I nod, too boneless to form sentences. Instead, I listen to his heartbeat, steady and strong, and let myself fall deeper in love.
A few minutes pass, and I fidget, just a little. Enough for him to notice.
"What's wrong?" he asks roughly.
I shake my head. "Nothing."
"Tell me."
"I had this weird… I don't know. I wanted to bite you. My omega really wanted you to bite me. When we were—"
"That's a mating bond. It's natural."
I nod slowly. He's talked about it before, but didn't really explain. "So… you wanted to bite me, too?"
I feel him nod, but he doesn't elaborate, so I ask, "Why didn't you?"
"You're mine, Mona. And Orion's. We are yours. I told you once that this union was Moon Goddess blessed. Her magic binds us. But mates—fated or not—they bite to seal their fate. It will strengthen our bond. Help us… track each other more easily, through more than just scent. There are other benefits. I didn't want to do that without telling you what it meant, explain everything first. Not that I'll let you say no," he adds wryly.
I laugh. "At least you're honest."
He huffs, then asks, "You wouldn't, though. Right?"
I appreciate this rare moment of vulnerability enough to let the question hang in the air between us for a minute. Like I'm really contemplating the answer. Then, to my own surprise, I say, "You can bite me next time, if you want. I might bite you."
I really wanted to. And I wasn't lying earlier. I'm in this. I knew there was no going back after tonight, and I feel even more committed now. I'm not afraid of this, of being alone, or rejected. Not anymore.
Grayson exhales deeply, and I didn't realize he was holding a breath as he relaxes into me. Against my temple he says, "There are still a lot of things about wolves—and being an omega—we need to talk about. We don't need to get to it all at once, but if there's ever something you don't know, I need you to promiseme you'll ask. I told you we would do better at teaching you these things, but it isn't always the right time to explain."
"Grayson," I whisper, "I don't want you guys to leave me."
"We're not—"
I sit abruptly, turning to face him. "You are. And I get why I can't go. But you have to come back to me. I can't—I don't want to be alone again. Now that you've given me this, given me you—I refuse to live without you."
My words leave me raw and exposed. He must see the worry in my eyes because he strokes my cheek softly. "I will never leave you, Mona. Never. I promise I'll come home to you."
I press my forehead to his, breathing him in. "Okay."
We lie there, wrapped in each other's arms, until the sky begins to lighten. The full moon is almost here, and with it, danger and uncertainty. But for now, in this room, in his arms, I feel… safe.
I close my eyes, and eventually, I let myself sleep.
Chapter 35: Mona
Iwake in the morning sandwiched between two men. Orion must have snuck in sometime before dawn, and that just warms my fucking heart. Without thinking, I curl myself around him, arms and legs clinging like a koala, and squeeze him tight.
Guilt pricks at me for what I'd done with Grayson last night, without him, but I push the feeling away. So I do what seems rational and straddle Orion, clutch his ears and kiss him senseless. The rumble of laughter in his chest melts my anxiety, and when his hands trail down my waist and grip my ass cheeks, I realize he probably isn't all that bothered that I slept with Grayson.
I break the kiss just enough to whisper, "Are we okay?"
"Not quite," he murmurs against my lips. "Open a little wider." His hands slide to my thighs, gently urging them apart as he guides my hips down, pressing his hard length against my core. I respond instantly, grinding against him, but before I can take things further, he ends our kiss with a playful nip and pulls away.
His expression turns contemplative as his thumbs trace the outline of my jaw and lips. "Firefly, we're more than okay. I'm not in any rush."
I raise an eyebrow, my gaze dropping pointedly to where our bodies press together, and to the painfully obvious tent in his shorts. He chuckles, then amends, "Most of me isn't in a rush."
"I can't believe you guys didn't tell me about knots. A little warning would have been nice."
