CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
I t’s too hot.
“Alpha, please!”
I’m so sweaty, but I’m itchy.
“Bite me alpha! I need your bite!”
If could just get a fucking bite, I wouldn’t be so hot.
I need someone to fucking knot me.
I need…I need….
Oh.
Lucidity sets in like I’m coming up from underwater, and I run my hands lovingly over Simon's back as his knot pulsates inside of me. I’m lying on my back in the middle of the nest with Simon lying nestled between my legs. He looks down at me with a soft expression, his glasses gone and his hair rumpled.
“Are you back with us, sweetheart?” Simon asks, his voice tired.
“Um, yeah…” I trail off looking around my nest as I realize just how dry my mouth is. Ollie is face down next to us, butt naked, hugging a pillow as he snores softly. Titus is on our other side, also lacking clothes, on his back with one arm thrown over his face. Mattie and Archie are spooned together on the far side of the bed. “Just how long has it been?”
Simon shifts us so we’re lying on our sides, facing each other and he pushes a strand of hair out my face. “About three days.”
My jaw nearly drops. Three days?
Flashes of taking Mattie and Archie, then Simon, Titus, and Ollie filling all three of my holes at the same time. Begging for knots. Begging for bites.
Bargaining a protein shake for double penetration.
Directing my alphas like a damn orchestra conductor for which knot goes into which hole.
Titus and Simon take my pussy at the same time, then Archie coming over and sliding into my ass…
My cheeks flush with embarrassment and Simon instantly kisses me. “Hey. None of that. This is all perfectly natural. Especially for it being your first heat. Take into account it’s a breakthrough heat…”
“I know, I just hate how I don’t feel like myself.”
“I know, sweetheart. But you’re with us now, right?”
Swallowing, I nod, and he kisses my forehead.
“Try to get some sleep, alright?”
Then his knot deflates, slipping out of me, and then something isn’t right.
Whining, I back up until I can look at the entirety of the nest, Simon following me closely.
I don’t know what it is, but something is niggling in my mind, telling me I need to fix it. Before I know what I’m doing, I’m leaving the room. I need more clothes. More of my packs scent.
Stark naked, I wander the halls of the house as Simon trails behind me, allowing me to hand him everything I pick up from my alphas rooms.
A pair of gym shorts from Titus.
A muscle top from Ollie
Pajama pants from Mattie, and a t-shirt from Archie.
Simon tries not to laugh at me as I pull his whole damn comforter off his bed, but I need it. I need all of it.
When I return to my nest, Simon in tow, the rest of my alphas are sitting up, looking blearily at each other. “Out.” I motion impatiently with my hands. They stare at me blankly for a moment, sleepy-eyed and confused, before a more assertive tone leaves me. “Out, alphas!”
They scramble out of the nest as I completely decimate my previous structure, rebuilding it with the items I pilfered from their rooms.
A bit of Titus here, a bit of Simon there, a bit of Ollie in the corner, Archie near my pillow, and Mattie over there. I weave the scents together, peppermint with chocolate and marshmallow with caramel and coffee and hazelnut.
My eyes close as I take a deep breath, the way the scents twining together making me feel light and floaty.
This. This is what my nest should smell like.
“Are you up for a shower, sweetheart?” Simon comes up behind me, his arms coming around my naked waist. The feel of the hard planes of his body behind me, has my thighs clenching with need again as my slick runs down my thighs and—
…Yeah. I should probably shower. I’m covered in dried sweat, slick, and cum.
“A shower would be good.” I nod, turning in his arms to wrap my arms around his neck, my breasts pushing against his chest.
He captures my lips in a kiss before scooping me up bridal style and walking to the shower attached to the nest.
“I would suggest the rest of you get clean while you can,” Simon calls over his shoulder. “We don’t know how long this period of lucidity will last.”
I almost feel bad as my alphas and beta scramble out of the room to go shower off three days of grime, but not bad enough to stifle my laugh at the animated way they trip over each other in an attempt to get to the bathroom first.
We disappear into the bathroom, Simon kicking the door behind us and setting me on the counter before turning on the shower. It’s absolute bliss when he gently places me in the shower and starts soaping off my body. The hot water massages my now-sore muscles, and when his fingers massage into my scalp, washing my hair, I can’t stop the moan that escapes me.
“Mmmm,” I hum, leaning back into his chest. “You take such good care of me.”
“You’re mine to take care of, sweetheart,” a comforting purr rattles in his chest as he gently turns me to wash out the shampoo.
“Do you mean that?” I ask, blinking up at him as water runs down my body. “That I’m yours?”
“Of course I do,” he says quickly, putting his arms on my shoulders and looking into my eyes. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“I don’t know…” I bite my lip as I look down, not wanting to meet his gaze. I hadn’t realized I was even feeling this way until he said I’m his. But I know I’ve been begging for bites. I know that before my heat started, we all agreed we’d bond. But here I am, naked, aching, and bond...less.
My lip wobbles without my permission and tears sting my eyes.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Simon says softly, lifting my chin with his finger. “You said you wanted to wait until you were lucid in your heat. All of us I’m sure have been struggling to hold back. I know I have. But we wanted to respect your wishes.”
A choking sob escapes me, and I feel so ridiculous that I bury my head in his chest. “I know that. I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s going on with me.”
“Shhh…shhh… it’s okay, sweetheart. It’s okay. You’re coming off a surge of hormones. Of course you’re going to feel all over the place.” His purr rumbles louder, calming me slightly.
I hiccup, letting the last of my tears escape before backing away, cupping his face in my hand. “Thank you, Simon. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
He gives me a small smile, leaning into my touch. “I’m sure one of the others would step in and fill my role.”
“No.” I shake my head, moving my hand from his cheek to the back of his neck to pull him down for a kiss. “This pack wouldn’t be the same without any one of you. Without Ollie’s joy and levity, Mattie’s calmness, Titus’ protectiveness, Archie’s ability to be reasonable no matter the circumstances and you…” I bring my lips to his again, nipping and sucking at his lower lip while his breath catches. “You, my sweet, quiet, caring alpha, always check in with me. Your seemingly never ending knowledge on omegas and just what to say or do to put me at ease…” A small, shocked laugh leaves me. “You know, I wasn’t planning on saying this right now, but I love you, Simon.”
His eyes are wide as he looks at me, and this time it’s him kissing me, his mouth devouring mine as he pushes us out of the spray of the shower, pinning me against the wall as he lifts me under my knees. His hard throbbing length rubs against my stomach as he claims my mouth. His tongue fucks into my mouth his grip on my legs hard enough to keep me grounded despite the heat rising in me.
When he tears his mouth away, we’re both breathing hard as he rests his forehead against mine. “I have never met a more perfect woman. Alpha, beta, omega, you top them all. You could have been any other designation and I still would have wanted you. I love you so damn much Cady.”
Our lips crash together, and I’m trying to reach his cock to slip inside me when the shower turns off. Dazed and blinking, we both look to the open door of the shower to see a freshly showered Titus standing there, an unapologetic look on his face. “Can you not even get through a shower without knotting our omega, Simon?”
Simon’s jaw drops and I throw my hand over my mouth to stifle my giggle. “That’s not—we just—”
Titus’ face drops into an easy smile as he grabs two towels. “I know, man, I’m just fucking with you. I may have entered the bathroom shortly before your proclamation. I’m happy for you guys.”
I search his face for any hint of jealousy or discontent, but find none. He must realize what I was doing because when Simon lets me down and Titus wraps me up in a fluffy towel, he nuzzles my cheek. “You go at your own pace with all of us, angel. None of us will ever begrudge you that.”
“Thank you, Ty,” I whisper, kissing his cheek. He’s right, I need to go at my own pace with all of them, and just because I haven’t told some of them that I love them yet doesn’t mean I don’t.