"You're enjoying this," he accuses, watching me take a bite.
I shrug, not bothering to deny it. "What can I say? You're fun to rile up."
"Fun," he repeats, the word flat with disbelief. "Is that what you call pushing an alpha's buttons during your heat?"
"I call it entertainment," I counter, licking crumbs from my fingers with deliberate slowness, watching his pupils dilate in response. "Besides, what are you going to do about it, Grumpy?"
His hand shoots out, gripping my wrist and tugging me toward him with controlled strength. "I can think of a few things."
Heat surges through me at his touch, my body responds instantly to his dominance. But I can't resist one more jab. "Big talk. Let's see if you can back it up."
The challenge hangs in the air between us, crackling with tension and possibility. Across the nest, Fox makes a soft sound of contentment, still locked with Alex, lost in their own world of newly formed bonds.
Reed's eyes never leave mine as he lowers his head, lips brushing against my ear. "I'm going to enjoy proving you wrong, Little Omega."
The shiver that runs through me has nothing to do with my heat and everything to do with the dark promise in his voice. I arch against him, challenging and surrendering all at once.
"Prove it," I whisper, threading my fingers through his hair and tugging him closer.
His growl vibrates against my skin as he claims my mouth, all controlled power and restrained hunger. Rook's hand remains on my hip, a reminder of our bond even as he offers me to Reed to satisfy the demands of my heat.
As Reed's hands begin to explore, learning my body with methodical thoroughness, I realize I've found something I never expected—belonging. Not just to Rook, not just to Reed, but to a pack that sees me for exactly who I am and wants me, anyway.
Chapter40
Reed
My hands touch her warm skin—it's almost too hot. She's shaking with need, still not fully settled after Rook claimed her. There's no time to take it slow. Her body trembles, and the scent of chocolate fills the air, pulling at my alpha instincts. I move behind her and help her onto her hands and knees.
"Yes," she says, her voice full of relief. Storm arches her back, ready and wanting. A small sound escapes her, full of need. She looks so beautiful like this—wild, free, and totally herself.
I pause for a second, just taking her in. Her body arches like she's asking for more. I watch the way her back curves, her skin flushed, and my eyes land on the bite mark Rook left on her neck. It hits me hard—not jealousy, but this deep need to leave my own mark. To make her ours, not just his.
When I slide into her, the sensation nearly undoes me. She's so hot, so tight despite Rook's earlier claim. Her body welcomes me with an eagerness that blurs my vision. A groan escapes me—a sound I'd normally control but can't hold back.
She gasps my name, and it sends a jolt through me. She moves back against me, taking more with every push.
"Please—" she whispers, and it nearly breaks my control. I want to give her everything, but she deserves more than just instinct. So I keep my pace steady, each thrust slow and focused, holding back the urge to lose myself.
Her scent, chocolate mixed with Rook's strawberries filling the air, pulling hard at the alpha in me. I'm hanging by a thread, but I've always been good at staying in control, even when it's this hard.
Storm moves with me, matching my rhythm like we were made for this. From the edge of the nest, I catch Rook's scent—protective, and maybe even… aroused. He's watching.
The scent of her impending climax fills the air. Every instinct screams at me to mark her, to bind her to me. I can feel my knot beginning to swell, catching at her entrance with each deeper thrust. Beneath me, her body moves with mine, matching my pace as my knot grows larger.
"Give it to me!" she demands, her voice cracking. "Need your knot. Need you, Reed!" The rawness in how she screams my name obliterates my restraint.
I grip her hips and drive into her with one final, powerful thrust. My knot swells, locking us together as pleasure detonates inside me. Her body convulses as her climax hits, the tight heat of her milking every drop from me as I fill her with my cum.
It's as if time stops as we ride out our release, each powerful wave pulling us tighter. Her body spasms again and again, and I know she'll have my mark. My knot grows a fraction more, and I feel every ripple of her response. I've never felt so needed, so deliriously lost, so intoxicated by someone.
She gasps, out of breath and falling apart. Being connected to her like this feels like nothing I've ever felt before. I'm deep inside her, locked in exactly where I want to be. Our scents mix in the air—it smells like everything I thought I'd never get to have.
As the pleasure fades, I feel something else in my chest. It's not just about being with an omega in heat—it's about her. About Storm. Her strength, her fire… her love.
The feeling hits hard. I look at her bare shoulder, a spot with no mark yet. My mouth waters at the thought of biting her there, putting my claim under Rook's, making it clear she's not his alone.
Storm seems to sense my intent, her body goes still beneath me. She arches her back further, offering herself to me with complete certainty.