Page 65

FIFTY-FOUR

Playing: Angels by The XX

“I want to bond. Right now.”

They all whip their heads in my direction, their faces in different states of bafflement.

Well. That’s one way to make an entrance.

“Like… right now right now?” Kendall asks, obviously not opposed to the idea by how his glowing eyes slide right to my neck.

Atlas is the one who cuts through the chaos I just threw at their feet. “Are you sure, angel? It’s only been a few days, we’re still unpacking your stuff.”

I shake my head. “The more I keep thinking about it, the more it freaks me out.”

“What part, exactly?”

“The heat. I’m nervous about it.” I absentmindedly fiddle my fingers before looking around. “I’m not sure how it’s going to feel or go. I’m terrified of being disconnected from my body again after…” I can’t get the words out, but they all know what I’m alluding to.

The overdose.

Atlas nods, understanding. “I know it’s scary. But we are going to be there the entire time. We won’t let anything happen to you. We promise.”

“I trust you four more than anything, I just want to rip the bandaid off.” I think about it again briefly before nodding. “I’ve talked to my therapist about it, I know what’s going to happen. I just need it to already be here, because the anticipation is making it seem more scary.”

My prime gives me an understanding smile. “Okay, but then there’s your nest. You still need to prepare it.”

“Do we know how long it’ll take her heat to set in after we bond?” Kendall asks.

“Two to three days,” Uriah says from the corner.

We all swing our faces towards him. He pauses at our reactions, before putting his hands up in surrender. “ What? ”

“How did you know that?” Ciro blurts out.

His cheeks flush the tiniest bit. “I looked it up. I thought you three would have done your research.”

The butterflies in my stomach start up as I think about him researching heats in order to prepare for my own. It’s bizarre being someone’s omega, but I bet it’s even more difficult being someone’s alpha, which is why I am even more smitten with him than I was before.

Atlas looks thoughtful. “Okay, so if we bond you right now, you’ll still have a few days to prepare everything the way you like.”

“More than likely, she won’t get things exactly how she likes until we bond her anyway. The bond ignites the need to nest,” Uriah adds again, and the rest of them groan.

“Can you not be an omega expert for two seconds?” Ciro says with exaggerated hand movements.

Uriah gives a proud grin before shrugging his shoulders.

Atlas tries to stir the conversation back into something productive. He palms the side of my cheek, giving me those serious eyes of his. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

I swallow before peeking down at his lips, then I give a very adamant nod. “Yes, I do. I’ve waited long enough. I want you to claim me, and I want to claim you.”

To have their bites on me, to say that they are officially mine ? It’s all I want. All my omega wants. I won’t feel settled until it’s done.

I can’t wait to get their teeth in me.

Atlas watches me closely, so I watch back. I’m getting antsy, my toes pointing mindlessly as my perfume starts to spread between the five of us.

“Please, Alpha,” I whisper, and I already know I’ve got him right where I want him.

He smiles deviously at me, a look only our pack gets to see, as he laces his fingers at the nape of my neck.

“I’d give you anything you want, Omega.” Then he’s picking me up swiftly and throwing me over his shoulder. The squeal that escapes me pierces before I erupt into laughter. He marches out of the room, the rest of them following suit as I squirm in his grasp.

“What are you doing?” I ask between giggles.

“Come on, Omega. Do you really think we’re not going to make you comfortable before putting our teeth in you?” he tsks, and I try to hide the devilish smile on my face. It feels real now as we sail down the hallway, the rest of the pack trailing after us in our impromptu objective to bond.

He turns into my room, the one not fully decorated yet, and playfully tosses me on the bed. My squeal causes some excitement to start among them, but there’s another emotion, too. I can see it on all of their faces, the nervous energy almost palpitating around them.

“Where does my prime want his mark?” I ask, flicking my gaze to Atlas. I adopt a flirty grin, which causes the tension to break as his eyes darken. They roam over me, exploring every available patch of bare skin for a place that feels right.

He crawls over to me, watching me with both heat and adoration. I never want his eyes to look elsewhere. They make me feel powerful, vigorous.

He gently places his index finger on my chin and pushes it sideways, elongating the right side of my neck. He heaves some of his breath there, my skin raising with goosebumps immediately.

“I want everyone to see my mark. I want everyone to know that this omega is mine.” He gives the spot a kiss, which makes my breath hitch. “I want everyone to know that your pretty pussy is mine. Mine and my pack’s. Forever and always.”

I push my neck out further at his words, trying to rub my thighs together to cause some friction between my legs. “It is yours, Atlas. Let everyone know.”

A possessive growl comes out of him just before he closes his lips around the spot, giving it a subtle suck before diving his canines into me.

The pressure is instant, a slight pain building just before there’s infinite euphoria.

The bite sends unmistakable pleasure through my body all the way to my toes.

It makes me want to lean up and rub against him, but the thought stops short when I feel an overpowering amount of love.

It pours from him in waves and makes a home inside my veins.

For long, wondrous moments, all I can do is sit and bask in the strong emotions of my prime.

I can feel his love for everyone, his subconscious fears, his everything .

It is like we are merging into one being. It’s like we are returning home.

With the rush of his emotions hitting me in every possible crevice, I lean over and dig my own teeth into the parallel spot on his neck. There’s a moment of sensual pleasure, then it expands to something much more loving. Our feelings meet each other in the middle and mingle like old friends.

“I love you, Stacia,” he pants, our feelings flowing through each other in waves of elation.

It’s overstimulating but in the best way.

His chamomile scent sizzles, illuminating stronger than I’ve ever smelled it before.

It takes me back to the first moment I got a hint of it in the living room of Alpha Xi.

Its calming aura settles over me once more, showing me that this alpha is not only my prime… he is my rock.

“I know.” I feel tears in my eyes. “I-I can feel it. It’s amazing.”

He instinctually rubs his cheeks against mine, scent marking me with a deep groan. “I don’t want to let you go, but our pack is waiting.”

The way he says our pack causes a tear to finally escape. He reaches up, his thumb swiping it away. I give him a subtle nod before he kisses the tip of my nose and finally moves away, letting Uriah take his place.

Every person outside of this house knows this alpha to be grumpy, irritable, and intimidating.

But right now, he’s looking at me with the most expressive and joyous eyes I’ve ever seen.

His boyish smile shows his anxiousness, his scent slightly spiked from the mutual images we have of finally claiming one another.

“You are every bit the omega I dreamed for myself and more, ” he whispers so his words are only for us. “Words cannot properly describe how much I love you, Stacia.”

“Uriah,” I hum, my eyes already filling back up. “You are everything to me. The words are irrelevant. In a moment, I’ll be able to feel it.” He groans under his breath, which makes me smile. “I love you. I love you so much.”

His tears mirror mine, and the show of emotion makes me feel like I’m going to explode with glee. “Where do you want your mark, Alpha?”

He growls heavily, his teeth going into his lip. Then he balances himself with one hand before taking my wrist with the other and bringing it to his lips.

“I want to be by your side always. Is this okay?”

I give him a nod. “Yes, please do it.”

He doesn’t need anymore permission as he sinks his teeth into my wrist. I feel a plethora of sensation the second the bond snaps. Intense love and devotion that I never thought I’d feel in my life starts to pour into me. It’s overwhelming but so incredibly Uriah that it floods me with amour.

There’s pain settled deep into who he is, pain that I’m not sure will ever evaporate. It hugs me like it recognizes the piece of me that feels too deeply, that drowns too easily. It soothes my edges, and mischievously plays with the balance between us.

He pulls his own wrist up to my lips and I don’t wait another second to take it between my teeth, biting down to complete the tether between us.

All the darkness he tries to hide encounters mine and it feels slightly less heavy together. There’s a new lightness inside me, and I can see that he feels it, too. That we made it. We can finally let go now, and live with nothing less than what we both deserve.

“Beautiful Omega.” I give a saturated laugh as he utters the same words from the first time we met. It feels right. So, incredibly right.

Our lips meet in exquisite harmony, and it takes everything in both of us to part.

He whispers I love you a few more times under his breath between kisses to my face before finally moving over and letting Kendall fall into place on top of me.

It feels just as right. More so, now, that the other two are full of love as they watch us together. The happiness I feel in them relieves me. These four have a healthy friendship between them, and I can finally rest easy knowing that I’ll never be able to fuck it up.

“Some may consider this the finish line, but I think it’s just the beginning.” Kendall caresses my cheek, and I can’t help but let a small moan escape. “I can’t wait to learn and grow with you during our life together. I love you so much, Stacia.”

“I love you, too.” I place my forehead on his. “Please, Kendall. I want to feel you.”

His lips turn into a flirty smirk. “With pleasure, Omega.” His hands go to the hem of my shirt just before he yanks it over my head, leaving me shirtless amongst them. The feeling is tantalizing. Goosebumps start to arise on my skin just before he gives me a kiss on the mound of my breast.

“Is this okay?” He looks up at me, still kissing the spot as I nod my head repeatedly. “With words, Omega.”

“Yes, it’s perfect,” I respond.

He gives a small hum. “That’s a good girl,” he murmurs just before he drives his canines into the spot and pierces the skin.

I cry out, my fingers sliding into his hair so I can hold him against me.

I feel his cheekiness first, then an arousal stirring just below the surface.

He pulls off, groaning as he licks over the mark to secure it.

Then he pulls himself up and angles his neck towards me.

I feel his anticipation just before I bite into his neck, a lovely adoration mixed with impatient excitement. The second the bond clicks, he grinds into me tenuously. We hold each other, feeling the thrill of each other for the first time. It’s playful, passionate, and completely sensational.

“You have to let me bite her, too. Then we can jump into the sex part of bonding,” Ciro quips very close to us. I can feel my alphas’ amusement and it’s glorious to finally be able to relish in it.

“Sorry, Ci,” Kendall replies but he doesn’t take his eyes off mine. “I can be patient.”

I snicker at him. “That doesn’t feel likely.”

“You’re going to get punished for that one, Kelmeckis.” His smile is full of mischief as he gives me a final kiss. “Now, be good for your beta.”

“Always.”

Ciro moves on top of me as soon as Kendall scoots away, and he licks his lips as a nervous tick.

Betas can bond with both alphas and omegas, but it’s temporary. That doesn’t make this feel any less meaningful, though. If anything, I’m excited for all of our future bondings. It’s something we get to have just for us, something that I hope shows Ciro how special he is to me in every single way.

He leans down to kiss my neck a few times, and when his lips brush against the bond mark from Atlas, a shiver runs through my body.

“Doe, I want you to choose,” he says in a breathy whisper. “One day, you will have had my mark on every single remnant of skin. But I want you to choose the first one. I want it to be special.”

The thought has me arching my back, our bodies molding together.

“Here.” I point to the spot where my shoulder meets my neck. “I want you here. When I ran into you all those months ago, you had touched me here, steadying me after helping me up. It burned into me, even then. I want to remember that always.”

There’s a glossy sheen in his eyes as he cradles my face. “You are the most perfect person. I am so lucky that you ran into me that day. So fucking lucky. I love you.”

He kisses me, and it’s the best kiss I’ve ever had.

We almost forget what we’re doing as we get lost in it, but then he pulls back and immediately sinks his teeth into the juncture of my shoulder.

The movement is so alluring as he deepens the bite without hesitation, locking us together.

He uses his hand to pull me to his opposing shoulder, encouraging me to bite him in the same spot.

The second I puncture the skin, everything clicks into place. My goofy, loving beta is suddenly so much more as I feel his sincere and intense emotions flood me. He’s an array of sunshine with a ton of depth, and all of it is suddenly mine to honor.

“Fuck.” His husky whisper meets my ear as we cling to one another. Beta marks may be temporary, but the way I feel Ciro light up when he runs his tongue over the mark makes it feel anything but. I’m so lucky I get to do this with him over and over again for the rest of our lives.

I have a freaking pack .

“How are you feeling, doe?” he whispers, kissing around the hollow bite.

I hum, a smile painted on my face, my eyes shut with glee. “I feel utterly and completely loved,” I start before pausing to sit up and look at them. “Thank you for being patient with me. Thank you for loving me even when I didn’t know how to let you.”

“Omega,” Atlas hums, “we would have waited years. Decades. You are not only worth the wait, you are everything .”

My eyes begin to well with tears, but now we all know they’re happy tears, my joy shouting from the bonds. It’s overwhelming, but also so breathtaking. I can feel them so clearly, and it’s already becoming my new favorite normal. Something I crave with everything inside me.

I am theirs, and they are mine, and our pack is officially complete.