Page 8 of Last Resort (Betas in Waiting #29)

P oppy was shaking. She had held herself back from killing Forza, but it was far too close for her own peace of mind. Back in her room, she changed into comfortable PJs and wrapped herself in the soft blankets before climbing into the suspended chair on the balcony.

The soft knock on her door made her grunt. Her senses told her it was her alphas. You can come in, but I am not opening the door.

There was a pause, and then Myro and Breen walked through the door. Breen was holding a box. What is that?

Myro walked up to her and took her hand. Are you all right?

No. When Forza grabbed me...

I am sorry that I wasn t fast enough. Breen looked at her.

She smiled slightly. You both know that isn t my particular issue, whatever Estrya feels. I wanted to kill her. I wanted to throw her to thousands of different places in time and listen to her scream echo across the ages. That is a little much, right?

Too soon after the fighting. Myro knelt and offered his hand to her. She took it.

Probably. They didn t give me an option.

He nodded. We didn t intervene because we knew you could handle it. We hadn t realized that you were still processing.

Breen walked over and crouched in front of her. You are still filled with fury?

She huffed. Why do you understand?

The two looked at each other and shrugged in unison. Breen said, We know. Now, it is called CPTSD. You learn to manage it, but it is always there.

Myro smiled softly. I believe that is why you threw us ten years back, so we had time to heal from the confinement. And you spread us across the world so we could learn how different things have become.

She shrugged. More like I didn t want you guys too close to home when the ladies started showing up.

Myro asked, How many omegas do you think there are? The adult ones.

Over forty-five. About fifty that have been stunted and need to grow, and now, only twelve girls under the age of eighteen. Since you guys don t age, you can wait.

They grinned. That was when it dawned on her that they didn t have to wait. She sighed. What s in the box?

Myro took it and opened it. Just proof of a solid match. These are calibrated for us specifically.

How can you tell?

He grinned and held a wide white cuff in his fingers. This isn t meant for your average beta.

Right. Wait. White is paying.

Breen shrugged. Women usually do, one way or another.

Myro smiled. When you are ready, we will waive the fees.

How thoughtful of you. She smiled. She snapped the cuff onto her wrist and tapped it. Health stats, age, and the number of sexual partners were all displayed. She exhaled slowly. I forgot they did that.

She looked at the ages of the guys and wasn t surprised to see three digits on each one of them. They had been incarcerated for quite a while. She flicked past their histories, checked their health, and ignored their body count. With their ages, more activity was likely. Remind me to tell Violet to skip the numbers and just put experience levels.

They compared numbers, and when they saw hers, they both paused. So, limited experience.

Yup. Technically, the guy who grabbed me out of the training room counted as the one, but he s spinning through space at the dawn of time right now. He woke me up, and then he died. Well, he might still be dying. I am not sure how black holes work.

Breen blinked. Ah. Well, I believe space would have killed him.

Oh, right. She smiled at the fond image in her mind.

Forza does not know how lucky she was.

She shrugged. And she never will. Being alpha-sized and shiny and chalky is hard enough without folks knowing about the extras.

Breen smiled. I think you are lovely.

Myro kissed the back of her hand. What do the bands tell you?

That we are an exceptionally good match, and you both are far more aroused than your casual postures indicate. She looked at them both.

Breen shrugged. I have been in this state since the airplane.

She blushed and said, Sorry. Is that why you kept me on your lap?

He chuckled. No embarrassment on my part. I just like the feel of you.

She sighed. Are all the dark Elite as sweet as you two?

Myro chuckled. Definitely not. Some are bordering on vicious. They are the ones with the beasts close to the surface. It is easier to control yourself if there is simply one mind in your body.

Oh. Mickey is going to have a rough time of it, then.

The wildling? Yes. It s a good thing she s out here. Her males are back in the cities.

Plural? How many? It seems more than two. She narrowed her eyes at Breen.

He sighed. There are three species represented by the wildling mark that I can think of. Predators and prey.

Oh. That s unusual, isn t it?

That is up to their omega. She can take on one or many.

So... a few isn t an option.

Like many animal owners, she will have difficulty with moderation. Myro stroked her thigh through the blanket.

Moderation? You guys are huge, she muttered. One is enough, and two is nearly too much.

Breen smirked. Nearly. Nice save.

She smiled. Thanks for coming to jostle me out of my homicidal rage.

Myro nodded. Thank you for not acting on it. It would have been difficult to explain to the viewers.

She wrinkled her nose. Breen laughed.

Myro asked, Poppy, can we link with you?

Does that involve sex?

It doesn t have to. We just want our link formed. It will help you with control if you need it.

What is involved? I know that once we really activate, bite marks don t stick.

Myro smiled. It s a simple braid for each of us. We coat our lock with blood and one of the others braids it. When the final lock is done, our blood binds us. After that, any biting is just for fun.

She said, I am pretty good at braiding hair. It has to be a straight braid?

Myro nodded. Yes, one lock divided into three. It doesn t discolour the hair; it just leaves you with a permanent braid. It will not come undone.

It seems innocuous.

Breen perked up. So, you will do it?

Sure. I am not na ve enough to believe that we don t match.

They both grinned and held their hands out.

I have to leave my cocoon?

Yes, it will be easier if the person being braided sits in a chair.

And I am going first.

They smiled. Yes, you are.

She sat in the chair, and Breen went to the bathroom to get a comb while Myro ran his fingers through her hair. Which lock do you want?

She reached behind her left ear and said, This one.

Myro nodded and moved the mass of her hair over, fastening it with a clip Breen handed him.

She watched as Myro combed down the length of the lock, and then he moved to one side and handed things off to Breen. He s better at braiding than I am. Myro chuckled.

Breen smiled and said, First, I will make the braid, and then Myro and I will mark it, and then I will braid Myro, and you will braid me, and it will all be done in half an hour.

Oh. Fast.

He chuckled, and his fingers started whipping around without tugging, and she saw him working his way down the lock.

So, this is representative?

He smiled. You figured that out, right? Yes, it has to be us in a mental state to bond and you to be receptive. The blood washes off in the next shower. It makes it somewhat ritualistic and gets us all in the frame of mind to bond.

I see. But no sex tonight.

He grinned. No penetrative sex. We still have days of challenges to undergo, and we all need to be able to move easily.

Oh, so you have a strategy. Well, I already blew all the ocean-based challenges. She grimaced. I am way too buoyant.

Myro chuckled. Just one of the things we appreciate about you.

She couldn t turn her head, so she flipped him off.

Breen smiled and whipped the end of the braid with a hair. He lifted his hand to his mouth and slid his hand down the column of hair. She felt a tingling inside her skull, and Myro moved to the side. She smelled blood again, and then there was a heavy pressure on her mind.

She laughed and said, Wow. I feel like I am on the verge of a migraine.

They moved the chairs around, and then Breen was presenting his lock that he wanted braided before he did the same to Myro. She scooted in close and went to work on the braid. Breen smiled. Consider yourself lucky. There is a group that had to learn a five-braid.

She paused and then smiled. Myrtle s group.

Correct.

She only had to braid ten inches of hair, so when she finished tying it off, she stuck her left index finger at Breen. Bite.

He grinned and nicked her finger with his teeth. She didn t say anything, but she slicked down his braid with blood. And as he finished Myro s, she got up and trailed her fingers down his braid as well. Myro took care of Breen s braid, and then Breen did the same.

There was a locking feeling in her mind, and Poppy s legs buckled.

Myro caught her and said, And now we rest and let the bonds lock in. We will be up and dressed on time.

Her head was humming as they stripped to their shorts and crawled into bed with her tucked between them. She felt so much more with their minds linked to hers. The part of her brain that controlled the time portals was desperately wrapping their own energies and trying to sort it safely.

They pressed their heads to hers, and she slowly breathed until she let her mind relax into sleep.

Poppy woke up in soft, warm darkness and kissed Myro. His eyes opened, and he cupped her cheek.

What do you want, Poppy?

Touch without fear?

He caressed her hair from her face. We can do that. But we might need to remove your kitten pyjamas.

She smiled. I accept the terms.

Hands behind her eased her shirt up and off then he skimmed the bottoms and her panties down and off.

Breen moved her hair and kissed his way down her neck, across her shoulders, and down to the small of her back. Myro moved down her front, and she tried to guess if she had suggested touching or licking because licking was happening.

Myro s mouth on her breasts got her hot, and she felt a solid tremor go through her, and slow clasping inside had her blushing.

Myro paused, sucked softly a few times, and then kept working his way further down.

The night dissolved into soft sighs and shudders; fingers and other limbs caressed her, and no part of her was left untouched.

By the time dawn arrived, she was cuddled against Breen, Myro was resting his head on the curve of her hip, and she definitely wasn t nervous about contact anymore. She smiled. She was a bit nervous that they were going to stick together when they woke up; their clothing had been discarded after hour one.

She yawned and said, I think we have to get up and get ready.

Myro pressed his lips to her hip. Yes. We can help you skip the shower if you like.

She blinked. I am not going outside smelling like this.

Breen said softly, Aw. This scent is almost perfect.

Myro sat up, blue-white flame moved over all of them, and the stickiness was gone. She looked at the table, and today s outfits had arrived. They were exercise gear. Oh, dear. Today is another day of watching me bite the biscuit.

Why?

Because I specialize in debugging, not sprinting. Even like this, I don t want to do anything other than look around and enjoy the scenery. She felt her face heat. Take that any way you want.

She slid off the now-cleaned bed and walked to the table, grabbing her sports bra and wrapping it around, zipping up the front. The shorts went on next, and then the loose tee with the Sityr logo went on top.

Poppy noted that they loomed on either side of her as they found their own clothing by virtue of the logos.

Myro asked, Who delivers them?

Either Deno or the building itself. I am voting for the building, possibly the island.

They pulled on running shorts and tees that denoted their companies.

Right. I guess downstairs is next, huh?

Myro smiled, picked her up, and kissed her. When she was back on her feet, Breen picked her up for the same treatment.

She got her balance back, put on her socks and sneakers, and stood up. I am getting something to eat.

They all trooped out of her room and downstairs. Deno and Serin were there with Estrya, and as Poppy glanced at the other omega, she had the same peculiarly satisfied and frustrated look that Poppy was feeling.

Estrya held up a second cup of coffee. Poppy nearly ran over. Thank you.

Rough night? Estrya smiled.

No. It was... nice. What happened after I left?

Forza is on the quiet island for alphas in rut. She will get it out of her system either by meditation or generous volunteers to get it out of her system.

I haven t noticed a female alpha going into rut before.

Estrya rocked her hand. It was more like you got her high. Think stimulant, not sedative.

Oh. So, she was drunk, sort of.

Yup. Don t worry. She is getting treatment on a very nice private island.

Good. I didn t mean her any harm, but I would have and that was going to get nasty fast. She sipped at her coffee and sighed.

Have some food. High on protein. Today, you guys are going for a helluva hike. Estrya smiled and nodded, Morning, Deno, Serin.

They nodded, and Poppy took the advice and got some scrambled eggs and smoked meats along with fresh fruit.

Her knees felt pressure on either side, and she looked up to see Myro and Breen industriously working on breakfast. They sat together, and when they finished, Thera was there with the big camera on the tripod as they came out and lined up a decorous distance apart. Estrya smiled and began her patter. The other two members of the Daring pod that weren t looming behind Thera came forward and helped them fit cameras on their arms, chests, and back.

The drones took flight.

Well, Team Alpha, today, you are working as just that. A team. The other teams agreed that it wasn t fair to have such a lack of balance, so this should fix it.

You are to head up this path until you reach the waterfall, get into the safety gear, and climb. Today, your team is becoming the benchmark for time. Estrya winked. When you get to the top of the waterfall, there will be instructions for the next leg of the challenges. I am sorry, Team Alpha. This is going to be a very long day.

Estrya talked about the cameras for a moment. Crossbody packs of food were given to them, and then their gracious and scaled host said, Right. Run.

Poppy took a dozen steps before Breen scooped her up and ran with her. His eyes gleamed, and he said, No complaints?

Nope. Let me know if you want a snack.

Myro laughed, and they ran to the cliff face, rigged up, and were on the way up with them simply pulling her up with them.

She felt surprisingly good when they were standing on the edge of the world and looking around. The flat plateau was stunning, with the water emerging from far below and running next to their feet. Myro grabbed the box. Got it. Look to the east, find the unused path between islands, and walk into the land of butterflies.

Poppy walked to the edge and smiled. That s going to be fun.

Myro grinned. You come down with me.

She walked up to him as he arranged the cable for safety. He pulled her against him and clipped them together at the safety harness.

That isn t suggestive at all, Poppy muttered.

Myro grinned and said, Hold tight.

Breen launched next to them, going fast. Poppy plastered herself against him. If you break me, he s not going to forgive you.

Myro looked at her and smiled sweetly. Neither would I, Poppy.

He jumped back, and they descended fast. She watched stone and green and water pass and slowed time around them for a moment. They landed gently on the ground, and Myro kissed her forehead. There we are, safe and sound.

She grimaced. Unhook me; this lacks dignity.

Breen lifted her and took the strain off the clasp, and then they were shimmying out of the harnesses and running with her in Breen s arms. She looked at him. Why are you the one carrying me?

That s my thing. Strength and stamina with dexterity. I do a lot of game testing.

What is Myro s thing?

You can ask him. He grinned and ran up next to Myro. She has a question. Catch.

Myro s arms came out as Poppy flew through the air, and he caught her. What s the question, Poppy?

Uh, Breen mentioned his alpha specialties, but he said I had to ask you about yours. So, I am asking. What s your thing?

He laughed and nearly stumbled while running full out. Please redefine your question.

Well, while you aren t having any issues with carrying me, the grip says it isn t as easy for you as it is for him. So, what is your alpha-based specialty?

Game design and management. I can think through things faster than the average alpha.

So, your position at Tiberia is...

What I do for a living.

You are infuriating.

He laughed. I know.

They went two kilometres, and then Breen took her on as they approached the sound of the open ocean.

She looked at the long bridge and then looked to Breen. I think I want to walk this one.

He nodded.

How about I go first? This thing might be weight-sensitive. She kept a straight face. The bridge got regular maintenance according to Amby.

Myro muttered, Not a fan of that.

She kicked her feet, and Breen set her down. She turned to the guys. Hydrate, and then we are going to walk this lightly. If anyone tries to swing me around, they are going to hear about it.

She walked to the edge of the span, leaned against one of the posts, and pressed a link. The cables under the slats pulled in, and there was a locking sound. She looked over her shoulder and grinned. See you on the other side.

She began the long walk, and the rigid bridge held under her feet. She began to run and made it to the other side in three minutes. The moment she was over, Myro powered through and then Breen. When he was done, she pressed the button, and the bridge loosened so it would sway in the breeze.

Myro said, That is clever.

She looked at him. You are going to put it in a game, aren t you?

He grinned. Come on, we need to find butterflies.

Breen took her hand and hauled her along. A fresh wave of drones was watching them, and she knew she was going to catch hell for this. The viewers on the internet were not forgiving.

She walked with them, and Myro took her other hand as they saw the first butterfly and tracked it back to a huge and wonderful garden filled with the island butterflies and dozens of others. She let their hands go and walked into the cloud of butterflies, turning and laughing as they stuck and drank from her sweaty skin.

She turned slowly, and the butterflies took off and landed again.

She laughed and walked toward the guys, seeing their outlines through fluttering wings. Myro whispered something in her ear, and she nodded, walking back to the centre of the garden as she slowly twirled in place. Taking on an Elite gown wasn t something she often did, but this time, she did it with a twist. It was black. Once the gown was in place, she walked back toward Breen and Myro, and they were breathing hard. The butterflies slowly peeled away, flying loose until she stepped out of the cloud and twirled slowly in front of them. Her cameras were still in place. Myro kissed her sweetly, and then Breen stepped in. She looked at them both and said clearly, Okay, how do we get back to the village? This dress isn t built for sprinting.

They all started laughing and walked toward the outpost and the boat visible down a steep set of stairs. As they walked down, she resumed her exercise gear. The drones followed them as they got on the boat, and the golden alpha drove them back to the village.

Myro wrapped his arms around her waist as she stood at the railing and said, You are stunning when you are having fun. Gorgeous any other time.

Thank you. I am incandescent when I am coding. She laughed and leaned against him.

Breen was talking with the captain of the vessel as they rocked over the ocean.

She sighed. What do you think is on the agenda for tomorrow?

Myro murmured against her temple, No clue, but I think we need to try last night again. I think I can do better.

Poppy shuddered, swallowed, and said, You did fine, Myro. I don t want you to strain something.

He laughed and kissed her temple again. It was a delightfully fun challenge.

Yay. I won. Several times.

He let out a soft chortle. That is the thing about these unions. One s win means all win. I liked winning last night. I liked it a lot.

She shivered and felt her nipples prodding at the inside of her sports bra. Don t tease.

He kissed her neck in full view of the drone near the ship. She reached back with her index and middle fingers and pinched his lips together. A little less PDA for them to edit out, please. She glared at him.

His gaze was dancing with amusement. She released her pinch.

Myro laughed. That was effective.

She laughed and leaned back against him.

They sailed around the island and made it back to the dock near the village. When they were back on dry land, they headed into the main village and went for some snacks. The ones they had brought with them had been consumed, and she was hungry.

They got a seat at the open-air restaurant and were still there when the other teams were coming back, looking extremely worse for wear.

Poppy smiled. They look rough. Oh, hey. Mickey is with Sityr.

She must be the replacement for Forza.

Well, Mickey is physically fit. Really fit. I am sure she did pretty well in the ocean challenges.

She s the only one who doesn t look like old seaweed. Breen chuckled.

Mickey did look really perky in the Sityr dive suit. The zipper was down far enough to see the black glyph on white skin. Mickey waved at her, and Poppy waved back.

This competition had turned out to be entertaining after all.