Page 119 of Mercy & Her Devils

“We won’t,” I say, hoarsely. “When I don’t feel like my limbs are melted, we’ll call Gabe out on it. He wants to protect me, and I think that he’s simply spent a long time running these missions by himself. Secrets and subterfuge is how he’s survived. But we can help him now. We need to get him to understand that pack means we all trust and support each other.”

Lark nods, casually swirling his hand in the rose scented water. “You smell like an expensive bouquet. I should clean you more often.”

“We should bathe together more often,” I counter.

Lark’s eyes light up. “Deal.”

See, Omegas truly can compromise better.

Suddenly, there’s a knock on the open door.

Once, that would have made me tense, flinch, and drop to my knees.

Maybe it would also have sent my heart rate skyrocketing, pushing me into panic attack.

Now, I only glance happily up at my Alpha, whose dominantly satisfied and contented emotions I can feel through the bond, as he waits in the open doorway.

Waits in his pack home for his new Omega to invite him in.

This is why I no longer feel anxious.

“Hey, Kai, come in,” I call.

Kai shuffles into the bathroom, taking up a lot of the space with his bulk. He’s dressed in a dark brown suit and stag tie. Although, there’s definitely an awkward hunch to how he’s moving, which makes me proud.

I did wear out his knot.

“I have an old family remedy for sore knots,” Lark says with a smile that tries for sweet but doesn’t pull it off. “Would you like it?”

Kai pats Lark on the head, which makes him bristle like a cat.

I laugh.

The perfect revenge.

“Nay, that’s kind, but I already make my own from a Scottish recipe.” Kai catches my eye, and I’m only fifty percent sure that he’s playing along. “How are you feeling, beloved?”

“Like I’ve had the best heat of my life.” I stretch out.

I may be about to prune but I’m definitely not ready to get out of the bath yet.

Kai glows.

He’s so powerfully built that it’s easy to forget how much he enjoys praise as well.

He’s been raised to serve Omegas.

Seeing me happy appears to give him the same dopamine hit that being called good Omega does for me or being spanked probably does for Antonio.

I’ll remember that.

“We tried our best, beloved.” Kai adjusts his tie. “I know how important it was to my soldier, and aye, to me as well. We’ve waited all our lives to rut and bond with an Omega. It means the world to us both that we made it the best experience that it could be for you.”

“And how was it for you?” I say, carefully.

Kai startles like he genuinely didn’t expect anyone to ask him that. Perhaps, back in his country, nobody would have.

My eyes narrow at that thought.

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