Page 63 of Knot Your Possession

“I’ve seen too many forced claims at the Palace. I won’t do that to any of you. Even if I’m not barking at you, this is forcing you all. If I can ride this out, it will give us time to develop our bonds naturally. To mate and claim each other when we’re ready.”

“You can’t do this alone, Ava. Heats can be dangerous without an alpha’s knot and pheromones to ease you.” Nick shook his head, his forehead furrowing. “You said earlier that you liked me. Has that changed?”

“Like is too small a word, Nick. You’re mine, in the same way my other mates are. I’m just not sure you feel the same, yet. Betas usually take time to make a commitment to each other. I want to give you that time, Nick. I won’t have my heat force you into this.”

He breathed out heavily, relief flooding his eyes, but my breath still hitched as my heart pounded, waiting for him to say something in return. He didn’t keep me waiting. “You’re mine too, Ava. I just didn’t want to scare you by showing you so quickly how much I need you. My whole life I’ve known about packs and hoped mine was out there. I may not have alpha instincts, but I still knew you were mine the moment I saw you. Before you even knew I existed, I wanted this. I don’t need time, not even another second. I just need you.”

Satisfaction flooded me at knowing he was just as into me as I was with him. I needed him so badly.

“Nick,” I whimpered, before he kissed me quick and hard. Gone was the gentle exploration he’d started with earlier today.

“You’ve always seemed so in touch with your omega, Ava. Even more so than Maia or Lexie. You’ve just been quieter about it,” he said, capturing me with his earnest eyes, not letting me look away. “Now you’re overthinking this, and trying to deny your instincts. You’re in your head rather than feeling your bonds with your mates. Trust yourself, trust us. Let us show you how we feel.”

“Mine,” Wolf instantly growled, and I got a rush of love from him that lit me up inside. There wasn’t a smidge of doubt in him about us, and I felt the same way. My giant, feral alpha had gripped me from the moment he charged through that throng of alphas to save me. Our bond was pure light and comfort. I’d claim him this very moment if I didn’t know it would hurt us both.

“Mine,” I whispered back to him. It was all he needed. Wolf growled low and long, making the water ripple around him, as his eyes roved over me possessively.

“Temptress,” Cary murmured in a husky voice. “You have owned me body and soul since the first moment I laid eyes on you. If anyone thinks I’m going anywhere right now, they’re going to have to shift me themselves.” His dark eyes glittered dangerously, even as they burned with need.

“You’ve always been mine, Cary. Even when I couldn’t look at you, you were mine.”

“What about River and Ryder?” Nick asked. I dragged my focus back to the two men holding my naked body so tenderly between them. They were patiently keeping the worst of the pain at bay, even while I could feel their bodies almost vibrating with need. They were hot, glowing sparks in my chest that had never burned down, despite time and distance.

I looked between each of them as Nick released me and shifted backwards, giving us a moment.

“Don’t start doubting us now, little bird,” River whispered in my ear. His breath skittered shivers over my heated skin.

“You held faith in us for a decade, even when we let you down,” Ryder added, as he kissed a line up my jaw, making me tremble. ‘You’ve always been ours, and will always be ours. We’re more than ready for this. Are you?

He pulled back a little to give me space to answer. There were so many powerful, confusing feelings attached to the twins. Yet my feelings for them were also the simplest of all. Love underpinned everything, even the pain and fear. A part of me was holding back from them because I’d followed my instincts before, and made a decision that had caused the three of us a decade of pain. I didn’t want to hurt anyone I loved in that way again. It made me realize Nick was right. I’d gotten spooked by this sudden heat, and stopped following my instincts. That wasn’t me. I didn’t run from things or hide from them.

My eyes snagged on Ryder’s chest, and the cherry blossom tree tattooed on it. The roots reached down and intertwined with a depiction of his beating heart, wrapping it in their embrace. The branches reached up to his collarbone. Cherry blossoms were blowing off it in a breeze that wrapped over his shoulder. There were tiny bluebirds flying amongst them. It was achingly beautiful. It was a representation of us, tattooed forever as a piece of art on his body.

“Ry,” I whimpered. I remembered River telling me to seek out Ryder’s tattoo. He’d promised me Ryder wasn’t angry the way he thought he was. I hadn’t imagined it would be anything like this. Someone who was truly angry could never ink this on themselves.

Ryder grabbed my chin and dragged my face up to meet his eyes as he pressed back into me. His pupils had blown wide and need etched his face with a ravenous hunger that bordered on agony. Yet he was frowning.

“Tell me we’re good, Ava.” Pain and remorse bled into his growl, and it tore me open. I’d done this to him.

I also realized with sudden clarity that the space between the three of us, filled with unspoken words, was of our own making. I pulled River and Ryder tighter to me in our bond, as well as with my arms, and they both groaned in relief as it felt like our souls finally crashed back into each other.

“In the dark of night, when I dared to dream of having a choice, it was always the two of you,” I said, as my feelings overflowed the well I’d tried to contain them in. “From the day I left until now, that hasn’t changed. You’re both mine.”

“Ours,” River growled from behind me.

“Ours,” Ryder repeated in a matching growl.

They both put their heads towards mine, as they kept me encircled in their arms. It felt as if we were right back on that dance floor with our bond newly springing to life. Only now, we were so much more. Now, arms wrapped around us from all sides as Wolf, Cary, and Nick shared this moment with us. Our pack bonds grew roots that entwined us as I yanked on each one and pulled them to me. My mates held me tightly in a moment that felt like it left ripples within time itself. As if every moment of joy we’d ever experienced together had been a ripple flowing from this perfect moment that hadn’t yet happened. And all the ones to come would flow from it too.

I wanted to stay in this moment forever. Yet, with all of them touching me, the burn in my body built to a searing level. My heat rushed back into me, demanding more.

“So, how will this work?” I moaned, my voice sounding huskier than I’d ever heard it. Lexie had never gotten around to answering that question. As much as I wanted to know what would feel good for them, I wasn’t sure I meant the mechanics anymore. It was more that I felt so much for each of them I didn’t know who to touch first.

“It’s okay, Ava,” Cary said roughly, understanding flickering into his heated gaze. He always seemed to know what I was feeling almost before I did. “We all just want to be here for this. Do whatever feels right for you, and if anything makes you uncomfortable, you say stop and we stop.”

“You’re not responsible for all our feelings, Ava,” Nick added. “That’s too much for any one person. It’s on us to make this work, not you. Trust us to take care of you and figure our own shit out, okay? Just like we did last night.”

I glanced at Wolf. He’d calmed slightly with the pack contact, but I knew the feral wildness that plagued him was creeping back over his senses. I could feel it growing in the bond. Yet he wasn’t fighting it, he was embracing it.

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