Page 118 of Drama Queen

A thunderous knock distracts me from Maddock’s reaction, drawing my attention toward the door, wondering who’d be stopping by. When I glance back at Maddock, a guilty expression covers his face, and I know. His brothers.

Before he can move to answer, my breathing increases.Will Hendrix be with them?I can’t decipher if I’m having a panic attack or excited to see him because even though we know there’s been foul play, the emotions of that day haven’t disappeared. They devastated me. Still devastate me. And I honestly don’t know if I’m ready to see him.

Maddock is there immediately, stepping in front of me, and stooping to meet my eyes. “Breathe in deep, Ares. Come on, baby. Breathe with me. In and out. That’s it. In.” He breathes in deeply. “Out.” He lets it out slowly. We repeat this together a couple of times before I can focus again, cheeks turning red from embarrassment. “Look at me.” He doesn’t use his alpha command, but the effect is the same, as my eyes snap to his. “Hendrix isn’t here. He didn’t want to upset you. He understands you’ll need time to process everything. But the others…” he trails off, glancing at the door, as if wondering when they’ll break it down. “They want to see their mate. We’ve craved you for so long.” His lips feather against mine, teasing a whimper free. His satisfactory smile is playful. “They’d also like to meet their daughter.” This sentence is delivered softly, relaying that it’s my choice with his tone. They’d never pushme—I knew that—which is exactly why I nod toward the door, giving him the green light to start a new chapter in our lives.

“Are you ready to meet your daddies, Evie?” Her big eyes sparkle, seeming to understand, as she glances towards the door.

Maddock’s grin speaks of pride and love as he kisses my lips firmly in appreciation before moving towards the living room and opening the door. There on the other side are my twin mates. Their bonds slam into me, and if I thought Maddock’s was irresistible, the three of them together is undeniable, causing drool to practically run down my chin. Not to mention the slick building between my legs.

“Good morning, mate.” Knox purrs, turning my insides to mush. It was a shock seeing him at the library, and because I hightailed it out of there like my ass was on fire, I didn’t get the chance to absorb him like I am now. The flight response is no longer riding my instincts. Now my instincts have an entirely different version of riding in mind. The slow smirk that tips his edible lips is not in humor, more like a promise… a warning. A warning of dark, beautiful things that haunt my fantasies.

“Knox, knock that shit off.” Kato slaps his twin’s chest as he shoves him aside to enter in front of him. “Ares…” The way he says my name is like a prayer dipped in honey, beautiful and smooth, tasting of sunshine.

Maddock and Knox were always the bad boys, and Hendrick the popular jock, but Kato… he’s the drama queen, in a mothering hen kind of way. Always ensuring everyone is cared for and throws a fit when they don’t listen to him.

Within seconds, he’s in front of me, hands hovering, unsure if I’d welcome his touch. The genuine concern warms our bond, enticing a whimper past my lips, sending Kato into a frenzy. “Come.” It’s then I notice the bag hanging from his arm as he ushers me into the connecting living room.

The other two are unstrapping Evie and cleaning her hands before Maddock lifts her from the highchair, but then transfers her to a shell-shocked Knox. The awe on his face would be comical if our situation weren’t so devastating. He holds her in front of him, studying her, recognizing the strong features of her father.

Overwhelmed would be an understatement of the year. In the blink of an eye, I’ve gone from successful single mother to a mother in a relationship with four alpha mates and a daughter that’s about to have quadruple the attention and love.

Another whimper escapes, causing Kato to shuffle around quicker. “All right, mate. Sit down for me.” He ushers me quickly, as if my speed were not adequate.

When my bare legs rub against velour, my fingers dive into the blankets, glancing questioningly at a squatting Kato. His expression softens as he reaches out to stroke my cheek, and I lean into his touch. “What’s all this?” There are blankets spread behind me, and another waiting to drape over my shoulders, heavy with its furry weight.

“It’s typical for omegas to go into heat after reuniting with their mates after an extended period of time. When Knox told us about you, we started searching, hoping we’d locate you before your heat.” He pulls out more softness from his bag, prancing around and placing them down randomly. “Brought these on a hunch. You don’t mind me placing them around. I don’t see a nest.” He inhales deeply, growling his pleasure at my scent, and then leveling his icicle eyes on me like a predator. “You’re ripe. You should start making one. You’re going into heat soon.”

The last sentence vibrates on a growl that shoots straight to my clit, causing me to moan.

Knox moves to adjust my blanket, and Kato slaps his hand away. “I don’t recall asking you to move or touch anything.” His eyebrow raises comically, questioning.

“Ow.” Knox rubs his hand like a scolded child and turns towards me. “He’s mean.” He pouts, sits next to me on the couch, and passes Evie to my lap. I snuggle my face into her baby neck, causing her to giggle and slap at the side of my face.

Maddock massages the tension from my shoulders while the others remain silent, letting me ponder its implications. I would need them all, including Hendrix. When an omega finds her mates, she instinctively knows if they’re all there and feels their absence keenly during her heat. There's a high chance they won't resist going into a rut and marking me. Normally, there would have been a courting period in our youth, a time when they would have shown their interest.

Maddock nuzzles my neck from behind, fingers still working out the tight knots in my shoulders. "We understand things are moving quickly, and fate has limited your choices, but this decision is entirely yours. We'll leave if you and Evie aren't ready for us, but we'll never abandon you again."

The walls I built around my heart for months crumble before the very men who first triggered them. Tears well up as I try to steady my emotions.

"Oh, Ares." Kato kneels, head in my lap, arms wrapped around me and Evie. "I'm so sorry." His voice breaks as he holds me, Evie tugging at his hair, oblivious to the gravity of our situation.

My fingers run through his hair, soothing his tension as if it's a gesture we've done countless times. He lets out a sob, his grip tightening, afraid to let go even for a moment. "Shh... We're here together now." But even as I say it, Hendrix's absence is felt, and the bond senses it. If he's not here during my heat, it will be painful, even with my other mates present.

As if sensing my thoughts, Maddock clears his throat, his gaze sincere when I meet his eyes. "We need to talk, Moon. Ididn't expect your heat to come so soon. Do you understand what to expect?"

He's asking if I realize we'll be intimate, not just him, but Hendrix too. "I know what to expect," I reply calmly.

Suddenly, Knox growls, startling Evie and me, making the baby cry. His anger resonates through our bond.

Kato straightens up quickly, glaring directly at Knox. "What the hell is your problem?" He hisses. "If you can't control yourself, step back."

Evie settles almost instantly, her eyes starting to droop, a sign that she woke much earlier than usual if she's ready for her morning nap. But when I look back at Knox, he's confrontational, eyes wild and clearly furious. I recoil, pulling Evie protectively closer to me.

The gesture calms him immediately, Maddock and Kato glaring protectively as they hover over us. Knox stops growling but maintains a disgruntled expression. "You've been seen through a heat? Is that how you know what to expect?"

Ah, he's jealous. He's worried that other alphas have been intimate with his mate during a vulnerable time. A small smile tugs at my lips; my inner wolf enjoys his possessiveness, and I realize I like it too. Our situation is complicated, but I can't help but tease him.

I smile sweetly with a daring glint in my eye, deliberately provoking him. "Are you wondering if another male has been between my thighs?"

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