Page 66 of Want It All

He smelled like vanilla-scented sweat and cum – his own – andsalted fucking caramel, which meant he’d spent the night close to Byron.

Perhapsveryclose, given the cum.

I tried to fight against the rising tide of heat that swept over me at their combined scents. Tristan smelled like a dessert platter, and it wasmouthwatering. All that was missing was the elusive hint of chocolate –

‘Seb?’ Rose’s voice came from the couch. ‘Are you all right?’

I cleared my throat and fished my phone out from between the cushions. ‘Something’s up with Tristan, Rosebud. I have to go. I’ll text you.’ I stuffed my phone back where it had fallen. ‘Tris, handsome, what happened?’

‘Doesn’t want me,’ he said numbly.

I blinked. ‘What?’

‘Doesn’t want me,’ he repeated, a little louder, as if that would help me understand.

I bristled. ‘Who doesn’t want you?’I’ll fucking end them. Somehow.

‘My scent match doesn’t want me.’

I’d never had vertigo, but imagined it would be something like the sensation I experienced hearing his words: my head swam,and it felt as if the world spun on its axis. I swayed; if I’d been standing, I would have fallen.

Tristan had refused to bite me foryearson the chance that my scent match might miraculously appear in my life. While I’d understood – to a point – I’d never taken the possibility seriously. Why would I? I was statistically more likely to be struck by lightning or be killed by a shark – or a cow.

And neveroncehad I worried abouthisscent match appearing instead.

Jealousy exploded in my stomach like a dying star. I coughed, trying to control the feeling, to push it away, push it down, but it was hot and awful and it made my throat close.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so confident about my place in Tristan’s world.

I bit back a hysterical laugh, forcing myself to inhale slowly. Tristan was staring sightlessly at the floor, clearly in pieces; I could have my breakdown later. I slid my hands over his thighs, trying to catch his attention. ‘Alpha. You found your scent match?’ My voice broke; I swallowed. ‘They’rehere?’

He gave a bitter laugh. ‘Yes. They’re here. It’s Byron fucking Griffiths.’

I closed my eyes.

Of course it was. Tristan was covered in his scent; I should have already realised. My stomach twisted. I imagined them side-by-side, imagined breathing in their combined scents, one pair of green eyes and one pair of grey gazing back at me.

Abruptly, the jealousy dissolved, replaced once more by approving heat.

Fucking omega instincts, I fumed, but I was distracted once more by Tristan’s scent as I breathed in.Vanillaandsalted caramel? Cover me in fucking sugar.

I couldn’t be mad at Tristan. This was what I’d wanted; this was thepackI’d wanted. He was doing exactly as I’d asked him to. ‘What happened, my love?’

Tristan leaned forward, pressing his forehead to mine. ‘We fucked in the maze.’

Okay, wow.I let that sink in before waving a hand. ‘Yeah, I got that part, Tris. You’re covered in cum and you smell like something I want torollin. But fucking your scent match is supposed to beamazing. Don’t tell me it was bad, alpha. I’ll never recover.’

He cupped my face, forcing a watery smile. ‘What the fuck did I do to deserve you?’ I made a dismissive noise, but he gripped my chin tightly, his eyes locked on mine. ‘You know this changesnothingbetween us, right, omega? My love for you is here.’ He rested his free hand over his heart. ‘It’s so deep and so strong it will never fade, Seb. Youownmy heart. But Byron is …besideit, somehow. Even if he doesn’t want to be there.’

I frowned. Byron didn’t exactly worship Tristan, but they were ascent match. ‘Why do you think that?’

‘Because he said it,’ Tristan answered wryly, a hint of his usual self shining through. ‘He told me that he hated me, let me fuck him, then told me again after I –’ he faltered, inhaling, as if steeling himself ‘– after I ran my teeth over his scent gland.’

My stomach dropped. ‘You bit him?’ I hated how my voice wavered, thinning into a pathetic whisper.

‘I didn’t.’ Tristan moved back, still looking me in the eye, and I tensed. ‘But Seb … Iwantedto.’

I whined before I could stop myself, a high, needy sound. Tristan pulled me into his lap, wrapping his arms around me so tightly I almost couldn’t breathe. I shoved my face into the curve of his neck, needing comfort, even though it was him who’d caused the pain.