Page 92 of In Deep

“He’s telling the truth,” Duncan adds. “It helps with the alpha adrenaline. Keeps us pumped.”

I look to Seb for confirmation, and he nods.

“Fine!” I laugh. I’m hardly capable of turning down my alphas, and if it’s going to help, I don’t need any more persuasion.

“So you’ll hand in your notice on your room?” Seb asks.

“Yep.”

“Now?”

“Now?” I repeat, flabbergasted.

“No time like the present.”

“But I need time to–”

“Let’s show her the room,” Ollie says, lumbering to his feet. I can see they’re all sore from earlier despite the giant ice bath they subjected themselves to as soon as we returned to the house. Ollie crooks his finger and beckons me up onto my feet. “Come on, little mouse. Let me show you to your burrow.”

I glance at the others, and they all grin back. Now my curiosity is definitely piqued. I’ve never been up into the top floor of the house. To be honest, I’ve been so occupied with my alphas on the others, it’s never even occurred to me to investigate what’s up there.

Ollie hums as we climb the stairs, and my excitement grows with every step upwards.

Finally, we emerge on the top floor, and straight away I’m gobsmacked. Attics, I thought, were dark and dingy places, but this floor is flooded with light, the windows prized wide open and a summer’s breeze rushing through.

The space up here runs the entire width and length of the house. A giant space just for me. There’s a four-poster bed built from driftwood, light, gauzy material hooked around its frame; several deep, cozy-looking armchairs; rows and rows of bookcases; a desk with a computer already set up; and to the side, a bathroom screened off.

“Obviously, this is your room, so you can change it however you like.”

“I don’t think I want to change anything,” I say, strolling into the space, lifting my arms and letting the sunlight fall over me. “It’s so big.”

“We can divide it up if you don’t like it,” Ollie says, coming to join me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

“No, I like it.” I grin. “I always had to share a room with my sisters growing up, and then, well, you’ve seen my dorm room. I feel like I could breathe up here.” I step away from him and spin around, my arms stretching wide.

“And,” Ollie says, taking my elbow and guiding me around, “did you see this?”

I halt, my mouth falling open, and I blink. A choke rises in my throat.

Resting atop a tripod of spindly legs sits a telescope, angled up towards one of the overhead windows.

“Is it for me?”

Ollie nuzzles my ear. “Of course it is, little mouse. We bought it for you. We never want you to stop reaching for the stars.”

“I won’t,” I whisper, my eyes wet.

“Unfortunately, you can’t play with your new toy now. You’ll have to wait for nightfall,” he nips at my throat, “but there is something else we could christen.”

“Are you sure you’ve got the energy?” I ask, reaching around to run my fingers through his hair.

“For you, Omega. Always.”

Our lovemaking is lazy and languid. He’s exhausted after training and I am more than happy for him to take his time, allowing me to gaze into those caramel eyes as he holds me close and whispers sweet words in my ear.

Words that turn profound as he comes and knots me.

“You have a pretty way with words,” I tell him afterwards, combing back his hair from his face.