Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
2 MONTHS LATER
Devlin
It still feels a little surreal, this life I’ve somehow stepped into. Two months ago, I was in Cork, fighting every instinct that told me to give in, to trust, to belong. Now I wake up every morning in a home that feels like it was built just for me, wrapped in warmth, in safety, in them.
I’m in their world now. It’s become my world. And so have they.
At first, it had felt foreign – the quiet of Silver compared to the city noise I’d grown used to: the constant presence of them, my pack, never too far from reach both physically and, thanks to the bond, mentally and emotionally. But the strangeness faded fast, replaced with something I hadn’t dared let myself believe I could have.
We told our parents about our bond, about our pack, being scent matches, and they were all over the moon for us. They’re already planning a bonding ceremony back home and demanding we visit soon, but we’ve managed to put them off for now. They don’t know that I’m not technically bonded to Cathal yet. But by the time we go home to visit, I’m hoping we will be.
Which is why I’m filled with peace. Happiness. A home.
And god, this house.
It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of. A sprawling, beautifully built home overlooking the sea, with floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with natural light. A cosy reading nook in the corner of the living room. A massive kitchen where Lorcan has already tried (and failed) to teach me how to cook. My own office, tucked away in a sunlit room, where I can finally write without worrying about space or time.
And the nest.
Oh my goodness, the nest.
It’s more than anything I could ever have dreamed of or hoped for.
Plush, soft cushions and blankets are scattered across the floor where the hugest, plushest mattress I’ve ever seen lies. The colours are a delicate mix of deep greens, rich purples, and soft grays, all piled high in the center, creating a luxurious, inviting space. The walls are lined with tapestries and silk throws, remnants of memories and places I’ve never been but want to experience. Soft fairy lights twinkle around the edges, casting a calming glow across the room, while scented candles fill the air with hints of vanilla, oak, and the subtle earthy scent of my alphas. The best thing is that the bi-fold doors that look out over the ocean come with complete black out blinds built in, but the window frames also have sumptuous rich velvet drapes adorning them too to make the room extra cosy.
There are throw pillows everywhere, each one more comfortable than the last, and a cosy fur rug underfoot, giving the space a grounding warmth. A little table sits in the corner, adorned with wildflowers I’ve picked from the garden, tiny vases filled with life, and trinkets from places I’ve never even visited. There’s a sense of home in every corner, and the peace that settles into the air every time I walk in here fills me with the most complete sense of belonging.
Of course, my alphas insisted on practical items too like storage closets and a fridge full of snacks, and a well-stocked en suite bathroom, but who cares about those things when my omega has fur throws and underfloor heating to roll around on and enjoy?
And it’s all mine. Ours. Because of course, the first thing I did once I had it set up perfectly with supplies from Omega’s Haven was invite my alphas in to inspect and give it their seal of approval.
It’s strange, this sense of ownership. Not just of the space, but of them, too. Their presence settles in with me, their scent, their touch…It’s not just a nest, it’s a symbol of everything we are together.
And even if it weren’t so perfect – even if the house had been smaller, the view less breathtaking, the village not so charming, or the nest supplies not so soft – I’d still be planning to beg Cathal for his bite in my next heat.
The thought alone makes something hot curl in my stomach, my skin prickling with anticipation. The bond with the others, the one that gives me faint access to our pack lead, hums beneath my skin, deep and sure, but I want more. I want everything. All three of my alphas, right where I want them: interwoven in my soul.
The alphas have changed, too. Or maybe it’s just that I can see them now, fully, without the haze of fear clouding my vision.
Lorcan has always been protective, but now, it’s magnified. The kind of fierce, unwavering guardianship that makes my chest ache. He watches me like he’s memorising every move, every breath, as if some part of him still can’t believe I’m here, that I’m staying. I catch him standing in doorways sometimes, just looking at me, like he’s reassuring himself I won’t disappear. His love is so fierce, he steals my breath away with it.
Tadhg is my grounding force. Gentle when I need it, firm when I don’t realise I do. He’s the one who smooths over rough edges, who makes everything feel natural instead of overwhelming. He keeps me laughing, keeps me sane. If I ever stumble, I know it’ll be Tadhg who catches me. His love is warm and all-encompassing.
And Cathal…
Cathal is careful .
We’re dating, in the most traditional sense of the word. He takes me out to dinner, leaves thoughtful gifts in places he knows I’ll find them, spoils me in ways that make my heart stutter. He lets me set the pace, never pushing, never demanding more than I can give.
But I want to give him more. Because my love for him is eternal. And he’s punished himself on behalf of both of us enough to last several lifetimes. His love for me has been proven tenfold, every single day since he came back into my life, shown through every look, every touch, every gesture. His love is pure and infinite.
Which is why I want more than stolen kisses and lingering touches that never stray too far. I want to feel his weight pressing me into the mattress, want to hear him lose control the way I know he’s capable of. I want to sink my teeth into him the way my body aches to, the way our bond demands.
He’s being patient. He thinks he’s doing what’s best for me.
But I’m getting frustrated.
I lean against the balcony railing, staring out over the sea, the scent of salt and pine thick in the air. The wind lifts my hair, cool against my flushed skin.
I hear the door open behind me, but I don’t turn. I know it’s him.
“Not tired?” Cathal’s voice is smooth, warm, curling around me like a touch as he steps out onto the balcony and joins me. He’s naked but for a pair of black boxer briefs, his usually perfectly styled dark hair tousled from sleep. I smile at the sight of my most uptight alpha looking so decidedly ruffled.
I shake my head. “Couldn’t sleep. There’s a new girl moved into Doris’ house for the summer. Casey was telling me all about it when I called by the hotel for some sweet potato fries yesterday. Apparently it’s her granddaughter. Name’s Lani. She’s really nice, I ran into her today, but she’s an omega pretending to be a beta, and I don’t think it’s going to work out well for her.” I sigh. Poor girl’s got almost no money to her name and can’t afford suppressants for much longer. I can’t sleep because I’ve been trying to come up with a way to help her.
Cathal steps closer, his scent wrapping around me – rich coffee, smoky birchwood, spicy black pepper and that hint of dark chocolate that gets me every time. It shouldn’t work, but it does. It’s uniquely him.
I can feel the heat of his body at my back, but he doesn’t touch me.
Always so careful.
I sigh.
“I’ve been meaning to ask…” I trail my fingers along the railing, gathering my thoughts. “This house. It wasn’t just sitting here waiting for us, was it?”
Cathal chuckles, low and knowing. “No, a rún. I built it when we first settled in Silver. For you.”
I knew it.
Turning, I meet his gaze, my heart twisting painfully at the way he’s looking at me – like I’m something precious, something irreplaceable.
“You built me a house,” I state, awestruck.
Cathal lifts a hand, hesitating for half a second before tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers linger against my cheek. “Consider it a courting gift. I wanted you to have a place that felt like yours. Like home.”
Home.
The word settles deep in my chest, fitting into a space I hadn’t even realised was empty.
I twist the ring on my finger, the one they gave me at the airport a couple of months back. Home is wherever you are.
I hadn’t felt at home since the day Cathal left. Until he came back into my life, along with his pack, I realise.
I push up onto my toes, pressing my lips to his. It’s soft at first, slow. But when I slide my fingers into his hair, tugging him closer, he groans, deep and needy, and something in me shatters.
I want him.
I want this .
And I don’t want to wait anymore.
The moment Cathal groans into my mouth, something in me snaps.
I don’t hold back.
I press closer, my fingers tangling in his hair, my body fitting against his as if I was made for this – for him. And for a moment, he gives in. His hands tighten on my waist, his breath sharp against my lips. I can feel the battle raging in him, the want he’s holding back.
But then, just as I deepen the kiss, he pulls away.
“Devlin.” His voice is hoarse, thick with restraint. He cups my face, resting his forehead against mine. “We should stop.”
No.
I shake my head, gripping the front of his shirt. “Why?”
His jaw tightens. I watch the muscle tick, see the way his hands flex against me as if he’s fighting himself.
“Because I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispers.
Something inside me softens – but not enough to let this go.
“You won’t,” I promise.
He exhales heavily, stepping back, slipping from my grasp. Cold air rushes between us, filling the space I despise.
“That’s the thing, a rún.” His smile is sad, almost resigned. “I already have.”
The past settles between us like a ghost.
I search his face, the flickering shadows cast by the moonlight. “That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”
He doesn’t answer. But he doesn’t deny it, either.
I fold my arms, grounding myself. “Talk to me, Cathal. Tell me why you’re holding back. Why you look at me like you want me, but you won’t let yourself have me.”
He looks away, his shoulders rising with his inhale. “Because I should have fought for you.” His voice is quiet, rough. “Because I should have been there, should have—” He stops, dragging a hand through his hair. “I should have made sure you never had to be alone. I should never have walked away. Should never have thrown away what we had. I should have been patient…. No. I should have been content with what we had. You were always enough, Embers. Always more than enough for me.”
A lump rises in my throat.
He swallows hard, his gaze finding mine again, raw and open in a way I’ve never seen before. “I thought I was protecting you. That if I kept my distance, you’d be safer. That you’d have a choice. But all I did was make you believe you weren’t wanted.” He exhales, shaking his head. “And that’s my biggest regret.”
My breath catches.
I never knew.
I never realised how much he’d carried, how much he had struggled. I thought he’d left me behind, thought he’d moved on while I was still haunted by him.
But now…now I see it.
The guilt. The fear.
I step closer. He doesn’t move away this time.
“Do you still think you’re protecting me?” I ask, searching his face.
His throat bobs. “I think I’m selfish.” His voice drops to almost a whisper. “Because I want you anyway.”
I reach for him, sliding my hands up his chest, over the strong lines of his shoulders. “Then take me.”
His breath stutters.
But he still hesitates. “Devlin?—”
I press a finger to his lips. “I choose you, Cathal. Not fate. Not instinct. Not my omega. Me.” I tilt my chin, my heart pounding. “Do you choose me?”
His hands come up to cradle my face, and something breaks in his gaze. “I always have.”
And then he kisses me.
It’s different this time.
There’s no restraint, no hesitation – just Cathal , all of him, pressed against me, claiming me. His hands skim down my back, gripping my hips as he lifts me into his arms and backs me into the bedroom.
We barely make it to the bed before he pulls back, breathing hard. His eyes search mine, his fingers skimming over my cheek, down my throat. “Are you sure?”
I answer by tugging my silk nightdress over my head.
A curse slips from his lips when I bare myself to him. Then he’s on me again, his mouth trailing fire down my neck, over my shoulder, his teeth grazing my healed bond marks. His hands map my skin, slow, reverent, like he’s committing every inch of me to memory.
He lays me down, taking his time, and it’s torture .
But it’s also perfect.
Because tonight isn’t about rushing. It isn’t about urgency or desperation. It’s about this – about finally having each other.
When he sinks into me, his forehead resting against mine, I gasp, gripping his shoulders.
His breath shudders. “I love you.”
Tears prick my eyes. I cup his face, pulling him down into a kiss. “I love you too.”
The words settle between us, sinking deep, binding us.
And when we move together, slow and deep and right, I know – this isn’t just a moment.
This is forever.
Cathal’s weight is solid above me, his body pressing me into the mattress, his warmth sinking into my skin. The slow, reverent way he moves – like I’m something precious – makes my chest ache. This is what I’ve wanted for so long.
But I want more.
I lift my hands to cup his face, tilting his head so his lips hover just above mine. His breath is ragged, his pupils blown wide with lust. Then I grip his shoulders, nails digging into his skin, my body trembling beneath him, desperate for more, aching for the friction, the feel of him deep inside me. I can already feel the slickness pooling between my thighs, the heat radiating off me in waves. Every inch of my skin is on fire for him.
“Please,” I beg, my voice ragged, my breath shallow. “I need you, Cathal...all of you.”
He groans low in his chest, his eyes flicking down to where we’re connected, the hunger in his gaze nearly overwhelming. His body is taut above mine, his muscles straining, barely holding on. But there’s a flicker of restraint there too, a battle playing out in the depths of his eyes.
His hands slide down my body, fingers tracing every curve, every inch of skin, as if he’s memorizing the feel of me all over again. His voice is hoarse when it finally comes, low and almost pleading. “What do you need, love? Tell me.”
“I need you to bite me next month,” I insist urgently, my chest rising and falling in rapid breaths. “When my heat comes…I need you to mark me. I need you to claim me completely. I don’t want to wait anymore. Please.”
He freezes above me, his entire body going rigid. A growl rumbles from deep in his chest, primal and raw. I see the hunger flash in his eyes, but also something darker, something more dangerous – the beast within him straining to take over. His fingers dig into my hips as his breath hisses through clenched teeth.
“You can’t just say things like that,” he growls, his voice rough, low, laced with barely contained desire. “Not when you look at me like that.”
I arch beneath him, dragging my nails down his back. “Why not?”
I arch beneath him, dragging my nails down his back, pushing him closer, my body aching to feel him deeper. His breath catches when I pull him down, my chest brushing against his, every inch of him touching me now, and I feel the heat between us, thick and heavy, smoldering like an untamed fire. His lips part, his throat working as he swallows hard. His gaze drops to the place where my throat meets my shoulder – where his bite should be.
“I want it,” I press. “I want you. You might regret leaving me, but my biggest regret is not bonding with you during my last heat with the others. I was trying to punish you and it was cruel and uncalled for. I’ve regretted it ever since, even though I know we weren’t in a good place then. I’m sorry. I don’t want to wait any longer, Cathal. I’m yours, you’re mine, and I want it to be official. I need to feel you in here.”
I rub my chest, right where my heart is and the bond with the other two lies.
He groans, a deep, desperate sound that shoots straight to my core.
The reverence from before vanishes – replaced by something rougher, hungrier. His mouth crashes against mine, his kiss open, demanding, like he needs to taste me, needs to own me.
His hands slide down my body, his thumb brushing against my sensitive skin, and I can feel how wet I am for him. His touch, gentle at first, becomes more insistent, and my body can’t help but respond, the heat between my legs growing unbearable.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he murmurs against my neck, his lips brushing over my pulse point. “So fucking perfect for me. God, I’ve been waiting so long for this.”
“Again, omega” he breathes against my lips, grinding against me in slow, deliberate rolls of his hips. “Be a good girl and say it again.”
I grip the back of his neck, shuddering as the hard length of him presses exactly where I need him. “Bite me, Cathal.”
A sharp curse escapes him, and then he’s gone, ripping off his boxer briefs and sliding down my body, his mouth replacing his hands, claiming me in a way that leaves no doubt – I’m his.
“Fuck, you’re so wet for me,” he praises, his voice full of rough admiration. “Can feel how much you want me. Don’t worry, Embers, I’m going to give you everything.”
He licks a slow, teasing line up my inner thigh, pressing his mouth there for a heartbeat before finally – finally – dragging his tongue through my slick. I moan, my hands flying to his hair, but he doesn’t give me a moment to adjust. His mouth is ruthless, tongue curling, lips sealing over my clit as his fingers stroke inside me, spreading me open, coaxing me higher and higher.
I come with a sharp cry, my body trembling beneath him, but he doesn’t stop.
He doesn’t stop.
He works me through it, dragging another orgasm out of me before I can even catch my breath, leaving me gasping, writhing beneath him, overwhelmed in the best way.
“Cathal—” My voice is shaky, pleading.
By the time I’ve screamed my way through the next orgasm and another, I’m hoarse.
Fuck. He’s not holding back anymore. It’s like he’s trying to make up for lost time by setting his own personal challenge to ruin me with his tongue.
He lifts his head, mouth slick, pupils blown. “Never get enough of your taste, love. You’re so perfect like this,” he rasps, shifting back over me, his cock pressing against my entrance, teasing me. “So fucking…mine.”
I can’t wait any longer. I reach for him, guiding him to where I need him most, my fingers wrapping around his length and guiding him to my entrance. He hesitates for just a moment, looking at me, his eyes soft with absolute love and adoration. And something deeper, something darker.
“I’m ready,” I whisper, my voice shaky with anticipation. “Please.”
He leans down, his lips crashing against mine in a kiss that is all fire, all need. His body moves over mine, and then, finally, he thrusts inside me. My body trembles with the sensation of him filling me, stretching me, as my pulse races in my ears. My hands fly to his back, digging into the hard muscles there, urging him deeper, harder.
His pace is slow at first, deliberate, letting me feel every inch of him, every movement of his body as he slides in and out of me. His lips move to my throat, kissing, biting gently, sending sparks of pleasure through me. I moan, my body coming alive beneath his touch.
“You feel so fucking good,” he growls, his voice low and thick with lust. “So tight. So perfect. I’ve dreamed of this, Devlin. Of you. For so fucking long. And you’re even better than I could have imagined.”
His thrusts grow harder, faster, the heat between us building, intensifying. I can feel his knot swelling, pressing against me, and I know what’s coming. The pressure, the friction, the tension – it’s too much, and I feel myself on the edge, teetering toward release.
“Cathal,” I moan, my voice pleading, desperate. “Please. I need more. Don’t stop. Not yet.”
His eyes flash with something wild, something untamed. “You want it all, love? You want me to give you everything?”
“Yes,” I gasp, my body arching against his, pulling him deeper. “I need you to make me yours. Don’t hold back. I want to feel you – all of you.”
His hands move to my thighs, gripping them tightly, pushing them up and apart. He sinks deeper, his thrusts becoming frantic, each one driving me closer to the edge. His body shudders as the knot inside him swells, pushing against me, stretching me, and I can feel the pressure building, the sensation nearly unbearable.
“Oh god, Cathal,” I moan, my hands gripping the sheets, my whole body trembling beneath him. “Please, alpha. Don’t stop. I’m so close. Knot!” I whine. “Knot me, alpha!”
With a final, deep thrust, he slams into me, his knot locking us together, the pressure, the heat, the sensation of being filled so completely, it’s all-consuming. I cry out, my body seizing in pleasure as I come so fucking hard, my muscles tightening around him, trembling as I break apart.
He growls low in his chest, his hips stuttering as his knot locks in place, and I feel him spill deep inside me, the warmth of him flooding me, making everything inside me clench , contract around him. He buries his face in my neck, his breath ragged, his body shaking with the aftershocks.
I gasp, feeling the stretch, the pressure, the heat. Drowning in all things Cathal . In the rightness of this.
“That’s it,” he breathes against my skin, his voice hoarse and full of reverence. “Take it all, a rún. You’re mine. You’ve always been mine.”
I shudder beneath him, overwhelmed, and utterly wrecked . My body is still trembling as his arms wrap tight around me, pulling me close. I can feel the heat of his body, the weight of him, grounding me, and as his lips brush over my damp skin, where in less than a month his bond mark will finally be, I know, with absolute certainty – he’s never letting me go.