Page 46 of Heat Hesitation

He pulls back, and I resist the whine until I realize he's just pulling me into his bedroom and swinging the door shut behind us.

Like Enzo's, the room has nice natural light and soft fabrics, contrasting against dark, masculine furniture. They have a more down-to-earth aesthetic than I'd have guessed, but I love it.

Asher's hands never leave my body, gently touching and caressing my arms, my waist, and my lower back while I explore his space. He's less rigidly organized than Enzo, but there's still a place for everything. Dirty laundry is tossed haphazardly over a basket, one of his shirts hanging halfway in. The urge to reach out and steal it surprises me.

I've never really nested. My one and only full-force heat came when I was eighteen and ran out of suppressants. I had no alpha to help me through it, and spent three days alone in a cabin writhing in pain with only toys for company while Red's parents parked outside with shotguns, keeping me safe. They've been great second parents to me, even if the entire experience was humiliating.

My fingers reach out to snatch the t-shirt, but fortunately, Asher distracts me before I can embarrass myself.

"I thought you'd be angry this morning. I've been worried."

I turn in his arms, letting him wrap his big, warm body around me. Maybe it's because I recklessly bonded with Enzo so quickly after wavering for so long, but I'm easing into this relationship faster than I thought possible.

"Oh, I'm livid," I assure him.

Asher nods, his big brown eyes angling with concern. I squeeze my arms around his shoulders, "I'm not mad at you, Asher. I don't know, maybe I'd be more pissed if I hadn't had Enzo with me last night." Asher tenses at the reminder.

I continue, "We may have made a rash decision bonding, but I don't regret it. And this is his pack. And you… you're…"

"Yes…?" Asher smiles softly, nudging his nose beside my ear, taking a deep breath in.

"I like you a lot, Asher. I'm not angry I'm here with you. I'd have liked more time to come to terms with joining your pack after spending so long pushing the idea away. I don't really know what you guys expect of me. I'm not just some dormant omega puppet—"

"Ophelia, you could never be that. And we don't want that, we never did. Maybe we should have clarified what we wanted from you from the start, it was just so… unconventional, the way we met," he supplies diplomatically. "But we don't want you to change, little one; we want you just as you are. I love everything about you."

He kisses my jaw close to my ear, causing shivers to cascade down my body. "I love how stubborn you are. And how resilient." His lips trail down my neck, pecking along the way. My knees squeeze together as a small moan escapes me when the peek of his tongue slips out to taste my skin. His voice lowers, "I love how selfless you are. You gave up so much for those around you. You put yourself in danger to help others in need. You moved in here against your will to help your friend."

Asher's large hand splays across my sternum, the heat of his palm landing over Enzo's healing bite mark on my left breast.

"It's not such a hardship, being here," I whisper.

His palm lowers, squeezing my breast while his thumb teases my nipple. A zap of desire shoots between my legs, my hips pressing forward in search of more. My perfume blooms between us, and Asher growls in response.

His hand keeps returning to the bite mark while he teases me.

"Are you upset we bonded?" I ask. Packs often bond their omega together during their first heat together. Enzo isn't like other alphas but I wonder if it bothers them that we moved forward without the rest of the pack.

"Upset? No, little one, I'm fucking ecstatic. Jealous as hell, but ecstatic."

"Because it means I'll bond with you too?"

He gives me an unapologetic, toothy grin before stepping back and clasping both my hands in his. "I would be honored if we bonded, but it's your choice; it always will be. You being bonded to my brother, my pack mate, just means I get to be in your life. I hope we get more, but if that's all you ever give me, I still get to wake up every day knowing you exist just outside my bedroom door."

My lips part. I wonder how he always knows what to say. Before I can respond, there's a bang on the door, and Enzo barges in.

He beelines straight for me, but doesn't pull me away from Asher; instead, hovering at my back, he breathes me in. I can feel his inhale at my nape, his bright mint and eucalyptus scent even more potent after his shower.

"I couldn't find you," he rasps.

Asher chuckles, "How long did you panic, brother? Thirty seconds?"

Enzo doesn't respond; he just stands close at my back, the firm planes of his chest warming my body. Fingertips dance along my shoulder and arm while my hands are still clasped in Asher's.

I've always wondered how pack dynamics worked and how they didn't get jealous of each other. Aside from longing for his own bond, Asher doesn't seem jealous of Enzo having me close and vice versa.

I suppose we'll have plenty of time to test the boundaries.

Maybe it's Enzo sensing what I'm feeling in our bond, but the air in the room changes, and our scents mingling together wash over me. Enzo's grip at my sides firm while Asher leans in, slowly, silently asking for permission. There's a gentle push at my back, encouraging my acceptance. I give into it, even though I don't know what I'm doing, because I can't think of anything better.

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