Page 122 of Fated or Knot

I leaned into his touch. “I love you too,” I said, glad I could finally express it.

His free hand took one of mine and rested it over his alpha mark and knot tattoo. “My tattoo is from the Bloodhunter Clan. Many generations ago, the first Queen of Serian chose herredcap from the clan and elevated him as her king. It means I’m a member in good standing.”

He moved my hand to rest over his heart as I listened intently. “When we mate, I’ll place a knot of promise here. A symbol that I am taken for life,” he explained.

“Redcaps do like to be naked from the waist up whenever possible,” Fal commented, and I startled. He stood at the foot of the bed, listening in on this conversation. It looked like his argument with Marius had been shorter-lived than I realized. “How about we appreciate each other’s racial cultures after we please our omega. All in favor?”

“Aye,” Marius said. It sounded like he hadn’t moved from his spot on the floor.

“Aye,” Tormund rumbled.

I said a cheeky “aye” as well, and Fal joined us on the bed. He pulled my head to the side and claimed my lips with a hard and fast kiss. My toes curled at the sudden intensity, and a moan escaped when he pulled back to give me one of his mischievous smiles. “Now that we’re in agreement, it would be wise to set a few expectations, hmm?”

I nodded in agreement.

“Number one, you’re in charge. Say stop, and we will.” There was a masculine murmur of agreement from his brothers. “Two, no knots until you’re ready. Marius told you of our deal?”

“If you knot me first, you’ll move your date with me to last,” I parroted. That meant that Marius could take me to the sea to finish our bond as soon as I was free of my cast and Tormund didn’t have to be last. It was understandably chafing to be last at everything because he was the youngest. I was glad to know who would be knotting me first and secretly eager for it to be Fal.

“And you’re all right with that?” he confirmed.

“Saves the best for last,” I said, earning a wink from the dark elf.

Tormund put in, “That’s a lie.”

Fal scoffed. “Our omega doesn’t want us to argue,” he said in a tone that had to annoy his brothers. He spoke over a low rumble of growls. “Three, Lark, you have the right to kick any of us out. That should just about cover it. How do you want us?”

“Naked,” I answered before I really thought through his question.

He chuckled at the quick response. Tormund gently lifted me out of his lap to do as I’d said, while the extra sound of clothes hitting the floor signaled that Marius had shed the rest of what he was wearing. I didn’t know where to look until Fal went to the foot of the bed and beckoned for me to come over to him. He loosened his cuffs and the fit of his jacket.

I helped him push it off his shoulders. The fine material plopped to the floor, then his shirt, revealing a dagger strapped to the inside of his forearm. My brow knit as I recoiled from it. “When’d you get that?” I asked.

“I’ve always had it. All of us are armed in some way. You will be too, once Tormund’s father starts teaching you self-defense.” He inched the sheathed weapon off his arm and dropped it with a careless flick.

It’d distracted me from his bare chest for a moment. His clothes had always been tailored to emphasize his athletic, elfin build, and I admired it openly now. He leaned in to cage me between his arms, pressing my lower wings to the bed. A shiver of awareness passed up my spine. “Three males, three choices,” he murmured. “Who do you want to taste you first?”

I flushed, wondering if he meant what I think he did. “Marius,” I said.

“Who do you want to taste first?”

Don’t dwell, just decide.“You.”

Fal grinned. “Excellent choice. That leaves Tormund to claim you first. Pretend you still don’t understand Serian for a second.”

I plugged my ears playfully while he switched languages, presumably giving the other two males instructions. I knew when he was done when he took my hands in his and pressed them to his waistband. “Be my guest, mate.”

I caught his fingers before he could pull them away. “You cut your nails?” I asked. The feline points, which I’d always assumed were one of his Unseelie traits, were gone. He’d probably had them filed down while I was getting drunk on fae fruit wine.

“Didn’t want to leave any chance you’d worry when they’re inside you.”

I rolled my eyes a bit. Usually, I appreciated his eternal confidence, but right now, he seemed entirely too smug. I grabbed his waistband, tugged open the front of his pants, and worked his clothes down and…oh. Stars, no wonder.

He didn’t have so much as a curl of body hair. Those trim hips and flat stomach were male perfection. My mouth watered, knowing I would get to taste the erect cock I revealed as he kicked the rest of his clothes to the side.

“You are unfairly attractive,” I told him while tracing the loop of his alpha mark where it’d manifested right under his belly button. He inhaled sharply. Seemed the mark was a sensitive spot for all of my alphas.

“Unfair,mo stór?” he teased.

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