“Do you want us with you, or do you want to be by yourself, dove?” Lincoln asks, cuddling me under his arm.
“It’s a lot to ask.”
“How do you mean?” Noah asks, of course it’s him. Even now his mind is seeing things so differently.
“Have you done a heat cycle with an omega before?”
“No.” He answers without emotion.
“Hmm, anyone?”
I get a chorus of no’s back.
Gabe smiles. “See how special you’d be, Len. You’d be our first.”
“And what about experience sharing a woman?” I ask.
I don’t need to look at Gabe to know his answer. Noah shakes his head, but I know he’s been married to his job. Valak replies with a mumbled yes, while Lincoln brushes the hair off my neck leaning in close. “We’d be able to focus on you without too much thought, Lennon.”
I keep going, being pretty direct, but I need answers. “And what about if I wanted everyone at once.”
“We’d make it happen,” Lincoln replies in an instant.
“My heats are short but intense. They come more often too. And I know other omegas go into a heat haze. I saw it happen back in, you know where, and Bailey’s told me lots about her heats, but I don’t. I’m very aware. My body will need your come on and in me, and I’ll want it too. I’ll whine, scent, and bite you, so, like I said, it’s a lot. I don’t want everyone to jump straight in, I need you to walk away and think about it. Far out, it’s all a bit of a mess, isn’t it?”
Gabe steps in, grabs my face and gives me the world’s biggest Frenchie before he saunters away, waving over his shoulder. “I’m going to shower then sleep. See you in bed, Len. I’m in, in case you didn’t figure. And that is for as long as you’ll have me, like life partners, pack mates, hot come spurt machine. Whatever you need.”
He disappears down the hallway, and I have to bite the edge of my lip to contain the smile that threatens.
“You are allowed to be happy, Lennon,” Noah says. “I’m honoured you’re looking at me to be included, and I appreciate your offer of having time to think about it. I’ll be back shortly with my answer.”
There would be some people that would be offended by Noah’s response, Valak included. His hackles rise a little until he sees the smile on my face grow wider. Honestly, if Noah had said yes immediately, I’d be more worried about our relationship long term. He needs to work through all the implications, and I want him to, because I’d lock him out of my heat if there was even the smallest chance of his involvement hurting us.
“Why is talking about my heat easier than talking about my future?”
“Everything comes down to interpretation and understanding, dove. And sometimes we get confused by our needs and our wants, or we don’t think we deserve them both. But for the sake of our latest conundrum, life is too short not to understand you can have it all and on your terms. And you, out of everyone, deserve it all.”
Lincoln takes a step back, unperturbed that Valak is left to hear but also putting a little distance between us. He holds my attention, expecting it, and he takes his time as he straightens his hair and his clothes, to appear more like himself. When he’s ready, he walks right up in front of me, using his finger to lift my chin, making it impossible for me to hide from him.
“And sometimes you need someone to make those decisions for you. From now on, I will take responsibility for you in the bedroom, and/or in your nest, or where I choose to take you. And you will relinquish control to me because you want and need to. It’s a travesty that it’s taken this long for us to find each other, but that changes from this point on. When it’s you and me, I am always in control. If I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it without argument. What will you call me?”
“What do you want me to call you?” My eyes drop from his, my voice whisper soft.
“Jesus, Pet, you do that so well. You may call me Sir…”
“Or Fox.” I risk a wry smile as I suggest what bursts into my head as clear as fucking day. It’s like what he said makes sense, and also feels so damn right. I’ve had to be hard and strong for so long, making decisions I never wanted to. The concept of letting someone be that for me sounds like a dream. Lincoln waits until I look back at him, his eyes flared but not angry, just letting me know he’s not completely happy with me interrupting.
“We’re not in the bedroom, Fox,” I whisper, letting my eyes fall away again. It is so natural being like this with Lincoln. Such a relief too. The test is going to be not continuing this side of our relationship out of the bedroom.
“You’re right, Pet. We are scrambling to establish our basics, but that will be acceptable to me. When other people are involved,wewill be different. But, in all situations, I will lead, and you will follow. In a group setting, our guidelines will be more malleable as long as I have given you my permission. And while we’re rushing through establishing our roles, responsibilities, and reasons, and I’m asking you to trust a person you barely know, I hope you take that leap of faith because, Pet, I’ll always worship the ground you walk on.”
My ears hear what he says, and I swear to God my pussy does too. A warmth gushes and fills my underwear, swamping them really.
“Did you slick your panties for me, Pet?”
Oh my god.
He smirks knowingly before he takes a visible step away from me. “I expect an answer from you within two hours.” And then he too walks away, completely differently than the way Noah and Gabe left but at the same time, they are all the same too.
