I know these are wonderful alphas, but I still find myself a little shocked at their response. “You aren’t going to try and stop me?”
“It’s your body, your heat, Madeline.” Alric looks deeply offended I even asked. “Only a monster would try toforceyou to have your heat with them. We’ll ensure you have the best care possible.”
“That takes care of your real heat, but what about this week? We can’t have you miserable around us. It hurts us, too,” Hunter says softly.
Alric steps close. “We’re your scent matches. Like it or not, we’re in tune with you. If you’re miserable, then we’re miserable. I’m not saying that to guilt you, I’m trying to be honest.”
I don’t want that for all of us. “I understand that, and I’m sorry we’re all in this situation.”
“You don’t want a pack, correct?” Zachary confirms.
“Yes, I’ve worked very hard to ensure my independence. I don’t want bondmates or boyfriends or marriage or children. That’s why sugar babying was perfect. No close ties, no relationships. I could have had any pack or alpha I wanted since I presented. I may be an omega, but don’t assume I want an omega’s life.”
It’s harsh, but it’s the truth and something they need to accept very quickly.
Zachary nods. “I can understand that, but the fact is that we’re all here together trapped for nearly a week, so I have an idea. Once you get off Alric’s plane and we’re home, you never have to see us again if you don’t want to. We all know that that’ll affect us mentally and physically, but there are a few experimental pharmaceutical options for scent mates that attempt to lessen the connection. We truly have no desire to trap you in a pack. So when this week is over, we will never bother you again. We won’t call or text.”
Alric interjects, “That’s not?—”
It’s a nice thought but a laughable suggestion—I’m fairly certain these alphas would follow me to the moon—but I let Zachary continue.
Zachary glares at Alric before turning back to me. “We won’t try to find you. We will start this pack omega-less. But for this week, let us be your alphas. Let us take care of you and spend time with you, as all of our bodies are demanding right now. Let us treat you like an omega in the way we’re biologically designed to do while you go through this faux heat. We may only be clients, but we’re not strangers, we know exactly how to care for you. Then we can part ways if that’s what you want at the end of it. It’s your life, we need you to be happy. With or without us. That’s what being an alpha is really about.”
I should say no, that I’ll stay locked in this bedroom until the boat arrives. It would be better for all of us to not do a single thing to strengthen the bond already between us. But what they’ve offered is too tempting while I’m in this state. Idowant to be taken care of. That was the whole point of me coming on this trip. I didn’t want to be alone. It’s just more complicated now.
Rule number eight—no heats—but does a faux heat count? Probably.
He’s right, though. If they were strangers, it would be different, but these are alphas I’ve had a very sexually satisfying relationships with. I’ve liked them enough to see them week after week, and trusted them with my safety, time, and body, even if it was for my financial benefit.
If what I need this week is sex and an alpha’s attention, maybe this is a compromise I can work with.
I was brought here under false expectations and without forethought. I would never have agreed to come if I had all the information I needed to make an informed choice. My faux heat alone at home would have sucked, but it would have been better than three scent matches I don’t want.
Why should I suffer here when I have three willing alphas, one of whom put me in this lousy position?
Hunter looks heartbreakingly hopeful, and Zachary’s eyes are full of sweet concern for me. Alric appears to not have taken a full breath in a while. If I say no, they’ll probably spend the week hovering by my door anyways.
Their alpha urges push them to care for and spoil omegas, to make them feel cherished and satisfied. It’s a part of who they are. Denying them would be like asking a fish not to swim. They can’t help it. Just like it’s in my biology to let them.
This has gone so far beyond being their sugar baby—this is fate, pulling the strings. I believe them when they say that they’ll never see me again if that’s what I ask. My overly sensitive omega side hates the idea that they would even consider never seeing me again, but I shove that feeling down.
This is what I want. My designation doesn’t dictate my life.
“What would that look like, exactly?” I ask carefully, and Hunter speaks up.
“Whatever you need, we will provideeverything. Alric is anamazing cook and will keep you well fed, Zach brought all the entertainment, I will provide you with world-class cuddling and cock on demand.” He winks at me and it makes me smile. “Consider this Operation: Happy Omega. Great food, relaxation, so much sex your body will forget all about your heat. This week was meant to be a final trial run as a pack, so this will be a great last test for us.”
For clarity, I ask, “And after, you will all make no attempt to contact me? It’s nothing personal, I have a very specific plan for my life that I'm not interested in changing.”
“If that’s what you want, yes,” Zachary says, his eyes darting to Alric, who crosses his arms but does not argue. With everything I know about them, their personalities, their plans for a pack, and their feelings for me, it’s definitely not what they want.
But with how miserable I feel, it does sound lovely.
“I don’t want to hurt you guys. What you’re suggesting could make separating harder.”
Alric steps closer. “Don’t worry about us. We’ll follow your lead with this.”
Can they really walk away?
