SPEECHLESS

WRITTEN BY
RACHEL GREY
 ©2023 by Rachel Grey

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written
permission from the author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Edited by Grayson Ball

Cover designed by Arpita Solomon
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
 Author’s Note:
I wrote Speechless after coming across two Omegas who were shoved
down, trampled on, and never given the chance to truly rise back up and
win. Their stories gutted me and have stayed fresh in my mind for years, so
I created Jade’s story as a way to pull them back up with her.

Jade’s story is one of strength and so much love, but it does begin in a dark
place. Please mind the trigger warnings below.

***Triggers include: nonconsensual sex and references to past abuse

 Chapter 1
JADE

I stand in my backyard under an evening sky, the horizon ablaze with the
red and orange rays of a setting sun. As breathtaking as it may be, my eyes
are locked on the flames of the fire in front of me.
The competing songs of the awakening cicadas almost drown out the
crackling of the wood fracturing in the blaze, but the sulfuric, leathery smell
of burning flesh can’t be covered. The thickness of it coats my mouth and
will likely remain for days. I stare vacantly with arid eyes as my father’s
body burns, images of the horrible things he has done running through my
mind.
It’s over now. The big, powerful Alpha, being reduced to ash and bone at
my feet, can no longer harm the helpless creatures under his care.
His wolf burns from within him, never again to torment and intimidate
the weak. Animals are created innocent and full of life, but Father’s Alpha
wolf was infected by the diseased heart of its host. It enjoyed torturing me
just as much as Father did. The only thing I was more afraid of than Father
was his wolf.
I once tried to escape one of Father’s drunken rampages. I ran into the
woods and clawed my way to the center of the thickest bush I could find,
hoping to elude him until the alcohol wore off or he finally passed out. But
there was no bush thick enough to hide a shifter’s scent from an Alpha’s
wolf. It hunted me down and dragged me back to the house by my foot, its
fangs lodged deep in my flesh.
As soon as it let go of me by the back door, I limped inside and hobbled
to my room as fast as I could. I knew I wasn’t safe from it there, but my
windowless cage was the most familiar place I had. Father didn’t come in
after me, but his wolf paced outside my door, its constant, low growl
keeping me awake and trembling for hours.
Luckily, shifters heal fast, so my pain didn’t linger. But that ability also
meant Father didn’t hold back when he took his frustrations out on
someone. In my early years, Mother bore the weight of his anger.
I was too small to protect her from him, but I did what I could to make
things easier. I never disobeyed or got in the way, and I learned how to help
with all the chores Father refused to do on the farm.
Most of the chores weren’t fun, but I loved cooking. It felt like I was in
another world when I helped Mother in the kitchen. It was the only time she
ever smiled, which was a shame because her smile was truly radiant.
Father sucked the fun out of our entire world except for when we were
preparing our meals. He benefitted from the tasty dishes we created, so he
allowed us to giggle and sing while we were in the kitchen.
Mother used to bring home storybooks from the market and read them to
me while the oven did its job. She taught me how to read so I could enjoy
the books when she was busy.
As the years went by, Father began treating Mother even worse, and she
started losing what little joy she had found in life. By the time I was eight, I
was doing most of the chores alone while she slept in any room Father
wasn’t in. It was hard work when I was so young, but it kept Father from
raging against her for not completing her duties.
One morning, Mother wasn’t up before me like usual. After not finding
her anywhere, I worried my father had gone too far and had beaten her to
death. He soon woke up furious, vowing to hunt Mother down and split her
open for leaving him. I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I was relieved she
was alive. That is until I found the note she had left for him crumpled up in
the trash.

I’m gone. You lose. Fuck you.

 Father only taught me one thing in my life, and that was how to curse, so
I understood the weight of Mother’s words. She had left out of anger with a
sound mind. But I was still here. Mother had run away and left me in the
hands of a monster.
She could have taken me with her. She knew I would behave and work
hard. I would have done anything she asked. She didn’t give me a chance or
even a thought. I learned that day that Omegas weren’t much better than
Alphas.
It didn’t take long for me to become Father’s new slave and punching
bag. For years, I was terrified that I would become his new mate, too. I had
seen the scars on my mother’s neck from Father’s claiming bite, and they
were grisly. It looked as if he had tried to rip her shoulder from her body
with his teeth. She also had to sleep in his bed. Luckily, I was spared that
particular trauma.
At first, I missed her even though she had abandoned me. My only
happy memories had been with her. I was so upset that I looked to my
heartless father for comfort, but he ignored me when I tried to get his
attention. Eventually, he said my whiney voice made him want to cut my
tongue out, so he began using his Alpha bark to keep me quiet.
After a while, he didn’t need to bark anymore. I just didn’t speak. It
wasn’t so bad, though. I couldn’t say the wrong thing and risk pissing him
off if I said nothing at all.
But now, as I try to taunt him for his failure while his body shrinks into a
brittle pile of ash, I find that my ability to speak wasn’t just lying dormant
all these years. It was dying. The one time I actually want to speak to my
father, I can’t. I can only hope that my heart’s voice reaches his soul as it’s
ripped away from the burnt shell of his body in front of me.

Father, Alpha… You were given speed, power, and a wolf to protect and
provide for you. You were given priceless gifts that you could share.
Instead, you took from the weak and the needy. You took my mother, and you
took my voice. You took everything I had.
But you gave me some things, didn’t you? Remember the phone call you
made, promising to sell me if I presented as an Omega? Yeah, I overheard
that. I spent each day after, terrified it would be the day I presented. You
gave me the gift of a vivid imagination, spinning horrid tales of what
someone more vile than you could do to me.
Remember checking my body in the shower to see if I had presented yet?
How you ripped open the curtain and smirked after I screamed and almost
slipped? How you laughed when I asked what you were looking for? You
left me with a phantom itch that I scrub until I bleed, trying to wash away
the feeling of your eyes on my body.
But there will be no more intrusions or phone calls planning my doom.
You will never know my designation, and you will never sell me like a
possession.
Instead, you’ll burn away in this fire I built for you. It will cleanse the
earth of your filth. You may have stolen my speech from me, but I will get it
back. And when I do, I will deliver this farewell to your memory with my
voice:

You’re gone. I win. Fuck you.

 Chapter 2
JADE

Father sits in his favorite chair in the living room, an empty liquor bottle in
his lap and another on the floor under his dangling arm. The booze finally
did him in. The one thing in life that he loved killed him in the end. What a
fucking idiot.
I should celebrate or at least laugh, but I’m in shock and can’t feel a
thing. All I can think of is how I need to get rid of him. I’ve seen animal
carcasses rot, stinking and crawling with bugs if they aren’t disposed of
properly. Not what I want in my living room.
My living room. The shock shatters, and confidence is born inside me.
Lifting my chin, I look down at my father, helpless and defeated in his dirty
chair. It’s not only my living room. It’s my house, my farm, my life. It’s all
mine now, and he is nothing.
I grab Father by the ankles and pull him off the chair, his head smacking
on the floor as he lands. I drop his legs and take his wrists for a better grip.
In short bursts, I drag his cumbersome body to the back door, looking over
my shoulder to keep from tripping.
When I turn back around, I see that the friction from dragging him has
pulled his shorts down to his ankles. I drop his wrists and jump back in
surprise. I’ve never seen anyone bare but my mother and myself. She looked
the same as me down there. Father most certainly does not. He has strange
things growing out of his body. I wonder if something is wrong with him.
Did the alcohol do that?
I can’t be sure the extra… stuff… is abnormal, so I decide it must be an
Alpha thing.
His dead body is making me queasy, but I can’t stop staring, wondering
what those extra parts are for. I consider looking closer, maybe poking the
weird flesh, but I’m too freaked out to let my curiosity have its way.
I continue dragging him outside instead and make him comfortable in
the fire pit.

I jerk awake and sit straight up in bed, my eyes wide and searching for
my father. I breathe a sigh of relief when I realize it was just a dream, and I
remind myself that he is gone. Even though it’s been months, nightmares
and flashbacks of him still rattle me sometimes.
After taking a few deep breaths, I feel calmer and ready to enjoy another
peaceful day without him. As soon as my panic has cleared, my attention is
drawn to an uncomfortable wetness in my underwear and on the sheet
beneath me.
Did I really wet the bed because of a dream? What am I, five?
I flip the covers back so I can go get cleaned up, and I’m pummeled by
twin blasts of jasmine and vanilla. Oh shit! I must have presented. Shifters’
scents become stronger when their designations come in. Father used to
sniff me every morning to check how sweet I smelled.
It’s been months since I’ve thought about all that. Now that Father is
gone, I no longer spend my days terrified of being sold. My designation has
been the last thing on my mind.
Father! I grab the band of my panties and jerk them away from my body.
After finding no squishy-looking growths, I press my hand over my heart
and let out the breath I’ve been holding. I must have been right about those
weird things being an Alpha trait.
I walk across the hall to the bathroom, nervous but excited about what
changes I might find. When I get there, I remove my clothing and stand on
the edge of the tub, facing the mirror. I’m short, so I can’t see much of
myself otherwise. Ignoring the wetness between my legs, I scan my body
for anything out of the ordinary.
 I once asked my mother about the differences between the designations,
but she refused to discuss them with me. I’ve never met any other shifters,
so I’ve never had anyone else I could go to for answers to my curiosities.
My parents were banished from their pack shortly before I was born.
Father said it was because the Prime Alpha was intimidated by him. Mother
said it was because he got drunk and challenged the Prime for his title one
too many times. The Prime showed mercy and let him live, but Father was
no longer welcome there.
I guess he decided that living under someone else’s rule didn’t suit him,
so he found our farm, and they remained here alone. I sometimes wished he
would change his mind and we would find a pack. Maybe I could find some
friends to play with. Maybe I could finally meet a Beta. But packs have
Alphas and Omegas, and I’m not sure there could ever be enough Betas to
counter their poison.
And that’s why I’m standing here in my bathroom, trying to figure these
things out on my own. I don’t really know what I’m looking for, so I will
just have to check all of me.
My hair is still blonde and wavy, and my green eyes haven’t changed. I
have the same small nose and full lips I’ve always had. The bronze glow of
my skin from all my time outdoors hasn’t disappeared. Nothing new so far.
My gaze travels down to the two mounds on my chest. Mother called
them breasts when I was little. I asked her if they were what made her an
Omega. I knew she was an Omega because Father always called her that.
Come to think of it, I don’t even know what her name was.
She told me that all adult females have breasts—even humans—to feed
their young. But she still wouldn’t tell me anything about being an Omega.
I check my breasts anyway to be thorough. They are fuller than they were
yesterday, and the round, pink parts in the middle have darkened from their
former blush color to more of a dusky rose.
I look down to inspect my middle next. I’m still tiny, but I find slightly
wider hips and a curvier ass than I went to bed with. I haven’t changed
much, but I have changed. Are these things what Father was looking for
when he burst in on me in the shower?
I know I’m not an Alpha because I’m still small and don’t have those
extra parts like Father had. I also don’t feel a wolf inside me or have
heightened senses, and Alphas are the only designations to have those.
 So, am I a Beta or an Omega?
What I know about Betas comes from comments I overheard from my
parents. I learned that Betas are like humans; average height and size, no
special features or abilities. They heal fast like other shifters, but Mother
said they get sick easily. I don’t know what makes an Omega different from
a Beta. They sound the same to me.
I’ve never met a Beta. Maybe their bodies do change some like mine
has. I hope I’m a Beta, even if that means I’ll get sick easier. Better sick in
the body than sick in the heart like my parents.
I step down from the edge of the tub and turn my attention to the leakage
issue. I run a finger across my inner thigh and bring it to my face to
examine. The fluid is clear and unremarkable.
After rubbing my fingertips together, I find it doesn’t feel like pee. It’s
thick and slippery, like an oil of some kind. I take a tentative sniff and
realize this is where the strong scent is coming from.
I don’t want this stuff to ooze out of me whenever it pleases. I wish I
knew what it was, but at least I know I didn’t wet the bed. It would be nice
to have someone I could ask about these things. I guess I will have to figure
them out on my own.
After a quick shower, I get dressed and grab my wet sheets to put in the
wash before heading to the kitchen for some breakfast. I open the fridge and
grab spinach, butter, cheese, a few eggs, and a handful of mushrooms. I’m
still able to hum, so I hum nothing in particular as I whip up a healthy
breakfast to give me the boost I need to start my chores.
I finish eating and head outside to care for the chickens. I always visit
the layers first. They have their own coop and pen, separate from the
chickens we sell for meat. After filling up their feeders and water, I collect
their eggs from the nesting box they prefer to use.
I click my tongue at them after taking their eggs, the only way I can
think to thank them, and Pipi runs up and rubs her beak on my leg. She’s
my favorite. She purrs at me and brings me little gifts sometimes, like
pebbles or twigs she’s found. I named her after a character in one of my
books that has bright orange hair like her feathers.
My other favorite is Amelia. She’s kind of dumb, constantly wobbling
around and standing funny like she’s trying not to fall over. She’s really
cute, though. I always give her extra attention because I think she may have
a little something wrong with her. I scratch her neck and give her a little coo
to start her day right.
As I leave the pen, some of the chickens squat when I pass them. Mother
said they are submitting when they do that. I wish they wouldn’t. I don’t
want any creature to feel lower than me, except maybe the shithead of a
rooster.
The rooster isn’t a chicken at all. He’s some kind of demon. I approach
the pen where I keep him and the mother chickens. He screams and runs at
me immediately, even though I’m bringing his food. What a jerk.
I hurry up and get them all dealt with. I hate being in their pen. The
rooster is cruel to the mothers. He pecks them and bites their necks until
they submit. I named him Aamon after my evil father, who did the same
thing to my mother. I’m glad I will never have a mate.
I would sell him, but Mother said these chickens need a rooster to make
babies grow in their eggs. I don’t know what makes a rooster a special
chicken, but I am too afraid to risk getting rid of him. The chickens bring in
the most money at the market.
Each rooster has been much the same over the years, but Aamon is the
worst. I’m waiting for one of the young roosters to mature so that I can send
him off to be someone else’s problem.
When I finish with the chickens, I drop the eggs in the house and head
out to the gardens. I pull weeds and remove rotten produce from the plants.
As I work, I try to say the name of the fruits and vegetables as I tend to
each row, but I still can’t form the words like I hear them in my head. I
won’t let it get to me, though. I have all the time in the world to figure it out
again.
When that’s done, I water the herb gardens and head back inside, glad to
have finished before it got too hot.
I make myself a simple lunch of sliced strawberries and a leftover hash
sandwich. Being in the sun and having a nice meal makes me sleepy, so I
clean up the kitchen and have a nap on the couch. Father used to call me
lazy if I rested after doing his work outside, so I had to sneak naps in the
woods or the shed. I’ve napped right in the middle of his former den every
day since he died.
After napping, I do some cleaning and take a shower before dinner. I
decide to make pesto chicken pasta tonight. It’s one of my favorite meals.
Father wasn’t a big fan. He said it looked weird, being green and all. Green
is natural. What’s weird about that?
I enjoy every delicious, green bite of my dinner before cleaning up the
kitchen. Sometimes deer wander onto the property from the woods now that
a rabid wolf isn’t hunting them down. I decide to read on the back steps to
see if any come by tonight.
The book I pick is one of my favorites. It’s about four human children
with no parents. They find this old container in the woods and make a home
there, finding ways to feed and care for themselves. I can relate, except I’m
glad my parents are gone.
Most of my books are about animals, nature, or human children. I don’t
know if shifters write books, but I can’t imagine ever finding any at the
market with all the humans around. Shifters stay hidden from humans.
Father said they are wicked and would kill or experiment on us if they
found out we existed.
After Mother left, Father wouldn’t buy me any more books. I had to steal
them from the market when Father took me with him. I didn’t get to look
through and choose what seemed interesting. I had to grab what was easiest
to swipe without being caught.
This boxcar book was a lucky find. I found a book about dinosaurs once,
too, which was neat. But I haven’t always been lucky. I once ended up with
a book that was all about feet. Apparently, humans have a lot of weird
problems with their feet. I didn’t finish that one. It got a little too gross for
me.
I read for a while but unfortunately don’t see any deer tonight. Today
was perfect, anyway. Each day without Father is a beautiful one. I grab the
clean sheets from the dryer and head upstairs to make the bed before
turning in.
A couple of weeks go by, each day the same as the last. No more leaking
of weird fluids or noticeable changes to my body. The whole presenting
thing has been anticlimactic, to be honest. Not complaining, though. I just
don’t see what all the fuss is about.
 Chapter 3
JADE

Staring into the empty freezer, I will it to be full again. I used what meat
had been there as sparingly as possible, but I was bound to run out
eventually. I don’t eat my chickens. I would never be able to stomach
slaughtering an animal. Although, I might make an exception for the
rooster. I hate that bird.
Meat isn’t the only thing I need. My flour jar is empty, and my shampoo
all but farts itself out of the bottle. I’ve stalled as long as I can, but I can’t
put it off any longer. I need to go to the market.
Father used to drag me there with him so I couldn’t run away while he
was gone. It was awful. I couldn’t tell the humans from the shifters, but I
could always feel their eyes on me, and it made me uneasy. As much as I
hated my father, at least he kept me safe from them. This time, I’ll have to
brave the market alone.
I shower to scrub off as much of my scent as possible and dress in layers,
hoping to hide any I might release while I’m there. I decide to grab a scarf,
too. My mother’s scent was always strong on her neck, so I figure it can’t
hurt to cover mine up. I don’t want any Alphas that may be at the market to
scent me and take me away.
I’ve been trying to find a way to communicate at the market. I wish
Mother had taught me how to write. She started to withdraw not long after
she taught me to read and never got around to it. I should have tried to
figure it out, but I ignored the impending trip, pretending it wouldn’t have
to happen. Maybe I can find a book about writing at the market since I’ll be
able to look through the books this time. I will just have to use my fingers
to tell buyers how much the baskets are for now.
I grab some cash from Father’s wallet, surprised he hadn’t spent it all on
liquor before he died. He must have been planning a trip to the market to
get more. I head out to the shed to get the baskets I’ve finished since the last
market trip.
I have been making them since I was fourteen. The reeds and kudzu that
grow along the forest edge are perfect for baskets. I weave them into
various designs and use leftover coffee and berries to dye pretty patterns on
them.
Once I got good at making them, Father started selling the baskets at the
market. They brought in a decent amount, considering the free materials.
He also sold our crops, chickens, and an herbal tonic Mother made for
various illnesses. The tonic sold well, so he made me continue making it
after she left.
The latest batch still needs to be mixed, but I ran out of jars, and I’ll have
to get more while I’m there. I’ll need to figure the crops and chickens out
another day. I’m not sure I can handle them by myself right now. My nerves
are bad enough already.
I carry the baskets to the garage and throw them in the back of the truck.
Father never taught me how to drive for obvious reasons. The market is
over five miles away, so I’ll have to figure it out. It’s too far to walk with all
these baskets, and it’s not safe for me to be out by myself, anyway. I
watched my father drive enough times. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure
out.
After covering the baskets to keep them from flying out of the truck, I
open the door and slide into the driver’s seat. I’m trying to remember what
Father used to do first when I realize I left the key to the truck on the
kitchen counter. I jump out of the truck and run inside.
After grabbing the key, I turn back toward the garage. Dread slams into
my chest, and I freeze on the spot when I pass the living room window and
see two figures at the end of my driveway. My house is set back far from
the road, but I can tell they are moving in this direction.
Shit! Who are they? No one comes here. Ever. What could they want?
 Their forms are massive. There’s no way they aren’t Alphas. I need to
hide. But where? I can’t go to the shed or run to the woods out back. Alphas
have enhanced senses, and they would notice for sure. Hiding in a closet or
under my bed is out of the question. They would smell me or hear my
heartbeat if they were to get inside the house. That leaves only one place…
the basement.
The basement isn’t really a basement. It’s more of a cellar. There is a
small entrance in the back of the coat closet in the living room. You
wouldn’t see the door unless you already knew it was there. It’s my best
option for not being discovered.
Mother used to get sick sometimes, and Father would send her down to
the basement until she was better. I remember seeing her stumbling around,
sweaty and whimpering. She would stare through me with almost
completely black eyes and clutch her stomach like she was in pain. The
sweetness of her scent would be so potent it became sickening. Sometimes,
I worried she wasn’t going to make it, that, next time, she wouldn’t get
better.
Father stayed in the basement with her at night when she was sick.
Sometimes when I was very little, I had bad dreams and went to find him
since Mother couldn’t help, but he wouldn’t be in his room. I would hear
the rumble of his voice coming from the basement, so I knew he was with
her. It made no sense. He didn’t have a kind bone in his body. Maybe he
just enjoyed seeing her suffer.
Thinking about the basement makes me nauseated. It always has. I’ve
never gone down there. Even after Father died. I know I wouldn’t like what
I found if I did. There could be something that might make me sick, like
Mother, or worse. I just pretend it isn’t there.
I can’t pretend now. I don’t know what these Alphas would do to me if
they found me, but it could be far worse than getting sick every few
months.
I crawl to the back of the closet under the coats and take a deep breath.
The door creaks from disuse when I pull it open, making me cringe, and I
hurry inside. I stumble down the first couple of steps before finding a
railing to steady myself. After closing the door behind me, I pause to let my
eyes acclimate to the darkness.
 I don’t bother searching for a light. Drawing attention to myself would
be dumb. And… I’m too afraid to face whatever is in here. Picking up my
pace, I tip-toe down the stairs.
The air is dank, but I pick up hints of my mother’s scent when I get
closer to the bottom. How can it still smell like her after so many years?
After reaching the floor, I feel my way to the wall on the right. I follow
the length of the wall with my hands, shuffling my feet to keep from
tripping over anything.
After rounding the corner and moving along the back wall, I bump into
what feels like a low bed. I swallow the squeal of surprise the damp fabric
causes and scurry around it, knowing the Alphas must be getting close. I
feel a doorknob when I reach the wall on the other side.
I open the door and step inside the room before carefully closing it
behind me. My groping fingers find a switch on the wall, and I flip it on, the
blackness telling me there are no windows to give me away.
I slam my eyes shut and wince as the dim light glows like a beacon in
the dark cellar. I open them into slits and take a quick look around. It’s a
tiny bathroom. Just a toilet—which I’m sure is disgusting by now—and a
small vanity. The only place to hide would be in the cabinet under the sink.
Am I even small enough to fit? I open the cabinet and find some rolls of
toilet paper but nothing else. The doorbell rings upstairs, and I fumble over
my feet to turn the light back off.
I crawl back over to the cabinet and climb in as best I can. After folding
and squishing myself, I manage to get the door closed, wishing I hadn’t put
on these extra layers. Sweat trickles down my back from the stuffiness. And
from my fear.
The doorbell rings again, followed by a pounding knock. My muscles
tense, and a wave of nausea rolls through my stomach. I take deep breaths
to calm myself to keep my scent from spiking. I hope I don’t wet myself
again. And I really hope a spider doesn’t crawl on me.
I wait and pray for the strangers to leave.
 Chapter 4
LUCAS

“It would appear that no one’s home,” my brother Anders observes when
there’s no movement after we ring the bell a second time.
“People who live in seclusion don’t like to be disturbed. They may be
waiting for us to give up and go away,” I say, not ready to quit. We could
use some help. Our truck overheated on the main road not far from here,
and we have an hour’s drive back home. We just need some water for the
radiator to get us back or to somewhere that can take a better look at the
truck.
There is a market closer to our packlands outside of Gilby, but we drove
to the one out here in Mayton because it’s the only place we can find the
treatment for Beta cough. We have many Betas suffering from the illness,
and we’re running low on the cure. Beta cough isn’t deadly, but it can make
a Beta very sick and drain their energy, leaving them bedridden for weeks
or even months. The name comes from the hoarse, painful cough associated
with the affliction.
The elixir—a simple blend of herbs and elderberry juice—heals Betas in
mere days. If we could find out the ingredients, we could make our own and
have a constant supply, but the vendor at the market refuses to tell us what’s
in it. She says it’s all-natural and makes you feel better, and that’s all we
need to know. It’s intended for human ailments, but we found it helps our
Betas, so we buy every bottle they have when it’s available.
When we got to the market today, the vendor had none. She said the man
who brings it hasn’t come around in months. We will have to return to the
pack without the treatment. The failure has crushed my mood, and I won’t
allow car trouble or a stubborn farmer to bring me down even further.
“The garage door is open, and their truck is here. Someone is home,” I
insist.
“Perhaps someone’s engaged in the backyard,” Anders offers. “I’ll
look.”
“I’ll stay here for a minute in case they come to the door. If no one does,
I’ll join you,” I say, appreciating his acquiescence.
I ring the bell again and observe the house while I wait. It’s a small,
brick, one-story ranch. It looks old but is well-kempt. There are woods in
the back, not far from the house, and the side property is full of vegetable
fields and fruit trees.
After a couple minutes with no luck, I head toward the backyard. When I
round the corner, I see Anders staring at the house with his head cocked.
“What is it, brother?”
“Scent match.”
“Elaborate,” I snap, in no mood for his vague comments.
“I smell an Omega female who is a scent match for us.”
That’s much more informative but improbable. We’ve spent years
searching for an Omega with a perfectly compatible scent to ours. Given the
rarity of Omegas, most Alphas would be content with an Omega who isn’t a
scent match. But I know ours is out there, and we will wait as long as it
takes to find them.
After walking over, I take a deep breath to find what he is referring to. I
pick up a trace of potatoes and damp grass, suggesting a weak Alpha lived
here at some point. I inhale deeper, this time getting an Omega’s maple
syrup and caramel sweetness, but it’s not fresh. And not a scent match.
I am about to snap at Anders for wasting my time when the faintest hint
of jasmine and vanilla drifts into my nostrils.
Fuck me. Scent match.
“It’s emanating from there.” Anders points to a small vent in the house’s
foundation.
 “We need to get in,” I growl as I rush to the back door and start banging.
Still, no one comes, making me roar in frustration. “I’m going in. We can’t
leave without her.”
“And if she’s mated? We know nothing about her, Lucas. Forcefully
entering her house may not be the wisest course of action.”
How can he be so damn calm when we have been waiting so long for
her?
“She’s unmated. I don’t smell any fresh Alpha scents. If one lived here,
the whole yard would stink of him. She’s alone, and she isn’t safe by
herself. We are going inside to get her, and we’re bringing her home with
us,” I inform him, my tone not one to be argued with.
I’m the head Alpha in our mate-group. We work as a unit, but, in the
end, what I say goes. It is essential to have a leader, or there will be
restlessness and dissension in the group. I am that leader, and I will not be
deterred.
Anders stands with his hands in his pockets, waiting for me to act. I slam
into the door with my shoulder, and it flies open, smashing against the wall.
A mere deadbolt can’t keep an Alpha out.
We search everywhere, even the garage, finding only the Omega’s
decadent scent saturating the air and infused in the walls.
“I saw a shed and a greenhouse out back. We should check them out,” I
bark, barely keeping myself under control.
“She may have fled if she saw us approaching. I’ll survey the woods
while you check the outbuildings,” Anders says.
After not finding her in the buildings and no fresh scent at the tree line,
we decide we must have missed something inside. Her scent was fresh
there. She was here when we arrived. How has she eluded us for so long?
“Come with me,” I growl over my shoulder as I head back inside. “Look
under rugs for trap doors, check ceilings for attic access, and find any loose
boards in the floor. Scour every inch of this place. I’ll tear it down by hand
if I have to. Find our Omega!”
We search again, hunting for hiding places we may have missed before. I
even open the suitcases I find in one of the bedrooms in case our Omega
was hiding her small body in one of them.
“Found something,” Anders states like it’s no big deal. I only hear his
mild volume due to my heightened sense of hearing. I sprint into the living
room, hoping to see him cradling an Omega in his arms. Instead, I find him
standing there waiting for me with a blank look on his face, sans Omega.
He motions to the open closet beside him like a butler inviting a guest
inside. I step forward, trying to find what caught his eye. Why can’t he make
it easy for once and just tell me what he found?
After batting the coats out of my face, I find a small door in the back of
the closet. Bingo. As I lean down to open it, the other Omega’s scent
becomes more noticeable, but it’s old. Our Omega’s scent is fresh, slipping
out through the seams of the door and caressing my face. It’s intoxicating.
The sweet, floral jasmine mixed with a touch of vanilla makes me want to
break this door down, too.
My fangs and claws extend as I imagine what she tastes like. My wolf is
so close to the surface that I can barely keep from shifting.
“Might want to put those away so you don’t frighten her,” Anders
cautions.
“Working on it,” I grit out as I force my wolf back down.
Once composed, I reach for the little knob and pull the door open. I can
make out some stairs, but it’s too dark to see anything else. I poke my head
in, looking for a light, and find a pull chain attached to a small,
incandescent light bulb.
I force my shoulders through the small door and pull the chain. Anders
follows as I then descend toward what looks like a nest. There is a large
pallet, or thin mattress, on the floor against the far wall. It’s covered with
pillows and blankets, but the fabrics are discolored, and the nest looks like
it hasn’t been used in a long time.
The walls are brick and grey cinderblock, and old, rotting hardwood
lines the floor. There is a small table in the corner to our right and a door to
the left of the nest. The room is otherwise empty. No Omega.
Anders steps aside and motions to the door. “After you, Alpha.” He may
appear aloof, but I notice the spike in his minty scent, belying his
excitement.
I turn the knob, surprised to find it unlocked, and pull the door open. It’s
a tiny bathroom with the same cinderblock walls and rotting floor. A toilet
and a small vanity sit to the left. Our Omega’s lovely scent is strong but
tainted by a bitter twinge of fear.
 She may remain hidden, but her pounding heartbeat gives her away.
She’s in here. The only possibility is the vanity, but how could she fit under
there? It can’t be more than two feet wide. There is nowhere else to hide, so
she must have found a way.
I look over at Anders, and he nods. This is it. In seconds, I’ll have our
mate in my arms. I ease open the vanity door, and there she is, her contorted
body crammed under the sink, tangled in the piping. She has her eyes
scrunched shut, too scared to look at us.
“Don’t be afraid, Omega. You can come out. You’re safe now,” I tell her
with the soft rumble of an Alpha purr, hoping to coax her out. She doesn’t
react.
“Clever hiding place. We almost didn’t find you,” Anders chimes in, as
if complimenting her evasiveness will help anything.
It doesn’t. Shocking. She stays put in her confines.
“Come out, Omega.” I give her another chance to comply. I’d rather not
use my Alpha bark on her. It’s a better option than removing her by force,
but I would prefer she choose to obey.
She still resists. I do what I must and put the slightest amount of bark
into my command. “Come out!”
She squeaks and tumbles from the cabinet. After untangling her limbs,
she scoots back against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest. She may
be afraid now, but she will soon scent our match and submit to us, settling
into our family as she is meant to.
I crouch down to get a good look at her, and she is stunning. Her blonde
hair is knotted in a thick braid down her back. Yellow strands have escaped
at random, framing her round, delicate face. Light freckles dust the sun-
kissed skin of her cheekbones and tiny nose.
I lift her chin with my finger, and she peers back at me with big green
eyes flecked with gold. The gold matches my eye color perfectly as if she
were made from a piece of me.
I let my gaze fall to her plump lips, the color of pomegranates. The top
one is a bit fuller than the bottom one, giving her a youthful, innocent look.
Soon, she will have them wrapped around my cock, swollen and stretched,
pleasuring her Alpha.
She has been staring back at me as I peruse her face, her emotions
indecipherable. I unwrap the scarf she has coiled around her neck and
confirm that she’s unclaimed. I look over at Anders to make sure he sees.
Anders nods and asks, “Does anyone live here with you, Omega?” She
looks over at him, considering her answer, before shaking her head.
“Tell the truth, little one,” I instruct her, using a small amount of bark.
We need to ensure no surprises are waiting for us. She shakes her head
again, faster this time, making her braid whip back and forth across her
back.
“How long have you lived here by yourself?” Anders questions further.
She gives him an empty look and then holds up three fingers.
“Three what? Three days? Three years?” I snap. She glares at me and
shakes her head.
“Three months?” I try, with a softer tone. She nods her head and looks
back at her knees.
“Out loud!” I bark, my frustration getting the better of me again. She lets
out a strained humming sound like she is resisting my compulsion. Her
defiance will need to be dealt with. I’ve put up with the disrespect long
enough.
“Can you speak, Omega?” Anders asks before I can decide what to do
about her attitude. She doesn’t look up but shakes her head. Damn. I hadn’t
even considered that. So, she can’t speak. That’s okay. She’s still perfect.
She’s still ours.
“Can you write?” Anders asks, looking for a way for her to communicate
with us. She shakes her head again. This will be tricky, but I know Anders
will find a way to help her express herself. For now, we need to focus on
getting her home and claiming her.
 Chapter 5
JADE

The bigger Alpha stands up and begins discussing something with the other
one. I know I should be listening, but I’m too terrified to focus. This is bad.
So bad. These Alphas don’t seem evil, but I don’t trust them. Well, the
shorter one doesn’t seem evil. But the other one has barked at me multiple
times, and his light brown hair is the same color Father’s was. Not a good
sign.
He is scary. Massive. I’ve never seen anyone so big before. Father was
six-foot-one, and this giant is more than a head taller than him. He’s got to
be at least six-seven. His torso is so muscular, I can see the outline of each
ripple through his shirt. I bet his chest alone weighs more than my entire
body. He’s dressed like a mountain man in a plaid button-up shirt, light
jeans, and black boots.
His face isn’t as scary as his size. Despite the color, his hair is
unassuming, falling almost to his shoulders in layers. A few locks fall over
his eyes, which are a wolfish, golden color. His features are sharp, but his
face overall is soft. His lips are wide and peaked at the top, and a short
beard almost covers the dimple in his chin. Handsome, yes. But he’s still
terrifying. And an asshole.
The other Alpha is a few inches shorter and leaner but still brawny. His
eyes are deep brown, a stark contrast to his pale skin and platinum blonde
hair, giving him an almost sinister look. His features are similar to the
giant’s. Similar enough that they could be related. He’s dressed nicer,
though, in a gray polo and khakis. Just as handsome, not as terrifying, also
dangerous.
I don’t know what their intentions are, but I know my home is gone now.
Even if they were to leave, I can’t be sure they wouldn’t return. I’m not safe
here anymore. I’ll have to move, but how can I do that without a farm? I
can’t hide from humans and Alphas if I can’t provide for myself.
I need to get away, but my thoughts are too chaotic for me to come up
with a plan. The Alphas are doing something to my brain. That wet stuff
started leaking out of me as soon as the behemoth crouched in front of my
face, smothering me with his scent. His delicious oak and hazelnut scent. I
want to find where it’s coming from on his body and sew my face to it.
Wait… What? Who the fuck’s thoughts are those? That’s horrifying!
No. I won’t let them trick me. I close off my nose valve and breathe
through my mouth. The return of my sanity is immediate, and I realize the
smaller Alpha is speaking to me. I can’t do anything but stare at him like a
moron, hoping he repeats himself.
Blondie continues with whatever he was saying. “You are a scent match
and unclaimed. Thus, we will take you as our mate. I will have someone
retrieve all the useful items from the house. Gather the belongings you wish
to bring with you today. The rest will be delivered throughout the remainder
of the week.”
The main thing I take from all that is “mate.” They’re going to make me
their mate?
No! I have to find a way to escape. Why did they have to come here?
Why couldn’t I be left to live my life the way I choose? They called me an
Omega, but being an Omega shouldn’t mean I belong to someone else. I
refuse to be anybody’s property.
I nod to appear compliant and head up the stairs to my bathroom. I can
feel them watching me, so I try to look as obedient as possible. Please don’t
follow me. Go be nosey. Take stuff. Just don’t follow me.
They don’t follow me. Idiots. I grab my essential toiletries and head to
my room to dump them in a duffel bag. After adding some clothes and
underwear, I grab the water bottle from my nightstand and shove it in. The
Alphas haven’t come back upstairs yet, too cocky to imagine I could get
away from them. I take advantage of their arrogance.
Slinging the bag over my shoulder, I sneak across the hall to Father’s old
room. Moving at a speed I didn’t know I possessed, I unlock the window
and pull it open. Without hesitating, I throw myself out and book it toward
the woods. I know they can track my scent, but I have to try.
I grab a fistful of mint as I pass the herb garden. I rub it frantically all
over my neck while I run, then shove it in my underwear to do the same.
Not fun, don’t recommend it. But I need to cover my scent, so I ignore the
ice storm raging in my panties and keep moving.
A short distance into the trees, I chuck the mint and rip off my sweater,
throwing it west before running northeast. As I run, I brace myself for the
sound of the Alphas shouting or their footsteps thudding behind me.
Hearing nothing but my wheezing breaths and pounding pulse in my head is
far more terrifying. I have no clue where they are.
Part of me wants to stop for a moment and take a celebratory deep breath
like I have outrun them. But the part of me that remembers Father’s wolf
speed tells me that air doesn’t matter if I’m dead.
Imagining Father chasing me alongside the other Alphas makes my
stomach lurch and my mouth water. I swallow hard between breaths to keep
the bile down and focus on the minty burn between my legs instead.
A burst of adrenaline has me picking up my pace and breathing a little
easier. I pump my arms and bite back the roar that fills my veins as I charge
through the trees. I almost feel as if I have a wolf buried somewhere inside
me, too.
I’m a couple hundred yards from the tree line when a giant bear jumps
out from behind a tree and blocks my path.
Oh wait, that’s not a bear. It’s a stupid Alpha in a stupid checkered shirt.
I slam into his chest, and he wraps his arms around me with a smirk, his
fangs peeking out between his lips. I screech out of frustration, wishing I
could tell him just how stupid he really is.
I refuse to give up. I will find a way to escape, or I will find a way to
make their lives miserable. Either way, I will win.
 Chapter 6
ANDERS

Our Omega seems to have forgotten that fleeing can trigger an Alpha’s
mating instincts. Lucas’s golden eyes glow as he carries our agitated Omega
out of the woods and back toward the house. His chest heaves, releasing a
low growl on each exhale under the little fists that pummel it. He will wait
until we are all present to claim her, but it will be difficult for him.
Unsurprisingly, she didn’t get far when she fled, but I commend her
effort. The sweater trick might have given her more time if there hadn’t
been two of us. They reach the house before I do, and I get a strong whiff of
mint as I approach.
“She smells like you, brother,” Lucas rumbles out around his extended
fangs as he pulls open the back door.
As I consider the curious change in scent, the Omega sighs and calls off
her attack, slumping in defeat. Her stubbornness will be her adversary.
Lucas and our third Alpha, Vaegon, have little patience for defiance, and
she is brimming with it.
I follow them through the kitchen and out to the garage. Lucas tosses the
duffel bag in the Omega’s truck and begins buckling her in. I grab the water
jugs I noticed earlier while we searched for her and head outside.
Holding up the jugs, I tell Lucas, “See you at the house,” before making
the walk back up the driveway to our truck. We need to get her home so we
can begin the process of acclimating her to the new surroundings.
I would also like to begin teaching her to write and, if possible, to speak.
Her vocal cords are functional, so I’m hopeful the hindrance can be
overcome.
I’ll call Vaegon to let him know who we are bringing home and warn
him of the communication difficulty. He can ready the room we’ve reserved
for a nest and bring us all lunch from the packhouse.
As Lucas drives past, I snicker at the sight of the truck leaning to one
side under his weight, gravity pressing the Omega against his side. He has
her buckled in the middle seat like she’s going to escape. She glares at him
with a seething fury, and I’m thankful I will be riding separately.
 Chapter 7
JADE

Who does this mammoth think he is? Did he really just scold me like he’s
my father or something? Of course I tried to get away from my abductors.
Having to hear him blab about hierarchy and status without being able to
tell him how much I do not care is so unfair. He is not my Alpha, and I will
never be his Omega.
He puts me in the passenger side of the truck—my truck—and buckles
me in the middle seat like a freaking youngling. Why, exactly, do I have to
be pressed against Hercules for this ride to whatever misery awaits me?
Does he think I’m going to jump out of a moving vehicle?
As he walks around to the driver’s side, I unbuckle and try to open the
door. Damn Alpha speed. He catches me and buckles me right back in the
middle before I can even think of resisting.
Boring Alpha grabs some water jugs from the floor and heads out of the
garage. I assume he’s heading back to wherever they came from. It’s creepy
how calm and expressionless he is. I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been
worrying about the wrong Alpha.
I refocus on being livid with my chauffeur when he climbs into the
driver’s seat. Well, it’s more of a squat and scrunch for him than a climb.
He starts the truck and backs out, heading toward the end of my driveway
and the end of my freedom.
 He has the nerve to look over at me and smile. Smile! Like this is some
joyous moment.
“We’re going home, Omega mine,” he coos. How disgusting. There is so
much wrong with that statement. Even if I could speak, I wouldn’t know
what to say to that.
I shoot him what I hope is the most hateful and hideous snarl I can
muster. I will make him regret becoming my captor until I find a way to
escape from him.
We drive for about an hour, and I continue breathing through only my
mouth to keep his scent from seeping into my face and weakening my
resolve. He jabbers on and on. I don’t listen, determined not to absorb any
garbage his Alpha mouth spews. I fill my mind with my favorite recipes,
the chickens’ names, how many of my socks have holes in them… anything
I can think of to drown out his words.
He reaches down and puts his hand on my thigh as if we’re close like
that. I jerk so hard it startles us both, then I shove his tree branch of an arm
off me. I look up at him with disbelief and revulsion. He looks at me like he
has a right to wear that furious face he’s aiming at me.
Be angry. Your mad has nothing on my mad.
The main road ends, and we continue along a dirt one. There are trees as
far as I can see in front of me and on either side. This must be the entrance
to their packlands.
I notice shiny sets of eyes glinting through the trees as we pass. Wolves.
Great. More Alphas. The main entrance is heavily guarded, but I wonder if
there is a weak spot along the edge of the territory where I can escape.
The trees open up to reveal a large clearing with a massive log cabin
right in the center. Does everyone in the pack live in there? I don’t know if I
could survive being surrounded by so many shifters.
“That is the pack house. The Prime Alpha’s family unit resides on one
side. The other side has spare rooms for whoever needs a place for the
night. There is a kitchen for the whole pack and common areas where
anyone can eat and relax. We will take you there to see it once you’ve
settled in.”
I’m relieved that I won’t be forced to stay in such a crowded place as I
plan my escape, but things could be worse where we’re going. We turn
down another dirt path and drive for about a mile, passing several small
houses along the tree line.
When we reach the end of the path, there is a larger house that is a little
more secluded than the rest. It’s a two-story, A-frame log cabin with plenty
of windows and a small porch. It appears to be well-maintained and is
actually pretty nice-looking. I guess I assumed the yeti would live in a large
cave somewhere.
I still don’t want to go in, no matter how nice it looks. Who knows what
awful things are waiting for me in there? I finally get free of my father only
to be taken into captivity here.
Instead of exiting the truck, I sit and watch as the stoic Alpha pulls up
beside us. The caveman isn’t happy with my inaction.
“Out, Omega,” he says with a stern tone.
Nope.
“I don’t want to bark at you. I don’t like doing it, but I will if I must.” He
doesn’t want to? Doesn’t like to, huh? Lies. But I will make him do just
that. I sit and stare blankly at him, copying my apathetic Alpha captor.
“Out!” he barks this time. Of course, I have no choice but to comply. I
keep my face blank as my body moves itself out of the truck. Standing
motionless, I wait for his next order. He will be doing a lot of barking until I
can get away from this place.
The front door of the cabin opens, stealing my focus. I look up, and the
most beautiful being I’ve ever seen steps outside, his eyes trained on me.
He folds his arms and leans against the doorframe, staring.
He is very tall, an obvious Alpha. His body is leaner than I would
expect, but something about him emanates strength. His hair is jet black
with a strange blue tint to it. It’s longer and wild on the top and cut shorter
on the sides. I can see his vibrant blue eyes from here. They look like the
shells of the robin’s eggs I often find below the apple trees. His cheekbones
are sharp and strong, and his lips are full and dark red.
He looks like… more. Otherworldly. What is he? He must be a shifter, or
he wouldn’t be here. Is there another kind of shifter I’ve never heard of? It
wouldn’t surprise me. My parents never told me anything.
It’s hard to wrench my eyes away from him, but I have an Alpha I’m not
done provoking yet. I look back at the huge one, waiting for his next
command. So I can ignore it.
 Instead of barking, he presses his massive hand against my back and
pushes me forward. The thing takes up my entire lower back, and I have no
choice but to move toward the ethereal being on the porch.
“Vaegon, meet your mate,” he says.
Vaegon… Interesting name. I wonder if the Leviathan and the robot have
names, too.
Mate. There’s that vile word again. I keep my gaze on my feet, refusing
to be distracted by the new Alpha’s allure again. I remind myself to keep
breathing through my mouth. I can’t become familiar with whatever
delicious scent I’m sure he is throwing around.
“Your submissiveness is lovely, Omega.” His words are almost lyrical.
For once, I’m glad that I can’t speak. Who knows what nonsense would
drivel out of my mouth right now.
But I refuse to let him believe I’m submitting to him, so I jerk my eyes
to his, crushing his delusion. Surprise flashes in his eyes before amusement
takes over. A sinister grin spreads across his face, and his blinding smile is
as annoyingly attractive as the rest of him.
I sense a darkness in him, though. Surface beauty can hide something
hideous beneath it.
Self-preservation pulls my gaze away from his. Avoid this one, Jade.
Don’t piss him off. Don’t try to please him, either. Just stay neutral.
I now have a giant gorilla, a possible psychopath, and an evil creature
with unknown powers to contend with. My situation keeps getting worse.
Vaegon steps back, allowing us into the house. He didn’t seem surprised
to see me or frustrated by my silence. He must have known I was coming.
I’m nudged through the door and stumble into an open living and dining
area. To my left is a modest-sized living room with a two-story ceiling. I
guess the giant needs the height so he doesn’t feel cramped.
The exterior wall is made up of windows that fill up the majority of the
A-shaped frame. A huge tan couch faces the windows, and two large
armchairs sit on either side. A wooden coffee table sits in the middle of the
seating area.
The wall behind the couch has a door to what could be a bathroom, and I
can see an L-shaped staircase down a small hallway to the right side. There
is a rolltop desk and a small bar on the left wall.
 To my right is a dining area. There is a large cedar dining table with
eight chairs surrounding it. Bags of food sit on top of it like someone just
brought lunch. A small, light-blue buffet lines the wall parallel to the table.
They must have guests over often. Having eight places seems excessive
for three Alphas, even if one of them is practically a polar bear.
“Welcome home, Omega,” said bear grumbles out in his deep baritone
voice. “This is our living area, and we eat together in the dining room. Our
schedules permit us to have breakfast and dinner together every day.
“Anders works from home, so he eats lunch here. I am with the Prime
Alpha during the day, and Vaegon has patrol duty, so we both grab lunch at
the pack house.”
So, the blonde baby brother’s name is Anders.
He leads us through a doorway off the dining room into a large kitchen.
There are many cabinets and ample counter space. I see a dishwasher and a
microwave over a gas stovetop. There is a second, smaller oven near the
black stainless-steel refrigerator.
Two ovens, what a dream! But I refuse to be happy about anything here.
I will not be cooking for these heathens, anyway.
“We all contribute to the household. Your jobs will be cooking, cleaning,
and laundry. We expect you to have breakfast ready for us at seven every
morning before Vaegon and I leave for work. Dinner should be ready at six-
thirty each evening,” Vaegon says. “We will be lenient this first week as
you get used to the schedule. After that, there will be discipline if you are
late with our meals.”
Wow, he’s a straight-up asshole. You’re making it easier for me to resist
your beautiful face, buddy. But what kind of discipline? Like Father?
Worse?
Actually, I don’t care. I’m still not cooking for them. Moose man will
have to bark at me to make me serve them. I will not jump in and pretend to
be part of this fucked-up family.
“I will take you to the pack house tomorrow. Freya can show you how to
cook the things we like and determine what you’ll need to have stocked in
the house.” Anders stares at me with those empty eyes, waiting for my
reaction. Does he want me to ask who Freya is? I don’t give a crap who that
is. I ignore him and start throwing open cabinets and drawers to see what
they have.
 Their stuff is decent. It’ll do for now. I decide that I will cook for my
sake. Not theirs. And they will still have to bark to make it happen. I’m sure
as shit not worried about impressing them, but cooking is my happy place.
If I don’t have a way to keep my spirits up, I might withdraw like my
mother did. I’ll never escape if I become an emotionless slave to Alpha
barks.
I whimper in frustration at being stuck in this situation. The three Alphas
look at each other, clueless about why I’m upset. Anders steps forward and
lifts my chin up with his fingers, hoping I’ll meet his gaze. I don’t. He will
need to bark if he wants that.
“Don’t worry, Omega. Freya will teach you. You’ll be a master chef in
no time.”
I jerk my face away from him and grab the hair above my temples in
fists. I take a few strained breaths, trying to calm down, but end up
shrieking at the arrogance of these Alphas. Do they think I survived off raw
vegetables from my garden? How can they see me as so beneath them?
“We should let her rest and give her time to calm herself,” Vaegon
drawls, irritation evident in his voice. Good, he doesn’t want to be around
me right now. That’s a win.
“Good idea. Follow me, Omega,” the nameless Alpha says.
Nope.
He considers my inaction for only a second. “Come!” he barks.
My feet drag me behind him out a door into the little hallway I saw
before. I notice the doorframes and ceilings are very high. This house must
have been custom-built to fit him. I guess he doesn’t enjoy having to duck
under things in his own home.
I follow him up the stairs, refusing to watch his round, firm butt flex in
front of my face as we go. When we reach the top, he points to a door on
the left, informing me it’s Anders’s room. He points to the next door on the
left–Vaegon’s room. The door at the end of the hallway leads to his own
room. The door on the right, facing Vaegon’s, will be my new prison.
“Each room has an ensuite bathroom, so you will have your own.” He
opens the door to “my” room and stands aside, waiting for me to enter. I
wait, too, for him to make me.
Maybe I’m being a brat, but it’s my only weapon against these powerful
Alphas.
 Vaegon surprises me by coming up beside me, grabbing my wrist, and
dragging me into the room. So, he prefers physical force to using his bark. I
don’t like him touching me. At all. Avoiding him still seems like my best
option. He scares me.
I look around the room and find a huge, low bed like what was in our
basement, only much bigger. A fresh, white, fitted sheet covers the
mattress, and someone has stacked pillows and blankets at the head of the
bed. What is it with shifters and blankets?
There is a tiny fridge, a small table with two chairs along the left wall,
and a door to what I assume is a closet on the right. To the left of the bed, I
can see through a doorway into the bathroom.
There is no damn window. How? Was I cursed at birth to sleep in a
windowless cell for my entire life?
“This will be your nest, Omega. You can arrange it however you like,”
Anders states like he didn’t just call me a freaking BIRD! I squawk in
disgust and gape at him in shock. Are the twigs and twine in the closet?
What the heck is wrong with them?
“We will leave you to it. One of us will come get you in a bit,” the
hulking Alpha says before they file out of the room. I continue to stare,
dumbfounded and probably dumb-looking, with my mouth hanging open.
As soon as they shut the door, I run to the bathroom to relieve myself,
having held it for the last few hours. The bathroom is bigger than I
expected. There is a large sunken tub and a glass shower big enough for at
least two shifters. The toilet is in its own little closet beside the single
vanity. There is no window in here, either. Of course there isn’t. I do my
business and head back into the bedroom.
I stare at the bed for a moment. I am so not messing with this... nest
garbage. Peeking into the closet, I find shelves with more blankets, small
pillows, towels, and washcloths. There are empty hangers on a bar hung
across the length of the wall and empty shelves below. So, no twigs, huh?
After closing myself in the closet, I’m dismayed to find no lock on the
door. I lie down on the floor and close my eyes, trying to get my body to
relax and rest. There’s no way to escape from a windowless room. I’ll have
to bide my time until the opportunity presents itself elsewhere.
 Chapter 8
ANDERS

While she rests, we eat and discuss our discontented Omega. I’ll make sure
she gets her lunch when she feels better.
The Prime Alpha, August, wants to meet her once she has settled in.
We’ll invite him and the Luna to dinner as soon as we deem her ready to
entertain guests. Lucas has decided not to mention her to anyone else in the
pack until she’s acclimated. We don’t need curious visitors impeding our
progress with her.
“We have to claim her tonight.” Vaegon, always the appetent one,
wanted us to claim her as soon as she arrived. I suspect her scent is
affecting him more than he lets on. I advised him over the phone to give her
at least a few hours to let her nerves and anger wear off, but I believe he’s
worried she will flee again.
I understand his concern. We could track her for a distance with a mate-
bond, but if she runs before we get the chance to claim her, we may never
find her. I will be here, though, and my Alpha hearing will alert me if she
tries to leave. Claiming her can wait.
“We will, brother. This evening,” Lucas reassures him. “She can’t go
anywhere. Anders will help her make dinner tonight. Then, we will claim
her. Right now, you and I need to start packing up her old house. We can
have Jessen and Samuel finish over the next few days,” he says, referring to
a couple of upstanding members of the pack. “They can be trusted to keep
quiet about the Omega until we are ready to present her to the pack.”
“Fine, but immediately after dinner. No more stalling. You have waited
long enough for this honor, Alpha,” Vaegon says, trying to veil his demand
with a stroke to Lucas’s ego. Damned if it doesn’t work, too. Lucas eats it
up and nods.
They leave after finishing their meals, and I head upstairs to bring the
Omega her own. I’m sure she’s hungry by now. When I open the door, her
nest has not been arranged, and she’s not resting on the bed. I stand and
listen until I locate her heartbeat. She’s in the closet.
We made sure she had a darkened room, as Omegas prefer. Perhaps it’s
too large. I will consider ways to make the space more suitable for her.
I put her lunch on the table and open the closet door, hoping to find a
nest in the smaller room. The Omega is curled up in the corner asleep, the
nesting materials from the closet undisturbed. I crouch beside her and shake
her shoulder.
“I brought you some lunch, Omega.” She jumps and scuttles back as far
into the corner as she can, wide-eyed and cradling herself with her arms.
“It’s okay. I just want you to eat. Then, I will try to help you speak.”
That gets her attention. Doubt fills her eyes, but she comes out of her
corner. I back out of the closet and allow her to follow when she’s ready.
After grabbing two bottles of water from the mini-fridge, I sit at the table
and wait.
She peeks out of the closet, and her eyes scan the room. After seeing me
seated with food as promised, she shuffles over and sits across from me. I
open my water and take a drink. She eyes her sandwich and lifts the top
piece of bread to observe its filling. After curling her nose up at it, she
begins to eat anyway.
I’m entranced by the way her tiny bites differ from my own. I can
consume a sandwich that size in two and a half bites. After her ninth bite,
she puts the sandwich back down with a quarter of it remaining. It’s like
watching a mouse nibbling a cracker before storing a portion in its nest for
later.
She guzzles some of her water, then puts the bottle down and stares at
me expectantly. I rise from the chair and head toward my bedroom. She
follows me in and takes a moment to examine my setup.
My bed is to the right against the wall, with a small nightstand beside it.
It’s not a big bed, but I don’t need much. The majority of the space is
dominated by my work equipment. I take care of all the technological
responsibilities for the pack. My tech gear covers the surfaces of the two
large desks lining the back wall. There’s a rolling chair that can reach each
area.
The left wall has a small table and two small chairs, just like the Omega
has. The room is more of an office that I also happen to sleep in.
I motion to the table for her to take a seat, and I sit down in front of one
of my screens. I pull up a simple picture of the alphabet and print it out,
then bring it over to the table and take the chair opposite her. She looks at
the paper and then at me with a blank face.
“You know how to read, correct? I saw books lying throughout the house
when we were there, and you said no one lived with you.” She nods.
“Have you ever been able to speak?” Her ability to read means she may
have once been able to sound out words verbally. Even if that assumption is
inaccurate, knowing will help me learn more about her condition.
She nods again. Good. That’s very promising.
“Did you lose the ability to speak because you got hurt somehow?” She
shakes her head this time, and I’m surprised at the amount of relief I feel
knowing physical trauma wasn’t the cause.
“Were you sick?” Another shake of her head. “Did you learn to read by
sounding out words aloud?” She nods again. That’s good. I can work with
this.
I’ve heard various phonation types in her vocal expressions. This means
the problem must lie with articulation. If there are no physical deformities
in her oral or nasal biology, the issue would have to be neurological.
“May I look in your mouth?” She rolls her eyes at me and shakes her
head. It doesn’t appear to be defiance. Perhaps she’s showing me that it’s
unnecessary because she knows why she can’t talk. It’s unfortunate that
there’s no way for her to tell me.
“You have no biological abnormalities?” I ask, hoping that’s what she’s
trying to tell me. She simply stares at me.
“Let’s just try some things, okay? Since you can read, you know how the
alphabet works,” I state, pointing at the printout. “I would like to try
teaching you to speak as one would learn to read. For example, you know
the letter ‘W’ sounds like ‘wuh.’ Now, we’ll try to teach your mouth to
make that sound.”
She looks away for a moment, considering my words, and then nods her
head.
“First, I want you to watch my mouth as I blow out some air.” I purse my
lips and blow for a few seconds. “Now you do it.” I expected her to huff
and roll her eyes, but she blows like I instructed.
“Good. Now, try making a sound while you blow.” I demonstrate, and it
comes out as a “hoo” sound.
Ringing her hands together, she bites down on her bottom lip and looks
from my mouth to my eyes.
“Don’t be nervous. It’s only a sound.”
She purses her thick lips and blows a few times before the same sound
forms in her throat and flows out of her mouth. She quiets and looks at me
with shy eyes, searching for my appraisal.
“Perfect. Now, we can try to make the ‘wuh’ sound based on what you
just did.” She furrows her brow, confused at the notion.
“Make the same sound, then open your mouth quickly before stopping
the sound. Watch my mouth.” I do as I explained, making a “hoowuh”
sound.
Her mouth opens in surprise. She looks from my mouth to my eyes and
licks her lips, ready to try. I ignore the distraction of her primed mouth
pursing and focus on her output.
“Hoo...” She stops and looks at me. I nod in encouragement.
“Hoowuh.” Her eyes shoot open, and she straightens before nodding at
me, ready for the next step.
“Now, try to take off the ‘hoo’ part. Watch my mouth.” I make a “wuh”
sound without blowing first. It takes a few attempts, but she can eventually
mimic the sound.
She will speak again. I’m convinced of it.
“Fantastic. We will work on this daily. Soon, you will be comfortable
with all the letter sounds, and we can begin blends. Then, I will have words
or sentences each day for you to practice sounding out. When those
exercises become easy for you, we will begin small conversations. After a
while, speaking should come naturally.”
 We continue working on letter sounds for a few hours until it is time to
make dinner. I’m surprised at her endurance, and she is learning
exceptionally fast. I couldn’t be more pleased.
August has given us the week off to get to know her, so we will have
ample time to work on this. She may tire of the lessons, but I’m hopeful her
desire to speak will outweigh any frustration or boredom she finds with
them.
“Let’s stop here. We should get dinner started. I’ll show you what to do.”
 Chapter 9
JADE

Just as I was beginning to think this Alpha wasn’t so bad… Is this clown
serious? He’s going to teach me how to cook? Ha. I can’t wait to see what
he thinks he knows that I don’t. Speech teacher, yes. Chef, no freaking way.
I’m grateful he’s trying to help me speak again, but he’s still an Alpha.
Letting my guard down around him isn’t an option. I look forward to the
day I can let each of them know exactly how I feel about them. If I haven’t
escaped by then, that is.
I roll my eyes at his comment and leave the room. He follows me down
the stairs... I think. He’s so damn quiet, like a cougar stalking its prey
through the woods. I hear voices from the living room but continue toward
the kitchen to avoid whoever’s there. Before I reach the kitchen, a pile of
boxes catches my eye.
Peeking into the room, I see Vaegon and the titan standing in a small
clearing in a field of boxes on the floor. I recognize the items sticking out of
an unsealed box as my own, and I run to the closest box and tear it open.
They brought my stuff? I remember them saying something about bringing
it.
Thank. Goodness. I’ll have something to keep me motivated until I get
away. After finding a box containing my waffle maker and a few other
small appliances, I grab its side and begin dragging it into the kitchen.
 The Alphas lose their shit. Anders takes the box from me and carries it
the rest of the way.
“Let your Alphas do the heavy work, Omega. You could strain yourself.
Show us which boxes you want to move, and we will carry them for you,”
the massive Alpha says, trying to sound so concerned.
I glare at the Spartan with his puffed-up chest and ego. Knowing it’s a
fight I won’t win, I huff and start opening boxes, pointing at the ones that
belong in the kitchen. They carry boxes until the last of the items have been
relocated.
I stomp into the kitchen and begin to pull things from the boxes and set
them on the island. Ignoring the oafs in the room, I shove aside their stuff
and replace it with my own. The two bigger assholes eventually leave, but
Anders remains, watching as I let myself get lost in the one thing in this
place that can keep me going.
 Chapter 10
VAEGON

Lucas and I head toward the front door after unloading some of the plants
and outdoor items we brought from the Omega’s house. We have worked
hard this afternoon, and I’m fucking starving.
“Let’s hope Anders kept her in line and didn’t let her sabotage the meal
out of spite,” I say. I don’t like the Omega’s attitude. Her lack of
appreciation is unacceptable. Besides the Prime’s, we are this pack’s
highest-standing and most desirable mate-group. Her disrespect cannot be
allowed to continue.
“If the whiffs we have been getting over the past hour are any indication,
we don’t need to worry,” Lucas says as he opens the door.
The aromas intensify when I step inside. It does smell good, but I don’t
trust it. Some poisons are odorless.
Anders is pouring our wine, but the food is still out of view. It’s almost
six-thirty, so Lucas and I sit down at our places and look to Anders for a
hint of what to expect. I’m not surprised when his face remains blank.
He heads into the kitchen, and I’m confused at the lack of plates on the
table. Maybe she’s running behind. I can forgive a few minutes as long as
she produces something acceptable.
Anders returns carrying a serving dish with chicken and roasted carrots
instead of plates. The Omega is behind him with another serving dish, but I
don’t recognize what’s on it. They set the food on the table, and Anders
takes his seat across from me.
Our seating is based on hierarchy. As the head Alpha of our mate-group,
Lucas sits at the head of the table. Dominance-wise, I should sit to his right
as his second, but I refuse to claim the spot. It belongs to Anders.
The pack found me alone in the woods when I was a pup, too young to
speak other than my name and a few words, and not knowing how to find
my way home. They searched for my family for days with no luck.
Eventually, they stopped searching, and I found a new family among them.
Lucas says I took to Anders immediately. Anders had always avoided
everyone, but he let me tag along. I’ve felt drawn to him for as long as I can
remember.
There’s an aggression that simmers inside me, often bursting into flames
of fury that can barely be smothered. But something about Anders and his
impassive manner soothes the burn. I find a calm near him that evades me
anywhere else.
When their mother noticed the effect Anders had on me, she took me in
as her own, and Lucas accepted me as a second little brother. He protected
me when I needed it but let me fight my own battles when he knew I could
handle them.
Lucas and Anders saved me from the woods and from myself. My fire
isn’t power. It’s a weakness. The second spot belongs to Anders, not me.
The Omega’s place setting is beside Anders’s. I’m unsure if Anders
directed her to do this or if she fears him less than me. Whatever the reason,
it is an appropriate place, so I make no comment.
Unlike Anders, she does not take her seat but returns to the kitchen. She
soon emerges with a plate already served up and places it on the table in
front of Lucas. After returning to the kitchen a second time, she appears
with two more plates. She sets one in front of Anders, then reaches across
the table to place the other in front of me. She leaves again and brings her
own plate to her place at the table.
Until now, Anders has put all the food on the table, and we served
ourselves. We ate and helped ourselves to more if we were still hungry
when we finished. Being served like this feels appropriate. Maybe the
Omega won’t be so hard to tame.
 Scanning our plates, I notice the difference in the amount of food we
have. Anders and I have similar portions, but Lucas’s plate is heaped with
an obnoxious amount of food. While it’s true he eats more than Anders or
me, it’s almost comical how much food is piled on his plate.
However, the lack of food on the Omega’s plate is just as ridiculous. It is
far emptier than it should be. She’s tiny but should eat more to prepare her
body for her heat and carrying our pups. I will make sure she has seconds.
Anders and I look at Lucas, waiting for him to take the first bite. As head
Alpha, it is customary for him to begin the meal. He stabs a piece of
chicken with his fork, but before he can try it, the Omega shoves a forkful
of carrots into her mouth and stares at him as she chews them up.
She seems aware of the disrespect she is showing him, and I can only
close my eyes and take a deep breath to keep from roaring at her. Lucas
holds it together better than I do. He grits his teeth but lets it go and takes
his bite of chicken. The disrespect seems forgotten as soon as the meat
passes his lips. He stares at the fork as if it somehow has the answers to all
life’s questions.
Anders turns to his plate and takes his own bite, humming around the
mouthful.
I decide to try some. It’s incredible, but I will not react favorably and
have the Omega think she can get away with her behavior. I try the carrots
next since I know what they are. It’s hard to mess up carrots, but these are
more than decent.
Looking closer at the unknown side on my plate, I realize they are
flattened yellow potatoes with some kind of cheese and seasoning. They
look like fat little crosses or the blooms of a flower. Lucas spears one of
them and puts the whole thing in his mouth.
“Well done, Omega. You have impressed your Alphas,” he tells her after
finishing his bite.
I expect some sort of reaction; pride, gratitude, something. She doesn’t
even look up, continuing to nibble at her food. Lucas decides not to let her
get away with the disrespect this time.
“Omega, your Alpha has spoken to you.” His voice is low and
threatening.
She looks at him and gives him a thumbs-up and a fake closed-lip grin.
That smug little Omega just wanted to show us how much better than us she
thinks she is. She doesn’t want our praise.
I hear Anders chuckle before Lucas growls. The growl gets the Omega’s
attention. She peeps out a tiny whimper before hunching her shoulders,
curling up into herself.
We continue eating in silence. The food is filling, lessening the tension
with a sleepy haze of satisfaction. When I finish, I put my utensils down
and sit back against my chair.
The Omega is staring down at the table with her arms crossed. I don’t
bother forcing her to eat more. We have more important things to do.
When the others finish, Anders gets up to clear the table.
“Help him, Omega,” I bark at her. She will contribute to this mate-group.
And the cleaning needs to be over with already. The sooner we get her
upstairs and claim her, the sooner my wolf will stop clawing up my insides.
 Chapter 11
JADE

My body goes through the motions of cleaning up. When everything is in

order, Anders leaves the kitchen and heads to the living room. I follow
because what else can I do?
Lucas and Vaegon are sitting in the armchairs, sipping something that
looks much too similar to what Father used to get drunk on. I freeze, staring
at the dirty-looking liquid in Vaegon’s glass. Old strategies for going
unnoticed charge to the forefront of my mind.
I will be fine. I can keep from angering them. I’ll just go to bed, and
maybe they’ll forget about me.
They are leaning toward each other, engrossed in hushed conversation. I
turn and make my way toward the stairs, planning to slip into my room and
stay quiet. Unfortunately, Vaegon’s eyes are as sharp as his cheekbones, and
I don’t get far.
“Where do you think you’re sneaking off to, Omega?” he asks. “It’s time
to bind you to us forever, not time to let you leave.” He gives me a wicked
grin and stands, his height thickening the evil aura around him.
Lucas stands as well. I’m stuck. There is nothing I can do to defend
myself against three Alphas. So, I take a firm grasp on my resolve and
promise not to lose myself to whatever will bind me to these horrible
creatures.
 Chapter 12
LUCAS

My wolf vibrates inside me as I approach the Omega, eager to finally claim

her as our mate. I never doubted that our perfect scent match would come
into our lives if we were patient. The pride rippling through my body from
finding her for my brothers is a high I’ve never experienced before.
I reach out my hand for her to join me upstairs, but she steps back and
folds her arms over her chest, putting herself out of my reach. The rejection
threatens to ruin my mood. Instead of trying to reason with her, I grab her
and swing her over my shoulder, deciding to just carry her to her room.
Her screeching makes my ears ring as she kicks the air and punches my
back with her little fists. She can fight me all she wants right now.
Everything will change once she has me buried deep inside and her Omega
instincts ignite.
When I reach the room, I place her on the unmade nest more gently than
she deserves. Blankets made from the softest fabrics, pillows of all shapes
and textures, hand-knitted throws, and silky scarves lie untouched on the
bed. The fine materials have been waiting for years to be woven into a
beautiful, cozy nest, but they have been disregarded.
I try to ignore the depressing state of the mattress and focus on the thrill
of what’s coming. Vaegon and Anders join us and sit on the chairs against
the wall. They will watch as I take the first claim of our mate. Her eyes dart
back and forth between the three of us before she scrambles backward
against the headboard, creating as much distance between us as possible.
“Omega,” I warn. “Behave. This is a meaningful experience that you
will cherish for the rest of your life. No need to mar the memory with
childish behavior.” She stays frozen in her spot. I’ll have no choice but to
bark.
I strip off my shirt and loosen the ties of my pants while her eyes stalk
my every move. She trembles with anticipation as more of my robust body
is exposed. I’m pleased to have already gained her attention.
After slipping my shoes off, I inch my pants down over my muscled ass
and thighs, giving her ample time to admire the newly exposed skin. I stand
in only my gray boxers, my cock already rock-hard and salivating, leaving a
dark splotch on the front of the fabric. The Omega’s brow wrinkles as she
stares at the wet spot, and her nostrils flare at the scent of my arousal.
The straining material has become restrictive to my shaft, but I will soon
swap it for my Omega’s tight, slick heat. I palm myself through the fabric,
giving my waiting cock some attention to calm my impatient wolf. Her
mouth slips open at my movement, those top-heavy lips itching for a taste
of me.
I slip my thumbs into my waistband and peel the sodden fabric away
from my body. My erection bursts free and stands strong and tall against my
stomach. I slide the boxers down and let them drop to my feet.
As soon as I’m fully exposed to my Omega, she shrieks and races into
the closet, slamming the door behind her. Vaegon charges after her, throws
the door open, and disappears inside. A squeal rings out before he emerges,
dragging her growling and clawing behind him.
“Quiet!” he barks. She falls silent but continues to fight and flail. He has
to bark again to get her to stay still. He carries her back onto the bed before
plopping her onto the mattress and returning to his seat.
My size must have intimidated her, which is understandable. She’s a tiny
thing, and I am a massive Alpha with massive parts. But Omegas are made
to stretch and accommodate thick Alpha cocks. Their channels are longer to
fit our extended lengths as well.
“Don’t worry, little one. Your body is made to take mine. Not only will it
fit, but it will also give you immeasurable pleasure.” Her face is pointed
away, but she is side-eying my cock. Perhaps she’s still not convinced.
 “Time to remove your clothes, Omega,” Vaegon snaps. She grasps her
shirt and holds it tightly against her body.
“Strip,” I demand, with a bit of bark. Her body jumps into action,
struggling out of her clothes awkwardly. I would have preferred to watch a
sensual unwrapping of our mate, but I suppose my bark is partially to
blame.
She plasters her back to the headboard again and lifts her knees,
wrapping her arms around them to hide herself. Our feisty, resistant Omega
has been replaced by a demure one. This side of her is lovely.
I give her a reassuring smile and climb onto the end of the bed, waiting
there on bent knees. “Present,” I tell her, ready to mount and claim this
beautiful creature. She does nothing but stare at me, back to playing her
stubborn games. I am in no mood for this.
“Present!” I bark this time. She resists, and her body starts to tremble as
the bark begins to overpower her will. A bead of sweat forms on her
forehead, and her face twists in discomfort as she rolls onto her side and
struggles against it. She holds her stomach and moans, grinding her teeth as
the agony of defying a powerful Alpha’s bark spreads across her body. Why
is she putting herself through this?
“Present, and it will subside,” Anders says, trying to convince her to be
reasonable. Her face reddens, and she starts to wheeze and choke as the
compulsion continues to attack her.
“Relax, Omega,” I bark, freeing her from my command. I can’t watch
her hurt herself any longer. She stops writhing and lies stiff, gulping in deep
breaths.
“I don’t think that was defiance, brother,” Anders says as he approaches
the bed. I wait, trusting his superior analytical skills. He kneels on the floor
beside her and asks, “Can you use what you learned today and try to tell us
what’s wrong?”
She stays curled up but looks over at him. Her lips twist and purse a few
times before managing to get out a word.
“How?”
Her voice is as sweet as her scent, and my waning erection perks back up
at the delicate sound, even if it was only one word.
“How? You don’t know how to present?” Anders asks. The Omega
shakes her head, and a tear falls from her eye. My wolf slams into my ribs
for hurting her, even though I would never intentionally bring her harm. I
reach forward to wipe her cheek, but she jerks away from me, almost falling
off the bed in the process.
Anders sits beside her, rubbing her back as the heaving of her chest
slows. Initially, she flinches at his touch, but she allows him to comfort her.
Once she’s calm, he instructs her how to present. How does she not know?
Don’t all shifters know? It should be instinctual. Our Omega’s irregularities
are beginning to seem endless.
Finished with his explanation, he gets on all fours with his ass facing me
and pushes his hips back, showing her what to do. She looks at him like
he’s deranged and does nothing.
“Go on, present,” he coaxes her. Still, she sits.
“Present!” I roar without barking, my impatience and pride getting the
better of me. She scrambles to her hands and knees and gets into a
submissive position. I move in closer and caress her back. She jumps and
whimpers under my hands and keeps her head down, hiding her face from
me.
I take the time to admire her soft, wide hips and tiny waist with my
hands. I run them down the front of her thighs and around to return up the
back. The globes of her ass are round and smooth, her little pink pucker
tucked neatly between them.
I run my fingers across her ass and down toward her core. She whimpers
again and tries to close her legs and pull away. I hold her still by her hip and
continue my perusal. Firm, glistening folds hide her inner sweetness away.
Using my thumbs, I pull them open to find a trickle of slick coming from
the tiny place I’m about to bury myself in.
As much as I want to thrust into her, I need to taste that sweet scent
that’s had my nuts aching for hours. I shove my face against her core and
lick anything my tongue comes into contact with. Her flavor bursts into my
mouth, and the growl that erupts from me makes her whimper and more
slick gush from her slit. I inhale everything she’s given me and rise back up
to do what I came here to do.
I grab her hips and position myself behind her. Running my fingers
along her folds, I gather as much slick as I can and cover my waiting cock
with it. The few strokes I give to ready myself have me close to blowing,
but I need to save it for my mate. So, I loosen my grip and line up with her
entrance.
When the head of my cock bumps against her, she jerks her head around
and peers back at me. Her eyes fall to my slickened shaft, and she screeches
and tries to scurry away again. I grab her and pull her torso up, holding her
back against my chest while trying to calm her. She keeps mumbling and
whimpering something, but it’s indecipherable.
“I’m sorry, Omega. I’m going to have to bark to keep you still. You’re
nervous, but this will be pleasurable, and then, you’ll be part of our family.
Stay calm and enjoy it.” She’s stiff and leaning away from me as much as
she can. Her trepidation is understandable, given our size difference. Still, I
wish she would believe that we’ll fit together perfectly.
“Present,” I bark gently so she will submit and be calm.
She scrambles back into position, but her shoulders slump, and her head
lowers. I line myself back up and ease into the tightest, slickest heat I
thought I’d only experience in my fantasies.
I hit a barrier and realize that our sweet Omega is intact. She didn’t know
how to present to an Alpha but could have been with a Beta before. An
Omega scent match that will have only ever been ours... She was more than
worth the long wait.
“She is untouched,” I murmur. Anders and Vaegon sit up straighter and
growl their appreciation. The Omega whimpers and tries to crawl away
again. I grip her hips, keeping her in place. The breach will be painful for
her, but only for a second. We should get it over with so she can experience
the joy of mating with her Alpha.
I surge forward, breaking the barrier and seating myself as far inside her
as I can go. She cries out and then sobs but stays still and submissive. I rub
her back to console her. “The pain is over now. The rest will be amazing.”
I begin moving in and out of her wet heat, and my balls try to climb back
into my body to release too soon. My right hand wanders around her body
to her breast, and I cup it with my hand, pleased at the fullness of it despite
the size of my massive paw. Squeezing her hardened nipple between my
fingers, I watch my swollen cock disappear into her tight hole over and
over.
My knot expands, signaling that it’s time to claim my mate. As soon as
we are locked together, I’ll be able to mark her. Slick has already dripped
down my shaft, covering my knot. It should slide in without resistance. My
fangs have been out since my first taste of her, and I’m impatient to mark
her.
As I push my knot in slightly with each thrust, I realize my mate has
remained tense and unmoving. I lower my hand from her breast and
stimulate her clit to bring her to climax with me before pushing my knot the
rest of the way in. As soon as my finger rubs across her nub, it’s too much
for me, and my orgasm bursts forth, filling her with my seed.
I move my hand up her body to her shoulder and pull her against me
until her back rests against my chest. My fangs find the perfect place at the
base of her neck and sink in.
I roar around her flesh as I ride out the unending waves of release that
surge through me. I shudder and jerk as her body squeezes out every bit of
come I’ve been storing. The pleasure is even more intense than I could have
imagined, racing through my body with such power I can feel the swell of
each crest in my fangs.
Her new scent pours from her neck and straight up my nose, the sweet
floral tones now carrying a hint of my oak and hazelnut, also marking her as
my mate. The possessiveness I feel for this new piece of me keeps my teeth
and cock buried deep inside her in an effort to be as close to her as I
physically can.
The bond begins to form, and it feels like she’s in my skin with me.
Nothing feels more tangible than having this other soul become one with
my own.
I realize how incomplete I’ve been all these years. How empty. Her
presence fills the holes in my chest, and for the first time, I understand what
it feels like to need someone.
I lie frozen, with my mate’s skin pressed along the length of my body. To
stay in this state would be a happy eternity for me, but I’m vaguely aware
of my brothers waiting for their turns. I release my fangs and lick her neck
to seal the wound.
I roll onto my side, taking her with me. We will be locked together while
my knot deflates. Omegas can only conceive during their heats, but the
process is the same any time they mate. I wrap my arms around her and
focus on the bond. Once it has fully formed, we will feel each other’s
emotions. She’ll be able to express herself to me with her heart until she can
learn the words she needs. And I’ll be able to convey to her how proud I am
to finally have her, my mate, at my side.
I’m not given long to explore our new connection before the Omega
strains and kicks, trying to get away. “Calm down, little one. You can’t
leave yet. We’ll be attached until my knot deflates. Relax and enjoy the
bond we’re forming. You are my mate now. You can use the bond to speak
to me.”
She doesn’t calm down or stop struggling. She should be thankful for the
chance to communicate. Instead, she tries to pull my arms apart to release
herself from my grip. When her efforts fail, she cries out and bucks, but the
movement causes surges of pleasure to shoot through my knot, ensuring we
will be locked together even longer.
I try to conceal my irritation at her reaction to keep it from flowing
through the bond. My failure causes a wave of anger to unfurl in her,
devouring every emotion across the bond, leaving only a flaming rope of
fury tethering us. There’s an intense strain before the rope snaps. It’s like a
door being slammed in my face, leaving me empty and alone.
The trauma deflates my knot, and the Omega scurries out of my limp
arms. I reach out for any emotion of my own to pull me out of the darkness
I’ve been cast into.
When I manage to find myself again, I push up on one arm and stare at
the floor. There’s a void in my soul where my mate should be nestled. How
did this happen? Did she break the bond? I let the Omega run to her closet
and close herself in.
“What happened?” Anders asks.
“I think she broke the bond right after it formed,” I mumble, still in a
daze.
“What do you mean?”
How do I explain something like this in my current state to someone as
technical as Anders?
“I felt the bond form. I felt her emotions. Then, it was like a wall went
up, and her emotions disappeared,” I try.
“And you can’t sense her at all now?” he asks.
I shake my head solemnly. This was supposed to be monumental. To be
everything. Why is she doing this to us?
 Anders interrupts my thoughts with his own. “As far as I know, there is
no way to break a mate-bond other than death. Even then, an echo of the
mate remains, like a memory embedded in your soul. She must have
blocked the bond somehow. I can’t fathom how strong a mind it would take
to accomplish that.”
“How do we fix it?” Vaegon demands.
“I’m not sure. But I will see what I can find out,” Anders responds
I can count on Anders to get answers. I decide we should continue with
the bonding immediately and make our mate-group complete.
“Good,” I say. “We must finish the claiming. Maybe our collective bonds
can overpower her resistance. Anders, retrieve the Omega and stake your
claim.”
 Chapter 13
JADE

Again, I find myself hiding in a small, dark place. I’m drawn to them when
I feel unsafe, but they never end up protecting me. I feel exposed even in
this dim, confined space. The only things I can cover myself with have been
put here by the Alphas. I want nothing of theirs to touch my skin, so I lie on
my side with only my tremors to keep me warm.
Rocking back and forth, I look for the comfort of the familiar motion
that got me through years of my father’s cruelty. But comfort doesn’t live in
this house. I’m left terrified of what’s to come. Tears slide down my face
and drop onto the wood floor, the dripping sound like a timer counting
down the seconds before they come for me.
The corrosive saliva the Alpha left on my skin burns. He spent a small
eternity with his fangs in my neck. I wonder how long it will take for his
acid to eat through my flesh and leave me disfigured like my mother. I want
to claw at the mark, to scrub it off my body, but I’m too afraid to touch it.
Feeling my gnarled skin would just make all of this more real.
I can’t believe I thought these Alphas were simply bad like my father.
They are far more depraved. At least Father never marked me or did any of
those other disgusting things to me. The thought of being grateful to my
father for something makes bile rise in my throat.
 Father could never crush my spirit, but this Alpha forced his way into
my body, tearing my flesh and crushing any hope I had left. I can’t shake
the sickening feeling that he has stolen something from me that can never
be restored.
I’m so alone. I longed for solitude for years, but this is the kind of alone
that destroys you. No one will help me. No one really sees me. No one
needs me. I used to at least have Pipi and Amelia to care for, a purpose. But
I don’t even know if they’re still alive. I’ve become unnecessary.
Something in my chest begins clawing at me. It’s the Alpha… pulling at
the barrier I constructed to keep his monster out. I gather what little strength
I have left and shove him away. He used his extra Alpha parts to tear me
open and inject me with some kind of parasite. As soon as I felt its warmth,
I knew it was there to control me.
False emotions began consuming my true ones. Pleasure and pain warred
in my body where the Alpha and I were connected. And I felt a sense of
completeness as if what had just happened hadn’t destroyed a large piece of
me. The intensity of the feelings made them seem so real, but how could
they have been mine? Underneath the feelings of pleasure and fulfillment, I
was broken and in pain.
I knew for sure they didn’t belong to me when I felt a strong need for my
mate. I will never need a mate. I will never have a mate, regardless of what
marks they put on my body to claim otherwise.
Rage burns through me as my mind gags on that repulsive word. By
sheer will alone, I was able to force that deceitful essence out of my mind.
I’ll block two more if that’s what’s coming next.
Father gave me a warped sense of normalcy. Pain, fear, and captivity
were my standard. I’ve had years to fortify my mind and harden my heart.
The Alphas’ attempts to break me down may have almost worked, but I’ve
discovered a power within myself. I’m too weak to fight physical battles
with them, but my mental strength will eventually win me this war.
 Chapter 14
ANDERS

I open the closet door gently, trying not to startle the terrified Omega. She’s
curled in a ball in the corner, as far away from the door as possible. I
attempt to reason with her to make this smoother for both of us.
“Please come out. I will be quick and gentle. The claiming will continue
regardless of your behavior. If you cooperate, it will be much less
unpleasant for you.”
She showed no signs of climax with Lucas, even during the claiming
bite, which should be euphoric for them both. Omegas’ bodies react
favorably to mating, even with initial resistance. I’m not sure how she’s
able to reject her instincts, but I have no delusion that it will be any
different for me.
She looks up, her doe eyes masking the ferocity inside her. I see a flash
of determination in them before they go blank, and she slumps over into a
puddle on the floor. She’s not cooperating; she’s detaching.
After scooping her up, I exit the closet with the unresponsive Omega in
my arms. She doesn’t even hold her head up. I lie her down on the bed on
her back and hover over her body. Instead of making her present, I let her
relax and see what is happening if she desires. I also prefer to see her face
so I can adjust if something I do causes her pain.
 Releasing a slight growl to activate her slick, I gently swipe some of the
fluid from her inner thigh and lubricate myself with it. Instead of entering
her, I stroke myself until my knot swells. I can do most of the work without
disturbing her.
My legs bump the bed when I step forward, and I gently grip her legs,
pulling them apart to make room for me. She doesn’t react. I line up with
her entrance and push inside, rocking in and out an inch at a time to ensure
I’m sufficiently lubricated.
My partially distended knot rests against her silky skin, and I rub my
hand down her arm as it smoothly makes its way inside. My fangs shoot
out, and the strain from resisting the urge to thrust squeezes my lungs,
leaving my breaths ragged and strained.
Her channel is tight and warm, gripping my knot like she wants to keep
it inside her forever. But I know she doesn’t, so I fight my wolf instincts to
rut, remaining still instead, allowing her anchoring walls to do the work.
A surge of tension and need twists inside me, and I lean down to press
my teeth against her right shoulder, opposite of Lucas’s bite. “I’ll make it
quick,” I promise the pretty Omega beneath me before allowing my fangs to
penetrate her flesh.
The rush of ecstasy mixed with the taste of her blood almost chokes me,
and I know I need to ignore the longing I feel to grind against her for hours.
I shift my focus to keeping my promise, but the unending contractions of
my release prevent my fangs from retracting right away.
As soon as I’m drained, I pull my mouth away from her skin and seal the
wound with my tongue. She has remained motionless and silent throughout
the entire process. I’m careful not to stir her too much to avoid pulling on
our connected bodies as I lower myself onto the bed beside her.
Closing my eyes, I find the bond trying to string itself together between
us. It meets resistance immediately, halted before any emotions can be
exchanged. It glitches in and out before vanishing, leaving me alone in the
void.
I look at Lucas and shake my head, letting him know it didn’t take. His
nostrils flare, giving away his frustration. Perhaps adding Vaegon’s bond
will overpower her barrier, or she will have to let the wall down to rest after
the strain of blocking all three.
 When my knot deflates, I remove myself from her warm, tender body.
My cock twitches in protest, demanding I return, but I have to disappoint it
for my mate’s sake. Vaegon will be callous and likely rough. We are unsure
where his severe aggression stems from, but her rejection could easily
intensify that emotion in him.
I tuck the hair that has fallen in her face behind her ear and use a scarf to
gently wipe my come from between her legs. Stepping aside, I motion for
Vaegon to take my place.
His silence surprises me, as I expected him to yell or at least scold her.
He barely looks at her while rolling her onto her stomach. Tugging her
down, he lays her so that her legs are over the side of the bed and her torso
remains on the mattress.
“I don’t think I want to claim her,” he tells Lucas. “Look at her. She
doesn’t appreciate what she has. Why should I tie myself to her forever? I’d
rather wait until she realizes how wrong she’s been and begs at my feet for
me to claim her.”
Lucas disagrees. “We do this together. All of us. You will claim her
because she is our mate, and you are part of our family. She will still beg,
only it will be for forgiveness.”
That satisfies Vaegon, and he positions himself between her legs.
Gripping her waist, he lifts her to a convenient height for his cock and
thrusts inside. She’s undoubtedly still slick, but an Alpha cock as big as
Vaegon’s will be uncomfortable without a copious amount of lubrication.
If it pains her, she doesn’t react. She must have completely dissociated. I
can’t fathom another way for her to be so unresponsive. Vaegon is not being
overly rough, which I’m relieved by. But I see through his feigned
nonchalance as he jerkily ruts into her. He can’t deny the ecstasy of her
narrow vise squeezing his cock. Her sweet scent alone is enough to take an
Alpha to his knees.
Luckily, it doesn’t take long for his knot to swell and lock him inside her.
He bends over her still body and bites down right on the back of her neck.
Her hair will typically cover the mark in this location, keeping his anger
from flaring every time he looks at her.
It’s common for Alphas to grasp submissive designations by the back of
the neck to remind them of their place. Since mate-marks are extremely
sensitive, she will be stimulated whenever he grips her there, giving him a
deeper form of control. I imagine that’s another reason he chose that spot.
As if offended by the idea of holding his mate until he can pull out, he
stands until his knot deflates. It isn’t long before he’s stomping out the door
without mentioning the bond. I assume it didn’t work with him, either.
Sighing, Lucas crosses the room, lifts the Omega into his arms, and
carries her to the ensuite bathroom. I follow them in and start the water for
her bath. Alphas are hard-wired to care for their Omegas, be it protecting
them, providing for them, or grooming them. Vaegon is undoubtedly
grappling with his instincts to be in here right now, but I don’t expect him to
lose the fight.
Lucas steps into the giant tub and lowers himself and our mate into the
warm water. She remains limp as I wash and rinse her hair. It’s a pity that
she stays detached for this ritual. Being cared for is a privilege Omegas are
due. She should be enjoying the scalp massage and warm water running
over her, washing the suds away. Instead, she’s slumped against Lucas with
nothing in her eyes.
I wash her body reverently, taking extra care between her legs. She will
be sore after taking three large Alphas in a row. I wish this could have been
different for her.
I won’t touch her again unless she requests it. She is safe now that we
have claimed her. Even if we can’t sense her emotions to know where she is
if she runs off, our scents are now ingrained in hers, which will put off other
Alphas that might try to take her.
Lucas lifts her out of the tub, and I dry her off. Scooping her in my arms
to dress her for bed, I leave Lucas to dry himself. I lay her on her bed and
dress her in a rose-colored cotton gown before tucking her in.
An unfamiliar tension develops in my throat as I look at her almost
lifeless form. Ignoring it, I head to my room and get ready for bed. The next
few days are going to be tense. I just hope we can get her to see the good
we have to offer her.
 Chapter 15
JADE

I wake from dreams of Alpha fangs dripping with my blood and ghostly
shadows trying to smother me. My skin crawls when I find myself in the
bed where my life was shattered. I wish I were in the closet instead, but I
just can’t gather the strength or motivation to move myself there.
He called this place my new home. But he ripped me away from my true
home. The home that had finally become safe. I’m back to being more
afraid in my own “home” than among the dangers and darkness of the wild
outside. I wonder when the beatings will start. If they’re cruel enough to do
what they did to me last night, beating me will be no issue for them. It’s
sickening how life with Father no longer seems so bad after experiencing
what I have in this place.
I have nothing to look forward to, so I make no move to get up. Instead,
I lie in bed with only my fear and distrust to keep me company. I’ve heard
no sign of the Alphas yet. But Alphas are hunters. Silently stalking their
prey is no struggle for them. I jump when I hear a bird chirp outside and
later when the air conditioner turns on. My head hurts from how hard my
ears have been straining to pick up any movement within the house. It’s not
like hearing them coming would help me. I’m not sure why I even bother.
At some point, I slip off into a sleep deep enough to miss someone
bringing me food. The smell of it wakes me up and makes me want to hurl.
I roll over and cover my face, trying to find my way back to that empty
place of relief.
But being wrapped up in these sheets makes my skin feel contaminated.
They’re different sheets than the ones from last night, but they still feel
unclean. The Alphas’ hands roaming over my body in the bath like my
father’s eyes did in the shower that day makes me feel dirtier than the slime
they left on my bed and my body. I have to get it off of me.
Disgust motivates my exhausted body to rise from the mattress, and I
stumble, lightheaded, to the bathroom. I avoid the mirror as I turn on the
shower and cross the room to relieve myself, not wanting to face the
physical proof of being claimed. Images of my mother’s shoulder flash in
my head, making my new scars sizzle like fresh burns. But the temptation
to look proves too strong to resist. I need to see how bad it is. To face it.
Positioning myself in front of the mirror, I stare at myself straight on.
The scars on each side of my neck are much smaller than I expected.
Mother had looked like some beast had tried to eat her. Mine look more like
bites left on an apple after carrying it around by your mouth. These are
clean and mild, and I’m relieved but still angry. How dare they disfigure
me? These marks do not make me theirs.
I reach around to feel the damage on the back of my neck, worried it’s
worse than the two I can see. When my fingers brush the raised skin of the
bite mark, a jolt runs through my body, and it feels… good.
Fuck. That.
I touch it again, focusing on the block I created within myself. Shivers
run down my body, but I remind myself that it’s an intrusion. They will not
have this weapon to use against me, too. I touch all three of the marks
repeatedly before scrubbing at them in the shower until, finally, they don’t
affect me anymore.
I step out and dry off with a towel, remembering how Mother used to tell
me to keep covered. Now I understand why. The differences in the
designations are far more extensive than I could have imagined. The extra
Alpha parts are for hurting and controlling, just like their wolves and
heightened senses.
The red gown one of them put on me last night taunts me from the floor
where I let it drop. I hate the color red. I consider vomiting on it and serving
it to them for breakfast. But I don’t have the energy to provoke them, so I
leave it there and return to the bedroom.
I bypass the bed and drag my feet to the closet to curl up in the corner
under my towel. I already had to dry myself with it, so there’s no use hiding
from its touch. The floor is hard and cold, but I can’t find it in myself to
care. It’s interesting how I could will myself to endure the torture last night
without reacting, but willing myself to even move this morning has been
almost impossible.
Keeping my focus on winning made my mind stronger. Winning… Could
that be my new purpose? Sure, the more I practice, the easier I’ll find it to
escape mentally. But can I find ways to make them suffer for what they’ve
done until I can physically escape?
I need to come up with a solid plan to get away from them. Slipping
through their controlling claws would be the sweetest humiliation. And I
can make their lives miserable until I can put the plan into action.
The only chance to get away would be at the market. I’ll have to hold on
until the next time Anders goes. Surely he will take me with him. It must be
one of my duties in this fucked-up excuse for a family.
I’m not an idiot. I know they won’t continue to let me hide from the
chores they demand of me now that they’ve claimed me. I’m not sure why
I’ve been left alone so long this morning. They have very clear expectations
of their mate.
But I have no desire to fill that position. They haven’t even tried to learn
my name. I may not be able to write yet, but Anders could have had me try
to sound it out during my lesson yesterday. It didn’t even cross his mind.
I’m just “Omega” to them. If I remain here, my name will waste away until
it’s laid to rest beside my mother’s.
They see me as some sort of conquest, but I will make them just as
miserable as they have made me. Their egos will be crushed, and the things
their growls made my body do will no longer happen. If I can block their
monsters, I can block whatever tricks my designation tries to play on me. I
will fight my designation as hard as I fight these Alphas.
I throw on some loose pants and a high-necked shirt that covers my new
scars. This is war.
 Chapter 16
LUCAS

When Vaegon and I return home for dinner, it’s evident that Anders is the
one who has cooked, not our mate. One of his typical meals of plain steak
and various vegetables sits on the table. The Omega is slumped in her seat,
staring at her plate, and doesn’t acknowledge us when we enter.
“Look at me,” I bark at her, knowing she won’t comply willingly. She
drags her gaze to mine, somehow looking through my face to the door
behind me. There’s nothing in her eyes. Not even anger.
“Why didn’t she make dinner?” I demand of my brother. He is her
Alpha. He should have ensured she completed her duties.
“I had to carry her downstairs and put her in that chair like an invalid.
She’s clearly miserable, so I let her rest.”
When did Anders discover empathy? It would be admirable if it were in
any other situation. “Tomorrow, you will make her perform her duties. All
of them.” It wasn’t a bark, but the command was clear. I know he will obey
me on this even if he doesn’t agree.
We eat in silence. Except for our mate, who doesn’t eat at all. “Eat,
Omega,” I eventually bark, when I’ve had enough of her pouting. She grabs
a handful of mashed potatoes and shoves them into her mouth. It’s
unappealing, but I let her get away with her immature behavior since it’s
getting nourishment into her body. Her heat won’t come if she’s
malnourished. And I refuse to appear as if I have underfed my mate.
“You’re excused, Omega,” Vaegon says when we are all finished. She
gets up and walks toward the stairs like a zombie, not sparing any of us a
glance.
“Vaegon, she should clean up, especially since she didn’t prepare the
meal. Why have you dismissed her?” I ask.
“We are going to work on a different duty instead, and I’ll show her how
much she’s supposed to enjoy it. She was in shock last night from all the
pheromones. Her body will get her on board this time. An Omega can’t
resist a virile Alpha in her bed.”
Vaegon might be onto something there.
“Fine,” I say. “Take her tonight and get her on track. I’ll try tomorrow
night if it doesn’t work. The attitude will pass. We just need to be firm with
her. No more letting her get away with defiance. Omegas need stability and
dominance. We are more than capable of giving her that.”
 Chapter 17
JADE

I’m not stupid enough to think I’ll get any peace tonight. They loved
whatever sick thing they did to me yesterday. The sounds of pleasure Lucas
made, panting and grunting like an animal, were disgusting. It’s only a
matter of time before they barge in here and take what they want from me
again.
In minutes, the pretty one struts into the room and proves me right. I
continue to lie on my bed facing the wall, refusing to acknowledge him. He
walks around and stands directly in my line of sight but doesn’t say a word.
Surprising, considering how he thinks he knows so much. I do my best to
picture Pipi’s soft, orange feathers in my mind instead of the large body in
front of me.
He pulls up his shirt leisurely before taking it off over his head. Then, he
stands there, trailing his hand down his smooth chest and stomach. What
does he need me for if he loves himself that much? I continue trying to look
through him, but Pipi’s feathers fade into the blazing orange and red flames
licking up the right side of his chest and shoulder.
He steps closer and takes the hand I had resting on my pillow and slides
it down his stomach, mimicking what he had been doing to himself. What
does he think that’s going to accomplish? How can he not realize how much
I don’t want to touch him? I gag a little in my mind and remain limp.
 When I don’t react, he gives a growl that only an Alpha can, aiming to
make the wetness flow. I focus on the plug wedged inside me that’s
blocking the bonds. I created it. I can also use it to block these instincts I
don’t understand.
I hear the hitch in his throat when my attempt works, but he tries to
cover it with another growl. Poor, beautiful Alpha. I wasn’t prepared
yesterday, but I am now. You won’t win.
“Remove your clothes!” he barks. Shit. I forgot about the bark. It’s
almost impossible to resist. I fight it, willing the need to obey to die, but I
jerk upright and start removing my shirt anyway. I close my eyes and
imagine my body as a rocky mountain, heavy and immovable. It doesn’t
stop me, but it slows my movements considerably.
Enough to piss him off.
“Faster!” he growls at me. But it’s a growl, not a bark. My speed remains
the same. I wonder if he realizes his mistake.
After much longer than he wants, I’m bare and lying listlessly on my
back, staring at nothing. He will take what he wants. I can’t stop him. But
he won’t get a reaction out of me.
“Mating with your Alphas should be ecstasy. It’s meant to mold us
together and strengthen our bond. To connect our bodies and share our
emotions as we find pleasure in each other. You need to let yourself enjoy
this, Omega, or you will hate it every time.”
He thinks his little explanation of how I should feel is going to change
anything? It’s not. I continue to ignore him, pretending I’m somewhere else;
in the kitchen cooking with my mother before she abandoned me, in my
garden taking care of my beautiful plants. Anywhere but here. His voice
continues, but I no longer register the words.
He moves his body over mine before lowering himself onto me. His
clothes are gone, and his extra parts are warm and pulsing as he presses
them against the area between my legs. Part of him is squishy and strange.
The other part is hard and uncomfortable against my tender flesh.
I feel my knees being nudged out to the sides, and I can’t help but
picture myself as a dangling pond frog. It’s humiliating. He supports his
weight on his left arm and uses the other to rub the end of his hard part
against the place they entered me. I refuse to react, even to tense up or
cringe like I desperately want to.
 He curses and gets up on his knees, then prods my sensitive areas with
his fingers. His long, low growl rumbles across my body like a tremor. I
think he’s trying to make the wetness come out of me again, but my will is
solid. The darkness I sense in this Alpha terrifies me, but I am stronger than
my fear.
Do your worst.
He tries growling a couple more times before reaching around to the
back of my neck, grazing the claiming mark with his long fingers. So, he’s
the asshole that put it back there. At least I don’t ever have to see the
disgusting thing. When I don’t react, he stands up and hurls a pillow across
the room with a roar.
“Give me your slick!” he barks. I can see his chest heaving in my
periphery, his fury almost palpable as I’m surrounded by its heat.
What’s slick? He is weaker than the biggest Alpha, and I’ve already had
success slowing down the effects of his bark. Surely, I can resist a
command I don’t know how to obey.
Slowing my breathing, I will myself to be calm. I erase any thoughts of
resistance or spite, hoping intention counts for something against the bark.
For whatever reason, failing to obey the compulsion isn’t painful like
before.
He roars again when nothing happens. Well, I assume nothing happened.
What do I know? I’m just a dumb Omega.
He charges into the bathroom and returns with a bottle of something I
don’t care enough about to look at. There is a squelching sound before
something wet and smooth coats my private area. I’m sore from last night,
and the coolness is soothing.
But I know the relief is about to be negated. It’s time to disengage from
reality. I remind myself that I’m strong. That I will conquer in the end. That
right now, I can win by letting my soul escape and float away to a place
with no pain or humiliation. I let the tension fall away from my body, and
my consciousness follows it somewhere far from here.

***

When my soul returns, my body is sore but clean and warm under my
covers. I’m thankful not to remember but surprised that I have been…
tucked in? I realize pillows and blankets are swaddling me in some strange
form of cocoon.
Vaegon’s clothes are woven into the heap of fabric and stuffing. His
scent oozes out of them, and the need to rip them away from the soothing
pile devours the haze of comfort around me and forces me to my feet.
My hands thrash through the material, digging around until I find each
piece. Holding them at arm’s length, I rush to the bathroom and stuff the
wad into the trashcan by the toilet. If only I could flush them to get rid of
them completely.
His scent lingering in my bathroom doesn’t sit right with me, so I find
various bottles of scented products in the room and dump some of each onto
the clothing in the trash. The layers of artificial sweetness create a tightness
between my eyes, but they cover the cinnamon and pine that was trying to
mark his territory.
I head back to bed and toss the extra linens and pillows off the mattress
before climbing under the sheet. Whatever the hell that bundle was, it’s not
sleeping with me. I snuggle into my lone pillow and sleep long and deep,
my subconscious smug to have won the battle this time.
 Chapter 18
ANDERS

I decide to make breakfast again the next morning, confident I won’t have
time to convince our mate to help before Lucas and Vaegon need to leave. I
slip out of my room, letting Vaegon sleep a while longer. I found him
tossing and turning in my bed when I came upstairs last night. It seemed
that his time with our mate had not gone well. He became noticeably calmer
when I laid down, and he thankfully slept well enough through the night.
Lucas reminds me before they leave to make the Omega comply if she
refuses to do her chores. I hope to convince her to make the choice for
herself. I may be an Alpha, but forcing my will on others is not something
that I enjoy.
When my brothers are gone, I bring a tray up to my mate’s room with
her food. After putting it on her table, I cross the room to sit on the edge of
the bed. I’ve been wracking my brain since dinner last night for what to say
to her to persuade her to contribute for her own good.
“Good morning, Omega. I know you’re unhappy and would like to
remain in bed, but Lucas has ordered me to make you complete your
chores. I don’t wish to force you, but I can’t defy my head Alpha.
“Our community runs well on hierarchy. We all have our place and our
jobs to do. He is the head of our mate-group, and one of his duties is to help
guide us and make the tough decisions we’d rather not have to make. He
wants our family to thrive, so he wants us all to be present and involved.
“I can see how strong you are, and I know forcing you to do things will
not get him what he wants. It would do you well to make the choice for
yourself. Will you get up and eat? Then work on your speech so you can
have your say in the family? Being able to speak would benefit you more
than it would us. Take this for yourself.”
Her eyes wander over to mine, and their light green irises almost glow
with the tangle of emotions warring inside her. She doesn’t want any of this.
But she’s intelligent, so she’s considering my offer.
“Please,” I add. It’s the only thing that seems powerful enough to tip the
scale. The storm in her eyes calms, and she stares at me briefly before
sitting up. She keeps the sheet over her body to shield herself from my
view. Vaegon must not have dressed her last night. Lucas brought back
clothing for her from the pack house to fill her closet yesterday. Her old
clothing from her farm is there as well. I grab a collared purple dress and
lay it on the bed beside her.
“I’m going to my office. You can find me there if you choose to work on
your speech.” I turn and leave the room, satisfied with the reaction I was
able to pull from her. Even if it was nothing more than looking at me and
sitting up, it’s progress.
About half an hour later, a bathed and dressed Omega strides through my
door like she owns it. Seeing her in the purple dress I laid out spreads a
warmth over my skin that I’m unaccustomed to.
I turn to her, and it makes me proud to see her so confident and
determined. Determined to learn or determined to show me who’s boss, I’m
unsure. But the look is sexy on her. I tell my wolf to stay calm and push
away the erection growing in my pants. Scaring her away at this stage could
set any headway back.
I slide my chair over, grab the papers I had set out for her, and pull the
empty chair beside me. She stomps over and plops down on the chair with
her arms crossed. I welcome the irritation. I would take anything over the
blank stares and looks of disgust she’s been giving us the past couple of
days.
“Thank you,” I say, hesitant to add anything in case I say the wrong
thing and anger her. She doesn’t look at me but motions to the papers. So,
we get started.
Two hours later, she has made remarkable progress again. She has been
able to sound out words much faster and even a few from her head instead
of the paper. Her words are still drawn out but are becoming more fluid.
“Well done,” I encourage her. “You’ve made significant improvements
today. I’m impressed. Would you like to take a break?” I should attempt to
get her to do chores, but she needs a rest.
“I hate, Ow-phas.” I jerk my head up to look at her, and the corner of my
mouth twitches.
“You hate Alphas?” I ask, the twitch turning into a small grin on my
face. I know she’s trying to offend me, but I’m too proud of her to care.
She scoffs, but I see curiosity in her eyes at my reaction.
“I’m not fond of them, either,” I say. “Sometimes, I wonder why I was
born an Alpha. I prefer to use my brain instead of my size and Alpha
abilities. I don’t mind doing chores or serving others. Being an Alpha seems
wasted on me,” I confess with a shrug.
She stares at me for almost a full minute. It’s oddly intimidating. I expect
her to grow bored and leave, but she remains in her stance, awaiting my
next move.
“Your plants arrived this morning. They’re all outside, ready to be
arranged. Would you like to see them?” I’m grateful they came today,
giving me a carrot to dangle in her face. It seems to work. Her face softens,
and she gives a curt nod.
“Is that a... yes?” I prod, planning to encourage her to use words
throughout the day. She hesitates but gives it a try.
“Y—yes.” She’s rewarded with a smile and a fist pump from me. Part of
me worries I’m losing my sanity, but the other part welcomes the
excitement she’s bringing into my life.
“Great! Let’s go see what you have.” I want her to see the plants as her
own, hoping to make her feel at home here. If only Lucas and Vaegon
weren’t so pig-headed and stuck in tradition. I’m realizing that it’s all a
bunch of bullshit, anyhow. I understand the hierarchy and the order it
creates, but not all shifters fit the mold of their designation.
She follows me outside, and when she sees her plants, she rushes over to
them. She seems to take inventory as she weaves in and out of the pots and
planters. She inspects leaves, picks off dead ones, and turns up the soil in
some planters before moving them around.
“Would you like to work out here today? To situate your plants?” She is
familiar with plants. It’s plain to see. She should be able to find room for all
of them. The fresh air will do her some good, too.
She nods a few times without looking up at me. But then she stops and
turns to me and says, “Yes.”
“Okay. Anything you need will be in that building.” I point to the small,
white shed near the tree line. I don’t bother telling her not to run off. If she
were to try, the perimeter guards would catch her in minutes. She’s bright
enough to suspect that as well.
“I’ll come find you when it’s time for lunch.” I will make lunch today so
she can be with her plants. She’s technically contributing, so Lucas should
be fine. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to convince her to help with dinner, but I
can’t see a better way of getting through to her yet.
I watch her run to the shed and pull out what looks like every damn thing
we have. In a way, it’s cute how she’s scurrying around, treating the plants
like younglings. Perhaps, to her, they are. I leave her to her work and head
back to my room.
 Chapter 19
JADE

My plants. They ripped up my plants. It’s okay… I can’t go back home

anyway, even when I do escape. But I need to get them in the ground so
they will survive. I’m not letting my beautiful plants die because some
greedy asshole Alphas stole them.
I’ll admit I look forward to working outside today. Anders didn’t even
warn me about running away. He’s going to just let me work out here by
myself. He must know I realize trying would be a waste of time. Still, he’s
been… kind to me this morning. Maybe kind is too strong a word. But he
hasn’t been terrible, not like the other two.
I almost feel bad for him that his own brother is his boss and orders him
around. I guess I didn’t recognize how different Anders was from the other
Alphas until he brought that up. He doesn’t seem to have unreasonable
expectations for my role or demand I bow down at his feet and serve him.
I agreed to the speech lesson this morning because I will need the ability
when I run. I don’t want to be forced to do something I need to do for
myself anyway. But I could tell he sincerely didn’t want to bark at me. And
he found a chore for me this afternoon that I would enjoy.
He’s still an Alpha, though, and he still claimed me when I didn’t want
it. So I still hate him. But maybe I hate him a little less than the rest of his
designation.
 ***

Anders brings me lunch around noon, letting me eat outside so I can get
right back to work after. There’s a large table on the patio, and he places my
food down and sits across from it. I’m starving from the busy morning, so I
don’t hesitate to run over and plop down in front of him.
My hair is dusted with dirt and leaves, but I’m too hungry to care, and I
dig right in. As I’m shoveling a bite into my mouth, Anders reaches out and
takes my hand. I freeze, and the instinct to run and hide seizes my chest,
ready to rip me out of his grasp. But the memory of Lucas’s eyes when I
fled from them in the woods keeps me frozen despite the hum of the
charged-up blood racing through my veins.
“Hold on a second, okay?” he says, gently wiping my hand with a
napkin. I surprise myself by not pulling away from his touch. Once
satisfied, he does the same to my other hand. As soon as he’s done, I hurry
back to eating, choosing to ignore the awkward situation.
The iced green tea he brought is good, or I’m just really thirsty. I gulp it
down and sprint back to the garden, uncomfortable with my reaction to our
exchange.
“It’s impressive how much you’ve gotten done this morning,” he says as
he wanders up behind me. I ignore him and muster up a small scoff before
returning to work.
When he comes up to me in the late afternoon and asks if I will help him
with dinner, I agree. I know I’ll have to do it anyway because Anders won’t
defy his head Alpha. Plus, if Anders sees me as cooperative, maybe he will
trust me to join him at the market, and I can escape. I’ll play house with
you, Anders. For now.
 Chapter 20
LUCAS

I know Anders has followed through with my order when I walk in the door
and smell tonight’s dinner. I sit down at the table and admire the four blimp-
shaped mounds on my plate. They look like mashed potatoes that have been
molded back into their regular potato form. There’s a creamy sauce with
mushrooms, bacon, and scallions covering them. When I cut one open, I see
that it’s stuffed with a beef mixture.
They are delicious and very filling. Perfect for large, hungry Alphas. I’m
glad our mate has contributed, but her spirits don’t seem to have risen. I
have to bark at her to eat again. She doesn’t look at any of us, but shoves
food into her mouth like a barbarian. She is nothing like the mate I pictured
for us. Maybe we were wrong to claim her.
No... She’s a scent match. The likelihood of finding one in the first place
is low. The chance of finding a second would be minuscule. She was made
for us, and she will submit. We will have to keep working at breaking her
down so we can build her back up to be the perfect mate that she can be.
I’m surprised when she cleans up after dinner without being forced. The
rest of us retire to the living room and have a drink and quiet discussion.
“How was the Omega’s mood this morning?” Vaegon asks Anders. “I
made her a nest before I left her last night.”
“I saw no nest. She must have gotten rid of it sometime in the night.”
 “We need to make her another one and add all of our scents to it,” I
suggest. Scent is our greatest asset. It’s damn near impossible to resist a
scent match if surrounded by the smell for an extended period of time.
“I’ll take care of it.” Vaegon snaps. I suspect he’s frustrated that his scent
alone wasn’t able to stimulate her instincts.
“She’s strong, brother. But we are stronger. It will work out,” I say,
aiming to comfort him. He doesn’t react, but I know he takes my words to
heart.
When our mate emerges from the kitchen and heads toward the stairs, I
don’t stop her, but I bark for her to go to my room instead of her own. I take
down the last of my scotch and follow her up. When I walk into my room, I
find her standing with her arms crossed right inside the door against the
wall.
I take her by the arm and guide her over to the bed. She doesn’t fight me
but doesn’t react to me, either. More of the blank stare Vaegon said she
donned last night. Those empty eyes will be rolling back in her head by the
time I’m finished pleasuring her tonight.
She’s an Omega. She can’t resist an Alpha willing to fulfill her innate
craving for sexual intimacy. If we show her how hard we can make her
come, she will change her tune.

***

She doesn’t. I spend close to an hour trying to please her body. I use my
fingers, my mouth, my cock. I even suck on my claiming mark on the
delicate skin of her neck. Nothing works. The only trickle of slick is from
my Alpha growl, which should break the dam with ease. All the while, she
doesn’t react to me.
Why is she acting this way? We rescued her from imminent danger and
are offering her a fulfilling life. An Alpha would have eventually taken her.
Surviving months alone without that happening was pressing her luck. She
has it made here. Why must she push us away? I refuse to relent. We will
get through to her, even if it takes years.
After bathing the Omega and returning her to her room, I decide to go
for a run to clear my mind. The disappointment with the reality of our new
mate after waiting for so long for her is starting to get to me. I need to
release all the chaos churning in my mind for a while.
Still bare from mating and bathing with the Omega, I head out the back
door and shift before the door has even finished closing. The cracking and
rearranging of my bones and my constricting muscles from the shift steal
my focus, and the brief pain of the transformation gives my mind a much-
needed distraction.
My wolf stretches his legs and nudges my consciousness into the
background, happy to be in control after a longer period than usual without
shifting. We skipped the last pack dinner, nervous to have our mate around
other shifters while her mental state is still so fragile. The Alphas usually
take a run after everyone eats, and my wolf really needed that time with
them.
Tonight, my wolf runs alone, but he is content to mark the perimeter of
our property and crash through the trees in the quiet woods. I feel the twigs
snap under the pads of his paws, and the leaves tickle the spaces between
them. The smell of bark and damp moss mask the sweet smell of my
stubborn mate, and I urge him to roll in the dirt and rub against the trees to
carry the earthy scents home with us.
Hours later, I’m home and feeling refreshed. I slip into my mate’s room
and add my clothing from earlier to her nest. My wolf assures me that, one
day, she will fashion one of her own. I choose to believe him and head to
bed, too tired to allow doubts to ruin my rest.
 Chapter 21
JADE

I wake up in another cocoon of blankets and worn Alpha clothing. Ugh! It

smells so damn delicious in here. I hold my breath and gather all the crap
on my bed and chuck it out my door. I can’t have it in here tainting the air
with their scents.
I’m not sure what Lucas thought he was going to achieve last night, but
I’m thankful it wasn’t painful. I was able to check out of the situation faster
than I did with Vaegon, but whatever he was doing before I let myself drift
away was gross.
The next few days go by in pretty much the same way. I throw the
sweaty pile of fabric down the hall, do my speech lesson, and work outside.
Anders must take care of the laundry because I don’t see the linens again
after I’m up for the day. As I tend the gardens, I quietly practice speaking,
determined to get it figured out before I make my escape.
Anders still does the cleaning inside, and I assume whatever other chores
there are, when he’s not working on his computer. I do make breakfast,
though. Anders hasn’t used my body again since the claiming. Either he
doesn’t like the process as much as the other two, or he leaves me alone
because he knows I hate when they touch me. Whatever the case, I want to
encourage his behavior, so I do my chores and let him do his own.
 One evening, things get a little different at dinner. Lucas returns from
work, but Vaegon hasn’t gotten home yet when I put the food on the table.
I’m not waiting for him. He’s the one that’s so strict about being on time.
Fuck him. Maybe I’ll just serve him the clock from his nightstand for
dinner.
As soon as I sit down, the door opens, and in he walks. He’s not alone,
though. He has another shifter with him. She has curly, black hair and light
brown eyes. Her skin is a little darker than his in a warm, golden-brown
color. She’s beautiful.
She’s not big like an Alpha, but she’s quite a bit bigger than me. She
doesn’t have the curvy hips or bigger breasts that I do, and she has a mild
bamboo and clay scent. I think she’s a Beta!
Vaegon motions for her to sit in the chair across from me and then sits
down beside her, staring at me the entire time. He looks so pleased with
himself. What a weirdo. I look at her instead of his stupidly-pretty, stupidly-
smirking face as he puts an arm around her shoulders.
“Y—you’re a Beta?” I force out, damn proud of myself. It’s not perfect,
but I know she can understand it.
I hear the assholes gasp. Damn straight. You’re going to get earfuls when
I can finally speak my mind. I don’t look at any of them. Instead, I give a
timid smile to the beautiful Beta in front of me.
“Yes, I’m a Beta,” she says. I ignore the hint of condescension in her
tone, jump up, and run into the kitchen. I return with a place setting for her
and quickly fill her plate with food, as nicely arranged as I can manage. The
damn thing is a masterpiece when I’m finished with it.
“Betas are the best,” I sound out slowly, determined to show these jerks I
can do anything. I sound like a youngling, but I don’t care. I sound like
someone, which is more than I could claim for so many years.
She smiles and giggles, looking pleased and intrigued. She glances at
Lucas. I realize she’s waiting for him to take a bite so that she can eat. He’s
gawking at me like I’m a stranger hanging out in his house. Anders clears
his throat, and Lucas snaps out of it, finally taking a bite.
The Beta digs in and gives a little moan. “Oh my gosh, this is amazing,”
she drawls, smiling at me with full cheeks and pinched lips to contain her
mouthful of food.
 I grin and pour her some wine, ignoring the other lumps at the table.
Vaegon doesn’t like that and has to interrupt my excitement over being near
a Beta for the first time ever!
“I won’t need to come to your room tonight,” he says, pulling the Beta
closer to his side.
I gather that she will be taking the punishment he would normally give
me. I look at her, worried, not wanting her to have to endure that in my
place. What if she can’t find a happy place to go to?
But she’s smiling at Vaegon and cuddling up closer to him. Well, it
seems she’s pleased with the idea. Fuck yeah!
I’m so excited I can barely contain it, but I don’t want Vaegon to see my
joy and change his mind. I look at Lucas and stumble out a, “Take the Beta,
too?” I give my most hopeful eyes and wait, praying he says yes, and I will
get a night of peace.
“No, Omega,” Lucas mumbles while shaking his head. “I won’t be
taking the Beta, but I won’t need you to come to me, either.” I release the
breath I had been holding and let my shoulders fall in relief.
Eating comes easily for me tonight, and I devour my food, no barking
necessary. Stupid mutts can have the night off, too. Vaegon and the Beta
continue to do whatever it is they are doing over there while we eat. I keep
the Beta’s wine glass filled and give her extra apple cobbler for dessert.
After dinner, Lucas and Anders head to the living room to drink their
poison while Vaegon and the Beta go upstairs. I clean up everything from
dinner and prep a steak hash for tomorrow’s breakfast.
I can’t get to my room fast enough to shower and go to bed. It’s been a
wonderful night. I got to meet a real-life Beta! Eek! I think I could manage
to be content here if all my days went like this. The Beta would need to
move in, though. And we would have to find one for Lucas. I don’t see that
happening, but I can dream.
I try to think of what we can “run out of” that will make a sooner trip to
the market necessary as I drift off. I sleep like a damn log and wake up
without the extra shit in my bed, hoping the day goes at least half as well as
yesterday did.
 Chapter 22
VAEGON

The Omega is the most stubborn shifter I’ve ever met. Possibly even more
stubborn than me. We are supposed to have the Prime Alpha and Luna over
for dinner to meet her, but we can’t risk her being disrespectful to them. We
would all be mortified by her behavior. I don’t think there are enough orders
we can bark at her to cover the loopholes she would no doubt find to defy
and embarrass us.
What we’re doing isn’t working. We’ve tried forcing her to comply.
We‘ve tried showing how fortunate she is for what we have given her.
We’ve even tried to activate her Omega instincts by showing her different
pleasures of mating and making nests for her each night.
Bringing my friend Saffia over for dinner to make her jealous didn’t
even work. Saffia is just a friend and in no way a threat to the Omega, but
she didn’t know that. And Omegas don’t like potential competition in their
territory. She should have at least reacted initially, not knowing anything
about the Beta or why she was there. Growling, hissing, scenting more
strongly, something. But she was thrilled to be around a Beta and showered
her with food and wine. What the ever-loving fuck was up with that?
Jade set an extra place at the table for breakfast for Saffia, thinking she
had spent the night. Lucas told her that nothing happened between us, like
he was trying to make her feel better or something. She was disappointed.
Her shoulders slumped, and her face fell even farther than usual. Then she
pouted. Because I didn’t mate with the Beta. None of this shit makes any
sense.
We’re missing something. Anders has the brains here, but even he hasn’t
figured it out yet. We will find out what it is, and she will be our perfect
mate. I just hope it doesn’t take too long. My balls have been getting
emptied, but the accompanying frustration, anger, and emptiness I’m left
with aren’t worth it.
I’ve had to shift and run through the woods every night or sleep in
Anders’s room just to stay sane. We have to get the bonds open and get her
to submit. Soon. The flint in my heart has been struck too many times. I can
barely keep my rage from consuming me from the inside out. What’s to
keep it from taking down everything around me, too?
 Chapter 23
JADE

My plants are finally situated, and I found a nice, sunny spot for my herb
garden. The setup isn’t as good as the one I had at home, but it’s as good as
it’s going to be. My fruit trees obviously didn’t come, being tall and well-
established in the ground. They should do fine back at the farm without
anyone’s help. I hope someone takes care of all of the plants here when I’m
gone.
There’s one special plant that I need to find a way to bring with me. I’m
surprised the shifters who brought all the others brought this one, too. They
look like simple blue wildflowers. They could easily have come across as
decorative.
Mother called the plant Feldenrod. I’m not even sure how she came up
with the name. She found it in the woods behind our farm during the
Summer Solstice one year. She said it appeared out of nowhere below a tree
she often rested under. “It grew there just for me,” she’d say. I don’t know if
she was just losing her mind, but the plant definitely had special meaning to
her.
The flowers have a citrusy smell that Mother loved. Father didn’t smell
any poison in them, so she put them in the soaps she made for our baths,
sprinkled them in her tea, and eventually started putting some in the tonic
she made for the humans. “There’s magic in them,” she would claim. I
believed her.
I once asked her why she shared the magic with the humans if they were
bad. She told me that not all humans were bad, and the good humans that
got sick shouldn’t have to suffer because of the bad ones. My mother had
once been compassionate. Loving. Kind. I’ve hated her for so long for
abandoning me, but I’m starting to understand how a twisted Alpha could
completely change someone. Especially a weak Omega.
Once, when Mother got back from a trip to the market, she said she had
noticed some shifters buying the whole batch of tonic she had given the
herbal remedies vendor to sell. Deciding it must have helped the Betas
when they were sick, she made sure to keep the market stocked with it from
then on. She taught me how to make it as soon as I was old enough to mix
the herbs correctly. I started thinking of it as “Beta tonic” and have always
had a batch ready for market trips.
I’ll have to find a way to take some of the Feldenrod with me when I
run. I’m not sure I’ll continue making the tonic wherever I end up. But, as
far as I know, this plant doesn’t exist anywhere else. The thought of leaving
all of it behind makes me anxious. I’ve grown very protective of it. Maybe
a part of me still believes in its magic. Or maybe I’ve just need something
good to hold on to.
As I’m inspecting some of its roots to see how to best carry some with
me, I notice movement out of the corner of my eye. I assume it’s Anders,
but, when I look up, it’s some other shifter I’ve never seen before. I freeze,
holding the crouch I’m already in until I can decide if I should run or not.
His pace slows, and he offers me a friendly smile as he approaches. He’s
tall, but not Alpha tall. I think he’s too lean to be an Alpha, too. My brain
doesn’t scream “danger,” so I feel comfortable enough to stand up and get a
better look at him.
His hair is blonde like mine, but it’s a couple of shades lighter. His skin
is tan like mine, too, like he spends a lot of time outdoors. He looks relaxed
in a light blue t-shirt and dark gray shorts. He stops about ten feet away
from me and holds up a small package.
“Hey there! I’m Brody. I’m here to give this to Anders,” he says. He
doesn’t look or sound intimidating at all. He must be a Beta. I close the
distance between us, excited to be around someone other than the Alphas
for a change.
“Bwody?” I ask, slowly.
“Yes, that’s right,” he says, without reacting to my imperfect speech.
“What’s your name?”
“Jade,” I respond, hoping he understands me, the “J” sound being a bit
hard for me still.
“Nice to meet you, Jade,” he says with a warm smile.
It is? Do I thank him? Should I say that back?
I feel my skin heat a little, not used to someone looking at me with
anything other than anger or disappointment on their face. I can’t decide
what to say, so I just stare at the pretty gray eyes I’m finally close enough to
see. I’ve never seen eyes that color before. I wonder if it’s a shifter trait.
They are gorgeous, and they hold a kindness I haven’t seen since I was a
little girl.
I think my staring and silence are starting to make him uncomfortable
because he holds out the package and asks, “Would you mind giving this to
Anders for me?”
Crap. I should have said something back. He will leave when I agree to
do this favor for him. I’m certainly not giving him any reason to stay by just
standing here being weird. I don’t move to take the box but start talking in
hopes he’ll decide to stay a little longer.
“Are you a Beta?” I slowly ask. I smile hopefully up at him, but his own
smile falls, and he looks away from me.
“Uh, yeah. I’m a Beta.”
I knew it! But why did my question make him so unhappy?
“I love Betas!” I manage a little faster this time, trying to bring his smile
back. I know how it feels for someone to crush your mood. I feel awful for
having done that to him.
“You like Betas?” he asks, looking confused. “What’s so good about
Betas? Nothing special here. We’re pretty ordinary. We might as well be
humans. We even get sick like they do.” His smile returns, but it’s more of a
sad smile this time.
Is he sad about Betas getting sick? That’s an easy thing to fix. “I can
help,” I tell him, wondering if any of the shifters that buy the tonic are from
this pack.
 “That’s really nice of you, Jade,” he says. “But there’s only one thing
that can help sick Betas, and we can’t seem to find it anymore.”
So, some of the buyers are from this pack. But they’re out of the tonic
because I was too afraid to face the market by myself. I wonder how many
Betas have been sick in the last few months because of me. I wonder if he’s
been sick because of me. Knowing I’m the reason for this kind Beta’s
sadness makes my heart twist in my chest.
Part of me wants to remain silent. To hide the fact that I put my fear
before him and the other Betas in his pack. I want him to like me, but will
he ever smile at me again if he knows what a selfish Omega I have been?
But I know it would be even more selfish to keep quiet about it now. I
won’t be like my mother. Even if Brody never talks to me again, at least I
know I can keep him healthy.
I turn to the Feldenrod and pluck one of the little blue flowers off the
stem. “Here,” I say as I hold it out to him.
I expect him to look at me like I’m crazy, but he remains serious as he
takes it from my hand and examines it. His eyes move to mine, and he lifts
the flower to his nose. As soon as he inhales, he jerks the flower away from
his face and stares at it as if it had spoken him.
His brow relaxes, and he aims those unique eyes at me. He shifts his
weight from one foot to the other and puts his fist against his lips. I can
almost feel the strain of him holding back his enthusiasm, like he’s afraid to
get his hopes up. He takes a deep breath through his nose and moves his
hand to let it back out through his mouth.
“This smells like a tonic we have been trying to find. Where did you get
this, Jade?” He tries his best to appear relaxed, but he can’t hide the hope in
his eyes.
“From my home,” I say, knowing that probably doesn’t tell him what he
wants to know but unsure of how else to explain it.
“What kind of flower is it?”
“Fel-den… wod. Feldenwod.” Fuck. Why’d you have to give it such a
ridiculous name, Mother?
“Feldenrod?” he asks, pursing his lips that I didn’t notice were so full
until now.
“Yes.”
 “Do you make a tonic with this?” he asks. “Do you sell anything like
that at a market?” I nod and head toward the house, motioning for him to
follow me. He doesn’t at first, just standing there holding the flower and the
package with a bewildered look on his face. By the time I reach the door,
he’s caught up with me, and we walk inside together. I dig in the back of
one of the cabinets and pull out the last tonic jar I have and hand it to him.
He puts the package on the counter and takes the jar. His eyes grow
wide, and he asks, “Are you serious? You really make it?”
I want to feel better when I see how excited he is, but I feel worse seeing
the relief in his posture and knowing I caused a weight that heavy on his
shoulders.
“I—I’m sowy,” I tell him, fighting back tears.
“You’re sorry? For what? This is incredible! Our Betas are going to be
overjoyed when they hear we can get more of the cure. Why on earth would
you feel sorry for this?”
“I was late. I… didn’t make any.” He puts the jar and the flower down
and takes both of my hands. Normally, I would pull away from anyone who
came so close, but I welcome the contact from him, even though I don’t
deserve his comfort.
“Don’t feel bad, please. You don’t owe us anything. What you’ve given
us for so many years is a gift. A gift we haven’t known who to thank for.
That stubborn vendor wouldn’t give us any information about it.” He
chuckles, and the sound does something funny to my chest. “If only Alpha
barks worked on humans.”
The “A” word must spark his next question, and my stomach roils when
I hear it.
“Do your Alphas know about the tonic?”
“They’re not mine,” I say, gently pulling my hands away.
His forehead wrinkles, and he drops his gaze to my neck. I jerk my collar
up as high as it will go to cover the claiming marks, embarrassed for him to
see them.
His eyes soften, and he lets his hands drop to his sides. Anders chooses
that moment to walk through the door from the hallway. I’m not sure if I’m
annoyed or thankful for the interruption.
Brody stands up straight as soon as he sees him and averts his eyes while
tilting his head to the side. Strange. What’s that about?
 Anders waves him off and locks his eyes on me. Anders doesn’t scare
me, but something about his expressionless face can be intimidating.
“Hey, Anders. A package came for you. I was just talking to Jade here
about the tonic she makes,” Brody says, pointing at the package. Anders
turns his head and looks over at him.
“Jade?” he asks flatly.
Yeah, asshole. I have a fucking name. I know he heard our conversation
about the tonic since we were inside then, but my name is something new.
“Um, yeah. Jade,” Brody says, gesturing toward me. Anders turns back
and looks me in the eye.
“Your name is Jade?” he asks. Brody gasps and tries to cover it with a
cough. I just cross my arms and roll my eyes at the idiot in front of me. I
hear another quick breath from Brody, likely in surprise of my disrespect
toward a high and mighty Alpha.
“Why didn’t you tell us your name?” Anders asks.
I look him dead in the eye and lean forward. “You neva asked.”
Silence fills the room, and no one moves for an impressive amount of
time. Brody finally breaks the silence by speaking to Anders.
“Uh, Alpha? I’m sorry to interrupt. I can leave. She just—she has
Feldenrod? For the tonic?” He picks up the flower and hands it to Anders.
“I’d love to take some to your mother, if I can.”
Anders studies it, looking for whatever his overactive brain thinks he
will see on its petals. His nostrils flare, not needing to bring it to his nose to
get a good sniff, and one of his platinum blonde eyebrows raises slightly.
“The plant is here?” he asks. A surge of protectiveness moves me toward
the door, and I stand in front of it. I don’t know what he plans to do with it
now that he knows, and I don’t know what I think I could do to stop him,
but I block his path anyway.
“Will you show me, please… Jade?” Anders asks. It’s strange hearing
my name in his voice. But he didn’t call me Omega or mate, and he asked
instead of ordering me, so I decide to cooperate.
I turn and walk out the back door, leading Anders to my Feldenrod.
Brody trails behind, keeping a safe distance from the weirdness going on
between Anders and I.
Anders crouches and examines every inch of the plant, rubbing the backs
of his knuckles over the flowers and trailing his fingertips down the stems.
A few moments later, he asks, “Can Brody take a section of the plant to the
healer for our Betas?”
Their mother is a healer? Flashes of the good times with my mother stab
me in the chest. Why do these abusive Alphas get to keep their mother?
Why should I help someone who raised them to be the wicked beasts that
they are? Why is everything in the world the opposite of what it feels like it
should be?
Brody’s tender voice breaks up the ball of fury forming inside me.
“She’s a Beta, too.”
Fuck. How could I be so selfish again? I look away, too ashamed to face
him. The ground is cold and damp under my knees when I drop down and
carefully dig up two large sections of the Feldenrod for him.
I hand them over and watch his hands instead of meeting his eyes. They
look strong for how soft they felt in the kitchen. Both strength and kindness
in the same shifter? I raise my head, my curiosity at the contradiction
outweighing my shame.
“Thank you, Jade,” he whispers, with a bright, warm smile.
My heart wakes up and begins to beat with purpose. I’m needed again.
And someone finally sees me. Maybe everything in life isn’t backward after
all.
 Chapter 24
ANDERS

After Brody leaves, Jade follows me inside and washes the dirt off her
hands in the kitchen sink. I’m still processing the seemingly impossible
situation. We went to find the tonic, but we found her instead. Now, I find
out she can give us the tonic, too.
But she didn’t bring it up to us before, even when she first saw that her
plants were here. Why did she tell Brody? What is her fascination with
Betas about? She acted star-struck when she met Saffia, and she told Brody
about this invaluable cure as soon as she met him. Were her parents Betas?
Was there another important Beta in her life?
I can’t believe I didn’t think to ask what her name was. That should have
been the first thing I tried to get her to sound out. How could we think it
was okay not to find out our mate’s name?
“Thank you for sharing your plant, Jade.” She ignores me as she dries
her hands, beginning to pull things out to get started on dinner. “I’m sorry
for not asking for your name.”
She stops and looks over at me, pondering something. She eventually
puts the items she’s holding on the counter and approaches me. Her
response is unexpected.
“My chickens.” She struggles with the “ch” sound, but it comes out
much better than usual. I didn’t consider where her chickens might have
gone. We don’t have a setup for any animals on our property. I’ll have to
ask Lucas where they are.
“I’ll find them for you,” I promise her. It’s the least I can do after she
shared the Feldenrod. And the least I can do for not bothering to find out
her name.
“Some are layers…” she says, her voice shaky. Her lip quivers a bit as
she waits for me to say something. I bet she’s worried that we didn’t
separate them from the ones we use for meat. She was so happy to have her
plants when they arrived. I should have considered how she might feel
about her animals, too. I’m really failing at being a mate so far.
Jade normally wears a vacant expression or one of irritation. The worry
and uncertainty on her pretty features wake my wolf up, and he nudges me
to fix it. He’s typically quiet, much like I am. Since Jade arrived, he’s been
more alert. I feel him observing our interactions. He’s a big reason I haven’t
been able to bring myself to bark at her. I already don’t want to, but I know
he would fight me over it if I tried.
“Whoever collected your chickens would see the separate pens and know
the difference. I’m sure they are being well cared for. Spoiled, even.
Happier chickens make healthier eggs. Our pack knows that. Don’t worry,
Jade. I promise that they’re safe.”
Her eyes have become shiny, but relief passes over them and she says,
“Thank you, Anders.” My heart stutters a little, and my wolf preens when I
hear her try out my name. The moment is brief, though, and she turns back
to preparing dinner.
There are fresh steaks in the fridge. I never know what to expect from
her mood, so I’ve tried to have ingredients I can work with on hand. She
whips up a mushroom and garlic sauce topping for the steak, baked sweet
potatoes full of butter and cinnamon, and a spring salad.
I offer to help, but she just shoos me away. I ask her more about the plant
as I lean against a counter and watch her prepare fresh rolls and a lemon tart
for dessert. She tells me it grows behind her house, and she harvested some
to keep in planters, ensuring she has plenty if something happens to the
patch in the woods.
“How did you know it helped Betas?” I ask.
“Shifters bought it,” she says with a shrug. She doesn’t seem to want to
talk about it, so I let it go. We have the plant now. That’s what’s really
important. My mother will be able to figure out more about it as far as how
it works and what else it may do.
Jade seems unburdened as she floats around the room. She even sings a
little while she cooks, a tiny smile in the corners of her mouth. Her voice is
high and lovely as she tries to work out the words to a song I’ve never
heard before.
I’m not sure if her happiness is stemming from relief about her chickens
or excitement about meeting Brody. I would have to be blind to miss the
look in her eyes when she interacted with him. She was curious and content.
There are still sparks of life in her eyes even now that he’s gone. Something
we’ve seen little of lately.
She makes way too much food, but that ends up being a relief when
Lucas calls me on his way home to inform me that we’ll be having guests
join us for dinner.
 Chapter 25
JADE

I feel incredible after meeting Brody, and I can’t help the grin that sits on
my face when his sweet smile or gentle eyes flash across my mind. I’ve
been surrounded by the darkness and oppression of imposing Alphas my
entire life. A darkness I thought I had escaped when my father died. But
Brody… Brody was like the sun.
I hope I get to see him again soon. I doubt the Alphas will let me,
though. I’ll be leaving, anyway. I wish I could ask him to come with me.
But he doesn’t know me. I’m sure his loyalty would lie with them.
Knowing I’ll have to leave this light behind tugs the corners of my mouth
back down to their standard position.
The other Alphas get home right after I set the platters down on the
table. I stopped plating their food after that first night, wondering why I
even did that for the heathens in the first place. I guess Father drilled that
into my head over the years.
Anders takes my usual spot, and Vaegon sits across from him. Lucas
simply stands by the door. Are they trying to fuck with me? I decide that I
don’t care, and I walk toward the head of the table, really to claim the
special spot for myself. I made this dinner. The place of honor should be
mine.
“Set two more places, Omega.”
 Fuck that, Lucas. You set them.
I stare at him without moving, but my defiant attitude wavers when his
eyes narrow at me. He’s so damn big. It’s hard not to be intimidated by him,
no matter how angry I am. They haven’t beaten me yet, but that doesn’t
mean they can’t start. I’m wary of stealing his seat now, but I still don’t
move to obey him.
“Now.” The bark comes quietly but with enough force to lurch me
toward the buffet. I try to fight it, but that fucker is so strong. I hate him for
it.
My hands jerk the plates out and slap them on the table at the empty
seats. I finish arranging the settings in the sloppiest setups I can while
struggling under the bark. One setting will be Vaegon’s, and I can’t help but
smirk as he glares at my handiwork. I don’t even care that I’ll have to sit at
the other ugly one. I don’t plan on eating, anyway.
Lucas steps into my space and leans down until he’s at my eye level. He
looks like he’s bowing to me, which makes me snicker. I give him an
exaggerated bow back, hoping he gets the joke. If he does, he doesn’t find it
funny. He growl-talks at me instead, his words infused with his Alpha bark.
“We are having guests tonight: the Prime Alpha and his Luna. You will
be respectful toward them, and you will not defy your mates while they are
here.” The bark is just as strong as the previous one, but I know that shit
weakens over time. I’ll just have to wait it out.
“The fuck is a Luna?” I ask, confused, but thrilled that my words came
out exactly like I wanted them to.
Two Alphas growl at me, and I almost have to swallow my tongue to
contain the whimper that’s trying to crawl out of my throat. I see Anders’s
lip twitch. It’s hard to tell if it’s an angry twitch or if he’s holding back a
smile.
“The Luna is the Prime Alpha’s Omega mate, and she is to be honored
by every member of the pack!” Vaegon roars at me.
“Not. My. Pack!” I yell back. I’m no willing member of this fucked-up
society.
“Maybe it would be better for her not to be able to speak for this dinner,”
Vaegon grounds out behind clenched teeth.
There is a knock on the door a few silent, tense moments later. Lucas
wastes no time opening it and inviting two shifters in. He looks ridiculous,
his cocky ass practically bending over and presenting as he oh-so-humbly
welcomes them inside.
Anders and Vaegon stand, and all three of the Alphas tilt their heads to
the side, exposing their necks like Brody did for Anders earlier. It must be
some form of submission. That causes me to snicker again. I can’t help it.
They look ridiculous and totally unintimidating.
My laugh stops short when I take a better look at the Alpha they are
submitting to. Lucas is enormous. But this shifter makes him look like a
Beta. Power radiates from his body, visible like the hazy waves of heat
rising from the streets in the summer. If the Prime of Father’s pack was
anywhere close to this big, my Father truly was brainless to challenge him.
“Prime, Luna, welcome,” Lucas says.
“Thank you, Lucas,” the super Alpha says before turning to—ugh—me.
“So, this is your mate? What a lovely young Omega you have found.”
Barf.
The Omega… Luna, whatever, smiles at me and moves forward as if to
embrace me. No, thank you. I jump back and scurry into the chair at the
other end of the table. She stops her advance and frowns.
“Greet your Prime and Luna, Omega,” Lucas demands. The bark from
earlier is still strong, and I feel the pull to obey in my throat. I fight back,
but it’s useless. My lungs start to hurt, and I have no choice but to offer
something.
“H—hey,” I grunt, giving the bare minimum to get my breath back. I
don’t look at them, though. I will fight this. Even though I know I’ll fail,
my attempt will piss Lucas and Vaegon off, and that will be worth the pain
and struggle.
Lucas grits his teeth and takes a deep breath before motioning for the
guests to sit. The Prime takes Lucas’s usual spot at the head of the table,
and the Omega sits in Anders’s seat. Lucas sits in Vaegon’s seat, and
Anders and Vaegon return to the chairs they had been in.
“Everything looks delicious. There is so much! You must have known
we were coming,” Prime Alphahole says.
No, I just met an amazing Beta and sprang a leak of happiness that
flooded the kitchen with food. I wish I hadn’t been so excited when I
prepared it. I’m not excited about the company or impressed with the gaudy
crown they are putting on this oversized Alpha’s fat head.
 They all chat about whatever. I just stare at my food and anticipate the
bark coming for me to eat it. The Luna hasn’t said much, letting the Alphas
talk, but eventually decides to chime in with the most horrible words
imaginable.
“I think you should bring your mate over to the packhouse tomorrow to
meet the other Omegas and their pups. It might be good for her to spend
some time with them.”
I tense and stare at my plate like it’s crawling with maggots. No. Please
no. It’s bad enough being surrounded by Alphas. Being forced to socialize
with a bunch of self-centered Omegas, too? Pure torture.
“I think that’s a great idea, Luna. Thank you for the offer. I will do that,”
Lucas says, his words dripping with reverence and respect. He treats me
like a slave, bossing me around and using me for his pleasure, but he
elevates this Omega above himself? I fucking hate him.
“What do you think, Jade?” Anders asks, the first of them to address me
this entire meal. I refuse to look up. I can’t state my opinion, or the bark
might choke me out for disrespecting them.
Luckily, I don’t have to because Lucas picks up on Anders calling me by
my name. “Jade?” It’s directed at Anders, but I’m sure it seems to the
outsiders that he’s telling me to answer. Vaegon isn’t so discreet. Big
shocker, there.
“She told you her name?” he asks Anders, although I’m not sure why he
cares. He never asked me what it was, either.
“No. She told Brody her name when he stopped by earlier,” Anders says.
I hear Lucas’s breath hitch, so I look up, hoping to see an unhappy face of
some kind. No disappointment there. He looks mad. Hopefully at me,
though, and not at Brody.
“Why was Brody here?” Vaegon asks, more curious than angry.
“Package.” Anders says, before getting back on topic. “She may have
told us her name if we had ever asked her.” I’m surprised that he’s
admitting they did something wrong, especially in front of the Prime Alpha.
“She can barely speak, brother,” Vaegon spits out. “She can’t write,
either. How were we supposed to know that she could tell us?”
“She speaks well enough now to tell us, if we had cared to ask.” Vaegon
can’t argue with that one, so he doesn’t respond.
 The Prime and Luna are silent. I wonder what they are thinking. They
probably don’t care about the slight against me since Omegas are treated
poorly, anyway. Unless you’re the Luuuna Omega.
“She gave us something more than her name this afternoon. Didn’t you,
Jade?”
“I gave Brody something,” I say carefully, not willing to let these Alphas
or this Omega on a pedestal think I did anything for them.
“What did you give Brody, Omega?” Vaegon asks, apparently preferring
my designation over my name. I scoff at him and turn away, gagging a little
on the bark. Anders can tell them if he wants. I’m not doing it.
“She gave Brody the ingredient for the Beta tonic we have been trying to
figure out for so long. Mother has plenty now,” he says. The others stay
silent, like they aren’t sure if they should believe what they are hearing.
“What is this ingredient, Jade?” the Prime asks in a voice too gentle for a
creature that gigantic. I’m surprised he uses my name. But he’s still an
Alpha, so I still don’t like him. I don’t answer at first, but I can feel the pull
of the bark willing me to be respectful.
“No, thank you.” It’s the best I can do to obey Lucas’s order while still
getting out of having to talk to them about it. The Prime doesn’t get angry
but turns to Anders and asks him to explain.
“Jade has been making the very tonic we’ve used for Beta Cough all
these years. She has a special plant called Feldenrod that she found in the
woods behind her farm. The plant’s flowers are the ingredient we couldn’t
place. She realized it helped Betas when she saw shifters buying it at the
market.”
“So you’ve been making it all these years?” the Omega asks.
I just shrug. My eyes are already glued back to my plate. I just want this
nightmare to be over. At least this evening’s portion of it. Today could have
been a break in the misery. One good thing. Meeting Brody made me happy
for the first time since I was dragged here. But the stupid Alphas and their
stupid leaders had to ruin it.
The Prime Alpha speaks up. “Thank you for helping our Betas, Jade. We
are all grateful to you.”
I say nothing.
“The Omegas will be so happy to meet you tomorrow,” the Omega adds.
Fuck. I guess tomorrow will bring an extra special brand of torture. I wish I
could escape tonight, but that would just be too convenient.
 Chapter 26
LUCAS

Dinner did not go well last night, but it still wasn’t as bad as I had feared.
The Omega—Jade—wasn’t ready to meet the Prime Alpha or Luna, but
they cornered me when I was heading out for the evening and insisted on
coming by. It’s customary for shifters to be formally presented before the
leader in order to become part of the pack. They had been understanding
with our unique situation, but it seems they had grown tired of waiting.
The revelation that she’s the source of the tonic saved the evening.
Finding her because of the cure just proves that she was meant to be our
mate. She’s meant to come around, or she wouldn’t have been given to us.
After practically having to drag Jade along with me, we arrive at the
packhouse and step inside. I guide her over to a chair in the sitting area
where the Luna, three other pack Omegas, and their pups are relaxing. Luna
introduces everyone to Jade, but she keeps her head down and doesn’t
interact with them.
I coax her down onto the chair. She pulls her legs up to her chest, wraps
her arms around them, and scrunches up in a defensive position. I decide to
leave her there, hoping the Omegas can get through to her. Maybe she will
relax when I’m not around.
The Prime Alpha, August, is standing on the other side of the room,
observing them. I walk over and join him. It’s embarrassing the way our
mate treats us, especially in front of our leaders. I hope seeing how happy
the other Omegas are will spark some appreciation for where she gets to
live.
But it doesn’t. The Omegas try to include her in their conversations, but
she refuses to look up. A pup toddles over to her and tugs on her pant leg,
trying to get her attention. She just buries her face in farther into her knees
and leans away.
“Why is she like this, August?” I ask. He prefers to be less formal when
it’s just the two of us. “Why must she disrespect us and fight us over
everything? She doesn’t appreciate what we have given her.”
Before August can respond, Brody walks in. He notices Jade right away
and heads over to her, but she doesn’t see him since her face is still hidden.
He crouches down in front of her, and his hello is soft, but my Alpha
hearing picks it up easily.
She jerks her head up, and her mouth splits into the most devastatingly
beautiful smile I have ever seen. She was already stunning, but knowing
she’s capable of this level of beauty has my stomach clenching and my cock
stirring.
But the reality of her smile not being for me twists my heart, leaving an
aching cramp in my chest. She’s never given us anything more than a smirk.
The only time we ever even see her teeth is when she bares them at us. Why
is she so happy to see Brody? I’m starting to think her Omega instincts are
damaged somehow. She doesn’t act at all like an Omega should.
“I mean no offense, August. Your son is a kind, respectable Beta. But
why does our mate react like… that to him when she looks at us like we’re
garbage?” Brody is August and the Luna’s youngest son. Their other two
sons are Alphas, and they have a very young Omega daughter.
I suppose he might get overlooked at times, but he’s a good shifter. He
willingly takes on the jobs that don’t have a specific role assigned to them
even though that makes his schedule unpredictable. He helps build new
cabins and fix issues with the existing ones. He’s very skilled with his
hands and is always friendly and respectful.
But he’s young, only twenty-three. He presented just four years ago.
Vaegon and Anders are twenty-seven, and I’m already thirty-one. We are
more mature and much higher-ranking. I still don’t see why she’s so drawn
to him when she has three strong, honorable Alphas at home.
 “You don’t know what she might have gone through before you found
her. Her past may play a big part in her behavior. Maybe, now that she’s
starting to speak, you should ask her about it.”
August is wise. It’s one of the reasons he makes an effective Prime
Alpha. I will consider his advice because his decisions usually prove to be
sound. And I’m out of ideas.
I walk over to Jade, and she flinches when I approach. She’s typically
defiant and disrespectful to me. Why the sudden fear? I bet it’s an act
intended to make me look bad.
“Brody,” I greet, a little gruffer and more dismissive than I intended.
Brody stands and presents his neck respectfully despite my mood. Even
though he’s part of the Prime Alpha’s family, my designation supersedes
his. He has always been humble, submitting dutifully, so I expected nothing
less from him. But it makes me feel a bit bad about my attitude.
Brody looks at Jade and smiles. “I’m so glad I got to see you again,
Jade.”
Hearing him use her name, the name she gave him first, ignites my
Alpha temper. I grit my teeth, trying to tamp down my possessiveness. No
one needs to see me get angry over a harmless exchange.
“Bye, Bwody,” Jade says sweetly, with another smile on her face. That’s
my smile! A small growl rumbles from my chest, and Brody takes the hint
and leaves. Jade’s smile twists into a scowl when she looks over at me.
“Let’s go,” I bark. I don’t have the resolve to keep myself together much
longer, so I’m taking her home. She doesn’t even say goodbye to the Luna
or the other Omegas. No one else exists when Brody is in the room, and that
is a big problem.

***

Nothing changes over the next few days. If anything, our mate is even
more standoffish with us, and the bond is closed as tightly as ever. What
could we have possibly done to make things worse? There’s no way I can
talk to her about her past, or anything at all, when she refuses to even look
at me.
She still won’t respond to my attempts to bring her physical pleasure. I
won’t bother going to her anymore. It’s pointless. It ends up being a
miserable and insulting process. Mating with a limp doll is not satisfying.
There is a pack dinner tonight. We skipped the last two, knowing our
Omega would make it more unpleasant than it would be worth. But she’s
coming to this one. Letting her pout and hide out at home ends today.
At pack dinners, everyone brings food to share. Vaegon barked at Jade to
make something, ensuring she had clear instructions not to sabotage the
food in any way. She obeyed but slammed everything she touched in the
kitchen and growled at us as she made four apple pies. When she was done
with that, she refused to bathe or brush her hair. We had to bark at her for
that, too. She fought the bark the whole time, moving at a snail’s pace and
coughing and groaning from her resistance.
We are currently tugging her along to the packhouse lawn where the
gathering has already started. The pies look and smell amazing, but she
wears a scowl as she puts the one she’s been carrying on a table.
I take her around and introduce her to the rest of the pack. They fawn
over her and try to get to know her, especially the Betas who have heard
about her mystery plant, but she won’t make eye contact or speak to any of
them.
My mother comes over to meet her and tries to thank her as well, but
Jade actually snarls at her and then keeps her head down. I have been filling
my mother in on what’s going on with our mate. Luckily, she doesn’t get
upset. She just smiles at me and pats my arm before letting Jade be. I’m
considering just taking her home when I hear Brody’s voice and turn to see
him coming toward us.
“Hey, Jade!” he says, still a few yards away. She jerks her head around,
and her face lights up in another smile. I feel that twinge of anger from the
other day returning. She clasps her hands in front of her and waits for Brody
to reach us. He stops and offers me his neck before turning to her. I nod and
try to find an excuse to get her away from him, but I end up not needing
one.
Before Jade can speak, August’s Alpha sons, Ivan and Frederick, jump in
between us and Brody, no doubt drawn to Jade’s decadent scent and
unmatched beauty.
“Hey there, Omega,” Ivan says on a purr while puffing his chest up as
much as he can. He’s smaller than me, but his ego is far larger. I scoff
internally at how silly he must look beside me, trying to impress my mate.
Frederick just gives her his most charming smile and crosses his arms,
waiting for her to drool over him like many shifters in the pack do.
I know they don’t really mean any disrespect to me. They are young and
still very immature. Nevertheless, I struggle to hide my possessiveness and
irritation at their posturing. A growl begins to form deep in my chest, and
my fangs tingle, threatening to extend. I know better than to disrespect the
Prime’s family, so I force myself to stay calm, leaving my stomach soured
and my gums aching from my restraint.
Jade helps me out for once by loudly scoffing and looking around them,
trying to find Brody again. The look of shock on their faces makes me want
to howl with laughter. Despite my irritation with Jade for liking Brody so
much, I have to turn my back and hide my smirk at her dismissal of the
Alphas.
I feel better, but I have no desire to remain in their presence. I tug Jade
by her elbow to find somewhere to sit. She continues to look around to find
Brody, who slipped away when his brothers burst in and stole the show. He
isn’t around, probably getting set up to sing for the pack later.
When it’s time to eat, Jade won’t try any of the food others have brought.
We have to make her a plate ourselves to keep from having to bark at her to
do it. Anders somehow convinces her to eat a few bites of one of the pies
she made.
For almost an hour, our mate sits on a log and keeps her head down,
ignoring everyone. That is, until Brody shows up to provide some pack
entertainment. He sets up a set of drums with Jessen, a Beta who often
performs with him. Brody usually picks a couple songs and plays his guitar
while singing. Sometimes, he likes to pick human songs and change the
lyrics a little, and everyone seems to love it. I can’t find a way to be pleased
with him right now, though. I know he’s done nothing wrong, but I can’t
help my irritation at our mate’s interest in him.
August walks over and sits beside Jade. “Are you excited to hear Brody
sing?” he asks. Why is he drawing her attention to Brody? That’s the last
thing we need.
My mate lifts her head and looks at him with a puzzled, but intrigued,
look on her lovely face. “Brody sings?” she asks.
Her speech is still slow but has gotten much better. I have to hand it to
Anders. He’s done a great job helping her. When I first met her, I never
expected to be able to hear her speak. Now that she can, I often find myself
wishing she had more words for me.
“Yes, look,” he says, gesturing toward Brody, who’s seated near the
bonfire. She sits up straight and watches him, participating for the first time
this evening. Dammit, August, why are you doing this?
Jade stares at Brody in anticipation, eyes wide and lips parted. Part of me
wants to pick her up and carry her back home, away from the Beta stealing
her attention. Before I can convince myself to do it, Brody begins to sing,
and Jade leans in closer.

Cupid stabbed me in the heart

I never smelled a scent as sweet as yours
Vanilla and something more
Ooh yeah, you’ve got it all…

Jade hangs on every word like the song is about her. It’s not about her…
is it? Why is she so interested in him? We tried to get her to socialize, but
she wanted nothing to do with the other shifters. What is it about Brody?
Brody is looking right at Jade as he continues to sing. Then, he winks at
her. I look over, and that heart-splitting smile she gave him in the packhouse
is back on her face. She’s doing this to spite us. Brody and August aren’t
helping matters.
I drown out the rest of the words and try not to tuck her under my arm
like a sack of potatoes and storm away. As soon as the song is finished, I
grab Jade by her wrist and pull her along with me. Home.
She’s not happy, growling and pulling against my hold as she stumbles
over her steps, trying to keep up with my long stride. That’s tough. I won’t
have the whole pack seeing her fawn over a shifter that is not one of us.
 Chapter 27
VAEGON

The day after the pack dinner, I run into August while out on my rounds. He
approaches me, and I submit, then turn back to my duties. He stops me
before I can get away and asks, “How is your mate this morning?”
How does he think she is after Lucas got jealous and dragged her home
early?
“Not great, Prime,” I say before trying to return to my work. I’m not
pleased with him right now, and I need to leave before the arcane heat
bubbling in my chest spews something disrespectful out of my mouth.
“What’s on your mind, Vaegon? Be frank.”
I sigh and decide to just get it over with so I can go. “I mean no
disrespect to Brody. I like Brody a lot, but why did you encourage our
mate’s interest in him? You must have known it would drive the wedge
between her and us even deeper.”
I keep as much of the anger out of my voice as I can because I appreciate
the pack and all they have done for me. August is usually wise, but what he
did last night? It seemed ignorant. Maybe even callous. I don’t like the fury
I’m feeling for my leader right now. He needs to either make me understand
or let me leave.
“Brody brings her joy. Why should she be kept away from that?”
 “She is ours, Prime,” I grit out. How is he not getting it? Is it time for the
old Alpha to retire? Maybe this is the beginning of his decline as pack
leader.
“Indeed, she is yours. I believe that may be the problem,” he responds.
“That makes no sense.” I know he’s not suggesting she should be
Brody’s. That would be absurd. He’s a Beta, even if he is a noble shifter and
the Prime Alpha’s son.
“I’m not saying the problem is who she belongs to. I believe the problem
is that she belongs to anyone at all. Think about her situation, Vaegon. You
found an Omega living alone, providing for herself. She didn’t want to
come here with you. She doesn’t want to be owned by you. She has been
unhappy since she the moment she got here. Isn’t it possible she’s upset
because she no longer has any control over her own life?”
“But that’s how things work,” I argue. “Omegas belong to Alphas.
Alphas care for them and protect them. I don’t understand what you’re
saying.” I run my hands through my hair and turn away from him. I’m
desperately trying to contain my rage, but it’s getting harder with every
word out of his mouth.
“She doesn’t come from our world, Vaegon, even if she is a shifter. The
rules set in place for the good of our pack are not rules she is accustomed to
living by.”
“Well, what are we supposed to do about it? Just let her break them all?
That would look bad on us, the pack, and you, Alpha.”
“Have you considered letting her spend time with Brody?” he asks. The
preposterous suggestion shocks me into silence.
“Think about it. She was used to having freedom. Now, she has three
domineering Alphas who are intent on forcing her into submission. It will
never work. Even if it did, she would hate you for it. She is your mate,
Vaegon. You three are responsible for her safety and behavior, but also for
her happiness. Don’t forget that part of being an Alpha.”
With that, he turns and walks back toward the packhouse.
 Chapter 28
JADE

Yesterday, Anders had to beg me to get up and help with breakfast. He still
doesn’t want to bark at me, but Lucas still thinks it’s the best way to get me
to obey. I suppose it is, but I wish he wasn’t so strong. No matter how hard I
struggle, I still can’t resist his barks.
The day went by slowly. I didn’t do my chores, not caring what Lucas
had to say about it. I was too mad about being torn away from the party I
was finally enjoying just because I was paying attention to Brody instead of
him. How immature. He could learn a lot from Brody’s kindness and
humility.
This morning started out the same. Anders convinced me to help with
breakfast, but I was on autopilot. I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever get out
of here. Even if I were to manage to, I would never see Brody again. It
doesn’t really make sense, but something in my heart tells me leaving him
forever is the worst decision I could ever make.
Instead of leaving for work with Lucas like he normally does, Vaegon
stays and tells me that we’re going for a walk. I’m nervous, wondering what
punishment is in store for me. Maybe today is the day the beatings begin. I
drag my feet along behind him, scuffing up my white shoes and becoming
more afraid as he leads me on a path through the woods.
Alone with Vaegon in the middle of the woods? This can’t be good.
 After about ten minutes, we enter a large clearing. The sun is shining
down through a break in the canopy onto light green grass and large, flat
rocks. It looks like a gathering place of some kind, but no one’s here.
Vaegon leads me to the opposite side of the clearing to a cluster of large,
smooth rocks and motions for me to sit. I don’t because it’s Vaegon. And
I’m… well, me. He doesn’t get angry, though. He just waits. For what, I’m
not sure.
A couple minutes later, I hear boots crunching over sticks and leaves in
the woods behind me. I turn sharply to see who my torturer is going to be,
but it’s Brody. Is Vaegon going to hurt him as some form of fucked-up
punishment for me?
I wrench my body back around to face Vaegon, hissing at him and
showing him that I’m not going to just stand and watch him hurt Brody. He
doesn’t react. Instead, he turns and walks to the other side of the clearing
before lying in the sun on one of the large rocks near the trees.
What the heck is happening?
Brody appears in my line of sight, wearing a wide grin on his handsome
face. Looks like I had the wrong idea about what’s going on here. But what
exactly is going on, I wonder.
“Brody?” I ask, still confused but happy to see him.
“Hey, Jade. How’s the sweetest shifter on earth doing this morning?” he
asks. My dread and anger from moments ago have vanished, and I let the
joy of being near Brody cover me in its warmth.
“Good,” I say, already hoping he will do most of the talking. I’m getting
better, but it’s still a lot of work for me to speak more than a few words in a
row unrehearsed.
“Good! So… Vaegon invited me to come spend some time with you
today.” He watches me for a second before chuckling at my look of
disbelief. “Yeah, I was shocked too, believe me. Still am.”
I shrug and sit down on the rock, ready to focus on him instead of
Vaegon’s suspicious behavior. He sits beside me and turns his body so we
can see each other better. I push myself to speak more than I usually do
because I don’t want him to think I’m boring. I tell him a little more about
the Feldenrod and preparing the tonic with my mother when I was younger.
It takes quite a while, but he’s patient and doesn’t interrupt or try to say the
words I stumble on for me.
 When I finish with my explanation, he says, “I think Lucas and Anders
were looking for the tonic when they… met you.”
Well, fuck. The tonic cost me my freedom.
But, as I look at Brody, I imagine him sick and not having what he needs
to get better, his beautiful features twisted in pain. Something in me
crumbles, and I decide that I wouldn’t change any of the suffering in my
life if it meant that I couldn’t help him when he needed it.
I smile at him, but I don’t know how to respond to that revelation. It’s
too heavy.
“Where’s your mother now?” he asks softly.
“She was a selfish Omega. She left me.”
“I’m so sorry, Jade. You didn’t deserve that. I can’t imagine anyone
being able to leave you behind. Did your father care for you after she left?”
“Care?” I ask and huff. “He was evil. Just like all Alphas,” I tell him. I
don’t really want to discuss my traumatic upbringing with Brody. I want to
see joy on his face, not pity.
“You deserve all the good this world has to offer. Not shitty parents who
didn’t realize how lucky they were to have you. Not all Alphas and Omegas
are bad, though.”
I frown and look away from him. He’s a Beta. Alphas and Omegas may
act superior to him, but that’s better than being abandoned, beaten, or
enslaved by them. Brody is kind, but he doesn’t get it.
“I have an Alpha father and an Omega mother, too. Did you know that?”
he asks. I shake my head. “The Prime Alpha and the Luna are my parents.
Are they bad?”
I had no idea they were his parents. I would never have expected him to
be the son of the high and mighty power couple running this place. He’s just
so humble.
I think about his question and have to shake my head again. His father
used my name as soon as he learned it and encouraged me to watch Brody
sing. His mother tried to help me make friends. That was the last thing I
wanted to do, but at least she didn’t force me to talk to them or get the
Alphas to force me.
“And look, Vaegon is being nice by letting us hang out,” Brody adds.
“Vaegon is not nice,” I spit out.
 “He’s not a bad Alpha, Jade. All your mates are respectable Alphas.” I
look away, ignoring his use of the word “mates.”
“They don’t respect me. How can they be respectable?” Brody listens
patiently as I try to stay calm and get the words out. A sudden wave of loss
crashes over me. I thought I had found someone who understood. Who
really saw me. Who didn’t think what these Alphas do to me is okay. I
guess I was wrong. I really am meant to be alone.
I swallow, trying to ease the dryness in my throat as tears stream down
my cheeks. I just want to leave. I need to get away before I give in to his
pretty words and roll over for these Alphas.
Before I can stand and try to find my way back to my prison, Brody
reaches a hand out and wipes one of the tears off my cheek. I struggle to
ignore the comfort that his touch gives me. I can’t be weak now. I can’t let
any of them brainwash me.
“Jade,” he whispers, his hand still on my cheek. “You carry so much
pain inside. You keep it hidden underneath a bold exterior. I almost missed
it the day we met. But, when Anders spoke of his mother, I saw your pain
trying to consume your heart. The heart that made a healing tonic for years
for shifters you didn’t even know. The heart that loves the designation that
others ignore or look down upon. The heart that tries to hate her mother but,
more than anything, wishes for a reason to forgive her.”
He wipes more tears and holds my face in both of his hands. “You are
beautiful, Jade. No one could argue that. You were created alluring and
desirable. But the most captivating and irresistible part about you is what
lives in here,” he says, moving one hand down to rest on my chest. “Don’t
let the pain flood your heart with bitterness and hate. Try to find the good,
Jade. For your own sake.”
He does see me. He sees me better than I see myself. Who is this perfect
being? Luck has never been on my side. Why have I been lucky enough to
meet him?
“Anyone who has hurt this part of you should be ashamed,” Brody
continues with his hand still resting lightly on my chest. “If you say your
Alphas have disrespected you, I believe you. But I hope you will believe
me, too, when I tell you that they are good Alphas. Whatever they did to
hurt you, I promise that hurting you wasn’t their intention. No one is
perfect, Jade. Surely you can see that there’s good in them, right?”
 I look over at Vaegon, worried about his reaction to Brody touching me.
His head is turned toward us. He’s watching, but he’s not angry. I feel
strangely grateful to him for not ripping this moment away from me.
I shrug, and Brody takes his hands away. “Will you try?” he asks.
Considering Vaegon’s reaction, I decide it’s only fair. I nod, and Brody
rewards my willingness with one of his handsome smiles.
“Great! What about Anders? Tell me something good about him.”
I scrunch my nose, still resistant to say anything positive about them. But
Brody is right. I can’t let them take the goodness inside me away, too.
“Hmm… Anders helps me speak,” I tell him. I do appreciate Anders for
that. He didn’t have to help me. I’m sure a silent Omega would have suited
them all just fine.
“Good,” Brody praises. “Anything else?”
“He only touched me once,” I say, pointing to his claiming mark. He has
left me alone since the claiming. I realized it, but I never really gave him
enough credit for it. I’ve been focusing on the first time and continuing to
hold it against him. I should hold it against him, but I should acknowledge
his behavior since then.
“He never barks,” I continue. “He helps with chores and found my
chickens…” He asked Lucas that very night where the chickens were and
assured me that they were safe and spoiled with the other ones in the pack.
It’s easier than I expected to find good things about Anders. Brody
smiles at me with pride in his eyes. I can’t help but feel proud of myself,
too.
“See? Not all bad. What about Vaegon?” he asks.
Well, that’s going to be a lot harder.
“Nothing,” I state. I’m pretty sure Vaegon is too far away to be able to
hear us, but I look over at him, anyway. He hasn’t moved. I almost wish he
could hear me, but I’m sure the jerk already knows he has no redeeming
qualities.
“You really can’t think of a single good thing about him?” Brody asks,
with a very doubtful look on his face. Why do I feel like he thinks there’s
something obvious I’m—Oh. Okay.
“He let me see you today,” I mumble with a sheepish smile. I guess
that’s a big deal.
 “Right! Even though your Alphas don’t want to share your attention with
anyone else, Vaegon still made it possible for us to be here right now.”
I’m not sure why Vaegon wanted to do that. It’s against everything he’s
shown me about himself so far.
“He’s sexy too, huh?” Brody asks, his gaze settled on Vaegon’s relaxed
form across the clearing, whose eyes are now closed and pointed toward the
sky. I tilt my head, confused, and look at Brody.
“Sexy?” It takes me a while to repeat that one.
“Come on! You can’t honestly tell me you don’t think he’s sexy!” he
continues.
“What is sexy?” I ask.
“Oh, you don’t know what it means. Got it.” His cheeks turn pink, and
he continues. “Sexy means that someone is very attractive to you, and you
want to uh… kiss them. Touch them. Let them touch you? The kind of
things your Alphas do when—”
“You are sexy!” I blurt out. I think he’s attractive. And I very much want
to do those things with him. He coughs a little and his skin turns a darker
shade of pink.
“Thank you, Jade. I think you are, too. Very much so.”
He does?
“I uh… It’s just, you have your mates,” he says. “So, um, Vaegon is very
attractive, right?”
“Yeah.” I shrug. I can’t deny that one. But I’ve seen kissing at the
market. They look happy. Kissing Vaegon would not make me happy. I
don’t want to kiss or touch him, so I wouldn’t call him this sexy word.
“He has nice hair,” I say. I would probably list a lot more things about
his looks if I were being fully honest. But he’s an ass, so it’s hard to really
appreciate anything about him.
“I like his hair, too,” Brody says. “And his bright tattoos against his
bronze skin. His lips are perfect. Like, have you seen them? Of course,
you’ve seen them. Are they soft? You know, some say he’s part Fae. I
mean, it would explain why he’s so beautiful.”
Fae? What’s Fae? I stare at him as he babbles, remembering moments
ago when he said that Vaegon was sexy. Now he’s going on and on about
him. Does Brody like Vaegon… as a mate?
 “You would kiss Vaegon? You want him to touch you?” I ask. I just can’t
understand why he would want that. I hate when Vaegon touches me.
Brody is bright red now, and I love the reaction. How can I keep making
him do that? He’s incredible! I don’t even care that he wants to kiss one of
my stupid Alpha abductors. I just want to keep watching that rosy color
spread across his skin.
“Shit, Jade! Uh, yeah. I guess I do.” He looks down at his lap and rubs
his hand over the back of his neck. “But he already has a mate. A gorgeous,
kind-hearted, and sexy mate of his own,” he says, looking up and winking
at me.
I feel my cheeks heat, and I wonder if my skin is changing color, too.
But I don’t have time to focus on it. I have questions.
“Betas kiss Alphas?” I ask.
“Yeah. Alphas and Omegas are an expected pairing, but there are much
fewer Omegas than Alphas. Alphas often share an Omega in a mate-group,
like yours. But it’s not uncommon for Alphas to find love and comfort in
Betas or even other Alphas. Everyone needs affection. It doesn’t matter
who you get it from. It just matters that you love each other.”
That makes sense. I wish I had someone to love that loved me, too. The
thought immediately brings my mood down, and I don’t want to talk about
love or kisses anymore. Brody must sense the change in my attitude
because he stands and faces me, trying to move my attention to the last
Alpha jerk in my life.
“How about Lucas? What’s good about him?”
Ugh. Lucas? Nothing. There is nothing good about that big, dumb
animal. I huff and roll my eyes.
“There must be something. At least one thing. Come on, Jade, think!”
Brody says.
I could list a hundred good things about Brody. I wish he would have
taken me instead of the Alphas. I would go anywhere with him.
One thing about Lucas does cross my mind. Actually, it fills my nose, as
if he were right beside me.
“His scent,” I tell Brody reluctantly. That’s it. That is the solitary good
thing about him. Brody smirks and chuckles a little. Whatever. If it makes
him happy, I’m happy.
 Vaegon suddenly appears behind Brody. Neither of us noticed him
approaching. I guess our time is up. Brody jumps and freezes when he
realizes that Vaegon is behind him.
“Hey, Vaegon. Alpha, I mean,” he says, tilting his head to expose his
neck while peeking back at him.
From what I’ve seen, Alphas usually nod so the submissive knows their
gesture has been received. Vaegon doesn’t nod. He stands there looking
down at Brody’s neck for a few moments before doing something very
strange. He steps closer to him, lowers his head, and bites down right above
his shoulder on the exposed side of his neck.
Brody whimpers, and his arms go slack. I jump to my feet as a feral
growl rips out of my throat, and I find myself in a crouched stance with my
hands balled into fists. My canines extend, leaving the taste of iron in my
mouth as they slice through my bottom lip.
Shit! That’s never happened before. I didn’t even know I could do that!
Brody looks at me and reaches out to uncurl one of my fists and
squeezes my hand. “It’s okay, Jade. He’s not hurting me.”
The reddening from earlier has recaptured his face, and I feel his hand
shaking slightly in mine. I trust him, though, so I take deep, slow breaths to
calm myself until my teeth retract. I stand straight and place my free hand
over our joined ones, looking up at Vaegon, waiting to see what he does
next.
He finally pulls his mouth away and stands up straight, a few inches
taller than Brody. He really is beautiful. The long locks of his bluish-black
hair are tossed wildly against each other on the top of his head, while the
hair on the sides sits short and orderly against his scalp. I wonder if it’s as
soft as it looks.
I stare as his pointy fangs slide slowly over his full bottom lip and back
into his mouth. My stomach flutters at the sight, and his claiming mark
tingles on the back of my neck.
I shudder and turn my eyes back to Brody’s face. He looks… happy.
Why was Vaegon doing that to him? I wish I knew things. I’m so tired of
being in the dark.
Brody turns his head slightly to look back at Vaegon. Something passes
between them that I don’t understand. The next thing I know, I’m in
Brody’s arms, enveloped in a firm, lingering hug.
 My eyes shoot up to Vaegon’s face, and I’m shocked to find him
unbothered. Maybe that’s what passed between them; some kind of
permission. The Vaegon that’s here today isn’t the one that I have been
forced to endure up to this point. Something has changed in him. Maybe
something good.
I stay in Brody’s arms, inhaling his citrusy cedar scent. I haven’t had an
embrace like this since before my mother left. It feels just as comforting as
hers did, but it also makes my stomach flutter and my chest pound,
conflicting with the calmness I’m feeling.
Eventually, Brody releases me, and Vaegon nods before turning in the
direction of the house. “Jade, will you walk with me?”
What? He used my name? He asked me to do something instead of
ordering me? He stops and turns to look at me, waiting for my decision. I
peer into his eyes, looking for anything devious. There’s nothing there but
something almost… peaceful.
I look up at Brody, who nods and smiles down at me. If Brody says yes,
I say yes.
“Okay.” I smile at Brody and turn to leave with Vaegon, hoping
whatever is going on with him sticks around.
 Chapter 29
VAEGON

Bringing our Omega on what essentially could be considered a date with

another shifter was a huge hit to my pride. I took a day to think about what
August had said. Maybe it was the thing we were missing, that none of us
could quite grasp. I decided that I could give it a chance and stop things
there if it backfired.
I was blown away when her instincts caused her to be protective over
Brody. I’ve never even heard of an Omega reacting to a perceived threat
against a mature Beta before. She is absolutely not a typical Omega. But
I’m starting to appreciate that about her.
She surprises me further by coming with me without resisting. I had to
fade a little and let my wolf through to request it of her instead of ordering
her. I keep him locked away more than I should. It’s hard for me to accept
help, even from this other part of me. I’m relieved he came through for me
despite my tendency to have to control everything.
Asking her seems to have worked. I’ll have to share that with Lucas and
Anders. Maybe humbling ourselves is what she needs from us.
She walks beside me instead of trailing behind like usual. I look straight
ahead, but I can see her glance up at me a few times. I pretend not to notice,
wondering what she could be thinking about. I discover it’s not at all what I
would have expected it to be.
 “Brody said you’re… sexy.” She fumbles over the last word.
Did he? Well, that’s a nice surprise. I stayed far enough away while they
visited to give them privacy, but now I’m wishing I hadn’t. I would have
enjoyed hearing that conversation.
“That means he wants to kiss and touch you?” she asks slowly. Has she
never heard the word sexy before? Question to ponder later. Right now, I’m
enjoying this secret she’s sharing with me. I doubt Brody would expect her
to tell me, but I’m glad she did. I think she said more words to me just now
than she has since she got here.
“Yeah, it does, Jade.”
“And you?” she asks.
“Are you asking if I think he’s sexy too?” She looks up at me with her
doe eyes and nods. I can’t help but smile at the sweetness on her face I’ve
not seen before. “Yes, I think Brody is sexy. I think you’re sexy, too, Jade.”
I make my tone as unassuming as I can. I don’t know where this side of me
is coming from, the smiling and gentleness. My fire is nowhere to be found.
The only thing I feel inside is a contented wolf and a strong desire for Jade
to like me.
I look down at her, and she jerks her head back toward the road. She’s
silent for a while. There’s no huffing or hissing, though, which is more than
I could have hoped for before today. I accept that the moment between us
has passed and the rest of our walk home will be quiet. But, then, I feel a
small, soft hand slide around my arm and hold it lightly.
I crook my elbow to show her that the touch is welcomed. She has never
initiated contact with me. If she had, I’m sure it would have been violent.
This is very unexpected.
The reason for her behavior couldn’t be more obvious. She’s thanking
me for letting her see Brody. I’m not sure if it’s because she likes Brody so
much or because she’s thankful for having a little freedom. Whatever the
case, this changes everything.
Affection from my mate and learning that a hot Beta is into me? Today
might be the best day I’ve ever had.
 Chapter 30
ANDERS

Jade has shown much less animosity toward us since her visit with Brody.
The past three days have been filled with delicious meals, eager speech and
writing work, and not a single eye-roll or gag at anything we had to say. She
even sat with us last night after dinner instead of racing to her room as soon
as she was finished cleaning up. She didn’t say anything or stay long, but it
was a meaningful gesture coming from her.
Lucas had initially been against the idea of letting her see Brody. But
when Vaegon told him that it was August’s suggestion, he grumbled but
finally gave in. I love my brothers, but, sometimes, they have too much
pride for their own good.
Brody filled us in on the comment she made about her past. He said she
didn’t give many details, only the fact that her Alpha father was awful and
her Omega mother abandoned her. Her distaste for the designations makes
more sense now.
I’ve started to suspect that she was extremely sheltered growing up as
well. She seems to know nothing of shifter customs or relationships and is
awkward in social situations. She asked me if I had any books on shifters. I
told her that we can’t write things like that down, or we’d risk humans
finding out about us. I offered to help with her questions, but she just
shrugged and walked off.
 After hearing Jade’s reaction to Vaegon on the way home from the
ceremonial clearing, Lucas said he would consider allowing Jade to have
more visits with Brody. It took a few days, but he finally decided it was an
acceptable idea.
He suggested we eat at the packhouse tonight and let Jade and Brody
spend some time together. It’s a brilliant idea. Her interactions with us and
other members of the pack will be more amiable if Brody is there, too. I
have a little surprise for her on the way.
When I hear Jade’s light footsteps enter the kitchen, I go downstairs to
keep her from starting dinner. She stops and looks at me with a paring knife
and a tomato in her hands. Something about her at this moment is
indefinably sexy to me.
Shaking it off, I give her a small smile. “Come with me?” I ask. She
looks at me with suspicion but puts the items down and walks across the
kitchen toward me. I head through the living room and right out the front
door, expecting her to ask where we are going. But she doesn’t. I open the
passenger door to our truck, and she hops right in. Her trust surprises me.
After starting the truck, we head down the road out toward the fields and
barns. Jade looks around, never having been to this area of the packlands
before. As soon as we pull up to the barn, Jade jumps out of the truck and
runs toward the hen houses.
She stops at the gate to the pen and waits for me to catch up and open it,
her eyes darting around at the group of hens wandering about. I open it for
her, and she makes her way quickly, but quietly, toward the coop. Many of
the hens crouch as she passes them, telling me they are ones that came from
her farm.
A sob wrenches from her throat, and she covers her mouth with both her
hands as she drops to her knees when a bright orange hen runs up to her
with a twig in its mouth. The hen drops the twig, and Jade picks it up and
clicks her tongue and coos, running her fingers through the vibrant feathers.
She spends a few more minutes with the hen before standing and looking
around, possibly for another hen in particular. She walks toward the back of
the pen, and her heartbeat picks up as she frantically searches. My wolf
begins to pace, uncomfortable with her panic.
I spot the odd bird before she does, and I find myself excited to witness
the reunion. It walks with a strange gait toward Jade, stopping a few times
with blank eyes like it forgot its objective. Jade finally spots it and laughs
before shuffling over and lifting the hen into her arms. As I watch her
nuzzle the ridiculous-looking bird with tears still sliding from her eyes, I
realize how foolish I have been.
I never wanted to dominate her, but I didn’t realize until now how much
I want to submit to her. To bow when she walks in the room, to bring her
gifts, to have her grab me and show me affection because she’s happy to see
me. I would give anything for her to love me like she does that bizarre
creature in her arms.
When she’s finished visiting her hens, she comes back over to where
I’ve been watching her. I open the gate and let her through, and we walk
back to the truck together. Once we’re inside and I start in the direction of
the packhouse, she turns toward me and takes a breath.
“I… Thank you. Can you bring me again?” she asks.
“Of course, Jade. We can come as often as you’d like.” I don’t think I’ll
ever be able to deny her anything from this point forward. She simply
smiles before looking back out the window.
Her eyes widen when we arrive at the packhouse. “Lucas suggested we
have dinner here tonight. It won’t be quite as delicious as yours, but at least
you’ll get to relax this evening,” I tell her, hoping to win Lucas some points
for coming up with the idea. She doesn’t get out. I hear her pulse racing,
and her breaths are short like she’s afraid.
“We are just having dinner here,” I assure her. “No tricks, just dinner.
Don’t you want to see Brody?” Her head jerks around to look at me at the
mention of his name. A timid smile crosses her lips, and she nods her head.
I get out and walk around to the passenger side. She climbs down, and I
close the door, ready to walk her inside. I turn around, and she has her hand
stretched out toward me. I’m lost, unsure of what to do. She smiles and
takes my hand, pulling me toward the front steps.
I expect her to drop my hand as soon as we walk in the door. She shocks
me even more when she keeps it in her own as we make our way to the
dining area. My brothers and the Prime’s family are already seated along
with a few other shifters that are eating at other tables. All gazes drop to our
joined hands, but, thankfully, none of them break the moment by drawing
attention to it.
 I guide her over to the empty chair beside Brody, and she smiles up at
me. I smile back, not wishing to let her go but knowing I need to. She sits
and greets Brody before giving a tight-lipped smile to everyone else.
Ivan and Frederick sit across the room, eating with some Alphas from
their training group. Good. They annoy me. Putting up with their asinine
behavior through dinner would not have been enjoyable or helpful to our
situation.
Dinner goes well. At first, Jade looks a little lost, not being the one in
charge of the meal, but she eventually settles into being served and focuses
most of her attention on Brody. She does speak to August and the Luna,
though, and I catch her staring at Vaegon a few times as she eats. She still
ignores Lucas, but she doesn’t disrespect him or do anything to frustrate or
embarrass him. He seems satisfied with that.
After dinner, my brothers hop in the back of the truck, and we all drive
back to the house. Once we’re inside, Jade stands in the middle of the living
room, wringing her hands together and looking strangely bashful. What’s
she up to?
Before I can ponder any longer, she walks up to me and wraps her arms
around me in an awkward hug. My arms are pinned to my sides by her own,
so I can’t hug her back. I purr quietly instead, hoping she will understand
the gesture and possibly enjoy the rumble coming from my chest. She
stiffens slightly but doesn’t let go for a few more seconds.
She repeats the process with Vaegon and then Lucas. The order is
incorrect as far as dominance, but Lucas is thrilled, so I doubt he’s too
offended by it. When she scurries off to bed, we all sit down.
Lucas and I are dumbfounded, but Vaegon just smirks and says, “See?
Told you we should try it.” He’s such an arrogant prick sometimes, but I’m
too happy right now to be annoyed at him for it.
“August was right,” Lucas says. “I think we need to take it up another
level.”
What is the big guy saying…?
 Chapter 31
JADE

Something has happened to these Alphas that call themselves mine. They
let me see Brody twice. They even initiated both visits. Lucas and Vaegon
have stopped coming to my room and haven’t barked at me in days. Why
are they suddenly treating me well?
Whatever the reason, I’m sure as shit going to encourage it. I made them
sausage, potatoes, and a full biscuit bar this morning with fresh biscuits,
spicy gravy, chorizo, three kinds of homemade jam, and two flavored
butters. It was a ton of food, but Lucas can put down an unbelievable
amount, so there wasn’t much left uneaten.
The doorbell rings while Anders and I are working on my speech.
Anders doesn’t seem surprised by it. He just says, “It’s for you.”
“Me?” I ask, confused.
“Yep. Better go get it,” he says, his lip doing that thing I’ve learned
means he’s holding back a smile.
I can only think of one person I would want to visit me. I’m hoping it’s
him and this isn’t some trick to make me hang out with the Omegas again.
I run downstairs and open the door. As soon as I see Brody, I slam into
him with a hug and hold on tight. Anders has followed me down and greets
Brody, who gives his neck while I still cling to him. With a nod, Anders lets
us know he will be in the living room if we need anything.
 I’m confused.
Brody smiles and reaches for my hand. I take it without hesitation and let
him guide me to the stairs. Is he taking over my speech lesson today? That
could be fun, but maybe a bit embarrassing. I’m doing so much better, but I
still sound a little funny. It’s possible that I always will, but I’m going to do
the best I can, anyway.
Brody leads me to my bedroom. Shit! I didn’t clean up in here. The
Alphas’ shirts and underwear peek out of my rumpled sheets, and I’m
suddenly drowning in embarrassment. I hope he doesn’t think I’m a weirdo.
I grab everything except my pillow and the fitted sheet and shove it all in
the closet.
If he thinks it’s strange, he doesn’t comment. He just sits cross-legged on
the end of the bed when I’m finished fussing around. He pats the mattress
and motions for me to sit in front of him, so I come over and mirror his
pose. It’s weird having him in my room. Wouldn’t the couch be more
comfortable?
“Hey, beautiful,” he says, with a warm Brody smile. He takes my hand
in both of his and rubs the back of it in gentle circles with his fingers.
Feeling his skin on mine gives me chills that I’m worried might be
noticeable, but I decide to enjoy the feeling rather than try to hide the
goosebumps.
“Hey, Brody. How are you?”
“Your Alphas invited me over to see you. There’s no way I could be
anything other than great right now.” His voice is smooth and soothing. I
feel the tension I tend to carry in my shoulders begin to dissipate, and my
eyes grow a little heavy.
Cedar and orange float toward my nose. His scent is mild, but it’s
intoxicating to me. I spend so much time trying to plug my nose around the
Alphas who live here. It’s incredibly freeing to breathe him in and not have
to worry that he will be able to control me somehow.
“They are not mine,” I say. My tone is gentle, but my meaning is clear.
“But they are yours, Jade. Don’t you see?” he says.
“No. They own me.”
“Technically, in our culture, being your mates gives them a form of
ownership over you. They staked their claim to show other shifters that
you’re off limits. But submitting to their authority doesn’t mean they own
you. I submit to their authority, but they don’t own me, do they? They have
a status that puts their decisions and orders above my own, but it’s for the
protection of the whole pack.
“Look at my father. No one could argue that he is the biggest and
strongest shifter here. He is the best equipped to protect us. He’s also very
wise. That wisdom is extremely important for our safety as well as our
relationships with each other. It benefits our pack when we all submit to
him.
“His orders are handed down to his higher-ranking Alphas, and they are
tasked with carrying them out. Those Alphas are the strongest shifters and
the best at enforcing what needs to be done. Did you know that Lucas is the
second highest ranking member of our entire pack? Second only to my
father.”
This is news to me. Lucas’s status is that high? No wonder he’s so
stubborn and so offended by my defiance. I picture his massive, muscular
frame and his hands that are as big as our dinner plates. No other shifter
I’ve seen here comes close to his size other than the Prime. Plus, his bark is
insanely powerful.
The way Brody explains the system makes it seem more logical. Until
now, I just assumed Alphas used their strength and dominance to control
everyone for fun and to take whatever they want. But what else would I
think with how I grew up?
What he’s saying is nice, but it doesn’t change anything. They still stole
me and did things to my body that I didn’t want. They boss me around and
treat me like a slave.
“Okay, but… they took me,” I say. Even if I can accept the hierarchy
system within the pack and find good things about each of them, I can’t
accept that.
“I know, Jade. They thought they had the right to. In our culture, they
kind of did. But they really did think they were keeping you safe. It would
have been horrible if a less honorable Alpha had found you before them.
They should have handled it much differently, though. I won’t argue that.”
He does get it. He’s considered lower, less. He’s like me… not like them.
I’m grateful that he’s willing to listen to me and tries to help me understand
all these confusing things. After Father died, being alone was a relief. It felt
like a gift, but Brody makes me realize how lonely I’ve been for the
majority of my life.
“You and the Alphas are a scent match, Jade,” he continues. “It’s very
difficult for Alphas to control themselves with an Omega scent match. I’m
not sure Lucas physically could have left you there by yourself if he had
tried. The stronger and more dominant the Alpha, the more intense their
shifter instincts are. His wolf would have ripped him to shreds if he had
tried to leave without you.”
Wolves… I haven’t even considered what their wolves might be like. If
Lucas’s wolf could rip something as huge as him apart, I don’t ever want to
see that thing. I push the frightening thoughts away and turn my attention
back to Brody.
“Scent match?” I ask, remembering that one of them mentioned that term
back at my farm.
“Yeah. Your scent is the perfect complement to theirs. There isn’t a scent
in the world that could be more appealing to them than yours. It makes
them weak for you. The same should also be true for you and their scents. Is
it not?”
“It makes me dizzy,” I tell him.
“A good kind of dizzy, though, right? he asks.
“No. My stomach hurts. I feel weak.” It’s embarrassing for me to talk
about this. I would rather talk about pretty much anything else with Brody
while I’m with him.
He doesn’t speak for a while. He just studies my face. I try to come up
with something better to talk about while he’s quiet, but I’m not fast
enough.
“How does mating make you feel, Jade?”
Nooo… Why is he talking about more horrible things? I just want to
enjoy this time we have together. To talk about good things. But it’s Brody,
so I’ll answer him.
“Biting, pain, fear. Invaders in my chest.”
“Invaders? You mean the mate-bonds?” he asks, looking concerned.
“I don’t know. They tried to control me. I blocked them.”
“You blocked them?” He goes from concerned to incredulous. “All of
them?”
“Yes.”
 He shakes his head and mutters something under his breath. “How did
you do that, Jade? How did you turn them off?”
I just shrug and tell him, “I tried really hard.” He gives me a grin and
shakes his head again.
“Jade, you are the strongest shifter I’ve ever met. Mate-bonds happen
after a claiming. It’s not invaders in your chest trying to control you. What
you felt was your Alphas. Their emotions.”
Those were Lucas’s emotions? That can’t be. Before I can think about it
harder, Brody moves on.
“But about mating, I don’t mean the mate-marks or mate-bonds or even
the meaning behind it all. I mean the act of mating… physically.”
“What they take from me?” I ask. I can’t think of what else he could be
referring to.
“Yes, that’s it. But they should be giving, too. Don’t they give back?
Make you feel good?” He seems confused and, strangely, sad.
“They say they are, but it hurts. So, I go away.”
“They let you leave?” he asks.
I shake my head and tap my temple.
“Mentally? You leave mentally?”
I nod and look down at the hand he’s still holding. I pull it away, trying
to let him know that I’m done with this conversation.
“You really don’t know much about shifters, do you?” he asks, now
looking at me with empathy. I shake my head as a tear that I didn’t know
was forming escapes and runs down my cheek. He cups my face and wipes
it away with his thumb, just like he did at the clearing. The gesture seems
natural to him, but it feels so special to me.
“I think that may be the root of a lot of the problems between you and
your Alphas. They are doing what shifters do. What our culture dictates. If
you’d had decent parents to teach you about shifter culture and other
important things like mating, none of this would be strange to you. You
wouldn’t feel so affronted. To someone raised like you, this would all seem
insane and terrifying. Shit. I’m so sorry Jade.”
I look back down at my lap when the sadness in his eyes starts to make
me feel guilty. Like I’m hurting him somehow. “You don’t need to be
sorry,” I tell him.
 “I’m sorry that you’ve been feeling this way, I mean. There really hasn’t
been anything during mating that has felt good to you?” he whispers.
“No.”
“Not even their kisses?” he asks hopefully.
“We don’t do that,” I say, and Brody frowns.
“Jade, I promise your Alphas aren’t trying to make you miserable or
uncomfortable. Usually, Omegas’ bodies react quite favorably to Alphas’
bodies. Omegas have a strong desire for mating and often enjoy it even
more than Alphas do.”
“No.”
Brody thinks for a while before getting a shy grin on his face. “Are you
willing to try something?” he asks.
“Yes,” I answer. For him, always yes.
“Okay!” His eyes light up, and I feel like I can breathe easier now that
the sadness is gone from his face. “I’m going to kiss you. I want to know
how you feel when I do, okay? I won’t hurt you. I promise. And we don’t
have to do it ever again if you hate it. Is that alright?”
Brody really wants to kiss me? Like he wants to kiss Vaegon? I touch my
lips with my fingers, wondering what it would feel like to have his against
them. I pull my hand away and give him a tentative nod, trying to ignore the
voice in my head worrying about what happens if he hates it.
He smiles before bending down and giving me a light kiss on the
forehead. He pulls his face away but stays on my level, staring into my eyes
with an intense look on his face. It felt… nice. His lips weren’t scratchy or
wet. They were smooth and silky. The kiss gave me the same tingles that
touches from his hands do, and I enjoy those tingles quite a lot.
I stay still and give him a smile so that he knows I am okay with
continuing. If he wants to. Releasing a breath at my positive reaction, he
smiles back at me and plants the next one on the bridge of my nose between
my eyes. I find myself leaning into it as the tingles spread across my
cheeks.
A tightness squeezes at my chest, and breaths become harder to find. It’s
how fear feels, but I’m not afraid. I’m… happy. Happy fear. Is that a thing?
He pulls back and looks at me again. I try to wear my trust on my face,
but I’m not sure how trust is supposed to look. I must pull it off because he
cups my cheek again with his hand and grazes his thumb across my bottom
lip. A gasp escapes me at the sensation of his tender touch.
If he were an Alpha, my heartbeat would be deafening him. But it
doesn’t take Alpha sight to notice how hard I’m trembling. My body is
acting afraid again, but I think I’m excited, knowing what he’s going to do
next.
Happy fear, excited fear… I thought I had experienced all forms of fear
that exist. How did I not know about these?
Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and let Brody take control. I can
sense his face drawing closer. The little puffs of his breaths against my skin
stop as he puts his lips right on mine. They are warm but send chills racing
up my back that nudge me closer to him. His lips linger for a moment
before he purses them slightly and pulls back. I gulp in a shaky breath and
drag my heavy eyelids open to see him looking back and forth between
each of my eyes, gauging my reaction.
“Again.”
He flashes a wide smile at my demand, then cradles the back of my head
with his hand. Surging forward, he pushes his lips harder against mine than
before. I expect the pursing motion this time and try it, too. Our lips make a
little pop, and I burst out in giggles at the silly sound.
He laughs loudly, and I’m enchanted by the pure, golden smile the laugh
is escaping through. Something flutters in my stomach and seems to hum
throughout my body to see him so happy.
“More,” I tell him.
He plants more lingering kisses on my lips, pulling away just a bit each
time and changing the angle of his head before going back in. He drags his
nose across mine a few times between contact, and it makes me feel so
special. We do this over and over, and I love every second of it.
I’m startled when, after a while, he doesn’t purse and pull back. His
mouth stays firm against mine, and I feel his tongue graze my bottom lip. I
gasp and pull away, staring at his face in shock. He chuckles and tries to
explain.
“It’s a different kind of kiss. It’s… more intimate. It means you find the
other person very sexy.”
I’m starting to understand the word a little better. Yes, I want that.
 I go back in for more, and he pushes his tongue into my mouth! It’s a
weird feeling, the slippery muscle rubbing against mine, but I mimic the
movements and enjoy how our tongues flick and wrap around each other.
It gets a little messy, so I pull away and wipe my mouth with the back of
my hand. I freeze with my arm still in the air when it hits me that he wants
to do this with Vaegon. Being the feisty shifter that I am, I just have to bring
it up.
“You want to lick Vaegon’s tongue, too,” I say with a teasing grin. His
chest lurches forward a few inches, and he chokes. That shade of red I love
to see on him erupts across his face, and I feel a strong urge to be closer to
him.
I sit up on my knees and reach my face up to nuzzle Brody’s neck,
inhaling his scent as my nose passes back and forth over his skin. It’s
impulsive, but I’m not afraid to let my body do what it wants with him.
He hasn’t responded to my comment. Why is he being so quiet?
“I would watch,” I whisper against his shoulder. Even though I’ve hated
Vaegon—up until a few days ago—the thought of them being so close to
each other and touching their tongues together like that is pleasurable to me.
It makes my stomach feel funny like the Alpha growl does, but I actually
like it this time.
He looks down at me and raises an eyebrow. “You would want to?” he
asks.
“Yeah. I think I’d like it.”
He closes his eyes and moans before grabbing my waist and pulling me
onto his lap. My legs straddle his and I clasp my hands around his neck,
thrilled with our new position.
“What am I going to do with you, little minx?” He tucks a lock of hair
behind my ear and pulls me in for more of those wonderful kisses. I forget
to ask what the word means and lean my chest against his, loving the
warmth of his heart beating against mine.
But, out of nowhere, I feel the wetness. It flows out of me faster than I
can react. I whimper and try to climb off Brody’s lap, but he holds me there
gently.
“What is it? What happened, Jade? Please tell me,” he pleads with a
frown. I start to cry, mortified that the wetness has soaked my panties and
leggings, and it’s going to seep through to his pants.
 He starts apologizing and rubbing my back and begs me to talk to him. I
don’t know what to do, so I just cover my face and let him hold me. When
the wetness does reach him, he stiffens. I peek up at him and see his nostrils
flare as he sniffs the air before looking down at where our bodies are
pressed together.
I wait for the disgust. I know Brody will at least try to hide that he’s
grossed out. He will excuse himself politely, and I’ll probably never see
him again. Why did such a perfect moment have to be ruined like this?
Brody grins, and I can see every perfect, shiny, white tooth in his mouth.
Why is he so happy? I can only stare at him, confused and frustrated by not
knowing something important. Again.
He hugs me close to him, pressing a light kiss to my temple and
caressing my hair as he finally begins to speak. “Jade, this is good. It means
that you feel safe, and you… want me.”
I stay snuggled in his arms, grateful he can’t see my face. I’m relieved
that he doesn’t want to leave, but I’m confused and afraid. “I’m scared,” I
whisper into his chest.
That’s when it hits me; Anders is here. His Alpha hearing can no doubt
pick up what we have been doing. I stiffen and whimper. “Anders,” I croak
while clinging to Brody, not sure if I’m looking for comfort or looking to
protect him somehow. The tears leave itchy streaks as they pour down my
face.
Brody hugs me tighter and consoles me. “Anders won’t be upset. He told
me to put you in charge. That we can do anything you want to do.
Anything, Jade. You don’t see how they are changing and what they are
giving up for you. But that… that’s huge.”
He’s right. I don’t get how big their small actions seem to be. How could
I? But I trust Brody, so I choose to believe him. I wipe my face and take a
deep breath, then lean back to face him. “Okay. More.”
“You want more? With me? You want to try some other things?” he asks,
looking very excited but unsure. I nod and give him a confident smile. I do
want to. He makes me feel amazing. I want to see how good it can be.
“Okay! We can try some more things, but you have to promise to tell me
if you get scared or want to stop for any reason, okay?” I nod again, already
knowing he would stop in a heartbeat if I wanted.
 But I need him to lead me. I have no idea what’s supposed to feel good.
For him or for myself. I’ve only felt fear and pain when it comes to physical
touch for most of my life. I am too afraid to just try something in case it
turns out to be painful. I don’t want to be hurt anymore, and I definitely
don’t want to hurt Brody.
He slides his fingertips up my arms and over my shoulders. The gentle
drag of his skin over mine leaves a trail of chills behind, making my
shoulders tremble and my bottom lip find its way between my teeth.
His hands flatten, and he slides his palms down my collarbones and over
my breasts, pausing halfway down to give them a gentle squeeze. I gape at
the sight of his hands on my chest, trying to make sense of what I’m seeing.
It’s just so foreign, so bizarre. I don’t know how to handle watching
someone touch me like this.
I hear a soft chuckle before his hands continue down my stomach,
stopping at the bottom of my shirt. He turns his hands over and slips his
fingers under the fabric and starts to slide it up my body. I don’t hesitate to
lift my arms and let him pull it over my head, leaving me in just my bra. For
the first time, I’m thankful for the pretty undergarments the Alphas stocked
my closet with. And, for the first time, I don’t feel the urge to cover myself
around someone else.
“Wow…” Brody breathes as he runs his fingers all over the blue lace
barely containing my breasts. I feel more of the wet stuff trickle out as shots
of pleasure radiate through me under his touch.
He leans forward and kisses the parts of my breasts that spill out of the
top of the bra, and his lips feel incredible on my body. Chill bumps race
across my skin from the epicenter of each kiss, and a little moan tiptoes out
of my throat at the contact.
The darker parts of my breasts have hardened and are poking ferociously
through the fabric of my bra. When he presses his lips over them, pleasure
bolts through them, and a euphoric feeling washes over me, like floating in
a cool lake or relaxing in the tub as the water sloshes back and forth across
my body.
He looks into my eyes and reaches around me, unclasping my bra. He
slides it off down my arms, leaving both my breasts bare for him. I feel a
little exposed because Brody doesn’t have them, but the way he keeps his
gray eyes on mine makes me feel more comfortable. He rests his hand on
my neck, careful to avoid Lucas’s bite, and leans in for a long, tender kiss
as I adjust to the feeling of being uncovered.
“Your breasts are beautiful, Jade. May I show you how good they can
feel?” he asks. I know he will stop if I say no, but I’m not going to. My
body is shivering, and I feel a thrumming in weird places, and I just really
want this. I give him a small kiss on his nose and nod.
He slides his hand from my neck across my collar bone and runs his
fingers between the mounds of my breasts. Then, he leans forward and
sucks one of the hardened parts into his mouth. It’s so sensitive that it’s
almost painful. I release a hiss of pleasure and thrust my chest against his
face for more. The wetness of his mouth and the sight of his lips wrapped
around me are the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced.
He pops his mouth off and leaves the little nub wet in the cold air,
making it even harder. Moving on to the other one, he flicks it back and
forth with his tongue before giving it a quick nip. I squeak, shocked that
Brody would do something like that. He laughs, and the little stab of pain
fizzles into a soothing pleasure as he sucks on it and massages both my
breasts with his hands.
“Do you like that, beautiful?” he mumbles around my flesh. I nod
furiously and smile at him like an idiot. This is so different from what the
Alphas have done to me. This feels good!
“What else?” I ask, eager to explore this new kind of pleasure. Brody
doesn’t reply but removes his own shirt and takes my hands in his, bringing
them to his chest, coaxing me to feel and explore him, too.
I take my time, touching every bit of his exposed skin as I can with my
fingers and palms. He has fine, blonde hair on his chest that trails into a
path down his stomach. I play with that line of hair and with his belly
button. It feels strange to touch someone else’s body like this, but I can’t get
enough.
I don’t kiss his body like he did mine. I want his mouth again. Pushing
myself against him, I kiss him over and over, enjoying how his bare chest
feels on mine. It’s so… sexy? Wanting to kiss and touch. Yes! This is sexy.
“Sexy,” I tell Brody, sharing my revelation with him. He nuzzles my
neck and agrees before tugging me as close against his body as he can to
kiss me again. His movement scoots me forward on his lap and I feel
something big and hard under my private area.
 I freeze, wondering if what he has under his pants is like the Alphas or if
Betas have their own thing going on down there. He definitely doesn’t have
what I have. I surprise myself when I realize that I’m not afraid but very,
very curious.
 Chapter 32
BRODY

Jade freezes when I pull her closer and my erection presses between her
legs. I wonder if we should stop here. I relax and loosen my arms so she
knows she can get away.
“It’s okay, Jade. We can stop.” The last thing I want is for her to feel like
I’m forcing her. She scoots back and shakes her head. I give her a minute,
knowing sometimes she has to think for bit to form the words before she
says them.
“Do… Do Betas have… what Alphas have? There?” She points to my
groin. “I thought Betas were like me. Doesn’t feel like me.”
Oh my goodness, this precious Omega is completely innocent. She has
no idea… Fuck her father for running her mother off. Fuck her mother for
not being a mother at all. I’m going to have to be extra gentle explaining
these things. She’s still wary of her Alphas, and their giant cocks are
probably a major reason why.
She continues to stare at my crotch but removes her arms from around
my neck. I’m thankful she remains on my lap and isn’t terrified of me, but I
feel like I’m losing a part of myself as her arms slip away.
“I do have parts similar to your Alphas, but they’re not exactly the same.
I’m going to try to explain this all to you, but you have to be patient with
me, okay? It’s going to be a little confusing, but I’ll try my best.”
 She nods and stares at me with pursed lips and those big green eyes, and
the pressure to do a good job with this feels heavy on me.
“So, you know how females have breasts like yours and males don’t?”
She nods. “For milk.”
So, she understands that at least. Good.
“Right. Well, males and females have different parts here, too,” I say,
pointing to my groin and then hers. Her eyes grow even bigger and she tilts
her head, trying to grasp what I said.
“Male and female… are designations?”
“Yes, sort of. But one that humans and animals have, too. Males have a
special fluid which helps make pu—”
“The sticky stuff?” she asks, cutting me off and curling her lip, snarling a
little. I can’t help but laugh.
“Yes. The sticky stuff. Uh, I guess Anders would probably be better at
giving you details about that kind of thing.” I feel like I’m blundering
through this. “But I can explain how mating can feel amazing!” I say,
hoping to still seem useful.
“Show me?” she asks, looking toward my cock again, the cock that has
now deflated significantly. I smile at her curious face.
“Sure,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant to make her more comfortable.
After easing her off my lap onto the bed beside me, I stand and unbuckle
my belt. She tucks her legs under herself and watches me intently.
A tinge of nerves makes my stomach drop, but I try to shove them away.
I don’t want her to mistake my nervousness for fear and get spooked. She
needs me to guide her, and she needs me to be confident while I do it.
I unfasten my pants and shove them to the floor, toeing off my shoes
before stepping out of them. I’m wearing plain navy-blue briefs, but she
looks mesmerized. She hasn’t seen her Alphas like this before? I guess if
she checked out like she said, she wouldn’t have noticed, or wanted to
notice.
I grip my waistband and just go for it, sliding my underwear to the floor
and kicking them aside. I feel silly because I’m flaccid, but she leans
forward and stares at my cock like it’s the most amazing thing she’s ever
seen. Well, if that isn’t an ego boost, I don’t know what is. She reaches out,
but hesitates.
 “You can touch me. Wherever you want. However you want,” I
encourage her. She reaches out further and grazes her fingers against my
limp shaft.
I feel the blood rush back to my cock, and it gives a hearty twitch,
rolling a bit to one side as it starts to swell. She jumps and then covers her
mouth with her hands to smother her snickers. I bark out a laugh so loud, I
bet it makes Anders jump.
“It grows…” she says when we’ve finished laughing.
“Yep. When something is sexy to me and feels good.”
“Why?” she asks.
“It’s easier to join with someone that way. Also, it becomes more
sensitive, making touches feel more pleasurable to me.”
“What’s it called?” I hide my grin when her head moves closer to get a
better look.
“It has a lot of different names. Technically, it’s called a penis, but it’s
usually referred to as a cock or dick.”
“But a cock is a rooster,” she sputters, totally offended by this for some
reason.
“Do you have something against roosters?” I ask her, trying not to laugh.
“Yes!” she snaps like that explains it. I guess they are kind of terrible
sometimes.
“Well, you can say dick instead. Or call it whatever you’d like.” I smile
at her, feeling lucky to share these discoveries with her. She leans forward
until she’s on all fours and at eye level with my now fully erect penis.
Her hand shoots out and wraps around my shaft as she moves her face
right in front of the tip to get a better look. My body jerks at the contact, but
she doesn’t let go. Precome is shining as it leaks from my slit. She reaches
out with her free hand and swipes at the fluid with her fingers before
holding it up to her face and letting go of me.
“You have it, too,” she says with bewildered eyes.
“Yes. Not as much as an Omega, but all shifters get some form of
wetness like this. The fluids help make things feel smoother and more
comfortable when mating.”
She looks down at her finger, not knowing what to do with the drop of
liquid. I take her finger and rub it over her lips. She gasps in surprise but
doesn’t hesitate to dart her tongue out and taste my essence.
 The smell of sweet jasmine fills the air between us as she closes her eyes
and lets out a long whimper. Her reaction to my taste makes me feel bigger
than any Alpha in this pack. She recovers, still licking her lips, and eyes the
base of my cock, wrinkling her nose in confusion. I realize what she’s
noticed.
“Alphas have a knot. That swollen part at the bottom. It locks them with
their Omega after mating to help the sticky stuff do its job.” Only then do I
remember her interrupting my explanation of what semen is for.
She lifts up onto her knees and grabs my hand before pulling me onto the
bed, changing my train of thought again. I climb up the mattress and sit
back against the headboard, and she scurries up to sit back on her heels
beside my knees. Her breasts are still bare, and I feel a sense of pride that
she’s so comfortable with me already. She’s still staring at my cock. Or, I
thought it was my cock.
A tentative hand creeps forward, and her fingers brush against my sac. I
moan at the unexpected touch, and she seems to take that as encouragement
to continue. She rubs the back of her fingers against it before poking and
squeezing my balls. It’s a weird feeling, but I love it because it’s from her.
I spread my legs, and she climbs toward me, settling herself between
them. All shyness gone, she plays with my body for a good five minutes. I
lie back and watch her excitement as she rubs her fingers up and down my
length, moving the skin back and forth slightly, then along the ridge of the
head. She has to grasp my shaft to keep it still, and I feel her trying out
different amounts of pressure with her hand to find what she likes best.
Leaning her face down, she turns her head slightly and rubs her cheek all
over my cock, as if testing its softness. The smooth skin of her cheek on my
sensitive head makes me shiver, and I have to fight to keep my hips still for
her.
Using her other hand, she grazes her fingertips down my sac and the area
of skin right below it, pressing down to see what’s there. Her hand returns
to my balls, and she squeezes them and rolls them around in her fingers.
The fingers of her other hand join them to feel each one at the same time
through the skin.
It’s torture to stay still and not react. I want to moan and writhe into her
touch, showing her that it feels good when she touches me. But I remain
motionless and quiet, letting her become comfortable with these new body
parts.
Finished with my balls, she moves her hand up to my chest, and her
fingers follow the trail of hair down my stomach. When she reaches the hair
at the base of my shaft, she tries to twirl it around her fingertips while she
holds my cock out of the way with her other hand. It’s driving me
absolutely crazy, but I continue to remain still, letting her become
acquainted with my most intimate parts.
She pulls my cock back toward her and studies the precome leaking from
the slit. As her head lowers to it, she lifts her eyes up at me, asking
permission to taste from the source. I smile and nod, running my fingers
through her hair with gentle strokes.
Her tongue slides out and licks the slit and the side of the head where the
fluid dribbled down during her exploration of my body. A deep growl
rumbles through her and gives her a jolt, but she doesn’t back off. She’s not
used to her Omega instincts, but she’s starting to accept them. It’s
heartwarming to see her experience these innate parts of herself she didn’t
know existed.
Watching her comfortably take a tour of my body, learning and
experiencing such delicate, yet powerful, things has humbled me. I’ve
always been content with my designation and place in the pack, but I never
really knew what my purpose was. What I was actually doing to contribute.
I feel like she has brought me to life by trusting me. This beautiful
creature has three powerful Alphas to protect her, but she chose me to guard
the most important part of her. I know my duty now, and I will never step
away or be replaced of my post as guardian of her heart.
I reach out and caress her cheek, and she leans into my touch before
turning her head and kissing the palm of my hand. She gives me a small
smile before diving back in, grabbing my shaft and all but shoving me into
her mouth. I shudder and jerk as the wet blanket of warmth wraps around
my length. She’s been building me up slowly for quite a while now. But it’s
still excruciatingly embarrassing when that slight amount of attention sets
me off, and my orgasm surges through me unannounced.
 Chapter 33
JADE

Brody’s flesh feels so good in my mouth. It’s like his tongue but big and
firm. Before I can even lick or kiss his… dick… some more, thick gushes
of the sticky stuff flood into my mouth. I’m so surprised, I jump back and
watch as more fluid shoots out of him onto his stomach. I instinctively
swallow what got in my mouth as I watch the rest coat his skin.
The taste is different from his wetness, much stronger. It makes my
blood seem to shoot through my veins to my private area, but I can’t pay
too much attention. What he’s doing is more interesting.
The sticky stuff is coming out in spurts. Each time one shoots out, he
grunts and jerks, thrusting his hips up into the air. When the spurts taper off,
he lets out a deep breath and little groan. His stomach is covered in the
sticky stuff, but it doesn’t freak me out. I just want to taste it some more.
Brody stills and covers his eyes with his forearm. “I’m such a dork,” he
moans.
My father taught me a lot of words, most of them mean, but I’ve never
heard this one before. “Dork?” I ask, wanting to know why he’s upset.
“Yes. Someone awkward and uncool,” he mumbles.
“Why?” I don’t understand what he’s talking about. I’m still sitting here
in awe of seeing the sticky stuff leave his body and hearing the special
sounds that he made.
 “Nothing, beautiful,” he says as he sits up and laughs. He reaches up and
wipes my chin where some of his stickiness slipped out. “Let’s make you
feel good now.”
“It felt good?” I ask, relieved.
“Very good, Jade. So good that I couldn’t keep from letting the come
out,” he responds. I wonder what that means.
He grabs his shirt from the bed and cleans himself up with it. When he’s
finished, he leans me back until I’m lying down beside him. He peels off
my leggings and panties in one pull and sets them to the side. The jasmine
and vanilla scent of my slick intensifies, and he pulls it into his nose like the
smell of a freshly baked pie.
He stares down at my privates and groans. I glance down and see a wet,
shiny mess coating me down there. Soon, my legs are spread like his were,
and he settles between them on his stomach, propping himself up on his
elbows.
“Can I touch you?” he asks with sleepy eyes and a crooked smile. I nod
and grin at his silly expression and spread my legs a little more for him. He
runs a finger down my slippery parts, so different than his own, and grazes
a place that shoots a bolt of pleasure through my lower stomach. I jump and
freeze, staring at him for an explanation.
He doesn’t say anything. He just keeps trailing his finger over it,
spreading the electric current deeper into my body. Every time he passes
over that place, my hips roll forward and whimpers leave my lips,
completely out of my control. It feels incredible, and I really hope he
doesn’t want to stop soon.
He turns his head and plants a kiss on the side of my knee before moving
his focus back between my legs. After getting up on his knees, he scoots a
little forward on the bed and leans over me, resting his elbows beside my
shoulders. He leans down and kisses me, and I moan when I feel his dick
press down on that place he found that feels so good.
I press my privates up into his body and circle my hips around without
thinking. The special place slides over his flesh with my slick, and it’s a
rush like I’ve never experienced. The pressure and movement zap me with
increasing pleasure with each rotation. The sensation takes over me, and I
squeeze my arms around Brody and grind as hard as I can against him until
a tsunami of pleasure blasts from that place through the entirety of my
abdomen and up to my chest, making my legs tingle and my stomach flex.
I keep moaning and giving short rolls of my hips until the long stretch of
pleasure subsides, leaving me in a groggy state of almost sleep. I go limp
and fight my eyelids to stay open as I hold Brody’s gaze to ground me in
this life-changing moment.
His smile is infectious, and I smile back, not really knowing why we are
so happy. Other than the fact that what he did to me felt amazing.
“What happened?” I manage to garble out. He lies on top of me, keeping
most of his weight on his knees and arms, and kisses my neck and shoulder.
“That was what mating pleasure is supposed to feel like. It’s called
release, or orgasm. Was that your first one, Jade?” I nod, wondering if that’s
how it felt to Brody when he gushed into my mouth. I try to connect what
the Alphas did to the euphoria of what Brody just did. They don’t seem to
be at all related.
“The Alphas never gave me that,” I tell him, but I realize he already
knows. “But… they were trying to?”
“Yes, Jade. They were trying to. There are many ways to give you that
pleasure. I know it may seem scary, but taking a mate inside your body can
be just as satisfying, if not more.”
I think about that for a minute. I could tell they felt pleasure from
mating, but were they really trying to give it to me, too? They wanted me to
feel good like that? Why? They don’t even like me.
Brody breaks my concentration by backing off of me and scooping me
up. He carries me to my bathroom and sets me down on the counter while
he starts the shower. When he comes back to me, he runs the back of his
hand down my cheek before kissing me on the nose.
“Let’s clean up, sweet Jade.”
I nod and hop down. He takes my hand and leads me to the shower,
checking the water to make sure it’s ready. We step in and he guides me
under the spray. I can’t keep my eyes open as he washes and conditions my
hair and cleans my entire body with my loofah and soap. He wipes my face
with a soft washcloth, and I’ve never felt so cared for in my entire life.
I try to wash him next, but he doesn’t let me. He rushes through the
motions on himself before holding me against his chest and kissing my
temple.
 “Omegas are rare and should be cherished. Alphas are made to protect
and care for them. They should always clean and pamper their Omega,
especially after mating. Some Alphas are violent and are overcome by their
power and dominance. Some Alphas, like your Alphas, are good but have
lost sight of what an Omega really is: a gift, not a possession.”
“You cleaned me, but you’re a Beta,” I say.
Brody chuckles. “Yes, I’m aware. But I cherish you, more than anyone
or anything in my life. I have been given a gift. The gift of knowing you.
The gift of your Alphas letting us be close. They don’t have to allow it.
They technically have the right to lock you up and never let another soul
near you. Maybe the system is broken, but it’s the way it is. My point is,
they gave us this time together. I’m going to treat you the way they would
expect for you to be treated. I may not be an Alpha, but I can at least do this
for you like they can.”
I take a moment to consider his words. He’s right. They can do anything
they want with me. They chose to let me see Brody. To let me experience
mating with him if I wanted to, even though it’s something an Alpha
wouldn’t normally share with someone outside the mate-group.
It should feel like victory. That I’m winning, like I promised myself I
would. But it feels more like hope than victory. The Alphas went against
their instincts to give me something that I wanted. They have changed. At
least somewhat. Maybe I can find a way to be happy here.
I know Anders is downstairs, but he’s been able to hear us clearly. I think
about what Brody said about the bonds. Is it really true? I was feeling
Lucas’s emotions when he claimed me?
I examine the memory a little closer. His pleasure… from the mating. I
understand that now. My body was hurting, but his was feeling that release
thing I just had. But I made Lucas feel complete? And he needed me? That
can’t be true. He’s just fine on his own. He’s too stubborn to need anyone.
I decide that if I’m going to figure out these bonds, Anders is the safest
one to try with. “Can they feel my emotions?” I ask Brody, wondering if it
goes both ways.
“Yes. If you let them,” he replies.
I want Anders to know that I’m thankful for them letting me have this
with Brody. So I slowly wiggle the plug in my chest and open the link to
Anders, focusing on my gratitude, hoping he can feel what I’m trying to
send.
His response slams into me, and I’m shocked at how much emotion is
charging through the stoic shifter. I feel his guilt, remorse, gratefulness, and
pride. In me, not in himself.
“What’s wrong?” Brody asks when I gasp from the impact of Anders’s
emotions.
“Thanking Anders,” I say with a smile. Brody understands and hugs me
tight. Everything I’ve been through in my life has been worth it to have this
time with Brody.
I gently close the bond. Feeling Anders’s emotions alongside my own is
making me lightheaded. I’m sure that, if I were to decide to keep it open
one day, I’d be able to get used to it. I’m just not ready for that right now.
 Chapter 34
ANDERS

Hearing Brody teach Jade about mating yesterday was difficult. None of us
realized the extent of her ignorance. Her mother never explained mating or
anatomy to her. She thought reproductive organs were based on designation
and didn’t even know what they were for. Had she never been curious about
where pups came from? I suppose, if she was rarely around anyone but her
father, she wouldn’t think about it much or have anyone to ask about it.
Lucas had made the tough decision to allow Jade to have whatever kind
of relationship with Brody that she desired. Vaegon and I were shocked
when he suggested it. Part of me felt like we were going to lose her if we let
that happen, but the rational part of me knew she would never be happy if
we didn’t grant her some freedom.
The more she and Brody spoke and experimented, the more gut-
wrenching shame and regret devoured me. No wonder she was so terrified
by our claiming her. It wasn’t just because it was her first mating experience
with Alphas she didn’t want but also because she had no idea what we were
doing or why.
We really messed up. We assumed she was stubborn or broken somehow.
We tried to retrain her, fix her, to mold her into what we wanted her to be.
She was innocent. This entire time, she’s just been an innocent victim of our
narcissism and need for control. I push a quick thank you to my wolf for
making sure I didn’t touch her again. The shame of stealing that from her
once is bad enough. Living with myself if I were to have forced her again
would destroy me.
When she opened our bond and sent her appreciation to me, I sank to my
knees in the living room, barely able to breathe. All the research I have
done on bonds and their power doesn’t scratch the surface of how intimate
it is to feel someone else’s emotions as your own. It was transformative,
like it awakened a deeper ability to feel in me.
I tried to show her my shame and regret and how in awe of her I was
before she closed it. I could feel her surprise, but no fear. No anger, no
resentment, no hate. Just gratefulness. Which makes me feel even more like
shit. I deserve to feel all the pain, fear, and devastation that we caused her,
not gratitude.
I almost felt like I was prying, being able to hear Jade and Brody’s
discussions and sounds of pleasure. But I knew they both realized I could
hear them. I think Brody may have steered some of the conversation toward
issues I needed to hear. He cares for her, maybe more than any of us do. He
gives freely to her, not expecting anything in return.
August is far wiser than I realized. It’s become exceedingly clear why he
encouraged Jade’s interest in Brody. I’m sure he knew there was a strong
chance a romantic relationship would develop between them. But he also
knew that Jade needed to be afforded the choice to have that if she wanted
it. And he knew his Beta son was exactly the shifter she needed to show her
the good in our kind, our pack, and in us specifically.
Brody is wise like him. Inarguably wiser than the three of us. He has the
added layer of kindness and innocence that Jade has needed all along. The
layer that also exists in her and has almost been snuffed out by our incessant
control and disappointment in her. None of us asked about her past. None of
us asked how she felt about anything at all. The sheer stupidity of my
interactions with her has humbled me. A brilliant mind doesn’t always
possess wisdom. I’m sorry proof of that.
When Jade and Brody came downstairs, I had been able to compose
myself and invited Brody to stay for dinner. August had asked him to bring
meals and doses of our newfound Beta cough cure to some sick members of
the pack that night, so he wasn’t able to.
 When Lucas and Vaegon got home, things were tense. They knew what
had happened as soon as they walked in the door. Jade may have showered,
but Alpha senses can pick up lingering scents almost as if they were still
fresh. Luckily, they both behaved as if everything were normal. Jade kept a
small smile on her face through most of the meal. She even smiled at Lucas
when he told us about a pup that kept following him around at the
packhouse while he was trying to work.
Jade and I cleaned up together, and she sat with me after dinner until she
turned in. She even leaned her head on my shoulder when she started to get
tired. It was a strange mixture of feelings, enjoying her touch while
enduring the constant awareness of her inevitable departure.
When she did leave to go up to bed, I filled Lucas and Vaegon in on the
discussions Brody and Jade had. I tried to explain how it felt when she
opened the bond to me, and I encouraged them not to give up, that there
was still a chance for us to be a family. We drank a bit more than we should
have, attempting to ease some of the sting of our enlightenment. None of us
spoke for a long time, digesting the knowledge of how horrific what we had
done to her was.
Lucas left the house. I assume he needed to let his wolf out. Vaegon
didn’t hesitate to sleep in my room. He was on my heels as I took the stairs
and had at least part of himself touching me all night. I can only imagine
what’s going on inside him. As much as he deserves to feel the same shame
and regret that I do, he doesn’t deserve the inner turmoil of having that
intrusive force inside him piling anger on top of the pain. I’m not even sure
he slept, but at least he didn’t implode overnight.
I love my brother. I’ve felt like a failure all these years, unable to find a
way to rid him of whatever causes the aggression. No one realizes how
much time I’ve spent fruitlessly searching for information and a solution. If
I’ve learned anything from this fuck-up with Jade, it’s that a less intellectual
approach could be what I need. I won’t give up until I find a way to help
him, and I’m thankful to have this new direction.
Today, I’m taking Jade to the market for the first time since we brought
her here. We didn’t allow her to come before now because it would have
been too easy for her to slip away. We already knew she was a flight risk.
But we think we can trust her now, and I’m sure she will enjoy getting away
for a bit. We don’t need anything except coffee, but I want her to feel
trusted and less like a prisoner.
“Really?” Jade practically yells when I tell her of our plans. She’s even
more enthusiastic than I had predicted. It’s abnormal, but beautiful, to see
her smile so freely, especially when it’s at me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen
anything more captivating.
When we arrive, we head straight to the booth where Jade has always
sold her tonic, letting the vendor know we’ll be back in a week with a
batch. The vendor was delighted to see her. Because she would make a
profit from selling the tonic, of course. Jade wants to continue making the
tonic for the humans and any shifters from other packs that may have been
buying it. But we need to acquire some jars first.
“Where do you get the jars?” I ask her, allowing her to lead the way
through the familiar territory. She grabs my hand and pulls me along until
we reach a vendor with canning materials and cooking accessories. She
shows me what she needs, and I purchase and carry everything for her.
“We need some coffee, but, otherwise, we are here for you, Jade. We can
look at whatever you want, and you can buy whatever you want. It seemed
obvious that you were planning to sell your baskets, so we sold them for
you. The money is yours,” I tell her, handing her the cash.
“Okay,” she says, staring at the money in her hands like she’s never had
any of her own before.
“If that’s not enough, I’ll give you more. Come on,” I tell her. “Take me
where you want to go.”
She heads straight to a table covered with books. Her face lights up, and
she takes her time, looking at every single book there. Her fingers glide
across the covers, and she opens each one to flip through the pages. We are
there for a considerable amount of time, but she could take all day if she
wanted to. I could watch the excitement on that lovely face for eons and not
get bored with it.
Ever since I heard her sing in the kitchen, I wanted to find a way to give
her music. She seems to enjoy it, and I figure it could help with her speech.
While she selects her books, I sneak over to the next vendor’s table. He’s
selling various used electronic devices, and I purchase an iPod Touch for
her. I slip it into my pocket and go back to watching her rifle through the
stacks of books.
 She ends up selecting nine of them and looks up at me with questioning
eyes. I nod, and she smiles before sliding the books toward the merchant to
ring up. As we wait for them to be bagged, Jade hugs me. It’s genuine
affection, freely given, and I will treasure the moment. I hope this progress
will continue. If we can make her happy, we can all be happy together.
We weave in and out of other stalls and tables, and she buys a few more
small things to take home. Once we have the coffee, we head back to the
house. Now that she’s somewhat happy, she looks so different. I would have
bought the entire market for her if I had to, just to see that spark in her eyes.
“Are you up for a lesson today?” I ask Jade, referring to her speech and
writing. Soon, she won’t need my help anymore. I’ll have to find other
interests of hers that I can teach her about so I don’t have to give up our
dedicated time together.
She shakes her head and grabs some of her books. I guess she’s too
excited about reading. She hasn’t had anything to read here other than my
books, which are technical and would be very boring for her. I nod and start
for my room but then remember the music.
“Here.” I hand her the music player.
“What’s it do?” she asks.
“It plays music.” I show her how to work it and open the music app,
which gives her access to thousands of albums to choose from. She looks
intrigued and gives me a big hug before running off with it to her room.
I head to my own room to get started on my work. Not long after, Jade
walks in, hugging one of her new books to her chest. Maybe she wants to
practice speech by reading it. That’s a clever idea, and I can’t help the
excitement of knowing she wants to read with me. She comes and sits
beside me and looks up at my face. There’s something swimming in her
eyes that I can’t place. I hold her stare, waiting for her to spill whatever is
welling up inside her.
“You never barked. And you didn’t come to my room. Thank you.” I
realize she means I didn’t force her to mate with me again. For once, words
elude me. She is thanking me after what we did? After I helped find her,
take her from her home, and force a mate-claim on her?
“No, Jade. Don’t thank me. What I did to you was deplorable. I don’t
deserve your forgiveness, and I definitely don’t deserve your gratitude.”
 “Yes. It was bad, but you stopped. I can thank you.” I don’t want to
offend her by telling her she’s wrong, so I nod and give her the apology I
should have given a long time ago instead.
“I’m sorry, Jade. We were wrong. About everything. I’m sorry we hurt
you in all the ways that we did. Out of the three of us, I should have
realized how wretched our actions were. I hate what I’ve done to you, Jade.
You’re perfect and always have been. I’ve needed to change, not you.”
She holds my gaze for a while, possibly gauging the sincerity of my
words. Then she smiles and thrusts the book she’s been holding into my
hands. I take it and look at the cover to find it’s a copy of The Kama Sutra. I
cough out a laugh, which feels strange and slightly uncomfortable, and stare
at her face. How did I not notice her with this at the market? She must have
picked it up when I was at the other vendor’s table.
“Teach me,” she says.
Does she think this is a guide to mating? I smile and try not to shake my
head in disbelief. I don’t want to make her feel insecure about her naivete.
“Okay, Jade. We can learn together.” She looks very confused at that.
“This is a different kind of mating book. More advanced, you could say. But
I am happy to explain it to you. And anything else about more traditional
mating practices.”
She peers over at the cover of the book. I turn it around and hand it back
to her. She studies the two figures on the front, wrapped in an odd
arrangement of limbs. Shrugging, she opens the cover and begins flipping
through the pages. Eventually, she points at a picture and says, “This.”
The position is labeled “The Rocking Horse.” A male is sitting with his
legs crisscrossed. He’s leaned back with his hands resting on the floor
behind him, supporting the weight of his torso. A female is straddling him
with her knees on the floor by his hips and her hands on his shoulders to
support herself. I can see why this would appeal to her. The male is the
submissive. He can’t grab her since his arms are busy holding his own
weight.
I begin explaining the mechanics of it to her; how to emulate the
position, the physiological reason for the pleasure that would be derived
based on the alignment of the reproductive organs… But she stops me by
placing her hand over the book and shaking her head.
 She walks over to my bed and stands beside it with a confident posture.
“Try it with me,” she says. I just stare at her. And I blink. Quite a few times.
“You want to try this… with me?” I ask, wanting to be sure that’s what
she’s saying in case my mind is just conjuring up this implausible scenario.
Her determined face softens, and a sheepish smile forms on her pouty
lips. She puts her head down a bit and turns her eyes away. “Yes.”
Oh. Fuck. She’s serious. I walk over to her and take her upper arms in a
loose grip.
“Are you sure, Jade? You’re sure you want to do this with me?”
She gives a curt nod, and the power she was displaying moments earlier
seems to have returned. Her eyes shoot open as if something has dawned on
her. Before I can decipher what, I feel her open our bond. She lets me sense
her interest in being with me along with a mix of determination and
warning.
It’s like an explosion in my chest to feel her emotions like this. I don’t
know what she’s getting from me, but it causes her to put her hands on my
stomach and lift up onto her toes to give me a small peck on the lips.
I gaze down at her with more love than I knew I was capable of. This
perfect creature that we stole from her home has stolen my heart from me. I
never want it back. If she’ll have it, it’s hers to keep forever.
I bend down and kiss her hard before I rethink the intensity. I step back
and leave my hands at my sides, showing her that she’s in charge.
“I’m sorry. I just got—” I start.
“I know,” she says. The bond is still open, so she must sense my mistake
for the passion it was, not an attempt at dominance. She smiles and steps
toward me before pulling my shirt up. I lift my arms to help but end up
having to bend over so she can get it over my tall frame.
Her hands slide leisurely down my chest to my abs, and chills spread
along my skin. A heat runs through my blood, leaving me hot and cold and
overwhelmed. Such a reaction to a mere touch would have seemed
inconceivable before this.
Her small fingers fumble with the button on my jeans, but I let her
continue until she’s successful. She unzips my pants and slides them down,
letting them crumple around my feet. I step out of them and wait for her to
continue. Curiosity and focus filter through the bond, and I’m surprised by
her decision to leave it open. Maybe she realizes she has an advantage if she
can feel my emotions.
She’s right. I believe the bond is meant to be for mutual benefit. Sharing
your mate’s pleasure and pain helps you adjust your actions to extend the
pleasure or soothe the pain. It’s a way to communicate without words. I’m
not oblivious to the irony of that. If she had let us in, we could have been
more delicate and known we should explain things. In turn, she would have
seen that we weren’t monsters. Or weren’t intending to be, anyway. That
could never have happened, though, considering we forced the bond on her.
Having this connection is a bigger gift than I could have known. We never
deserved it, and I’m glad she took it away from us like she did.
She stares at my gray boxer briefs, tented and dampened by precome
from her nearness and touch.
“How do they grow?” she asks.
I’m glad she’s comfortable asking questions. I explain to her as simply
as I can how blood flow and nerve stimulation cause erections, hopefully
without ruining the moment. She nods and gives my cock a light rub
through my briefs with her hand.
Of course, it jerks at the motion, and I get to explain why that happens,
too. She tickles the tip with her finger, and it goes berserk. Giggles flow out
of her as she jerks her hand away. I hum in amusement at her reaction and
wait for her to continue.
I’m having a hard time believing this is happening, but it’s very real. She
takes my waistband in her hands at the sides and slides my briefs down like
she would probably do with her own undergarments. It catches on my cock
and forces it to a downward-pointing position. Unaware of my slight
discomfort, she keeps on dragging, and, when the band finally clears my
cock, it springs free and smacks me in the stomach.
She jumps at the loud slapping sound and grins. Usually, fun, for me,
comes in the form of absorbing knowledge or solving complex problems.
This is much more exciting. I wish we could go back and introduce her to
my body this way, but I’m thankful to have been given a second chance.
We stand there silently as she stares at my genitals. Reaching out with a
slow hand, she grazes her fingers across my sac, then pinches the skin
between her fingers.
 “The proper term for them is testicles, but most people call them balls,” I
tell her.
“Balls, because of what’s inside?” she asks, releasing the skin and
moving her fingers around to feel each one.
“Yes. There are two testicles inside the pouch. They produce semen,
which has sperm cells in it used for impregnation.”
“The sticky stuff?” she asks, looking at me, still a bit confused despite
knowing what I’m referring to. I heard her refer to it as sticky stuff with
Brody, so I nod. I stiffen when she grips my balls firmly and gives them a
squeeze. It doesn’t hurt, but it seems like a good time to mention their
vulnerability.
“They are very sensitive and can easily be hurt,” I say. She jerks her
hand away, and I feel her worry through the bond.
“You didn’t hurt me, Jade. You can touch them as much as you want.
But, if you squeeze very hard or kick them, they will hurt badly enough to
take a male shifter down for at least a few seconds.” I give her this extra
information so that she feels less helpless knowing a way to make even
giant Alphas weak.
She smiles at me. “Good to know.” I laugh and nod my head in
agreement.
“Would you like for me to lie down on the bed?” I ask her. Standing
here, hard and naked, is slightly awkward. Not a feeling I’m used to. I’m
glad she can feel my vulnerability, though. I know that’s only a fraction of
how weak we made her feel. I deserve the unease and much worse.
She nods, and I do just that, leaning against my pillows with my legs out
straight. She unwraps the tie on the side of her dress and slips it off. The
hunter green cotton falls to the floor, leaving my gorgeous mate in just her
black silky bra and matching panties. My cock strains like it’s trying to
reach for her.
Spreading my legs when she climbs on the bed near my feet, I give her
room to approach if she wants. Soon, she’s sitting on her heels, letting her
eyes wander all over my body. Finally comfortable, she reaches out and
runs her hands over the hair on my legs, then up to the hair on my chest and
stomach. Her fingers find my pubic hair next, and runs her fingertips
through it. The contrast of a hairy body to her own mostly smooth one
seems to excite her.
 She gives the hair a sharp tug, and my body and balls clench from the
unexpected pleasure it gives me. Enjoying the effect it had on me, she tugs
with both hands at once, then tugs on the hair on my abdomen. It stings
quite a bit.
I’ve mated with Betas before, out of curiosity about how it all works. I
found release, but there was nothing more to it than that. This already feels
infinitely more arousing. A flashback of her holding the knife in the kitchen
makes me rumble out a small growl, and I’m thankful that it doesn’t scare
her away. Having the bond to show her the meaning of the growl has no
doubt kept her comfortable.
She is timid when she takes my length in her hand. It’s hard not to notice
her avoiding my knot. My cock bucks in her grasp, and she squeezes to
keep it still. Taking the tip between two fingers from her free hand, she
gives it a small pinch before smearing my precome over anything it will
reach.
Her motions are without finesse, her inexperience glaringly obvious. But
it’s endearing having her touch me and learn from me just as she wants
without the pressure of performing. My knot begins to swell from the
pleasure her physical attention brings me. She gasps and watches it
cautiously.
“I’m sorry, Jade. I can’t control its swelling. That’s what it does when
something feels very good to me. Like when you touch my body.” I can
almost feel her rummaging around the bond to find my pleasure before she
rubs her fingers over it. She looks up at me, and I give her a nod, assuming
she wants permission to touch it more.
“Brody isn’t like this,” she says. “He said it’s an Alpha thing.”
“Yes, that’s an Alpha knot. Betas don’t have them. That’s why Brody’s
penis looks different.”
“Why?” she asks.
“It swells when we are very aroused, typically close to ejac—releasing
the sticky stuff. Alphas’ bodies are made to make mating with an Omega as
effective as possible. No one really knows why, but Alphas and Omegas
make the most fertile combination. When the knot is inside the Omega and
the Alpha releases, it swells to lock the Alpha and Omega together to help
the sticky stuff do its job.”
 “I don’t understand,” she says, but my knot swells further, and a bolt of
unease and fear run through the bond, redirecting the conversation.
“I’m so sorry we did that to you, Jade. There’s nothing I can say in our
defense. There is no excusing what we did. But if you ever choose to mate
with any of us again, we will be able to keep the knot from locking us
together, okay?” I don’t want her terrified of trying it again. I think she
blocked out a lot of what happened, but the memories are still there. This
just released them from their dark corner.
“Okay,” she says. I feel her relief through the bond, which causes me to
be relieved as well. She gets back to analyzing by tugging my pubic hair
roughly and rubbing my shaft. A hand cups my balls, and the other tickles
my cockhead again. I take one of her hands and wrap it around my shaft
while making sure to avoid my swollen knot. Covering her hand with mine,
I show her how to stroke my shaft up and down. She mimics the motions
while keeping a tight hold on my pubes with her other hand.
A strong increase in her vanilla scent tells me she’s aroused before I feel
it. It’s more than I can take, and my cock begins shooting come all over my
chest and stomach as she pumps me. I grunt and groan, squeezing my knot
until I’m spent, hoping she enjoyed the pleasure of my release through the
bond.
Her eyes are glazed when I finally find the clarity to look up at her. She
felt it, but she’s still aroused and needs her own orgasm. She stares at the
mess on my body and bites down on her bottom lip.
Scooting even closer to me, she takes one of her hands and starts to
smear the come all over my skin. It’s an Alpha mannerism. It’s not a
dominant action, though. It’s a possessive, claiming one. I feel owned, and
it’s exquisite. She’s doing it out of curiosity, but the more she smears, the
more aroused she becomes.
“Sexy,” she says with a husky tone to her voice that I haven’t heard
before. She just used the word sexy in reference to mating interactions with
me. No one has ever called me that. I don’t know if anyone has ever
thought of me like that, either. It fills me with a pride I’ve not experienced
before, but I don’t tamp it down. I want her to feel how big she makes me
feel.
Bringing her hand to her face, she sniffs my essence. Her tongue darts
out, and she has a taste. That action is very Omega of her. They are drawn
to ejaculate. She looks down at her slick-soaked panties and asks, “Can I do
that, too?”
“Well, no. But you do release slick, which is very pleasurable for
Alphas.” She thinks about it for a while before shoving her hand—which is
still covered in my come—down her panties and gathers some of her slick.
She pushes her hand toward my mouth, so I open for her. I’ll do whatever
she wants, even ingest my own come.
She rubs a finger along my tongue and waits for me to react. I close my
lips and roll my eyes back in my head, groaning at the sweetness of her
slick. I can barely taste myself, fortunately. She lets out the softest Omega
growl that gets my cock straining and swelling again.
“Fuck, Jade. You’re going to kill me,” I say through gritted teeth. I open
my eyes to see her lick her palm and give another little growl. I buck my
hips instinctively, getting only air for friction.
The pillows behind me are suddenly jerked away, and I’m surprised by
the small shifter’s strength. I lie there, intrigued, waiting to see what she
plans to do. She starts moving my legs, and I realize she wants to try the
position she showed me. So, this is really happening. I feel a mixture of
nervousness and excitement as I get into the correct pose. She tilts her head,
looking at my genitals and then her own. She needs some assistance.
“Hold on to my shoulders and put one knee on the bed on either side of
my hips. I’ll help with the rest.” She does what I said, and the feeling of her
skin willingly resting against mine chokes me with more relief than I was
ready for.
She looks at me, confused by what I’m feeling. I don’t have time to
explain. If I don’t get on with it, I’ll blow my load again. I move all my
weight to my left arm and take my cock in my right hand, angling it toward
her.
“Lift your body and bring it as close to me as you can.” She does. “Now,
lower your body until you can just feel my penis underneath you.” Again,
she does as instructed.
I line the tip of my cock up with her opening, and she gasps a little. She
is so slick that there shouldn’t be any discomfort from me entering her.
“You are in control now, Jade. You can stay like that, stop this
completely, or you can lower yourself onto me. Whatever you choose is the
right decision.”
 I send encouragement through the bond and wait for her to decide. I’m
thankful when she gingerly lowers herself onto me, making the choice I’d
hoped she would. I return my hand to where it had been behind me, putting
her in charge. When she reaches my knot—which is puffed up but not fully
expanded—she hesitates.
“You don’t have to go deeper. But it won’t lock you in until after I reach
orgasm, and that’s only if you want it to. I promise I will keep it from
entering you if you don’t want it there.”
She nods and gives me a shaky smile. I feel that she’s still nervous about
this, but she’s strong and determined. She slides down over the knot and
whimpers. A fresh wave of slick runs down over my pubes and my balls. I
thrust up, not able to restrain myself, and she whimpers again. Her bottom
lip parts from her thick upper one and her mouth makes the perfect “O”
shape.
Her pleasure shoots through the bond and then wanes. Her light green
eyes turn toward me, and I can’t help but smile. “You’re beautiful,” I tell
her.
She leans down a bit. Her lips are barely higher than mine while on her
knees, given her small stature. She kisses me and rolls her hips. It’s
instinctual, but it feels like a masterpiece. My growl makes her whimper,
and she leaks more slick onto my body. She’s affected by my growls now
because she chooses to let herself be.
Her Omega instincts take over, and she plunges her tongue into my
mouth while she lifts up and slams back down onto my cock. Her hips roll
back and forth in a motion that tips me into euphoria. Her pleasure transfers
to me, and mine fills her back up.
We share each other’s bliss back and forth until she starts panting and
whimpering. She’s about to climax. I’m relieved because I’ve been holding
mine in, willing my knot to back off.
“Jade, my knot…” I mumble beneath her punishing kisses. I can feel it
catch as she lifts off each time.
“Want it,” she mumbles back before shoving herself down onto it and
grinding against me. I’m incapable of asking her if she’s sure. My body is
completely submissive to her. The first wave of my orgasm is barreling
down my shaft and about to explode into her, and there’s nothing I can do to
stop it.
 She shoves down one more time, and it does me in. My knot swells
completely, locking her tightly around it. The only other time that I’ve
gotten to feel complete Alpha mating is the time we claimed her. I tried not
to enjoy it then, and I’ve since shoved away the memory of the feeling. This
is what I want to remember as my first time with her, and, hopefully, it will
replace the first time for her with me as well.
My come bursts out, my body shuddering beneath her. Her grinding
intensifies despite the decrease in her pace. She lets out a long, low groan as
her walls squeeze my knot, milking me and filling her with more of my
come.
The bond should rip with the amount of pleasure shooting back and forth
across it, but it holds firm, and I sit up and wrap my arms around her before
pulling us onto our sides, careful not to tug where we are joined.
We lie, facing each other, in comfortable silence for a while. A few
times, she rocks her hips back and forth, and we both come again so easily
that I fear my knot will never deflate. It eventually does when we both close
our eyes and rest, just holding each other close.
It all still feels like a figment of my imagination. I’m gone for this
Omega. I’ll do anything she asks for the rest of my life. She has rearranged
the hierarchy in our mate-group as far as I’m concerned.
As soon as my knot deflates, my cock slips out of her along with a
torrent of my come. I scoop her up and carry her to the bathroom. Holding
her with one arm, I start a bath with the other, making sure it’s perfect for
my mate. I hold her against me and wait for the tub to fill. Contentment fills
the bond, and I look down at the post-mating bliss on her face.
When the water reaches an acceptable level, I lower her gently into it,
helping her rest her head on a towel on the edge of the tub. She sighs, and I
can’t help but notice the contrast between her seemingly lifeless, limp form
from before and her sated, peacefully limp form with a smile on her face
right now. It feels like the part of me that broke that day has been mended.
I bathe and massage her, unbothered by the fact that I’m still naked and
covered with fluids. When she’s been cared for, I add oils to the water and
urge her to soak and relax while I take a quick shower.
I fully intend to make dinner tonight. And every night in the future if she
wants me to. I’ll gladly be the slave that we tried to force her to be.
 Chapter 35
JADE

Mating with Anders felt incredible. He gave me the release like Brody did,
but he did it while inside me. I never would have believed I could feel
anything but pain or discomfort from any of the Alphas. Even Anders. I
don’t think I ever truly hated him, though. Out of all of them, he was the
only one who showed me any respect. I wish I had realized sooner that he
could have been an ally. Although I’m sure he would never have helped me
escape, at least I could have gone to him for comfort, knowing he wouldn’t
force anything on me.
My ignorance when I was with Brody was nerve-wracking and a little
embarrassing, but he made me comfortable enough to let go and allow
myself to do whatever I wanted. I felt surprisingly similar with Anders
despite how smart he is and how much he probably knows about it all. I am
thankful for experiencing what I did with Brody and Anders. Both
experiences were beautiful to me. Now, I can find pleasure in being bare
and vulnerable. I still don’t trust Lucas or Vaegon, but it’s a huge relief to
have someone that I can trust.
Anders taught me things. He let me do whatever I wanted. Even though
I’m sure some of it was silly to him, he didn’t make me feel silly. The
pleasure of him sliding inside of me, filling me up, and letting me rock on
him was so unexpected. I even let him put his knot inside me. Now that…
that was unbelievable. There was more pressure, and it made my release
even stronger. I didn’t even mind being tied to him after.
His pleasure was clear through the bond, too. I’ve left it open with him
since we mated yesterday. Being able to feel what he feels is fascinating to
me. Knowing things only he would know makes me feel powerful, but it’s
also very intimate. He has more love and emotion than I’m sure anyone
would believe. I feel like I could love him, too, one day. And it doesn’t feel
like that day would have to be very far away.
After dinner last night, a dinner that Anders offered to make but I
insisted we do together, Lucas told us that the Prime Alpha from a
neighboring pack is coming to visit at the next pack dinner, which is in a
couple of days. He made it seem like a big deal.
Initially, I didn’t give a shit. Nothing Lucas says has much of an impact
on me. But the more I thought about it, the more wary I became about
another extremely powerful Alpha with unknown intentions coming into the
territory I’m currently living in.
I voiced my fear to Anders that night while I cuddled with him after
dinner. I didn’t fail to notice the clenching of Lucas’s jaw and Vaegon’s
twitchiness at the gesture. They can be mad all they want. I don’t fake
things, and I won’t pretend to be the happy, obedient mate they want to
show off to everyone.
Anders told me that the other Prime is a good Alpha like August, and
there is nothing to worry about. I asked if he is going to shove his Omega
mate in my face and make me act interested. He told me that she will be
staying home safe with her other mates. I wonder if he’s trying to keep her
safe from our pack members or just keep himself from incessantly worrying
about what she would be doing while they’re here.
As we make dinner, I wonder if she feels like I do. If she was stolen and
forced into mating. Given this culture, it seems likely. Perhaps Mother was
stolen, too. I can’t imagine anyone choosing Father for their mate.
I shake the thoughts of father away and decide to make some energy bars
to give Lucas and Vaegon to take to work with them tomorrow. Just to make
sure they have a snack to get them through the day if they get hungry. They
still suck, but at least they let me see Brody.
Anders comes in to help, and I actually enjoy talking to him. My speech
is so much better, but I still sound funny and take longer to say the words
than anyone else. Chatting with Anders more is helping, though. And it’s
nice to have someone to interact with. I’ve been very lonely up to this point.
He’s such a dork. I think that’s how Brody explained it. But I can feel his
excitement through the bond when he talks about something technical that I
have no clue about. It’s cute. I never thought I’d think of any Alpha as cute.
Anders sets the table and pours the water and wine. Everything is ready
by the time the other Alphas get home. We eat too much and then relax after
dinner. I make Anders a special tea to sip while he sits. One of the books I
got at the market was all about teas and smoothies.
This tea is supposed to help quiet a brain that is constantly in overdrive.
Anders is brilliant. I know his mind is working even when he’s trying to
sleep because I could feel the activity through the bond last night. I’m
hoping it will help him sleep better.
I know it looks like he’s getting special treatment. I suppose he is. But he
treats me like an Omega deserves to be treated. So, I treat him like an Alpha
expects to be treated. I do give the other Alphas the bars I made for them so
they won’t feel too left out. Not that I really care how they feel or anything.
It’s just the right thing to do.
 Chapter 36
VAEGON

Lucas and I are released from our duties early to prepare for the pack dinner
tonight. We shower and change when we get home before collecting Anders
and Jade. I’m surprised to find Jade wearing a beautiful summer dress that
fits snugly to her sexy Omega curves and her hair mostly down and
decorated with a hair clip I haven’t seen her wear before. The rich blue of
the dress makes her green eyes pop and steal most of my attention away
from her tempting body.
Instead of commenting on her appearance and risking her changing out
of spite, I walk over and give her a gentle kiss on the forehead. I’m trying to
be tender with her. It’s not in my nature, though. I charge into things in a
fury and have never felt the need to hold myself back. It’s hard, but it’s
worth it for Jade.
She looks up at me with doubt in her eyes. I smile and tap my chest and
then hers, hoping she gets the hint. Hoping that maybe Anders was right,
and we can one day have what he now has.
She narrows her eyes and takes Anders’s hand, still studying me. We
know that she’s been leaving the bond open for him. I’m hoping that she
sees the bonds as a weapon, a sort of protection that comes from having the
knowledge of my intentions.
 He must send her encouragement or at least peace because there’s a
fluttering in my chest, and whatever she did to block the bonds pulls back a
sliver. It’s enough to let her feel my respect and adoration for her and for
me to feel her hesitance and distrust. I grab the stab of pain her distrust
gives me and hold it back. I’m worried it will slam into her and overpower
the feelings I want her to focus on.
She closes the bond back, and it leaves me feeling empty and almost…
forgotten. I haven’t figured out why she’s able to block the bond, but, now
that I know how it feels to share it with her, I think I would do anything to
get her to trust me enough to open it back.
The moment is over when Lucas walks in and asks us if we are ready to
go. I turn toward the door, knowing when to bow out. Jade struts out the
door before I can make my way there, pulling Anders along with her.
We head to the packhouse and walk straight up to August and Prime
Alpha Toblin, greeting them first as is customary. Toblin is a hardass but
has always been an ally to our pack. I bare my neck to him and step back,
allowing Anders to do the same.
We repeat the process for August, then greet our Luna as well. Jade has
stayed behind us, probably not knowing what to do with all the formality.
I’m sure she wouldn’t follow custom if she did know, which I have to smirk
at. I’d love to see Toblin’s reaction to our defiant Omega if he tried to
command respect from her.
We head over to the food and pile up some plates before having a seat.
While we eat, Jade stiffens and leans closer to me. I follow her gaze and
find Lincoln, a Beta covered in tattoos, walking past. He looks intimidating,
but he’s just an artist. He gave me my flames years ago. All I had to do was
tell him I needed fire, and he made something remarkable out of the
element that tortures me.
I put an arm around her and whisper in her ear, “That’s Lincoln. He gave
me my tattoos. He’s very talented, and he’s a Beta.” She perks up at that
and watches him until he’s out of view. It’s surprising that she turned to me
for comfort, but I feel proud to have calmed my mate’s fear.
While we’re eating, Brody comes over, and we welcome him to our
table. I have a hard time focusing on anything but the image my mind has
created of clamping my jaws on his neck while I fuck my feisty mate… but
I manage to be present enough to join the chatting for the next hour. Jade
seems to be having a good time. She smiles a lot more now, and it’s
encouraging. I honestly wasn’t sure if we would ever get this far with her.
The Alphas are running tonight. It would do me well to join them and
release some of my pent-up energy and stress. I’m skipping this evening,
though. There is a luscious Omega and a sexy Beta who I want to spend
some time with. I lean over so only Jade and Brody can hear me.
“Wanna get out of here?” I look back and forth at them so they know I’m
referring to them both. Jade looks at me with a wrinkled brow like she’s
trying to figure out my motives. She finally looks up at Brody, who has
been staring down at the table, letting her decide. He smiles at her and
waits. With nothing but curiosity in her eyes, she looks back at me and
gives me a quick shrug.
“We can go to my room,” Brody offers. Since he is part of the Prime
Alpha’s family, he has a suite on the Prime’s personal side of the
packhouse. It’s close, and it’s off limits to anyone but the Prime family, so it
will be private.
When we pass through the kitchen, Brody grabs a bottle of wine and
some glasses before we go upstairs. He leads us up to his suite and lets us
in. As soon as we get inside his room, I close the door and pull Jade in front
of me.
“Jade, I…” I start. This is hard for me. Really fucking hard. I don’t think
I’ve ever apologized for anything in my entire life. But, if anyone deserves
an apology from me, it’s her. I swallow thickly and snuff out the flame
that’s trying to keep me from humbling myself.
“I’m sorry.” I force it out, tapping my chest like before, hoping she will
open the bond and let me prove my sincerity. Her eyes shoot open as she
takes in my words, and she stares at me for a few moments before
mercifully tugging at the bond, opening the link between us. I know this is
the only chance I’ll get, so I shove my shame, regret, and self-hatred at her
as hard as I can.
“I hear you now, Jade. I was wrong. So fucking wrong.”
The bond closes again, and my heart sinks. I should grovel, say more,
kiss her feet. But I just stand there defeated, accepting my fate as the one
that I’ve earned.
But she steps closer and gives me a hug, and my vigor hurtles back
through me. I squeeze her as hard as I can without hurting her small body
and lift her up, swinging her in a circle before hugging her to my chest. She
squeals and then laughs, snuggling into my arms. I’ve never been snuggled
before.
I’m forgiven. Part of me wants to squeal, too, but the other two parts of
me would never allow it.
I give her a kiss on the top of her head and set her back on her feet. She
wanders off like everything is settled and starts looking around Brody’s
room. She smiles at photographs of Brody and his family on the wall and
runs her fingers along his desk. Brody’s eyes meet mine, and there’s so
much emotion in them; love for Jade, surprise at me, and what I hope is
respect in there, too. It’s obvious how much he loves her. I don’t know how
all of this happened, but I can feel that Brody is supposed to be with Jade.
With us. With me.
I approach him where he’s standing at the foot of the bed and stand
directly in front of him. His breath catches in his throat as he glances up at
me before lowering his eyes and offering me his neck.
Perfect submission. Perfect Beta.
 Chapter 37
BRODY

Vaegon has never been as sexy to me as he was when he apologized to Jade.

He did it in front of another shifter, and, even though I’m not an Alpha, the
action is packed with meaning. His eyes meet mine, and I see a brightness
in them that I don’t think was there before.
Jade wanders over to my desk, and I watch her pick up a wooden wolf
statue I carved when I was younger. I can’t help but smile at how cute and
innocent she is as she rubs the back and gives it a small sniff. She forgave
Vaegon, and I’m going to enjoy watching their relationship evolve.
My thoughts are interrupted by the scent of cinnamon and the simmering
heat from the Alpha who just appeared in front of me. My instinct to submit
forces my gaze down, and I bare my neck to him. His body is so close to
mine, and the power emanating from him is intimidating as hell. I stay still
and wait.
The low growl that rumbles through his chest flows through my ears and
shoots straight to my cock, and I’m impressed at how fast it rises for him.
He bends down and lowers his teeth to the muscle where my neck and
shoulder meet. It’s more intense this time than it was at the clearing, and
that one blew my mind for days.
I groan at the tingles that spread over my body as he exerts his
dominance over me in such a hungry way. Then, I remember Jade is in the
room. The last time he did this, she became aggressive, but I don’t hear any
growling or hissing coming from her.
I shift my eyes to the side and see her pouty lips parted and her big,
green eyes glued to the space between our groins. I’m sure she can see my
arousal, and, judging by her face, Vaegon must be in a similar state.
My suspicion is confirmed when he puts his right arm around my waist
and pulls my body toward his, and I feel his erection pressing against my
hip. Jade’s eyes have somehow gotten wider, and I know she must be
confused. I reach my right hand to her, hoping she will come over.
She jerks her eyes to mine and back down to where our bodies are
pressed together. Vaegon notices my outstretched hand and does the same
with his left, leaving Jade with a double offering to come join us.
When she still doesn’t move, he drops his hand and speaks to her in a
language she’s had to rely on for so long; action. He releases my flesh from
his teeth and licks my left shoulder and neck where his superficial bite had
been. His right hand tilts my head back, and he licks the front of my neck
from my clavicle to my chin. I have to clench my ass cheeks to keep from
humping against him.
He gives one more lick to the other side of my neck before looking over
and reaching out for Jade again. This time, she hurries over and takes each
of our hands in hers. She stares up at our faces, intrigued.
“Sexy,” she whispers to us. I smile, remembering our conversation about
the word.
She must have said something to Vaegon about it because he chuckles
before saying, “Did you like that, Jade?”
“Yes,” she states, waiting for what comes next. Vaegon pulls her to us
and wraps his arm around her, holding her against our sides. I follow, my
arm resting just below his.
Vaegon runs his right hand up my chest to my jaw and moves my head
back to face his from where it had been admiring Jade. I feel his arm
squeeze her closer before he leans down and takes my mouth with his own
in one long, brutal press of his lips. He is not a gentle Alpha. He’s fast,
forceful, and completely dominant.
He pulls back before slamming his lips against mine again and shoving
his tongue deep into my mouth. I work my tongue around his, accepting his
dominance and reciprocating his attention. My lips will have bruises after
this, and I will wear them with pride.
He tilts my head while our mouths are still connected to get the angle he
wants and plunges his tongue even deeper. His teeth grind against mine, and
his fangs pierce my tongue and scrape against my lips, and I let free the
moans his ferocity draws out of me.
I whimper softly when he pulls away, feeling the heavy loss of his
attention. My eyes refuse to open, and I try to force them out of their
laziness to find Jade’s reaction. I don’t end up needing to see because I can
tell what she thinks about it when I smell her sweet slick and hear her
demand.
“More.”
I look down and take advantage of Jade’s upturned head, leaning over to
give her a gentle version of the kiss Vaegon had given me. She rumbles a
tiny growl and looks to Vaegon for a kiss. He obliges, much rougher with
her than I had been. Jade takes it, though, being the strong little Omega she
is. She is made to handle Alphas, and it is hot as fuck watching these two
powerhouses together.
Jade stumbles back when he’s done and stares at us, panting. Before I
can turn back to Vaegon, he rips my shirt right down the middle and
wrenches it from my body. I feel my nipples harden from the cooler air and
the thrill of Vaegon’s advance. He pushes me down on the bed onto my
back and grabs the back of the collar of his shirt before pulling it up and
over his head to toss aside as well.
Gripping the front of Jade’s dress, he tugs her back to him and pulls the
neckline down under her breasts, leaving them displayed in a maroon bra
that almost matches some of the flames of his tattoos. Before I know it,
she’s flopped down on the bed beside me.
She looks over at me and grins. It seems she likes being rough-handled.
Vaegon climbs on the bed and leans over me before kissing my right pec,
then my left. My breaths come in short bursts, my brain still not convinced
that this is happening. I watch him move over to Jade and kiss the flesh of
her breasts that are spilling over the top of her bra.
Turning his attention back to me, he sucks my nipple into his mouth and
tugs it with his teeth. I hiss at the slight pain and can’t prevent the buck of
my hips at the motion. He drags his fangs over my chest and lets one of
them slide over my nipple, now hard as stone from the wetness and chill in
the air. The drag of his fang is enough to leave a red path on my skin but not
break it. The sting and sensitivity make me groan and hump the air beneath
him.
Jade surprises me by wiggling her arms out of her dress and shoving her
bra down, leaving her full, perky breasts exposed. Vaegon repeats the
motion on her nipples, no gentler this time either. She gasps, and a sweet
whiff of jasmine fills the air. I hope no one ventures into the family area of
the packhouse anytime soon because the scent permeates the air.
Vaegon growls and rips right through her bra and the rest of the dress,
letting the pieces fall loosely onto the bed beneath her. Left with only her
white panties and Vaegon’s body covering her, she is the sexiest sight my
eyes have ever been blessed enough to see. I couldn’t care less if they
ignored me for the rest of whatever this is as long as I got to watch them
together.
He kisses her hipbones and licks over her belly button, making her
wiggle and squeeze her legs together. I’m so hard I feel like my zipper is
going to rip away from my jeans to let my cock free from its painful trap. I
try to adjust myself, but Vaegon grabs my wrist, ever mindful of what is
happening around him.
He unbuttons my jeans, sparing them from his ripping hands, and slides
them off, grabbing my shoes and dumping them along the way. He toes out
of his shoes and then slides a muscular thigh between each of our legs as we
lie beneath him.
Running his hands up each of our outer thighs, he mirrors his motions as
they slide over her wet panties and my tented briefs. He gives us each a
squeeze and rubs his palms up and down, making us both groan and rock up
into his touch.
What did I do to deserve this evening with them? Whatever it is, I need
to repeat it every day for the rest of ever if it means this could happen again.
His pants and underwear come off, and he’s back in position in a flash,
his Alpha speed appreciated by two sets of impatient eyes. I’ve seen
Vaegon’s body before and after shifting for pack runs, but never aroused.
And never this close. He has a thick, long cock that’s dripping on Jade’s leg
from the swollen, angry head. I can’t look away from the erotic leak, and I
groan when he gives his knot a squeeze, making more spill out from the
pressure.
Jade’s hand shoots out and gathers some of it from his slit. Her fingers
plunge into her mouth, and she growls and whimpers at the salty musk of
her Alpha’s come. She’s not resisting her Omega urges anymore. Her
reactions are stunning. It must be making Vaegon insane having to hold off
the rut I know his wolf is demanding of him.
He turns his full attention to her, backing off the bed and reaching
forward to remove her panties. He’s gentler this time, no tearing, and slides
them over her dainty Omega feet. She lifts her hips up to him when he
lowers his face to her slick-covered core.
He doesn’t hesitate to devour every bit of slick she’s released on her skin
before sucking her clit between his lips. She screams and bucks, grabbing
his hair and forcing him to continue. Her legs bend to the side and open so
far that she has to throw her left leg over my thigh.
Her calf rests on my cock, and I push down on it to grind against her.
Watching Vaegon pleasure her while feeling her pressure becomes too much
for my balls to handle, and an orgasm threatens to take me under. I have to
release the pressure on her leg to stop myself from giving in to it so soon.
Jade doesn’t resist, though. She can find almost unending orgasms as an
Omega, so she has the luxury of relaxing beneath Vaegon’s lips and groans
out her release as she rides his face. After she settles, he growls and licks
off the slick that covers his lips and chin.
While she revels in the post-orgasmic haze, Vaegon moves her leg off
mine and rids me of my restricting briefs. I’m nervous. I know my cock is a
nice one, but it’s nothing compared to his. Having his full attention on it
makes me tense up, and he notices.
While his left hand is busy rubbing Jade’s thigh, he uses his right hand to
slide up and down my length before giving my balls a squeeze. He growls
in approval, and I’m instantly more relaxed. After jacking my shaft a few
times, he slides my left leg out to the side and bends it at the knee, giving
his eyes free rein to take all of me in. His fingers graze the skin beneath my
balls, and they draw up in anticipation and pleasure.
Jade is alert again and sits up on her elbows to watch as he slides his
fingertips along my opening, another growl boiling in his chest. Looking up
at him, she studies his expression. He leans down and gives her a rough kiss
before straightening and taking a step back.
“Lube?” he asks me. I shudder, and my heart freezes for a moment,
unable to absorb this attraction he’s showing for me. Vaegon, the blazing
hot, Fae-like Alpha I’ve been discreetly drooling over since I presented. He
wants me?
Other than a couple of friendly encounters with Betas, no one has really
cared to notice the youngest son—the Beta son—of the Prime Alpha. What
makes the sexiest Alpha in this pack, and probably on earth, look twice at
me? Especially when he has the most beautiful Omega on the planet to call
his own?
I point to my nightstand drawer, and he retrieves the bottle. Sadly, it’s
mostly been used for solo stress relief. He brings it over and starts to pour
some into his hand.
Jade sits up straight and asks, “What is it?”
“Lube,” I tell her. “It’s like slick. Only it doesn’t smell as good or work
as well.”
She grabs the bottle and tosses it before shoving her hand between her
legs. With her slippery hand, she grabs my shaft and rubs her slick up and
down it, covering my skin. I moan, rolling my hips into her grasp, and my
eyes fall shut for a brief moment. But I rip them back open, afraid to miss
anything. I want to remember this evening clearly for the rest of my life.
She leans back and looks at Vaegon with a proud smirk. Her confidence
and innocence right now are a beautiful mix, and I reach out for her,
bringing her down to me for a kiss. She takes over and pours what feels like
love into my soul as she slides her tongue past my lips, licking and sucking
my mouth until we are both out of breath.
Vaegon waits patiently for her to finish with me and chuckles when she
pulls away. “That’s not what we needed it for, Jade,” he rumbles. “But it
won’t go to waste.” He attacks, taking my entire length in his mouth in one
rough motion. I can feel the back of his throat sucking me like it has a
mouth of its own. He runs his tongue along the bottom of my shaft as he
moves his head up and down, slow but forceful, flicking the sensitive
underside of my head as he goes.
I’m a writhing, whimpering mess, trying my hardest to stave off this
bossy orgasm that demands to be released. I don’t know how I manage to
shove it back down long enough for Vaegon to clean every drop of slick
from my cock, but I’m fucking thankful for it.
I look over at Jade, and she’s leaning in, staring with her bottom lip stuck
tight between her teeth. It makes that fat upper lip puff out like she ate
nothing but ghost peppers for dinner. Her eyes are more yellow than green,
almost glowing as she watches him try to swallow my dick.
He pulls back and runs his hand between her legs, gathering some of her
slick. He knees my left leg open more, and I draw it back, giving him full
access.
Jade watches like a hawk as he rubs the slick between his fingers and
slides a fingertip over my rim. The natural lube makes me so slippery that I
feel only a bit of pressure when Vaegon slides that finger inside.
Jade gasps and jerks her head to look at my face. She looks panicked, so
I grab her hand and leisurely place kisses on the back of it as Vaegon
continues prepping me. When her gaze turns back to the action down
below, she leans a little closer, inhaling sharply when she sees that there are
two fingers in me now. I grip her hand and moan when a long finger grazes
against my prostate, making my cock release a healthy bead of fluid.
Jade notices and swipes her finger across my slit before lifting her
offering to Vaegon’s mouth. He sucks her finger so hard she squeaks, and
he lets go before planting a kiss on her nose.
“You like this?” she asks me, bewildered by what is happening.
“I do, Jade. My cock can’t lie,” I tell her, motioning to my straining
erection. Satisfied that I’m not upset, she turns her attention back to the—
now three—fingers stretching me. She grips my hand and stares, waiting to
see what happens next.
If only to hear her thoughts right now…
Vaegon removes his fingers and climbs onto the bed. He inches forward
and spreads his knees apart. Taking my legs, he drapes them over his thighs
before reaching over and borrowing some more slick with his other hand
from our enthralled Omega. This time, he covers his giant Alpha cock down
to the knot, but not including it. Betas can’t take a knot; it would be too
painful. He’s ensuring it doesn’t try to sneak its way in.
Jade’s jaw drops as she realizes what is about to happen. Vaegon takes
the time to rub circles over her clit with his fingers while he wets them. She
groans and presses into his touch but keeps her eyes on his cock.
 He slathers her slick over my entrance again, ensuring a smooth entry.
His dick is massive. The more lube, the better. He supports himself with his
right hand and uses his left to press the head of his cock against me, and I
feel my hole start to open for him. He slides my legs up toward his hips a
little more, and it feels almost sensual. But it won’t be for long.
He pushes in slowly until the tip has breached my opening. I groan at the
sting but stay still, knowing the pain will quickly be replaced by
unimaginable pleasure. He takes his time, sliding in and out in shallow
thrusts, allowing himself to work his way in deeper without hurting me.
Never using regular lube again.
Jade abruptly clenches her abdomen with her hands and hunches over,
whimpering like she’s in pain. Vaegon growls at the sound, knowing what
she needs. He squeezes a hand around his knot, which is more swollen than
it was a few minutes ago.
“It’s okay, Jade,” he tells her. “Your body is just asking you for pleasure.
That empty feeling can be uncomfortable for an Omega. Has Brody been
inside you?” She shakes her head, still looking down while hugging herself.
“Will you let him? To ease your cramps?” He’s letting her decide instead
of insisting, which is the best way to gain more of her trust. She nods her
head up and down frantically. I showed her pleasure when we were together
before, but I didn’t penetrate her. This is a big moment for us, and I’m
honored to share it with Vaegon.
I open my arms, inviting her to come to me. Vaegon’s cock is pressed
against just the right spot inside me, his size making it hard not to
regardless of his position. It’s difficult to focus or function with the slightest
movement, but I want her to be a part of this.
I grab a pillow from behind me and slip it under my head while Vaegon
lifts her up and lays her down on top of me, her back resting against my
chest so he can see her face. He slides her down so my cock can reach her
entrance and wraps her legs around him, letting them rest on top of mine.
I slide her down my body more, allowing me to slip inside her tight core.
I groan as her walls wrap around me, and I feel my dick try to jump while
inside her. I grab her hips and buck up into her.
Vaegon grabs the headboard with one hand and my shoulder with the
other to stabilize us. He leans forward to kiss Jade and pulses inside me as
he thrusts hard, sending waves of pleasure through my entire body.
Wrapping my arms around Jade’s ribs, I kiss the top of her head that’s lying
on my chest. She covers my arms with hers, holding tight for a new first to
add to her list.
The warmth of Jade’s smooth skin against mine and the heat from the
friction of Vaegon’s cock as he ruts into me match the flames on his chest
that I can’t help but stare at. His thrusts move me enough each time to slide
my length in and out of Jade’s slick, tight core, and we become a pile of
sweaty, growling, and groaning flesh.
The aggressive Alpha I knew was coming is here, and he slams into me
over and over at a pace and intensity only an Alpha could deliver. Whatever
fuels his fire is at the surface, and I bear the flames in ecstasy as he
unleashes them on our bodies.
I give out first, being stimulated from both sides. My orgasm blasts
through, carried by my scorching veins, and I’m frozen in place as Vaegon
fucks me through it. I grunt on a strained breath and pulse more and more
inside Jade, searing this memory into my brain forever.
Jade jerks up as she loses herself to the pleasure, squeezing me like a
vice with her walls. She pulls Vaegon down to her by his hair and latches on
to him with her teeth, moaning out her release with a mouthful of his
shoulder.
I watch in shock as he roars and jerks until his Alpha cock fills me with
hot loads of his come. He squeezes his knot as he leans over, causing Jade’s
legs to fall to the sides. He shudders, still inside me, and wraps his arms
around the beautiful Omega, causing a little bolt of pleasure to zip through
me with the motion.
Utterly spent, Jade releases Vaegon and droops on top of me, flopping
back down to my chest. Vaegon slowly slides out of me after leaning
forward and giving us each a firm kiss. Jade looks comatose, limp with
pleasure. He walks to my bathroom, and I snuggle with Jade until he returns
with warm, wet cloths to clean us up with. I slide Jade off my length and
shudder at the sensitivity of my cock.
He is thorough and gentle with us and tosses the cloths in my laundry
basket before joining us back on the bed. He lies on his side and rolls Jade
and me on ours, pulling us against his body. I don’t get to enjoy the
sandwich for long before Jade snaps up and scurries back and off the bed.
 She stares at her bite mark on Vaegon’s neck with such fear and remorse
in her eyes it almost breaks me. Vaegon rushes forward and grabs her
before flashing back onto the bed beside me.
 Chapter 38
VAEGON

“What’s wrong, Jade?” I whisper, hoping a soft tone will keep her calm. I’m
afraid I already know what the problem is. She regrets biting me. The most
important moment of my life is a moment she didn’t mean to give me.
“I—I’m sorry. I hurt you.” Tears pour down her face as she reaches out
to touch the mark. I’m relieved that she’s only upset because she thinks she
hurt me, but I know the pain is still coming for me.
“Jade, you didn’t hurt me. You made me the proudest, smuggest Alpha
that walks this fucking earth.” She stares at me, confused and still horrified,
until it dawns on her what I’m talking about. Reaching up to the back of her
neck where I left my mate-mark, she rubs her hand over it and shudders.
She covers her mouth and looks even more appalled.
And here it comes…
“Is… Is it the same as what you did?” I nod and kiss the hand of hers
I’m holding, preparing for my heart to be ripped out. She pulls away and
covers her face with both her hands.
“I didn’t ask either,” she whispers with a sob, referring to us mate-
marking her against her will. “I’m just as bad.”
Her shoulders and chest tremble as she cries, and she keeps her eyes
covered to avoid the evidence of what she thinks is a transgression. I pull
her into my arms, sickened that she could ever consider herself to be as bad
as we are. Brody puts his arms around us both before he speaks.
“You didn’t know, Jade. You acted on instinct. Your Omega side felt safe
and loved and wanted to claim Vaegon for herself. What you did wasn’t
wrong. It was beautiful.”
She pulls back to look at Brody and sees the tears running down his face,
too. He understands what an intimate moment he was present for. Her
delicate hands gently wipe his tears away before wiping her own. Looking
up at me, she searches my eyes. I tap her chest and then mine.
Her breathing pauses as she considers opening the bond to me, like she’s
afraid to know what I am feeling toward her. But I could never be mad at
her, not anymore. I never had any right to be before, and I definitely
couldn’t be mad over this.
She pushes past her hesitance and closes her eyes before letting the bond
creep open. I don’t push or send anything. I just let my pride, gratefulness,
and adoration flow on their own. Her face softens, and her lips part in
wonder. She jerks her eyes back open, and her eyes move down to the smile
on my face.
She rises up onto her knees and throws her arms around my neck, her
relief flooding into me. The bond feels complete now. It’s as if it had to
finish what she interrupted when she shoved it away right after it was born.
I birth something new of my own. It slides down my cheek as I stare at my
breathtaking mate and the unshakable Beta holding us both together. It’s the
only tear I’ve ever shed and likely the last. But it’s for them, and I’m not
ashamed of it.
Jade leans in and licks it off my jaw before moving to the side and
licking the wound she left on my neck.
“See, Jade? That’s an instinct, too. Your Omega side knows to lick the
wound to help it heal,” Brody says.
She turns her face to his, which has moved back slightly to allow us this
moment together. Pain suddenly twists her features, and she grabs at her
chest. “Why didn’t I bite Brody? I love him!”
My heart feels like it’s been cleaved in half. Anger flares in my chest for
her and Brody, who are biologically forbidden to share this bond they
deserve more than anyone does. Brody’s eyes glisten, and I know hearing
that must hurt, even after her admission of love for him. I doubt he could
say much right now, so I try to soften the harsh reality of that dream never
coming true for them.
“Your instincts wouldn’t tell you to claim him because you can’t.
Omegas can only claim Alphas. Unfortunately, mate-bonds only exist in
Alpha/Omega pairings. It’s unfair. But I think there’s a very important
reason that Betas can’t have bonds.”
Jade wipes her eyes and looks expectantly at me. Brody just looks lost
and dubious.
I never thought too much about it before, but it’s so clear to me now.
“Betas are the only designation that can fully control their emotions.
They don’t have wild instincts battling against their rational thoughts.
Alphas and Omegas are often high-strung and overly emotional. Betas are
capable of logical reasoning in times when we are so fueled up that we can’t
even remember our names. They calm the rest of us down with their
stability. If they had our unstable emotions battling around inside them
through a bond, they wouldn’t be able to level us out and ground us to
reality. Packs would tear themselves apart if it weren’t for Betas.”
Betas are underappreciated, even though everyone knows they are level-
headed and better at doing pretty much anything that requires basic
reasoning. I hope Brody knows that my words are sincere. I know Jade does
because she can feel it.
I wish they could have this. Not long ago, I thought it unfair to have an
ungrateful, uncooperative Omega for a mate. Now, I know the unfair thing
is that she’s stuck with me instead of bonding with the deserving Beta that
she wants.
She must feel my pain for them because she puts her hand on my cheek
and gives my lips a tender kiss. Brody takes my other cheek in his hand and
does the same before kissing her as well. I hug them both close to me,
feeling useless, wishing I could protect them from their sadness.
 Chapter 39
JADE

Vaegon and I walk back to the house together, hand in hand. How did we
get here? I hated him. Now, I have a second Alpha I think I may end up
loving one day. The way he was with me… The way he was with Brody.
His words, his emotions in my heart.
Remorse poured out of him and through the bond when he apologized.
How can I not forgive someone who hates themselves that much for what
they did to me? I would want to be forgiven if I were that heartbroken over
something I had done. I can’t ignore how badly I want him to feel better. It
doesn’t really make sense, but it is what it is. I don’t want Vaegon to hurt.
Another emotion came through the bond that I tried to ignore. It felt like
love. I don’t think that’s something one can fake. I would never have
believed he was capable of love. The feeling remained when Brody kissed
him. He loves Brody, too. How can I resist loving someone who loves
Brody just as much as he loves me?
I can’t stop replaying in my mind what he did to Brody and how he
brought me in to join them. I’ve never experienced anything as physically
or visually pleasurable as that. I still have so much to learn about mating,
but I’m finding that I’m okay with that. Learning from Anders, Brody, and
Vaegon is going to be a lot of fun.
 We get back to the house before Lucas, but Anders is home. Vaegon
gives me a kiss and heads upstairs to let me tell him goodnight. I snuggle up
to Anders, who is on the couch, relaxing with a book. He puts the book
down, nuzzles my neck right on his claiming mark, and holds me close. I let
the pleasure of his touch on the sensitive scar ripple through my body,
knowing he is getting to experience my acceptance of the effect.
“So, you claimed Vaegon,” he says, making my heart clench. I didn’t
even consider how that would make the other Alphas feel.
What if Lucas gets mad? What if he punishes Vaegon?
“Calm down, little one.” Anders can feel my panic through the bond.
“What’s got you so worried?”
“Will Lucas be mad and punish Vaegon?” I ask, afraid to hear the answer
but needing to know.
“No. He will be jealous and disappointed, but he would never punish
him for your instincts. We are part animal, I suppose. Instinct is a very
powerful part of our existence. He gets it. He’ll know it was your choice
and your right.”
I’m skeptical about that last part, but I feel calmer knowing Vaegon
won’t get shit for what I did.
“Why didn’t I claim you first?” I ask. “I trusted you first. I liked you
first.”
Anders was the only one who didn’t force me to do anything after that
first day. He should have gotten his mark before Vaegon. I suddenly feel
awful about it.
“Your instincts decided that it was time with Vaegon. That’s all that
matters.” Anders is always so damn logical. But he’s also understanding. I
wouldn’t have realized that was part of who he is without the bond.
“You’re not disappointed that it wasn’t you?” I ask.
“You opened the bond to me first and willingly mated with me first. I am
one proud-ass Alpha, Jade,” he says, smirking down at me. That brings me
relief because he’s right. I think those things are just as important, if not
more, since they were conscious decisions.
“I could feel Vaegon. When you claimed him,” Anders says with a far-
off look on his face.
“What?” I ask, knowing he must be talking about the bond but not
understanding how that could be possible.
 “You’re our center. Our core. We flow into you, and you flow into us.
Vaegon’s presence is faint, but I can feel him through you. If you decide to
claim me one day, it should get stronger.”
“How’s it work?” I ask, confused about all this magical stuff.
“I don’t know.”
Not words you hear from Anders very often. But that’s fine. I don’t need
to know how it works.
“I want to claim you, Anders.”
“Then you will. When the time is right for you,” he says, squeezing me
against him. I jump into his lap, straddling him and showering him with
long, sweet kisses. He chuckles and nuzzles my cleavage when I finally free
his face.
“Go spend the night with your mate. He will want to be close to you
right now. We can have some fun in the morning when everyone else is
gone.”
I kiss him one more time before grabbing two fistfuls of his hair then
pinching his nipples as hard as I can. I jump down as soon as I hear his hiss
and sprint for the stairs.
He growls and yells after me, “You’d better run fast, Omega!”
I giggle and race up the stairs, knowing he used my designation as a
tease, not in disrespect. I don’t stop until I’m in Vaegon’s room with the
door shut behind me and my back pressed against it. Like I could keep an
Alpha from coming in if he wanted to. Preposterous, but I do it anyway.
Vaegon is relieved to see me when he comes out of his bathroom. I’ve
been relaxing on his bed, waiting for him to finally get done in there. He
smiles and comes over to kiss me on the top of my head. I watch,
unashamed, as he ditches his towel for some boxer briefs. Now that I don’t
feel a seething hatred for him, I can fully appreciate his appearance.
“I heard you goofing off with Anders. I’m glad he makes you happy,
Jade.”
“You make me happy too,” I tell him, a little shy to admit it but still
wanting him to know. He abandons the underwear and pounces on top of
me, turning my head to suck on his mate-mark. It’s like a path straight to
my privates, and I buck up into his hard body. He shudders when I run my
fingers across the mark I gave him, and I hum beneath the vibrations of his
rumbling growl.
 He grinds his already swollen dick against me and kisses me hard. It’s
fascinating how Brody, Anders, and Vaegon all kiss differently. Brody is
gentle and sweet. Anders takes anything I give him and matches it. Vaegon
is like a destroyer. He takes what he wants, abusing my mouth in the
process. But it’s a reflection of his desire, not just his dominance. He treats
Brody the same way, and Brody absorbs his attacks with fervor, just like I
do. I’m glad the Alphas never tried to kiss me before. They may have
ruined it for me if they had.
My nails dig into Vaegon’s back as he continues to punish my mouth. He
growls and rolls his hips, causing the end of his dick to touch my slicked-up
private place. I know he can feel the thrill that races through me because I
can feel the satisfaction my excitement gives him in the bond.
He leans down and tugs my earlobe with his teeth before whispering in
my ear, “I’m going to fuck you, and it’s going to be rough.” His need and
aggression are consuming the bond, and I can barely get my question out of
my mouth.
“Fuck me?”
That’s not how Father ever used the word.
He growls and drives his huge dick in me before replying, “It’s this,
Jade. When I shove myself into your body and make you feel incredible.”
Pleasure reclaims the bond, tearing back and forth between us as he
thrusts in and out. I hated his touches and his body inside of mine. But,
now, I need him here. I want him here.
“Can you feel Anders?” I ask. “He said he can feel you a little.”
He nods. I search for Anders and share the pleasure I’m feeling, wanting
badly for him to be a part of it. His claiming mark tingles, letting me know
he’s here with me, too.
I look at Vaegon, hoping he understands why I want Anders to feel my
joy, and he murmurs, “Such a giving mate.”
The wild Alpha on top of me lets Anders and I know exactly how much
he approves by latching on to Anders’s mate-mark on my neck. Fuck! Is he
always going to shock me like this? I can feel Anders’s pleasure mingling
with mine, and I pass it to Vaegon to enjoy as well. Vaegon is smug about
the effect he has on us and continues to plow into me.
The mating is brutal and continues far longer than I could have expected.
Release finds me three times, and, when Vaegon finally finishes, my body
feels like jelly. I can’t move or think, and I can barely breathe.
Vaegon and I are locked together, so he rolls over onto his back, leaving
me draped across his bronze body. We lie there for a while, content and
lazy, before he begins to talk.
“There’s something inside me. A heat of some kind,” he begins. “It’s
always been there. I think of it as my fire because that’s what I see in my
mind when it starts to build.” I run my fingers along the red and orange
flames of his tattoo. I thought he had the tattoo to look intimidating.
“I sensed it when I first met you,” I tell him. “It was dark, and it scared
me.”
“I’m sorry, Jade. I haven’t been able to find a way to get rid of it. It’s
always there. It’s just more intense sometimes than others. I get angry more
easily than I should. I stay angry longer, and I often just want to rip
something apart. Shifting helps since my wolf takes over, but it’s still there.
When I’m feeling out of control, I run through the woods, finding
something to kill. It brings extra meat for the pack and simmers me down. I
wish I didn’t have to handle it that way, though.”
I shudder at the mention of his wolf. I’ve tried to push the thought of that
side of the Alphas to the back of my mind, hoping they keep them tucked
away and don’t let them out around me. Vaegon mistakes my unease for
fear of his anger and holds me tight.
“I won’t hurt you, Jade. I know I have in the past, but it’s never been
because of that. I will never hurt you again. I promise.”
Snuggling into his arms, I bury my nose in his chest, breathing in his
cinnamon and pine scent, the scent that I’ve tried to block since I got here
but that now brings me comfort.
“I feel better around Anders,” he says. “I know it doesn’t make sense,
but there’s something about him that settles me,”
Anders? That’s interesting. Anders is calm. I guess I can see how he
could help someone else feel calm.
“I can’t feel the fire,” I tell him, referring to the bond. I search for it,
feeling around as much as I can on whatever plane our bonds exist on, but I
don’t sense it.
“It’s quiet right now, probably because I’m with my mate,” he says. “But
maybe it doesn’t follow the rules of the bond. Kind of like you,” he adds,
laughing.
 I huff, but, really, I’m amused, and he can feel it.
“I’m glad you can’t feel it,” he says. “Our bond would be better off
closed if you could.”
He tells me about his young years and how he followed Anders around.
How Anders and Lucas accepted him and their mother took Vaegon in as
her own. The whole pack tried to find his parents and gave him a home
when they didn’t succeed. I’m beginning to see more of the good in this
pack. Brody was right. The bad in others tends to be easy to find, but it’s
not necessarily what defines someone.
Vaegon’s knot deflates, and he slips out of me. I feel kind of gross with
all the sticky stuff all over us now, so I’m thankful when Vaegon whisks me
into the bathroom to clean up. We take a long, lazy shower, and he cleans
me like Brody and Anders did.
“It’s not really in my nature to be gentle,” he says as he dries me off.
“I’ll have my moments, but, mostly, I’ll be rough. Can you handle me, little
mate?” he asks.
I scoff and grin. “Already have,” I tell him.
Growling, he picks me up, and I’m flying across the room and onto the
bed in seconds. I land with an “oof,” and Vaegon plops down beside me.
We snuggle into his blankets and spend the night in a tangle of arms and
legs.
The word “mate” bounces around my head as I try to fall asleep. It used
to bring me so much disgust and fear. Now, I’m happy to have a mate and
hoping to add a second one soon. I don’t think Mother ever got to
experience what a good mate can be like. A sliver of empathy for the
Omega she used to be settles in my chest alongside the anger and
resentment I feel for her.
Deciding I’ve had enough emotions coursing through me today, I turn
my brain off and slip into a deep sleep.

***

The next morning, Lucas is gone before I even get downstairs to make
breakfast. Vaegon said he had some things to get done early, but I’m
skeptical. The mate-mark I left on Vaegon’s shoulder is peeking out from
beneath his collar, and I’m sure Lucas noticed. He can huff off and go be a
big baby if he wants. I owe him nothing.
Vaegon gives me a kiss before leaving, making me feel giddy and
annoyed at myself for being so ridiculous. As he gets farther from the
house, I feel more anxious, and it’s mirrored back through the bond. Anders
has me wrapped in his arms in an instant, pushing love and calm through to
me. He must have felt my distress. Our distress.
“It will take some getting used to, but letting him go will get easier,”
Anders explains. “You’re fully mated to him now. The connection is
stronger, and you’ll feel more settled when he’s close by. He’s feeling the
same, as I’m sure you can feel. But the nervousness will soon subside.”
Having Anders at home all the time used to feel like a nuisance, but,
lately, I’m grateful to have him here. I take his hand and pull him upstairs to
my room. After climbing onto the bed, I reach for him and snuggle into the
mess of blankets and stolen clothing. His minty scent seeps into my sheets
as he cuddles up beside me.
“You’ve assembled quite the nest here,” he muses.
Nest? There’s that word again. I jerk out of his arms and stare at him,
trying to lessen the anger that word has filled me with. He can feel it,
though, so I stop holding it back.
“I’m not a bird!” I yell.
Anders blinks at me blankly for a solid ten seconds before bursting into
Brody-sized laughter. It’s almost creepy to see him laughing so hard, his
typically stoic face broken open in a wide grin.
He pulls me to his chest and hugs me while still chuckling. The
vibrations are soothing, I have to admit. I growl a little, though, to let him
know he’s not off the hook yet.
“No, Jade. You are not a bird. You are an Omega, and Omegas make
nests of their own.” He keeps snickering while trying to explain this
ridiculous notion to me, and I can’t prevent the giggles that sneak out of my
mouth at the absurdity of the whole conversation.
“Omegas feel secure when they are wrapped in soft fabrics containing
their Alpha or Alphas’ scents.”
“That’s why you put this stuff here?” I ask, finally starting to understand
their weird blanket fetish.
 “Yes. But you kept stripping everything off your bed. We thought you
were refusing our offerings out of spite. We didn’t realize you knew nothing
of Omegas’ nests.”
“I’ve been making my own now,” I say, realizing I stopped stripping the
bed each morning. I have even started rearranging everything before I go to
sleep at night. These instincts are so foreign to me, but, sometimes, they
feel so natural that I don’t even notice the changes in my behavior.
I jump up and run to Anders’s room to grab our book. When I get back, I
dive onto the bed and snuggle back up to my Alpha’s big, warm body. We
flip through the pages and settle on something called “The Aphrodite.” I
take Anders’s clothes off slowly, running my fingers over his pale skin as
more of it becomes exposed. He waits patiently, making that gentle
rumbling sound that he did when I hugged him the other night.
“What’s that noise?” I ask him, as I continue peeling clothing off his
body.
“It’s an Alpha purr. The purr is used to calm an Alpha’s Omega mate,”
he says.
“Why didn’t any of you use it on me when I was fighting you?”
It doesn’t make sense. They used every other weapon in their voodoo
Alpha arsenal to try to get me to obey.
“It’s non-aggressive. It’s intimate and comforting,” he replies. “Our
methods were backward. We should have been guiding and comforting you.
Not forcing you.”
I kiss his chin and give the long, blonde hair above his dick a tug,
eliciting a sexy growl from him. My slick begins to flow, and I pull off my
clothing so we can try the new position.
Anders sits on my bed with his legs together and stretched out in front of
him. He picks me up in what the book calls a “bridal carry” and works his
dick inside me. The fullness reminds me of what Vaegon had said about the
empty feeling–that it was causing my discomfort. My body wants my mates
to be inside me. Brody may not technically be my mate, but, in my heart, he
is. He fits my body just as well as the Alphas do.
Anders lifts me up and down onto himself like I weigh nothing. One of
his arms is holding my legs together, and the tightness of that pressure
combined with his size makes me moan and wiggle each time he slides me
back down onto him.
 I try to get in touch with my Omega side, begging her to let me claim
him. It’s awkward trying to talk to some other part of me, but I try for
Anders. I remind her that he tried to be kind, and we trusted him first. It’s
hard to focus well enough to sense her presence, but I believe that she’s
there and we are supposed to work together.
Please give me this…
My mind suddenly stills, and I wrap my arms around Anders’s neck,
pulling his face down to mine. He growls when I bite his bottom lip hard
enough to draw blood. Anders loves the pain and begins thrusting up into
me each time he slams my body down. My privates are taking a beating, but
it’s exactly what I need. Feeling his arousal as a result of my dominant
actions is strangely sexy.
Pleasure builds in my body, and I roll my hips back and forth as he
plows into me. My release begins to bloom, and, this time, I can feel the
frantic need to possess and claim taking over. Anders’s pleasure and
anticipation floods into my chest once he senses the pull I’m feeling. My
fangs shoot out, and I let myself surge forward and bite down right below
his ear at the top of his neck. The bond swells so much it’s suffocating, and
I whimper at the pressure of it in my chest.
Thank you, Omega.
I feel her vividly then. It’s like she’s braiding and repairing the bonds
between my Alphas and I. Approval from Vaegon slides along the fibers of
his link, and I send out love to both of them. Love was a distant memory for
me until I met Brody. I decided that’s what the emotion I feel for him must
be, so that’s how I’ve labeled it. I hope it’s coming across correctly to
Anders and Vaegon.
I remove my fangs from Anders’s throat and lick the wound to heal it.
He shudders beneath me and wraps me in a tight hug as his knot locks us
together.
“I love you, Alpha,” I mumble with my face shoved against his chest,
hoping that will clear up any confusion I may have caused.
“I love you too, Omega.”
When his knot deflates, he jumps out of bed and carries me to the
bathroom. We take a warm bath together, settling into our completed bond.
After a nap with my new official mate, we head down to start lunch.
 “Can we take lunch to Vaegon?” I ask. I miss him. It’s weird, but I do.
Anders looks at me, and I feel a twinge of pain from the bond. At first, I
think he’s jealous that I want to see Vaegon when he is right here with me,
but then it becomes clearer. I can’t place the emotion, but I know it’s about
Lucas.
Lucas has done nothing to redeem himself in my eyes other than not
coming to my room anymore. I guess he must have approved of my visits
with Brody, too. He left without eating breakfast, so his Herculean ass must
be starving. Part of me feels a little guilty, but I shove it down. I have no
reason to feel guilty. I’ll bring him lunch, too. But that’s it. And it’s for
Anders’s sake.
“And for Lucas,” I add, giving Anders a small smile. His relief and
appreciation are immediate, and we get to work making giant brisket
sandwiches and red cabbage coleslaw. After we eat our own, we put the
Alphas’ lunches in an insulated bag along with a couple cranberry and
orange cookies for each of them before heading to the packhouse.
 Chapter 40
LUCAS

I sit in the woods behind the packhouse, trying to swallow the ache tearing
me up inside. I need to get my shit together and return to my duties. But…
she claimed him. Vaegon!
I could understand if it had been Anders. He has been the least repulsive
toward her. She already forgave him and willingly mated with him, so that
wouldn’t have come as a huge surprise. But Vaegon? I’m floored. I thought
she hated him almost as much as she hates me. I don’t know what happened
last night, but it changed things.
My behavior this morning was unbecoming, and I’m starting to feel
guilty about it. I was so jealous that I growled at him and stormed out of the
house, refusing to have breakfast with my mate-group. It wasn’t because I
was angry at him. I was just too upset to hang around and let that claiming
mark sneer at me while I ate.
I’m thankful that Jade is coming around. She has seemed happy lately, or
content at the very least. The smile that she hid for so long makes
appearances, and it warms my heart when it does. Even though it’s never
aimed at me.
August appears beside me and rests his hand on my shoulder. I jump up,
not wanting the Prime Alpha to see my weakness. He turns back toward the
packhouse and waves a hand for me to follow him. I comply even though I
don’t wish to be around anyone right now.
He leads me toward the tables behind the cabin, and I see Jade and
Anders there with Vaegon and a lot of food. The pain of jealousy and
disappointment had been masking my hunger, but seeing Jade with a meal
pulls it back to the foreground. She is an amazing cook. Doubly amazing
when she’s happy.
It hurts to see that she has brought Vaegon lunch, and I’m unsure why I
need to be here to endure it. When I am close enough to see clearly, I notice
that there are two place settings. Vaegon is sitting at one place, and Jade and
Anders are standing at the end of the table. Is Brody joining them?
August changes direction right before reaching the table and walks
toward the backdoor, leaving me to approach the table alone. Anders and
Vaegon bare their necks when I approach, and I nod. I don’t expect them to
formally submit to me at home, but it’s customary and respectful around
others in the pack.
Jade has never submitted to me in any way, but I don’t try to make her
anymore. Is it truly submission if it’s forced? That’s when it hits me. We
tried to get her to love us by dominating and controlling her. I let her see
Brody as a bribe to get her to do more of what I expected, not because it
would make her happy. What I really should have been doing is giving her a
voice and actually listening to it.
She gestures to the empty seat in front of the other meal, and my heart
fractures as memories of everything we did to her clash inside my brain.
How could I have been so blind? I’m supposed to lead our family, and I
took the longest to care about her feelings. I haven’t even apologized, but
she brought lunch for me, too.
“This is for me?” I ask, my words choked and gravely. She tilts her head
at me, confused at the vulnerability in my voice, but nods. I sit and eat
every crumb of what she brought for me as fast as I can. Not because of
hunger but because of the urgency I feel to speak with her alone. I spring to
my feet as soon as I’m finished and walk around the table to where she’s
standing.
“Thank you, Jade. I was starving, and that was absolutely perfect.”
She gives a small smile, such a huge thing for me, and turns to clean up
my mess. I stop her by taking her hands in mine. She freezes, startled by the
motion and likely nervous of my intentions.
“May I talk to you, Jade?” She furrows her brow before looking at
Anders. I notice the new claiming mark he’s donning, and my heart cracks a
bit more. I’m happy for him, but I feel even more devastated now, like I’ve
been cast out of my family.
He knows me well enough to pick up on my distress and gives her a nod,
smiling over at me. She turns back to me with a reluctant, “Okay.”
I guide her to the edge of the forest and sit down on a log that’s been cut
into chunks for seating. She remains standing in front of me with her arms
crossed. I don’t try to convince her to sit. She can stand if she wants. My
true place is here beneath her, anyway.
I know humbled is right where I should be, but it feels so unnatural. I
must exude power and confidence to be an effective leader and protector.
I’m accustomed to being loud and assured, standing tall and mighty. Right
now, I feel puny and vulnerable, my flaws painfully exposed for all to see.
For an Alpha to be weak in front of their mate is dishonorable, and I feel
every bit of the shame I’ve brought on myself. Most Omegas are drawn to
headstrong Alphas who carry an air of superiority. My mate wants us to be
equals. Other Alphas would scoff at that, but her seeing me as an equal is
actually a promotion I don’t deserve.
The humiliation I feel being on the bottom of the hierarchy when I’ve
grown too comfortable at the top is gut-wrenching, but living with the
memory of the suffering and disrespect I cast upon my mate is
exponentially worse. I need her to see that I have changed. Because she
deserves it.
“If I could go back now, I would have done everything differently,” I
start.
She eyes me, and I’m not sure she will speak to me, but she steels herself
and asks, “Like what?”
“Well, first, when we discovered your scent at your home, I wouldn’t
have broken in and hunted you down,” I tell her.
“You would have left me alone?” she asks, scoffing like it’s the most
absurd thing she’s ever heard me say.
“No,” I state firmly.
A smug look paints her face, like I’m proving her doubt had merit. I
reach out and take one of her tiny hands in mine and look up into her bright
green eyes, hoping to convey my sincerity as I give her my truth.
“I would have returned to my truck and called for someone to come get
it. Then, I would have called August and Anders to let them know I may be
gone for a while. My new duties would be guarding your house all night
and trying to communicate with you each day.
“I would leave you notes, begging you to talk to me at least once. I’d
include pages of information and stories about my pack so you would get an
idea of how your life might be if you chose to come live with us. I would
hunt for you, bring you gifts every damn day, and stay awake at night,
keeping you safe from a distance. That would be my new life as long as it
took for you to finally give me a chance.”
She narrows her eyes and gives me a defiant look. “And what if I never
did?” she asks.
Leaning forward, I give her a small smile and pull her hand against my
chest. I know the risk of her pulling away is high, but I feel a strong need to
connect with her physically to portray my sincerity.
“I would stay in those woods, protecting you until the day I died.”
She looks away, considering my answer. I don’t want to just sit here and
wait for her to decide what to make of it, so I tell her what I originally
brought her over here to say.
“Jade, I’m sorry. I was wrong to take you away from your home. To
make you cook for us. To… force a mate claim on you.” I look down at my
hands, ashamed and full of disgust for myself.
“Not only that,” I continue. “I forced my brothers to do the same. I was
supposed to lead our family, but I failed them, too. I thought I was a wise
and powerful Alpha, but I blindly followed customs and ignored what was
right. I overlooked your soul, and stole your innocence from you. I am the
weak one. I see you now, Jade. And I hear you. I’m so sorry it took me this
long.”
I lower myself from the log onto my knees, avert my eyes, and bare my
neck to my Omega.
 Chapter 41
JADE

I understand the gravity of the gesture; right hand of the Prime Alpha,
submitting to a lowly Omega. I don’t have to open the bond to know his
apology was sincere, but I’m not ready to forgive Lucas yet.
“Thank you.” It’s the most I can give him. It’s not okay, so I won’t say
that it is. But I can thank him for his words and the meaningful actions he
supported them with.
He looks up at me, and I reach out my hand. Relief floods his features,
and he takes it and stands. We walk back to the table together in
comfortable silence. Everyone outside the packhouse would have been able
to see what he did, but no one mentions it when we return.
Having Anders’s and Vaegon’s emotions flowing through the bond was
distracting, so I closed them off while Lucas and I talked. When I open it
back, I feel their relief and their pride directed toward their brother.
Anders has packed up the lunch items, and we are ready to go home. I
turn to Lucas and give him a nod before grabbing a small kiss from Vaegon.
I don’t want to rub anything in Lucas’s face, but I’m not leaving my mate
without a proper goodbye.
Anders and I head home while the other Alphas return to their duties. He
doesn’t ask what was said or where things will go from here. He just lets me
be, which I appreciate. I need to think before I can figure out how I really
feel.

***

Later that afternoon, I finish gathering some fresh vegetables from the
gardens and head inside to get cleaned up. I’ll need to start dinner in about
half an hour, and I’d like to shower first. I walk in the door to head upstairs
and freeze.
Lucas is at the island, doing… something. I didn’t expect him to be
home so early. When the jolt of surprise wears off, I drop my veggies by the
sink and approach him, peering down at the chaos ensuing on the
countertop.
“I’m making dinner!” He has a strange smile on his face that makes him
look like a youngling, an odd sight for a shifter who needs a house with
custom door frames.
When my face starts to hurt, I realize that it’s been scrunched up with
confusion, so I relax it and peer down at the random assortment of items
he’s calling dinner. He has butchered some green and yellow bell peppers,
turned a white onion into translucent ribbons, and there are sesame seeds all
over the counter and floor.
I begin searching for a protein, but he comes around and takes my hands,
blocking my view of the rest of the kitchen with his massive frame. He still
has that stupid grin on his face, and it’s starting to creep me out.
“Go relax. I’ll take care of everything.” He pulls me out of the kitchen
and shoos me away before heading back into the war zone. I’m not sure
what to do about the situation. Lucas clearly doesn’t know how to prepare a
meal.
Why is he even home already? Is he broken? I’d better find Anders.
Maybe he can fix him.
“Something’s wrong with Lucas,” I tell him when I reach his bedroom.
“He’s trying to be sweet, Jade,” he explains, amusement drifting through
the bond. He won’t be laughing when he has to eat whatever tragedy Lucas
ends up creating.
“You say that now…” I reply, cringing a little at the thought of the
disaster happening downstairs. I leave and head to my room for a long, lazy
shower. Honestly, I’d rather be doing the cooking. I enjoy it when I’m not
being forced to do it. I’ll let him try, though. At least we can get a laugh out
of it even if we don’t end up having anything edible for dinner.
About an hour later, Anders comes to get me. I lay my dragon book on
the bed and follow him down. Anders told me that dragons aren’t real,
humans just have really big imaginations. I find it fascinating, though, and I
find myself wanting to believe that they really do exist.
Anxiety and humor create weird mixture in my chest as I head down the
stairs to see what Lucas has come up with. I almost prefer Lucas’s usual
quiet and broody demeanor to whatever this new homey side he’s trying
out. I sit down at the dining room table, purposefully keeping my eyes away
from the kitchen to avoid seeing the carnage.
The smell is strange, but not burnt, so I’m impressed with that at least.
Vaegon is home now, and I resist the urge to climb on top of him and lick
his chest. I give him a big kiss and take my seat instead. Anders pours some
wine in all the glasses, and we wait.
It’s too quiet. Maybe Lucas gave up and went for a run in the woods
instead. Or maybe he got too hungry and wolfed it all down before he could
serve it. I’m about to stand up and check on him when he blasts into the
dining room, scaring the shit out of me and causing an embarrassing squeak
to peel out of my throat.
Alphas are still a mystery to me. How can they be so big and beefy, yet
so stealthy?
“Sorry, Jade!” he almost yells, as he piles our plates with food in a flurry.
His movements are ungraceful and jerky, and he’s spilling stuff all over the
table.
Who is this Alpha? Where did his dignity go?
Lucas takes his seat and stares at me. My eyes volley back and forth
between him and Anders, then him and Vaegon, then him and the food. It
takes me longer than it should to realize they are all waiting for me to try it.
We are supposed to wait for Lucas to take the first bite. I never have,
because I never respected him. But for some reason, I want to let him go
first today. And it’s not just because my plate looks like a swamp monster
made my dinner.
I stare at my food, trying to decide what to do. If I take the first bite, I
can’t give him that honor. If I make him go first, he may think I don’t want
to try what he prepared. Shifter social norms are becoming the bane of my
existence. Why can’t we just be ourselves?
I look around the table at the Alphas. Two of them mine, one of them
desperately trying to be mine. The feeling of something I’ve never truly had
teases my heart–family. A solution comes to me.
“Together. All of us,” I tell them. The shifter world may run on
hierarchy, but if we are going to be a family one day, we will be equals.
I feel pride through the bond from Anders. But there is trepidation from
Vaegon, along with a sense of inadequacy that shocks me. It’s so unlike the
cocky Alpha I’m used to. What is that about?
Anders shifts his emotions toward Vaegon, sending what I can only
describe as a smack to the back of the head through the bond. Vaegon and I
both jump and then stifle our laughs.
I realize Lucas is not privy to what’s happening, so I turn my attention to
my plate. I cut a piece of whatever this stuff is and spear it with my fork,
looking for them to do the same. When they are ready, we all lift our forks
and take the first bite of our meal together.
Then, we all choke and sputter together at the acrid taste that spoils the
moment. Lucas spits out his bite in his napkin and barks out a laugh at
himself. We all follow suit before chugging water or wine to wash the taste
away.
Vaegon stands, chuckling again. He whisks me out of the chair and
throws me over his shoulder. “Packhouse dinner it is,” he calls to the others
as he carries me outside. Anders and Lucas follow, and I hear Anders
muttering something to Lucas before clapping him on the shoulder. Vaegon
turns his head and bites my ass, which is up in the air, and I squeal and
growl an empty warning at him.
We end up having a nice dinner at the packhouse. I don’t enjoy the
shifters that are around staring at us, but, otherwise, it was a nice evening.
Lucas made dinner to humble himself, and I won’t ignore that. But I am
taking back cooking duties right away. We each need to play to our
strengths if we want to survive.
 Chapter 42
ANDERS

Jade slept with me last night, snuggling her little body against me like a
hedgehog. Her breathing leveled out within minutes, but I lay there for a
while, holding her and listening to her through the bond as she dreamt of
something joyful. I could lie awake every night just holding her, proving to
myself that she is truly there with me. That she trusts me enough—and likes
me enough—to sleep in my arms.
We get up and make breakfast together, both of us happy that she’s
reclaimed control of the kitchen. She makes goat cheese and ham omelets
while I work on small breakfast steaks with pan fried spinach and
mushrooms.
I sit down at the table with Lucas and Vaegon once they come
downstairs, and Jade gives us all a kiss on the cheek when she places our
food in front of us. Memories of the first day we let her spend time with
Brody come to mind, when her happiness lingered for hours. It gives me an
idea.
“Why don’t we invite Brody over for dinner tonight?” I offer Jade when
it’s just the two of us. He’s practically part of the family, and none of us are
intimidated by her feelings for him anymore. There’s no reason he can’t
spend more time with us.
 Her eyes light up, but I’m surprised when she informs me of the real
reason for her excitement. She whispers her plan to me, even though no one
else is here, and I head to the packhouse as soon as we are finished cleaning
up. I need to speak to Lucas and see if he can come home early again today.
I also need to find Brody and invite him over for dinner.
In the afternoon, Jade and I get started on her idea. Lucas gets home
about an hour early, and the three of us sit down and have a quick dinner.
Jade scurries around, resetting the table, then sits with Lucas and me in the
living room to wait for Brody and Vaegon.
Vaegon gets here first, and Jade throws her arms around his neck and
kisses him. He picks her up, wrapping her legs around his waist and grabs
the back of her neck with one hand, making her whimper and shudder at the
feel of his touch on his claiming bite.
They are in the middle of eating each other’s faces when Brody knocks.
Jade pushes Vaegon away and hops down before throwing open the door
and dragging Brody in by the hand.
He chuckles and gives her a peck on the lips, glowing from her
enthusiastic welcome. She gives him one of her luminous smiles and pulls
him toward the table before pushing him down in the chair that is usually
mine. He looks at the table and then back to Jade with a raised eyebrow.
So much happens in our house without words now. Even though she can
speak well, Jade only uses words when she wants to. When they’re really
needed. The silence Vaegon and Brody are accepting as they try to figure
her out right now feels natural when it would have been strange and
uncomfortable before Jade came into our lives.
She grabs Vaegon’s hand and does the same, shoving him into his
normal seat. He also surveys the table before looking up at Jade, only he
wears a smirk. I feel her giddiness meet his approval through the bond and
watch as the situation finally dawns on Brody as well.
“We are going to see my chickens,” Jade informs them. Their food is
already on their plates, and a bud vase with a red Lenten rose from the
woods behind the house sits between them. She took an irrational amount of
time outside earlier choosing what flower she wanted for them.
She grabs an extra bottle of wine and sets it to the side, admiring her
handiwork.
 After taking turns giving them short, but sensual, kisses, she grabs Lucas
and me by the hand and drags us out the door. I see Brody blush and look at
Vaegon with a smile as I’m pulled away. Vaegon’s back is to me, so I can’t
see his expression, but he leans forward toward Brody, resting his elbows
on the table.
As we head down the driveway, Jade gasps in delight and whisper yells,
“Look! They’re holding hands!” She points at the window where we can
see Vaegon and Brody’s fingers intertwined on the table.
Lucas chuckles at her excitement and wraps an arm around her, giving
her a small squeeze. “You’re sweet, Jade,” he tells her. She looks up at him
and grins. The height difference between them is absurd, but they look
charming together when she smiles up at him like that.
We visit Jade’s chickens, introducing them to Lucas. Amelia seems to
like him for some reason and thumps her head against his legs incessantly.
After the visit, we go to the packhouse to give Vaegon and Brody some
more time. We have a seat on the couches in the lounge area, and Jade sits
beside Lucas, which is a first. She even rests her head on his arm as she
watches other shifters milling about.
“Brody is like family, huh?” Lucas asks her. Her hand comes to her
chest, and I feel the squeeze of love that grabs her as she hears his words.
“Yeah,” she whispers, a small smile turning up the corners of her mouth.
“How would you feel if we asked him to be part of our family?
Officially.” This isn’t shocking to me. We discussed it this morning when I
came to see if he could leave early. It was Lucas who suggested it. He has
evolved, now putting others first and finally understanding what a head
Alpha is meant to be.
Lucas said that Jade’s love for Brody and Vaegon, and her love for their
feelings for one another, are important. He wants to prove to her that he
understands now. That he is willing to put her feelings and desires first. She
forgave Vaegon and me fairly quickly after we apologized. But things have
always been more tense between Lucas and Jade, so it’s taking a lot more
work from him for his apology to be accepted. I can tell that he would do
anything to make it happen.
Nothing comes through the bond at first, as if Lucas has overloaded her
system. When it really hits her, disbelief and suspicion are heavy across the
bond as she stares at his face. I lean over from my chair and touch her chest,
then his. It seems to be the new signal for her to check the bond, which only
shows the truth.
I wait patiently for her to check his sincerity. Once she has, my chest is
suddenly inundated with her joy as Lucas passes her test. Tears stream
down her cheeks, and she sobs as the gravity of what Lucas is offering sinks
in.
Lucas puts his arm around her in an act of comfort, but she scurries off
the cushion and climbs onto his lap. Grabbing his head in her hands, she
kisses his lips, cheeks, and forehead. Then they hold each other until she
stops sobbing, and she gives him a tender kiss between his eyes, right above
the bridge of his nose.
“Thank you, Alpha.” Her voice is shaky with emotion, but her words are
strong. It wasn’t that long ago that she very plainly stated that she hated
Alphas. Thanking Lucas and using “Alpha” as a term of endearment is
more than just progress. The impossible has occurred.
We relax in the packhouse, and Jade stays cuddled up on Lucas’s lap for
the remainder of our time there. I spend the time experimenting with the
bond, trying to send images and specific words through. After being able to
send Vaegon that jolt at dinner last night, I have come up with so many
things I want to try. I’m not sure if I’m successful, but Jade cocks her head
at me or snorts a laugh every once in a while. I’ll have to ask her about it
later.
When it seems like it’s been an adequate amount of time for Brody and
Vaegon to have engaged in a couple rounds of after-dinner activities, we
head back to the house to inform Brody and Vaegon of our offer. We know
failing to consult Vaegon in this decision is a risk, but I could feel Vaegon’s
adoration for Brody through Jade before we left, and I’m confident that it is
the right choice to leave it as a surprise for them both.
 Chapter 43
BRODY

Vaegon and I are sitting on the couch and having a drink when Jade and the
other Alphas get home. He felt when they were getting close, and we
cleaned up and came downstairs. My hand shakes when I lift the glass to
my lips, belying the calm demeanor I’ve been trying to hide beneath.
When I’m with Jade, I feel needed and complete. Like we are a seamless
entity that only exists because we are both a part of it. I know my place
when I’m with her. I feel like I’m exactly who I’m supposed to be. It’s
beautiful and feels… right.
When I’m with Vaegon, I feel like I’ve been thrown into an inferno of
blazing heat and power. But, somehow, he makes me feel like I’m the one
who started the fire. He dominates and devours me like a true predator but
lifts me high above himself like I’m more important to him than his meal.
The claw marks on my chest burn, even though my shifter genes are
healing them already. The taste of blood lingers in my mouth from his
brutal kisses, and I can feel him each time I swallow, my throat raw from
him driving his cock down it without mercy.
Flashes of how he pushed me onto my hands and knees and mounted me
from behind play through my mind. He wrapped an arm over my shoulder
and curved it around to find my pec with his hand. His claws in my flesh
and his teeth in his favorite place on my neck held me still while he railed
into me.
As dominant and forceful as he was, he still held me against his body,
eliminating the space between us. He jacked my cock at Alpha speed with
his other hand while his balls smacked against me repeatedly. I felt
consumed but exalted as he made sure I enjoyed my release before even
considering giving in to his own.
I shiver as he leans over and runs his tongue along the faint marks on my
neck from his fangs. He turns my face to his with his hand and presses his
lips to mine in a rare, tender show of affection that has me shaking all over
again. I hear footsteps outside and pull myself together as the others walk
through the front door.
Jade charges over and jumps on us both, showering us with kisses and
nuzzling our noses. I can’t help but laugh at her energy while trying to keep
my drink from sloshing out of my glass.
As quickly as she appeared in our laps, Jade vanishes, standing across
the room with Lucas and Anders, sporting a smile so big it looks like it
might break her. She must be so happy with herself for setting up this date
night for us. Sneaky little shifter.
I glance over at Vaegon. Instead of grinning at Jade’s enthusiasm, he is
stiff and eyeing Lucas like something is wrong. My mood drastically falls,
and I feel helpless, unable to do anything but wait for the conflict that
seems to be coming.
But… Lucas and Anders are smiling like Jade is. I’m so confused. I
remain still, less nervous now, but still apprehensive. I can’t ignore
Vaegon’s worrisome reaction.
“Jade, don’t you have something to ask Brody?” Lucas says. She smiles
and looks up at him.
Me? Why me?
“No. You do, Alpha.” There is a respect in her eyes I would never expect
her to show for Lucas, even if they are on better terms now. He caresses her
face and turns back to us. Vaegon’s breaths are slow but raspy, and I can
almost feel the fire swirling in his lungs.
Lucas smiles and looks right at me. Oh goodness, here it comes. A growl
rumbles quietly from the deepest part of Vaegon’s chest. Are they going
against his wishes on something? I fight off the trembles that are trying to
overtake my body.
Lucas gives Vaegon a pointed look before turning his eyes back to me. “I
have been a lousy head Alpha for this mate-group, and I don’t deserve
anyone’s respect or loyalty. I do promise, though, that, from now on, I’ll be
a leader who protects, listens, and puts my family before myself.
“I speak for all of us, Brody, when I say that you are like family. But we
don’t want you to be like family. We want you to be family. Will you trust
my promise to be a better leader and join our mate-group?”
I’m frozen in shock. I wouldn’t be able to talk even if I knew what to
say, but they are all staring at me, waiting for an answer. I look at Jade,
knowing I’ll get the most strength from her, and I find enough to say, “Yes.”
Vaegon jumps up and pulls me off the couch into his arms. He gives me
a short, hard kiss before dragging me over to the others. Jade is bouncing up
and down in little hops and jumps into my arms when I get close.
I see Vaegon punch Lucas’s shoulder in my periphery and laugh at the
fact that he didn’t know what they were planning, either. My laughs quickly
turn into sobs, and I have to swallow repeatedly to keep them down.
This is just so unexpected. All of it. The date setup, getting to have some
intimate time with Vaegon, Jade and Lucas getting along… and now being
invited into the mate-group.
I don’t know what I expected to happen with the three of us. The
situation was just too unique to be able to predict how things would go. I
figured it was possible that the Alphas would let Jade and me be together,
but not necessarily together like this. I was willing to gratefully accept any
time with her and Vaegon that I could get. But this? I don’t think I allowed
myself to consider it a possibility.
Just months ago, I was content, thankful for what I had in my life. A
loving family, a safe, honorable pack, a sexy Alpha to fuel my fantasies
from a distance. Then, I met Jade. A troubled Omega who appreciated me
and made me feel excited about life instead of simply content with it. I got
to see her bloom and was gifted the time to fall in love with her.
Her attention on me put me closer to the Alpha of my dreams than I had
ever let myself wander, and he noticed me. Now, I will have two mates…
two perfect mates. And a strong, loving family unit of my own.
 I may have managed to cut off the sobs, but my eyes refuse to cooperate.
Tears stream down my face and over my quivering lip. Lucas puts his big
hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze, and it helps ground me a bit.
“Welcome to the family, Brody,” he says before heading back outside.
Jade attaches herself to my front, and Vaegon sandwiches her in, putting
his arms around us both. He lowers his forehead to mine and purrs. Jade
turns to jelly, and my cock turns to steel. She giggles and grinds against it. I
laugh, too, and the intensity in the room dissipates.
“I’ll be right back!” Jade yells over her shoulder as she races into the
kitchen. Vaegon, Anders and I discuss the particulars of moving my things
over from the packhouse this week while we wait for Jade. We hear the
back door slam, and then again about a minute later. She scurries up the
stairs and is gone for a few minutes before racing back down to us.
Anders claps a hand on my back. “We have a room for you upst—” he
starts.
“It’s beside mine!” Jade butts in. “Vaegon’s is across! You can bring
your stuff.”
We all laugh at her energy as she pulls me up the stairs to show me my
new bedroom. It has a king-sized bed with pale blue bedding and smokey
gray-colored curtains. I assume this was a guest room, but as I look over at
my mates now wrestling on the bed, it already feels like mine.
I wander into my new bathroom and smile when I see that Jade has
stocked it with fresh towels and toiletries. A stemless champagne flute
holding a light purple flower rests on the counter by the sink. She must not
have been able to find another vase anywhere in the house, but it’s perfect.
I walk over to the counter and lean down to smell the lovely star-shaped
bloom. It doesn’t smell very nice, but that doesn’t bother me. It’s beautiful
and makes the space feel welcoming. That’s how Jade has always made me
feel–welcome.
“Astrantia. It stinks, but it means courage, strength, and protection.” I
hear Jade’s sweet voice from behind me. I turn to find her and Vaegon
standing in the doorway, watching me familiarize myself with the room. “It
reminds me of you,” she adds.
I don’t understand how she could see those traits in me. They all seem
like perfect words to describe her Alphas, not me. But I love her for
thinking of me that way.
 “Thank you, Jade. I love it,” I say as I make my way toward her to give
her a soft kiss. Vaegon presses against Jade’s back and guides us to the large
walk-in shower at the other end of the room. Before I can blink, the water is
on, and all our clothing has been shed from our bodies. Vaegon always puts
his Alpha speed to good use.
Jade steps into the shower and pulls us along with her. “Who can I
wash?” she asks.
“Omegas get washed,” Vaegon growls.
She scoffs and grabs the bottle of shower gel. “You can wash your hair.
I’m washing your bodies.” Our feisty mate will never be one to follow the
rules. That’s why she’s so damn special.
She motions for us to stand under the stream of water. It runs down our
backs and over our shoulders, and Jade drinks us in for a few long moments
before getting to work. Ignoring the loofah, she squirts way too much body
wash onto her palm and rubs her hands together. Our chests are soon
covered in suds as she runs her hands over every inch of our torsos.
I moan when she ventures down toward our cocks and takes a firm grip
on each of them. She slides her hands up and down our lengths in tandem,
and I watch in bliss as her fingers glide across Vaegon’s knot with each
pass. She’s had time to experiment since we were together last, and her
newfound confidence is insanely arousing.
Vaegon leans over and takes my mouth, biting my lower lip hard enough
to pierce holes in the flesh with the tips of his fangs, adding more sting to
the slashes he left earlier. It hurts, but it also feels fucking amazing. I roll
my hips forward as Jade jacks us, reveling in the attention I’m getting from
both of my mates.
As soon as Vaegon releases my face, Jade says, “Turn.”
I have no clue when she dropped to her knees, but there she is, kneeling
in front of us and tugging our bodies closer together. Vaegon and I rotate
until we are face-to-face, and she pulls us by our dicks like they’re leashes
until we stand almost flush against one another.
The only things separating our cocks are her soapy hands, and I instantly
become nervous. I think I’ll always be intimidated by Vaegon. It’s part of
his appeal. But, right now, I have no clue what to do other than stand like a
statue with my arms stiff by my sides. Vaegon smirks and tugs my head
back by my hair before bending over to lick the front of my neck.
 His aggressiveness pulls a whimper from me, and Jade and Vaegon
respond with respective growls. There couldn’t be two more perfect beings
on this planet. I don’t know why I’m lucky enough for them to be mine, but
nothing could pry them away from me.
Jade’s hands change course, and she loosens her grip on my shaft. I
watch her press Vaegon’s cock against mine and wrap her hands around
them both, covering them with suds. The feeling of Vaegon’s hard length
and swollen knot against my flesh makes me moan. I almost lose my load
when he wraps his arms around my back and grinds against me.
A low growl rumbles out of Jade’s mouth as she squeezes our slippery
cocks together, stroking us up and down with wild, fascinated eyes. I move
my left hand to her cheek and run my fingers across it to show my affection.
Vaegon follows suit but shoves his thumb in her mouth instead of caressing
her face.
She sucks on his thumb while increasing the pace of her hands. The soap
has rinsed from her hands and our bodies, but the head of my cock still
glides over Vaegon’s smoothly as she squeezes, making me shiver and
thrust hard against him. The end is near. It feels too good. The sight is too
erotic.
“Let go,” Vaegon whispers to me. He might as well have barked
because, as soon as the words leave his lips, my orgasm rips out of me. The
surges of my release somehow move in slow motion, extending the pleasure
of each rush leaving my body.
When I can breathe again, I open my eyes to see Vaegon’s dick covered
in my come and Jade licking her fingers while whimpering and squeezing
her legs together.
In an instant, Jade is in Vaegon’s arms and being shoved onto his creamy
cock. He fucks her violently and whips me around behind her, pulling me in
close. Jade whimpers as she grips his neck, and I wrap my arms around to
squeeze her breasts with one hand and rub her slick, sensitive clit with the
other.
Soon, Jade and Vaegon stiffen and jerk together, moaning and growling
through the waves of pleasure. I can only imagine what’s going through
their bond right now. Jade told me that the mark on the back of her neck is
Vaegon’s, so I move her wet hair to the side and kiss her shoulder and back,
making a trail toward it with my mouth. When I feel the raised skin under
my lips, I kiss it gently and run my tongue along the U-shape of the
bitemark.
They shudder at my touch as they hold each other, locked together in a
blissful afterglow. I feel strong hands grip my biceps and pull me closer
until I’m pressed so tightly against Jade I worry that I might be suffocating
her. But she snuggles back into my chest, sated and happy.
I bend down and turn her head gently to give her a slow, tender kiss. She
kisses me back lazily before her lips relax. Smiling, I move my mouth to
her ear and whisper, “I love you, Jade.”
Vaegon growls his approval and gives her a kiss of his own before
saying, “I love you, too, Jade.” She leans her head back and looks at me
before turning her eyes to Vaegon.
“Your turn,” she says, to both of us. I can feel my cheeks heat, realizing
what she wants. My body begs me to let it run away, but I summon the
courage she thinks she sees in me and tell Vaegon how I feel about him, too.
“I love you, Vaegon,” I say, unable to look at him. Courage only goes so
far. Jade reaches back and finds my hand before pulling it up and around
her to rest over her heart. I keep my eyes on his chest, more nervous than I
have probably ever been.
He grabs my jaw in his hand and lifts my face so he can see my eyes. I
struggle to hold his gaze, the instinct to submit strong at this moment. He
leans over and puts his face directly in front of mine, and says, “I love you,
too… mate.”
Before I know what’s happening, he jerks my head to the side and buries
his teeth in my neck. I feel the burn of his Alpha venom seep into my flesh,
marking me permanently as his. My cock had already begun to swell while
kissing Jade’s neck, but I wasn’t expecting a second release. His fangs…
the burn… it’s just too sexy. I can’t help but grind against Jade’s ass, and I
don’t even try to restrain the orgasm as it makes its way out onto her back.
Vaegon’s growl is deafening as it reverberates off the tile walls, and Jade
whimpers and writhes in his grasp as she comes again in his arms from the
sound of his power. Her eyes are closed, oblivious to the second-biggest
shock of the night. Vaegon licks my neck, sealing the wound, giving me
chills in the process.
I have two mates. Two perfect mates who love me. What am I doing
here? How did this even happen? It’s going to take some time for me to
accept that this is my reality.
We stand there for a long time, holding on to each other and simply
breathing. Jade has no idea what just happened, and I know we need to
explain it to her soon. I kiss the top of her head and pull away, washing my
hair quickly before Vaegon’s knot deflates.
Once it has, he washes his hair while I tend to our mate. Her eyes have
yet to open, sleep trying to take her under, so I finish as fast as I can. We get
out and wrap her up in two big towels, making sure she’s snug and warm,
and head back to the bedroom.
We all settle into the bed, my bed, without caring about clothing. Jade
looks like she’s almost asleep, so I tickle her feet until her eyes open. She
gives me a drunken smile, and her eyes wander all over my face. When they
land on the new claiming mark on my neck, she reaches out to run her
fingers across it. It’s not sensitive like hers and Vaegon’s are, but I enjoy the
feeling of her fingers there.
“I thought Betas couldn’t bond,” she says, more curious than upset.
“Was it magic that you could?” she asks.
I take her hand and kiss the back of it. “It’s not a bond, beautiful. It’s a
claiming mark. Alphas can claim Betas, but no bond is formed,” I say.
“It’s a mark showing everyone that Brody belongs to me, to our family,”
Vaegon says, inhaling deeply against her shoulder to pull her scent in. “Do
you understand?” he asks. He begins to purr, and she slumps against him as
she tries to digest the new information.
“Why didn’t you tell me it could happen?” she asks with a hint of hurt in
her voice.
“I had no idea I would be part of your mate-group one day. I didn’t even
consider this to be a possibility,” I tell her.
“I didn’t know, either,” Vaegon says. “I didn’t want to confuse you with
extra information when we were talking about bonds. It wasn’t a pleasant
discussion, and I wanted to get you past it so you could feel good again. I
didn’t know you and my brothers would sneak behind my back and invite
Brody into our family.” He smirks at Jade, who finally cracks a smile and
squeezes my hand.
“I’m sorry I didn’t stop myself from claiming him and ask you about it
first,” he says.
 “It’s okay,” she murmurs. “Nobody asks before biting around here.”
Vaegon and I laugh, thankful she can have a sense of humor about it.
“He’s ours, Jade,” Vaegon whispers in her ear. “He’s yours.” His purr
continues to rumble in his chest, and I resist the urge to snuggle into it, too.
“Brody’s mine,” Jade says. “Brody is my mate.” She’s stern and resolute,
like she’s daring anyone to argue with her. There’s my Omega.
“Yes. I’m yours, Jade. Forever. We may not be able to physically mark
each other, but you’re etched into my heart,” I tell her, hoping it’s enough.
Jade jerks, her eyes opening wide. “Anders… Can he come in?” That’s
not at all what I expected her to say. She grabs each of our hands and looks
at us questioningly.
“Yes, of course. Whatever you want, Jade. Always,” I assure her. Vaegon
nods, and we wait for the door to open. I feel a little awkward knowing I’ll
be naked in front of Anders, but I’m sure he won’t think anything of it, so I
try to relax a little.
Sure enough, Anders walks through the door and sits down like there
isn’t a pile of naked family on the bed beside him. “What’s wrong?” he
asks. Jade points to my neck.
She and Anders stare at each other for a few moments, likely
communicating through the bond. So much emotion crosses her face–
frustration, jealousy, desperation. Anders’s face remains passive. I wonder
what his emotions are like. Probably mild. Beta-like even. Whatever he’s
feeling causes Jade’s face to relax.
“You can get tattoos,” he says. “Of each other’s bite marks. Lincoln can
create a stencil out of your bites and then he can tattoo them wherever you
want.”
Brilliant. Lincoln is very artistic and loves being the pack’s personal
tattoo artist. He gave Vaegon his sexy tattoos, and, now, Jade and I can have
one, too.
Jade shifts her body so she can see Vaegon’s chest and runs her fingers
along his flames. She looks concerned and rubs her hands over her neck and
shoulders. “Where?” she asks me.
“Wherever you want. And I’ll put mine in the same place so it’s obvious
that they are a matching set,” I tell her, already wondering what color to get.
She nods and runs her fingers over her chest above heart. I love that idea.
 But she looks at Anders and touches the front of his shirt, probably
noticing that the mark would be covered by our clothing. No one else would
see it. Anders rubs the bare skin on her shoulder below his mate-mark.
“What’s wrong with here?” he asks.
She shakes her head. “No, this is your side.”
That means the other side and the back of her neck are both out. I touch
the front of her throat. “It would be painful to get here, but it would work,”
I suggest. She looks at my neck and my face and smiles, shaking her head.
“It would distract from your beautiful face,” she says. I laugh, though
I’m moved by her words, and I kiss her forehead.
“Thank you, Jade.” I think for a bit while looking down at our joined
hands. Our wrists are resting against each other’s, while our fingers are
intertwined. “What about here?” I ask, rubbing a finger along the inside of
her wrist and mine. “Everyone would be able to see them, but they wouldn’t
distract from our beauty.” I give her a wink. “And they would be touching
whenever we hold hands.”
She grins and nods her head, looking over at Anders. He nods, too,
letting her know that it’s an acceptable place, and we all relax now that
she’s happy. With that, Anders strolls out of the room as if he were never
here.
“What color will you get, beautiful?” I ask her.
“I picked where. You pick our color.” It touches me that she wants the
colors to match.
“Okay,” I say. “Purple, like your flower. It reminds me of you, too.”
She blushes and agrees. The love in my heart for how much she wants to
claim me consumes me. I couldn’t possibly be any happier than I am right
now. I lie down beside Jade, who is still snuggled up to Vaegon. Her fingers
trace his flames again, and I reach out to do the same.
We lie there silently for a bit, just content to be together. Jade sings to us
quietly, and I snuggle into whatever skin I can find and fall asleep in my
mates’ arms. This has been the best day of my life, and I look forward to
many more with my new family.
 Chapter 44
JADE

As difficult as it is to leave my sexy mates with all their hard muscles and
appendages in bed this morning, I have four big shifters to feed. I know
Brody will be here every night from now on, so I’m able to drag myself out
of bed and get ready for the day.
I quietly sing one of the songs I heard on the music player as I pull out
all the stops on breakfast. The singer is telling someone to relax and not
come when they want to. Anders told me coming is when you find your
release. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want someone to have their release.
It seems kind of mean, but the tune is catchy, and it won’t get out of my
head. I’ve noticed a lot of songs seem to be about mating.
Totally get it.
When the guys get downstairs, they find the table covered with bourbon
bacon pancakes, eggs cooked in every way imaginable, pan-fried potatoes,
fresh fruit and yogurt, and baked honey berry oatmeal.
I set Brody’s place beside Vaegon’s. It feels like that chair was always
waiting there for him. I know he prefers hot tea to coffee, so I made a cup
of Assam black tea for him and poured some orange juice on the side in
tribute to the citrusy layer of his natural scent.
I wait until they’re all seated before I join them, needing to see how the
table looks with all of them there. A tear rolls down my face at the sight. I
would have been content to be alone, but they make me feel happy.
Happiness isn’t something I ever expected to feel again.
Anders grabs my arm and pulls me onto his lap. After wiping the tear
away, he begins feeding me from his plate. I make sure to bite his finger as
he passes a chunk of melon between my lips and wiggle on the erection the
zing of pain causes him.
Brody and Vaegon look perfect beside each other. I have the best view in
the house for meals from now on. I watch as Vaegon mimics Anders and
slides a sliced strawberry past Brody’s peaked lips. Brody then mimics me
and nips Vaegon’s finger, giving me a wink.
We all laugh and continue binging on our breakfast. I find myself
peeking over at Lucas frequently. I can’t stop myself, no matter how hard I
try. It’s as if his appearance has transformed in the past twenty-four hours.
I’m used to seeing a brick house with a face. And a sour expression on that
face.
Now, I notice his golden eyes that are so animal-like, his thick muscles
that ripple with the slightest movement, his short, scruffy beard that I can’t
decide if it would feel scratchy or soft to touch, and the strongest jaw I
think I’ve ever seen, which, for some reason, makes my gums throb to look
at.
He catches me staring at him, and the side of his mouth twitches. “Is
there something I can do for you, Omega?” he asks, letting the deep
baritone of his voice slink over the table and onto my skin.
The power and suggestiveness of his words make me shudder, surprising
myself and Anders beneath me. I scrunch my shoulders and turn my face
into Anders’s chest, suddenly shy and a little embarrassed. I feel Lucas’s
chuckle between my legs and squeeze them together to ease the throb that
has suddenly begun.
Steeling my body, I finish my breakfast with my eyes on the mates
across from me. I give them kisses before they leave, and I’m already
planning what to take them for lunch as they walk out of the house. Lucas
heads toward the door, but I reach out for his hand to stop him.
I don’t understand this side of me. I can’t put my finger on what it is
exactly. The only way I can describe it is that he makes me feel small. But
it’s not in a bad way. I’ve never truly let his size intimidate me, but now I
can’t help but notice it. The image of my fingers trailing over every line of
his muscles bounces around in my mind as I try to remember why I stopped
him.
I shake my head to clear it, and decide to stand on my tiptoes with my
lips puckered, inviting him down for a goodbye kiss. We are still getting to
know each other after our fresh start, but I want to send him off properly in
hopes that he will have a good day if it begins well.
He cups my cheek with a palm almost the size of my entire face and
leans down, planting a light kiss on my lips. I can’t decide if I want to climb
his body like a koala and demand he take me to work with him or run and
hide in my room. In the end, I just stare up at him.
He smiles and turns before heading out the door and off to his duties. My
silly feet carry me to the window, and I watch him walk away until he
disappears from my sight. I realize Anders has been standing behind me
when he wraps his arms around my chest before resting his chin on the top
of my head.
Anders doesn’t fill the bond with much emotion. His side is typically
quiet. It’s nice to have the peace right now while trying to decipher these
new feelings I’m having for Lucas.
After a few minutes, the urge to dig through Lucas’s laundry basket
overflows my system, and I run upstairs for some garments to add to my
nest. Underwear. That’s what I want. I’m mortified when my hands shove
them against my face, and I almost inhale the fabric, trying to get his scent
into my body.
Anders follows me to my room and watches quietly while I weave a pair
into my nest and slip the other underneath my pillow. I climb onto the bed
and burrow myself in the various soft materials, feeling calmer and safer
under the weight of the pile on top of me.
I let a hand venture out to motion Anders over and all but attach myself
to him when he joins me. I feel weird and slightly out of control, and it’s
starting to make me panic.
“What’s happening to me?” I whisper. He hugs me tightly and kisses his
mark on my neck. I moan and hump the thigh my privates are draped over
and forget to worry for a moment.
“You’ve suppressed your Omega instincts despite three Alpha presences
surrounding you. That takes an incredible amount of strength. Now that
you’ve started to relax around us, like us, even…” he says with a smile and
a little shove, “…you’re letting your walls down. You’re fusing with your
Omega side since you’ve let her in. Your recent behaviors are all instinctual
ones.”
“What else will change?” I ask, needing to have some warning before
more of these weird urges start bombarding me.
“If you continue to get closer to Lucas, you’ll become more protective of
all your mates, especially when other Omegas are involved. There are only
a handful of Omegas in our pack, so that shouldn’t be problematic. Any
Betas that come too close to us, though, better watch out,” he says with a
smirk.
“And?” I know there must be more.
“And… you’ll react more to our voices, our growls, and our scents.
Look at your nest. It’s mostly comprised of our clothing. You crave the
peace and security that our scents give you because you know we will keep
you safe. You’ll probably want one or more of us with you at any given
time as well. Luckily, I’ll be at home with you, so you’ll never have to feel
alone. Brody will be home often during the day, too.
“Biological changes will include releasing more slick as you react to our
pheromones as well as going into heat every few months.”
“Heat?”
“A heat is a period of time when Omegas are fertile, meaning they are
able to make pups, lasting between two and four days. Your body will go
into a kind of mating craze, wanting to mate almost continuously. You’ll be
in an altered state of consciousness, but you should be able to remember
most of it. We will all be with you during those times to keep you safe and
sated.”
Mother and the basement... She would walk around naked in a daze,
smelling like a bakery. “Mother… wasn’t ill?” I muse aloud.
Anders, always one to catch on quickly, gets the idea. “You probably
saw your mother in heat from time to time. She only had one Alpha, so she
was probably frustrated and uncomfortable during those periods. Your
father would have a hard time keeping up with her need alone, especially if
he was as weak as his scent implied. Don’t worry, though. You have four
mates that can work together to satisfy you.”
Wait…
 “We will make pups?” I screech, remembering his comment a few
moments ago.
“Only if you want to, Jade. There are herbs you can take to prevent it.
You know a lot about herbs, so you know that their capabilities are endless.
I can take you to see my mother whenever you want to get what you need if
that’s the direction you choose. In the future, if you change your mind, you
need only stop taking the herbs, and you can have pups of your own. Of our
own.”
That makes me feel a heck of a lot better. I’ve barely begun to trust
them. I wouldn’t dare have a pup with them yet. Plus, I don’t know if I want
to be a mother. What if I’m horrible like my parents were? And the thought
of what might go into making and having pups is terrifying.
Thankfully, I don’t need to think about any of that right now, though. I
decide to get back to my original worry. “Why does Lucas make me feel
cute?”
“Explain,” Anders says.
“I feel small but not afraid. I seek him out, but turn away when he looks
at me. I reach for him, but don’t know what I want.”
Anders stares at me for a minute, computing something in that big brain
of his. “I think you’re flirting with him, Jade.”
“Flirting? What’s that?” I ask.
“Let me explain it this way. I think you’re feeling submissive. Not in a
weak way, but by choice to attract your Alpha. Lucas is strong. There’s an
extensive amount of power and dominance surrounding him. I don’t know
how you’ve resisted him as easily as you have, but I believe you’re starting
to let it affect you.
“You trust him more and feel attracted to him, whether you realize it or
not. Your actions toward him are an appeal to his Alpha instincts to pay
attention to you and to desire you.”
“Why is it different from the rest of you?” I ask, knowing I don’t feel
that way with the others.
“You react differently to all of us. Each of us has the ability to fill a
specific need for you. With Lucas, you crave his power. Your Omega wants
to be dominated by a strong, virile mate. She’s chosen him to fulfill that
need. Out of all of us, he is the most logical choice for it.”
 “Play to our strengths…” I murmur, recalling my decision to ban Lucas
from ever cooking again.
“Exactly,” Anders says, not realizing the humor of it. Feeling satisfied
with the new information, I take an hour or so to marinade in my mates’
scents and snuggle in the protective arms of the Alpha sharing my nest.
 Chapter 45
ANDERS

After our nap, I get to work in my office, and Jade does her outdoor chores.
After she’s showered and has lunch ready, we take it up to the packhouse
for my brothers, including the newest one.
Brody happens to be close by, so he gets to eat, too. I told Jade that his
schedule isn’t predictable, and he won’t always be there when she decides
to bring lunch for them. She didn’t care. She brought enough for him
anyway just in case he was there.
Jade can’t decide who to sit next to after she spreads out the food on one
of the tables in the dining area. There’s no official seating arrangement here
unless the Prime is present.
It must be overwhelming for her, having two bonded mates, an unbonded
mate she loves immeasurably, and then Lucas, who she’s recently become
interested in. She’s comfortable with the setup at home because it’s familiar,
but, here, it’s not so easy.
I feel panic start to creep into the bond, so I walk over and pull her into
my arms, hugging her tight and inhaling her sweet scent. “Why don’t we sit
like we do at home?” I offer.
“Or you can sit at the head of the table so you can see all of us,” Lucas
says. “It’s where you belong, anyway.”
 She peeks over her shoulder at him, watching as he sits in what would
normally be her place. A tenderness filters through the bond. Her emotions
are surprise and intrigue, but there is a soft feel to them.
She kisses my collarbone, and I set her back on her feet, interested in
what her choice will be. She glances over at Vaegon and Brody, who are
standing at the opposite end of the table, waiting for her decision. I hope
that, one day, there won’t be so many situations that confuse or upset her.
She makes her way to the head of the table and runs her fingers along the
back of the chair. Vaegon and Brody sit down across from Lucas, assuming
Jade will take the chair she’s standing behind. I remain where I am because
I know how unexpected our mate can be.
She looks strong and beautiful at the head of the table, but she steals my
heart when she sits beside Lucas, leaving the seat at the end of the table for
me instead. She’s doing it to be beside Lucas, not to honor me. I think that’s
clear to all of us, because Brody is looking at her with pride in his eyes, and
Vaegon begins piling food onto his plate, not waiting for me to sit down.
Lucas hides his surprise well and begins serving her. I take my seat and
watch as she’s transformed into a timid, submissive Omega, staring up at
her mate with wonder. It’s incredible, considering the amount of hatred and
spite she used to spew at him. The bond is now blank, and I look over at
Vaegon’s smirking face. He knows what’s happening, too. Brody pops
grapes into his mouth like he’s watching a good movie.
Lucas cuts up the meat on Jade’s plate and feeds her a bite, showing his
Alpha instincts to provide for his mate. She opens her mouth as the fork
comes close almost robotically and continues to stare at him while she
chews. The next time he offers her a bite, she grabs his thick wrist with both
hands and pulls it closer to her face to take the offering. Her hands linger on
his arm, and he waits for them to retreat before stabbing the next piece.
I realize the entire dining area is silent, the other shifters in the room
unmoving, like any sound might disturb the moment. The struggles we’ve
been having with Jade since she arrived have been no secret. There are
plenty of smiles in the room as they watch this development, the loving
nature of our pack shining through.
I can’t help the love I feel as well as I watch my mate and my brother
finally finding a connection. My emotion unfortunately snaps her out of her
daze, and she clears her throat before turning to look at me. Her pupils are
slightly dilated, and it’s a damn sexy look on her. Lucas has the strongest
Alpha pheromones. It’s all a matter of time now. She’ll soon be putty for
him like he is for her.
The other shifters in the room go back to their meals, giving her some
privacy. She lifts her own fork and begins eating, pretending as if nothing
just happened. We finish lunch, and she gives the others kisses, even Lucas,
before we pack up and leave. A small, sharp elbow jabs me in the side as
we leave the packhouse, probably a warning to keep my mouth shut about
what happened. I smile and keep it closed.
We stop by my mother’s house to pick up the herbs Jade and I discussed
on the way back home. I understand her hesitation to have pups. Her home
life was terrible, and she’s barely… hmm.
“How old are you, Jade?” I ask, after realizing none of us have any clue.
“Nineteen,” she answers.
Shit. She must have just presented before we took her. If she had been
alone for three months like she said, she must have gone through her
presentation alone, or with only her awful father. There was no one to guide
her through the experience or explain the physiological changes. She’s still
so young despite technically being a mature shifter.
“Will you tell me about your past?” I ask. “Brody told us your father was
a cruel Alpha, and your mother left you with him, but that’s all we know.”
It would be beneficial for us to know so that we can understand her
better. Obviously, we should have asked a long time ago, but it’s not too late
to help her heal from her trauma.
“Not much to tell,” she says. “My mother was perfect until I was almost
eight, then she got sad and left. My father forced me to do the chores. He
beat me when he felt like it and locked me in my room when I wasn’t
working. He was going to sell me.” Her explanation is matter of fact. I
don’t even sense any emotion through the bond, but she can definitely feel
my disgust and anger at her revelation.
I hope she killed him. I hope she disemboweled him and watched him
bleed out.
Jade puts her arm around me and gives me a small squeeze. How can she
be so calm? How terrifying that had to have been. I have to know that he’s
gone for good. If he’s not, I won’t be able to have peace until I’ve hunted
him down and ripped him to shreds.
 “Is he dead, Jade?” I ask through gritted teeth, trying to keep myself
calm. I don’t like this anger raging inside me. I can only imagine how
Vaegon feels, being constantly plagued by anger. How does he keep from
destroying everything when he feels like this?
“Yes. He drank himself to death. What a moron.” Her words douse the
anger inside me, and I see her roll her eyes when I look down at her. I know
she’s trying to pacify me with her humor, but I can’t find any laughter. I’m
just relieved that he’s gone.
“I’m sorry for your awful parents, Jade,” I say. “But it’s okay to feel sad
or hurt. You don’t have to hold it in.” She’s so strong, but she shouldn’t feel
like she has to be.
She just shrugs and continues to walk. I let it go, determined to help her
process her past when she’s ready.
“Our father died when I was a pup,” I tell her. It’s only fair to share my
past with her, too. “I don’t remember him. I was too young. Vaegon came to
live with us when we were three. I don’t remember that either. I just always
remember him being there. Lucas remembers. He was seven when Vaegon
appeared. He remembers our father, too, but only a little.”
“Was he an Alpha? Was he bad?” she asks, unsurprisingly assuming the
worst.
“Yes, he was an Alpha, but from what I’ve been told, he was an
exceptional one. He died protecting our pack from Alphas from a violent
neighboring pack that attacked our lands. He did an honorable job fighting
for our pack, but ended up falling when three came at him at once.”
“Anders, I’m so sorry,” Jade whispers. But I don’t have an emotional
attachment to him, so I just send thanks and peace through the bond.
“Our mother was enough. More than enough. She raised us on her own,
with a little help from the pack, of course. And she took Vaegon in
immediately when she realized how attached to me he was and how content
I was with him around.”
A flash of guilt comes through the bond. “What’s wrong, Jade? Why do
you feel guilty?” I ask her, perplexed.
“I didn’t want to help her,” she mumbles. I remember her hesitation
when I asked her to give my mother some of the plant for the Betas.
“I was angry that she raised you wrong. That she allowed you to hurt
me.”
 “She is a good shifter. I promise. She’s not at fault for what we did to
you. We acted based on our culture. Our system is somewhat messed up,
but she neither created it that way nor instructed us to adhere to it.”
I don’t want her to hold our wrongs against our mother. Jade has every
right to be upset, but my mother doesn’t deserve Jade’s anger. If anything,
we dishonored our mother by how we treated Jade.
She doesn’t speak as we approach Mother’s house, but many disjointed
emotions jerk along the bond. I give her time to process what she’s feeling.
But it’s not a lot of time, because we are soon at my mother’s front door. I
knock and wait for the uncomfortable interaction to begin.
 Chapter 46
JADE

I don’t really know what to think as we wait for Anders’s mother to answer
the door. I want my herbs, so I’m here. But I’m still not convinced of his
mother’s innocence. I’ll give her a chance because I would want a chance,
but that’s it.
Anders takes my hand, and I hold on to it tightly. As strong as I feel,
having my mate close to me is soothing. The door opens, and his mom steps
out to wrap him in a hug, but I refuse to let go of his hand.
She had her time with him. This is mine. He is mine. My gums start to
tingle, and I struggle not to hiss at her. Calm trickles through the bond, and
I relax somewhat and stare at the ground.
“Hi, sweetie,” she says, speaking to Anders.
“Mother,” he responds. It’s short and to the point, but I can feel his love
for her, and I hate that it’s making me so mad. I try to remember Brody
snapping me out of my angry spiral when Anders asked if I would share my
Feldenrod with her. Brody wants me to see the good in others. The least I
can do is try to look past the angry haze that’s making me laser-focused on
the bad.
“Jade, I’m so glad to see you. I’m Liana,” she says, addressing me after
her son.
After the Alpha.
 Keeping my gaze on the ground, I nod and wait to be allowed in. She
must step back because Anders pulls me inside by our joined hands, and I
have to shuffle behind him into the room. After standing in awkward
silence for what feels like hours, I decide to get things moving.
“I don’t want pups. We’re here for herbs,” I tell her.
I know I should ask, but this is just so fucking hard for me. I’m doing the
best I can. Brody seems to see through me, to see what I really need. But
I’m not going to find a reason to forgive my mother’s betrayal at this house.
I just want my nest.
It doesn’t seem like Anders warned his mother of our visit, because she
gasps and says, “Oh, but you must have pups!”
I jerk my head up and give her a small growl. I don’t appreciate being
told what I should do.
“No,” I say.
Anders sends calm through the bond again, but I’m having trouble
accepting it.
Liana looks taken aback, like I slighted her. How dare she act like a
victim?
“Jade, she’s just disappointed. She wants to be a grandmother,” Anders
says, trying to diffuse the situation.
“Yes, Jade. I’m sorry,” she says. “I really do want to be a grandmother.
You and my sons would make beautiful pups together. They would be
wonderful fathers, I assure you.”
“You think you know me, but you don’t,” I snap. “Not everything is
about you and your sons.”
“I’m sorry,” she says again. “I didn’t mean to overstep. I’ll give you
what you need, but will you at least tell me why you don’t want pups? I
know I have no right to know, but I would like to understand.”
“I want to know what the herbs are and how much of each to use so I can
make my own,” I say, ignoring her question. I gave her my plant. Now she
can share hers with me.
No one speaks for a while. She finally nods and turns around, heading
down the hall to the back of the house.
Liana returns a few minutes later with a piece of paper and a small bag
of herbs. “Here you are, darling. The paper tells every herb that’s in here,
how much of each, and how to take it. If you don’t have something from the
list at your house, let me know. I’ll get you some to plant for yourself.”
Her kindness makes me feel like I’m mean, and I hate it. I hate the
anger, the guilt, the confusion. My parents fucked me up so badly. How am
I supposed to interact with anyone after what they turned me into? Brody’s
smile flashes through my mind over and over, making me feel more and
more terrible. He would be so disappointed in me right now. Knowing that
feels much worse than the ill-will I’m feeling for Liana.
I take the paper and the bag from her hand and give her what she wants
in return. “It wouldn’t be fair for pups to have a mother like me.” I turn to
head out the door, having done what we came here to do. Liana rushes past
me to the door, and I think she’s going to block my path. But she opens it
for me instead.
“The fact that you want to spare them from how you think you’d be
means you have the heart of a mother, Jade. I hope one day you’ll consider
giving yourself a chance to be the good mother I’m sure you would be.”
I wish she would just stop. Anders could have gotten these herbs himself
and spared me. Coming here was a bad idea. I feel trapped, and it’s hard to
breathe. I have zero control. As I look her in the eye, I’m unable to stop my
words from slipping out of my mouth.
“Do you think you were a good mother?”
Her face falls, and she seems at a loss for words. Anders struggles to
hide the stab of pain to his heart that digs a trench along the bond. Shit. Why
am I like this? Why can’t I just be nice?
“I tried,” Liana says meekly. “I’m not perfect, but I did my best. It’s not
my place to apologize for my sons, but, if I need to take some responsibility
for how they’ve treated you, I will. I’m sorry, Jade.”
Fuck. She’s actually amazing. Who would take the blame for something
so horrible other than a good mother? A loving mother.
Again, I’m consumed by jealousy and resentment. Not just for my
Alphas, but for anyone who got to have a decent mother. Why did mine
have to be so weak? To break and stay broken, even when she had someone
worth stitching herself back together for. She left me to fend for myself and,
eventually, to end up becoming just like her.
My vision narrows, and it feels like the world is spinning. I beg Anders
for help through the bond, and he immediately reacts, pulling me into his
arms and cuddling me against his chest. His minty scent clears my head,
and I take deep pulls of it into my lungs, hoping it can cleanse my body of
the hatred that’s trying to consume it.
Just as I’m beginning to relax, I feel Vaegon’s anger assault my chest. He
must have felt my distress, and now he’s furious. I’m afraid he’ll show up
and try to take out whoever is hurting me.
I would never ask him to choose me over his mother. Especially when
I’m the one causing my own pain. I send him love and appreciation for his
protectiveness and try to show him that I’m calmer now. But he still doesn’t
relax. His anger only worsens. I hate myself for making him feel this way.
He’s losing control because I couldn’t control myself.
It’s my responsibility to fix this, but I’m utterly useless. I want to
scream, hide, and just give up on life. But then, something amazing
happens.
Calmness from Anders begins to soak the bond. It seeps deep into our
link, and somehow finds the one I have with Vaegon, bleeding into it as
well. The fury from my aggressive Alpha soon fizzles out completely, and I
can breathe again. I now feel nothing but pure love from every direction.
“I’m the core…” I mumble, remembering Anders’s words. Pulling away
from his chest enough to see his face, I run my hand along his jaw. “You’re
our peace.”
I look over at Liana, and tears are running down her cheeks. She lowers
her eyes to the floor.
Fuck it. Whatever my mother did—whatever anyone’s mother did—no
longer matters. I have a family now. A damn good one. They should be my
focus. They are what matters most.
Anders licks my neck over his mate-mark, and I’m a little embarrassed
for his mother to hear the whimper that escapes out of me. She just gives a
knowing smile and steps closer, looking in desperate need of a hug. I hold
out my hand to her, and she closes the distance before wrapping her arms
around us both.
“Thank you,” she whispers in my ear. She’s not a selfish Omega. She
just loves her sons. Maybe, one day, I’ll be able to see her as a kind of
mother for myself. Not because I need one, but because I deserve to enjoy
having one if I want to.
 Chapter 47
BRODY

“I’m going to be late for dinner. Please tell Jade I’m so sorry. I want to be
there more than anything, but Freya’s roof has a leak. I need to patch it to
keep the rain from damaging anything in her house,” I tell Anders.
I called him to make sure Jade knows why I won’t be there on time. It
started pouring about an hour ago, and I can’t leave Freya with a mess in
her home. I hope Jade isn’t too upset with me for not making it. I know
she’ll understand, but I also know that meals are important to her. I’m glad
we all got to have lunch together this afternoon. Hopefully that’ll soften the
blow of me being super late.
After helping Freya’s mate-group, I jump in my car and head home. My
new home. The love in my heart at the thought of my family dissolves the
frustration and worry of being late. I get to spend forever with them. A
couple of hours apart won’t kill me.
The worry rushes back, squeezing my lungs, when I walk in the door and
see Jade curled up in Lucas’s lap, hiding her face from me.
She is mad. Crap. How can I show her how sorry I am?
I walk over and sit down on the couch beside her and Lucas. I reach out
my hand to rub her back, but think better of it. She doesn’t deserve to be
touched without my asking when she’s upset. She stays glued to Lucas’s
chest, like she’s part of him. She won’t even look at me.
 As glad as I am that she’s warming up to him, it hurts that she would
rather hold him than acknowledge me. I should have gotten Jessen or
Samuel to help Freya. I should have called in a favor or something. Jade is
so strong, but underneath it all, I know she’s still struggling. I should have
put her first.
“Jade, I’m so sorry,” I tell her. “I should have gotten someone else to
help and been here for dinner. I promise not to let it happen ag—” Vaegon
doesn’t let me finish. He pulls me up from the couch and gives me a firm
kiss.
“She’s not mad at you, mate. She needs you,” he says.
I’m confused. None of this makes sense, and the kiss didn’t help any. It
just made my brain mushy for a few seconds while I tried to digest
everything.
After I continue to stand there flustered, Vaegon moves around me to
untuck Jade from Lucas’s arms and brings her over. He thrusts her against
my chest, and I’m surprised when she wraps her arms around my neck and
rests her head on my shoulder. I wish someone would tell me what’s going
on.
“Just take her to your room and talk some sense into her,” Lucas says. I
feel my nose crinkle up as I look down at the beauty in my arms. I’m so
lost, but I know I need to find a way to help her out of whatever thoughts
she’s stuck on right now.
I do as Lucas asked and take her upstairs to my room. I turn on the lamp
instead of the overhead light, knowing Omegas feel safer and more calm in
dimmer settings. As much as I want to hold her tight while we talk, I need
to see her face. To see her be strong on her own, as I know she can be.
I set her against my pillows and sit on the edge of the bed facing her. Her
shoulders are hunched, and her chin is almost on her chest. She almost
looks… ashamed. I can’t stand seeing her like this. What did I do to make
her feel this way? Did she initially get angry at my absence from dinner and
get scolded by Vaegon or Lucas? They should have just let her stay mad at
me.
“It’s okay to be mad at me, Jade. I understand. I goofed,” I tell her,
reaching for her hand. She shakes her head but still won’t look at me.
“I’m not mad at you,” she says.
“Then what is it? Please talk to me.”
 “I saw Liana today,” she whispers. Okay, well, that still doesn’t make
sense, but it does make me a little less worried.
“Okay. Why are you upset about that?” I ask.
“I wasn’t nice. I said some things… I was rude to her.” She pulls her
hand out of mine and hugs herself with her arms.
“Do you think I’m disappointed in you, Jade?”
She finally looks up, and I can see that she’s been crying. I remember the
day I met her, how angry she looked when Anders mentioned his mother.
My poor mate has had such a hard time with relationships. She had to
mature much too fast and without any guidance. I hate that she thinks I
would be upset with her over her feelings.
“I’m not disappointed in you,” I say. “Your feelings, every single one of
them, are valid. You don’t have to try to make me proud, Jade. I’m not your
parent. I’m your mate. Your equal. I’m in love with every part of you. Even
the troubled ones.”
“I tried to focus on the good, to find the good, like you told me to. I just
couldn’t. My anger controlled me,” she says, still looking ashamed.
“I just told you that so you’d listen to your heart because your heart is
already good. Your difficult life has formed a hard shell around that heart
because it needed to be protected. But I’m here now, Jade. I’ll protect your
heart. You don’t have to do it yourself anymore.”
She looks up, and, before I can react, charges at me. She slams into me
so hard, we both fall off the bed. I land on my back, and it knocks the wind
out of me. I want to laugh, but there’s just no air. After I heave for a while,
my smiling mate attacks my mouth with kisses, stealing the breath I finally
managed to find.
We both begin to laugh, still lying on the floor, and the door swings
open. Our other mate strolls in and picks us both up and tosses us on the
bed. He must have felt her mood change through their bond. He pulls Jade’s
clothes off her body slowly and lays her on her back. Then it’s my turn. He
lets his hands brush against my skin as he removes the fabric from me, just
as he did to Jade.
I expect him to be naked in another second or two, but he surprises me
by rolling my body on top of Jade’s and leaving the room.
 Chapter 48
JADE

Vaegon is funny, and sweeter than anyone would believe. He’s giving us
some time alone tonight. I know I can speak for Brody when I say we
would always be happy to have him with us, but I’ll enjoy the alone-time
with my Beta.
I’m so relieved that he’s not disgusted by my actions. It’s strange. I’ve
never really cared what any of the Alpha’s think about my behavior or
feelings. But Brody is so good and pure, I feel like anything negative I feel
or do will taint him.
But he’s right. We are equals, as much as it doesn’t feel like we should
be. He’s taught me a lot about life, and he’s just so perfect. How could I
possibly not belong beneath him? If he says we are equals, though, then we
are.
The view from beneath Brody is stunning. He’s every bit as beautiful as
he thinks Vaegon is. His aura is just bright and warm, whereas Vaegon’s is
dark and dangerous. They are a perfect balance of each other, and I get to
have them both.
I realize he’s gazing at me the same way I’m gazing at him. My heartrate
speeds up, and chills run along my body as we share this quiet moment. Is
this what being in love is like?
 I hold his cheeks in my hands and let my fingers trail down his smooth
jaw. He leans in to kiss me, and I let myself go. No thoughts of inadequacy,
no worries about anything at all. Just feeling and reacting to Brody’s tall,
bare body above me. His kisses are so tender, they make tears slip down my
cheeks as he loves my mouth.
I run my hands down his neck and over his chest. He’s much leaner than
my Alphas, but his muscles are still strong and make me feel just as safe.
The hair on his stomach brushes along my skin, and I push myself up
against it, somehow finding comfort from it, too.
He continues kissing me, and I feel my slick begin to flow. I swallow the
sound of his groan as he kisses me and presses his hard dick against my
privates. Things get slippery fast, and I want nothing but for him to be
inside me right now. He rubs back and forth against that sensitive place I
have before sliding inside.
I would never have imagined wanting anyone to pin me down like this,
taking their pleasure from my body at their will. But he could smother me
to death right now if he wanted to, and I’d die in bliss. He feels so right
above me. It’s beautiful, just like he is.
I wrap my legs around his waist as he begins to move in and out of me.
The rolling motion of his hips is so sexy, I have to pull my face away from
his kisses to get a better look. My tears come faster as I watch and feel what
his passion is doing to me, and I have to wipe my eyes so I can continue to
see him.
My hips decide to join his movements, and it makes him go deeper, to
become a bigger part of me. The pleasure and pressure build from where
he’s tucked inside me and begin to spread. My hips lose the rhythm he set,
but I can’t help how they want to grind and circle instead of roll. Before I
can worry about how that makes him feel, he kisses me hard and holds me
against him, letting me grind as much as I want.
He keeps pushing in and out slowly as I shove my body against him, and
my release unfurls inside, tearing through my veins and making every
muscle stiffen as it washes over me.
Brody gets jerky, and I know he’s about to experience his own. I
memorize every movement and every small sound he makes. If we can’t
have a bond, I’ll make my own by studying him, listening to him, and
getting to know him as well as I know myself. The world may not want us
to have that special connection, but I don’t play by the rules. Brody is part
of me, and no bond could possibly be stronger than that.
 Chapter 49
VAEGON

I let myself into Brody’s room and take a moment to look at my mates.
Their bodies are wrapped up in each other while they lie dead asleep. As
much as my Alpha instincts wanted my mates with me, I let them have last
night to themselves. Sometimes, Jade will need just Brody or one of her
other mates. Maybe there will even be times she needs just me. Whatever
she needs is what she’ll get.
Anders and I could still feel her pleasure, even though she was alone
with Brody. He and I sat and had a drink with Lucas, trying to hide our
reactions to the swells of love and pleasure flowing through the bond.
Anders seemed to effortlessly cloak what was happening inside him, but I
struggled. I’m well-acquainted with hiding rage and aggression, not love
and arousal.
It didn’t really matter what our faces said. We were both hard by the time
they finished. I hate that Lucas still can’t access the bond. That’s Jade’s
choice, but being on the outside must be fucking hard for him. Especially
since he’s the head of the mate-group. Luckily, Lucas acted like he didn’t
notice anything. He’s been happy lately. Happier than I’ve probably ever
seen him.
He put a lot of blame on himself for what we did. But it doesn’t matter
that he’s the leader. I would have done the same thing whether he
encouraged it or not. He was doing what he thought was expected. I was
just an angry, cocky asshole who thought the world owed me something.
Watching my mates sleep soundly and knowing they’re mine makes me
want to gut myself. I was such a bull-headed idiot. Self-loathing is going to
be a hard thing to shake after being given such undeserved gifts.
Brody has always been around. A kind, attractive shifter that seemed to
linger close by whenever he saw me. His attention stroked my ego, but I
couldn’t let myself be interested. I saw him as fragile and too expensive to
risk breaking. And Jade was the mate I felt entitled to. But, when we got
her, I took her disrespect and stubbornness as a sign that she needed to be
broken and reformed as we saw fit.
Seeing them together in the field that day changed something in me.
They looked at each other with the love of true mates. They touched and
talked like they’d known each other for a lifetime. The smiles they traded
gut-punched me repeatedly as I lay there in the sun, trying not to burst into
flames.
I wanted to be jealous that my mate chose Brody over me. But I
couldn’t. He was just as perfect as she was. The sight of them together was
just too fucking beautiful. I saw the strength in each of them that day. Jade
tried to protect Brody from me when she thought my bite was hurting him.
Brody accepted the risk of touching an Alpha’s mate to comfort Jade and
protect her from her sadness.
Now, I get to rough them up, pound them into mattresses, and bite the
shit out of them wherever and whenever I want, and they eat it up like they
have wolves of their own. My mates are strong. I have always been the
broken one.
I crawl up the bed and grab each of them by their hair before jerking
their heads back to wake them. Two sets of light eyes shoot open, and I kiss
two mouths and smack two round asses. Jade giggles, but Brody just moans
and rolls over, too sleepy to care.
“Up! Don’t make me bark!” I growl. “Don’t you have mate-marks to
get?”
Jade jumps up and runs to the bathroom to get ready. After lying beside
Brody, I latch on to my claiming mark on his neck while we wait for her to
finish. I could do this all damn day. Just thinking about this exact spot on
his skin makes my mouth water.
 My chest rumbles out a low purr as we lie together. I’m not sure what he
thinks of it since Alphas typically only do that for Omegas. But he sighs,
relaxing and wrapping an arm around me, so I decide not to stop myself. I
enjoy the quiet and my mate’s flesh under my fangs while we wait for our
Omega.
Jade soon comes in and gives us a huge smile as she plops down on the
bed behind me. A warm, wet tongue runs along my neck across my mate-
mark, making my hard cock press against Brody’s side with the jolt of
arousal it causes.
But we don’t have time for pleasure this morning because Lincoln is
waiting for us. I’m just about to tell her to cut the teasing out when she
leans over my body and takes Brody’s wrist. Her small hands turn over his
larger one, and she licks the place where his tattoo will soon be. It’s fucking
sweet.
Shit. Sometimes, I can’t tell if a feeling is hers or mine. I have so many
emotions now that I never had before. This mushy one is strange and fluffy,
and I’m not sure what to do with it.
Brody takes her hand and kisses her back on the same spot on her own
wrist. “Ready to get it done?” he asks her. She nods, and we all get up. I
carry her downstairs while Brody gets ready. The smell of breakfast has
been taunting me since I woke up, and my stomach finally stops growling at
me when I plop Jade down at the table.
Anders made breakfast to give her more time to rest after her emotional
evening. He’s a damn good mate. And a damn good brother. Being
physically near him to calm down is no longer necessary. He somehow
discovered a way to send whatever he has that I need through the bond. I
can feel him as long as the links are open, and my fire remains a simple
flicker. The intensity of the relief almost makes me nauseated at times. But I
welcome the shit out of it.
“You put pecans in the pancakes!” Jade squeals when Anders puts her
plate down in front of her. Anders seems to have picked up some tips from
Jade in the kitchen.
He gives a half smile and just says, “Yep.” Brody comes bounding down
the steps shortly after and takes his place beside me.
Usually, Jade digs into her food when we sit down to eat, but, today, she
leaves her hands in her lap and looks over at Lucas, waiting for him to take
the first bite. As soon as Lucas realizes what she’s doing, his face softens,
and I hear his heart beating harder than before.
They stare at each other, Lucas not knowing what he should do, Jade
waiting patiently for him to take what she’s offering. When he finally does,
they both smile, and the rest of us begin to eat.
It’s crazy what Jade has opened our eyes to. This mealtime tradition that
had become habit carries weight again. Seeing her submit to his authority
over our family speaks louder than any mindless compliance or baring of
necks.
Lucas is a good Alpha. He wasn’t any more misguided than the rest of
us. He was under more pressure and didn’t know he could question the
rules. I’ve recently seen Jade’s Omega trying to get her to submit to him. I
can feel it in the bond more than see it. Her emotions go almost blank when
she has his attention, and I have a feeling her instincts will erupt for him
soon. Makes me fucking happy.
After we eat, Lucas heads to work, and Anders goes up to his room to do
his own thing. Jade, Brody, and I walk to Lincoln’s place.
“Are you nervous?” Brody asks Jade. She looks down at their wrists
resting against each other as they walk hand in hand. Almost everything in
her life has been a threat, and she’s had to be hesitant and untrusting. I’m
surprised when she shakes her head.
“Nope. Impatient, but not nervous.”
“Me too,” Brody tells her. “But maybe a little… anxious,” he adds. I
grab the back of his neck and give it a squeeze. He’s tougher than he gives
himself credit for. It’ll hurt, but he’ll take it. If he can handle me, he can
handle a needle.
“Do you think Lincoln would show me more of his art?” she asks. It’s
nice to see her interest in other members of the pack.
“I’m sure he would,” I tell her. “He’ll be proud as fuck to know you’re
interested in it.”
Brody and Jade handle the pain well and leave with sexy corresponding
purple tattoos, already healed and ready to be shown off. They hold hands
the entire way home, and we admire how Jade’s bitemark nestles
seamlessly into Brody’s.
I took the day off to be with my mates. We end up just lazing around and
having lunch with Anders. I wish Lucas was here, at least through the bond.
But we’ll get there. I can see the hunger in Jade’s eyes when she looks at
him sometimes. Her sexual appetite won’t allow her to resist him much
longer.
 Chapter 50
BRODY

Jade looks absolutely beautiful this evening. It took her forever to get ready,
but we all waited patiently, appreciating her excitement about doing
something with us and the pack. She’s wearing a dark purple dress that
makes the lavender tattoo stand out. I’m willing to bet that was intentional.
The cobalt blue Henley shirt I’m wearing was thrust into my hands not
long ago. No one has picked out my clothes for me since I was a youngling.
The color complements the shade of Vaegon’s eyes. I wonder if that was
intentional as well.
Lucas is wearing a charcoal grey button-up with greyish blue pants,
looking more formal than usual. Anders is dressed how he typically would
be in chinos and a black polo, but his hair is sporting a bit more dimension
than his normally slicked-back style. As I look around, there’s a little extra
Jade in all of us. The fact that she wants us all to look good in front of the
pack is so meaningful. She’s claiming us.
As we walk around, greeting pack members and my family, Jade looks
confident and proud. She hasn’t let go of my hand since we got here.
Vaegon has been on my other side, holding the back of my neck and
brushing his fingers along my claiming mark. My mates are so damn proud
that I’m theirs. I can’t help but blush and preen at the same time.
 Jade sits between Lucas and Anders while we eat, letting them take turns
feeding her small bites. When I’m finished, I stand to go set up for a couple
songs with Jessen. Jade follows and stands as close as she can while I sing,
hanging on every word like she did the first time I sang for her.
I faintly hear her humming along with the tune. After hearing her
beautiful voice last night, I’ve been thinking of songs to teach her that we
can sing together. Maybe even during pack dinners if she feels up to it.
She’s worked so hard to learn to speak again. She deserves to show
everyone what she’s accomplished.
I run over and grab her and hold her tightly against me when Jessen and
I finish. She nuzzles into the hollow right below my neck and breathes me
in like an Omega would her Alpha. I feel high and yet so humbled at the
same time.
When Jade turns to look around, the guys are gone, probably getting
ready for the pack run.
“Ready to see your mates’ wolves?” I ask, expecting her to be excited.
She’s not. Instead, she freezes and whips her head around, looking for an
escape. Pushing against my chest, she tries to get down and bolt, but I hold
her tight and shush her.
“Hey, you’re safe. You know I’ve got you. What’s wrong?” She stops
struggling but continues to wheeze and search for an exit. Tears are
everywhere, and the adrenaline racing through her system makes her vibrate
in my arms.
“Take me home, please,” she whimpers. I pull her legs around my waist
and walk her to the packhouse porch. Shifters are looking at us, but no one
comments. Our pack has been very understanding of what Jade’s been
going through since she came here. I couldn’t be more thankful for them
and for my parents for running such a tight-knit community.
I stand by the door and tell her, “We can go inside at any time, but I need
you to tell me what’s wrong first.” I feel her head nod against my shoulder,
so I sit on one of the lounge chairs on the porch.
I can barely hear my mate’s whisper tickling my ear. “I hate wolves.
Please let me go home.” She tugs at my shirt and sobs.
Has she never met their wolves? Surely, if she had, she wouldn’t be
afraid of them. What could be causing her fear? I realize how obvious the
answer should have been when it hits me. Her father. I’m sure this fear is
his fault. He must have threatened to use his wolf against her.
Jade still doesn’t talk much about her past. There’s a lot we don’t know,
but we’ve been waiting for her to tell us when she’s ready instead of
pushing her. This needs to be pushed, though. She’ll have to face her fear of
wolves sooner rather than later if she’s going to feel safe here.
“Was it your father?” I ask her softly.
“His wolf was worse than he was,” she says.
His wolf? What kind of sick fuck does it take to have a perverse wolf,
too?
Anders told us the details of what she revealed to him about her past.
Thank goodness he’s dead. Part of me wishes he weren’t so the Alphas
could hunt him down and give him the death he deserved. But, in the end,
him not being a threat anymore is good enough. I hug her as tightly as
possible, hoping it makes her feel safer.
“I’m so sorry, Jade. Your father’s wolf must have been sick. Your
Alphas’ wolves all love you already. I promise. They would never hurt
you.”
She hugs me back and nods, but I hear her sniffles. She’s still wary of
them. It would be good for her to see them tonight and get the introductions
over with. If she’s left to worry until the next pack dinner, the fear could
fester and be much harder to overcome.
I see Vaegon’s and Anders’s wolves closer to the trees. They’re probably
looking for us. I stand up and take her hand before pointing at them.
“They’re over there. Will you try to meet them now?”
Jade looks in the direction I’m pointing, but several wolves are in that
area, so I’m sure she doesn’t know which are hers.
“See that pure white one?” I ask. She scans the group for a moment and
then nods. “That’s Anders’s wolf.” Her eyes widen, and she smiles a little.
“That makes sense,” she says, likely referring to his very light hair and
skin. I nod and chuckle.
“Yes, it does. Think you can find Vaegon’s?” I ask.
She continues to look around for a while and then turns to me. “Is his the
black and brownish-red one?”
“Yep, that’s the one,” I say. It has a beautiful coat. Black like Vaegon’s
hair and with orangey-red patches, especially around its head, almost like a
lion’s mane. Its muzzle and parts of its ears are a dark tan color, which is
unusual for such a dark coat, but it’s beautiful. I’ve never seen a wolf that
looks anything like his.
“Lucas is probably scouting the edge of the woods with his wolf before
the run. It’s something the Prime and Second do to show their
protectiveness.”
Jade looks slightly disappointed, but I’m relieved she’s no longer afraid.
I guide her down the steps and toward her other two mates. When they see
her, they perk up and sit on their haunches to look less threatening. Shifters’
wolves are much bigger than other wolves. They’re still almost as tall as
Jade when sitting.
She approaches them gingerly and stops about three feet away. Anders’s
wolf lets his tongue flop out and pants before rolling over. Giggling, she
takes another step forward. His wolf is submitting to her. I wonder if she
realizes that or if she thinks it’s just being cute.
Vaegon’s wolf averts its eyes to keep from looking aggressive and
remains still, waiting for its turn for attention. Closing the distance, Jade
crouches and reaches out to Anders’s wolf, but she pulls her hand back at
the last second.
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “You can pet them.” After taking a deep breath, she
brushes the fur on its chest. When the wolf doesn’t move, she rubs her hand
along its stomach and back to its head. It slowly rolls back over and lays
with its front legs out in front, staying low.
“Rub behind the ears. They love that,” I tell her. Anders’s wolf gives a
little half-growl in pleasure when she does, and Jade beams. I heard how
much she loves her chickens, and I have a feeling she will grow quite
attached to the Alphas’ wolves as well.
Jade stands and turns to Vaegon’s wolf. Bravely, she approaches it and
smiles. “You have flames, just like your Alpha.”
She’s speaking to the wolf, not to Vaegon. I’m surprised that she can see
them as different beings so easily. I imagine it would be hard to distinguish
between a sadistic father and an equally sadistic wolf.
The connection between Alphas and their wolves is hard to explain.
From what I understand, the wolves have their own personalities and can
communicate with their Alphas mentally. They are entirely unique entities.
I’m sure their wolves are proud she’s giving them her full attention.
 Vaegon’s wolf leans its head down and gives her chest a small bump.
There’s no hesitation now as she laughs and digs her fingers into the fur
around his neck. This could have gone so much worse, but I don’t think it
could have gone any better.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Lucas’s wolf step out of the woods, so
I rub Jade’s back to get her attention. Her eyes land on the massive creature,
and she gasps.
Instead of sitting or lying down when Jade looks over at it, Lucas’s wolf
surprises me by standing tall and dominant. It turns and looks her right in
the eyes, and I reach out to Vaegon’s wolf. I’m not sure if I’m looking for it
to help keep her calm or for a sense of security for myself, but I feel better
as soon as my hand lands in its fur.
I’ve never touched Vaegon’s wolf before, and I immediately realize I’ve
made a mistake by assuming I could now. The wolves obviously love Jade,
but she’s their scent match. I know Vaegon loves me. He’s made that clear.
But his wolf has every right to put me in my place for assuming.
I pull my hand back as soon as what I’ve done registers, my eyes already
on the ground and neck bared to his wolf. But it chuffs at me and bumps my
hand with its muzzle, telling me to relax. The exchange is so overwhelming
that I don’t notice right away when Jade approaches Lucas’s wolf.
When I do, they appear to be in a standoff. I don’t understand what it’s
doing right now. At the very least, I’d expect it to attempt to look smaller.
It’s taller than Jade by a few inches and intimidating as shit. But she doesn’t
cower, continuing to stare it down. As I get closer, I realize something
deeper is passing between them. I wonder if Jade can feel the wolves
through the bond. I’ll have to ask her later.
When I reach them, I submit for Lucas’s wolf and reach out for Jade.
The Alphas have lined up and are ready to run. She seems to understand
and follows me back to where the Betas and Omegas are standing to watch.
I find myself excited to see her reaction to August’s wolf.
 Chapter 51
JADE

The Alphas’ wolves are incredible. My repulsive father’s wolf terrified me,
but now I can see that it was weak. I’m in the presence of true power.
Lucas’s giant wolf is just as beautiful as the others. Its coat is light
grey with blonde and white fur in beautiful patterns across its body. Its eyes
are ringed by white, and its chest, paws, and tail are white and grey. The
blonde blends beautifully with the grey, and I can see Lucas in the beast. I
can see all my Alphas in their wolves, and the magic of it all washes over
me, making me shiver as we walk away.
These wolves already have a place in my heart. I can feel them in this
form. All of them, even though I haven’t claimed Lucas. I never noticed
them through the bond with my Alphas, but their emotions are faintly
present now. Lucas’s wolf is so strong. The power I feel from him is
affecting me in strange ways. I feel addicted to it like I want to submerge
myself in its lingering essence.
Lucas’s wolf will never submit to me. I can feel it. But I’m comforted by
that. My instincts tell me that it needs to be this way. This is the wolf that
would have protected me at my farm if Lucas could go back and try again. I
didn’t understand the weight of his words at the time. His wolf is so
powerful that it could almost protect the pack by itself. But he would have
left to protect just me, even if I never accepted it or its human host.
 Fuck. I… I’m overwhelmed. Tears form in my eyes from all the
emotions coursing through me. I’m about to step away to clear my head
when a giant form fills my periphery. It’s almost as if the sun has been
eclipsed, and darkness has fallen over part of the earth.
I turn to get a clearer look, and my jaw drops. I’m too stunned to be
afraid as I stare in disbelief at the enormous brown and black creature that
has stepped out from the woods. It’s even more massive than Lucas’s wolf
and absolutely dwarfs everyone. It has to be the Prime’s wolf.
Maybe I should be terrified, but its eyes are kind and familiar. I feel
untouchable knowing that August and this wolf are in charge of the pack. I
think I finally understand the hierarchy. Some of the traditions are shit, but
this part makes perfect sense.
He leans his head back and lets out the loudest howl I’ve ever heard, and
all the wolves follow suit, howling and running off into the woods together.
It’s incredible to see, and I’m not even jealous that I don’t have a wolf in
me. I own three of them, and that’s good enough.
Brody and I help the other pack members clean up the mess from dinner
while we wait for the Alphas to return. When there’s nothing left to do, I
cuddle with Brody on a picnic table bench not far from the trees, ready for
my Alphas to come back.
Not long after we sit down, I notice some wolves returning and some
nude shifters emerging from the woods. I sit up straight and stare, then
realize I shouldn’t be staring and cover my eyes. Brody laughs at me and
nudges me with his shoulder.
“They’re naked!” I tell him, wondering how he’s so calm about it.
“It’s normal around here,” Brody tells me. “If they don’t remove their
clothing to shift, it rips. So, they take it off before shifting and then put it
back on after shifting back. It’s really not a big deal. They’re just getting
their clothes from wherever they left them. You were distracted by your
Alphas’ wolves when this was happening before the run.”
It’s still weird, but I peek through my fingers anyway. Yep, they are
getting their clothing. But I can see their butts! And their dicks! That’s just
not normal!
Brody catches me peeking and laughs again. “It’s okay. You can look. I
always do.”
 I gasp and whirl my body around to see his face. “Brody!” I scold. He
just chuckles and leans down to whisper in my ear.
“You can’t really believe I could stop myself from getting a glimpse of
Vaegon’s sexy body.” He has a point there. I can see the appeal. I smile and
turn back to the other naked Alphas. There aren’t any that I get any
satisfaction from peeking at, though. I just want my Alphas back. I shrug
and close my eyes again, continuing to wait for them.
A few minutes later, I hear kissing sounds and smell cinnamon, and I
smile, knowing at least Vaegon has returned. Anders lifts me up and inhales
a big breath of my scent before kissing me on the forehead. Two of my
Alphas are back. But where’s the third? And when did he become my
Alpha?
“You aren’t naked,” I say. They laugh and tell me they shed their clothes
in the woods and put them back on before coming out. I’m kind of glad. I
don’t really want other shifters drooling all over my mates.
Anders puts me down and takes my hand, pulling me over to where
Lucas and August had stood in wolf form not too long ago. The Luna holds
a stack of clothing, which I assume belongs to her mate. She nods to a table,
and Anders walks over and picks up another pile of clothing. It must be
Lucas’s. Anders hands the clothes to me, and I decide to stand next to the
Luna to wait.
I don’t know if this is some kind of ceremonial thing, but I feel the urge
to be part of it. I want to do this small thing for Lucas, even though he isn’t
really my mate yet. The Luna smiles at me, and I smile back, feeling like
part of the pack now. At the very least, I feel okay with the idea of being
part of it one day.
I feel them before I see them. Two shifters with that much power are
impossible to miss. Out they walk, just as naked as those other Alphas I
saw. But my eyes only want to peek at one Alpha in particular. He steps up
close and smiles down at me, reaching for his clothing. He looks happy that
I’m here. I’m happy, too.
But I’m having trouble moving. All I can do is stare at the chiseled form
before me. I may have seen Lucas’s body the day he claimed me, but it was
through a haze of terror and disgust. Seeing him like this after baring his
heart to me the other day can’t compare.
 He has so much more hair on his body than my other Alphas. It’s a
couple shades darker than his light brown locks, and it covers his chest and
the middle of his stomach. My hands drop his clothes, and I reach out and
run my fingers through the hair, amazed at its softness. I reach up to his face
and feel his beard, and the hair is coarse in contrast. I find myself loving
both textures equally.
He has so many thick muscles, and the valleys between them are deep. I
trace the ones beside his neck, then the ones on his shoulders, and down to
all the muscles popping out along his arms.
Stepping closer, I run my hands back up his stomach, this time feeling
the dips along the way to his chest and resting them right over his nipples.
He’s some kind of majestic creation. How was he walking around in my
space all this time with this body, those eyes, and that jaw without me ever
noticing? I guess his asshole attitude overshadowed his beauty. It’s shining
bright now, though.
I realize I’ve been growling as I touch him. I clear my throat to end it,
but my eyes keep drinking him in as my hands venture lower on his body.
His muscular form has been distracting me, but now there’s no missing the
giant dick hanging heavily between his legs. One would undoubtedly need
big muscles to carry that thing around all day.
It’s. So. Sexy.
I can’t think of a better way to describe it. I can’t really think of many
words at all right now. They’re all slipping away from me, and everything
has become hazy. I feel so weird. And so good. And the growling is back. I
just want to give in to whatever is happening to me. So I do.
 Chapter 52
LUCAS

The air is silent as everyone stands frozen, watching my mate appreciate my

body. I’m proud as fuck, but I’m also insanely thankful right now. For Jade,
Brody, my brothers, and my entire pack. I wasn’t sure Jade would ever
come to tolerate me. But, now, I can see the desire for me in her blown
pupils. It’s more than I could have ever hoped for.
Her hands make their way down to my cock, and I can’t prevent it from
perking up after she brushes her fingers along the length. When it begins to
rise, she notices my balls and weighs them in her hands, growling louder.
Her breaths are heavy as she watches me grow, and she wraps her hands
around the shaft once it’s fully erect.
My growl rumbles over the ground, and she looks up at me with
tortured, needy eyes and whimpers. We need to get home. The Alpha in me
wants to take her right here on the grass in front of everyone. But I respect
her enough to consider that it’s probably not what she’d want if her mind
were clear enough to choose.
“Why don’t we take this back to the house, little mate, where we can be
alone?” I ask. That seems to shake her out of her daze, and she peeks over
her shoulder, noticing all the shifters watching. There are many smiles, the
pack happy to see our dynamic shifting. She dips down and retrieves my
pants, shoving them at me to cover my hard dick.
 Turning around, she seems ready to stand off with anyone who looks at
me. It’s incredible. She’s letting her Omega instincts out, and they are
vicious. I shove my legs into my pants, and the pack members decide it’s a
good time to go about their evenings.
One Beta comes a little too close to me, grabbing her mate’s clothing
from the stump a few feet away. Jade lurches forward and hisses at her,
baring her fangs. The Beta smiles and backs away with her eyes down,
realizing her mistake and showing respect.
When Jade feels comfortable enough that the threat is gone, she turns
back to me while I fasten my pants. She climbs my body until her face can
reach mine and grabs my hair to pull my mouth onto hers. She kisses me
hard, whimpering and sucking on my tongue.
My pants were hard to get on over my swollen cock, but now they’re
painfully tight. I need to get this Omega home fast. I begin walking toward
the house and nod at my brothers. They are each smiling or smirking as
they tilt their heads in respect. My family. My fucking perfect family.
It’s hard to see where I’m going with Jade devouring my face, but I do
my best and find our truck. I hop in the front, not bothering to peel her off
me. It would be a futile endeavor. It’s a cramped ride home, but it’s much
faster than walking would have been. Luckily, she takes a break from my
mouth and licks my neck and jaw for most of the ride home, allowing me to
see enough to get us there safely.
I charge inside the house and whisk her upstairs to her nest. I want her to
be as comfortable as possible and to feel safe with me. Her dimly-lit, soft
nest tailored to her liking is the best place for that.
I sit on the bed with her in my lap, giving her brain time to clear. I need
to make sure she truly wants this. Sometimes, Omegas can get sucked
pretty far into a mating haze that they don’t process things clearly. I’m not
sure what sparked this in her tonight, but I need to know if it’s welcomed.
“Jade, look at me,” I tell her. She ignores me, growling as she paws at
my pants.
“Jade!” I say louder, hoping to snap her out of it. It still doesn’t work.
She’s gotten my pants untied and is stretching the waistband in frustration.
Grabbing her hair, I jerk her head back and growl in her face. She
whimpers and turns to jelly, but her eyes become clear. I kiss her chin and
pull her to my chest. She remains calm as she slides her hands over my
shoulders and tugs on the hair at the nape of my neck.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
I hug her tight and kiss the top of her head. “I just wanted to be sure you
realized what you were trying to do. I’m very much down for that, but it has
to be your choice.”
Her fingers are still tangled in my hair, and chills run down my back as
they brush against the skin of my neck. I have no idea what’s going through
her head, but, however this turns out, I’ll be happy for this tender moment
with her.
When she’s had enough time to think, Jade pulls away and gets up on her
knees in my lap. “Your eyes are glowing,” she says, peering closely at them.
“Yeah… it’s my wolf,” I tell her. “He likes to make his presence known.
We’re both trying to keep it together.”
“You’re… impressive,” she says, throwing me off guard. After all the
hatred and spite she’s shown me, it’s hard to believe she can find anything
to be impressed about. But I won’t deny that it feels incredible.
Leaning forward, she kisses me softly and drags her teeth along my
bottom lip. When she eyes the bulge in my pants, I worry it’s making her
uncomfortable now that she’s back to herself again.
“I can leave if you want, Jade. You don’t have to follow through on
something your Omega started,” I tell her.
She smiles and looks away. “I’m pretty sure I gave her the green light.”
After crawling off my lap and stepping onto the floor, Jade removes her
clothing in slow, sensual movements. Even the way she takes her shoes off
is suggestive. My heart pounds so hard she can probably hear it without
Alpha senses.
When her panties hit the floor, my mouth begins to water, and my fangs
rip through my gums at the sight of her beautiful body. Slick trickles down
her left leg, and I clench the sheets as an unbridled roar rips out of my
chest. I curse myself, expecting it to have scared her away. But Jade stands
her ground, daring me to try and take her.
I shove my pants down, and my cock springs up once it’s free, slinging
precome across my stomach. There are so many things I’m dying to do to
her. Endless carnal images pass through my mind, and it’s almost
impossible to resist bringing them all to life one by one. I reach out, silently
begging her to let me touch her body.
But she shakes her head, and I don’t understand. I have tunnel vision and
can barely see past my desire. Forming rational thoughts is not likely at the
moment. My panting is getting louder, my chest heaving with every deep
pull of breath. But the air cuts off completely when Jade finally shows me
what she wants.
She turns my body so I’m facing the bed and climbs on, facing away
from me. Stopping halfway up the mattress on all fours, she peeks over her
shoulder at me and… she presents. She fucking presents. For me.
Her pupils are dilated again, and she looks absolutely stunning. The
perfect Omega that I never deserved. After a coy smile, she turns back
around and waits for me to take over. By now, I’ve lost any restraint I had
managed to find, and I’m ready and on her and in a fraction of an erratic
heartbeat.
I tear off my clothes and position my body behind hers before wrapping
my hands around her waist, enveloping it almost completely. Whimpering,
she rocks her hips back farther, bumping her soft folds against my cock as
she urges me to get on with it. Slick covers the head with just that small
amount of contact, making the journey smooth as I thrust myself savagely
into her body.
I take a few seconds to let her adjust to my size and to let myself
appreciate the tight sheath I’m burrowed in. Her walls are squeezing me so
tightly that it will take a powerful orgasm to get the come out of me.
She turns her head and stares me down with blown pupils and extended
fangs. Her golden strands are loose and wild, framing her delicate face.
Fuck, she’s beautiful.
The power behind Jade’s sudden growl jolts me, and I return the
sentiment to my savage mate with pride. It’s time. I clear my mind and let
my body go. My hips begin to move, pulling me out of her slowly before
slamming back in. The flesh around her hips is red from my grip, and she’ll
have bruises for a few hours after this. But she takes it like she needs it.
Every time I ram into her, she holds firm and growls for more.
My movements become too powerful, and I have to put one hand on her
shoulder to hold her steady and move my other hand around her body to rub
circles around her slick clit with one of my fingers.
 It pulls a whimper from her throat, making me rut into her even faster.
My swollen knot keeps trying to slip into her body, so I keep my thrusts
shallow, denying it entry. Holding back is frustrating and excruciating to
maintain, but I refuse to force her to do something she doesn’t want ever
again. If I’m as powerful as I claim, I can hold back no matter how great
my need is.
But after a minute of brutal pounding, Jade hasn’t reached climax, and
I’m beginning to worry I’m doing something wrong. I lean over, put my
mouth over my claiming mark on her neck, and suck hard. She bucks
beneath me and moans, so I move my finger faster and add pressure to her
clit.
“Knot…” she growls.
I stop moving, unsure of what to do. She hisses at me and thrusts back
hard enough for part of it to slide past her entrance. Her garbled moan drifts
past my ear, making me shudder inside her.
“Now!” she roars at me. My wolf takes that as a challenge and rips
control away from me. In seconds, my knot is fully inside, and her walls
clamp down tight. There’s no going back. We are stuck like this until my
body decides it’s been long enough.
I continue fucking her with short thrusts, as much as the knot will allow,
and we soon both erupt in pleasure. The books and glasses on the table by
the wall rattle as I roar out my release, buried deep inside my mate. Jade is
still grinding in circles against me after the last dribbles of my come empty
into her.
When her orgasm finally tapers off, she goes limp in my grasp, and I roll
us over onto our sides. I expect sleep to take us quickly after the amount of
emotion and physical exertion, but Jade wiggles and spins carefully until
she’s facing me, eyes wide and bright.
I roll onto my back to make the new position more comfortable for her.
She smiles and sprawls across my stomach, sighing and nuzzling her face
into the hair on my chest. Goosebumps shoot up along her skin as my
fingertips rub lightly up and down her back and sides, and I contentedly eat
up her sighs of pleasure.
But feeling my mate’s flesh from the inside out prevents my body’s
adrenaline from tapering off. It just swirls around in my chest, ready to race
through my veins at a moment’s notice. I feel like I need to fuck again. Or
hunt. Or just rip something apart. I try to push the jitters away and rest, but
they won’t leave.
Jade must feel my heartbeat pick up under her cheek because she raises
herself on her elbows and looks intently into my eyes. They’re glowing
again if I’m interpreting the look on her face correctly. Not surprising. I’m
charged up right now.
In the next instant, she’s sitting up, supporting herself with her hands
pressed against my stomach and grinding and swirling on my knot. The
placement of her arms presses her breasts together, making her nipples
point straight at my face. I can’t reach them in this position due to our size
difference, but I would have them both in my mouth right now if I could.
It only takes seconds for her movements to make us both come again,
and it’s exactly what I needed… for about five seconds. I should be spent
after two intense orgasms, but I’m not. Jade’s body and affection are so
addictive. I feel like I’m losing some of my sanity as I lie here, connected to
my obsession and vibrating with pent-up energy.
Not wanting to interrupt her sleepy daze with my unrelenting energy, I
try my best to be calm. She’s still for a while, so I think I must be doing a
good job. But I feel a pull in my chest. I’m not sure what’s going on now,
but, if it’s more adrenaline, I don’t know if I can handle the pressure.
I lie helpless as the tension in my chest increases and shifts before,
blessedly, dissipating completely. Then, I can feel Jade, her concern for me,
her sated afterglow, her love for me. Love. She loves me… and she opened
our bond.
Her sudden presence in my soul overwhelms me, shocking me into
stillness. I breathe slowly, trying to calm the new excitement this special
connection with Jade has given me. After a few minutes of peaceful silence,
I hear the sweetest sound begin tinkling in the air around us.
She’s purring. My mate is purring for me.
When she slammed the bond’s door shut in my face, I didn’t think I’d
ever recover from the rejection. I haven’t been able to find myself entirely
since she locked me out all those weeks ago. But she’s healed me and
transformed me into something much better than I ever was. I hold her tight
in my arms, listening to the beautiful sound coming from my lovely mate.
I feel confusion through the bond as she rests in my arms.
“What’s that?” she asks.
 “You’re purring, Jade,” I tell her with a squeeze and a kiss. I half expect
her to stop, but she doesn’t. The purr plinks against my chest with its sweet
tune, and I feel her smile against my skin.
“I didn’t know Omegas could purr,” she says.
She’s had so many exciting revelations in the past few weeks. I’m
honored to have been able to share this one with her.
“They can,” I tell her. “When they are relaxed and content, or when their
Alphas need comfort.”
“You were anxious,” she says, rubbing circles over my shoulder with her
hand.
“I was, but I’m not anymore. Thank you.” I nuzzle her hair, and she sits
up, tugging at my arms to rise into a sitting position with her.
She grabs my hair and begins rocking back and forth on my still-swollen
knot. Staring into her soft green eyes, I lean my face down to kiss her. She
glues her lips to mine before sliding her tongue over everything she can find
in my mouth. I grab her ass and guide her back and forth until we’re both
panting too hard to continue for much longer.
As we start to moan and writhe through our impeding release, she turns
my face to the side and digs her fangs into my neck. The world explodes
into flashes of light. My orgasm surges out of my body, leaving a wake of
pleasure and fulfillment behind. I can feel her reaction to my pleasure, and
her release follows, letting me experience it almost like it’s my own.
A silky coating of love covers the expanse of this place we coinhabit.
Our pleasure flows back and forth between us until it tapers off, and I relax
beneath her, truly calm, as she growls quietly with her jaws still clamped
around my neck.
While lying with my mate, my brothers phase into my consciousness.
Not only can I feel their presence, but I can also pinpoint their exact
locations.
“Jade…” I whisper. She releases my neck and licks over the wound,
sealing it for me. After gently turning my head, she kisses my lips and lies
down on my chest. Instead of responding, her purr starts up again.
“Jade, I can feel Brody.” She jerks up and looks at me with wide,
hopeful eyes. As she desperately searches for him through the bond, I regret
my wording.
 “Not like that. I’m sorry,” I say. “I mean, I can feel where he is. It must
be through Vaegon’s claim. Brody is part of my family, so I can find him. I
know where he is. Where all of you are.”
“So you can protect us,” Jade says with wonder. “We’ll always be safe.”
“Always. Nothing will ever hurt any of you again.”
I feel hot, wet tears against my skin when she buries her head in my
chest, and I wrap her in my arms where she’s protected. “We’ll get you
cleaned up as soon as my knot deflates,” I tell her, ready to pamper my mate
as an Alpha should.
But she’s exhausted and shakes her head. “No,” she whines. “Let me
sleep like this.” Who am I to deny my mate? I kiss her gently on the head
and keep her tucked securely in my arms, purring for her until we drift off
into a deep, sated sleep.
 Chapter 53
JADE

I’m achy when I wake up, my muscles sore from the rough treatment Lucas
gave me last night. After rolling over with a groan, I try to stretch and get
the blood flowing but end up knocking him in the face with my arm.
I jerk my eyes open to apologize but realize it was Vaegon that got
bonked, and Brody and Anders are hovering almost as close to me as he is.
I whip around and see that Lucas is the pillow I was sleeping on.
“What the fuck?” I ask them while they stare at me with four sets of
eyeballs like a big, creepy spider.
Relief crosses the Alphas’ links, and Brody’s face mirrors their
sentiment. “You were asleep for a really long time,” he says.
I look at the clock and see it’s almost dinner time. Damn. That’s not like
me. “How did you survive without being fed?” I ask, laughing. I get some
smiles, but none of them seem too amused.
“What? Lucas just wore me out. Stop worrying,” I tell them, but they
still hover around me like breathing on me will fix me somehow.
“Jade,” Lucas rumbles from underneath me. “You wouldn’t wake up. I
even bathed you. You sighed and enjoyed the bath but remained asleep. We
were getting worried.”
Oh. I guess I would be worried, too. Should I be worried now?
 I look at Anders, hoping he has an explanation. “Mother is on her way.
I’m sure you’re fine, but we’d like to be certain.”
Ugh. Yesterday was so amazing. Why did my body decide to be weird
today and mess up my afterglow?
“Are you hungry, beautiful?” Brody asks. “We have some fruit and toast
for you on the table.”
I shake my head. The thought of eating makes me feel gross. I’m just
worn out. Must be an effect of Lucas’s monster Alpha mojo juice or
something. Yawning, I roll over and shove my face against his body,
winding up in his armpit, but totally okay with it.
In fact, I’m more than okay with it. I inhale his scent repeatedly, and it
makes me woozy with need for him again. Faster than even I can trace, I’m
on top of him, licking and biting the claiming mark I gave him last night.
My attention on the sensitive scar sends zips of pleasure through us both,
and I grind my bare privates against his stomach, unable to stop myself.
Lucas confuses me when he growls and tries to still me. Why would he
want to stop me when what I’m doing feels good to both of us? The brush of
a soft blanket sliding over my skin calms me, and I can’t resist wiggling
underneath it, pulling it tighter against my body. A deeper variation of the
purr I gave Lucas last night flutters through my chest, though my mouth
stays attached to his neck.
I feel very weird.
I hear a stranger’s voice and immediately jerk my head around, releasing
Lucas’s skin with a wet pop to see who the fuck is so close to my nest.
Everything is a bit blurry, but I can just make out Liana’s face through the
haze. I relax and turn back to my mate, nipping his jaw and pulling his hair
with my fingers.
“Her eyes,” I hear Anders say.
Liana giggles. “She’s fine, you dummies. Looks like accepting her final
mate has triggered her first heat.” I want to turn and hiss at her and ban
them all from my room except the meaty one beneath me, but the thought of
my other mates leaving immediately makes me panic.
Vaegon and Anders return to hovering over me after feeling my anxiety.
Brody continues talking to Liana, getting instructions and advice about this
heat thing that’s supposedly happening. When she finally leaves and Brody
joins us, I immediately feel better. Grabbing at whatever body parts I can
find, I try to pull them all into the nest with Lucas and me.
So many chuckles sink into my skin, and I groan at the vibrations that
seem to be pounding against my special spot on my privates. I really need
to learn the name of that thing. Or not. Whatever. They just need to touch it
for me.
Lucas’s tree trunk dick beneath me is hard and leaking. I’m sure my
naked, slick-covered body sliding all over it affected him. I just feel empty,
and all I can think about is their skin under my nails, their scents in my
lungs, and their hard body parts filling me up.
Whatever happens during this heat craziness is going to be delicious, and
I hope when I wake up, I’ll be able to remember the taste.
 Chapter 54
ANDERS

Jade’s pupils are completely blown, just like they were when Lucas carted
her off last night. Her heat. Why didn’t I consider that? I assumed the extra
sweet layer to her scent was a reaction to Lucas’s potent Alpha pheromones.
It seems that Lucas will be starting off the mating marathon. Despite the
fact that Jade is now growling at him and pushing him away, I don’t think
anyone could pry her away from him. She’s making her Alpha earn her
submission by luring him in and then fighting him off.
I can’t help but be proud of how she’s accepted her instincts after coming
to understand that side of herself. She’s a glorious creature, one that we still
don’t deserve. I’m honestly unsure if anyone alive other than Brody could
ever deserve such a perfect mate.
“I’m heading down to prepare some snacks. We will need them later.
Can you get some water bottles to restock her fridge and more towels for
her bathroom?” I ask Vaegon and Brody. They nod and head out to get what
we need.
I go downstairs and put together some sandwiches to keep in her mini-
fridge for later, as well as more fruit and a handful of the protein bars Jade
makes. When I return to the room, Jade’s chest is shoved against the
mattress, her knees bent and spread wide, and her ass high in the air. Lucas
is penetrating her from behind, kneeling on one knee and leveraging
himself with his other foot flat beside her.
Jade is barely visible behind his giant form, but her sounds express how
much she’s enjoying being pinned down. I can hear the whimpers hiding
beneath Lucas’s grunts and growls and the thwapping of their skin. Lucas
was the last to be forgiven and the last to be intimate with Jade. It seems
appropriate that he will be the one to start off her heat.
Vaegon and Brody dragged a lounge chair in here while I was busy and
are laid out on it, grinding against each other. The air is thick with arousal,
and my cock is just as ready as everyone else’s. It’s hard to focus with all
the undiluted pheromones saturating the small space.
Soon, Lucas and Jade will become locked together and rest for a while.
After storing the snacks, I take one of the chairs by the small table and close
my eyes, leaning my head against the wall. It will be an exhausting few
days, so I need to rest when I can, even if we are just getting started.
 Chapter 55
BRODY

Lucas and Jade finally separate. When he tries to whisk her into the
bathroom for a quick shower, she screeches and grabs her stomach,
whimpering and trembling with her arms wrapped around herself.
“Looks like our little mate isn’t ready for a break yet,” Vaegon says as he
hands Lucas a warm, wet cloth. Lucas convinces Jade to let him clean her
up a bit, but she stares at him growling the entire time like she’s simply
putting up with the process. It’s actually kind of intimidating with her irises
all black like that.
Lucas is dopey in love and doesn’t seem to give the stern look a second
thought as he gently takes care of her. The realization that I get to be a part
of this intimate familial occasion knocks the breath out of me. Jade looks
over as if she could somehow feel it, too.
She nips the meaty part of Lucas’s hand below his thumb before
reaching her arms out to me with grabby fingers. I look at Anders, not sure
what to do. I expected him to be next, but he just nods and closes his eyes
again. I’ve never been part of a heat before, so I don’t know the proper
etiquette here. But what’s typical means nothing in this house. Jade decides
how things go, and we’re all perfectly fine with that.
Lucas releases her and lumbers to the bathroom to clean himself up,
leaving Jade to us. By the time I reach the side of the bed closest to her, my
clothing has disappeared. I look at Vaegon, who wears a cocky smile as he
stands casually against the wall like he didn’t just strip someone down in
less than a second. Before I’ve had a chance to turn back to her, Jade has
pulled me down on the bed and wrapped her mouth around my cock.
The sudden wet pressure on my tip makes me hiss, which turns into a
groan when I feel her lips slide firmly down my shaft as she takes more of
me in.
Her silky hair brushes along my legs when she bats it out of her face.
After her shower or bath, I’ll have to braid it so it stays out of her way.
There’s nothing I can do about it right now except hold it back for her while
she gnaws on my dick.
Her teeth scrape all over my shaft as she struggles to get a good angle for
swallowing it. I try to pull her off me for a second to show her a better
position, but she growls at me and grips my thighs tighter.
Vaegon notices my dilemma and comes over to grab the back of her
neck. She grinds to a halt and whimpers, her mouth going slack allowing
my cock to slip out. I stand beside the bed while Vaegon flips Jade onto her
back and shoves her over to me. He continues sliding her until her head
hangs slightly off the mattress, giving me the perfect angle to slide my dick
in as deep as she wants it.
As soon as he releases her neck, she growls and thrashes around, trying
to get up. While holding her body down with one hand, he grabs her face
and squeezes her jaws open. I lean forward, and as soon as the tip of my
cock touches her lips, she relaxes and opens her mouth wide. Vaegon grabs
my shaft and rubs the precome leaking from my tip over her lips before
guiding me into her waiting mouth.
The contact with both my mates causes me to shudder. Jade reaches back
and runs her fingers along my balls, sending another wave of shivers
through me as I slowly slide into the back of her throat. The vibrations from
her resulting moan make my hips jerk, and I almost lose control.
I pull back slowly, giving her a chance to take a deep breath, then thrust
back in a little faster after she’s had one. I’m afraid to lean over or change
my position since it’s working so well, but I want to touch her.
I can reach the undersides of her arms without moving much. They are
silkier than any fabric in this nest as I glide my fingertips over her
shoulders. Her breasts sit firmly on her chest, begging my hands to come
lower. I trail my fingertips over her nipples and give each a slight pinch.
Jade begins thrusting her hips up and whimpering, moving her arms
down to press on her stomach. Before anyone can help, she’s shoved her
fingers into her core, trying desperately to get the pressure she seeks. She
pumps them in and out to the rhythm of my cock’s motions, but Vaegon
returns and tugs her hand away.
He sucks her fingers clean while holding her other hand out of the way.
Jade’s feet fly up and land on his chest, pushing against him as she growls
and tries to pull her hands away.
Just as I’m beginning to worry about the safety of my dick, Vaegon lifts
her hips and drives his thick cock inside her, giving her the pressure and
fullness she’s aching for. She instantly relaxes and sighs, running her tongue
leisurely along my shaft as I resume sliding it in and out of her mouth.
I massage her breasts and tease her nipples while watching Vaegon’s
dick repeatedly disappear inside her. His swollen knot is covered in her
slick, and it begins to slip inside as she wraps her legs around him and tries
to pull him deeper. After some rough grinding, it pops in, and all three of us
groan.
Seeing my mates connected so tightly is beautiful. Jade reaches back,
tugging my body closer, making me feel as deeply connected to her as
Vaegon is. Even though I’ll never get to feel what it’s like to knot or be
knotted, I’ll always know how it feels to be feverishly desired. And that’s
more than enough for me.
Vaegon leans forward and grabs the back of my neck, pulling my face
against his as Jade continues to swallow my dick. My willpower snaps in
half, and I empty myself down Jade’s throat while Vaegon shoves his
tongue down mine. The growls from both my mates shoot electric currents
through me as I jerk and grunt, trying to breathe through the pleasure
they’ve piled on top of me.
Seconds later, they follow suit, and I pull out and step back to make sure
Jade can breathe. She grabs my hand and holds it to her chest as she writhes
and whimpers beneath my other blissed-out mate.
When they’ve calmed, Vaegon lies down on top of her to catch his
breath, and I pick up her other hand and kiss the purple ink standing out
brightly against her tanned skin. She smiles with those black eyes, showing
me she’s still somewhat lucid, and lifts my wrist to her face before licking
the matching ink, making me equal to her Alphas and included in her heat.
Vaegon rolls his head to the side and looks up at me with a face that’s so
damn beautiful. I get nervous like I always do when his focus is on me, but
I don’t feel inadequate. I just feel appreciated.
A blush runs across my face, and he smirks before pulling me down on
the bed beside them. He rolls over, leaving Jade lying on his stomach and
chest. I perch on my elbow and trail my fingers along her skin with feather-
light touches, down her back, over her ass, then back up to her neck.
She sighs and snuggles into Vaegon, the locks of her hair looking like
they’ve been woven into the flames on his chest. A boldness shoots through
me, and, on the next pass across her skin, I let my hand wander farther
down her ass until I can feel where she and Vaegon are connected. They
both stiffen and hiss a little. I’m not sure if it’s because everything is
sensitive right now or they just weren’t expecting it.
I lean up so I can see and find Jade’s folds swollen and stretched tightly
around Vaegon’s knot, which is securely tucked inside her. His slicked balls
are big and firm, hanging below Jade’s ass, adding a layer of eroticism to
the already painfully sexy sight.
Everything is slick, so my fingers glide easily along their skin as I trace
their connection points and massage all the flesh surrounding them. Two
growls tickle my ears, leaving me confident enough to continue. Jade
writhes on top of Vaegon as my fingers move, and I can see his knot
tugging at her entrance, but she doesn’t react out of discomfort.
I continue to rub and massage her puffy folds and the sliver of Vaegon’s
knot that I can feel from the outside. It doesn’t take long for them to come
again, and pride washes over me for giving them that pleasure. Pleasure like
no one else will ever give them because they are mine.
We lie together, resting until Vaegon slips out of Jade’s body. He makes
her take a quick shower even though she doesn’t want it. She growls and
swipes at him the entire time until I start to brush and braid her hair. A
sliver of each of her green irises returns while she lets me care for her, so I
take my time, allowing her to relax before the heat drags her back under.
 Chapter 56
LUCAS

When Jade is finished in the shower, Brody leads her back into the room.
As soon as she sees Anders, she takes off and jumps at him. He’s up and
open-armed in less than a second, catching her midstride on his way to the
bed. Anders may not always act like an Alpha, but he definitely has the
strength and speed of one.
I’ve been having a sandwich in one of the chairs at the small table. It
didn’t take me long to get hungry. Brody and Vaegon settle on the lounge
chair again, resting up for their next round. Jade will be insatiable for a
while, and I’m glad she has so many mates to help satisfy her and keep her
comfortable. And I’m so damn thankful to get to be a part of her heat. She
didn’t have to forgive me. That’s something I’ll never take for granted.
“I picked a position from our book,” Anders tells Jade as he removes his
clothing. Brody, Vaegon, and I look at each other to see if anyone knows
what he’s talking about.
Jade responds with a little growl and throws her towel off, pouncing
back on him and biting down on his hip bone hard enough to draw blood.
Anders hisses and then lets out a louder Alpha growl than I’ve ever heard
from him. He caresses her head while she licks the wound, clearing the
blood away. If his hard-on is any indication, he actually liked it. Who
knew? Anders is freakier than any of us would have guessed.
 He walks back to the chair he had been sitting on, Jade clinging to him
for dear life like he’s going to get away, and picks up the book he had been
flipping through while our other brothers took care of her. I didn’t pay
attention to what it was. He always has books with him. I’m intrigued now,
though.
He opens to a page and points at it, and Jade blinks and cocks her head
to the side, studying it. She then looks up at him and quickly nods. From
what I hear about heats, Omegas go so far into the mating haze that they
rarely speak. It’s kind of like when Alphas go into wolf form. We can’t
speak, but we’re still there.
Shifters within mate-groups are pretty open and comfortable with each
other, especially when an Omega is involved. There is bound to be a lot of
intimacy with family you’ll be present for. I sit back and wait to see what
these two have been up to while we’re all out working during the day.
Jade jumps onto the bed and lies down on her back. She rolls the bottom
half of her body up until she’s almost folded in half, her ass pointed up to
the ceiling and her knees somehow resting on the bed on either side of her
head. How does she not break? She looks to Anders, who’s standing on the
bed in front of her, or is that behind her? He grunts and takes hold of the
back of her calves, rubbing her skin as he takes a wide stance over her.
He bends his legs before leaning over just enough to line himself up with
the shiny, hungry hole on display for him. I lean over the table to grab the
book off the chair, but Jade growls at me when she notices. I chuckle and
pull my arm back, but I really want to see the thing. I hope she’ll let me
once the heat is over.
Anders presses in between her folds and slips into her core, and it’s like
all the air has been sucked out of the room as the rest of us stare, waiting to
see how this will work. Anders, oblivious to being watched so closely,
growls and slides in until he’s deep enough to be flush with her body. Jade
whimpers and thrusts her body up into him.
Well shit, it worked. Is that comfortable for him? His dick is downward
more than I think I would like. I look at Vaegon and Brody, curious about
their reactions since they’ve been as transfixed as I have. Their heads are
tilted to the side, their faces halfway upside down, trying to get a better look
at what’s happening.
 They suddenly straighten and jerk around to look at each other. Vaegon
grabs Brody’s arm and pulls him out the door. “We’ll be right back!” Brody
yells as he’s tugged out of the room.
I have to laugh but stick my head into the hallway and call after them,
“Don’t take too long! And don’t wear yourselves out! She’ll need you again
soon!”
Vaegon mumbles an affirmation and slams the door to his room behind
them.
I take over the lounge chair to snooze until Anders and Jade finish their
acrobatics. There’s so much hype associated with heats, and I now
understand why. This is something unique and wild, utterly appropriate for
our crazy family.
 Chapter 57
JADE

Various shades of gorgeous skin are all I can see as I open my eyes, finding
myself snuggled deep in my nest with my mates. My stomach feels like it’s
deteriorating from hunger, and it growls in irritation when I put pressure on
it, looking for some relief.
A deep chuckle from beside me makes me shiver, still easily stimulated
in this post-heat daze I’m not accustomed to. The rumble comes from the
chest my head is resting on, and the soft, thick hair under my cheek
immediately tells me that it’s Lucas’s. He pulls me in closer and lifts the
blanket, letting in a cool blast of air before leaning down to give me a kiss
on the head. Apparently, I’m the only one that likes to sleep with my head
buried in this flesh oven.
“Finally hungry, mate?” he asks. Hmm. I guess I didn’t eat much over
the past…
“How long has it been?” I ask, confused with night and day in this
windowless room. The windowless room that actually did wonders for me
during the heat. Dark and small… I wonder if that’s an Omega thing, not
just a me thing. Maybe my mates gave me this room to comfort me, not to
keep me prisoner like Father did.
“Three days. You only ate fruit and… our essences to keep you going.
I’m sure you’re starving. This is the longest you’ve slept since your heat
started. Anders knew you’d be ready to eat when you awoke,” Lucas says.
“He’s getting food now.”
I pull the blanket down so I can see my other two bedmates’ faces. They
are still passed out, mouths hanging open, and hair beautifully tousled.
They wore each other out just as much as I wore them out. The thought
makes me smile and let out a tiny growl. They are so sexy together.
A log of a cock swells against my leg at the sound of my approval. How
can Lucas be ready to go again? He really is a wonder. Thankfully, he
doesn’t try to initiate anything despite being aroused. I’m exhausted and
sore all over. And I’m just so damn hungry. Another round just isn’t gonna
happen right now.
Anders becomes my favorite mate when he walks in with a platter piled
high with waffles. Strips of bacon are piled on top and peek out from
between each layer, and there’s syrup dripping all over the place. He
brought enough for us all. Vaegon and Brody wake up to the smell, and
Anders plops the enormous platter on the bed.
None of us even care that he didn’t bring plates or utensils. We just dive
right in, shoveling the sweet and salty goodness into our mouths. We’ll be a
sticky mess by the time we’re done, but I can’t find a fuck to give. My
tongue is too busy finding its own release.
Anders folds a waffle in half and smiles at his crazy family as he eats.
The moans and groans are enough to fill the room with the scent of arousal
but not enough to make us do anything about it. We all need a break.
After eating way too much and chugging drinks from the minifridge, we
all lie in a pile of distended bellies and sticky sheets. The heat was strange,
but I don’t think I would mind doing it again. Which is good, I suppose,
since they say I’ll have them every three months or so.
I’m thankful I was strong enough to keep it from happening before I was
ready. Before the Alphas were worthy. It’s a shame my mother was weak,
but, now, it makes sense why my father never had a claiming mark. I’ve
wondered about that since I bit Vaegon. I get it now. She didn’t feel safe,
and her Omega didn’t want Father as a mate.
I can’t believe Father could treat her the way he did when he could feel
her emotions. What kind of monster enjoys feeling someone else’s pain and
misery? At their own hand, no less.
 Thinking of my parents reminds me of the farm. I think it’s time for my
mates and me to take a trip back there. I have some unfinished business to
attend to.
 Chapter 58
JADE

We head down the road in one of the pack SUVs since we can’t all fit in the
truck’s cab. I’m ready to go back, but so many bad memories lurk in the
shadows. I don’t know how I’ll feel when they start slinking out to find me,
but I’ll have my mates with me to give me strength.
I’m nervous, and I have to give up the false bravery I’ve been trying to
portray and snuggle against Lucas. I’m glad he’s with me. I feel safe with
my other mates, but I feel invincible knowing he’s protecting us all.
When we get to the driveway of my former home, Lucas creeps to a stop
and gives me a minute to ready myself. As I look at the house and survey
the yard and fields, it’s hard to believe I wanted to get back here so badly. It
just looks like misery to me now. Even though the house stands sturdy,
there’s no love. It’s impersonal and dreary.
I nod at Lucas, letting him know I’m ready. We all pile out once he parks
in front of the garage. Vaegon and Brody look around, seeing the place for
the first time.
“Why didn’t you sell it?” I ask Lucas.
“I don’t know,” he says. “I guess it just felt like a part of you, and it
didn’t feel right to let it go.”
I scoff. “I have much better parts you can hold onto. Trust me; no one
needs this place.”
 We’re quiet while they wait for me to lead the way. I didn’t tell them
why I wanted to come here. I just told them I had something I needed to do.
None of them questioned it, and I love them all for that.
I take Lucas and Anders by the hand. The three of us met here, but it was
on shitty terms. I feel like we need some kind of cleansing. A do-over.
Having no reason to go inside, I lead them all around the house to the
backyard. It looks very different with the unkempt lawn and most of the
plants ripped up. The ash from the fire pit has all blown away, and
everything looks… dead. But comfortingly so.
After looking around, I straighten and head into the woods. My mates
follow silently, allowing me to lead them where I need to be. Lucas’s
protective instincts light up along the bond as we trudge through the trees,
and Anders and Vaegon echo the feeling, making me feel wholly protected.
Safe. Something I never once felt in this place before.
My mother’s favorite tree comes into view, the patch of magical blue
flowers still lush beneath it.
“Your mother’s tree,” Brody says as we stop. I nod and bring him closer
to stand right at the edge of the blooms. They’re as healthy as ever, thriving
under the big oak tree where Mother spent so much time.
“So, these are the mystery flowers,” Vaegon says, taking a few steps
toward us. He’s never paid attention to them at the house because he rarely
goes in the backyard. And he pretty much hated me when everyone found
out about them. I’m sure he didn’t care at all about how they looked.
He reaches us and steps up to my other side to peer down at them. As
soon as the toe of his boot brushes against one of the leaves, every single
flower starts to glow. It’s faint and probably wouldn’t be noticeable if we
weren’t under a canopy of trees casting a shadow over everything, but it’s
undeniably there.
We all gasp at once. Confusion, curiosity, and suspicion rattle through
the bond from Lucas, Anders, and Vaegon, respectively. I’m almost too
shocked to feel anything at all.
“They’ve never done that before,” I whisper. “Vaegon, step back.”
He doesn’t hesitate, immediately doing as I say. The glow fades.
“Now step forward,” I tell him. When he does, the glow returns.
I whip around to look at his face, and his eyes are unmistakably brighter
blue than usual.
 Brody must notice it, too, because he yells, almost triumphantly, “I knew
it! I knew you had Fae in you!” His smile is victorious, but Vaegon is
anxious. I forgot to ask Brody what Fae meant when he mentioned it in
clearing. I take Vaegon’s hand and turn to Anders.
“What’s Fae?” I ask, figuring now would be a good time to find out.
“Fae are enchanted mythological creatures believed to inhabit an
alternate dimension from our own. Imagine lying our world on top of
another world so that we existed together but were still separate,” Anders
tries to explain.
“The veil?” I ask.
“The veil is like a barrier between the worlds. Possibly like what you
used to block our bonds,” he says, seeming stuck on that thought for a
moment. “You know of it?” he asks when he gets back on track.
I still feel unease coming from Vaegon, but I want to learn more if this
could be part of who he is.
“Mother would babble about it sometimes. She said these flowers
appeared on the Summer Solstice one year. Said they must have come
through the veil. I was little, and I didn’t really understand.”
Brody moves to Vaegon’s other side and takes his hand. Anders strokes
Vaegon’s bond, and Lucas wraps it in love. I turn my head and kiss my
gorgeous mate’s arm. With the love and support of his family, Vaegon feels
more positive now. Hopeful even.
“Solstices, specifically the Summer Solstice, are times during the year
when the veil is believed to be the thinnest. Some believe that creatures
from other worlds like Fae can slip through if it’s thin enough,” Anders
says. “Some even say that’s how shifters originally came to be in this world
filled with humans.”
I hug Vaegon tight. Whether he’s part Fae, part human, or part fire, he’s
perfect, and he’s mine. I send him all the love and awe I can to show him
how amazing I think he is. He turns to me and smiles, sending his love back
to me.
I think back to the strange inadequacy I sensed from him during dinner
that one night. He’s so strong, but part of him is fragile. Not knowing his
origins could be just as scary and painful to him as remembering my
horrifying ones is for me. We will find more answers for him, no matter
how many times we have to come back to this place.
 “Mother always said these flowers were put here just for her,” I say,
looking at Brody. “But they weren’t. They were put here for me. So I could
find my mates. My true family. The family that makes up for the awful one
I used to have.”
But flashes of my mother before she left remind me that she was once
anything but awful. She cared for the flowers like the gift that they were
and shared the magic she swore they possessed with others.
The mother who abandoned me was not the mother who cared so deeply
for strangers and flowers… and for me. That mother is dead. My father
killed her. I didn’t realize it until now, but I watched her slowly die when I
was eight years old. Whatever took over her body when her soul left was
something else entirely.
I decide it’s time to let go of the misplaced anger I’ve clung to for so
long. “Any way I look at it, she gave me all of you,” I tell my mates. “If
that’s not a reason to forgive her, there isn’t one.”
Brody walks around Vaegon and wraps me in a tight hug, my other
mates joining soon after. Tears that have been begging to escape for years
fall down my cheeks as I mourn the loss of my mother. The loss I never
allowed myself to recognize. It was easier to blame her for my pain than to
admit I had lost the only person who had ever loved me.
As I picture her now, all I can see is her smile. The radiant one, full of
love and vitality despite her awful mate. I will keep that mother in my
memory, and I will always love her and be thankful for the time I had with
her.
I pull away from the huddle and take Vaegon’s hands. “We can come
back on the Summer Solstice if you want. Maybe you’ll be able to get some
answers,” I offer. Anders grabs his shoulder. It feels like he nudges him
through the bond, too.
“I love you,” Brody whispers to him. “You’re perfect. We will all love
you whether you want answers or not.”
Vaegon responds with determination. “We should try,” he says, kissing
Brody hard before doing the same to me. “Where to next, mate?” he asks,
done being the center of attention.
“Just one more place,” I say before heading in the other direction. They
follow behind, protecting me again. Who we’re going to see can’t hurt me
now, but I find comfort knowing they would take him down if he weren’t
already in the dirt where he belongs.
Birds chirp cheerfully, and the air is fresh and calm, giving a false beauty
to this wretched place. The thick bush where I tried to hide from Father’s
wolf soon comes into view. When we reach it, I have to steady myself as a
wave of fear crumples my stomach into a ball. I’m soon in my mates’ arms,
letting their touches ground me.
He’s gone. And his wolf is gone.
I lower myself to my knees before the bush and reach in as deep as my
arm will allow. My fingers brush against one of the smooth, cool bones I
shoved under here months ago, and I pull out whichever one my hand has
landed on. I watched Father’s body burn until the flesh was gone, so when I
pull the small bone out, I know it’s one from his chest.
I fling it aside and reach back in, finding a long, thick bone. His leg. It
lands with a thunk as I toss it beside the other one. The next time, I find
what I’m looking for. His skull. I pull it out and set it on the little pile of
bones I’d made before joining my mates.
I’ve avoided talking about my past, but they know enough to realize who
these bones belong to. The fury and relief in the bonds from my three
Alphas confirm it. Brody pulls me firmly against him, showing that he does
as well.
I squeeze him back, finally feeling unburdened. This pile of bones is
nothing to me. This place no longer means anything to me. I never have to
live in fear again.
Being back here, the proud owner of four incredible mates and a voice,
feels like justice. But a promise is a promise, and I made Father two of
them. I already got my voice back, but I still have a farewell to deliver.
“I hid from your wolf under this bush until he dragged me out,” I say,
staring at the pile. “Now you’ll both be hidden here forever like the
cowards you truly were.”
Brody kisses the top of my head, knowing my fear of my father’s wolf.
My Alphas are shocked and furious. I’m sure their wolves are thrashing
around inside them, demanding to be let out to destroy what’s left of my
father’s body. But they leave me in charge, standing guard as I close this
heavy door.
 “These are my mates,” I say, reaching out to take my towering Alpha’s
hand. “You claimed to be strong, but this is what true power looks like.”
I release Lucas and link my arm with Vaegon’s. “You boasted of your
fighting skills, but my mate has a blaze within him that he brings to heel
every day.”
I look up at Brody. “My mate taught me honor, forgiveness, and the
power that can be found in submitting. Things you knew nothing about.”
I remember the fury coursing through my bond with Anders when he
learned some of my father’s deeds, needing to know that he was dead. I
bend down and pick up Father’s ugly skull and hand it to him before
continuing, hoping the physical proof will ease his mind.
I never told them why I couldn’t speak, and I know Anders hasn’t
stopped wondering. It’s time to face what happened and let it go. “You stole
my voice with your bark…”
My mates stiffen, and the power of their collective growl makes the
ground tremble and the birds flee, flapping their wings furiously as their
warning chirps are swallowed by my mates’ power. Anders’s fingers tighten
around the skull in his hands, and in seconds, it shatters into tiny shards and
white dust.
The fury and disgust from my Alphas’ bonds burrow into my chest, and I
have to take a deep breath to clear them away so I can continue.
“You stole my voice, but my mate gave it back to me. I smile at Anders
and take his dusty hand. Looking back at the bone-powdered bush, I stand
tall with the ones I love behind me and do what I came here to do.
“My mates have given me more than you could ever take. You were
small and pathetic. Weak. But it’s not about you. It’s not even about me. It’s
about them. They are everything.

“We’re here. We won. Fuck you.”

The End
 Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading my first novel! I would love to have your
feedback if you have a moment to spare to leave a review or rating!

Want more of Jade and her crew? Keep an eye out for Orphaned, coming
in Fall 2024, free on Kindle Unlimited.

Consider checking out Unbridled while you wait, coming in Spring

2024, free on Kindle Unlimited.

Unbridled
A hundred years after The Change split humans into three distinct
designations, the survivors know what to expect from their assigned place
in society.
But The Change isn’t over yet. A new mutation has created a spin-off
Alpha designation, leaving the affected with uncontrollable feral behavior
and painful physiological deformities… painful for Omegas, that is.
My best friend Owen and I are locked in an Omega institute, waiting to
be sold to a normal Alpha or Alpha pack. But shady political dealings
threaten to turn our future upside down.
We escape the institute and its plan to mate us to a Feral Alpha, only
to find ourselves locked in a room with one. And he’s far more
horrifying than any of the stories we’ve been told - or is he?
Unbridled is a MF, MM Omegaverse romance. It contains explicit sexual
scenes and is intended for readers 18+.