Chapter 36
Opal
In the past month, I’d ridden in not one, but two private planes, and it was going to be a sad day when I resumed my place in economy seats.
Might as well enjoy it now. My wolf yawned.
She was still exhausted from tossing and turning on the luxurious cloud-like bed I’d fallen into after we arrived. The blankets were too fuzzy. Too clean.
Nothing smelled like my mates.
I sighed as I stared out the window over the gardens below the high-rise office building, watching rain bead on the glass. The mountains in the Colorado horizon line were so much bigger and rockier than the Blue Ridge mountains back home.
Home. That wasn’t even the word I’d call it anymore, but I better get used to saying it again because I was already planning to go back.
“You have to eat something.” Penelope sat beside me on the small sofa closest to the windows.
All the plush sofas in the meeting room were arranged in a circle at equal level and draped in soft blankets and throw pillows.
Background music drifted from some hidden wall speakers, a soothing piano sound.
I looked at the pastries dusted with powdered sugar and the coffee pumped full of delicious caramel creamer, feeling my stomach roll in on itself. “I’ll eat after they decide.”
The shifters on the other couches in the room weren’t all Omegas. It was the team of lawyers in power suits who I watched, waiting for them to finish typing away on their tablets and whispering notes to each other now.
“I think we have everything we need.” The eldest female of the bunch stood, offering me her hand. “This will work. Or we’ll make it work. We’ll be in touch once we get them to accept all the terms of our proposal.”
The breath rushed from my lungs as I stood and eagerly thanked her. No way it was this easy.
Looking around the posh room, I had to wonder if there was anything money couldn’t buy.
“I know what you’re thinking, and no, you can’t pay us back,” the Omega director said as the lawyers left the room. “We have a fund set up for all Omegas that you have full access to.”
I thought of my mom and the shack I’d grown up in, but for the first time, I didn’t feel bitter toward the Omega community for abandoning her. I’d learned a lot in the past eighteen hours about the lengths they had gone to and all the help my mom denied.
I don’t know if I’d ever understand why she’d chosen the path that she did. And it wasn’t just me caught in her darkness. She’d pulled Alpha Journey in too, even though she didn’t love him the way he loved her.
Then again, what kind of a mess would I be if Atlas and Dorian didn’t want me?
“Thank you,” I told the director.
“You’re very welcome.” She grinned ear to ear as she linked arms with her secretary and they both skipped from the room. “This is so exciting. I love love.”
I picked up the pastry and took a bite. Raspberry filling hid beneath the pillowy folds of pastry dough.
My favorite!
Penelope smiled approvingly. “Now, are you sure you want to do this?” She motioned to my unmarked neck. “They haven’t quite come through on their end. We can delay. Make them grovel a bit more if you need.”
Oh… Tempting.
“It’s fine.” I licked the sugar off my fingers. “I know my Alphas. They’re just waiting for the right moment to do something big.”
“If you’re positive…”
A commotion outside the doors had Penelope’s eyes widening and her heart thumping hard as she took a cautious step back.
I touched her shoulder, sending a wave of calming magic. “Sorry about that. Looks like my guys are here.”
“You can’t go in there!” The burly male voices of security echoed in the quiet halls.
Atlas was the first person through the conference room doors, bulldozing in like a freight train. “Opal.” He spoke my name like a prayer.
“That’s our mate in there!” Dorian yelled, fighting off the guards.
Did he say our mate? I almost pumped my fist in the air.
My wolf rolled her eyes. Took them long enough.
“They’re with me!” I called out, meeting the director’s frightened eyes as she cowered in the hall.
She breathed a sigh of relief and stood to tell security to back off.
Atlas crossed the room in two steps as Dorian burst in next. I only had a moment to feel the tiniest bit guilty about the dark circles under their eyes before Atlas kneeled at my feet.
Even at this angle, his presence was domineering, but he was gentle as he took my hand. “I’m so sorry, princess, for whatever we did and whatever caused you to want to leave us.”
He spoke for both of them, like they were a team. Happy tears filled my eyes.
“Don’t cry.” Pain creased Atlas’s face as he looked up at me. “We’re not perfect, but please let us keep trying to be what you need.”
I blinked through the tears as Dorian stood beside Atlas, catching my other hand in his. “I’m never going to be good enough for you and I won’t think Atlas is either, but he’s right, we’ll both die trying. Please don’t give up on us. Not yet.”
I couldn’t speak. My heart had swelled so much it choked me and I had to fight back the tears to press both their hands against my chest, letting them feel how I truly felt.
“I love you both, you idiots,” I choked out. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
Penelope coughed slightly behind me.
“Oh, I mean… I’m not going anywhere else without you.”
“Then why?” Atlas frowned.
Dorian glanced around the room. “What’s all this about?”
I couldn’t quit smiling. “It’s a surprise.”
“A surprise?” Dorian’s eyes widened as he and Atlas looked at each other. There was a frustrated growl and then I was lifted off my feet.
“Hey! Where are we going?” I cried as Atlas threw me over his shoulder.
“Getting you back where you belong,” Atlas grumbled.
I propped my chin onto my elbow against his back so the world was right-side up again and waved to Penelope. “Thanks for all your help!”
“Any time.” She laughed. “You three go have fun.”
*
“You weren’t trying to leave us?” Dorian watched me through the rearview mirror.
“Never.” I shook my head.
“Then why all the secrecy?” Atlas asked.
I leaned forward as far as my seatbelt would allow so they could both see me smile. “I can’t tell you that yet.”
“And when can you tell us?” Dorian looked amused while Atlas gave a frustrated growl.
“Depends.” I bit my bottom lip.
Atlas tugged it free from my teeth. “Depends on what?”
“Oh, you know…” I shrugged. “Nothing too important.”
You’re not getting anything until I’m marked and claimed properly.
Dorian coughed, still grinning as he glanced at me. “Looks like there’s a motel up ahead.”
“Really?” I tried not to squirm in my seat as I looked to Atlas, waiting for him to make the final call.
Desire burned in his gaze as he met my eyes. “Let’s see if they have room.”
*
Dusky sunlight filtered through the vinyl blinds of our roadside hotel room. Atlas had pushed the two queen-sized beds together, making us a place to lie comfortably. We’d gotten pizza delivered, which was surprisingly good, and eaten until I was stuffed.
My head was on Dorian’s chest as he played with my hair and my feet were on Atlas’s lap where he rubbed them while we watched a rom-com on cable TV.
“And now she’s going to run,” Dorian pointed out. He was the worst for commentary, picking apart each scene as it happened.
“She wants you to chase her,” Atlas growled. “Why isn’t he chasing?”
“It’s the third act breakup.” Dorian sighed. “They’ve got to add drama somewhere.”
I would’ve sat up to argue that the whole plot was tense, but his fingers felt so good as he ran them through my hair and I didn’t want him to stop.
“Her ex-boyfriend is a weasel.” Atlas dug his fingers deeper into my aching feet.
I bit down on my moan of delight.
He turned to me. “You’d never do that, right?”
“Entertain the idea of someone else?” I teased.
Dorian’s grip tightened in my hair as he tilted my head back. “Never. You’re ours.”
Say it again. My wolf stretched out languidly just as I did; the two of us moving as one. Truth be told, the border between us was always a thin one.
I didn’t mind.
She had the best ideas.
“Opal…” Atlas tensed as his nostrils flared. His hand moved up to my calf and he held it there as his wolf flashed in his eyes. “Is it that time again?”
I sniffed. It did smell like maple syrup.
But I couldn’t even be embarrassed. “It isn’t the heat. I just missed you two.”
“And I missed you.” Atlas growled as he spread my legs wider, kissing and biting down my thigh as he sank lower on the bed.
I gasped at the feel of his roughened skin on mine, arching my hips as he grabbed my shorts and underwear, pulling them off my legs in a single swipe.
Then I was exposed and bare to him.
My big, Alpha mate.
“Such a pretty pussy.” He groaned at the sight of it before diving in for a taste. “And it’s so fucking sweet.”
I was lost, riding the waves of pleasure, as he teased and tested different strokes, settling on the one where his tongue danced with my clit that made me moan the hardest.
Dorian fisted the hair at the back of my neck as he turned my face to his again. Hunger burned in his eyes.
Slowly, he worked open the buttons of my pajama top, letting the material fall to either side. My legs quivered around Atlas’s head as I tried to hold Dorian’s gaze.
It was bold for an Omega, but my mates made me crazy, and heat or not, I wanted them to know what they did to me.
Dorian cupped my breast and rolled my nipple between his fingers, tugging and pinching just hard enough to make me cry out with need.
Atlas growled against my core as he clamped down on my clit.
“What do you think, princess?” Dorian’s voice rumbled with desire. “Do you think we should punish you for leaving us?”
I vote yes. My wolf raised her paw.
“I…” I swallowed, needing him to take control. “Um… Pl… Please…”
Dorian’s laughter was a delicious threat.
Atlas lifted his head from between my thighs.