Chapter Thirty-One #2
Happy Omega sounds. My inner Alpha perks up, smug and satisfied.
It’s not like her purr, that deep, soothing hum that lulls you into calm. This is lighter and brighter. A signal to her Pack that our Omega feels safe, and she’s content.
Viper lets out a low rumble, an answering pleased noise that makes Halley smile around her apple slice.
I look at him, and he's staring at Halley with hooded dark eyes. His lips are parted slightly, and his breathing shallow as he inhales her scent.
I follow his lead and sniff the air.
Lavender and ozone of a lightning storm. Her perfume is sweet and addictive. She smells like an unmated Omega deep in her instincts, ready and wanting to be claimed.
My cock pulses, thickening against the inside of my tactical pants. Beside me, Blaze stiffens too, muscles tightening like a tripwire. We’re all feeling it.
Shade offers her another bite, each slice he pushes through her lips becomes more suggestive than the last.
Juice trickles down his fingers, and Halley follows it with her tongue, licking it away before wrapping her lips around his knuckles and sucking them clean noisily. By the time the apple is gone, fed to her piece by slow, agonizing piece, she’s panting and my cock is rock hard.
"That's it, baby girl. Being so good for us. Now sit up, have a sip of water, ah, there we go, just a little more, perfect," Shade coaches her through his ministrations, effortlessly caring for her like she's the most important, precious thing in the world.
And she is.
She's everything to us.
"Baby girl, you’re running a bit hot. You feeling okay? Want to take a little nap?" Shade’s voice is low and soothing, full of patient care.
Halley doesn't answer. Instead, she lifts her nose and scents the air. Her gaze locks on Viper, and then her eyes go heavy-lidded as she slowly licks the last of the apple juice from her lips. It’s not the fruit she’s hungry for anymore.
"Alpha," she purrs, her voice silk and heat, as she squirms in Shade’s lap.
"Yeah? That what you need, sweetheart?" Shade asks, pressing a wet kiss to her cheek. Then he looks over at Viper with a knowing smirk. "I think our girl wants to play with you, LT."
Viper tenses like he's been caught in a spotlight. "Oh. No — no. I'm okay. I’m, uh… good here. I had my time with her. You guys need to bond too."
I wrinkle my nose. Either he’s the most selfless bastard to walk the mountain, or the guilt from knotting her without the rest of us is gnawing at him from the inside out. Probably both.
Shade arches a brow, tilting his head with just the right amount of challenge in his tone. "Your Omega is needy, Alpha."
Viper flushes instantly, the color creeping high on his cheeks. For all his lethal calm and military precision, when it comes to Halley, he’s soft. We all know it. The man would crawl through fire if she asked. No questions.
He shuffles closer to the edge of the nest but stops when Shade adds down the bond, 'You have to ask permission to enter the nest. It's an Omega thing.'
Viper gives a subtle nod and lowers himself to Halley’s level, head dipped, voice gentle. "May I enter your nest, Omega?"
She lights up, and without a second of hesitation, she launches out of Shade’s arms, a delighted squeal bursting from her lips. Her small hands grab at Viper’s broad shoulders as she pulls him into the nest.
"Alpha!" she breathes, joy and need wrapped into one word, before tumbling backwards and taking him with her.
They land in a tangle, and Viper lets out a grunt of surprise, clearly not expecting to be claimed like that. But he melts into her, arms wrapping around her possessively.
Before the jealousy can sink its teeth in, Halley pops her head up and locks eyes with me. There’s a sleepy blink, then a little frown, then that determined set to her jaw that means someone’s about to get bossed around.
“Everyone in the nest,” she says firmly with a short nod.
I blink. “Sorry, what?”
She points at me, dead serious. “The whole Pack in the nest.”
There’s a pause while I try to compute that order. Then I glance at Shade.
He shrugs like it’s obvious. “You heard her, Prime. Get your ass in.”
Right. Of course. My life has flipped upside down and I now take my orders from our tiny, bratty Omega. I’m certainly not complaining. I want to obey her every desire.
I swallow, suddenly aware of how much this moment matters. She still wants me.
My knee hits the mattress, slow and cautious. I half expect her to rescind the offer, to glare or growl or tell me I’ve missed my window when I rejected her earlier.
Instead, she just huffs like I’m being ridiculous, then flops back onto Viper with a gleeful little wriggle.
I don’t join the cuddle pile. Not yet. I settle on the outskirts next to Blaze, our shoulders knocking together. We’re close enough to be included, but far enough not to intrude. Still, there is a warmth in my chest. A rightness of being with the Pack like this. A steady, quiet glow from within.
Viper hauls her up his chest and kisses her deeply. One hand cradles her face, his thumb tracing her cheek while his mouth takes its time on hers. It’s all tongue, but slow. Languid like he’s savoring her taste.
I wait for the envy… but it doesn’t come. No jealousy or compulsion to look away.
Just fascination.
The way his hands trace her curves, palming her ass without rushing. He’s not trying to grind his cock against her, or get his knot wet. He’s just… touching.
Viper’s right.
I need to watch so I can learn how to be with her like that. Not with strategic purpose or domination, but with care and connection.
Because if she reaches out for me to be her comfort again, I want to be ready.
I’ll be the Alpha she needs.