Page 57 of Wicked

My knot starts to form and Candlewick bucks back. He needs it. Milo is screaming at him and Timber is encouraging me. I focus on how Candlewick trembles beneath me and clenches my knot so hard, I see stars. I focus on his breath and the warmth of this body, and how well we fit.

Then we lock together. We take the leap into bliss as one. There is no condom this time as I pump him full of my seed again, and I pray to God that my seed takes. I pray to him while I’m having sex in front of over a dozen people, with no sure knowledge that I’ll get to bond with the man I’m fucking, and it doesn’t feel wrong. Not even a little bit.

I collapse on Candlewick, pulling him in close and turning us onto our sides. Milo is still in Candlewick’s face, but I don’t think he needs to be.

I know what an omega feels like when a pregnancy ends their heat. It’s like flipping a switch. One second their need is insatiable, and the next it’s gone. They smell different. Their heartbeat slows. Even their breath changes on a dime.

Candlewick is pregnant. I know it in my gut. And my connection to him feels just fine.

Anne places a hand on Milo’s shoulder, and he stops talking to Candlewick. Timber gives me a thumbs up. Lester smiles at us with tears in his eyes.

We did it. Not by ourselves, and not without a fight, but we did it.

The omegas sitting on the floor are the first to file out. The doctor checks our vitals, and then she leaves too. Lester and David wave at us with big grins on their faces and Timber mouths “Call me” before they go. Soon it’s just Anne standing next to our bed.

“I’m proud of you,” she says. “Your babies will call me grandma, okay?”

Candlewick smiles. “What about Gran? How do you feel about that?”

“Gran would be perfect. I’ll let you two get some sleep.”

I nod, too overwhelmed to speak.

She walks out the door without another word.

“You are mine,” I say, too tired to kiss him or hold him any tighter. We are messy and sore and completely sated in a way I have never experienced before.

“Forever,” Candlewick says.

22

Epilogue

Candlewick

Two days later…

Manny looks good in a suit.

I told him he didn’t need to wear one for me. I thought he was hot even when he was wearing those taco-cat pants. But he asked me to take him to a thrift store and help him pick one out.

Considering the fact that he has over a million dollars in his bank account and a large piece of land in upstate New York, I’m not sure going to a thrift store was necessary. I get the impression Manny will never be the kind of guy who drops a lot of money on a suit, though. That just isn’t who he is.

We wait for the warlock in the lobby of the sanctuary. We showed up several hours early because Steppe warned us we’d get one chance with him. Once he was gone, we’d lose our window.

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Manny asks for the millionth time. “We can wait. We’ll need to hire a warlock to grow my teeth back anyway. Otherwise, we’ll get a bond ache. We don’t have to do this today.”

I place my hand on his knee. “I’m sure. I don’t want my thrall anymore, and I like the idea of giving it to someone else.” Maybe this warlock would help out a sex worker or something. I don’t know.

The real reason I want to give up my thrall is that it will buy us some time. In order to grow his teeth back, Manny will have to sacrifice something dear to him. Timber gave up his right hand, and that was Manny’s plan too.

The problem is, I really like Manny’s right hand. He can do amazing things with his fingers. It would be better if we could wait and figure out his sacrifice later.

Steppe and Ken check in with us regularly as we wait. The sun sets, the sanctuary serves us dinner along with the residents, and the warlock still doesn’t show up. We snuggle on a couch near the entrance and get out the Burrowing Bliss deck that Manny has taken to carrying around everywhere. Now that we get to be together for the rest of our lives, he’s insatiably curious about me. I find it incredibly endearing.

“What is your favorite sexual position?” he asks, a sly smirk on his lips.

I love how confident he’s become about sex during the last few days. Even if I’m still too sore to do more than rubbing one out with him.

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