Page 80 of Claimed By Blood

The alpha would have to be blind not to have seen it, and it’s likely added fuel to his beliefs.

If Gideon’s self-hatred and refusal to listen to Finn is the real problem, perhaps the answer is different too.

Maybe he needs to have sex with someone who isn’t an omega, someone he’ll listen to.

Silas? No. I dismiss the thought as soon as it comes. The relationship between the two of them is practically familial. I don’t imagine either of them have ever thought of one another in that way. Vane is much the same—not to mention I’m pretty sure he’s only interested in women, just like Frost and Draven.

Which leaves… me.

“So what Gideon needs is someone who can take rough sex regularly, that he doesn’t care about hurting,” I surmise, slowly. “Someone who he would have no choice but to believe if they said they enjoyed themselves. A third party. Would that work? Would it give you space to rebuild your relationship?”

Finn freezes, and the bond between us pulses with stunned shock.

“Evie…”

“Answer the hypothetical.” I’m not offering anything. Not yet. This idea might not work, and the last thing I want is to make things messier by sticking myself in the middle of things.

His chin drops down to rest on my head, making it difficult to read his expression. “It would. But that hypothetical person would have to be able to submit completely to Gid. No arguments. No taunting.”

“But only in the bedroom,” I argue. “And he’d stop if they asked him to.”

“I’ve told him no before,” Finn confesses. “And, yes, he did stop. He was really good about it and careful with me afterwards. He likes to make out like he’s a beast in rut, but he’s not. Not really.” He pauses. “You’re not an omega.”

I draw back, meeting his eyes. “As long as it’s sex where he’s in control, will that matter?”

He shakes his head, putting his glasses back on.

“And would you… would you be okay with that?” I continue, hesitantly. “It wouldn’t make things messier if I were with both of you.”

He laughs. Actually laughs. “Evie, I was expecting it to happen from the moment I first met you. You fit with the pack—and not in a platonic way.” His smile slips as he waits for my answer. “No. No, I wouldn't mind. In fact… It would be a relief. I know it’s not going to magically fix our problems, but maybe the two of us can work things out from there. I still… I still love him.” He whispers the admission, as if he’s scared of it. “I love the sex too—no matter how rough it gets. But I need a break, and then I want to build things back up slowly. I can’t just be the person he uses to justify hating himself anymore. I need more. Romance. Affection. Hell, I’d give my left nut for him to just hold my hand or open a door for me. I want to feel…”

“Cherished,” I whisper. “You need to trust him again before you let him back into your bed.”

Not so different from how I feel about Frost.

He gives a sharp nod that dislodges his glasses and busies himself pushing them back up his nose before he continues. “Right now, I feel like a crutch that he hates but can’t live without. I’m just a tool he uses to break himself of hyper-fixation and then punish himself for who he is.”

So the mission is simple. Give Gideon an outlet for his sexual needs so he can work on winning back Finn. Because it’s obvious to me that the omega does want the alpha. He wouldn’t be standing here, considering this if he didn’t.

Anyone who wasn’t already in love with the alpha would’ve called it quits and cut their losses by now. I care for Finn. I can feel him, pure and perfect and gentle along our thrall bond. He deserves whatever he wants. So if this is what it takes, I’ll do it.

I can’t even pretend my motives are entirely altruistic. I’ve been curious about the alpha since I first met him, and now that he’s decided to remain as one of my thralls, I want to know him better.

“Gideon has to agree first,” I mutter.

I’m still half certain he’ll say no. He’s not the sort of man that enjoys feeling manipulated into anything.

“I have to agree towhat?”

Both of us stiffen, turning around with guilty looks to face the alpha brooding behind us. We’ve been so caught up in our own little bubble that we didn’t notice the rest of our group approaching.

“Evie can explain,” Finn grunts, his cheeks darkening as he strides away from his alpha and back towards the hotel. “Which rooms are we in?”

“They only had three,” Silas says, keeping his tone light. “I figured I’d share with—”

“You’re sharing with me.” Finn grabs his arm and turns him around. “Evie is sharing with Gid. I guess that means Frost gets his privacy for once.”

The two of them disappear through the sliding glass door without another word. Frost looks at me, a question in his eyes, only following the two of them when I give him a small nod.

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