Page 37

SKYE

I lost track of how long I had been sitting alone at the kitchen table, my hands wrapped around a now cold cup of tea that I had made just to keep my mind occupied.

At my feet, Tracker dozed softly, his steady breath a cozy warmth blowing over my toes.

Time crawled by. One minute felt like ten.

When I looked at the clock, the short hand had barely inched along.

It’s funny how a person’s actions can totally transform when you’re the one doing them.

When Severen and the others stayed up waiting for me when I was out with Rowan, it felt like overkill, needlessly overprotective.

Now that I was the one waiting up for people that I cared about, it suddenly seemed like a completely rational thing to do.

The familiar sound of the Jeep pulling in made me perk up. I rose and put my cup of untouched tea in the sink. From the window behind the faucet, I watched the guys get out of the vehicle. Rowan leaned on Crux as they shuffled and stumbled up the steps, to the door and let themselves in.

“You–” I was dumbstruck by the sight of them.

They looked like they had just fought through a riot.

A cut split across the bridge of Crux’s nose and purple crescents were blooming under his eyes.

Rowan was limping, favouring one side, and leaning on Crux for support.

His lip was split and he had a large gash on his forehead. “What happened?”

“We had to work out some things together,” Crux said.

“So you beat the hell out of each other? Crux, how could y–”

“No.” Crux raised a hand. “Fight night at the Pax. Legal and sanctioned. Two versus two.”

Rowan lifted his head. “We won.” He sounded, and looked, proud of it. His eyes were red and puffy, his hair stuck to his forehead, matted with sweat and blood. I could feel how shallow his breathing was.

“Both of you, come with me.” I took their wrists, each of them, and guided them up the steps one at a time. I could smell booze on their breath, mostly wafting off Rowan.

“How much did you have to drink?” I asked.

“A few,” Rowan said.

“Bartender refused to serve me because I was driving,” Crux said.

I ushered them to the second floor, down the hall, and into my nest room.

“Shirts off,” I said, already helping Crux with his.

I went to my chest of drawers and pulled out my Perfume and the AlphaBetas tank top.

It was loose and flowy, and fell past my butt, with super wide armholes and a drop back.

Facing away from the boys, I pulled off my t-shirt and pulled on my sleep- shirt, then roped my strawberry blonde hair into a braid.

By the time I was done, the guys were down to their boxers.

I climbed onto the bed, and Crux followed after.

It was a big round bed, with satin sheets, and a faux fur throw blanket over downy comforters and satin-cased pillows.

The mattress was large enough for me and all three of my mates, plus room for one or two more.

After arranging the pillows comfortably, and Tracker claiming a spot on the fur throw, I looked up at Rowan.

“C’mon, get in bed.”

Rowan froze and stared at my bed. “I haven’t been in another omega’s nest,” he explained quietly. “Since…”

I licked my lips and reached out for him. “It’s alright. You can be in this one tonight.”

My perfume cast out, sweet, summery blueberries and fields of bluebells and cornflowers. Instinct made me lead him into my nest. Omega energies had soothing properties. It wasn’t a magic cure-all, but I think it was some sort of dopamine thing. Or serotonin. Something like that.

I guided Rowan to lay down, and he lay with his back facing me.

Skin contact was what both alphas needed to ease their hurts.

I wrapped my naked arms around his uncovered black and blue back while behind me, Crux snaked his arms into the sleeve holes of my shirt and hugged me around the belly, his chest pressed to my back.

I slid my bare leg up along Rowan’s, hooking it over his.

“How does this feel?” I asked, addressing both of them. “Is this okay?”

Rowan exhaled, his pains slowly numbing. “Yeah.”

Crux kissed the back of my neck. “It’s perfect, bluebird.”

“Good,” I whispered against Rowan’s spine. “Just breathe.”

Taking my own advice, I indulged in a deep breath, and so did Crux, then Rowan. Soon the three of us were in sync, breathing in one pattern, one pace, drifting in and out of comfortable unconsciousness. A purr escaped my throat as my awareness slipped away into a peaceful slumber.