Page 34

“You didn’t get us into this mess, Hubert Russell did. You know that.” Vera’s voice is stronger now. “If you want us with you at all times because we’re your mates, just say so. Don’t hide it behind ‘security threats’ or ‘keeping us safe’.”
Whoo. She’s not holding back, at all.
And she’s right.
Wanting us at his side because we’re his mates and wanting to keep us safe can look the same from the outside, but they’re not the same intention. And using one intention to get the results of the other one isn’t fair, on anyone.
“What else am I supposed to do? I can’t bond.” He balls his hands into fists on his lap, staring at them. “I can’t bond with you because I don’t go into heat. If you’re my ‘security team’, there’s at least a reason why you’re always with me. There’s at least a reason for you to always be at my side.”
Oh, no. Not that.
That’snothow we’re going to do things.
I slide my hand into his long hair, and turn his face so he’s looking my way properly. After I meet his surprised gaze, I kiss him, hard, letting him know that he’s mine. He’smyOmega, no matter what.
Mathew’s pheromones flare and, once again, they’re stronger than they were a couple of hours ago. Not as strong as Vera’s baseline levels, but still clearer than before.
When I break the kiss, we’re both out of breath. “If you’re worried about a bond mark, I’ll mark you when Vera goes into heat. If it doesn’t take the first time, I’ll mark you over and over, until it does. Do you hear me? I’ll mark you, and I’ll make sure it sticks.”
He nods slowly, his breath ragged, his eyes wide as he looks at me, his mouth ajar, showing off his lip piercings and the one in his tongue. Tempting me to play with all of them, curious how he’ll react.
Then he lets out a surprised gasp and when we both glance down, he’s got a red circle around one of his nipples and Vera is grinning up at us.
“I’ll mark you too, if you want to.” Her smile is bright and she looks so satisfied.
I can’t help my own grin. She’s so very possessive, has always been. My cute possessive Omega.
“I’d be honoured to wear your mark.” Mathew smiles at her and pulls her into his lap. “I’ll have it tattooed anywhere you’d like.”
Vera’s eyes shoot down and she raises an eyebrow as she looks up at him. “I think I know the perfect place.”
He lets out a sound between a moan and a groan. “Ididsay anywhere.” Then he kisses the side of her head, pulling her against him more. “I’d do anything for you. Anything.” He looks up at me. “For both of you.”
“Make sure you stay alive and protect our feisty little Omega at all cost.” I run my fingers over Vera’s cheek and she leans her head into my palm, looking up at me with absolute trust and love.
She’s the centre of my universe. Without her, I’m nothing. I love her more than anything in the world.
“If we become your ‘security team’, what would you want us to do?” I lean against the desk, my eyes on my two Omegas.
All my Alpha instincts scream at me to never let them out of my sight, to lock them up somewhere safe until the danger is gone. But if we stay in Mathew’s world, that danger will never be gone, that danger will forever exist…
“You’d join me wherever I go. Always stay at my side, keeping an eye out for things happening in our surroundings. Derrick and the others can’t follow me everywhere, they always have to stay at a distance, but you two won’t have to.”
Vera lets out a soft laugh. “That doesn’t sound like a security team, that sounds like we’re your dates.”
He pulls on one of his lip piercings with his teeth, glancing away. “I wish you could be, officially. But people will notice that you’ve only got one mark. And they’ll know it’s not mine, because it’s too old for that. They’ll figure out…”
Nobody but his closest team seem to be aware that he’s an Omega, and they’re doing everything possible to keep it that way. So, if we’d introduce ourselves as his mates but people notice that Vera only has one mark, they’ll know he’s not an Alpha or a Beta.
Mathew would be able to keep my mark hidden with the collar of his shirts and all, but for Vera to only have one mark would be suspicious.
“Of course, Derrick and the others will protect you. You won’t be my shields or anything like that…” His words falter and become less and less sure. “It’s just so I can keep you at my side.”
“What about the people after us because of the bounties?” I glance over to the screen, which has just jumped to a new set of cameras.
“This isn’t the first time this has happened. Usually, not much comes of it once they realise who I am. But it’s always a good idea to keep security sharp, especially in the first couple of days and weeks.”
I nod. “What about us?”