“No. He’s afraid of alphas. With good reason.”
“Well,” Beckett said blankly. “He’s out of luck, then, isn’t he?” He gestured between them.
“He was. Not anymore. We’ll keep him safe.”
Beckett scowled and tightened his arm. This was far from the first time someone had mentioned the duch’s safety. He didn’t like it. “Was he not safe before?”
“No. He very much was not.”
Beckett wanted more information on thatat oncebut the duch chose that moment to wake up. He slid a soft hand over Beckett’s chest as he slowly tipped his head back and smiled.
The smile didn’t last long. He was still clearly half-asleep. The instant he realised where he was, he did his very best to launch himself off the bed and almost succeeded, except Beckett got up on his knees, hooked an arm around the duch’s narrow waist, and scooped him back beneath Beckett, where he belonged.
He didn’t fight. He froze. Beckett didn’t think he was even breathing.
At least this time he didn’t all but tear himself off Beckett’s knot.
“Jack,” Beckett growled demandingly, and glared at Jack as if to say,Fix it.
“Arden,” Jack said, setting down his coffee cup and sliding quickly onto the bed beside them.
Yes. Better. Beckett rolled off his omega and shoved him towards Jack before scooting up behind the duch and slinging a leg over his warm, naked thighs.
Jack was holding the duch’s pretty little face between his hands, whispering to him.
“It’s all right, sweetheart,” he said. “You’re all right. You’re safe. We’ve got you. You’re safe.”
The duch was still shaking, which Beckett wouldn’t stand for. He tightened the protective arm he had around the duch’s waist and tugged him closer. The duch softened and a tentative hand landed on Beckett’s thigh. He gave an encouraging hum.
“All right, Arden?” Jack said.
“Yes. Yes, I’m—sorry. Sorry. I forgot where I was for a moment.” He patted Beckett’s thigh awkwardly. “I was startled, that’s all. Um. Good morning. Good morning, Jack. Good m-morning, B-Beckett.”
Beckett rubbed his chin over the top of the duch’s head and widened his eyes at Jack.
Jack smiled at him, then down at the duch.
Beckett guessed that the duch smiled back. Going on Jack’s sigh, it wasn’t very convincing.
“We have some talking to do, haven’t we?” Jack said, flicking his gaze up to include Beckett.
Beckett heaved a sigh and hitched his cock absently against the duch’s arse. It was scorching hot, Beckett noticed smugly.
What with all the pounding it got during the night.
The duch had orgasmed gods only knew how many times. Beckett, too. The duch had been out of his mind with it, and it was good that Jack had been here, because the noise the little thing made had to be heard to be believed. Wailing and screeching and carrying on. If Jack hadn’t been in here, Marl would for sure have broken the door down and stormed the chamber with all the betas he could rustle up, thinking Beckett was hurting him.
Beckett splayed his fingers wide over the duch’s soft stomach and pressed the pads into the delicate flesh. He’d have foughtwith everything in him to stay with the duch if anyone had tried to get between them.
“Yes, I suppose we have,” the duch said.
Beckett grinned at the raspiness of his refined voice.
Jack gave hima look, which made him grin all the more.
Jack laughed, reached over the duch and kissed Beckett quickly, then ducked down and kissed the duch’s cheek.
Beckett allowed it. The way the duch twitched awkwardly made Beckett frown. He blinked, thinking back to the night before. “Was I his first proper kiss as well?” he demanded.
