Page 46 of Broken Dreams

My finger moves over Linus’ skin, spelling out the wordwhy? We were childhood friends, the best of friends, but twenty years is a long time to look or worry about someone who was nothing more.

“She wants to know why,” Linus says softly, his eyes moving from me to the alphas in front of us.

I can smell their scents clearer now, and while they smell delicious, I don’t think there’s anything else there. They’re beautiful alphas. My heart fucking wants so much, but my senses are still all fucked.

Why would they look for me?God, why would they steal me away? Fuck… they’ve seen me naked, half insane with lust. They were there. Hauntingly slow, I can remember their touch with other alphas.

How can they look at me so sweetly after that? I’m a whore for fucking hire!

“Deep breath,” Linus whispers. “I don’t know what’s going on in your head, and I have a feeling you won’t tell me. So do me a solid and breathe for me, okay?”

My ragged, tear stained breath feels unseemly loud as I pull it into my lungs. It’s hard not to keep hiding, so I force myself to twist so I can see Duncan through the curtain of my hair as it hangs around me. It feels wild and too long since I always braided it to keep it off my face. It was trimmed by me, under supervision, so I would never cut too much.

Everything about my life has been fucking monitored.

“There’s a lot of things ‘why’ could cover, sweet girl,” Callum finally answers. The echoes of his voice in my mind during my heat are loud, making me wince. “First, our parents insisted thatwe couldn’t tell you we were in love with you until you at least presented.”

Jerking as if I’ve been shot, I push up into a sitting position. My hand is on Linus’ thigh, the faux leather pants reminding me of how uncomfortable they have to be. God, I’m focusing on the oddest things, but holy fucking shit balls.

My chest is heaving. I didn’t know they felt the same way as I did.

“Second,” Duncan continues as if he and his brother share a brain, “we only agreed because our ages felt bigger than they actually are. It was dumb. Our dad has been trying to get us to date and mate an omega for years, but we’ve continually dodged that bullet.”

I know I said I wasn’t allowed to get jealous, but my lip lifts in a snarl anyway.

“There’s so much to tell you, fuck me,” Callum sighs. “We’re almost to our house, so here are a few highlights. When we found out that you were alive, I started digging through a lot of illegal circuits to find you. Please don’t hold it against me.”

My shrug speaks volumes as I wait for more. The law means less than nothing to me. It’s never helped my circumstances.

“Good. I know it’s a hard pill to swallow, but your heat was the only way to get to you,” Callum says. “It’s fucked up that this is how we first found you again, and we had sex with you without any real permission.”

“There was no way to be able to say anything so you’d know it was us,” Duncan rasps. “We couldn’t afford for anything to go wrong, and as you said, the why of it all is insane. I can’t help how this happened, because it was the only way to find you.”

“You’re allowed to feel however you need to about us being at your heat,” Callum rushes out.

I don’t understand why they’re freaking out and I glance at Linus. Callum and Duncan are speaking a different language right now.

“Consent,” Linus whispers. “Fuck, we haven’t had that in a long damn time. Whether it was you or someone else, she was going to need to have sex with someone for her heat.”

Turning to face them again, I nod.

“It doesn’t make it any better,” Duncan growls. “There will always be consent between us, I don’t care if you have to smack me over the head to get your point across.”

Because I can’t speak.Well, I can. It’s just been a really long time since I’ve said anything more than a word or two. Biting my lip, I nod.

My tears have slowly dried, but I’m sure I’ll cry a sea of tears as I listen to them. This all feels like a dream.

Turning, I spell that word out on Linus’ skin. I’m comfortable speaking here and there with him, but I feel a wave of shyness in the truck. Honestly, I’m wearing one of their shirts, I’m pretty sure I’m still leaking out cum and slick from my pussy.

I’m a mess. I shouldn’t feel this shy, knowing they’ve been fucking me through my heat with three other people for the past four days. And yet, I am.

It doesn’t have to make sense because it simply is.

“A dream?” Duncan asks. He’s still twisted to face Linus and us, his body contorted. “I’m sure it does feel like a dream. You passed out at the end of your heat and woke up with us. I promise it’s not a dream and completely real.”

“The alphas with us during your heat helped get us out of the building,” Callum adds. “They’re good men, though lonely. They chose you for your heat for that reason.”

Over the years, we’ve had alphas who find Slick Dreams for that reason. Inclining my head to show that I’m following, I listen as Duncan continues.

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