Complete.
She fit with us like she'd been the piece we were missing to finish the puzzle. Finally, the scene was complete, the picture was revealed, and we could have a life together.
There were obstacles, sure. We needed to get the ranch back on even keel and out of debt and figure out who was sabotaging little things around the property. I was still pretty sure it was a bunch of dumb kids doing stupid shit on dares, like teens were known to do.
But that was a problem for another day.
I cupped Bridget's cheeks between my large palms and kissed her gently. "Thank you for being patient with us."
She grinned, placing a hand over one of mine. "You were patient with me too. So thank you."
Shaking my head, I almost protested when Lucas cut me off. "Please don't start with the I love you more, no I love you more crap. It's too cute, and it may make me throw up."
A growl rumbled in my chest at Lucas' antics, but it wasn't malicious.
“Move it, Pup.” I slapped him on the ass as he breezed past us. I enjoyed his scowl at the use of the nickname, and the smile felt natural on my face.
I hadn’t smiled this much in… well, a long time. It felt good, to be honest.
"How are you feeling?" I asked Bridget as I wrapped her in a large, fluffy towel. I grabbed another to dry her hair before tossing it aside, grabbing a brush, and leading her back to the bed.
"Good." She gave me a genuine smile as I began to brush her hair. The small act was something I enjoyed. It was calming to me. Relaxing. Something that I could do for Bridget. An act of service, if you will.
I hadn't bothered with a towel. I always dried off quickly, and I slept naked anyway. No use getting anything else dirty.
Noah kissed Bridget's cheek as he passed. "How sore are you?"
She blushed, the heat returning to her cheeks with a vengeance. "Actually, I’m a lot better. I don't even feel too sore now."
A growl bubbled up in my throat, but I held it back. However, I couldn't stop my cock from going fully hard in a matter of seconds. Noah's did the same, and the room filled with the scent of her slick once more.
The brush stilled, and I fought back the instincts that wanted me to pin her to the mattress and take her roughly. Claim her. Mark her. Knot her.
Wait a goddamn minute...
I was a beta. Why was there a voice in my head telling me to knot her? That was physically impossible.
Although you've always been different. What if it was because you hadn't found your omega yet?
My forehead wrinkled in confusion, and Noah caught my look. "You okay?" He asked quietly.
I nodded, not wanting to alarm Bridget.
But, of course, our little omega was observant and perceptive. She knew something was causing me to question things.
She rose to her feet and turned to face me. Despite being a foot shorter than me, she looked fierce as she planted her hands on her hips and gave me a questioning look. "What happened? Something went through your mind because you got all stiff, and then you withdrew. The temperature in the room practically fell five degrees."
I couldn't help the smile spreading over my lips and bent to kiss the tip of her nose. "You're entirely too observant."
"I know that. It comes with the neurodivergent territory. Now tell me what crazy thought passed through your head to make you clam up?"
Noah clasped a hand on my shoulder while Lucas lounged back on the bed, his own mixture of curiosity and excitement reflected on his face.
“My instincts were just telling me that I needed to make you mine,” I murmured huskily as my lips moved up the column of Bridget’s neck. Her skin was soft and supple beneath my kisses, and my teeth ached to pierce her flesh. “To mark you. To knot you.”
Silence descended in the room. The only sound was our heavy breathing.
"I mean, all the signs point to you being an alpha who hasn't emerged yet," Bridget spoke softly as if she was trying to soothe me. I should be the one trying to reassure her, not the other way around. "You purr, you're larger than a beta, you definitely display alpha behavior—in a positive way. Who's to say after we bond that those genes won't fully emerge?"