Chapter 32
By the time Hunter and Madi get out of the shower, I’m feeling pretty good about my plan. The only problem is we can’t act immediately, and I’m guessing my ocean girl won’t be happy about waiting.
Freshly showered and dressed, Phoenix and I sit at the end of the bed, side by side, as Hunter carries a towel-wrapped Madi into the room, steam billowing out of the little bathroom behind them. Madi blinks as if she’s just waking up, and smiles softly when she sees us.
Phoenix repositions to his knees, bouncing a little on the bed. “Bring her here.” He holds out his arms to take her from Hunter. “We’ve got to get this aloe on you, sunshine. Doctor’s orders.”
Hunter kisses her forehead before setting her on her feet. She yawns, looking around as she takes in the room, and then her back goes ramrod straight. “Caspian.”
The single word shakes with pain that makes my heart throb. I take her hand and pull her into my lap, the action surprisingly natural despite the limited physical contact we’ve had before now. She comes willingly, but doesn’t relax.
Phoenix moves closer to us, rubbing her back, and Hunter kneels on the floor by my feet, a firm hand on her thigh.
“We need to go get him.” Her gaze swings around the room as if searching for him, as if he’ll somehow materialize if she just wants it hard enough. “I can’t—”
“Shh,” Phoenix says, “It’s okay, sunshine. Let Seb tell you the brilliant plan we concocted while you were in the shower.”
There’s so much hope in her eyes as she looks at me, my mind goes blank. What if this doesn’t work? What if this plan gets us all killed?
Eyes pinched shut, I focus on the weight of her on my lap, and take a long exhale before looking at her again.
“I’m not sure it’ll work, so don’t get too excited just yet.
” That nervous anxiety makes my hands shake.
Maybe I shouldn’t suggest this. I could just stay quiet about it.
We could convince her to wait it out longer and see if Caspian makes it to us on his own.
Oh, gods, I hope he makes it. Madi’s not the only one bonded to him.
My firebird wears his bite as well. What will happen to him if his mate is forced to stay behind in the ocean and lost to us forever? Will I lose him like my mom?
Hell, no. I’m not letting that happen. Okay, this is a good plan. It’s flawed, but it might work.
“I think you’ve probably realized money isn’t an issue for me,” I start again.
Hunter snorts a laugh but doesn’t say anything.
“Yeah. So, one of the tech startups I invested in about three years ago has been working on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of underwater exploration. They’ve truly made some remarkable strides while maintaining the company’s mission of—”
“Sebby,” Phoenix cuts in, “no need to default to CEO-mode. You aren’t giving an AlphaTalk, you’re with your pack. Just tell them.”
My pack. Those words do something to me I can’t explain. I never thought I wanted a pack. The idea of constantly having that many people around made my skin crawl. I like my solitude. People make me anxious and exhausted. And then there’s the fear of what happened to my mom.
But… right now, with Madi on my lap, my firebird leaning against my shoulder and Hunter at my feet, one hand on Madi and the other on my knee, I actually feel content. Being with the three of them feels right. Though, without Caspian, it seems incomplete.
Hunter raises his eyebrows at me, like he’s urging me to go on.
“Right. Sorry.” I look up at Madi, who’s gazing at me as if I’m about to save her entire world. Gods, I hope this works. “Anyway, this company created wetsuits that employ a new technology that uses—”
Phoenix coughs and raises a brow. Shit, I was doing it again. It’s a habit for me to geek out, more comfortable with science than dealing with whatever weird emotions I’m feeling right now.
“It uses technology I’m not going to explain in detail right now, since it isn’t important.
What matters is that these suits can theoretically be submerged up to 1500 meters.
They’ve only been tested to 250 meters thus far, but the science is sound.
I brought a few with us, since I wasn’t sure what we’d need to be prepared for. But—”
“So we can use them to get to Caspian?” Madi jumps, attempting to get to her feet, but Phoenix wraps his arms around her from behind, pulling her back down. She glares at him. “What are you doing? Let me go, we have to leave!”
“Shhh, sunshine.” He presses more firmly into me in order to hold her still.
“We have to wait for the suits and personal scooters to finish charging. They weren’t at full capacity because Sebby didn’t think we’d need them here.
We had the submersibles, and Tythas is deeper than they’ve been tested. ”
Madi deflates. “How long will it take for them to charge? We’re still gonna try them, right?”
“Yeah, ocean,” I share a look with the other men, “we’ll do whatever we can to get your mate back. The suits should be charged by morning.”
“I don’t know if we can wait that long. He’s… distressed. Something’s going on down there.” She shakes her head and worries her bottom lip between her teeth.
Phoenix pulls Madi back, scooting up the bed with her.
“We can’t make them charge any faster, sunshine.
So for now, let us take care of you. Distract you.
Help you turn off that amazing brain of yours that I know is thinking up every worst-case scenario, hmm?
” He rolls her onto her stomach, straddles her back, and kisses her bare shoulder before picking up the bottle of aloe he’d dropped on the bed earlier.
Hunter stands up and cups the back of my neck in his large hand. “It’s a good plan. Thank you.”
His approval means more to me than I would have expected. Still, I don’t want to mislead him. “It’s dangerous.”
“All of this has been dangerous. But we’re pack. And we won’t leave anyone behind or alone.”
Is that what it means to be pack? Maybe I’ve been thinking about this all wrong. I’ve only ever thought about how weak a pack would make me if I lose them, but there’s strength in this kind of connection, too. Could the benefit outweigh the risk?
“Are you gonna let us distract you, sunshine?” Phoenix asks, bringing me out of my thoughts. He rolls the towel down and massages the aloe into her shoulders.
“Ohhh.” She melts under his touch. “Yeah, okay.” Face against the mattress, she nods. “Please distract me. You’re gonna have to work a little harder than that, though. My mind is r-racing.” Her breath shudders as if she’s holding back tears.
Oh, my sweet ocean_omega. Hunter and I move quickly to our girl.
I take the aloe and pour some on my palm before rubbing my thumbs into the sole of her foot.
She moans encouragingly. Phoenix scoots up her body while continuing to work the tension from her shoulders, making room for Hunter to massage her thighs and ass.
There’s something so satisfying about working together to pamper and adore our omega, to give her what she needs to relax and let go.
But I still feel tense. Phoenix looks over his shoulder at me, and his expression lets me know he’s worried, too.
If the suits fail while we’re down there… No, I can’t think like that.
We won’t leave Caspian behind. No matter the risks.
Phoenix moves to the side. “Flip her.”
Hunter manhandles Madi onto her back before I can blink.
Her towel loosens, falling open to reveal her stunning body.
Fuck, I’d fantasized about how she’d look naked, but nothing compares to the real thing.
Her smooth skin is browned from her time in the sun.
The stark white tan lines made by her bikini are sexier than they ought to be, as if they’re highlighting the fact we’re privy to a sight even the sun hasn’t seen.
The only marks on her skin are the silvery scar of Hunter’s bite and the fresh wounds from her new bonds, and something in me starts to itch.
It isn’t quite jealousy, but it’s close.
Madi’s perfume explodes like a bomb. Summery sweetness with a rich boozy edge. She rubs her thighs together, bucking the air as she whimpers and writhes.
“Another heat spike?” Phoenix asks.
Madi doesn’t answer. Her eyes are glassy, cheeks rosy red.
“Makes sense.” Hunter places a palm over Madi’s lower belly, fingers spread. “She’s been without suppressants for days. I’m honestly surprised she hasn’t gone into a full blown heat.”
We all share a look filled with the same concern. Please, just be a spike.
Phoenix gives me a smile that’s all teeth. “This is perfect.”
“Perfect?” I ask. Madi having a heat spike—or a full heat—isn’t ideal right now.
“Yeah,” my firebird’s eyes are full of hunger, “perfect.”
I swallow, knowing what he’s going to ask, both craving and dreading the question.
“Let me bond you,” he says.
Madi moans loudly before I can answer, lifting her hips and grabbing her gorgeous breasts. Shit, we’ve already made her wait too long.
I’m spreading her legs and moving up her body before I know what I’m doing. The first graze of my tongue through her dripping slit is like the first sip of water after a drought.
In my periphery, I can tell Phoenix and Hunter are moving, but all I care about is my ocean.
I drink her down, tasting creamy coconut, tangy pineapple, and rich rum.
My tongue delves into her depths, licking up every drop.
She cries out, muscles fluttering against my lips, legs suddenly straightening as she tenses, then collapses over the edge of bliss, scent getting even stronger than before.
I did that. I made her come within seconds. My beautiful, brilliant ocean girl. I kiss her clit, and she twitches everywhere as she rides out the aftershocks.
“So responsive.” Hunter’s rumbling voice sounds from somewhere to the right of us. He’s leaning against the headboard, towel gone from his waist, dick in his hand, slowly stroking himself. Guess I’m not the only one who likes to watch.