Chapter 21
Arabella
“Are you sure—”
“Completely.” Reid cuts off my anxiety-fuelled question, pops the bond blockers into his mouth with a wink and then washes them down with water.
“You can still change your mind,” I offer anyway.
“Why don’t you show me your nest?” he asks while taking my hand.
He doesn't even acknowledge my offer for an out. When I hesitate, Reid shows me once again why it's so easy to trust him.
His scent floods into the air around me as he moves in closer.
I back up until I'm pinned between the alpha and my kitchen counter. I’m feeling mesmerised just from the look in his eyes, like glittering emeralds piercing right into my soul.
“Arabella,” he says, setting one hand at either side of me, caging me in. “You seem to be under the false impression that helping you through your heat is some kind of hardship for me. I can assure you, there is nowhere else on this earth that I want to be more than right here with you.”
“Sweet talker,” I tease, breathless as he leans in to kiss my neck.
When he growls, biting the delicate flesh instead, I shiver against him. I’m torn between the urge to flee from the intensity of his teeth dragging across my skin and the desire to push against them, begging for more.
“Is that what you think? That I'm just sweet taking you?” His low growl is delicious, and I can't bring myself to feel guilty for provoking him. “You're being a naughty omega.”
I gasp when Reid suddenly lifts me into his arms.
At first I think he's taking me to my room, but then we're in my bathroom, bright lights flickering on as he turns me to face the mirror.
“Reid…”
“Your scent is getting sweeter with every second, so I need you to hear this before you're too out of it to care what I'm saying,” he rumbles.
“You are so beautiful in a way that makes me nervous just looking at you.
I know you're probably trying to convince yourself right now that I'm only attracted to your physical appearance.”
“Uh, no…” I bite my lip nervously, then ask, “I mean, how would you even know that?”
“Because I know you a lot better than you think I do. Your beauty is soul-deep. I see it in the way that you interact with our pups. I see it in how people who know you, like Ruth, talk about you. I see it in the way you treat others with kindness, even if you don't know who they are. Hell, I see it in the way you have such grace for your ex, who absolutely doesn’t deserve it.”
“So you think I'm beautiful because I won't let you beat up my ex?” I can’t help but laugh a little at that.
“I think that's a part of your beauty, but not all of it. You're complex. Sometimes chaotic. Always a little fiery. You're human. You're worthy of that same kindness and care.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, suddenly not finding anything funny about this anymore.
“But if you need more convincing, I'm eager to spend my time between your thighs, making you scream my name.” Reid smirks at me in the mirror, making my heart flutter from the sight.
He's so handsome. So caring.
“Such a good alpha,” I purr, cheeks turning pink when the words slip free, but I don't take them back.
My scent is filled with needy desire as I try to turn so I can face Reid, but he keeps me in place with his hands on my hips.
“I want you to watch as I undress you,” he whispers right into my ear in a low voice.
The words and the feeling of his breath over my neck are enough to warm my body, and I’m utterly focused on the alpha as he removes my clothes. He goes at a teasing pace, making a show of it as he slowly drags off one piece at a time until all that's left is my thong.
“You have the most perfect curves, Arabella. Let me worship them.”
“I need your knot, Alpha. Before the heat takes over. I want to remember the first time you're inside of me.”
“Okay, Omega. Show me your nest.”
I spin away and out the bathroom door, giggling when Reid playfully spanks my ass as I go past him.
I quickly slip through my small home and straight to my nest. The second I’m in there, I begin scent marking my blankets in the hopes that Reid won't notice the alpha scents I have buried deep in the layers.
I stole a few things that belonged to Alec and Nathan to keep once it was all over.
If he senses something is off, he doesn't mention it as he flips me onto my back. With his lips on mine, the guilt slips away, and all I can think of is Reid and how badly I want him. How good he smells and how fucking perfectly his scent mixes with mine as we fill my nest with our shared desire.
“Do you want this, omega?” Reid asks as he presses delicate kisses to my chin and down my throat.
“This?” I ask breathlessly. My mind is miles away, and his question doesn’t fully click.
“Do you want me to fuck you, Arabella?” he clarifies.
“Yes.” I nod, all hesitation gone.
I want Reid. Maybe I’m selfish or maybe I’m just a needy omega, but there’s no way I could refuse him now. Hopefully this mini heat isn’t about to send this wonderful alpha running for the hills once it’s over.
“Good girl,” he purrs, pressing more kisses across my skin. The light touch of his lips over my sensitive body has me worked up and clawing at him by the time he reaches my hips.
He’s going too slow, and I need him inside me now. Hoping to get the point across, I yank my thong off and drag it down my legs before tossing it across the room. The low growl that rumbles in my chest is an accident, but the grin he rewards me with was worth it.
“Okay, baby. I hear you. No need to bare your fangs.”
Does he hear me, though?
Because he’s still not inside me.
Once he’s naked, I pounce. I’m tired of being teased.
“I want you inside me, Reid. Now.” I press my teeth to his throat, biting. Not hard. I’m not fucking insane, but enough that he understands I am on the edge of going a little feral.
“Yes, Omega.” I’m straddling his hips, reaching for his cock as he growls.
“Such a good alpha,” I murmur as I stroke his length. Fuck, he’s long. Thick too. I shiver as I caress the swell of his knot at his base. “Fuck, that’s going to feel so good inside me.”
“You’re going to make me come in your hand if you keep that up, Arabella.” Read’s voice is strained as I use my free hand to steady myself on his shoulder. He helps lift me with his hands on my hips so I can line his tip up with my centre.
“I want all of your cum inside me, Alpha. Not on my hands,” I purr.
“Fucking hell, woman.” Reid shivers, his cock twitching in my hold as I slowly sink down, the first few inches of his cock filling me. “Fuck, you’re so slick.”
“So thick,” I manage to moan at the same time, as I lift up and drop down once more. Once I adjust to his size, I’m too desperate to go slow as I ride the alpha hard. “Knot me,” I beg, needing to come, but the jerk shakes his head.
“You come first.”
“Your knot will make me come,” I hiss.
“So will my cock,” he groans back, holding onto me tightly as he flips us until I’m on my back looking up at him. “Do you need me to—” His words cut off as he adjusts us so my ankles are on his shoulders, and he reaches down to press a thumb to my clit.
“Yes. Oh, Reid. Yes!”
From this angle, he’s so deep. My entire body buzzes as my orgasm travels through my veins. When Reid locks his knot inside me, I see fucking stars. It’s perfect.
“Reid! Fuck, you’re so deep.” I’m a moaning mess, but I can’t stop the words tumbling out. “So, so good.”
“Arabella,” he growls as his cum fills my centre.
Everything gets a little blurry after that, as Reid keeps my pain at bay and fills my every need. I can tell he’s getting tired, but he never denies me what I need, using his mouth or fingers if his knot isn’t ready for another round.
By the time my fever breaks, the poor man is exhausted. I can’t tell if he fell asleep or passed out once he realised I was no longer in danger of feeling pain. Either way, he’s definitely out hard.
My body is sore, but in the best possible way. I like the physical reminder of my time with Reid.
My last heat was incredible, but there are still so many blank spots in my memory because of the heat fog. I wish I could remember everything from those days with Alec and Nath. What I do remember are all good things, though. They took such good care of me.
I wish I was wrapped up in their arms too.
Guilt and shame wash over me once again as I nuzzle Reid's chest, trying to forget that traitorous thought. It’s just because I ran into Alec. That’s all this is, right?
I quietly sigh. At least the heat spike wasn't as severe as I was expecting, but I can tell it won't be long before it returns full force. Maybe a week or two, but possibly even less.
I look up at Reid, watching his peaceful, sleeping face. I really wore him out. He did such a good job of hiding his exhaustion until the moment he knew my pain was gone.
Reid really is an incredible alpha. I would be lucky to call him mate, and yet, I can't help but feel like something is missing. Something or someone…
Two someones, honestly.
Alec and Nathan can never be mine, and yet, I never stop thinking about them.
They're mated! They don't need my needy ass trying to wiggle between them. Besides, even if they could accept adding an omega to their mate bond, they could never accept Reid, right?
That's also assuming Reid didn’t run away at the first mere mention of two extra alphas anyway.
Fuck.
How do I tell Reid that even though he took such incredible care of me for this mini heat spike, if this had been a real heat, there would have been a moment where he had nothing left to give me? Where I would’ve been left wanting.
He needs to know the truth, that I need more for my real heats, before this gets any deeper.
Before we break each other's hearts.