Chapter 7
Arabella
“Come here, beautiful,” Nathan says, scooping me up into his arms. Alec releases me easily, but I don’t feel rejected like I expect to.
“You two are going to be the death of me,” Alec grumbles, and I smile into Nathan’s neck as I nuzzle his skin.
“We’re going to take such good care of you, Bell,” Nathan promises, pressing sweet kisses to the top of my head as he carries me into the nesting room.
“Wow, this is really nice,” Alec murmurs as we enter, shutting the door behind us to give us some privacy.
Running on pure instinct, I jump from Nathan’s arms and start searching the room.
Pillows, blankets, and a massive mattress on the floor.
Perfect. There are also electric candles scattered around to set the mood without risking a fire.
The room is small, but not so compact that it feels claustrophobic. It feels safe and secure.
I settle on the edge of the mattress, brushing my hand over the blankets and pillows.
Sniffing at them cautiously, I’m relieved when they smell fresh and clean, with no strange lingering scents of other alphas and omegas.
I only chuck two of the pillows out of the nest, the material of them feeling just slightly off in a way I can’t quite put into words.
“Do you want the fairy lights to be a different colour?” Alec asks, casually picking a small remote off the wall and pressing a button.
Something about the way he does that irritates me, but it takes a moment for the reason to reach my thoughts clearly.
It’s the familiarity.
Alec’s been here so often that he knows his way around. He’s had others in this room before. They don’t truly want me. They’re here because they volunteer for this—to help needy omegas. The knowledge feels heavy, and I feel a different sort of heat rising in me, more of a boil than sparks.
The lights flicker from white to green and then blue, but I’m not concerned with the colours softly illuminating the room. All I can think about is how many times Alec has been here with another omega.
“Um, Alec…” Nathan murmurs before clearing his throat.
I retreat to the centre of the nest, perching on a pile of blankets.
My eyes lock on Alec as I imagine all the ways he’s touched other omegas in this very room.
He’s probably fucked countless people on this damn mattress, and Nathan has too.
I suddenly wish I could slash it open with a knife and ruin this nest so badly that they can never bring anyone else in here again.
“What happened? Why is her scent so…stifling?” Alec coughs, frowning at me as Nathan stares with wide eyes.
“She’s angry, like omega-angry.” I watch as Nathan tilts his head, glancing around the room as if it will somehow provide him with answers. When his eyes land on Alec, he winces. “I think she’s realising we’ve been in this position before. With others.”
“Well, she’s wrong. We’ve never been in this room before, or with an omega that's anything like her,” Alec challenges, holding eye contact with me as I continue to fume.
“Lies…” I manage to hiss, but then his scent hits me.
It’s filled with soothing pheromones as he strides across the nest and right up to me.
He drops to his knees, meeting my eyes with an intensity that makes my breath hitch.
He smells so damn good it’s hard to think, making it impossible to cling onto the rage I’d felt bubbling over only seconds before.
“I promise you this, Bell. I have never followed the scent of such an intoxicating omega even once in my life,” Alec vows assertively, no hint of aggression underlying his tone the way I’m anticipating there to be, but then again, nothing about this has been what I expect from an alpha.
When he reaches out, his hand softly brushes my cheek like I’m something to be revered, and I press into his touch instead of flinching away.
His eyes don't leave mine for even a second, an unwavering level of attention directed right at me. I swallow a lump I didn’t realise was forming in my throat and silently pray that I don’t start crying.
I could blame my tears on the rush of hormones and chemicals, but they’d likely still figure out just how broken I am.
Alec leans in closer, face inches from mine as he continues, “Believe me, I have never, ever considered sharing an omega’s heat without my mate, but if you hadn’t wanted Nathan, I would’ve had an impossible time walking away from you.
I have never met an omega with such a delicious scent in all my life. This moment is new for all of us.”
Along with his words, his pheromones are working overtime to calm me, and damn him, it works. I press my lips together, silencing whatever plea or whine wants to slip out. I can’t just fold, can I? Make myself vulnerable…more than I already am being an omega in heat.
“Bell?” Nathan murmurs, pulling my attention away from Alec as I glance up at him.
“Yeah?” I manage to whisper, hating how meek my voice sounds.
Alec slides his hand from my cheek and into my hair, gently massaging circles into the side of my head.
It’s as if he’s instantly picking up on my emotional shifts and then attempting to soothe them.
It feels so natural, comfortable in a way that seems beyond instinct.
I want to close my eyes and hide from how easily he can see me, but I force myself to keep them open, watching Nathan’s face. He smiles, warm and reassuring, his light brown eyes meeting mine with as much honesty as Alec’s had held.
“If you didn’t want me, I would’ve been devastated, but I still would have asked Alec to stay with you,” Nathan replies, his words taking me by surprise.
It must be obvious, as he quickly moves closer, adding, “You need him. I can see that you do. This also isn’t meaningless to us; I want you to know that.
We are so grateful you chose us—that you want us. ”
And just like that, with his sweet words and his scent joining his mates in the nest, I melt.
“I want you both so badly,” I admit, my voice cracking as my heart races, pounding like a hammer against my ribcage.
Admitting what I want is terrifying. They could still reject me, tell me that I’m disgusting. They could realise I’m damaged and run away, leaving me touch-starved and heartbroken all over again.
“Fuck, baby, we want you too.” Alec moves first, his strong hands pulling me into his arms. I wrap myself around him easily, burying my face against his skin and licking up his neck, savouring his flavour.
“So good,” I mumble. I bite there gently, careful not to press anywhere near hard enough to break his skin but enjoying the way he shivers under me at the feeling of my teeth.
“Fuck,” Nathan groans, and I realise they can probably feel each other through their bond.
If Alec had spent my heat with me, without his mate, it would’ve been agony for Nathan.
He must have known that, yet he hadn’t been lying when he said he’d have told Alec to stay.
The thought forces a whimper from my lips, and I reach for the other alpha.
He drops beside us eagerly. I lean back a little, taking in the sight of them side by side.
Sweet fucking hell, these men are works of art. My scent blooms once more as I perfume for them, my desperation reaching new heights.
“Kiss me,” I whisper, but when Nathan nods to Alec to go first, I shake my head. “Both of you.”
They’re surprised, but I can tell by the way their scents spike that they like what I’m asking for. I smile as Alec reaches up, pushing his right hand into my hair, as he uses his left hand to grip Nathan by the neck and pull us both in for a kiss.
As our lips touch, their flavours mix perfectly together as our tongues tangle. This sensation is entirely new, and so fucking good… I hold both of their shoulders to steady myself as the kiss becomes more heated. I whine when Nathan pulls away, chuckling when he sees my glare.
“Just removing the layers between us, little omega,” Nathan explains as Alec moves his attention to my neck.
My head tilts to the side to give him easier access as I watch Nathan slowly remove his shirt, revealing the contours of his muscular body. He’s so handsome that I can’t look away.
“He’s so fucking sexy, isn’t he Bell?” Alec rumbles before he nibbles the sensitive skin of my ear.
“Yes,” I answer automatically, too caught up watching as Nathan removes his pants next, taking his boxers with them, to be embarrassed by my easy agreement. His cock bobs as it’s freed from under the waistband, and I swallow thickly.
His knot is already half swollen at the base of his impressive length.
“Keep looking at me like that while my mate kisses you, and I’m going to come before I even get to taste you, Bell.” Nathan’s words are no more than a growl, and the sound sends shivers across my skin.
“What a tragedy,” Alec says teasingly, then chuckles, releasing me from his hold. I turn to watch as he takes his clothing off next. His body is perfection, though I don’t know why I expected anything less from the alpha who’d rescued me. When his cock springs free of its denim prison, I gasp.
I thought Nathan was huge, but fuck, Alec might be even thicker…
The thought of it pressing inside me, of being locked on his knot, has me burning.
“Yes, please,” I say eagerly as I practically pounce on the alpha, straddling his lap.
“I can’t knot you with your clothes on, Bell,” Alec replies, catching me with his big hands on my waist.
God, he’s so strong he could probably just—
“Get them off me,” I beg, barely able to get the words out as my fever spikes and the cramps in my abdomen return. “Make me come. Please, Alpha. I need you. I need your knot.”
Hands are everywhere. Tugging at my clothing, caressing my skin. It’s a blur as the two alphas work to undress me.
“Fuck. She’s dripping slick, Alec,” Nathan groans as I straddle his mate, desperate to fuck him. To take his knot.