First Street Heat (Beastverse #1)

19. Lilah

19

Lilah

" T his is why you shouldn't say stuff like that, babe," Sam says as he walks over to where I'm standing with Janie.

She gives him a sheepish look, but it's mostly a mask to hide her amusement in the scene that just played out. She told me while Fenrir was fighting with Sam and Sarah that it's pretty standard for them to get into some type of argument at family dinners, and it's best if we go ahead and get the first one out of the way so I'm not surprised if it ever happens again.

I guess I'm grateful since it was a shock to watch Fenrir take over instantaneously and look like he was about to kill his brother. Then Sarah jumped on his back like they had choreographed it and put him to sleep in less than two minutes.

"Lilah needed to see what the three of you are like." Janie gives him a shoulder shrug. "You all were going to be on your best behavior, and we all know that isn't what this family normally looks like."

"You told him that we smell alike." Sam scrunches his nose as the words leave his mouth. "It's not true, is it?"

Janie shrugs a nonanswer that has me wondering if Scott and Fenrir really do smell like their brother. I try to be discreet in my sniffing, but Sam notices and jumps away.

"You omegas can be demons." He scowls as he steps over to where Scott's body is lying limp in the grass.

Sarah's already moving him onto his back and checking to make sure he's breathing. When she looks up at us and smiles, it's clear everything is fine. Janie moves into the house, leaving me to watch the siblings together.

They all three look so similar that it's kind of uncanny. They have the same sandy blond hair and dark brown eyes. Even the shape of their noses and the extra fullness in their lower lips are identical. Sam's older, but Scott's still bigger than him in height and weight from having a beast. Sam's still a big guy, but it's clear if they were to fight for real, Fenrir would win. Sarah's smaller than her brothers by a long shot, but she's taller than me due to being a beta.

Sam kneels down next to Scott's body and starts to rub on his chest until he gasps loudly, waking from his forced slumber. His dark eyes look around the yard, landing on me instantly. They flash gold for just a second as Fenrir makes sure I'm okay. By the time he gets to me and wraps his arms around me, Scott's back in charge.

"No more fighting," he says, giving a piercing look to Sam and Sarah. "My mate needs to eat, and then I need to get her back home."

"We want to get to know her, Scott," Janie says as she comes out of the house with a crockpot. Scott's eyes track the pot as she moves from the house and places it in the center of the table. "That means you're staying for at least a couple of hours."

Scott's eyes narrow, his lips pulling back. "One hour."

"Two," Janie counters, not budging. "You ruined girl's night last night, so I get two hours with her today."

"I need you to think back to when you first mated and tell me that you think I can last two hours."

It isn't Janie who argues with him this time. Nope, Sarah pipes up, bringing a bottle of wine out of the house and filling a cup for herself before setting it on the table. "You managed to stay away from her for two weeks after scenting her. Isn't that supposed to be the hardest part to stay away from?"

"That was different," Scott snaps, his body tenses at the reminder of how poorly our mating went. Well, it was great once it happened, but it was a little rough before then.

He turns to look at me, his gaze softening when he sees the pink of embarrassment staining my cheeks. He inhales deeply, and his hands make soft strokes up and down my arms in an effort to soothe worries that I'm trying not to let enter my mind.

I know they want me now. They've claimed me, they've marked me, and they love me. It still doesn't take away from the fact that they didn't immediately jump my bones when they first caught my scent.

Scott lowers his face to mine, his voice barely a whisper. "It was different."

"Come tell us all how it was different while we eat," Sarah interrupts her brother, who's trying to be sweet to me.

She makes up for her interruption by handing me a glass of wine and cutting a look at her brother like she's more than willing to take my side if this comes to blows. Not that it will get that far since it's just my insecurities rearing their ugly heads. Still, it's nice knowing I have people in my corner, even if I barely know them.

Sarah leads me to the table. Scott's right behind me with a hand on my lower back. When he sits down, he inhales deeply near the crockpot, and a smile splits his lips. He grabs the tongs before anyone else has a chance and starts plating heaps of roast onto my plate.

My eyes go wide when he fills almost my entire plate before placing the tongs back in the crockpot and reaching for the sides of potatoes and green beans. Everyone watches in amusement as he fusses over piling my plate full of food. He narrows his eyes on my setup, grabs the wine bottle, and places it near me in case I want more. When he's happy with himself, he looks at me and gives me an expectant look.

"Eat." He nods at the food on my plate. One of his hands rests on my thigh, tracing soft circles against me as he watches me slowly lift my fork and begin to eat.

Everyone else at the table doesn't find watching me eat as entertaining as Scott, so they all begin making their plates and eating. My cheeks burn hot when I notice Scott watching me instead of making a plate for himself.

His eyes dart to the others at the table occasionally, like he's not sure if he needs to be upset with them. I don't know what he could be upset by, but he keeps glaring daggers at Sam as if he might try to fight with him again.

"Does Lilah know how much of a mess you were after she told you she scent matched you?" Sarah asks. There's a hint of mischief in her smile as Scott's attention snaps over to her.

"I don't think I do," I answer for Scott since he seems happy to stare at his sister for bringing it up. Plus, I didn't know he was distraught.

He told me when we were video chatting or video masturbating that he was affected by me, but he never really showed it until he was ready to mate me. Before that, he didn't seem that upset at all. I definitely wouldn't say distraught.

Sure, there were all the flowers, food, and texts. That's all normal alpha courting, though. And, yeah, he might've camped out in front of my apartment building every night. He was also at the bar to pick Ian and me up in a few minutes without any questions.

Okay, so maybe he showed signs of being distraught over me that I didn't quite take into account until right this second.

"He's been staying at the clinic, according to Joy," Sam adds, causing Scott's face to flush bright red so much it puts the pink in my cheeks to shame. Instead of shutting up, though, Sam keeps going. The smile on his lips rivals his sister's in its amusement. "Where have you been sleeping, Scotty?"

A growl rumbles low in Scott's chest, and his hand grips my thigh even tighter. I bite into another piece of meat, chewing slowly as I listen to the siblings. I reach down to stroke Scott's hand, giving him a little bit of comfort that seems to ease the tension in his body significantly. He quiets his growl and then sighs.

"Are we talking about this kind of thing at dinner now?" He cuts his sister a look that should cut her down, but she just shrugs and takes another bite. Scott's lips pull back briefly, but he answers their questions. "I've been staying in the heat room." He pauses. "In the nest you built."

I let the fork fall to the plate, my head cocking to the side as I watch Scott's reaction to his admittance. He's been staying in the first nest I built? The nest I made for him for us to share during my heat.

"Why?" The word is so soft when it comes out that I wonder if he's even heard it until his eyes look back up into mine, burning bright and golden. Fenrir is staring at me with so much intensity that I wonder if everyone else at the table can tell just how close he and Scott are to losing it.

" You made that for me, " Fenrir says, his distorted voice more of a growl as he fights for control. Scott takes over again, his eyes darkening.

"We scent matched you that day, Lilah. We knew you were our mate, but we didn't know if you wanted us because you truly felt called to be with us or if it was just your heat influencing you. I couldn't let Fen claim you in that state. I couldn't risk us trapping you with us when you didn't want to be. So, I held us off. It is the hardest I've fought for anything in my life, but I did it because I knew I wanted you in the right way."

Scott reaches up and brushes away the stray tear that has escaped my eyes.

"So, while you finished school and made sure you wanted to be a claimed omega, we lost our minds a little. We stayed in our nest, in the clinic, and we watched your apartment every night until we were sure you went to sleep. We could barely focus on anything besides you. We can still barely focus on anything besides you. You are everything we ever wanted. It's still hard to believe this is real. That you're ours now."

My mind seems to short-circuit at his words. I knew he was affected by me. I don't think I realized how much because I'm only used to seeing how alphas act when they allow themselves to be consumed by their need for the omega they've scent matched.

I watched Liam throw himself over the table to get to Maggy when they first met, and I saw the same thing happen with the two alphas before him. It never crossed my mind that they could've held off if they just tried hard enough.

"You didn't claim me because you didn't know if I wanted you?" I ask, even though he just admitted as much. Scott nods. His hand flips on my thigh, and his fingers fold over mine, holding me snug. "I scent matched you."

"I didn't know until afterward," Scott says, reminding me that he begged me to talk to him as soon as he found out. "If I'd known, I would've let Fenrir do all kinds of wicked things to you during your heat." He growls at himself softly, talking with Fenrir in their mind. It's probably Fen telling him that he would've loved to do all sorts of things to me.

"You wanted me this whole time." I pause, needing to pick my words correctly. "You wanted me as badly as any other scent matched alpha this whole time?"

"I've been itching under my skin in need, snapping at everyone and making the entire clinic walk on eggshells around me." Scott leans in closer to me, his family falling away from our minds. "I've been broken and missing the most important piece of myself these last two weeks because I knew you were out there, and I had to wait until I could claim you as mine."

"You should've told me," I whisper. We lean into one another as though we're the only two in the world. Our lips brush against one another, and his hand cups my cheek. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You needed time," Scott says, the warmth of his breath brushing against my lips before he places another kiss against them. "I would've given you as much as you wanted."

My hands go to the back of his head, holding him close as I deepen the kiss between us. Scott's hands lower around my waist. He pushes his chair back to give me the space to crawl into his lap, where he lets me straddle and kiss him more.

When I push away for air, I open my mouth to tell him that if he had told me all of that earlier, I wouldn't have been so worried. I wouldn't have told him that I needed time to fall in love with him because it's already way too late for that. It's been way too late for that.

"I love—"

I don't get to finish the three words that have Scott's eyes flickering rapidly between brown and gold because a can of odor neutralizer is being sprayed over us. No, not over us, directly into our faces like we're misbehaving animals being sprayed with water.

The interruption has Fenrir coming out in full force. He stands from his chair, cutting Sarah a look that could make anyone else submit under it, but she stares up at him with defiance in her dark eyes. Sam and Janie are smiling at the two like Fenrir doesn't look capable of murder.

" You'll get two hours another time. " He scowls at the three of them, lifting me up and throwing me over his shoulder despite the protest I give him once I realize what's happening.

" Calm down, " he growls at me, putting an emphasis on the words and causing a shiver to spread throughout my body in need to comply with my mate's demands.

He purrs when I relax my body and let him manhandle me without a fuss. He turns to grab something off the table before stomping back through the yard to the car and then buckling me into my seat.

" I want you to finish what you were saying when we get home, little mate. " His eyes are hard and brutal, but I can see the adoration and love right behind those other emotions. He makes sure my seatbelt is tight before handing me what he grabbed off the table. It's the plate he made for me with still way too much food on it. " Keep this safe. I'm starving. "

Just as Fenrir closes my car door, Sarah comes running out from the back of the house, holding her arms up in surrender. I open the door just a bit to listen to what they're saying. I want to make sure Fenrir isn't about to say anything nasty to her. I don't think he will, considering he cares more about her than he'd ever admit.

"Hey, look, I'm sorry if I embarrassed your mate," Sarah says, looking over at me and smiling.

Fenrir growls, getting her attention back on him. He leans down so their faces are level with one another. " One day, you will find someone you wish to bring to family dinners, and I will make that beta bitch piss his pants before we even get to dessert. "

Sarah rolls her eyes, obviously not taking Fenrir's threat seriously. "Sure, sure. That means at some point, I find someone I like enough to bring home."

" It will happen, and I will remember this moment. " Fenrir keeps his voice dark.

The neverending growl rumbles in his chest and has my stomach twisting in all kinds of pleasurable ways. Sarah, on the other hand, stares at him like he's being dramatic about the whole thing, which he is.

"Well, I guess I'll have to tell my beta bitch to wear a diaper then."

Fenrir's growl stutters, his face contorting slightly to stop a smile from gracing his pretty face. He shakes his head, refusing to give his sister the victory in their interaction. Instead of quipping back or trying to say something else to get her to flinch, he turns on his heel and returns to the car.

"See you both on Tuesday!" Sarah yells and waves at us as Fenrir closes his door.

"What's on Tuesday?" I ask.

Fenrir glares at his sister the entire time it takes him to start the car and back out of the driveway. " Family dinner, we have it every Tuesday. "

"Is it always this entertaining?" I ask with a smile that's way too big and a bit teasing. Fenrir doesn't look at me, his knuckles white on the steering wheel as he focuses on the road.

" Usually less, but I make no promises for a while since everyone is enjoying making a fool of Scott and me now that you're around. "

He flushes when he catches me watching him with a smile on my lips. I'm not used to seeing him flustered, which means his family either really got to him or something else is going on. I'm about to ask him if he wants help figuring out how to get back at them, but he speaks before I get the chance to offer it.

" Were you going to say you love Scott? "

His question catches me so off guard that it's my turn for the embarrassment to stain my cheeks again. His eyes cut over again, lingering when he notices my reaction. He slows to a stop at a red light and turns to face me.

" You were. "

It's not a question this time. His eyes narrow on me, one hand rubbing at his chin as he debates something in his mind. The light turns green, and he's back to focusing on driving.

"It's not just Scott," I say softly. I'm not sure how he'll take my words, but I need him to know I understand they're the same and different. I love them both for what they each provide me.

" I know. " Fenrir's rough purr fills the air around us, but he doesn't say anything else as he turns the radio on and raises the volume.

I chew on my lip, not sure if he's upset or if he's happy. The low vibrations of his purr make me think he's happy, but he ends the entire conversation by turning the music too loud to have a conversation.

I focus on keeping hold of the food and not letting it make a mess because Fenrir decides that going the speed limit is too slow to get home. I'm surprised my mind hasn't freaked out more since the conversation ended.

I assume it's because Fenrir's purring keeps me calm, and it doesn't hurt that every time he looks over at me, his lip twitches into a half smile. His eyes are still sharp and hard, but they warm me up whenever he lets them roam down my body.

When we finally pull to a stop, we're not at his house at all but at the clinic. My brows furrow as he turns the car off, but I assume he has work he needs to finish up or something.

Fenrir gets out of the car first, making quick work of coming over to my side to help me out before I can even think of opening the door on my own. He takes the plate of food from me and the cups on my cheek with his free hand.

His purr softens to a faint rumble as he steps close to me. His lips brush against my ear with a whisper. " Go inside, tell them you have an appointment, and follow the instructions I gave you the first time we did this. "

As the words leave his mouth, he presses a soft kiss to my temple and then walks away from me to an employee entrance around the back of the building. My stomach is filled with butterflies, my core clenching in anticipation, and slick is already pooling in my panties.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself, before walking inside the clinic where Scott and Fenrir rejected me two weeks ago.