Chapter 38
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
SASHA
Flynn’s settling in. Slowly. Cautiously. Like a wild animal that doesn’t quite believe the hand reaching for him won’t strike.
I see it in the way his shoulders never fully relax, in the way his breath hitches when someone moves too fast or too close. He’s constantly bracing for something, for the next fight, the next command, the next moment someone tries to rip his choices from him. As much as he tries to hide it, the subtle changes in his scent are discernible even to me.
But despite all of that, he’s still here. He’s still trying.
And that means everything.
Right now, he’s curled up on the couch, half-covered by a thick blanket. The lamp casts flickering light across his face, making the bruises on his cheekbone look softer than they really are. His hands are tucked against his chest, fingers twitching slightly in his sleep. Dreaming.
I don’t know if it’s good or bad. Probably bad.
Levi sits in the armchair next to me, his eyes trained on the omega. He looks calm, but I know him too well. There’s tension in his jaw, a tightness in his shoulders. He’s barely resisting the urge to pull Flynn into his arms and keep him there. Stone leans against the wall nearby, arms crossed, unreadable as always, but I know he’s just as on edge.
We all are.
Flynn shifts, mumbling something unintelligible, his scent spiking just slightly—Not quite fear but something uneasy.
I move before I think, slipping onto the couch beside him, close but not touching. Just there.
His breathing slows. His muscles stop clenching.
I glance at Levi, and his expression softens. He notices, too.
We’re making progress.
But it’s fragile. So damn fragile.
I exhale slowly, steadying myself before I speak. “We need to talk about security.”
Levi’s gaze sharpens instantly, but it’s Stone who speaks first. “We’ve been setting things up, reinforcing the perimeter, running drills. But it’s not enough.”
I nod, glancing at Flynn again. We can’t risk this. Can’t risk him. “We need a backup plan. A place to go if things go bad.”
Levi rubs a hand over his face, then nods. “I can talk to Acid. See if there’s anywhere we can set up as a safe house. Somewhere off-grid.”
Stone’s quiet for a second before he adds, “And we need to prepare for every scenario. Including his heat.”
My stomach tightens, but I force myself to meet his gaze. He’s not wrong.
I turn my attention to Flynn, watching his chest rise and fall. He’s peaceful now, but if we don’t handle this right, we could destroy the fragile trust he’s given us.
I hate the thought of making him relive anything from that hellhole he came from.
But we don’t have a choice.
We have to talk about this.
Flynn wakes up slowly, blinking against the dim light, his gaze darting between us. He’s used to this by now—one or all of us in the room with him when he wakes up. It doesn’t startle him anymore.
Progress.
I offer him a small smile. “Hey, sleepyhead.”
He exhales, rubbing at his eyes. “I wasn’t sleeping.”
Levi snorts. “You were snoring.”
Flynn glares at him, but there’s no real heat behind it.
I take a slow breath, schooling my expression before I speak. “We need to talk about something.”
His body tenses. He knows.
Levi leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “We’ve got a lot in motion now. Security, plans in case we need to move. But we need to be ready for everything. Including your next heat.”
Flynn stills.
I see it in his eyes—the moment he pulls back.
He swallows hard, looking away. “It’s… in just under a month.” His voice is quiet, hesitant. “I had one a week before you guys found me. It was… awful.”
I feel my jaw clench, but I force myself to stay steady.
“That close, huh?” My voice is softer than I expected. “I know that’s not easy. The Carlisle Pack… they weren’t kind to you.”
His fingers curl against the blanket. “They used me. Kept me on edge. I couldn’t even think straight.” His throat works as he swallows. “It wasn’t like what it’s supposed to be. I couldn’t control it, couldn’t…” He trails off, shaking his head. “I don’t know what to expect this time.”
I reach out slowly, touching his arm.
Levi’s voice is firm, steady. “You won’t have to go through it alone again. We’re in this together, Flynn. Sasha, Stone, and I—we’ll make sure you’re safe. This time, it’s on your terms.”
Stone steps forward, his presence solid, grounding. “We’re not just going to protect you from everything else. We’ll take care of this too. Whatever you need. We’re a team.”
Flynn looks at him, at all of us, something unreadable in his expression. “I don’t even know what my heat is supposed to feel like without it,” he admits, voice barely above a whisper. “Without being forced.”
My heart aches for him. I squeeze his hand, grounding him. “This time, it’ll be different. You will be in control.”
His eyes flick to mine, hesitant. “And if I panic?”
“Then we stop. We listen. We do whatever you need.”
He lets out a shuddering breath. “No Arcane.”
“Never.” I shake my head firmly. “You say the word, and it’s over. No pressure. No expectations. Just you, making the choices.”
He’s scared. Not of us. But of what this means.
Of trusting.
“I... don’t know if I’m ready for all of this,” he admits, voice barely above a whisper. “To trust again. To not be controlled, especially with something like… my heat.”
His honesty makes my chest ache.
“It’s okay to be scared, Flynn.” I keep my voice soft, steady. “We’re not rushing you. But we’re all here for you. You can trust us.”
Levi nods. “We’ll move at your pace. We’ll make sure you’re comfortable.”
Flynn exhales shakily, but he doesn’t pull away.
Levi leans forward in his chair, stretching just far enough to let his fingers brush over Flynn’s hand, testing. He doesn’t move.
He’s trying.
“I don’t know if I can trust myself,” he confesses, voice raw. “The trauma made everything… blurry. I couldn’t tell what was real, what was forced. I don’t know if I even know how to want something without being told to.”
I glance at Levi and Stone, then back to Flynn. “No matter what happens, no matter what you need—we’re in this together.”
His gaze flicks between us, searching, hesitating.
Then, finally, he nods. “I’ll think about it.”
* * *
Flynn’s still awake.
I find him standing by the window in his bedroom, his profile caught in a spill of moonlight. From my spot by the door, I can see the sharp lines of his face, softened by something unfamiliar in his eyes.
I step closer, stopping just beside him. “Can’t sleep?”
He exhales, shaking his head. “Too much in my head.”
I hesitate before asking, “You thinking about what we talked about?”
A pause. Then, “Yeah.”
I don’t push. I let him come to me.
After a moment, he turns, his gaze meeting mine. “I’m scared.” His voice is raw. “Of what this means. Of what happens if I let myself want this.”
Want us.
My chest tightens. “You don’t have to have all the answers right now.”
His lips press together. “It’s just… I know you said I’m not a burden. But I can’t help it. I just feel that I am and I don’t know how to not think that.”
I reach up, cupping his face gently, forcing him to see me. Really see me.
“You are not a burden, Flynn.” My voice is steady, unshakable. “You are ours. And we are yours. That’s not something you have to earn. That’s just… what it is.”
He swallows hard. “And what if I can’t give you what you need?”
I smile, just a little. “Then we figure it out. Together.”
Something breaks in his expression. Just a little.
He leans forward, just enough for our foreheads to touch. His breath shudders against my lips.
Then he kisses me.
Soft. Searching. Like he’s waiting for me to push him away.
I don’t.
I let him take the lead, let him test the waters at his own pace. His lips brush against mine, hesitant at first, a whisper of warmth and uncertainty. He exhales through his nose, his breath shaky, his body taut with something between fear and need.
I keep it gentle, just enough pressure to let him feel it, to let him know he’s safe.
His fingers brush against my hip, the lightest of touches, and I shiver—not from cold, but from the sheer fragility of this moment.
Then, a sound slips from his throat—a whine, barely audible.
Something inside me clenches, tight and hot.
I deepen the kiss just slightly, tilting my head to fit our mouths together more fully. I don’t push. I don’t demand. I just give him something to lean into.
Flynn shudders against me, his fingers tightening on my waist, pulling me the smallest fraction closer. His lips are soft, warmer now, moving with more certainty. I feel the moment his hesitation gives way to something deeper, something real.
Need.
His body presses into mine, his chest rising and falling with unsteady breaths. I feel the way his heartbeat stutters, the way his hands explore in careful, testing touches—one curling at the nape of my neck, the other ghosting over my ribs.
I can’t help it—I moan. A low, vibrating hum deep in my chest.
Flynn melts into me.
His lips part, and I take advantage, teasing my tongue along his bottom lip before dipping inside, tasting the warmth of him. He gasps, a sharp little inhale, then presses back. His tongue brushes mine, hesitant but eager, and something between us shifts.
The air thickens.
The room disappears.
It’s just him. Just his scent wrapping around me, smooth and intoxicating, with that unmistakable undertone of omega—warm, aching, and mine to savor.
Flynn’s nails dig into my skin, a tiny, instinctually claiming. His whine turns breathier, needier, and I feel it everywhere. My body tightens, heat pooling low, but I don’t push.
Not yet.
Not when he’s still testing this.
I pull back just slightly, enough to break the kiss, but not the moment. My lips brush his, just a breath apart, our noses touching.
I whisper, “It’s okay, omega. You’re okay.”
Flynn trembles, his chest heaving. His lips are kiss-bruised, glossy with the evidence of what we’ve just shared. He touches his fingers to them, almost like he can’t believe it happened.
His voice is barely above a breath. “I want you three to help me through my heat… but I need you to make sure everyone respects me. That I’m in control. And only us. No toys, no bondage. Just us.”
His eyes are wide, searching. Needing reassurance.
I nod, ghosting another soft kiss to his lips. “Promise, Flynn. I got you.”
His breath catches, relief flickering across his face before he murmurs, “And no marking, Sasha.”
I smirk. Predatory. Possessive. “I’ll kill them myself if they even try.”
His lips twitch, the smallest, shyest smile. “Thank you.”
And fuck, I’ve never wanted to protect something more in my entire life.