Page 16 of No Strings Attached
By the time he reaches the kitchen, he’s stark naked, his broad chest heaving, his muscles twisting and tightening as the fear rakes through him. Tears glint in his green eyes, only accentuating whatever is going on in his head.
I caught the whiff of another Alpha on him when I met him outside but never in a million years did I think it had been from an unwanted touch. Now, though, there’s no mistaking what happened. Some part of me needs to know who. The other part of me just wants to make all this better. I just don’t know how.
He lets out another growl, the sound reverberating through the kitchen as he turns on the sink and starts scrubbing his jawagain. I twist to look at Olivia who seems just as worried as I feel. “I can feel him, Olivia. He’s hurting so bad. I…”
She smiles and leans in, kissing me gently, her lips warm against mine. Her berry scent wraps around me, calming the panic rising in my throat. “Go see what he needs, babe. I’ll work on the food.”
I hesitate as I turn fully around to face her. “I… I don’t know why he wouldn’t touch you,” I say, my chest aching with the memory of Elias pulling away from her outside the gala. He let me hold him, let my scent soothe him, but with Olivia, it was like he was afraid.
Olivia’s smile softens, her hand brushing my cheek, her thumb grazing my beard. “Babe, he was sparing me. He didn’t want that scent on either of us, but his Omega instincts are taking over. He needs his Alphas, and I guarantee you he’s about to rub his skin raw and then start on you next. Shower him with that gentle touch of yours, and then I’m going to feed him. How’s that sound?”
“You need him too,” I whisper, knowing how much she’s feeling this pull, same as me.
“Yes, baby, I do but I also need to make a certain phone call to let some of this rage out, and I’d rather Elias not hear it. Go on. I got this.”
I nod again and scurry after Elias, concerned when he’s not in the kitchen. The sound of the shower draws my attention as I head into the bedroom and into the tiled sanctuary, Elias sparing me one glance before he starts on my clothes too. There’s no grace in the way he undresses me, no words, just grunts and grimaces as I’m stripped bare.
I’ve never seen someone so desperate before but Olivia, and I have also never dealt with something unwanted like that. I still don’t know if he’s physically hurt but the tears that have started to slip down his cheeks hurt me.
I can feel him in my chest, all those rumbling emotions, all that pain and fear as he tries to make sense of what happened. It’s a bond that shouldn’t have yet formed but I’ve heard of some packs coming together without the actual physical bites. It just reinforces the fact that Elias is ours.
Elias leans in and starts sniffing along my cheeks and shoulders, snarling at the additional scent lingering on my skin. I can’t really smell anything but an Omega’s nose is unmatched. Besides, I quite like the manhandling despite the situation.
He drags me into the shower, the steam curling off the water a shock to my system.
“Hey, Elias, breathe for me, sweetheart.”
He just glares at me, water softening his orange hair and dripping down his beard. For a moment, I think he’s going to get angry and then he just pulls in a breath before letting it out, all in one defiant puff. Goddess, I think I’m in love. Because, he then just reaches for the loofah and a scent cleansing soap before starting to rub me down.
Olivia wasn’t wrong when she said that he was going to scrub me raw. All of his movements are rough and jerky, Elias starting at my neck where he first touched me. There’s an almost animalistic feeling to his touch, a possession that I’m all too happy exists.
If Elias wasn’t sure about us in any way, the other Alpha’s scent on me wouldn’t bother him as much. But it does and I’m selfish enough to enjoy it.
I bite back a wince, not wanting to deter Elias from what he needs as he continues across my shoulders and then down to my stomach. Seconds later, he leans in to sniff my neck again, his nose brushing my skin, and a deep rumble of content vibrates through his chest, a purr that makes my knees weak.
Satisfied, he turns the loofah on himself, the raw skin of his cheek turning redder under the rough strokes. I didn’t mindwhen he was that rough on me but I can’t stand to see him do that to himself. Especially when it feels like he’s punishing himself for something that’s not his fault. “Hey, sweetheart,” I say, reaching for the loofah, “let me do it, okay? You’re going to hurt yourself.”
Elias hesitates, his hand freezing inches from his jaw. His green eyes flick to mine, softening a little before he nods, a small, reluctant gesture. But that’s all I need as I slip the loofah from his hands and guide him to the ledge in the shower. I ease him to sit down so I can reach everything, sighing at the blank look in his eyes. He’s so big, wide shoulders and muscle lining his neck, arms, and chest, but he looks small right now.
I take the loofah and start washing his jaw, the soap lathering over his beard. I follow each stroke with a trail of kisses, tasting his rain scent and the faint salt of his sweat. My heart swells with the fullness of his scent, that sweet honeydew making my heart swell as he leans into my touch.
Elias lets out little sighs, soft purrs rumbling in his chest, each sound pulling me closer. I definitely thought he would fight me but he only tugs me against his chest before dragging me onto his lap, my knees straddling his thighs.
One of his hands moves into my hair, the wet strands plastered to my shoulders before he pushes my head forward into a kiss. I melt against him as his touch becomes hungrier, his tongue spearing into my mouth as he takes what he wants. Elias hums into the kiss, grinding me down on his lap, his cock thickening against my ass. As much as I would love for him to fuck me right now, neither one of us is prepared.
“Hey,” I say as I pull back a little, cupping his face in my hands. “His scent is gone. It’s just us three. You’re safe here.”
Elias nuzzles into my neck, his beard scratching my skin, his entire body shuddering as he clings to me. But then I hear it, a whispered ‘thank you’, so quiet I almost miss it.
Jamie
We stay like that for a while, until the water runs cold and I have to force myself out of Elias’ embrace so that we can dry off. Elias is still mostly grumbles and purrs, although there’s something endearing about this version of him. As if he feels safe enough to be in this state around us.
After helping dry him off, he digs into one of the cabinets and slips into a pair of sweatpants before throwing one of his shirts over my head. It’s entirely too long, hanging just past my knees but I grin up at him, the Omega managing a smile in response. Even in this state, he’s taking care of me, Elias lifting me onto the bathroom sink without a word. I watch, confused and yet, intrigued as he digs around in some of the drawers before unearthing a hair dryer.
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to do all that.”
He throws me a glare before plugging it in and aiming it at my head, the sudden heat of the dryer sending a shiver down my spine. I, then, feel his fingers move through my hair in the placeof a comb, the gentleness of his touch in contrast with how he was in the shower. Slowly, I place my head against his chest as he dries my hair.
