Page 74 of Laurels and Liquor

Mateo and I speak at the same time, but I’m surprised by the third voice joins us. Lucas is there, stroking Lydia’s hair and kissing her temple. I can feel him now as well, the web of bonds growing stronger as we touch and stay close, until Lydia looks up at our beta, feeling the wave of love he sends to her through me, tears in her eyes.

“Yours,” she replies at last, voice cracking.

I move to kiss away the tear that slips free, but I’m not fast enough. Because Lex is there, wiping it away. We all look, and she’s smiling brightly, but there’s something in her eyes, a longing on the edges of her happiness.

“One more, my love,” I whisper, kissing my bond mark, savoring the little shiver it sends through her body.

Lydia nods, and Mateo and I move at last, allowing Lydia to crawl into Lex’s lap. She falls asleep almost immediately, not that Lex seems to mind. Mateo, Lucas, and I look at each other, then almost simultaneously burst into laughter. We’re covered in sweat and blood, and my shoulder aches from where Lydia bit me.

“Let’s clean up,” Lucas suggests breathlessly.

We look at our omega, and Lex gives us an encouraging nod. So I stumble on weak legs into Lydia’s bathroom. But even if the physical evidence washes away, nothing will ever remove this newfound warmth in my soul.

Chapter thirty-seven

Alexandra

Icanheartheshower running as Lydia dozes in my arms, and I play with the ends of her toffee-colored hair. Her skin is cooler than it was a few days ago, and the realization makes my stomach sink a little. She must be nearing the end of her heat. Will there still be enough time for her to be satisfied with the state of her bonds with Mateo and Rhett, and to bond with me? We’d taken it for granted that we’d be able to complete all the bonds, but with Lucas co-opting her first two bonding chemical surges, it’s possible her body will decide she’s done before we’re ready. I can’t deny the pulse of disappointment that thought brings to my chest, but I push it down and away, hoping Rhett and Lucas don’t feel it. I have to keep it together, and she needs to rest after such an intense moment.

“Lex,” Lydia whimpers, wriggling slightly.

I slide down to hold her closer, kissing her forehead. “I’m here, sweetness,” I coo, stroking up and down her back.

“I love you,” she says dreamily, blindly seeking out my neck to nuzzle against.

I smile, my stomach doing a little flip. “I love you, too. Rest now; I’ve got you.”

She shakes her head and pulls back to look at my face. There’s a clarity to her eyes that wasn’t there a few minutes ago, a fire I haven’t seen before.

“I don’t want to,” she snaps, growling adorably.

I roll my eyes, ready to laugh, but that only makes her growl more. And then suddenly, she’s flipping me onto my back, kissing me hard. I’m too stunned by her sudden shift to do anything than kiss her back, tasting the last traces of Rhett’s blood still on her lips. The honey and whiskey and ozone flavor of her makes my pussy pulse, and I run my hands down her chest to cup her breasts. They’re so perfect, the right size to fill my palms with nipples so responsive and sensitive to each twist and pinch.

“I can feel you, just a little bit,” she mutters against my skin as she trails kisses down my jaw and neck.

I gasp at the scrape of her teeth on my collarbone, then the slide of her pussy against my thigh as she moves lower and lower, until she’s sucking on my nipples, her perfect tongue swirling around the hardened buds until they ache. The primal part of my mind is roaring for me to stop this, to take control and make her relax like she needs. But then phantom touches soothe that savage part of me, until I’m a puddle on the mattress, completely at Lydia’s will.

“You don’t think I’d let you out of my nest without claiming your rightful place as my alpha, did you?” Lydia asks lightly, the sultry omega purr under her words tickling my heart.

“I don’t want you hurting yourself—”

Lydia bites the swell of my breast hard enough to make me gasp, and I try to push back against the syrupy pool filling my head. Lydia’s fingers play at my entrance, swirling in my arousal until she can push one slim digit inside of me, curling it slowly. Her touch is hesitant, unsure, but something about her boldness makes it feel so good. And when she finds that perfect spot inside of me, I groan through gritted teeth, bucking as I ride her finger. She adds a second finger, growing more confident as I respond to her, but her pace stays slow. I look up at her with a growl, and she’s smirking. This little brat isteasingme.

That’s all it takes for me to finally throw off the influence holding me back, and I snap. I flip Lydia over, grabbing her wrist and holding her still as I writhe on her fingers. She has the audacity to laugh, raking the nails on her other hand down my chest hard enough to leave bright red streaks across my pale skin. Marking me, claiming me.

“Come for me, Alpha. Come for your omega,” Lydia taunts, twisting to rub her thumb on my clit.

I gasp and tense up, and she takes full advantage, shifting her weight until I’m knocked backward and onto my stomach, the air whooshing out of my lungs. But I don’t get a chance to recover as Lydia pounces, driving her hand into my channel, the noises she pulls out of my throat almost embarrassing. The pleasure is worth it, though, and I can only hang on as she pushes me over the edge, refusing to let up even as my muscles try to lock around her fingers. With her soft purr, I’m butter on hot pavement, coming apart again and again in quick succession.

“That’s a good girl,” Lydia coos, only slowing her hand as I’m coming down from my third orgasm.

Snarling weakly, I’m boneless for the moment. She laughs and pulls out, humming with delight. I turn to look, and she’s using the fingers she just fucked me into the mattress with to play with herself. And she’s looking at me like the cat who got the cream, a challenge for me to try to stop her.

“Someone seems to have forgotten something,” I start, softly but not weakly.

She doesn’t respond, putting on a full show as she chases her own release, eyes locked with mine the whole time. I finally get enough strength back in my limbs to get on all fours, and I prowl toward her, teeth bared. She’s close; I can smell it in the electrified air between us. I wait, biding my time as she gets closer and closer to the edge. And right as she’s poised to fall, I dart forward, one hand around her throat as I tackle her into the bed, the other pinning that traitorous hand right beside her face.

“Your cunt is mine, Omega,” I growl, nose only millimeters away from hers as I straddle her chest.

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