Page 39 of In Their Arms

I slip on one of Luther’s shirts before walking into the hallway, stretching my arms over my head, and immediately hear the rustle of blankets from the living room. Blake sits up on the couch, arms already open, waiting. His glasses rest on the bridge of his nose, his laptop beside him, screen still glowing.

I laugh, heart tugging at the sight of him, and launch myself over the back of the couch straight into his arms. He lets out a soft oof, but his arms lock around me without hesitation, wrapping me up, holding me close. He smells like the nest, like heat and home, and I let myself sink into it for a second before pulling back just enough to grin up at him.

“Why are you working?” I ask, nudging the laptop with my foot. “You literally just finished your heat. Like an hour ago.”

Blake sighs, shifting beneath me, his fingers absently tracing patterns against my back. “I needed something to do. It feels weird just being here and doing nothing. Like I’m restless.”

He’s only getting away with this because our other mates are busy in the kitchen, not paying Blake any mind. I suspect Blake kicked them out under the guise of getting more sleep. I chuckle, leaning in to nuzzle against his neck, taking in the way his scent has deepened, a richer pear scent that’s almost like spiced pie. “Without the suppressants, your Omega biology is taking precedence,” I tease, dragging my fingers through his curls.

Blake sighs against me, his hands tightening in my hair as he pulls me into a slow, deep kiss, the kind that makes my chest ache in the best way. His lips are still swollen, his body still loose from the last few days, from being taken care of, from letting himself be something soft and protected. I’m hoping he leans further into those instincts because he’s fucking adorable.

A voice cuts through the moment, breaking us apart just as Grayson steps into the room, his arms crossed, smirking like he’s caught us red-handed.

“Breakfast is served,” he announces, then pauses. “Or maybe lunch? Fuck if I know. We lost track of a few days.”

Blake laughs, shaking his head as he tugs me up with him. We all pile onto the couch, plates in our laps, eating like we’ve done this a million times before. Like we’ve always been together, like it’s natural to exist in each other’s spaces.

I crawl over to Grayson, settling between his legs as he tilts my chin up, inspecting the bite on my lip. His fingers are careful, his thumb brushing the swollen skin as his eyes darken. “You love getting marked up, don’t you?” he murmurs, a possessive hint to his tone.

I hum, letting my lips part under his touch, letting him see exactly how much I fucking love it. Maceo is working on Blake at the same time, tending to the fresh bite on his ear. Blake is melting, his body sagging against Maceo’s chest, his eyelids heavy, his scent rolling through the room. It’s sweet, satisfied, something new settling into him, something softer.

He’s letting himself be an Omega and I fucking love it. Maceo’s hands drift lower, sliding over Blake’s waist, down to his hips. Blake moans, a sleepy, wrecked sound that makes my spine tingle. “I’m sore,” he whines, but his scent betrays him, thick with want, curling through the air.

Maceo chuckles, kissing his temple. “You say that, but your body wants more.”

Blake frowns suddenly, his head tilting slightly like he’s trying to focus on something. His nostrils flare as he inhales deeply. “I thought I smelled it earlier,” he mutters, brows pulling together. Then his gaze locks onto me. His eyes widen, shock flashing across his face. “Are you pregnant?”

Tears spring to my eyes because I have no idea if Blake is happy about that or not. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, voice breaking. “I didn’t know how to say anything.”

Blake scrambles away from Maceo so fast he nearly trips over himself. He drops to his knees in front of me, his hands cupping my stomach. “You have a little belly,” he whispers, awestruck. “Barely, but it’s there.” He blinks up at me, his eyes shining. “How did I not know this?”

“You were a little preoccupied, Bear,” I muse, using my name for him.

His face breaks into the brightest, most heart-wrenching smile I’ve ever seen. “Oh my god,” he breathes, laughing softly, hands still cradling me. “We’re going to be daddies.”

I nod, hoping he won’t hate the uncertainty of it. “I just didn’t want it to be Hudson’s.” Blake stills, his fingers twitching where they’re lightly grazing my stomach through my shirt. I force myself to keep talking before I lose the nerve. “It’s around the same time,” I admit, my voice quieter now. “I just… they’ll do a DNA test when we go in and then we’ll know in a few days.”

Blake doesn’t hesitate. “I don’t care who the father is. He’s still going to be ours. Luca, this is good news! We’re going to have a little you running around. You’re going to be the best daddy.”

His excitement is so immediate that it makes my chest ache. The weight pressing down on me lifts just slightly, replaced by something lighter. Something I didn’t think I’d get to feel. I let out a shaky laugh, blinking back the sting behind my eyes before I lean in and kiss him. He kisses back without hesitation, pulling me closer as if he could hold me together just by touching me.

Grayson’s laughter rumbles behind me and I twist just in time to see him grinning, stretched out on the couch, arms draped over the back. His eyes flick between me and Blake, his smirk deepening.

“Ever get the feeling that we’re just the side pieces when these two get together?” he says, nudging Maceo with his knee. “Becausedamn.”

I groan, rolling my eyes, but there’s no real annoyance behind it. Instead, I twist around on his lap, poking him hard in the chest. “No sex,” I say, pointing at him for emphasis.

Grayson raises an eyebrow, mock-offended. “I didn’t even say anything.”

“I’m sore too,” I mutter, stretching my arms over my head, my muscles aching in that satisfied, well-used kind of way. “I just want to cuddle for now. No one’s doing anything for at least one more day.”

I don’t even get a chance to settle before Blake drags me down into the nest, wrapping himself around me like a damn koala. Grayson and Maceo both chuckle, shifting closer, letting the warmth of our pack settle in around us. Luther isn’t far behind as he settles up against Grayson’s back. It feels right, easy, like this is exactly where I belong.

Then Blake’s laptop dings. I blink, glancing over at the offending piece of technology. “Don’t you need to get that?”

Blake doesn’t even look. “Nope,” he says, grinning as he buries his face in my neck, breathing me in like he can’t get enough.

I raise an eyebrow. “You sure?”

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