The Light in Us

43. Fallon

43

Fallon

T he room is dark when I wake up. Blinking, I huddle into the warmth of the alphas on either side of me, breathing deeply and letting the comfort soak into my aching muscles.

Wait—

I almost catapult out of bed – or I would, if a heavy band of muscle didn’t yank me back down. I’m rolled onto my back, and the breath rushes out of my lungs as I stare up into the furious face of an alpha.

It’s not fear that fills me as my eyes widen.

I lick my lips, and he follows the movement with an almost lupine gaze. My voice is a whisper. “Wilder?”

My breath catches when he lowers his face. The light brown stubble on his chin scrapes my neck as he nuzzles into me, his breath hot against my skin.

When I shiver, he follows it up with a rasping lick, directly over my pulse.

My body turns into flames. I slam my legs together as my underwear dampens, my back arching lightly.

The alpha above me smiles. But I can’t see Wilder there at all as he inhales deeply. A rumbling sound echoes around us.

Approval.

“Fallon?”

I turn my head to the side at the panicked whisper, earning a displeased growl from not-Wilder. Zeke’s eyes are wide. “Sweetheart. Be very careful. Wilder’s not thinking clearly right now.”

My brows crease. “He’s not going to hurt me.”

I don’t know how I can sense it, but I can. Zeke murmurs a low curse, but he doesn’t stop me as I lift my fingers up to Wilder’s face. His eyes almost close as I stroke my fingers over his cheek, but I can still see the gleam there. I slide them into his hair, stroking him carefully and listening to the low purr that sounds in his throat.

“Hey,” I whisper. “Um. I need Wilder back for a second. Please.”

His lips peel back in a silent snarl, eyes opening wider. Vehement disagreement.

He shifts, covering me a little more as his nose drags across my cheek.

Carefully, I wrap my arms around him. Press my face into the crook of his neck, and I take a breath.

Wilder’s scent is earthy. Resinous. A little like vanilla and toffee, but with a musky scent beneath.

Myrrh.

And as I breathe him in, letting his scent soak into me, Wilder whines.

And I know.

“Mate,” I whisper. Wilder stiffens. Beside me, Zeke does too.

They’re my mates.

The awareness trickles into me. Not in a bolt of lightning. But in a steady, solid reassurance that fills up my lungs with air and causes tears to prick at my eyes. A huffing noise comes from Wilder as he presses his lips to the tear that escapes.

My face crumples.

And I throw my arms around his neck, holding onto him. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry it took me a while.”

My emotions battle inside my chest. There’s fear, fear of the darkness lingering around us and what that means. But there’s joy, too. Such overwhelming, oxygen-stealing joy that I don’t even know what to do with it, except to hold onto Wilder and sob into his neck.

Because there’s a space for me here, with them.

Something shifts, the frantic energy in the air around us fading. Wilder rolls until I’m on top of him, his arms wrapped around me. “Mate.”

And it’s hoarse, and ragged, and a plea. “ Mate .”

And when I look up, I know it’s the real Wilder staring back at me. He shudders when I reach up and brush my thumb over his lip.

“Yes,” I whisper. My smile grows, from a small, fragile thing to a beam. “ Yes .”

I press my cheek against his chest and look at Zeke, drinking him in.

My mate, too.

His green eyes are glistening. “Hey there. You feeling better?”

He carried me here. Zeke ran with me, ran like his heart was going to break as he raced to get me where I would feel safe.

“Thanks to you,” I murmur. Feeling shy, I half reach out my hand. But he gently snags it, presses it to his heart.

I can feel the thump of his heartbeat beneath his chest. Strong, steady. Sure.

Curling my fingers over it, I smile at him. “Good job.”

“You scared me.” He swallows.

I scared him . This alpha, the biggest I’ve ever seen, who cradled me so carefully.

My heart feels as though it might burst.

“ Mate ,” I whisper. Testing it out.

Zeke suddenly looks unsteady. “Not until you’re ready. I can wait, Fallon. I don’t want to rush you—,”

His words cut off as I shift, Wilder reluctantly releasing me.

I press my lips carefully against Zeke’s. I want to test this too. His lips are warm beneath mine, exquisitely soft. They part slightly, but otherwise, he stays frozen.

And I smile against my stunned mate’s mouth. “You can kiss me back, you know.”

He’s careful. Zeke slides his hand into my hair, reverence in his every movement as he takes over, tasting me. Learning me, exploring my mouth as if he’ll never forget this first time.

This is what it’s supposed to be like.

This is what it should always be like.

I’m breathing a little heavier when I pull away, moisture swimming in my eyes. The darkness threatens to press in, and I blink.

“I… I have to go.”

Two matching growls are my only response.

And a snarl, as the door flies open. I lock eyes with my third, scent-matched mate, my gaze widening as he storms across the room.

And Fox is furious .

“Over my dead body are you going back there .”