Page 94 of More Than One Way: Part Two

Jade: Theo is passed out, I’m nearly there as well and Trevor is flagging. Ethan is really starting to get upset that you both can’t be here.

My breath caught and I hated that he’d been upset because of my own insecurities. I turned to look at Miles who looked equally distressed at what Jade had said.

Me: I will be up there in a few minutes, let me grab some water bottles and snacks first.

Jade: Thank you, love. I’ll tell him.

Jade: In case I pass out before you get up here. I love you.

Her words were accompanied by a wave of that love and complete devotion. Intrusive thoughts could fuck all the way off. I wouldn’t let my pack, or my Omega suffer any more, but first.

“Do you want to talk about how you’re feeling before I go up to the nest?”

Miles sighed and sat up so we were shoulder to shoulder.

“He told me he loved me. Right before he walked over to that psychopath. Graves told him he’d kill me if he didn’t come along, and Ethan just confessed that before moving away from me.”

I bit my lip to keep from saying anything and just focused on Miles' words.

“Something shifted in me, and I couldn’t let it stand. Couldn’t let him walk away any more than I could have with you. I knew then that I love him, too.”

Miles fidgeted before meeting my eyes.

“I want to try more with him. And I hate that he is asking for me and I can’t be that for him right now. Fucking ‘fragile state’ aside, I don’t know that I’ll ever be comfortable in the nest with everyone else during a heat.”

My perfect Alpha, one of the most caring and strong people on the planet, battling with his own insecurity demons. I leaned in and kissed him softly until he melted into me. Eventually I broke the kiss but linked our fingers and pressed my forehead to his.

“Based on what I learned the last time, he’s not really in control of what he’s saying and doing in there. The need for his pack is overriding everything else. He would absolutely hate it if you ever felt pressured to engage in a way that you didn’t want to. Talk to him when he comes out of it, and I know he’ll confirm everything I’ve said.”

Miles grunted and swept in to sneak another kiss before playfully shoving me toward the door and leaning back into the pillows. I ran downstairs, grabbing the things I’d promised Jade and plenty for Miles. He laughed when I dropped a pile of drinks and his favorite snacks on our bed, promising he would be fine as he shooed me toward the nest once again.

I opened the door to the nest and, even though there were still about a half flight of stairs up to the main area, the overwhelming scent of Ethan’s heat-drenched perfume combined with the scents of our packmates nearly bowled me over. I hurried to shut the door so Miles wouldn’t be affected by it any worse than he already was and began to climb the stairs. If I’d thought the scent was enough to make me crazy, it was nothing compared to the sight at the top of the stairs.

Jade and Theo were, in fact, passed out at the edges of the nest but right in the center, Ethan was grinding on Trevor’s knot. He was fucking stunning. His ass flush with Trevor’s pelvis, back arched so he leaned against Trevor’s bent knees but braced his hands on Trevor’s ink covered chest. His light brown skin was glistening with sweat and his face was contorted in pleasure as tears streamed down his face.

“I’m s-sorry Alpha, I j-just can’t stop thinking about t-them. They don’t want me anymore and I-I’m pushing you too fast. I?—”

My chest constricted painfully, hearing Ethan’s broken voice even as his body forced him to keep seeking pleasure. I knew it was mostly the heat talking but also realized just how much my own fears had been hurting Ethan. I moved to go up the remaining stairs when Trevor wrapped his big arms around Ethan, flexing his core until he curled up and they were face to face. Ethan gasped at the movement as it no doubt tugged on the knot inside him. Trevor’s hair was loose and wild around his face and Ethan sank his hands into it as he stared at the Alpha. Something between a purr and a growl laced Trevor’s words as he spoke, inches away from Ethan’s face.

“There is no one in this pack who doesn’t love you and want you with us forever. Do you hear me, beautiful?”

Ethan nodded furiously but still bit his lip to keep the tears back. Trevor ran his nose along Ethan’s jaw and spoke softly to him.

“Do you know why I call you ‘beautiful’, Ethan?”

Our Omega scrunched his nose and I could see him almost roll his eyes before he caught himself.

“Because you think I’m beautiful?”

Trevor chuckled and kept his face pressed into the skin below Ethan’s jaw.

“I do think that, you’re right; but remember when my brother outed that embarrassing movie that I loved?”

Ethan’s grin kicked up at that and the sadness cleared from his eyes.

“There’s nothing embarrassing about still liking Beauty?—”

“I never said it was still my favorite.” The redness that crept into Trevor’s cheeks told another story, though. This time when Ethan tucked his lips between his teeth, I thought it was to stifle a laugh more than tears. “Anyway, you did that for me, and calling you Belle felt too weird or corny or I don’t know, so you’re ‘Beautiful’ to me.”

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