Page 90 of Rut Bar

“Once.”

I sit up on one elbow and wait for him to continue. This is a story I have to hear.

Brendan laces his fingers together over his stomach. There’s a hint of his alpha physique under a layer of softness. I remember how powerful he was when he held me upright. He reminds me of those Highlander strongmen who toss entire trees instead of lifting weights in a gym. The ones that are strong, but not showy. Their muscle and strength are hidden under bulk. Staying cut is a lot of work. It means a lot of food restrictions. Before a photoshoot, I’m not even allowed to drink water. If I didn’t have to look like this for my job, I wouldn’t. It’s hard to maintain.

“In high school,” Brendan starts, “I messed around with one guy on my soccer team. We were both trying to figure out what we were doing. What we liked. I’d only dated girls before, mostly betas, and I was confused by my attraction to him.

“It was clumsy teenage fumbling. Something we did when we were both between girlfriends. The summer before senior year, he quit the team and left the school. His parents had gotten divorced, and he had to move out of town.

“The next time I saw him was at our first game of the season. He was on the other team. I didn’t recognize him at first. He’d presented as an alpha over the summer and gained fifty pounds of muscle and grew four inches. I guess he was a late bloomer. Their team beat us zero-to-three that night. After the game, we both snuck under the bleachers where we used to meet. He was eager to show me his body’s changes.

“Two games later, I took a kick that ruined my knee and ended my pro career before it really got started. I never saw him again.”

“Man,” I sigh. “I can’t imagine not being able to surf anymore. That sucks.”

Brendan pointedly glances at my neck. “Did I take it too far?”

I reach up and brush my fingers over my scent gland. It’s tender, maybe bruised, but it’ll take a day to know that for certain. The skin’s not broken, though. He was careful. Although, in the moment, I don’t think I would have tried to stop him. “No. But I might need to put makeup on it when we go back to Rut.”

“Sorry,” Brendan says, looking guilty.

“Don’t be. I liked it.”

The bathroom door opens and Anthony carries Vee, depositing her in the nest. She turns onto her side and lets out a sleepy grunt.

Brendan smiles and pulls a blanket over her. “She needs cuddles.”

None of us have to be told twice to take care of our omega.

ChapterTwenty-Five

JAMIE

Two days later,Vee’s heat breaks in the middle of the night. I’m the first one to wake and the first to notice. The syrupy scent of her pheromones has died down to its normal sweet citrus. My head is clearer than it has been since this started. And the siren call of the ocean sings to me through the open window.

A quick swim out won’t hurt. It’s so early, they probably won’t notice I’m gone. We were up late, and they’re exhausted from keeping up with her.

Before I’m lured back to sleep, I drag myself out of bed and rake a hand through my hair to pull it back from my face. Anthony doesn’t stir as I grab my wetsuit from the drawer and struggle into it. He’s used to me sneaking out and back before he gets up.

Careful of the noise, I slide the glass door open slowly, then grab a board from my quiver and head outside. The sand is cold, but the sunrise is breathtaking. There’s only a few people on the beach. They’re walking and looking for the shells that washed in overnight.

Waves splash up my ankles and I’m about to paddle out when I see them. “Oh. Oh, she needs to see this.” I bury my board in the sand and head back to the house, heedless of the sand I track inside. I’m too excited.

“Vee,” I whisper.

Anthony rolls over and Brendan cracks his eyes open. Vee only grumbles. There’s no time to wake her gently. The moment will pass if we’re not fast.

“Vee,” I repeat louder.

When she still doesn’t stir, I pull the covers off her and lift her from the nest. She flails before she realizes it’s me. “Whatthefuck?” she mumbles.

I set her down, then dig around in my drawer until I find what I’m looking for. I unzip my old spare wetsuit and kneel at her feet. “Step into it. Hurry.”

Vee rubs the sleep from her eyes and lets me get the suit on her. It’s way too big and it won’t do much to keep her warm with all that room, but it’s better than nothing and she doesn’t have a swimsuit here.

“Come on,” I say. “I need to show you something.”

She stumbles behind me, slowly waking up when the wind lashes at her. “Where’s the fire? God, I feel like I got hit by a truck. Between my thighs. Repeatedly.”

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