Chapter 9
Chapter nine
Wilder
Mine, my Alpha chants. If there was any doubt at all before, there isn’t any more. Her strawberry scent is perfect, made for me, for my pack, by the gods and goddesses themselves.
Her lips mold to mine, two puzzle pieces fitting together and locking into place.
I was planning to wait to kiss her until we got somewhere safe, somewhere where the scent of others outside of our pack didn’t irritate my Alpha, but I’m not going to complain about my Omega—my scent-matched Omega—being in my arms and kissing me.
Her purr inspires my own to resonate in my chest, sounding less rusty than it did before.
Sparks buzz under my skin, and I’m grateful that Mateo and Jett were able to think quickly and get an emergency rut blocker into me.
I’ve never felt that out of control like I did when Iris and I touched, but the moment our hands met, everything went to hell—or heaven considering she’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.
Sweet strawberry with a tangy undertone.
I’ve always liked strawberries as a fruit, but now they will be my favorite.
She’s already my favorite treat in the world.
I stroke my tongue against hers, savoring every note including an earthy nuance that’s all hers, delving deeper into her mouth as she moans and perfumes, the air clouding with her pheromones and mixing with my own mint.
Iris’s hands that are wrapped around the back of my neck squeeze me tighter. She’s strong, a solid weight in my arms that I never want to let go of. Her warm body writhes, a saccharine keening noise escaping from her throat and vibrating against my lips.
I open my mouth wider for her to explore, completely lost in every sensation swirling around inside me. I never thought I could feel so much so quickly for someone.
I never thought I could feel this much, ever.
Iris makes me and the dominant side that often scares people feel safe to come out. To fully step into my Alpha’s sacred job as hers, her protector, the male that will help her feel so good.
My hand on her outer thigh grips her tighter, the pads of my fingers digging into the soft, warm flesh. Her tongue licks into my mouth and I faintly hear voices around us. I should growl, but I’m aware enough now to know it’s my pack.
“Compa,” Mateo’s voice cuts through the strawberry fog clouding my mind. There’s pressure on my shoulder and I hold in a warning snarl. He may be my packmate, but my Alpha wants to keep kissing his Omega. His mate.
“I know, but there’s a car waiting to take us back to our place. Let’s get out of here before we end up in a situation where we can’t leave.”
Before my lips can part from Iris, she pulls away first, her forehead dropping to my shoulder as she cries out in pain, fingernails digging into the back of my neck.
My purr intensifies in my chest to comfort her and another cloud of strawberry perfume permeates the air. Stifled moans from my pack join Iris’s plight and my gaze meets Mateo’s as he moves closer so he can place his hand on Iris’s forehead that’s shining with a light sheen of sweat.
“She’s burning up.” His eyes meet mine and I do everything in my power to fight my Alpha that so badly wants to lay Iris on the nearest surface, to plunge my cock deep inside her wet heat until every inch of my fat knot works itself inside her, stretching her wide and giving her what she needs—what we both need—now.
Jett appears at the other side of me, Augie to my front.
Their focus is on the precious Omega in my arms. They’re all barely holding it together as I am.
The fact Augie is as on edge like the rest of us is further proof she’s our mate.
I didn’t need any more proof, but only a scent-matched Omega could make a Beta look at an Omega like he is now—as if he’s about to eat her alive.
“Alpha,” Iris whines, her body attempting to fold in on itself in my arms. “Please Alpha, it hurts.”
Her eyes are clamped shut tightly, her forehead wrinkled in pain. My purr swells and I hold her tighter into me.
“We know it does,” Jett says before I can. “We’re leaving now and we’ll take care of you as soon as we get you to your nest.”
She cries out painfully and I bellow, my Alpha not liking that Jett upset her, even if I don’t know why his words would.
“Iris,” Augie asks. “What is it, sweet girl? Can you tell us what upset you?”
I rumble my purr back to life. “Tell us, Omega.”
She pries her watery eyes open, her silver-grey irises blown wide with lust and emotions. “I don’t have a nest big enough for us.”
Mateo and Jett’s purrs join mine and I lean down to brush my lips against her forehead that’s way too hot. “You do now.”
Iris blinks, her pupils retracting a tiny bit. It tells me I’m looking at Iris now more than her Omega who’s doing everything in her power to direct her.
“I’m sorry,” she exhales, voice wobbly.
“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” I tell her.
She pushes at my chest and I reluctantly let her down, but keep my hand touching her low back.
Her cheeks flush a deeper pink as she looks from me to the rest of my pack.
I wish I could tell what she’s thinking, what she’s feeling.
A bite would fix that right up and my teeth ache at the thought of claiming her—but that will have to come later—after her heat and after we’ve had time to court her.
Even if I know she’s our Omega, I’d never bond her until she gives me full permission outside of a heat and while I’m not holding back a rut.
Iris nibbles at her lower lip before she parts her mouth to speak. “I need you to know I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“We know,” I say. “But I’m glad it did.”
“We all are,” Jett says.
Her gaze moves from me, to Jett, to Mateo, and finally Augie, like she’s trying to figure out what we’re saying is true.
Iris’s Omega may know and accept we’re hers, but just Iris is fighting it.
Which is understandable. This isn’t a normal situation or one any of us could have ever planned for.
But what Iris will eventually understand, is I would give up everything for her.
My job, our business, anything—and I don’t even have to ask my pack if they feel the same. It’s written all over their faces.
Her lips swollen from my kisses part but before she can utter another word, she doubles over, gripping her abdomen as the scent of her fresh slick grows thick in the air, nearly choking me.
Mateo bends over and takes her arm as I take the other; we try to help her stand straight but it’s futile. Iris whines, her body going limp as she drops to her knees, body rocking forward like she wants to present for us right in the middle of this damn set.
“Fuck, I don’t think we’re making it out of here,” Augie says the thought that had just come to my mind.
A low protest works its way up my throat, my Alpha refusing to accept that we’re going to take care of our Omega through her heat on a set filled with our crew’s scents.
I inhale a calming breath and get Mateo to help me pull Iris up.
I grip her face in my hands as Mateo supports her from the back so she can’t drop to her knees again and actually put that fine ass in the air.
If she’d presented, no doubt every one of us minus Augie would have gone into rut.
We may have torn each other to pieces just to fuck her first, and no one, not even our calming Beta, would have stopped us from doing it.
Alpha’s may have evolved over the years and been able to use modern medicine to calm our instincts, but this hasn’t been a normal situation and I feel how tight the pack bond is.
We all love each other, but our scent-matched Omega in a surprise heat in a place that doesn’t feel safe?
We all are aching to claim her, to make sure no Alpha in a one-hundred-mile radius could take her from us.
“Omega,” I grit out, my Alpha bark laced in my words.
She looks back into my eyes, pupils fully blown again.
“That’s a good girl. I need you to listen to me, okay?”
She nods. “Yes, Alpha.”
A burst of pheromones rushes through the room, not only mine but my packs. Hearing her say that pleased my hindbrain in ways I can’t even explain.
“We need to get out of here and then we’ll give you everything you need.”
“Need,” she exhales, the sound painful. “Need you now.” She clenches her jaw.
“If one of us gives you what you need here, little Omega, I can’t be sure we’ll be able to leave. Don’t you want a warm, safe nest?”
She tries to nod but then her eyes squeeze shut. “Alpha, please—”
“Give her what she wants, or I will,” Jett growls. “I can’t take seeing her in pain anymore.”
I start to growl back but Augie’s usually calm voice interjects, the sound of it near an Alpha’s bark. “Oh for heaven’s sake! I swear, you Alphas wouldn’t survive without me.”
I pry my gaze away from Iris as Augie moves to where there’s a love seat near the fake bookshops front window. “Bring her here, she needs the edge taken off.”
“Augie,” Jett argues. “I don’t—”
Augie growls, not an Alpha growl but one of warning. “Wilder and Jett, you go home and get the nest ready for her. Her heat will last for days and it needs to be comfortable for all of us. I will ease her for now, no dicks or knots, and Mateo will ride home with us in the car we have waiting.”
The plan is logical, and while my Alpha wants to argue, I know it’s for the best. I should be angry that Augie is thinking with a level head right now, but this is one of the many reasons Betas are imperative to pack life. They can be the voice of reason when biology takes over.
I brush my hand over Iris’s cheek before leaning forward and scent marking her by rubbing my cheek over hers. A needy sound escapes her lips and I kiss them softly. “Did you hear what Augie said, Omega?”
She nods. “Do you think that will help you?”
“Yes, Alpha.”
I look at Mateo and he dips his chin, pulling her from me. Jett hasn’t said much to her yet but he comes forward and does the same, scent marking her so she’ll have a piece of him while we leave her in the rest of our pack’s hands.
Iris whines as she gets further away from us, but I hold myself back from going to her and place my hand on Jett’s shoulder to stop him from doing the same. Augie’s plan is a good one, and we’ll be reunited with our Omega soon.
“Come on, let’s go get our Omega’s nest ready,” I say to Jett as Iris settles on our Beta’s lap.
Jett’s blue eyes lock with mine and in them I see the same yearning I know is reflected in mine, but also an excitement.
We have an Omega—and hopefully, after her heat—we’ll make our bond with her permanent.