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M y eyes are unfocused as my mind replays the experience in the pool on repeat like an erotic film—especially the moment when I caught Roman watching and I met his gaze head on. I don’t know what came over me. That’s not something I’ve ever done before. Keeping eye contact with him while Jax was between my legs was terrifying, but also empowering. Roman didn’t look away either, the arousal in his eyes brighter than the bioluminescent pools we bathed in.

Now that we’re no longer in the heat of the moment, I can’t help but wonder what the hell this means now. Roman hates me. Well, hated me at least. Over the course of this dig he’s been warming up to me, even seeming to care about me when we fell into this underground temple and things began going awry.

After quickly washing my clothes in the pool, I lay them out to dry on a rock, still lost in thought about Roman. But then, Bear and Archer come back, and every thought leaves my mind. The world falls out from under me for the second time.

Green tea and raspberries. Black pepper and honey. Sex and comfort. They reek of sex and comfort.

Before I know what I’m doing, I’m throwing myself at Bear, climbing him like a tree. I feel nearly feral with need, rubbing my bare pussy against his abs and burying my nose behind his ear. He responds by gripping my ass, but when I go to kiss him, he leans back.

“Woah there, little omega. What’s going on?”

The sting of rejection makes my omega recoil. I blink at him, suddenly realizing what I just did, what I’m still doing. Emitting a noise that’s half-squeak, half-moan, I scramble out of his arms. But Archer is right there. I stumble into him and lose all sense again, throwing myself at him, sniffing his neck. His scent is like a warm hug on a summer’s day. I sigh, tension leaking out of my body as he rubs my back.

“You okay?” Archer asks.

Jax laughs from somewhere behind me. “She’s more than okay. She just recognized her mates. Greedy little thing couldn’t settle for one.”

“W-what?” I step back from Archer, immediately missing his warmth and wrapping my arms around myself while looking over at Jax—my scent match, my mate, the man who just ate me out like I was the best meal of his life. Thankfully, he looks more amused than upset.

“Come here, Cora,” Bear says, voice deep and commanding, almost bordering on a bark .

He pulls me close, dropping his nose to the place right below my ear. His hand tugs at my hair, tilting my head.

“Why is your scent so faint?” he asks.

“I took extra scent blockers this morning. And I was just in the pools.”

He holds my gaze for a moment, then slowly lowers to his knees. His large hands grip my hips, bunching Jax’s shirt as he brings his nose just above my mound and inhales.

“Fuuuuck,” he groans.

“Told you,” Jax says with a smirk.

“What’s going on?” Roman asks.

I nearly jump at the surprise of seeing him again. He disappeared somewhere after our little… moment. And now, he returns to this. I want nothing more than to curl into a ball and disappear. My omega wants us to curl into the big burly alpha so he can comfort us, which makes me even more mortified.

Bear ignores Roman, throws my leg over his shoulder, and slides his nose along my wet center, humming a resonant note that makes my whole body shake. My eyes close as my knees go weak. I almost fall, but Archer slides in behind me, supporting my weight and kissing my neck. Bear’s tongue?—

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Roman yells. “Have you all lost your minds?”

Immediately, I drop my leg from Bear’s shoulder and push as far away as I can get with Archer right behind me. Bear sits back on his heels, but the look he gives me is nothing short of reverent. I tug down Jax’s shirt and tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, avoiding looking at Roman. I don’t want him to think I’m normally like this. He already seems to have a distorted view of omegas, and I’m sure this isn’t helping.

“You need to understand…” I start. “We, um… I guess… I have three scent matches.” My nervous laugh is halted and abrupt.

Roman snarls—actually snarls like a beast! “I don’t fucking care if they’re your scent matches. This is an excavation, not a cheap motel! We’re civilized adults—colleagues! As far as I’m concerned, we’re on the clock down here and you’re all… you’re all… fucking around like rutting animals!”

“Aw, look, the professor is even grumpier when he’s jealous.” Jax can’t keep the smile from his voice.

“I’m not jealous!” Roman closes his eyes and takes a slow breath, in through his nose and out through his mouth, before he looks at me again, expression completely blank. “Congratulations on finding your scent matches.”

“Um, thanks?” My head is still spinning with this new development, and I have no idea how to take Roman’s monotone congratulations. It’s clear he’s not really happy for me. But am I? I mean, I like Bear and Archer. I know them a lot better than I know Jax, and they’re both incredible men in their own unique ways. It would be a lie to say I haven’t daydreamed about them at one point or another over the last few weeks. How could I not? They’re handsome, intelligent, kind men. Green flags all around.

But I never really thought anything would happen with them. They seemed so interested in each other. Plus I could never expect them to make me their omega, defective as I am. It wouldn’t be fair. I can’t offer them a true pack bond, much less offspring—if that’s even something they want.

I look at Roman, and something inside me twists at his distant expression. He’s upset about this, even if he’s trying not to be, but I can’t tell why. Is it really just because he thinks it’s unprofessional? It’s not like I always go around throwing myself at people I work with. These are my scent matches! That’s different.

But he’s not my scent match, and I definitely looked right at him when I came earlier. I didn’t cover up or stop or anything. I practically begged him to join us. Entirely inappropriate. Although, he didn’t seem to mind. Did he think it meant something? Does he want it to mean something? Shit, there are so many reasons he could be upset with me right now.

Jax claps his hands together, breaking the silence, and the tension. “Well, I think we should eat. Bet our girl is hungry after her bath.” He winks at me. “Who’s gonna help me with dinner? How about you, big guy?” He points to Bear, who’s still kneeling a step away from me, staring at me with a different type of hunger. Jax walks over and pats Bear’s shoulder. “Gotta get to know each other if we’re gonna be sharing our girl. You’re on fire duty while I clean the snake.”

“Yeah, okay, yeah.” Bear stands up, looking a little dazed as he picks up the wood that fell from his arms when I jumped him.

“You gonna help, professor ?” Jax says the last word like a needling jab. “Saw a fountain back there when we were bathing . I’d bet my life it’s drinkable. Place like this, in the middle of the desert, has to have a well somewhere.” He tosses Roman the tool he used to test the water earlier.

Roman nods, giving me a long look before stomping off.