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NIRO

I spoke in a softened low voice. I wasn’t used to hearing myself that way, but these two had me wanting to endlessly please them.

“Let’s say we start off our new lives here with breakfast. Aren’t you two hungry? I’m famished.”

Both of them jumped up, feet dripping, ready to go inside.

I wasn’t a great cook. But luckily, breakfast was the easiest thing to fix. Bacon, eggs, toast. It was difficult to mess those up. But they were curious. They didn’t know how to cook and watched my every move. Cambry asked questions for the both of them.

“We never worked in the kitchens,” he said, watching me as I beat nearly a whole box of eggs for a good scramble.

I made plenty of everything and heaped it on plates. Then set the table.

These two didn’t have to be told twice to sit down.

“When was the last time you ate?”

They both shrugged, mouths full. It pleased me that I could do this small thing for them and see to their full stomachs. There would be so much more.

Together, we left no bite uneaten. Both helped me clear the table and put dishes in the dishwasher. With three working together, even when we both made Angell sit and take a rest, it took no time at all.

Now we needed to figure some things out.

I knew their things were being delivered later in the day, but what all that was I had no clue.

These two needed clothes and essentials.

I wanted them to have phones. And perhaps they’d longed for things they could never get.

I wanted them to have whatever that might be.

“Come sit with me.” I led them to the living room.

I sat on the couch and to my surprise, both of them chose to sit on either side of me with Angell pressing into my side. He was so affectionate. Through the bond, both seemed content. At the moment. I’d taken them away from bleak lives, but I also hoped that contentedness was more.

“I’d like you both to make lists of things you need and want so I can provide them.”

They nodded.

“And don’t skimp on that list. I’d like you to have what you want and may not have gotten at the farm.”

They traded glances.

“I’m going to provide you both with phones, as well. Our bond works wonderfully, but I want you to be able to contact me while I’m busy at work at any time you need to.”

“You’re going to leave us alone here?” Cambry asked.

“I work weekdays on an eight to five schedule.”

“Do you have to go to work now?”

“I’m taking a little vacation.”

“What will we do when you go back?” he asked.

Angell signed. “I can clean.”

“I have a housekeeper who comes in once a week,” I said. “While I’m gone, you two can do whatever you want. You can play games on the computer, watch TV, swim.”

“But what would you require from us?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“A good Omega husband keeps himself in shape for his Alpha mate,” Angell signed. “Dresses well and has good hygiene. Is obedient and has dinner waiting when their Alpha comes home from work. Cooks and cleans daily. Shops for groceries as needed.”

Cambry took up the recitation like a chant. “A good Omega husband makes themselves available for their Alpha’s needs every night whether they are in the mood for intimacy or not. If their Alpha is in a Burn, they must be available for him night and day until the Burn is cooled.”

“Is that a quote from a book?”

They nodded solemnly.

“That sounds like something from decades ago.” But I knew times had not changed as much as I’d thought.

I had not been observant. Omegas were kept in subservience to Alphas as a rule.

But each household chose its own rules. Kris and Thorne did not live that way.

Nor did Kris’s brothers and their mates.

Not all Alphas wanted to marry a butler or manservant/bedwarmer.

“I checked the copyright. It was updated to the year we were in that class and required to memorize that passage,” Cambry said. “That class was two years ago but I’ve never forgotten it. Too bad they didn’t teach us cooking.”

“Did that book ever say anything about friendship and equality in a marriage? Or about sharing needs and wants?”

“Yes, it said we are to create a family by bearing and caring for as many children as our Alpha wants under his decree.” Cambry looked worried. “We care for and raise those children under our Alpha’s guidance and rule.”

“Children? Well, now.” I hadn’t given children much thought. Well, any thought, actually. Whenever it crossed my mind, I would think: Not for me. I’m too busy.

Angell quickly signed. “Oh, but we’re on birth control. It was mandatory.”

“I suppose that’s a future discussion for us.”

Cambry nodded. “When we’re all ready.”

I silently thanked him for his patience, because I wasn’t at all ready and these two had just moved in today. Children could be a possibility, but not immediately pending.

“Does this mean we have to sleep separately?” Angell signed. He was the bold one.

“You can sleep wherever you want,” I replied.

“Primary,” he signed. “With you.” He glanced at Cambry.

Cambry’s eyebrows went up. “We should stay together. Because if we’re not, someone will always feel left out.”

“Cambry’s right,” I said. “We need to discuss this, too. We are three, which is an odd number. I don’t want anyone feeling left out. If either of you do, you must speak up. Our bond is between the three of us, not just one on one.”

“Leave no one behind,” Angell moved his hands with a flourish.

“On that same thought, I want you both to know your original bond with each other is precious. I will never prevent you two from being together, alone just the two of you, or with me nearby.”

“Thank you,” Angell signed.

I simply nodded.

“I don’t really have rules here,” Niro continued. “I supposed we’ll make them up as we go. If we need to.”

Just then, Angell gave a big yawn.

Niro slapped at his own thigh. “Hell, I wasn’t thinking. You two must be exhausted after being up most of the night.”

“You, too,” I said.

“I’m fine. But let me show you the primary bedroom now. You probably could use a nap.”

My housekeeper had come the day after my Burn. The sheets were clean, the bed neatly made. I kept the room at a cool temperature because I hated waking in a puddle of my own sweat.

Angell and Cambry looked around the huge room in awe. “We’re really sleeping here?” he asked.

I stretched out my arms, turning. “This is it.”

I showed them the bathroom and where everything was. From the guest room, I brought in new toothbrushes and toothpaste, plus extra towels.

“I’ve got a cream for bruising.” I showed them the tube.

“They don’t hurt,” Angell signed.

“Feel free to use the shower. Shampoo and body wash is in there.”

“This shower is bigger than my entire bathroom back at the farm,” Cambry said.

I couldn’t help my wide smile. “Enjoy.”

Once I decided they had everything they needed for a good nap, I went downstairs and began ordering more things.

Their own belongings were due to arrive this afternoon.

But I wanted them to have things for tonight, and luckily due to strenuous business competition, delivery service here was shamefully fast for both grocery and amenity stores when I used my app.

For clothing, things like robes were easy.

But I had to guess at their sizes for other things.

It wasn’t a huge issue since I could return anything that didn’t fit.

When I was done, I lay back on the living room couch, suddenly sleepy.

I promised I’d only shut my eyes for a minute.

As I sank in a shallow doze, the bond flared to life.

I sensed Cambry and Angell as if they were lying right next to me.

Both were peacefully sleeping. I felt their arms around each other as they slept.

It was such a warm, comforting embrace, as if I were the one being held.

I wanted that. For myself. And for all three of us.

The bond reassured me we would get there.

Angell’s essence flowed through me freely in contentment and total trust. He might still have a purple bruise on his cheek and under his eye, but the sense from him was a full healing.

Cambry slept comfortably, but in a more tense pose.

His contentment was more hard-won. We’d had the most physical intimacy, but the least trust. I knew it was because I’d slammed down hard on the bond while he’d still been in the Mating Hall bed, naked and just coming to from a shattering Burn induced orgasm.

It had been my mistake. An impulse reaction.

I didn’t know in that moment what exactly had happened, or that my response could hurt him.

Angell had been easy to heal. Alpha protection mode worked like a natural balm. But Alpha protection mode where Cambry was concerned, though alive and well, had fumbled a bit. I vowed to make it up to him.

As I began to contemplate how to do that, I sank lower into a cushioning sleep. It lasted far longer than one minute.