Chapter 20 #2
“Were you this stubborn about Mikhail and Rune, too? Or do I get special treatment because we have the employer/ employee dynamic on top of things?”
“What things? There are no things. None.”
“Mhm.”
“Seriously. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Styx takes a step toward me, just one as he smirks in my face.
“I know what it looks like when someone is attracted to me, Row.” Then he leans in and breathes deep, whispering close to my ear on the exhale.
“And I might be a beta, but I know what it smells like when a sexy little omega slicks every time she sees me, too.”
My heart rate kicks up a few notches, beating a little faster as I turn my head to look into those gun metal grey eyes. “I don’t… You’re… I’m not—”
“Ready to admit you want me as badly as I want you? Still denying you need me in your pack as much as I need to be a part of it?” Styx grins as he straightens up, smoothing out the front of his tight black t-shirt as he tilts his head. “All in due time, love.”
My jaw drops as the cocky shithead chuckles then winks before he walks out of the stock room.
Fuck.
I’m either extremely naive and just as oblivious when it comes to designations and who picks up on what, or the damn blockers I’ve been taking aren’t working for shit. And if a beta can scent me, there is no telling who else can.
Hopefully it’s limited to the men in my pack, and the ones I want to add to it. If not, working here is going to be incredibly difficult.
Taking a deep, cleansing breath, I step up to the timeclock, close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose.
I was not prepared for any of this when I left the shelter.
None of it. I should have known better based solely on biology and how shit works with packs and mates but I was so set on getting revenge or whatever that I didn’t think about it.
I mean, who would? Set out on a mission to find a murderer and end up with three mates instead?
I don’t think anyone would see that coming.
“Finally.”
I freeze as a velvet voice whispers against my neck and rolls down my spine, as fingers ghost down my arms before moving to my sides. Warm, strong hands slide over my hips, gripping them tightly as I’m pulled against something equally hot and firm.
I open my mouth to protest, to tell whoever this is to back the fuck up before I make him, but the words die on my tongue as I feel teeth nip at the erratic pulse in my neck before a low growl rumbles against my back.
“You smell so fucking good, little bird.” I’m held tighter and my eyes flutter closed as I feel a nose in my hair before a cheek rubs against mine. “It has been hell waiting for you.”
My body relaxes as the scent of patchouli and something sweet floods every inch of me, filling the room and nearly taking my breath away.
A scent match.
My scent match.
There is no doubt in my mind, no question at all that what I’m surrounded by, what I’m smelling right now is the combination of something earthy sweet and all mine.
It probably doesn’t help that I can also feel the unmistakable outline of an erect cock against the small of my back, either. Especially when one of his hands slides to just above the fly of my jeans and pulls me tighter, my body flush against his with no space in between us at all.
“You feel it, too, don’t you, little bird?”
His dick? Yes, I definitely feel that, and I want it.
“You feel our bond just like you feel the bond you share with our beta.” Another growl against my back has my breath hitching in my throat.
“Our beta, our omega. I wasn’t sure about watching him at first but when Styx said he belonged to you, I knew I was going to protect him no matter what.
” The alpha rolls his hips just a little then chuckles when I whimper.
“It helps that he’s beautiful. I liked watching him because of that but I could feel your connection, feel how strong the soul bond between you is, and I decided he was going to be mine, too.
My omegas, my beta, my alphas. All mine because they are all yours. ”
My head goes fuzzy and my skin gets tight.
Tight in the best possible way as my heart starts to race.
He holds me in place with the hand on my stomach as the other lifts and pulls my hair away from the side of my neck, and I have to squeeze my thighs together when he licks the exposed flesh because I’m slicking way too much right now.
The alpha nips at my neck again before he straightens up, creating space between us and I immediately start to protest. I spin to face him as he takes a step back, my eyes clashing with washed out green ones and a beautiful shit-eating grin.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” I pant, my pussy clenching as his scent grows stronger. “What gives you the right to—”
Before I can finish my thought, he moves, coming at me quickly, his hand sliding up my throat as he pushes me against the wall. “I’m yours, little bird, and that’s exactly what gives me the right.”
My fingers move to grip his hand on my throat but I don’t do anything but rest them on his forearm like the stupid omega I am.
He is gorgeous.
Gorgeous, and cocky as hell.
And he’s right.
He is mine.
This alpha is mine the same way Rune is, the same way Niko and Styx are.
As my eyes bounce between his, I can’t deny it. I see it clear as day. This alpha is my scent match just like Rune, and his soul bond with Styx makes it my soul bond, the way mine with Niko is his.
“I bet you’d let me fuck you right now, wouldn’t you?”
My jaw drops at that.
Not because he’s wrong, my body is screaming for that, but that’s pretty goddamn presumptuous considering I don’t even know his name.
He grins and dips his head, burying his face in the side of my neck as his free hand cups my pussy, pulling a gasp and whimper from me as he grinds the heel against me.
“Soon, Row. I will fuck you soon and when I do, I’m going to bite your pretty throat and claim you right along with the rest of our pack.
” He lifts his head and rubs his nose against mine, his light eyes boring into mine.
“I’m going to claim you while you’re stuffed full of all five of us, while your tight little body blooms with all of our marks, and then I’m going to watch as you sink your teeth into each of us one by one until you have branded us as yours.
That’s what we are, little bird. All of us are yours, and I hope you don’t fight it much longer. ”
Then he rolls his hips, his cock digging into my lower belly before he licks my lips with a grin, releases me, then slowly backs out of the stock room until he disappears.
And I’m left standing there with a racing heart, fuzzy head, and a pair of jeans so full of slick I’m going to need to change before I get to work.
Did he say five?
Oh my god, this is getting out of hand.
Even though I know in my heart he’s right, I can’t even begin to process how to feel about any of that.
Which is exactly why I quickly turn around, open the hidden door, and race down the stairs toward Rune. He may not say much of anything ever, but he’s going to right now whether he likes it or not because I’m going to have a goddamn panic attack if he doesn’t.
I know that alpha was right, but I feel guilty agreeing with him.
I mean, I feel guilty because Niko and Rune weren’t here for it.
We both accepted Rune together, both knew he was ours, but we haven’t talked about Styx yet outside of when I announced that I like him, and this new guy doesn’t even have a name for me to discuss him with my mates.
It doesn’t seem right to find and confirm without talking to my alpha and omega. It makes me feel a little guilty, and really confused.
I don’t know what I’m supposed to be feeling right now or how to navigate it, but I’m going directly to my alpha, and I’m going to force him to help me figure it out.
RUNE
Standing at the bottom of the stairs, I look up with a frown.
Olive is still in the stock room.
Nikolai came down and talked with me briefly, said Olive was punching in, reassured me he was ready to get to work, and then he hugged me.
Without warning or asking for permission he doesn’t really need, my omega hugged me, scented me, then disappeared through the doors of the auction house.
I thought he was going to kiss me.
Nikolai hesitated. He looked up at me with those big brown eyes that were hidden behind blue contacts and waited a few moments but nothing happened. Nothing more than one of his pretty smiles, anyway.
His smiles, Olive’s, they are more than enough to make me happy, but they need more from me.
By nature and fate alone. Matching with them means they need things from me that I’m not sure I can give them, but the nature of our connection as well as their designations means they want those things as well. And I want to give them to them.
I’ve been trying.
Ever since Nikolai had his panic attack, I’ve been trying to be less standoffish, trying to let my guard down more around them so that if they need me, they can take what they want while I willingly give them whatever I can.
Which has been a lot harder than I thought it would be, but only because of the completely natural relationship we share.
By harder, I mean my dick, because both of my omegas have been craving physical contact from me and I’m at their mercy when it happens.
Scenting, hugging. Knees touching, holding hands, and leaning against me. They climb into my lap, together since I’m so much larger than them, and we sit like that until there’s a reason not to.
Recently, as in two nights ago, Olive insisted I sleep in their nest with them.
That felt like a huge step, one I never expected to take, and while I can’t say no to either of them, it’s been a blessing and a curse to share that space with my omegas.
Their scents are so strong there, so potent I can taste them.
From the sex they had, yes, but also because being with them in such a small, tight, unventilated space means all I can smell is them.