Page 80 of Ruled By The Alpha

What happened next was a blur. Everyone seemed to move at once, everyone except for Cooper and Aiden.

The main door opened, and the three alpha guards left.

Rowan's hands were on me and his lips crashed over mine. His kiss was hungry and wild, thrusting his tongue deep into my mouth as his arm clamped around, dragging me close enough to feel every gloriously built inch of his body. I groaned and sucked on his tongue, caught up in the same wildness. It demanded someone, I didn't even care who, assuage this terrible ache. That first night we met, I knew I was looking at my future, my mate. But he wasn't my only mate; Cooper and Aiden were also part of me.

I thought what I had with Cooper and Aiden was unorthodox, but here on Taylor’s turf omegas were often shared in a mating bond, or so I’d just learned.

Rebecca. Aiden, Cooper, and Rowan.

Reality crashed through the haze of arousal. I didn't realize I had my blade in my hand until Rowan froze before slowly easing his lips from mine. Shaking my head, I tried to clear the dizziness from his potent scent. Behind him, Aiden and Cooper were on their feet, wavering and watching what I did.

Rowan glanced down, taking in the blade pressed against his throat. A thin trickle of blood emerged from where it penetratedthe skin. My hand shook. I didn't want to hurt him, but needed to claw back some control.

"Who is she?" I demanded. "What did she do? I'm not her or her replacement. I can't—I won't let you break me for revenge, or whatever the fuck this is."

"You think I want to break you? To break them?"

A bruise formed on Rowan's right cheek, his lower lip bloodied. He'd just fought two of the strongest alphas I knew. Everything about Rowan screamed worthy mate.

"You couldn't be more wrong," Rowan said, his voice low and raw with emotion. "They were my friends. And more. I fucking loved them."

Cooper's grunt was purely dismissive, but I didn't spare him a glance.

"I don't seek your submission out of revenge, nor do I seek to replace anyone," Rowan continued. "As an omega, you have done so much in a world ruled by alphas, and I respect that. I have watched and admired you from afar, wanting to gut Cooper and Aiden for having you, for taking, what was mine. So no, don't mention her name, not now. Just know she's not important anymore, hasn't been to any of us for a very long time. There is only you, me, and them."

He pressed into the blade, making it sink deeper, and as more blood flowed, my hand shook harder.

"I don't want to break you, omega," he bit out. "I want to claim my equal and opposite, to rule at my side. As for Cooper and Aiden, we were a quad before. It was right for us. It always fucking worked until it didn't. We should have stayed together and hashed out our differences. But sometimes alphas can be assholes."

"We went our separate ways because you always think you know what's best," Cooper muttered from behind. "Even fucking now."

Rowan's lips tugged up in a tense smirk that didn't reach his eyes.

"I've no desire to eliminate your mates. If I wanted them dead, they'd be dead, and I'd be fucking you in a pool of their blood. I take them as I take you because together, we're invincible."

"Add fucking delusional to his list of failings," Aiden said, but it held no heat, only a lingering sadness.

My fingers tightened over the handle. I couldn't see straight. I couldn't think at all. My body churned with a sea of instinct that validated the earnestness of Rowan's words. This confirmed my suspicions, hopes, and dreams. All the barriers I'd placed before myself, the final step in claiming a mate and being claimed in return, fell away. The missing piece stood before me. Perhaps I’d always sensed that Aiden and Cooper were incomplete. Rowan said he loved them. Alphas did not use such words lightly.

Aiden and Cooper remained impassive. This had always been my decision.

As the blade dropped from my nerveless fingers, Rowan snatched me up with a snarl. "You took your fucking time, baby.” Tossing me over his shoulder, he slammed through the internal door. I caught a fleeting glimpse of a huge decedent suite through the curtain of my hair as he strode into a darkened bedroom. Peering behind, I was relieved to see my alphas following.

Alphas who were about to become my mates.

"Lock the door," Rowan barked before tumbling me onto my back.

I landed with awhoosh, hair flying in front of my eyes. Pushing it back, I found myself on a huge mattress on the floor. Beside it were piles of bedding, pillows, and soft-lookingthrows… the nest material I'd never allowed myself to own because to nest was to show weakness in a brutal world.

The kind Icouldn'town when we had so few of everything, and others had needs.

The kind I never would have indulged in even if there were enough supplies, because it might have weakened my resolve not to claim Aiden and Cooper as mates.

I swallowed hard.

Rowan stood before me, chest heaving as he stared down. I blinked up at him, coming to terms with the changes and what was about to happen, feeling my body rise in anticipation.

"Strip, strip her, and get her ready for me."

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