Her gaze turns to me, and I feel Riley tense against me. I know they feel less-than sometimes, so I pull them into my arms. Sage’s eyes zero in on Riley, and her gaze turns heated.
“Riley,” she says, her voice resolute. “I want to bite Riley next.”
“You want me in the bond?” they say, and Sage blinks at them.
“Of course I do.” She tips out of Vee’s hold and crawls over to us. I gently push Riley toward her, and he hesitantly slides from my arms. Maybe this will finally convince him of his place in the pack, help him see himself the way we do.
Sage climbs right into his lap, wrapping her arms and legs around him as she stares into his eyes. His gaze flits back and forth, trying to figure her out.
“I told you, Ri,” I say, reaching forward to stroke a hand down his back. “You’re our glue.”
Sage nods, not taking her eyes off them.
“Can I bond you, Riley?” she whispers.
Riley nods jerkily, their hands clasped tight on Sage’s waist.
“I wish I could bite you back,” they say, sorrow lining their voice.
“If we all bite and bond you, it’ll be nearly the same,” Vee murmurs from their other side. “You’ll feel all of us, just like we’ll feel you.”
Sage lifts herself up, then notches Riley’s cock against her entrance. She waits a moment, so Riley leans forward to kiss her. Their bodies are a work of art, aligned like they were designed to fit together just like this. Sage sinks down, slow and steady, and the sight of Riley’s cock disappearing into her wet heat would be enough to bring me to my knees if I wasn’t already sitting.
“Fuck, Sage,” he mutters, but she swallows his words as she rocks against him.
Riley clings to her, fingers digging in and leaving divots in her soft skin. Her ass rises and falls, his cock disappearing into her over and over as their shared breaths start speeding up.
My eyes meet Vee’s over top of their heads, and we share a moment of suspended incredulity that this is our life.
And then Riley is groaning, their entire body ready to snap. I look down to see Sage’s teeth buried in the side of their neck at the curve where it meets their pale shoulder.
“Holy shit,” Riley gasps, hips thrusting up into her. “I can… feel you.”
They both shudder, full body quakes, and Sage lets go of his shoulder to throw her head back as she comes, a keening wail leaving her throat while an answering groan sounds from him.
They slump into each other’s arms, and I almost can’t tell whose limbs are whose, they’re so tightly wound around each other, exactly as they should be.
Chapter Sixty-Six
Sage
I realize I’ve been clinging to Riley and licking their bond mark for an excessively long time, and I pull back, embarrassed.
Riley grumbles an incoherent protest, tugging me back to them, and I smile, glad I’m not the only one feeling a little extra attached right now.
“Take your time,” Vee says, her voice soft as her hand strokes through my hair. “We have nowhere to be except here.”
It is getting really late, though, and we’ve all been through a lot today. I’m also starting to feel a little restless about the fact I still have an alpha to claim.
I turn to look at Brooks, lounging patiently beside us.
“Brooks,” I whisper, reaching a hand out to him.
He smiles gently, pulling me from Riley’s lap, and Neveah tugs them into hers. I’m enveloped in comfort, patchouli and chamomile, releasing any lingering tension my muscles were holding on to.
“Brooks,” I say again, more needy this time as I feel the hard bulge pressing up between us.
“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” he murmurs into my ear, and I stiffen.
