body flushing with a heat that consumed me. My hand drifted downward, desperate for any relief, but Dane’s palm clamped over mine, pinning it to my thigh.
“Look at him, Vera. Look what happens when you try to replace us.” Dane’s icy tone made my heart splinter.