Page 40

Verity

I entered the training center which bustled with skating lessons and youth hockey practice.

Taking the elevator, I went up to the second floor. The Maimers had already finished practice. Mercy and Kaiko were doing schoolwork together in the breakroom since I’d had class.

An older man in a suit came down the hallway.

“I don’t know you.” Mr. Longfellow frowned at me.

“Oh, it doesn’t surprise me, Mr. Longfellow. I’m just that model. ” I gave him my sweetest smile. I’d seen him around but hadn’t interacted with him.

He blinked, obviously not getting it. Poor guy. It was probably time for him to retire. Despite the requests for him and Cal Daughtry to step down, that hadn’t happened.

At least Grif was reinstated – and Chet was in jail.

“Oh. Are you new? What do you do here?” He eyed my backpack and my outfit, which was seafoam green pants and a matching polka dot blouse. They flickered to my credentials. “Chaperone?”

“I’m the chaperone for the Maimers’ underage rookie,” I told him.

“Oh. Right. They did that. I don’t know what those kids were thinking. This is why you don’t give children a sports team. Next thing you know, they’ll be hiring omega skate smashers.” He shook his head in disbelief.

I hoped they did. Rusty had an eye on one she’d seen in Hawai’i.

Also, kids ? The Daughtry ‘kids’ that owned the Maimers were all older than me. They weren’t given it, either. They pooled their money and brought a franchise to New York. They were around more than the hockey Daughtrys and I’d met them all a few times.

Mr. Longfellow’s phone rang. He looked at it, sighed, and turned down the hall as he answered it without another glance at me.

Well then.

“I’m here to pick up the package,” I told Rusty as I entered their dining room.

Rusty laughed as she played air hockey with Liv. “Are you sure about that?”

Mercy gave us the side-eye as she closed her laptop. “You two will never get bored with all that, will you?”

“Never.” I grinned. “How’s the schoolwork going?”

“Essays are stupid and math can die. I don’t need this to skate fast.” Kaiko dramatically slumped over her own sticker-covered laptop.

“Stay in school, kids,” Liv joked as she hit the plastic puck across the table. Rusty leaned over the table and hit back.

“Thanks again for your support,” I told them.

“Anytime. No one messes with one of ours. It’s nice that Grif is back, though no one would have blamed him if he went elsewhere,” Rusty told me as she smacked the plastic puck into Liv’s goal.

“I’m glad he’s back, too,” I told her. Things were hard enough for him right now as they were.

Mercy got her stuff, and we left the training center. None of the hockey players were around because there was a home game tonight. Grif wasn’t cleared to play yet, though Jonas, Dean, and all the Knights would be there and the Bantams could resume their regular schedule.

Grif, AJ, Mercy, and I would catch the game in the family section.

But first manicures.

As we took the metro, Mercy told me all about her day and the new dance battle choreography she was learning.

“This place is adorable. I can see why you like it,” Mercy told me as we walked inside Margarita Mani’s. “We’ll have to get some pictures.”

We were escorted into the main room. It was cute and pastel. We weren’t the only ones here for late afternoon pampering. I’d limit myself to one drink this time.

“Are you all caught up with your research?” Mercy asked as her feet soaked in pink bubbly water.

“Sadly, no.” I tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice. I shouldn’t be mad at myself for not recreating years of research in a few days.

But I was.

“Boo. How can I help?” She took a sip of her mocktail, which had gummy snakes in it.

“So, I might need to go to Greece during spring break.” I took a drink of mine, which had a cloud of cotton candy on it. I’d made a very remarkable breakthrough with my other research.

The alpha subduing properties of omega lilies were much easier to access on specific Grecian strains. I should’ve seen it earlier. Myths often had roots in reality. Fortunately, I was now officially funded by Compass BioTek, so I could afford such a trip.

“Go for it. Though, I’m jelly. Season won’t be over yet.” She fake pouted. “I want to go to Greece with you.”

“We’ll do a fun sister trip over the off-season. Are you doing okay with our living situation? I ask mostly because student housing emailed me asking if we wanted to be moved because repairs are going to take a long time.” I took a picture of me with my drink and sent it to Dean.

“They’re decent guys. Jonas and AJ make time for me, which is nice. Having my own space upstairs helps. If we end up staying there, I think I’ll be okay.” There was hesitation in her voice.

“I sense a but. We can move out,” I assured her. As much as I enjoyed living with the guys, her comfort was important.

“Can we get an air filter for the living room? I got a little one for upstairs and it’s helping. Sometimes you all are a lot. There’s also no door in the hall like back home to help block off your bedrooms from the living areas.” Her expression went pained.

Two women came in and started working on our feet. We weren’t getting a pedicure as fancy as what I’d gotten with Dean, but we were getting manicures, too, so we’d be ready for the Squire Foundation Gala tomorrow.

It took me a moment. “Oh.” Embarrassment coated me. “I didn’t even consider that. That’s a good idea.”

“Scents are becoming a lot,” she admitted. “Not only there, but everywhere. Hale says it’s normal. How am I supposed to function?”

“It’s a lot. Do you need a class or a tutor?” I asked, understanding what was happening. It was usually a sign of an alpha getting close to awakening.

I never had a young alpha stage to start getting used to the strength, senses, and feelings. One day my body went, whoops, we should be an alpha by now and jumped right into it with no warning. It was part of why I was overwhelmed by my alpha. Especially since the parents didn’t want me to take alpha classes–even the ones everyone had to take in high school.

Mercy thought for a moment. “I don’t know.”

“We can stop at the drugstore after this,” I added. “There’s this cream you can put in your nostrils to make scents less. I never use it because it gives me nose zits, but it might work for you.”

“Gross.” Mercy made a face. “But yeah, I’ll try it. Everything’s getting to be a lot. Today I broke the punching bag.”

“I’ve done that a few times.” I tried not to laugh as the pedicurist rubbed my feet because it tickled.

“Um, I apologize in advance if I’m accidentally mean. The mood swings are a bitch. I made Gwenifer cry. I didn’t mean to. Kaiko said my privilege was showing and that I have no idea how the world works.” She looked away.

Salty sadness wafted off Mercy, her look full of regret.

“Did you say you’re sorry?” I asked.

Mercy sighed. “I apologized. But I still feel bad.”

“There’s a big world out there. As much as the parents bitched about money, we’ve led a pretty privileged life compared to a lot of people. I made a lot of mistakes when I was at university, especially when I tried to be funny,” I admitted as the pedicurist set my feet on the footrest and dried them off.

I continued, “Please ask me whatever you want. There’s so much I never knew about being an alpha. Like no one told me when a lady alpha lives with a male omega, her period gets worse because her uterus chooses violence given she’s living with a walking baby maker and hasn’t gotten knocked up yet.”

“Oh, my fuck.” Mercy laughed. “I was wondering what was up because you ate more chocolate than usual.”

“Do you have any other concerns about the guys?” I asked tentatively. “If you’re okay with living there, I’d like to not wait until the off-season to bite Grif.”

While I’d already been seriously considering it, Grif being in the hospital had pushed me over the edge.

Mercy gave me a look. “Bite one, bite them all. I don’t actually care. They make you happy and I know you won’t let them be mean to me. If I get tired of you kissing all the time, I’ll move out when I turn eighteen.”

“You’re okay with it. Good. I won’t have the wedding until summer. I like Grace’s idea of having it on an island in Greece in a field of flowers and certainly with my schedule it would be nice to have planning help.” Relief coated me.

“When you go during spring break to Greece, you can do wedding recon. Look at places, taste food. Maybe Grace will go with you,” she told me. Her nail tech painted her toes dark green.

“Good idea. Look at these pin boards she keeps sending me. It’s like she knows me or something.” I sent them to Mercy.

Mercy scrolled through them. “This is amazing. So, did you propose? Do alphas propose? I remember when Dad proposed to Harry.”

“Baba proposed to Mama. Though she’s beta, so they had to get married for their relationship to be legal–like Dad and Harry. I think it’s mostly, hey, we registered our mating, do you want a party? Oh, you want a wedding too? Okay, darling, anything for you. ” I adopted a thick, indulgent accent.

Mercy laughed. “I love that accent. Propose with that.”

“I’m going to use my grandfather’s ring,” I admitted as my toes were painted a sparkly blush. A lot of people had been angry when he’d left it to me with the instructions to give it to the omega of my dreams.

“Aww. Not sure that’s going to fit on Grif’s giant hand. He could always wear it like a necklace,” she replied. “Go for it. Are you going to propose tonight? You could do something silly at the game?”

Oh. I hadn’t considered that. Though he wasn’t playing.

“I… I ordered the cake we had on our first date for us to have tonight and I’ll put the ring on it. I’d make it, but it’s one of those labor-intensive cakes.” I wasn’t having a let’s bake a five-hour cake sort of day, anyway.

“Love it. After the drug store, we should get him a big ass bouquet like he did for you on your first date.” She wiggled her toes, which were now painted with little separators in them.

I grinned as I recalled how chaotic it was. “That sounds perfect.”

“Who wants some cake?” I asked as the six of us piled out of the elevator and into the living room. The Knights had won their game, and we’d gone to Tito’s as usual.

“Cake? Please tell me that’s a euphemism?” Dean grabbed me and kissed me. He hadn’t gotten a shutout, but it was a good game and would go far in getting the Knights back on track.

“No. It’s an actual cake.” I put my shoes on the rack and leaned my crutch by the coat closet. Flipping on the kitchen light, I got the bouquet and cake out of the fridge. Shaking, I took the bouquet over to Grif.

Mercy shrugged off her coat and tried to hang it up on air, then caught it. She turned to Jonas. “We need a coat rack by the door.”

“We have a coat closet,” Jonas told her, again, as he gathered up everyone’s coats.

“Kitten, these are beautiful. What’s the occasion?” Grif sniffed the flowers. “I do love eucalyptus.”

We’d both worn Dean’s jersey tonight–AJ had worn Jonas’. Mercy had gone out with her friends and joined us at Tito’s.

Dean eyed the flowers. “Those look a lot like the ones I picked out for your first date with Verity.”

“Do they?” With a coy look, I returned to the kitchen and opened the bakery box, positioning the ring in one of the frosting rosettes. Taking the cake, I carefully set it on the dining room table. “Who wants cake?”

“Cake. Did I miss your birth–” Grif sucked in a breath as he took in the writing on the pink marzipan fairy cake decorated with little rosettes–and the ring. Grif, will you marry me?

“This is the kind of cake we had on our first date. I didn’t make it but–” Before I could finish, Grif’s mouth pressed to mine. His beard tickled my face as his arms wrapped around me so hard my feet lifted off the floor.

His hungry mouth possessed mine, tongue exploring as his hardness pressed through his jeans into me. Grif’s breezy scent, which now had omega-y tones, surrounded me as I got a hit of his arousal. Finally, Grif set me down on the ground as he removed his lips from mine, leaving me breathless.

“Is that a yes ?” My heart hitched in my chest. I put myself out there, taking what I wanted. What if I wasn’t what he wanted?

“A thousand times, yes.” Grif pulled me to him and kissed me again.

“Wow, you’re pornographic,” Mercy snorted. “This is why we need giant air purifiers.”

“Noted, Squirt,” Jonas told her, tugging on one of her braids.

“And a coat rack by the elevator.” She grinned.

“Can we cut the cake? There’s a ring on the cake?” Dean asked. “Is this fairy cake? Fuck me. This shit is tasty.”

“I know the ring is way too small. It’s more for significance than anything. It belonged to my omega grandfather on Baba’s side. He told me to give it to the omega who stole my heart. You stole it on the airplane. Well, Lucky did.” I gazed into Grif’s eyes, remembering how he’d made my shitty day so much better.

“Damn Lucky.” He kissed my temple. “Your grandfather’s ring? That means everything.”

AJ looked at Jonas. “I told you she wasn’t going to do anything at a game.”

“And I told you it would be tonight or tomorrow,” Jonas laughed as he got plates.

“What?” I gave them an incredulous look. Because I didn’t know I wanted to do it today until I ordered the cake this morning.

“Princess, we know when you’re plotting.” AJ smirked.

I took the ring off the cake and tried to slide it on Grif’s finger. It fit the tip of his pinky and we laughed.

“Little Alpha, I’m ecstatic that you’re marrying my husband.” Dean kissed me, pulling Grif to me so I was between the two of them. He held me there as he kissed Grif. “Happy for you, Gumdrop.”

“I’m happy for both of you.” Jonas gave me a big hug. “Welcome to the family, Sweetheart. You, too, Squirt.”

Mercy rolled her eyes as she stood against the counter. “You know, for a bunch of smelly dudes, you’re okay.”

“You’re staying? Good.” AJ stole me from Jonas, his vetiver scent swirling around me as he pressed me to him.

Mercy cut the cake, and we all had some.

“Hey, if we tell my moms that Grif and Verity are getting married and having a fancy wedding, do you think I can get them to cancel the dinner for Grif and me?” AJ asked. “They’re inviting everyone, which was not the deal.”

Jonas laughed. “You can try. Though she’s going to want everyone at that wedding.”

“But then it won’t be my problem and I can hide.” AJ shot me a grin.

I could imagine him ducking into a hedge maze or a closet trying to avoid his parents.

“Dibs on being flour boy so I can hand out bread. This is fantastic cake,” Dean told me, stuffing a giant bite in his mouth.

“Delicious.” Grif’s eyes stayed on me as his tongue darted out and licked his lips suggestively.

My core grew molten as I took a bite and moaned. “Mmmm.”

“That’s my cue. Smell you later. Literally. Happy for you two.” Mercy put another slice of cake on her plate, grabbed two sodas from the fridge, and went upstairs.

We finished our cake and did the dishes.

“Now, if you excuse me.” Grif threw me over his shoulder.

“Um, I think I’m the person who’s supposed to do that,” I play-objected as he gave Dean and AJ kisses.

“I’d like to see you carry him down the hall, Princess.” AJ smacked me on the ass.

Grif took me into my room and shut the door, turning on the small recessed lights that made the room glow. The room smelled a bit like all of us because we’d all been sleeping in it together a lot. Well, we’d start off sleeping here and throughout the night people would pair off and go to other rooms. Or I’d get carried off.

Still, it was nice for us all to be together after everything with Grif.

My big, yummy guy pushed me up against the door and kissed me. Oooh, I could use some of that.

As his fiery kisses overrode my senses, he undressed me, my jersey and pants dropping to the floor. He kicked off his shoes and slid off his pants and boxers, leaving him only in Dean’s jersey.

“My alpha proposed to me, so I’m going to fuck her so good.” His eyes, smoldering with desire, burned into me with the heat of the sun.

“Mmmm, Tiger, give it to me.” I kissed him back. A hint of sweet omega perfume curled around me with his rain, making me gush. My throbbing alpha pussy was ready for anything he wanted to give me.

His body pinned mine to the door, and his large hand encircled my neck. Grif took his hard cock glistening with pre-cum and a hint of slick into his hand and guided it into me, eyes on me.

Pressing his mouth to mine, swallowing my moans, one hand still around my throat, he fucked me hard and fast into the door. Every thrust said mine while every hungry kiss said I’m yours. My ass bumped against the door as bliss filled me.

“Lock me,” he whispered in my ear. He continued to kiss me, but those kisses trailed down my throat as he sucked on the chords on my neck.

Pleasure burst over me as I came, locking him tight inside me. Mine.

“Kitten,” he groaned, as he came, flooding me with his cum. “You were perfect, Alpha.” Grif kissed me, caressing my face, and he cuddled me against his chest, us still standing.

Alpha. That made me a bit tingly.

I put my head on his shoulder, clutching him like a rosebush on a trellis. His rain scent was strong and sweet with arousal. The pheromones he put out made my head fuzzy.

Finally, my pussy unlocked him. He scooped me up and brought me to the bed, his cum trickling down my thigh.

“How’s your leg feeling?” Grif peppered my face with kisses, hands stroking me.

“It’s feeling good. Does someone need to be ridden?” I rolled us so his back was on the bed, and I was on top.

His eyes gleamed in the low light. “Mmmm, please ride me.”

“My pleasure, Tiger.” My hand wrapped around his cock, stroking its hard and weeping length. Keeping my eyes on his, I slowly lowered myself onto him. “I’m going to take this dick and make it mine.”

“I’m yours, Kitten. My cock. My lips. My heart. Every last inch of me belongs to you.” He intertwined his fingers in mine as I moved up and down, savoring the way his cock felt as my pussy fluttered around it.

“Dean might have something to say about that,” I teased, as I leaned in to steal a kiss, gyrating my hips. “So would AJ.”

“Okay, I belong to you, Dean, and AJ. But there’s enough of me to go around. And tonight? Tonight I’m all yours.” He grinned and leaned in to steal another kiss.

“I can deal with that. Mmmm. Come whenever you’re ready, Tiger.” I pinned his hands over his head and touched my forehead to his as I continued to ride him. Canting my hips so I got him at the right angle, my clit rubbed against him.

“Oh, yes. You already know you can bite me at any time. Dig your teeth into any place on my body and make me yours forever,” he breathed, stealing a kiss.

Need and lust came off him as I brought the two of us closer to our peaks.

I rocked against him, our bodies becoming extensions of each other. Tonight? Why not? Life was fleeting, and I was certain about him. Jonas could take Mercy to the rink in the morning. I didn’t have class until later. Grif still had a couple more days of medical leave, then some home games…

“Don’t overthink, just do it. Take me now and we’ll have our big wedding in the off-season,” he added. It was part dare, part keen.

“You want all of me, Tiger?” A little growl rumbled through my chest as I leaned forward, kissing him.

“I do.” His fingers let go of mine as his hands went to my hips, helping to move me up and down.

His words made my teeth ache, as my inner alpha yearned to do exactly that. Mark up that pretty throat so everyone knew he had two alphas that he meant everything to.

One of my hands tangled in his hair. My kisses trailed down his neck and I sucked hard on the juncture of his neck and shoulder, right over AJ’s mark. He gasped, hips bucking against me as I nipped and sucked at it, getting both of us closer to our peak.

“Please, Kitten, Alpha,” he moaned, as one hand left my hip and rubbed my clit.

My back arched as pleasure took me, shooting through my body. I spasmed around his cock, locking him hard. He gasped, our eyes meeting as he came inside me.

“Mine,” I growled as I moved over to the unmarked side of his throat. I kissed and sucked it hard as my body shuddered and fluttered around him.

“Yes, yes,” he groaned, arms tightening around me.

This man is mine. The ache became almost unbearable, and I clamped down on the tender skin hard.

It was more than a love bite. This was a full-on claiming mark as my teeth sunk into him, the metallic tang of blood filling my mouth.

“I love you, Grif.” I licked his blood off my lips, then tended to his wound, lapping at it tenderly.

Warmth sizzled through my body, lighting up every vein, every nerve, every synapses, filling it with awareness. Love.

This sensation settled in my chest, like a weight, as something hooked it to another warm awareness, linking us.

I inhaled sharply as I felt him. “Grif.”

Just like that, I was his.