Chapter 20
Wren
Apurr rumbles in Ethan’s chest as he lifts the fork to my mouth.
I don’t know if he’s even aware of the sound coming from him, but there’s no way in hell I’m complaining.
Between the cozy heaven of my fox onesie, the vibration of my alpha, and the sweet, fluffy bread-goodness making its way to my mouth, I feel like I might fall back asleep.
I really want to blame my sleep deprived state for how I reacted to Ethan’s adorable blunder. I don’t know what time I went to bed last night, but I do know that Teddy and I had sex three times, I had countless orgasms, and then we stayed up talking half the night.
The only reason I even got out of bed was because I woke up to pee, and saw Teddy missing.
Then I smelled the delicious breakfast being made, and couldn’t resist.
Unfortunately, I really have no one to blame but myself for my response to Ethan.
But I can’t help it. I love it when my alphas get nervous around me.
Like I’m someone worth being nervous over.
It draws something out of me that I’ve never experienced before.
A need to poke and push. So, without a second thought, I grabbed his hand and bit it.
Not hard. But…enough to make his eyes flash dangerously as he dragged me into his lap.
I’ve never felt safer than when I’m in their arms.
“That bacon smells amazing.” Brennan enters the kitchen, bending over to press a kiss to my head before pulling out his seat and sitting. “I trust the two of you had a good time on your date?” he asks, motioning his head between Teddy and me as he starts to fill his plate.
My face heats, and I nearly choke on my mouth full of pancake as memories of Teddy’s head between my thighs on multiple occasions flash through my mind. “Yes.” I clear my throat, reaching for my glass of water. “We’ll…uh…we’ll clean up today.”
“No need.” Brennan flashes a smile at me. “Teddy will take care of it, while you and I go on our date.”
Ethan’s purr cuts off. “What if I had something planned?”
Brennan’s brow arches, fixing Ethan with a look as he rips a piece of bacon off with his teeth. “Do you?”
Ethan pouts. “No.”
“Well then, there you go.” Brennan shrugs before turning his attention back to me. “How do you feel about swimming?”
My brows shoot up. “Um. My parents have a pool, but I didn’t really use it. Where would we swim?”
“There’s a small lake a short walk away. There are a few cabins surrounding it, but it’s the off-season for vacation, so we should be the only ones there. I figured we could go this afternoon, in case you wanted to take a nap or something.”
“You sure that’s safe?” Teddy frowns, looking between the two of us. “Wot if someone sees—”
“Please?” I look between Brennan, Ethan, and Teddy. “I’m so sick of being inside. I need some vitamin D.”
Teddy smirks. “Dove, I already gave you three doses of vitamin D last night.”
My face heats, but I shake my head, grinning. “Not that kind.”
“Do you even have a bathing suit?” Ethan frowns, looking down at me.
“Taken care of.” Brennan waves him off. “I ordered it last night while I was planning everything. It got here this morning.”
“Didya get ‘er one of those li’tle polka dot bikinis?” Teddy’s eyes light up. “Please, please, tell me you got ‘er one.”
I roll my eyes, biting back a smile at his antics.
Brennan gives Teddy an exasperated look. “No. It’s a one-piece that I thought she might be more comfortable in for now.”
My heart flutters. I mean, I wouldn’t have minded a two-piece, but just the fact that he even thought of it tells me just how sweet he is.
He could have very well figured that the whole point of the date is to get in my pants anyway, and gotten the skimpiest bathing suit he could find. But, he wants me to be comfortable.
Maverick strides into the room, filling the last remaining seat. “Morning,” he says gruffly, and he looks tired. Very tired.
Whatever excitement I had been feeling a minute ago retreats to the back of my mind as my omega aches to go to him. I need to see if he’s alright, but I don’t want Ethan to think I’m ditching him.
I bite my lip as I look at Maverick, who pulls food onto his plate without a word, his eyes unfocused as he stares down at his meal.
I don’t know how Ethan senses it, but he huffs a laugh before leaning down close to my ear.
“Do you want to go to him?” There’s no jealousy in his voice at all, much to my relief.
Swallowing, I nod, and he grabs my chin, pressing a brief kiss to my lips before releasing me. “Go on then, Little Bird.”
Maverick is so out of it that he doesn’t even realize I’m standing next to him until I’ve tapped his shoulder. “Umm…Mav?”
He blinks up at me, before shaking his head. “Sorry, Wren. You okay?”
I bite my lip again. “Can…can I…?”
Maverick looks at me blankly.
“I mean, do you want…” I shift foot-to-foot. Why is this so hard?
Teddy huffs. “She wants to sit with you, you absolute wanker.” His words startle a laugh out of me, but Maverick just looks between Teddy and I like we’re speaking another language.
“I don’t have to,” I say quickly, taking a step back. “I just thought—”
Maverick’s hand shoots out, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me to him.
“Of course you can.” He scoots his chair back slightly, and when I climb into his lap, pure instinct guides me.
I straddle his waist, one leg on either side of him.
My cheek rests against his chest, my arms wrapping around his torso.
And then…I purr. I’m so shocked, the sound stalls for a moment. Then the small vibration in my chest returns, and I relax into him, rubbing my face along his shirt.
My alpha stops breathing.
He doesn’t move.
For a moment, my heart freezes in my chest, and I’m terrified that maybe I’ve committed some grave omega sin. But then…his arms wrap around my back. And he holds me. Tight.
“Are you purring for me, Baby Girl?” he murmurs, his thumb rubbing over my back.
I nod into his chest, and even though I can feel his semi-hard length beneath me, he doesn’t press into the contact.
“What a good omega, taking care of your alpha.” His voice is like gravel and silk at the same time, and a shiver runs through me.
Good omega.
“She sounds like a fuckin’ kitten,” Teddy whispers excitedly, but I can’t find it in me to be embarrassed. “It’s damn adorable.”
Maverick likes what I’m doing—and he thinks I’m a good omega.
His own purr against me has my eyes drooping, and before I know it, I’m falling asleep.
When I wake, my cheek is still against Maverick’s chest. But…we’re not in the kitchen anymore.
Frowning, I try to sit up, but strong arms around me keep my body in place.
“Five more minutes,” Maverick mumbles sleepily. I blink, trying to let my eyes adjust to the darkness of the room.
Oh, we’re in my “nest”. The black-out curtains have been drawn closed, and the clock on the nightstand reads “10:48”. Damn. We slept for three hours.
“Maverick?” My voice is sleepy as I stretch my arms outward. “How did we get in the nest?”
“Mmm, I carried you.” His voice when he’s tired is different than it is normally. Almost…sexier, somehow.
“You didn’t have to keep me on you,” I murmur, propping up my chin on his chest. He lets out a shuddering sigh before releasing me.
“I know I didn’t have to,” he looks at me, his hand coming up to run over my hair, “but I wanted to.” He pauses, his eyes searching my face for a moment.
He really is handsome, especially in this sleep-rumpled state.
His expression turns soft. “I…um. I wanted to…thank you. For coming to me. I didn’t even realize I needed it.
You. Before…before all this, I would have pushed through the end of the day and never let myself have the rest I needed. ”
I adjust myself to see him better, moving up his body slightly in the process. The motion puts his cock perfectly in line with my crotch, but I do my best to ignore it. “I wanted to. I needed you too. I think…” I bite my lip, meeting his dark eyes. “I think my omega feels extra safe with you.”
“You have no idea how much that means to me,” he murmurs. “Especially since…well, Maggie called last night.”
“Oh?” My brows shoot up. I know she said she’d call, but that seems really fast.
“She said that based on your levels, you…you should be experiencing heat spikes at any time—which we already knew.”
But now it’s confirmed.
“It is scary to think about, but I’m happy it’s going to be with the four of you,” my voice is barely a whisper.
His eyes soften as he meets mine. “I am too.” It’s then that I realize our faces are only about an inch apart. If I wanted to, I could just move forward the slightest bit, and we’d be kissing.
The memory of his lips brushing against mine in his office yesterday sends a shiver through me. They had been so soft, but firm at the same time.
Dammit, Wren. Focus.
I look into his eyes. “Are you feeling better? Now that you’ve gotten some more sleep?”
He gives me a wry smile, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “I am, yes. What about you? You seemed pretty tired yourself.”
“Exhausted,” I admit. “But I am also feeling a whole lot better now.”
“I bet,” he breathes, a small smirk ghosting at his lips as his hands run up and down my back. “You were up pretty late last night.”
I giggle. “Yeah, I—”
Wait.
My face flames, and I swallow. Did…did Teddy and I keep him from getting enough sleep? Actually, now that I think about it, both Ethan and Brennan seemed tired as well.
I should be embarrassed. I mean, I am, a little. But…not nearly as much as I am turned on by thought they all heard Teddy and me…together.