chapter
sixteen
I could list a hundred reasons why this entire situation is wrong .
I have three strangers in my living room. Which is three more than I’ve ever had here before.
Because I hate other people. Most especially when they’re loud, entitled, and lazy like this Zane character.
And—more importantly— all of these people are now naked.
I’m too old for this shit.
Which is the next issue. The pretty little omega writhing and perfuming in the middle of my living room? She’s too young for me.
Too innocent and sweet. Softness and beauty, all wrapped in silky skin and blonde curls. Much too pure and perfect for a hard, jaded man like me.
That’s the biggest problem. This has to be some sort of mistake.
God and I gave up on each other a long time ago—so who sent me a mate like this ?
Is it a trick? Or a dream?
Do I want to wake up?
No , I decide, watching Emma’s topless body stretch between Micah and Zane.
That may be the worst, most wrong thing about this: She’s not in my arms.
And I want her to be.
I spent the better part of the last hour trying to deny how good she felt there. When she passed out in the kitchen, instincts I’ve brutally suppressed all morning came roaring to the surface.
I barely let the others touch her while she was unconscious. I couldn’t . It was already difficult when we found her. But once my Alpha got a beat on her scent and locked in?
The thought of allowing anyone access to her when she was vulnerable enraged me. In that state, I wouldn’t let anyone touch her but me. Because I knew I would keep her safe.
And now? I can’t look away for the same reason.
Even though part of me—the piece that wants to cling to solitude for all our sakes—begs to walk away. I can’t do it. Because that would mean leaving her unprotected.
And I’d never do that.
I watch as Emma whines quietly, bucking against Micah’s lap. Zane’s long fingers weave into her mussed curls, pulling her flushed face closer to his. Their lips brush and slip together, eliciting a small, ragged moan from the omega and alow growl from the alpha.
Micah takes advantage of the fact that they’re distracted and rolls Emma’s borrowed sweats off. He tosses them in my direction, and I catch them on instinct, hoarding the slick-soaked fabric against my chest.
Her regular scent is heavenly. Gooey, soft, and warm. Now that she’s aroused? My mouth waters .
The cinnamon is richer, her vanilla-sugar sweetness slicing down my throat while I huff deeply and lock my muscles into stillness.
I’ve never been this hard for this long. After damn-near two hours, the throbbing erection still presses insistently into the seam of my hiking pants, twitching while I watch her hands tug at Zane’s overly coiffed hair.
When he finally breaks their kiss, Micah has gotten everyone’s clothes off. His dick stands at attention, his balls already full, the knot at the base of his shaft starting to swell.
Unsurprisingly, Zane has different ideas. He kicks the furry briefs off, and Emma gasps, instantly trying to lunge for his wide, veiny erection.
There’s desperation in every line of her face, but he murmurs sweetly to her. “I know, gorgeous,” he says, rubbing his cheek into hers, scent-marking her.
Sweet thing that she is, she nuzzles him right back.
And he pauses.
I watch his chest heave—leaner than mine and waxed smooth. It expands on harsh breaths while the rest of him freezes.
His dark eyes gaze up at her face. She whimpers, trying to wriggle out of Micah’s grip on her hips and go for his groin again.
But Zane swallows, the motion thick with hesitation. My eyes narrow.
People don’t often surprise me. Right now, though? He is.
I thought he’d shove right in the second he could. He’s clearly fucked plenty of omegas. I’m sure being a famous influencer or whatever he is gets him laid plenty.
Why does he suddenly look lost?
And what will it do to Emma if she notices?
I can’t allow anything to hurt her. The very thought has my fists clenching tighter. I meet Micah’s eyes and give a hard nod toward them, along with a flex of my dominance.
Zane feels it and snaps back to attention. Whatever tripped him up must not have anything to do with how he feels about her because his free hand tenderly pets her hair as he leans away. “Be my good girl and go to Micah, baby,” he rasps. “I want to lick this pussy.”
Emma fusses, clearly distressed about all the delays. My body braces, muscles thrumming with the urge to stalk over and fix everything for her.
But that would mean fucking her myself.
And if Ido that, I won’t ever be able to let her leave .
It only takes a second for Micah to lift Emma up and place her face-out on his lap. Her soft, creamy thighs bracket his quad muscles, the blush-pink lips of her spread pussy a perfect contrast to his dark cock.
He doesn’t tease her, but I never expected him to. I may only know him in passing, but he’s clearly a good alpha and the kind of person who always strives to do the right thing. He’d never edge an omega in a heat-spike.
Unlike some people.
Back on his game, Zane tosses Emma a sly grin. He kneels between Micah’s legs and blatantly watches him sink the omega onto his dick.
She lets out a keen that makes my knot pound. Micah groans. Zane’s jaw falls slack for a moment as he keeps staring.
Can’t say I blame him.
It’s just about the prettiest damn thing I’ve ever seen, too.
A long, deep growl rumbles in the bottom of my lungs as her sweet, cinnamon slick gushes around Micah’s cock, slipping down his knot and balls. Micah’s head falls back on a strangled groan. Zane moans, too, snapping forward and lapping at the top of her folds.
Fuck . She smells so incredible and looks even better. Blonde curls bounce around her shoulders while she bobs on Micah’s girth, pounding it into her pussy as much as she can while also grinding forward, slicking Zane’s face.
The alpha on his knees grips her hips and starts to help, lifting and rolling her body against his mouth while Micah pants out praises. “You feel so damn good, Emma. Is this what you need, sweet girl? You like this big alpha cock?”
She nods frantically, hazy green eyes searching for his face. She can’t see him behind her, though, and Zane has his mouth pressed right against her pussy, looping his tongue over her clit.
A tiny whimper eeks out of her as her brows crease. The expression—so full of honest sadness —smashes whatever logic I’m clinging to. Her body wants release, but Emma…
What does she want?
Is it something as simple as… connection?
All I know is, I can’t accept that look on her face. I sit forward, bracing my forearms on my knees. “Here, omega,” I say, catching her eye with my gentlest bark. “ Look at me.”
Our gazes clash, hers smoky with lust and wide with fear. Poor little thing . This must be so fucking confusing for her and her Omega.
I grit my teeth against the urge to shove Zane out of the way and taste her for myself, focusing enough to send her a wave of approval and reassurance. When the line between her brows softens and vulnerability floods her face, I feel an answering tug in my gut.
Fucking hell .
Why does this fucked-up moment feel so right ?
I can’t think straight long enough to figure it out. Instead, I let that sensation seep into my bones, filling the room with another wave of calm dominance as I mutter, “You’re okay, honey. I’m right here. Just look at me. Look at me while you come.”
And, goddamn it, she does . Those pretty jade eyes lock right onto mine as her back bows and her thighs clench. Micah shouts, latching his lips at her neck, bucking up into her body, sending them both over the edge .
Zane gives a serrated groan, lapping up the literal burst of slick that propels out of her body as she squirms on Micah’s lap.
Good God.
Did this innocent little omega just squirt creamy cinnamon cum all over my floor?
Yes . And I want more .
My body moves, snapping me to my feet and over to her side before I can even register the motion. By the time I realize what I’m doing, I have a clump of her curls in my fist, tugging her head back to sink my mouth against hers.
Just once , I tell myself. Only a taste .