Page 7 of Secure Touch (Her Vicious Pack #8)

Luca

It’s getting late, and the light from outside is no longer strong enough to stitch by.

I rub my eyes as I put the lilac cross-stitch kit aside.

It’s the one that Jorge called the ‘purple flowers with a bird and a butterfly’ or something like that.

Not a bad description, but also doesn’t do the beauty of the kit justice.

It’s not the easiest kit to stitch, but what I can see from the example picture, it’s going to be beautiful.

Once Jorge gave me the kit, I looked it up online, and managed to find an official digital pattern from the creator, which I quickly bought, so that I can use a program on my phone to keep track of all the stitches instead of the black and white paper pattern that came with the kit.

Digital pattern programs make things so much easier.

I stand up and stretch, rolling my shoulders. Even though I’m using a stand to hold the hoop, I’m still not sitting in an ideal way. But then, I never really do. No matter what I do, I’m not a ‘sitting properly’ kind of person.

My chest is tight from other things too and my brain is starting to go to not-so-nice places, which means it’s time for me to get some fresh air.

This ritual has been going on for days now. I try to be near my mates for as long as I can manage, then I go outside for a couple of minutes, take in as much fresh air as possible, before joining them again.

It’s not just because Vera and Mathew need me, but because I can’t be away from them for very long either.

The first night here wasn’t easy as I tried to stay away from them, but it got worse the second night, and since they started having pheromone withdrawal issues, even going outside for some fresh air has become a struggle.

As soon as I close the door behind me, I take off my old mask and put it on the pile of used masks. Once the pheromones have soaked through it, it becomes a lot less useful. So, when I go back inside, I take a clean mask, prolonging the time I can be around my mates.

I take a deep breath, and a second one, letting my lungs fill fully, which immediately helps clear my head.

It’s very frustrating that I’m fine with everyone’s pheromones apart from two of my mates, okay two and a half.

Mathew’s pheromones don’t immediately give me a bad reaction, but it does happen after a while.

Supposedly, mating and things like that are easier for Betas, not as intense, but I don’t know. How is how I react to my Omegas, but also the Alphas, any ‘easier’ than how they react to each other?

I’m not seeing it.

But then, I don’t have that much experience with pack relationships, so maybe that’s where the differences are. It’s because this is a pack and not a pair relationship. I don’t know.

And I don’t think it really matters either. This is how this pack is and this is how I am with them, and that’s all that really matters. In all ways that are practical and important, anyway.

The door opens behind me, but apart from the sliver of mixed pheromones from inside, I don’t notice any particularly strong ones. Then, an arm slides around my waist, and as I still, Mathew lets out a soft chuckle.

“Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to startle you. You just looked so huggable.” He leans against me more, his head on my shoulder.

I try to relax, which isn’t very easy when Mathew , the guy I’ve known to be my mate for years, is holding me. “How are you feeling?”

He lets out another chuckle. “Could be better. Being outside is not the best.” He nuzzles my neck, theatrically taking in my pheromones. “But if I stay like this, I’m fine.”

I slide one hand over the arm he’s got around my waist as I turn my head to try to look at him more. His dark eyes are warm and soft, and from this close, I manage to get a few slivers of his unique flower pheromones, wisteria. The scent has me hard instantly, which makes him chuckle even more.

“You’re very cute. It’s good. We need more cute people in our pack. Vera being the only one is putting way too much pressure on her.” His laugh is deeper this time, and he pulls me tighter against him, letting me feel how turned on he is too.

“We should go back inside. You need everyone’s pheromones, not just mine.” I start to turn, but he keeps me trapped against the railing.

“I know. I just haven’t had you to myself enough since you got here. Let’s stay here, just a little longer.” His voice is quiet, none of that bravado from before, quiet and timid.

“Okay. Just a few more minutes.” I reach up and slide my fingers into his beautiful long hair, softly moving, rubbing.

Mathew is a strange combination of looking and acting for all intents and purposes like your general —albeit very clearly fucking dangerous— Alpha, but then he’s suddenly like any other Omega, craving touch, affection and shelter.

That duality is probably the most endearing thing about him.

Vera looks like a perfectly cute and adorable Omega, but in the blink of an eye, she can turn into a deadly creature.

I saw her skills that first night, when she was playing with the Hearts guards, and she scared the hell out of me.

But when I see how others react when she lets it be known that she doesn’t want something, when Mathew and Erika’s security teams treat her not just with respect but also with a little bit of fear, I feel like I was right about her that very first time.

She’s such a deadly creature, and at the same time, she’s an adorable kitten.

The door opens again and a strong scent of honey pheromones spills out with the pack’s mix, my mind going weird immediately. But, in a single smooth motion, Mathew has put a new mask over my face, blocking out most of Vera’s pheromones, letting me breathe easier again.

“I was wondering what was taking you so long.” Vera wriggles her way between me and the railing, Mathew pulling me back just enough to give Vera space, but not enough for me to slip away.

I feel her eyes on me as she looks up, and then she moves again.

“This is the best I can do. Sorry.” Her voice is soft, almost pained.

With the way her hair blows against my arm, I realise she’s standing as much down-wind from me as possible, while still being in my arms.

The small gesture makes my chest feel warm. She tries her best, even if it might go against every single one of her Omega instincts.

After a few moments, Vera’s hands start to wander, touching my —by now uncomfortably tight— jeans, but before I can react, Mathew stops her, taking her wrist.

“Let’s not do this outside. We don’t need an audience.” He sounds amused, and the way he slowly rolls his hips against my back is making me even hotter. He’s up for her plan, just not out here. Which... Even if I know it’s going to be a struggle, I’m on board with too.

“We’ve got an audience inside too.” Vera tries to pull her wrist from Mathew’s grip, but stops when he doesn’t let her go.

“I feel way more awkward having Jorge, Riley and Caleb in the room with us, while they stitch or knit or whatever they’re up to, listening in on whatever we’re doing, than the chance that one of your guards might accidentally overhear something. ”

“What about potentially overseeing what we’re doing?” Mathew pulls Vera’s hand up, kissing her palm, which makes her cheeks go red and her eyes fill with even deeper lust.

“Not exactly my kind of thing.” I squeeze the words out, way too turned on now, and these two aren’t making thinking any easier. Not so much because of their pheromones but because having their clear attention and desire focused on me is heady and exciting.

“Fine. But our only other option is the bathroom.” Vera looks defiant as she steps back, and Mathew lets her go. “And bathrooms aren’t exactly known for being soundproof, not even yours.”

“The choice is yours, Luca.” The way Mathew says my name, the soft tones, it makes it hard to think clearly. “Bathroom or the bed?”

“Bathroom.” The thought of doing anything sexual with these two is almost too much, but I’m sure they know that just from my pheromones alone.

Vera beams as she kisses her fingers and puts them on my mask, directly over my lips. “You take some extra deep breaths, and swap your mask, and then we can get started.”

I blink a few times, my brain trying to catch up to what’s going on, but Mathew already pulls me towards the table with the clean masks and slides the old one off my face.

“Deep breaths.” He smiles softly, excitement sparkling in his eyes.

Without thinking, I do as he asks. Because both of them are down-wind from me and I’m not getting any pheromones from inside, I can breathe deeply without any negative effects.

Then Mathew reaches up and places a clean mask on my face, deftly making sure it’s fitted properly, before he takes my hand and turns to Vera. “I think we’re ready.”

“Let’s go.” She takes my other hand and looks up at me. “Try not to look too awkward as we drag you to the bathroom. The others are used to this.”

The other are...

What?!

Used to what?!

Only then do I realise that to get to the bathroom, they have to drag me halfway through the bedroom. They’re going to drag me, a Beta, past their three Alphas, so that we can have sex in the bathroom. Which the Alphas will be able to hear...

Now I’m mortified.

That does not sound like a good idea.

But before I can think about it more, Vera has already opened the door and drags me inside, going straight for the bathroom. My cheeks are bright red as I hear the Alphas’ chuckles and Jorge’s laughing voice just before the bathroom door closes behind us. “Have fun!”

Vera and Mathew’s laughter bounces off the tiled walls as they catch their breaths, grinning widely, their eyes twinkling as they look at me.

“Where shall we start?” Vera pulls me away from the door, letting me lean against the side of the bath as she holds my hands. “What would you like to do?”

Ehhh... How am I supposed to know that? Especially when both Omegas look at me expectantly. It’s not like I’ve got much experience in this department.

I think they understand how little I know when I keep staring at them, before all three of us burst out laughing at how ridiculous this all is.

“I’ve got an idea.” Mathew kneels in front of me. “If at any point you want to pause or stop, tell us and we’ll stop immediately. Okay?” He looks up at me, his face close to the bulge in my jeans, the piercing in his tongue catching the light as he licks his lips.

Oh, fuck.

Oh, fucking hell.

I nod, not able to find my voice as my brain catches up with what he’s about to do. I think I’m about to get a blow job from Mathew fucking Page.

I grip the edge of the bath tightly, trying not to come just from the thought.

“Okay.” My voice is barely above a breath.

All thoughts of Alphas being able to hear us, our complicated situation or all the other mess going on disappear from my mind as I focus on the Omegas in the bathroom with me.

My Omegas.

Who very clearly have very interesting plans for me tonight.