Page 35 of The Omega Project

I have my back to Finn, but Soren is right next to me, his thumbs brushing away my tears as I jolt against his thigh. He’s telling me how well I’m doing, how delicious we look, and I’m eating it up like he’s unlocked a new praise kink. I only have to turn my head an inch to meet Langston’s gaze, and my breath catches at the look in his eyes.

“So beautiful, Emily,” he purrs, his voice thick with lust. “You’re a vision, sweetheart, taking that big dick so well.”

Definitely a praise kink, because that’s all it takes to tip me over the edge. I come with a hitching scream, the world collapsing around me in shimmering waves.

I’m not sure how many hands are on me as I blink back to myself, but I’m rubbing myself against every leg I can reach. The fire inside me has been fed, but instead of reducing my heat to a simmer, I’m now shaking with the need for more.

“You need a knot, baby.” Derek says, his eyes stark in his flushed face. “I can take the edge off, but that’s what you need.”

“Don’t feel bad,” Soren counsels him. “It’s biological.”

“Yeah, but she’s in pain.” He gathers me close, feathering kisses over my sweaty temple. “I’m sorry, Em.”

“Don’t be.” I cling to him, furious that my body is betraying him like this. “You’re everything to me, Derek. We’ll get through this together, like we do everything.”

He smiles at my reassurances, and I can feel the others watching us curiously. Derek ignores them, smoothing my curls back and nuzzling my cheek. “This is just a new adventure. Like library bathrooms, and mango and coconut bath salts.”

“Ooh, I like the sound of that,” Soren says, giving Derek an appreciative look. “And if you’re wondering, there’s a whole bunch of omega heat toys you can use. You haven’t really seena dildo until you’ve checked out the Dragon Knot Slickmaster version.”

I snort, but it comes out a bit broken, and Lang runs his hands down my arms. I think about crawling into his lap, but I don’t want to give Derek the wrong impression. “If the cramps get really bad, sweetheart, we have some medication you can use.” Lang hesitates, and I can tell from the sympathy in his eyes it’s a backup measure, at best. “But the need will still be there, under the surface. You can trick your body up to a point, but the best approach is an alpha knot and all that comes with it.”

I’m pretty sure there’s never been a more awkward conversation about the birds and the bees in history, but the ache is building, and I’m too needy to hold back. I rest my head on Lang’s thigh, but study Soren. “Do you have a knot?”

The smile that breaks over his face is all male anticipation. “Right now, I’m an alpha, which means I come with the full bag of goodies. I can take care of you, Emily, especially if Derek here can lend a helping hand.”

“Yes?” I look at Derek, who nods, a faint blush climbing his cheeks and Soren licks his lips. “Glad we got that settled, because it looks like we’re here.”

I don’t think I’m the only one breathing a sigh of relief as we pass through a pair of security gates and start the long drive up to the house. Majestic pines form an impressive avenue on each side, with glimpses of the ocean in the distance, but my attention is snared by a familiar sight scattered through the apple orchard. “Are thosehives?”

“We had a local expert set it up a few months ago,” Finn tells me as I gape at the apiary. “You might want to make a few adjustments when you take a closer look, but he said it’s the prime spot for air flow, sunlight, and cross-pollination.”

I’m too surprised to voice any of the countless questions tumbling through my head, because we’ve reached the end of theroad and I’m gazing up at an astonishing house. It’s three levels of pale limestone and glossy timber, with enough turrets, gables, and sea views to make me think we’ve stumbled on an oversized sandcastle. There’s a mixture of roses and natives growing beneath a huge wrap-around verandah, which is painted a soft white to match the frames around the large, stained-glass windows.

“Nice place,” Derek murmurs, but I can only nod. It's like stumbling upon my dream house, and I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry, because this is theirpackhouse. I glance at Soren, and when I see a matching wonderment in his eyes, I can’t help but feel a little jealous. As their omega, this is the place where he will spend the rest of his life, if he wants to.

“We can give you the full tour later,” Langston says as we enter a sweeping foyer with polished floorboards and soaring ceilings. “But you probably want to go up to your suite and get comfortable.” He hesitates, and I’m suddenly aware of every eye on me. Of course, they were all watching in the car, but now we’re here, in their home, I don’t know where I stand. Lang seems to sense my uncertainty, because he says, “We’re working off your cues here, Emily. Whatever you need, we’ll do our best to provide it.”

It’s tempting to just slink away and deal with this later, but I force myself to turn and face them all. “Thanks, but I’m not sure what I need. Or what role you guys want to play in my heat.”

“If we haven’t been clear, that’s on us,” Soren says, shooting his alphas a narrow look. “We’re all attracted to you, as well as feeling responsible for your heat. If you want us in your nest, you’ve got us.”

“We can feel how compatible we are,” Creed adds quietly. “That can mean knots and bites, or it can mean cuddles on the couch and walks on the beach. It’s up to you.”

Langston makes a low sound in the back of his throat as he steps forward, his thumb sweeping across my bottom lip. “But alphas and omegas are all about their instincts, sweetheart, and our instincts are telling us to take you up to that nest and fuck you until you purr.”

Emily

I swallow a moan but can’t resist taking another swipe at Langston’s thumb. It still tastes like sex-infused sunshine, and as I look around at the watching men, there’s no denying I wantmore. Their pheromones are calling to me, promising things my body understands, even if I’ve never experienced them before. It’s both exhilarating and frustrating, because if there’s one truth I’ve been able to rely on in my life, it’s that most things are mind over matter. Life is always going to challenge you, but if you apply logic, reason, and intellect to a challenging situation, you’ll eventually discover a solution you can live with.

But now, it seems, my world is ruled by sensation and instinct. I know that omegas go into a kind of haze state during their heat, where everything narrows down to their needs and the partners who are there to satisfy them. It’s always sounded a little indulgent to me, but now that I’m the focus of so many heated looks, I’m starting to get the appeal. Yes, I’m still a scientist, with a strong will and a clinical mindset, but I’m also a woman who craves intimacy and pleasure. The question is, can I have both, and still be me after it’s all over?

As I walk inside, I grip Derek’s arm. “Stay close to me?”

“Always.” He stops just inside a soaring foyer with sandstone walls and exposed beams, cupping my face with his big palms. “I don’t care what biology says, Em, I’m yours.”

The kiss he feathers across my lips carries me up the sweepingstaircase, but the nerves start to creep back in when we reach the landing. There are half a dozen doors, all ajar, and I see room after room decked out in beautiful furnishings and priceless antiques. It’s so far from the couch in my sister’s apartment, it’s making me dizzy.

“You can pick any room you want,” Soren tells me, “but the one at the end of the hall has the biggest bed and the best view.”

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