Page 44 of Frenzy
I melted like a puddle. Radic’s rough morning voice was like liquid ecstasy. I loved it.
“Morning.”
Pryce snored softly, making us both quietly laugh. Rad kissed my cheeks and pulled back a bit so he could see my face. Whatever he saw there made a small line appear on his brow. “Are you doing okay, Bon?”
I nodded, leaning down to kiss his full lips that had no right being so naturally plump and pink on a man. “Just tired, I think. It's been a crazy couple of months.”
Wearing just a pair of stretchy boylegs and a tank top, I could feel Radic’s morning wood pressed against me. I briefly thought about putting that hard-on to good use, but it felt wrong with Pryce sleeping in the bed next to us. Besides, I really was feeling stupidly exhausted.
“I better get up and head over to relieve Darius at the Sanctum. They’ve really stepped up the last couple of weeks but I miss the kids.”
Radic kissed me softly, his hands roaming up and down my back in soothing lines. “I’ll come with you.”
I smiled, and swung a leg over him so I could stand up beside the bed. “It's okay. Stay and snuggle with the Omega. It's…” I struggled to find a word that fit how I felt about Pryce. Devoted, maybe? “Nice.” That was inadequate, but it would do.
Being with Pryce felt right. Like we were meant to be connected, skin-to-skin, heart-to-heart. It hadn’t been hard to cement that feeling either. Over the course of the last couple of days, Pryce had been by my side all the time, like he couldn’t bear to be apart from me. I think he was feeling a little emotionally tumultuous with all the Alphas he’d been meeting and the decision he thought he had to make.
Radic frowned at me some more, but I kissed it away and headed to the bathroom. I wasn’t the only one who was tired. Radic had been working his ass off to help Courtland settle into his new role as Alpha General, being the familiar face to smooth over the less welcoming responses of the townspeople. Everyone loved Radic—me most of all. He was an easy man to love.
I showered in the bathroom instead of my ensuite so I didn't wake the guys up again, and ran into Courtland. He leaned forward and kissed me, and for the second time in a single morning, I felt my insides melt.
“Good morning, Bonnie,” he rumbled and I swear, it made my clit feel like a concert speaker.
“Morning, Court.” I still flushed when I saw him, and honestly, I was a little gobsmacked every time we had sex that he’d chosen me. Of all the beautiful Betas in Maxton—and there were some real beauties—he’d decided on me.
He kissed me again lightly, before moving his hand down to the small of my back and leading me through to the kitchen. “Sit, Beta. I’ll make you breakfast.”
I sat at the small kitchen table and watched this giant Alpha make me a grilled cheese, which was kind of adorable. He moved around the kitchen with the same easy confidence as he did everything.
“Are you sleeping okay? Do you want me to talk to Pryce about moving back into his own room?” he asked as he sliced cheese.
I shook my head. “No, I like having him there.”
Courtland held my eyes for a moment then nodded. “I appreciate you taking care of our Omega.”
My heart stuttered in my chest at his use of the wordour.“Is he ours?” I asked softly, watching him chew his full lower lip, the first sign of anything less than the absolute confidence I’d always seen from him.
“That depends on both of you. Do you want to be mine?”
This felt like too big a topic to be having over a fried sandwich, but then, when was a good time? We were Manix. We didn’t do rings and proposals. I stared at him for a long time, and then dropped my eyes.
“I’m not sure… I mean, I’m not what most Alphas—mostmen—are looking for. I know, you haven’t known me long, but I’m opinionated. I'm not very submissive—”
“I’m going to politely disagree with you on that one. You were beautifully submissive when the need arose,” he said firmly, and his lips curled a little at the memory.
My body flushed, and my cheeks were probably pinker than cotton candy. “I mean, outside of the bedroom. I won’t bow and scrape just because you’re my Alpha.” I swallowed hard. “You don’t have to take me just because you want Radic. I won’t stand in his way, if he’s the one you actually want. He’s… everything.”
Courtland frowned, putting the knife down and stepping around the island counter. He walked over to me, stooping down low so he could grip my chin. “Beta, I need you to listen to me really well right now, okay?” He put a bit of Alpha in that command, so I nodded. “You are perfect. I do not need slaves, or yes-men. I need a partner, someone who isn’t afraid to tell me when I’m being an arrogant asshole, with a heart big enough to care for Pryce and who can take Dominic’s damage. I need a Beta with the capacity to love us all, to care for us all. A mother for our cubs, a lover for these fucking cold mountain nights. Seriously, how is it so damn cold in these mountains?” he muttered, and I choked out a laugh. “You aren’t an add-on to Radic, although I would very much love him in the Pack too. No Bonnie, you are the main prize. Will you be my Beta?”
I blinked up at him, and my eyes burned with tears, even though I really didn’t know why I wanted to cry. Happiness? Overwhelming emotion? “Yes. I mean, I have to talk to Radic; we are a package—”
“Yes!”
I turned around to see a grinning Radic. He flushed under our combined gaze. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but if you want my thoughts, Bon, the answer is yes.”
I smiled so wide that I thought my face would crack. Happiness filled my chest as I nodded. “Yes. Please.”
Courtland leaned forward and kissed me hard, a possessive kiss that branded my very soul. When he finally pulled away, he gave me a rare smile, one that lit up his eyes like they were on fire. “Thank you, Beta. I will do my best to be an Alpha worthy of your mateship.”
