Pack Power Play

Melissa Huxley

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Here’s a sneak peak of Jeremy’s story - the grumpy player from the Chargers! His story Pack Plus Three is coming soon!

Chapter One

Alexis

Naturally, my best friend landed a scholarship to the fanciest university ever. Even being a visitor was mildly intimidating. Everything about this university screamed wealth and money. From the ridiculous amount of tech, to the startling cleanliness of the place, to the fancy clothes the students wore. I hadn’t seen a single pair of sweatpants! That was just downright weird—weren’t they the unofficial uniform of students? Oakland University back home in England wasn’t terrible, but it had a certain mustiness to the air and more than its fair share of litter and dinged walls.

My best friend had been attending this paragon of perfection for a few weeks now, offered a full ride after Oakland University, the one I was currently enrolled in, treated her terribly.

Glancing around the mechanical engineering lab, I sighed wistfully. This was the sort of university I dreamed of attending. Only, this place came with a hefty price tag, so alas, it was going to have to remain a dream.

Still, I couldn’t resist nosing about the lab. I had read there were some amazing jet engines here. We only had small ones back home—our labs were woefully under-funded.

Over the last few months, my feelings toward my university had soured somewhat over how they’d treated Molly when private pictures of her were leaked by the press. I wanted to jump ship, but I had already committed so much to my degree there.

It didn’t take me long to be enthralled by the engines on exhibit in the labs. A large diesel engine was displayed in the middle of the room, with a small rope barrier around it. It was part of what would make up an engine on a huge vessel, such as a cruise ship.

“I see you’ve taken a fancy to our small plane engine,” a smooth rich voice, spoke behind me.

“Plane engine?” I asked, turning around to look at the stranger, my eyes wide and innocent.

He was as hot as his voice suggested. Towering over me, even when I was wearing my favourite heeled boots, he was muscular, but not in an overly bulky way. Athletic. Dark blond hair that I could only describe as freshly fucked in appearance—yet somehow rather neat? The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smirked down at me.

Nothing he wore gave me any information about him. His dark jeans and Hawking University sweatshirt were nondescript; most students wore similar shirts. Was he a student here? In these labs? I doubted it. Most males I encountered in this field didn’t look like that. He looked like he should be on the cover of a magazine, looking all Alpha Ken. Or maybe when he saw me looking at the engine, he thought it would be a good opportunity to get laid.

The sweet vanilla cake scent hit my nose, and I resisted the urge to whine. Alpha scents were powerful, and I was used to them, but this one shook me to my core. A visceral urge to fling myself at this alpha gripped me. To bury my nose in his neck and inhale deeply until my lungs were filled with nothing but birthday cake.

“Yeah, I know it’s not the biggest engine, but it’s got some power.” He grinned down at me when I didn’t reply.

“Huh.” I frowned, shaking myself back to reality. “How odd.” I looked back at the engine, doing my best to ignore the delicious vanilla scent that had saliva pooling in my mouth.

“I know it’s complex. I can talk you through it, if you want, sparky.”

Sparky. Gag. I should be punching him in the nuts.

Then again, he seemed like the type who could give me a damn good night of fun.

He would need to be taken down a peg or two first, and I saw the perfect opportunity.

“Are you an athlete?” I asked, batting my eyelids.

“Why yes, I am. I play hockey for Hawking. I’m Teddy, and what’s your name, beautiful?” He reached out his hand, and I shook it, his hand gigantic compared to mine. They were calloused, despite looking soft. So, the pretty boy did something with his hands. That shouldn’t have been such a turn on.

But it totally was.

Plus, he was a hockey player. I loved hockey players.

Teddy. Even his name was adorable. I hated it.

“I’m Alexis,” I purred. “Do you work with these engines every day?”

“I do.” He nodded. “It’s hard work, but I get to make awesome things.”

“You’re a bare-faced liar,” I deadpanned, my overly fake, ditsy frown of confusion turning into a glare.

His features dropped in surprise, his jaw ever so slightly open.

“I don’t know what you mean.” He smiled serenely, recovering quickly.

“That—” I pointed toward the engine, “is a marine engine. For boats. If you put that thing in a plane, it won’t move and could possibly explode. Actually, I bet it would explode because anyone dumb enough to confuse those two types of engines definitely doesn’t know how to install them!” I growled.

Teddy’s eyes widened, and his scent intensified.

Don’t let the sexy alpha scent seduce you.

“I see I’m in the presence of someone who knows her stuff. I don’t recognise you—I thought you were from a different department.”

“Was the English accent not a clue?” I asked, eyebrow cocked.

His hands raised in surrender. “I’m sorry, sparky. I thought you were one of those education majors. We’ve had a few of them come in here to look at the engines, and try to bag a potentially high-earning alpha.”

I scoffed. Potentially high-earning alpha? “You and I both know they’re far better suited stalking the medical engineering students or the business ones.” Mechanical engineers made good money, but the guys developing life-saving medical devices and selling them to big pharma companies? Especially in countries like America, where healthcare was private? They easily made millions.

“Have you been stalking us, sparky?” Teddy asked, his eyes wide with excitement. “Is that how you know about engines?”

“Maybe I’m a student.”

His gaze softened as he levelled me with a downright patronising look. “This stuff is really complex. There’s no shame in studying education or art. This shit isn’t for everyone.”

It didn’t matter how nice this asshole smelled. I wanted to punch his perfect pretty little face and break his angular nose. I wasn’t completely shocked—I had come across a plethora of sexist remarks and attitudes in the three years I had been studying—but to hear it from this man stung a bit. He was too damn gorgeous to be a pig. Not to mention that athletic body. I had taken a ride on a hockey player or two in my time, and they never disappointed. It was a downright shame, because I wasn’t going to play with a pig.

We could have given each other mind-blowing orgasms, but no, he had to go be an ass.

“Actually, I’m in my third year of mechanical engineering in England. I’ll have you know. I have a friend I’m visiting here and thought I would explore the lab. I didn’t realise this lab came with its very own misogynistic pig.” I glowered at him, desperately wanting to walk away, only there was something about his smell that was keeping me firmly rooted in place.

Teddy’s head jerked back as my words sank in, his eyes bulging ever so slightly as his mouth opened and closed, floundering to find words.

“If that’s all,” I said in an overly polite voice, my accent probably comically over exaggerated, “I think I’ll be going. This department clearly isn’t for me.”

Turning on my heel to leave, I was stopped from storming out by a large hand gripping my upper arm, gently but firmly turning me back to face the guy it belonged to.

I silently thanked my lucky stars that I had put on a long-sleeve shirt this morning. Something about this alpha was potent, and the idea of his skin on mine was heady.

“Wait! I’m sorry, can we start over?” He grinned playfully at me. That smile probably got him everything he wanted.

Not me.

“I would like to go now. Take your hand off me,” I instructed him.

“No, please stay. I’m an ass, but—”

“I’m leaving,” I ground out. “No amount of pretty face can make up for being a colossal dickhead.”

He beamed at me, eyes lighting up. “You think I’ve got a pretty face?”

“You’re really missing the point, aren’t you?” I tried to tug my arm out of his grip and failed miserably. Stupid alpha strength.

My body chose that moment to be a pest, my scent getting stronger. Teddy’s grip lessened as his nostrils flared. His pupils dilated as he gaped at me for a brief second before lunging forward.

His lips pressed down on mine, and my entire body melted, despite my rage. One of his hands tangled in the hair at the nape of my neck as I kissed him back with just as much enthusiasm as he kept me firmly in place.

Oh, we could have had an amazing time if the tingling in my body was anything to go by.

It felt like seconds later when he pulled his lips from mine, looking down at me almost reverently.

“Are you an omega?” he asked breathlessly, his face creasing in confusion.

Shit. Abort. Abort. Get the fuck out of here now! No dick is worth this.

“No, I’m a beta—if you want to go play slick and slide, you’ll have to find someone else.” I snorted, pulling away, his hand still firmly on my arm.

“But I swear…”

His grip was too strong. There was no way I was getting out without some extra persuasion.

I just hoped Molly would forgive me for causing a little chaos on her campus.

My free hand slid into my bag, my fingers instantly finding what I was hunting for. “Last chance to let me go, jackass,” I said firmly.

“I don’t want you to run away, beau—fuck!”

He was cut off when I pressed Mr. Sparky, my beloved taser, right into his junk. Which was a shame, because despite his cocky attitude, I got the impression he had the hardware to back it up.

Free from his grasp, I took a step back as he leaned forward, collapsing to his knees, hands covering his dick through his jeans.

“I warned you.” I shrugged as footsteps sounded behind me.

“Teddy?” a deep, rumbling voice asked behind me, laced with concern.

Turning to look at the new person, I grimaced. He was definitely not a student. Maybe a professor?

This alpha was the kind of guy who infected everyone’s naughty teacher fantasies. Dark brown hair fell in tousled waves past his ears, almost brushing the collar of the tight, grey shirt he wore, with the top button undone. His neatly trimmed beard matched his hair perfectly, and I was struck with the urge to run my fingers through it.

“Who are you?” he asked in that deep voice that made me want to get on my knees and promise to be a good girl. He glanced between the alpha curled up on the floor, clutching his junk as he moaned in pain, and me standing in front of him, taser still in hand.

I really need to get laid. It’s been too long.

“Oh! Uh…” I stumbled over my words. “He wouldn’t let me go,” I admitted, looking down at the moaning alpha with a grimace.

The strange alpha raised his eyebrows, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “It looks like you’re free now,” he observed.

“Ah, yes. I really should be going.”

One small problem, though—he was blocking the doorway. Before I could open my mouth to complain that he was in the way, he stepped to the side, gesturing and tilting his head towards the door.

“I’ll deal with the dummy,” he assured me, his voice soothing.

“Thank you,” I said, scurrying past him. I wanted to strut past him, full of my usual confidence, but everything had thrown me so off centre. I made do with looking at the ground and attempting to make a hasty exit.

His body was positioned at the door frame, so I had to squeeze by him to leave.

Cherry wine, dark and rich, hit my nose, and keeping a straight face was nearly impossible. Both of these alphas smelled so strong, masculine, heady. They were the kind of scents I wouldn’t mind rolling around in.

I glanced up at him as I passed to find him looking down at me with a warm look of amusement.

Every nerve ending in my body felt electrified, so instead of rushing back to the library, where Molly was likely waiting for me, I veered into the nearest bathroom I could find.

After splashing some cold water on my face, I rummaged through my bag, looking for my nondescript bottle of vitamins that actually contained the medication I needed; hidden under the pile of crap I kept in there. Taking two, I chased it with a handful of water from the sink.

Hopefully, that would be enough to dull my scent.

No one knew.

I wanted to keep it that way.

As far as the world was concerned, I was just a regular, run-of-the-mill beta.

Chapter Two

Teddy

Iwas in love.

There was no other way to describe my feelings for the woman who had just tasered me in my crown jewels and ran away after a kiss so intense, my soul may have left my body.

My entire body was tingling—though, whether that was from the kiss or the zap to my balls, I wasn’t sure. Hopefully, I would be in full control of my body by practice tonight, or the others would crucify me. We had a game in two days I couldn’t afford to miss it or be distracted during.

“The fuck did you do?” Calvin glared down at me, holding out a hand to help me up. He looked every bit the part of the pissed-off professor. He had only taken the job here a year ago, and it suited him perfectly. He had that grumpy, disapproving stare mastered.

“She’s perfect. Did you smell her?” I asked, taking his outstretched hand and slowly getting vertical.

Turns out, getting an electric shock to your manhood really hurts like a bitch. Still, my morning was looking up. All I wanted to do was run from the room, track down the mouthy blonde, and drag her into a janitor’s closet so we could continue verbally sparring. Preferably without clothes.

My cock hadn’t gone down in the slightest; if anything, the electricity had frozen it in its rock-hard state. Well, it was that or the perky-chested blonde was that good.

“You can’t go accosting young ladies because they smell nice,” Calvin told me, crossing his arms and levelling me with a glare. “There’s this thing called decency, being polite. You may have heard of it?”

“Oh, come off it, it’s not like that! She kissed me back—she was an active participant.” Her lips had been swollen and her hair mussed when Calvin had so rudely interrupted us.

“She seemed active in the way she sent five-thousand volts through your junk.”

“She’s got fire,” I declared, a shit-eating grin on my face. “Did you hear her voice? English! I could listen to her yell at me all day.”

“I yell at you most of the day already,” he reasoned.

“Yes, but you don’t sound as good doing it, and you don’t have glorious tits that bounce when you’re angry.”

Calvin shook his head. “I swear, there is no hope for you. What did you say to make her so desperate to get away from you that she resorted to tasering you? Dare I ask?”

I grimaced, shuffling from foot to foot, trying to ease the rapidly growing pain in my groin. “I was a bit of an asshole. I kind of assumed she was an omega from one of the easier degrees just coming to look at sweaty guys working on engines…” I scratched the back of my head sheepishly.

“Jesus, usually you’re more suave with the ladies. What about this girl has turned you into a simpering mess?” Calvin chuckled. “It’s kind of funny to see you thrown off your game.”

Alexis had said she was a beta, but there had been something so damn magnetic about her scent. Sweet chocolate and raspberry. If she hadn’t told me otherwise, I would have pegged her as an omega. She was taller than most omegas but had the generous curves associated with that designation.

“Did she smell like an omega to you? She’s so damn sweet!”

Cal nodded his head, pursing his lips. “She smelled rather good. She could be one.”

From him, that was high praise. Did he find her attractive as well? My packmate had never been one to join in on our wilder, more womanising ways. Probably because he was almost half a decade older than us. He taught modern literature, one of the programmes heavily populated by omega students, so out of the two of us, he probably knew what an omega smelled like the most.

“I need to find her,” I declared. “I’m going to bring her here, to Hawking, there’s no way she could resist me.” Women usually came easier to me. I was a good-looking alpha, tall, athletic, smart, and thanks to my father’s position as Dean, wealthy. Usually, a simple smile was all it took, and my cock was in for a good time. Hell, there was a slew of puck bunnies just waiting for the opportunity to take me for a spin.

Not Alexis, though. She had talked down to me like I was a pathetic nobody and proceeded to assault me.

“You can’t go stalking her. Judging by that voice, she isn’t even from here.”

“What if the university gave her an offer she couldn’t refuse?” I smirked. “She could study here, with us. You know I could get a scholarship offer made easily.”

“You can’t go using your connections to date someone. Is she even a student?”

“Who said anything about dating?” I smirked. “And she’s a mechanical engineering student somewhere. She dressed me down over engines, Cal. It was amazing. She’s a total gear head! And she called me pretty.”

My body was vibrating with excitement—or it may have been residual electric shock—either way, I had to know more about the stunning blonde with an attitude.

“Teddy, come on. You can’t. I won’t stop you—I’m your packmate, not your parent—but please refrain from doing anything that could get us into serious trouble. I don’t have the energy to keep bailing you out.”

“I won’t need bailing out! Watch me!” I declared gleefully, hobbling out of the room.

I needed to find my phone. I had important calls to make.

Chapter Three

Alexis

One Month Later

“Franks!” the large voice bellowed across the garage.

Groaning to myself, I stood up straight. Why did my grumpy shop teacher have to demand my attention when I was buried under the hood of the car, reattaching a battery? The old model car had seen better days, but it was the best the university had to offer. I had taken the engine apart and put it back together several times already.

“Yeah?” I asked, wiping my grubby hands on my blue overalls. Mr. Hen was a grizzled, elderly Yorkshire man who had been teaching mechanical engineering at Oakland for longer than I had been alive. His beard and hair had long since turned grey, and his face always had a sour look on it.

“Come by my office after class,” he instructed with a grunt, turning to look at an engine another student was working on.

I looked after him with a frown. What on earth did he want this time? He had been pissed at me ever since I had scored top of the class in the mid-term exam last month.

With a sigh, I tilted my head from side to side, cricking my neck.

Kieran passed me, my ass stinging as he slapped it before leaning down to whisper to me. “My offer still stands.” He smirked down at me, but it felt slimy. Kieran was several places below me in grades, and as an alpha, he should have smelled decent, but he just smelled like mildew to me.

“Not if you’re the last man on earth,” I growled back, levelling him with a glare. He had been trying to sleep with me ever since the first day of class. Despite multiple rejections, he didn’t seem to get the message that the last thing I wanted was a guy who stank like a dank shower.

He placed his hand on the hood of the car, leaning over me so closely, I was unfortunately subjected to his rancid breath. Somehow, he believed himself to be the ultimate alpha—when, in reality, he was a walking petri dish of disgusting.

Before he could even blink, I snuck out from under his arm, making a beeline for the office. A grumpy teacher was preferable to the walking STD.

Mr. Hen was already sitting at his desk, squinting at the paperwork in front of him.

“Close the door, Miss Franks,” he said, putting his paperwork down.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, my heart rate increasing. Had one of the students made a complaint about me again? There had been several complaints lodged since I started at the university, but I had fought each and every one, and I would fight again if another complaint was made. Regardless, it was a pain in the ass.

“You’ve received a scholarship offer from another facility.”

“Another facility?” I frowned. That was new. They had tried to move me to a more appropriate programme or facility several times, but they’d never offered me a scholarship.

I opened my mouth to outright reject the offer, as I had done multiple times before. My current situation wasn’t fun and easy, but I wasn’t going to quit because things were difficult.

“It’s a scholarship for Hawking University,” he said, handing me a few forms. I practically snatched them out of his hands. Hawking University? That was Molly’s school. In America. Thousands of miles away.

I glanced over the paperwork, my eyes widening with every line. Fully paid. Fully funded programmes and housing costs and even a stipend for living expenses.

“In America?” I asked weakly.

“The very one. Did you visit there recently?”

“I did. I had a friend transfer over there.”

“Well, you must have impressed one of the professors there for you to get this offer. I would think long and hard before rejecting this one.”

I had spoken to a few faculty members, including one engineering teacher who was a female alpha and clearly kicked ass at her job—I had been slightly smitten with her.

What had I done to earn this, though?

“Are you sure this is legitimate?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “This sounds almost too good to be true.”

Mr. Hen hummed. “It does, doesn’t it? Hawking is an amazing facility. Why you got offered this, instead of the many, many deserving students here, I don’t know.”

I resisted the urge to glare at him. Being in the top five in programme rankings was pretty damn impressive. He was just bitter one of his favourite penis-owning students hadn’t been offered such an amazing scholarship.

“When do they need to know by? Can I think it over?”

His eyebrows were raised so high, they almost disappeared into his hairline. “What is there to think about?”

“It would be an international move, so there is a lot to consider.”

“You have until next week to let them know.”

Taking the papers and leaving the office, I shoved them into my bag the first chance I got. I still had two hours of shop class, and I didn’t want anyone else to know.

I had a lot of thinking to do.

“Been sucking dick to get a better grade again?” Kieran laughed loud enough for everyone to hear, before making several glugging noises, and simulating sucking dick.

This was the last place I wanted to be. And now I had an out.

I had honestly intended to keep it a secret, but seeing his smug, asshole face was just too much for me.

“No cock sucking,” I declared. “Just getting a scholarship offer your pea brain could never even dream of,” I declared, waving the paper in the air smugly as I sauntered out of the classroom.

Chapter Four

Alexis

Four months later

Grabbing my duffel bag out of the back seat of the sleek SUV, I took in the building in front of me. Dallas House. My new home.

For the next year, at least.

A home I would be sharing with other students.

The dormitory building was pristine, yet old. The red brick was clean and well maintained, the windows spotless. For a building that appeared hundreds of years old, it seemed so well maintained, I would have believed it had been built yesterday.

“Geez,” my best friend, Molly, groaned as she dragged one of my suitcases out of the car. “They put you up in the fancy dorm, didn’t they?” Her auburn hair was wild around her face as she took in the house.

“It looks like it.” I frowned, putting my suitcase down.

Surely there had been a mistake.

When I got the scholarship offer to Hawking University, it had seemed too good to be true. Room and board paid for, as well as a small stipend for living costs. Education in America didn’t come cheap, and I would have been a fool to turn down such an offer. Sneaking out of the country without my family knowing had been a struggle, but they were ultimately clueless.

I didn’t know why I got offered the scholarship, though. My grades were good, but not that good.

“I thought they would be putting me up in one of the basic dorms,” I admitted. “There’s no way I’m staying here.” It looked straight out of a TV show, picturesque and maintained to perfection. There was no way students lived like that. My old dorm had a mold problem and was falling to bits.

“Only one way to find out! Let’s check you in,” Molly said, dragging my suitcase up the stairs.

She only made it up a single stair before my suitcase was whisked out of her hand by a man in a uniform consisting of black slacks and a white shirt with a logo embroidered on the breast pocket. “Let me help you with that, ma’am. I’m Oliver—I’m one of the doormen. You must be Miss Franks, our new resident?” He couldn’t have been older than twenty-five. His face was rounded and youthful, and he smelled like fresh linen.

“Oh, thank you!” Molly beamed at him, letting him take my case. “But I’m Molly. This here is Alexis—Miss Franks.” She gestured to me.

Oliver beamed at me, not missing a beat. “So sorry, miss. Come this way, we’ll get you settled in. I’ll take these bags. Just follow me.”

I raised my eyebrows at Molly, who just shrugged her shoulders and followed him into the building.

Someone had made a mistake. That was the only reason I could come up with. There was no way they had put a scholarship student in accommodations with a freaking doorman.

Trailing behind Molly, I took in the building as Oliver led us to the elevator. All sleek shiny interiors and updated fixtures. It even smelled fancy, like some sort of floral musk that screamed wealth.

“Your room is on the third floor.”

“Is the dorm mixed?” Molly asked.

“It is, but the third floor is ladies only. They’re welcome to have guests or short-term visitors,” Oliver informed her. “You’ll be able to visit Miss Franks at your leisure. The door is always manned.”

“Thank you, Oliver. You’ll probably be seeing me a fair bit.”

“Are you also a student?” he asked.

“I am, but I live off campus with my pack.”

“We do Pack Dorms as well—they’re quite popular with the all-student packs.”

“That’s very good to know!” Molly beamed at him before turning to me with eyebrows raised. Molly had no use for a pack dorm, she had a million dollar mansion. She was hinting at me. Only I had zero interest in a pack, unless it was for sexy group fun that I could easily walk away from.

Pulling a key out of his pocket, he walked a few steps down the hall before opening the door.

“This is your suite, Miss Franks.” He walked to the middle of the large room. “All the amenities are yours to use; the building contains a gym and pool. Your door fob will allow you into any of those spaces.”

I slowly walked around the room as Molly whistled.

“I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” Molly chuckled.

No shit.

The room was huge, larger than the entirety of the dorm we used to share. Giant windows and exposed brick gave the room a light and airy feel. On the far wall was a bed big enough to host several people, piled high in crisp, clean white bedding and several pillows stacked high.

There was a desk set up and plenty of storage, even a walk-in closet. It looked like my shoe collection would find a home here. Then again, my thrifted shoes would probably look trashy in a place like this.

My jaw almost hit the ground when I took in the bathroom. A claw-foot tub, big enough to swim in, and a separate shower. I was already mentally calculating how long it would be until I could boil myself in that tub. Gone were the days of quick showers and praying that the hot water didn’t crap out on me.

“This place is beautiful,” I said, walking through the space again. I could run laps around this place. “Are you sure this is my dorm?” I asked Oliver with a frown. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful, but I’m a scholarship student.”

“This is definitely the dorm you’ve been assigned to for the year, Miss Franks—it is a lovely place, I know. We are looking forward to having you here for the year. Our faculty is very generous. We have several scholarship students in this building.”

That was a relief. I didn’t want to be the only scholarship student amongst what appeared to be extremely wealthy students. While blending in was a skill I was somewhat adept at, there would be no hiding my lack of wealth.

“I’ll leave you ladies to settle in. I’ll get my assistant to bring the rest of your bags up, and if you need anything, you can call me at any time. The number is in your welcome packet on the desk. The cafeteria is on the first floor and always open, with a selection of snacks and cereal outside of regular mealtimes.” Oliver gave me a warm smile before turning and leaving.

As the door slicked closed, Molly twirled to face me, her auburn curls flying everywhere from the quick movement. “Lex! This place is nice! Who did you have to blow for this?” she asked with a giggle.

“I don’t know.” I laughed. “I imagine people have sucked off creepy men for a lot less,” I mused, sitting down on the bed and moaning at the softness of it as I sank a few inches into the mattress.

I had the instinct to nest, but I refused point blank to indulge it. I was living as a beta, no omega behaviours for me.

Molly sat down next to me, throwing her arms around me. “I’m so happy you’re here. As much as I love being here with the pack, I’ve missed you dearly.”

“As have I,” I agreed, resting my head on her shoulder.

“When do you start classes?”

“Straight away. I’ve got a meeting with my student advisor tomorrow and an English class.”

“In that case, I suppose we better get you unpacked,” Molly said begrudgingly after a moment.

“It’s getting late. Don’t you have to get home?” I raised an eyebrow. Her phone had been buzzing nonstop for the last thirty minutes.

Molly pouted. “I don’t want to leave you alone.”

“I’m exhausted from the flight. I’ll probably just crash and sleep,” I admitted. Plus, I expected her pack to be making their way here if they didn’t hear from her soon.

“Okay, but you’ll come to dinner at ours tomorrow, okay?” she asked, eyes wide and pleading.

“Of course I will. I want to see the fluff balls.” I smiled. I had grown rather fond of Potato, Molly’s pet bunny, when we’d lived together. Now she had a second bunny called Parsnip, who was the cutest thing. He had been a gift from one of her alphas after a particularly large blunder.

“I don’t blame you.” She pulled me in for a surprisingly strong hug. “Call me—even if you’re just bored!”

“You know I will.”

It took another twenty minutes to convince Molly to leave. Turned out, one of her alphas, Zach, was already on campus and waiting until she was done to take her home. He had been happy to wait in the car for hours, just so she could spend time with me.

Did I want that? Yes.

No.

Maybe?

The idea of having someone care for me was nice, but I enjoyed my freedom far too much. Molly’s alphas would give her the world, but they were also so overprotective and had a penchant for hovering.

Rummaging in my bags, I threw on the first pair of night clothes my hands touched and got changed into a little shirt-and-shorts set. While brushing my teeth, I upturned my carry on, looking for my pills. My schedule had been thrown off with all the travelling, and the last thing I wanted to do was to miss a dose.

Ever since I had made the decision to go to university—against my parents’ wishes, I may add—I had been concealing my designation. People were quick to judge, especially in male-dominated fields like mechanical engineering. As a beta, I could scrape by with a little respect. If I was honest and let folks know I was an omega, then they would see me as flighty or just looking for a pack. Maybe a knot.

That idea repulsed me. I wanted to do this on my own merit, and goddammit, I would. Even Molly was unaware, and we had lived together. Keeping such a huge thing from her made me feel like crap, but I had sworn to myself that I wouldn’t tell anyone. All it took was one person to let slip, and my academic career could have been fucked.

Swallowing the chalky pill with a swig of soda, I continued my nighttime routine, brushing out my hair and loosely braiding it. Climbing into the bed, I resisted the urge to fluff and rearrange the pillows—it was perfectly fine as it was.

At least, that’s what I told myself.

No nesting urges here.

Lying back on the pillows, I plugged my phone into the bedside charger, taking a quick selfie of me, fresh-faced and clearly in bed, and sent it to Molly.

All tucked up in bed!

She sent back a selfie of her and one of her men—Nils—at what appeared to be an ice cream parlour, a monstrous sundae between them.

Don’t tempt me with the sugar! I haven’t had a chance to get snacks.

I’ll take you here after dinner in a day or two?

Sold.

I smiled at the screen. Molly was amazing, and I was thankful I wasn’t entirely alone in this new place. After closing my chat with Molly, my face morphed into a frown. My mother had texted me, but I hadn’t even bothered to open it.

They had no idea I had moved to America. I would have to tell them, eventually, but they were hardly supportive of me studying in such a manly and undignified field when I only lived an hour or two from home. Had they known my intentions to move, I wouldn’t have put it past her and the rest of my family to lock me in my childhood bedroom and refuse to let me go.

Ignoring the message, I tucked the phone under my pillow and lay down, turning off the small lamp on the bedside.

Tomorrow would be a big day, and I was going to kick ass at it.

Chapter Five

Alexis

Rolling out of bed at eight in the morning, I stretched lazily, deciding to make use of the shower—if I had a bath, I would have refused to get out for hours, and I had a meeting to go to.

The shower was nothing to sniff at, the water pressure heavenly. I spent a bit too long in the shower, taking my time to shave my legs and deep condition my hair.

My floor was littered with various outfits I had tried on. What was the status quo here? Usually, I would have worn something with a little cleavage, maybe something a little short. I liked the confidence boost they gave me—but what if they looked down on that here?

After much dithering, I settled on no cleavage, but that didn’t mean I had to wear something frumpy. Skin-tight black shorts and a pale pink silk blouse that nipped me in at the waist felt like a good option. Respectable but still sexy. If the vibe of the place felt good, I could always undo the first few buttons of my blouse and show off the girls a little.

Good luck on your first day! Be nice to the other kids, make friends!

I laughed at Molly’s message. I knew I could come off as prickly at times, but I was far from antisocial.

My phone beeped again, and I groaned at the message.

Don’t taser anyone in the ding dong. It’s generally looked down upon.

The handsome asshole had crossed my mind occasionally, especially when I received the scholarship offer. The campus was large, and he had clearly not been an engineering student, messing up basic engines, so the chances I would run into him were low.

Why did that make me ever so slightly sad?

The pills must have been fucking with me.

My stomach grumbled loudly, and I did the mental maths. I hadn’t eaten anything other than some candy I bought at the airport almost twenty-four hours ago, thanks to the time difference. Grabbing my phone and my structured black tote, I shuffled out of the room. I looked like the very definition of sexy business woman, head held high.

Now I just needed to find the damn cafeteria.

It wasn’t difficult to find. I just followed the delicious smell of French toast. The room was nice, no plastic seating in sight, just large wooden tables and chairs throughout the room, a few booths, and on the far side was the kitchen. There were gigantic windows that went nearly floor to ceiling, bathing the room in morning light.

The room was fairly empty, with only a student or two dotted around, eating. I bustled over to the food, grabbing a tray and loading it up with French toast.

I had a sweet tooth, so anything with sugar was a yes for me.

When I got to the end of the line, I pulled out my wallet and grabbed a few notes I had changed from pounds to dollars.

“Oh, your cash is no use here, sweetie,” the elderly lady at the end of the line informed me. “I just need to scan your student ID.”

“Oh, I don’t have an ID yet. I only got in yesterday. I’m so sorry! Are you sure I can’t pay?” I asked. I was hungry, and the last thing I wanted to do was put the food back.

“Put her breakfast on my ID, Gloria,” a student behind me said, reaching over and swiping her card without another word.

“Oh, thank you.” I turned to look at the stranger.

“Don’t sweat it! Thank you, Gloria!” She waved at the lady before turning back to me. “Are you a new resident?” I looked up from the toast to a small omega girl with a wavy black bob, a bright yellow sweater, and a huge grin.

“I am.” I nodded. “I’m Alexis.” I reached out my hand, but she just leaned over and pulled me into a hug, her sweet cherry cola smell filling my nose.

“Oh my word, you sound adorable! Are you English? I’m Hazel. I live on the third floor. Oliver told me there was a new resident moving in! What’s your major?” The whirlwind pushed me gently towards a table and sat down opposite me, the grin never slipping from her face, excitement radiating off her.

Smiling back, I swallowed my bite of French toast. It clearly paid to be rich. Had I known it was free, I would have helped myself to two servings. Did they have a Michelin star chef back in the kitchen? Because that French toast was better than any cafeteria food I had ever eaten.

After taking another bite, I replied, “I’m English and just got in last night. I’m joining the engineering department here. What do you study?”

“That’s wonderful! Oh, your voice is so pretty. And I’m an English lit major.” She beamed. “Do you know where you’re going? Have you been here before?”

“I know roughly. I’ve got a friend studying history here, and I checked the place out when I visited her last year. I only need to visit the student centre today, get my schedule and such, and then one class—English, actually!”

“Oh wow, is your friend also English? Are you guys sharing a dorm? Also, yay! I’m the best person to show you around the English department.”

“Molly lives off campus with her pack,” I admitted.

Hazel’s eyes and smile both widened. “Lucky her! I wanted to live off campus, but this place is so nice, and my family is a touch overprotective and made it clear they would rather I live on campus and not have to commute. This place is so chill, though. I really like it here.”

“Actually, I have a question. Is there a laundromat nearby? I didn’t see any signs for one in the building, and I’ve got a week’s worth of travelling clothes that desperately need a launder.” I laughed. I had been putting off that chore for far too long.

Hazel’s brow furrowed as she smiled at me. “We just send our clothes out, silly. There’s a free laundry service for all residents. The number should have been in your welcome packet. If not, don’t worry—I can get the number for you. Just give them a call, and they’ll pick up the laundry and return it whenever it’s convenient for you.”

“That’s…” I struggled to find the words.

“I know it’s a little insane, but it’s one of the many perks of living here. How about this? When you get back later, come to my room. I’ll be studying all day, and I’d be happy to fill you in on all the basics of this place.”

“Thank you. It’s a lot to take in.”

Hazel’s eyes raked over me. “You look amazing, by the way. That shirt is to die for.”

“Isn’t it? I got it last year and loved it so much, I bought it in three colours.”

“Ugh, you’re a woman after my own heart, Alexis. Though, if you’re going to the student centre, you may want to get moving. It’s a good ten-minute walk!”

“Crap!” I grabbed my handbag and darted out of the room, giving Hazel a wave as she called after me.

“Room 306! Come see me when you’re back! I’ll walk you to the English campus.”

It didn’t take me long to get to the student centre. There were plenty of signs to guide my way. The heeled ankle boots I had thrown on were one of my comfiest pairs, so the trip was easy.

Heels were essential when I was hanging around a bunch of men who were usually taller than me. A few extra inches made all the difference.

I sauntered up to the receptionist, plastering a smile on my face. “Hello, I’ve got a meeting at ten? I’m a new student.”

The sweet-looking, middle-aged lady smiled up at me. “What’s your name, sweetie? I’ll let your advisor know you’re here.”

“Alexis Franks.”

Looking down at her paperwork she quickly found my name “Ah! Alexis. You’re with Mrs. Getty—she’s just down the hall, room five. You can go straight to see her.” She gestured towards the hall, and I thanked her.

Mrs. Getty was exactly what I pictured when I thought of a student advisor. She was basically the adult version of a guidance counsellor. Large round glasses, shoulder-length, mousy brown hair, and wearing a sweater and slacks.

“Hello?” I knocked on the doorframe, since her door was open.

“Hello! Are you Alexis? Come in!” She gestured to the chair in front of her, and I sank into it thankfully. “You’re our latest scholarship student, am I right? How are you settling into Dallas House?”

“It seems amazing. I only got in last night, so I haven’t seen all the facilities, but my suite is incredible. It kind of blew my mind. I was expecting a normal dorm room.”

Mrs. Getty pulled some papers out of her desk and started flicking through them. “You did have a very generous scholarship offer, I must admit. You must be an excellent student! Now you’re joining our sophomore programme. You’ll have your core engineering classes, but you’ll also be required to take an English class and a Humanities class this semester.”

I frowned. “How come?”

“That’s standard for all students in the engineering programme. Is it different in England?”

“We tend to only take classes regarding our chosen programme,” I admitted.

“That does sound practical! Here, we like to ensure a well-rounded education, so for this semester, you’ve been placed in an English literature programme with Professor Galloway and an ethics class with Mr. Reading.” As she spoke, she handed over my schedule with all my classes written down. “What else… Am I forgetting something?”

“I need a student ID,” I said. I didn’t want to have to rely on Hazel to eat, even though she gave me the impression that she wouldn’t mind at all.

“Of course!” She opened her drawer. “I had one printed for you this morning. Here you go.” She handed over the card with my name, picture, and faculty information. “That’ll get you most places. It’ll give you access to the engineering labs, let you check out books from the library, and can be used at any of the cafeterias on campus. Your scholarship is extensive, and all food is covered at university funded dining halls, but some of the coffee shops and cafes are independent, so they’re not covered.”

That was generous. I frowned down at my beaming face on the card. Surely there was a catch. The only way I could explain the sheer generosity of this offer was the department was desperately trying to look less sexist and were doing everything possible to get more women into their programmes. It was a ridiculous reason, but I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. No, I was going to use this opportunity to my advantage. A free ride and a place in a programme I was more than qualified for? I’d take it.

I was independent, not stupid.

My schedule wasn’t overly packed. Once classes got going, I would need to dedicate a lot of time to studying. I fully expected the content to be more advanced than I was used to, but that only excited me.

Hawking University opened so many doors for me, just by attending. I would have a better education and amazing job prospects once I finished. The better the job I secured, the less chance I would have to go crawling back to my family for support after I graduated.

I would have rather slept on the streets than ask them for help. They would have attached strings to their help—shitty strings, like going on dates with alphas of their choosing, alphas that wanted a docile little housewife who never swore and had no career ambitions.

That wasn’t fucking me, and I had known that wasn’t me from an early age. No matter how I had tried to tell my family, they refused to listen, so I had applied for university in secret and fled in the dead of night.

Now, they didn’t even know I had left the country.

That was going to be an interesting call I fully intended to put off for as long as possible.

I took a longer way back to Dallas House, letting myself explore the campus a bit. Locating the library and several other cafeterias—seriously, they had cafeterias dedicated to specific cuisines, like a Mexican and an Italian one. My mouth was salivating, but it hadn’t been long since I’d finished my French toast.

By the time I got back to Dallas House, dropped off my paperwork, and headed toward Hazel’s room, it was lunchtime.

Standing outside 306, I knocked gently, freezing when I heard a series of bangs and a few curse words before a bedraggled-looking Hazel opened the door, a waft of her sweet cherry cola scent hitting me in the face. “You’re here!” she declared happily as I stared at her with wide eyes. Her hair stuck up at odd angles, and there was a crease on her face from the pillow. “I fell asleep…then fell out of my nest. Give me two minutes, and we can grab lunch!” She spoke so fast, I struggled to keep up. She turned on her heel and ran back into her room, clattering about as I stood in the doorway.

Before I even took a step forward to enter, to see if she was all right, Hazel was back, her hair smoothed out, wearing a bright blue cardigan covered in white fluffy clouds, and her bag in hand.

“Are you hungry? Your class is across the hall from mine. I looked up your schedule.” I raised my eyebrows. “I’ve got a friend in admin, no biggie. Anyway, I could do with some lunch before class. And coffee. We can’t forget coffee!”

The last thing Hazel needed was more caffeine, but still, smiling to myself, I followed her out of the building, listening to her chatter.

Chapter Six

Alexis

The way American universities worked baffled me. It was my first day of classes, and I only had one—my English credit. Next week the rest of the classes would start. Moving to America was meant to help me learn more about engineering, not freaking Shakespeare. I hadn’t studied that since I was sixteen, and I really didn’t feel like starting now.

Because I wasn’t stepping foot into the engineering building, I stayed in my pink blouse and shorts. It was the sort of thing I could never, in a million years, wear in the labs. I could be bending over an engine and give the entire lab a flash of my panties—so I had to make use of the opportunity when I could.

Silk was also a no-go around engines. Motor oil stained. Badly. I had clunky blue overalls for lab class and a set of bright pink overalls that were downright adorable, but they were a little too attention-grabbing for school.

“So, this is the best coffee around. I always come here. It’s on the way to the English department, so it’s a prime location.” Hazel spoke easily as we headed toward a small bohemian-looking cafe.

We got into the line and waited. There were only two or three people ahead of us, so we didn’t have long to wait. There was a good selection of drinks to choose from, I noted as I perused the menu.

There were only one or two types of tea, though. As a Brit, that made me shudder.

“What are you thinking about getting? I always get the same thing. I get an extra large iced white chocolate coffee with hazelnut syrup and cinnamon,” Hazel chirped next to me.

I pressed my lips together, doing my best not to laugh. That was a lot of sugar and caffeine for such a small omega.

“That sounds like a diabetic coma waiting to happen,” I said, trying to keep my voice even.

“I’m the most stereotypical omega you will ever meet. I will not consume anything unless it’s drowned in sugar. There’s no one to tell me no, so I’m going to do whatever the hell I want.”

“I can appreciate that!” I nodded as we walked up to the counter to order, me grabbing a dirty chai and Hazel her insane concoction.

“I’m sure if I had a pack, they would try to convince me to eat healthier, but I would probably just sneak candy. I can’t help myself!”

“What sort of pack do you want?” I asked.

“I’m not sure. My parents don’t want me to be part of a pack. They’re both betas. I’m convinced I’m adopted, honestly. They think the whole multiple peens to one lady business is just gross and vulgar.”

My eyebrows raised. “Uh, isn’t that pretty standard for all omegas?” Hell, even I had come to terms with the idea that, one day, I would have pack, because biological impulses are a bitch.

“Yep. They seem to think that one pencil-dicked beta would be enough for me.” She shuddered. “I know the guy they have in mind. I swear, watching paint dry is more interesting than having a conversation with him!”

“Surely you can’t subject yourself to that?” I asked, horrified.

“I don’t want to, but my parents are loaded, and they use that fact to control everyone around them.”

“They sound like wankers,” I observed.

Hazel chuckled. “That they are…”

The classroom was relatively empty when I got there, only a few students dotted around. Most of them were female, and, judging by the potent sweet smell drowning the room, several of them were omegas.

It was comforting. Omega’s scents just gave off those calming vibes. I had grown used to classrooms full of betas and alphas, because I had yet to see an engineering department that had an omega student—other than me—so this was a pleasant surprise.

Sliding into the second row, I pulled out my notebook and situated myself. Groups of two or three omegas sat together, chattering amongst themselves.

Once settled, I pulled out my phone. There were still ten minutes until we started, so I shot Molly a message.

ALEXIS

Remind me again why I have to take an English credit and you don’t?

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

Because the university loves me, and I’m also in my final year?

ALEXIS

Show off. I’m waiting for my first class to start now. Hopefully I’m not bored to tears.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

Yay! I’m so excited. You better tell me ALL about it tomorrow night. Gray is ordering Italian food. I refuse to let him cook for guests after the meatball disaster. You want your go-to? Carbonara?

ALEXIS

Sounds amazing! Thank you, Molls.

The murmuring of students’ voices ebbed as someone entered, who I assumed was the professor.

I typed the quick goodbye before stashing my phone away for the duration of the class, ensuring it was on silent mode.

The professor had his back to me as he scrawled something on the board. He was tall, with dark hair and broad shoulders.

“Hello, everybody. Welcome to Intro to English Literature,” he said as he wrote. “My name is Professor Galloway, and—” He turned to face us, his eyes meeting mine as he trailed off, staring at me with wide eyes.

Shit.

Double shit.

I had met this man before.

Right after I had tasered a guy in the balls in the engineering lab.

And his eyes were firmly on me.

Thankfully, he recovered quickly, shaking his head slightly before turning to look at the various students as he pulled some papers off his desk and handed a pile to one student to distribute to everyone else.

“This is our reading list for this semester—get the books and read them. Everyone. They will be on the exam. Now, we don’t have a lot of time today, so let’s get started.”

He quickly dove into the syllabus, and I was jotting notes, doing my best to keep up. The reading list was extensive, and none of the authors were born in this century, or even the last.

I caught myself watching Professor Galloway more than I should. He was still stunningly handsome, his shirt far too tight, the sleeves rolled up in a manner that only emphasised the thick muscles in his arms.

Do not think about your professor that way, I chided myself. It had been way too long since I’d had a good fuck. My regulars back home had been sorry disappointments for the last few months, so I was hormonal and desperate, but I needed to lock that shit up tight.

Chapter Seven

Calvin

The last person I expected to see when I entered the classroom for the first day of semester was her.

I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about her over the last few months—the beautiful blonde who had tasered Teddy’s dick before running out of the lab.

Teddy certainly hadn’t forgotten about her. The number of evenings I had spent listening to him waxing poetic about the beautiful beta was mind numbing. If the little shit wasn’t a member of my pack, I probably would have punched him. Hell, even though we were packmates, I still wanted to punch him every now and then. We were essentially brothers, so a little violence between siblings could be considered normal. Teddy had the energy of an over exuberant golden retriever. And sometimes, it was a little much to deal with, no matter how much I loved the fucker.

In fact, he was so obsessed with his new crush that he had done extensive research. Which is how I knew Alexis probably had no interest in studying in America, because she was already in her second year of a four-year mechanical engineering degree in England. She was about to start the third year and had turned down several offers to move to another university. Surely uprooting her life to move to America was the last thing she wanted?

So, how in the hell had she ended up in my Intro to English Literature class? There is only one obvious answer, I surmised as I got a few books out of my bag, trying my best to avoid looking at the blonde in the front of my class.

Teddy.

She was stunning—even more beautiful than I remembered. Wearing a pink silk blouse and shorts that showed off her long legs, she looked like pure sex. Her facial features were angular, sharp, almost regal. She wasn’t a soft beauty; she had a sophistication to her while simultaneously looking like she could easily get into trouble. She sat tall, confident, just like she had when she had thoroughly put Teddy in his place.

But when she turned and saw me, she was unsure, nervous. Biting that plump lip. My cock was immediately hard, despite the thoroughly inappropriate situation. My reaction to her had been almost visceral the first time I saw her. Keep. Protect. Claim.

Months later, nothing had changed. Every time my eyes raked over her, my hands itched to grab her, draw her close.

It was one thing to have these thoughts when she was a visiting student from another university, but if she was in my class, that meant she was now a student at Hawking, and ethically, I couldn’t touch her.

And that infuriated my inner alpha. To have something I so desperately desired near, but unable to reach. The pull I felt towards her was insane. I had briefly met her twice now; that was it. No one had ever set me on edge like this, not even the omegas Teddy’s mother had pushed on us.

Grumbling, I excused myself the moment class ended, not wanting to be in her presence a moment longer than necessary. The longer I was near her, the weaker my resolve got.

Of all the people to turn up in my classroom, it just had to be the beta I’d been fantasising about?

I hadn’t intended to make her the object of my affections and fantasies. But when I’d been in the shower over the last few months, giving myself a little stress relief, my mind had absently wandered to her. To the sweet chocolate smell that had a fruity twist to it. To the determination on her face as she glared at Teddy. She clearly took none of his bullshit, and I liked that.

Probably a bit too much.

My schedule for the rest of the day was light, but I knew for a fact that Teddy had several classes, so there was nothing to do but go home and wait for him. I was struggling to believe that her being here was merely coincidental.

Why would Teddy bring her here? Was it just to torture us? She smelled like heaven to him, and I had admitted her scent was damn attractive, so there was a good chance our entire pack would be obsessed with her scent. If she were an omega, it would be a lot worse. Alphas could get downright feral over scent matches with omegas.

We lived only a few minutes away from campus, in a large Colonial-style house that had recently been renovated. It was far fancier than anywhere I would be able to live solo, but my pack benefited greatly from generational wealth.

And a touch of nepotism.

Since there were no other cars in the drive, everyone else must have been at class or practise. Taking the opportunity to seclude myself in my office, I went over the syllabus for the next few weeks.

Only Dickens was the last thing on my mind.

Unease welled up in me. Something about this situation was throwing me off balance. I didn’t even know why she was here, but nothing good could come from it. Our pack was just beginning to find a good equilibrium. After several really difficult years, we were settled in our studies, in jobs, in sports.

We had even recently been discussing the possibility of finding an omega. Someone to complete our family. Teddy’s parents, in particular, had been pushing for us to start looking. Otherwise, his mother had threatened to set us up with a matchmaker who would find us a suitable match.

And by “suitable,” she meant someone of appropriate breeding. Little brain power or personality. That was a particularly horrifying thought. Teddy was relaxed and went with the flow, usually, but ever since meeting Alexis, it was like a switch had flipped.

His parents ran the university and had amassed colossal wealth from it. They were high society, money-and-breeding-above-all-else kind of people. I was shocked when I learned that Teddy was their son—he was their polar opposite, and they hated that.

Several hours later, I could hear commotion from downstairs, indicating that someone was home, and judging by the volume, there were several people.

Sighing deeply, I scrubbed my hand over my face before getting up from my desk. The large mahogany table and matching red upholstered desk chair had been a gift from my packmates when I got my first-ever teaching job at the university. They were still in excellent condition, because I’d only been teaching for a year.

Before my career path had taken such an unexpected turn, I had dreams of being a professional hockey player. Every member of my pack had a deep love for the sport. I had actually achieved that dream, and only five weeks into my first professional contract, I had realised that playing sports professionally was soul crushing for me. The pressure was too much, and all the joy I’d once felt while playing the game had disappeared.

I had struggled through my contracted year, hardly paying attention to the game, desperate to leave. Which had left me with a dilemma—what to do next? I’d thrown my entire life into this. And now I was changing my mind? While I was playing professionally, I’d poured every spare moment into gaining my teaching certification and master’s degree. Hockey was for fun, and Teddy had convinced me that teaching was the next logical step, so I threw myself into it, clinging to the out. As much as I hated to admit it, that little asshole was correct. I had loved my first year of teaching, even with all the struggles that came with it.

Teaching at Hawking usually required way more qualifications, but with Teddy’s father running the place, I had managed to get a job, despite my lack of a doctorate. I wasn’t naïve; I knew the teaching job had likely been given to me so I would look a bit more respectable as a member of Teddy’s pack. His parents hated that Teddy had chosen a pack with zero input from them.

Making my way to the kitchen, the commotion intensified, joined by the sound of all three of my packmates.

They were all in various states of post-practice disarray. Teddy’s hair was slightly damp, and Wyatt was still wearing his jersey. Miles’s curls were sticking up at every angle as he rummaged through the fridge. They were always ravenous after practice. I had stashed protein bars in their cars, but even when I left a box of thirty, they were gone in days.

“How was practice?” I asked casually, leaning against the doorframe.

“It was good.” Wyatt smiled easily, pulling his dirty jersey out of his duffel and throwing it through the open door of the laundry room. His gym towel swiftly followed. “We totally fucked up a few of the plays, but I think we can handle next week’s game.”

“Hopefully,” Teddy said, twisting the cap off his sports drink and chugging half of it.

“We better. I’m getting too old for this shit,” Wyatt grumbled.

I chuckled. “Us old men just can’t handle the ice like we used to.”

At twenty-nine and twenty-six, we weren’t really old, but compared to Teddy and Miles, who were both in their early twenties, sometimes I felt ancient.

“It’s the knees.” Wyatt nodded sagely. “Anyway, I need to study tonight—so, you idiots are on your own. I’ve got a paper due.”

Wyatt was doing a nursing certification. He was sharp as a tack but also an amazing hockey player, so Hawking kept funding his studies so he could keep playing, and he was loving every minute of getting to study essentially for free.

“I’m ordering pizza. It doesn’t feel like a cooking sort of night,” Miles declared, closing the fridge door with a frown. “How was the first day of classes?” He turned to me as he asked the question.

“It went well,” I admitted. “But you’ll never guess who was in my first class.” I gazed accusingly at Teddy, who was still drinking his sports drink, slightly distracted.

“Oh! Was it that redheaded omega from last month? She was into you, big time, Cal.” Teddy chuckled.

“No. It was a blonde beta—you remember her from last year, right? The one who tasered you in the junk?”

Teddy stilled, turning to face me fully, his face breaking into a huge grin. “She’s here?”

“Oh, damn, taser girl is here?” Miles asked.

“She is. My question is how is she here?” I glared pointedly at Teddy. “Last we knew, she was studying in England. Now it seems she’s here.”

Teddy’s eyes widened as he looked at me with a slightly panicked expression. “Don’t be mad at me,” he started to say, hands reaching out in front of him, like he needed to physically stop me.

“What did you do?” Wyatt groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I technically did nothing. The Hawking University faculty may have offered her a scholarship opportunity she couldn’t deny…” he admitted sheepishly.

“Are you kidding me?” I cried. “You fucking bought her a scholarship? Does she have any idea?” I asked, bewildered. I refused to believe that Alexis accepted a scholarship from the guy she had tasered in his groin just a few short months ago.

“Of course, she has no idea! She thinks it’s just a normal scholarship—”

“That you’re funding out of your trust fund and using your connection as son of the Dean?” Wyatt asked.

“Dude, that’s a bit insane.” Miles laughed.

“It’s beyond insane, that’s totally unethical!” I growled. “She’s uprooted her life for a scholarship that isn’t even real!” Every instinct in my body wanted to protect Alexis—also to swat her ass and make her beg for my cock, but I couldn’t focus on that. She didn’t deserve to be fucked around by a rich idiot who didn’t even know her.

“It is real,” Teddy scrambled to say. “It’s just very…uh, new!” He smiled sheepishly at us.

“Are you planning to stalk her all semester? That’s not fair to her. She’s here to study, not to be followed around by a love-struck asshole with more money than sense.”

“I’ll keep my distance,” Teddy insisted, nodding.

Something told me that was complete bullshit.

Chapter Eight

Alexis

Jet lag was evil—I was certain Satan reserved it for the truly terrible people. Two days after arriving in California, it hit me. Hard. Getting out of bed with a groan, I smacked my phone screen with my hand, trying to disable the alarm. My body felt like it was full of lead, every limb weighed down. My eyelids felt physically heavy. And lifting them was a gargantuan task.

The last thing I needed was to look like a mess during my first classes relevant to my actual degree. There were two types of courses that you took during a mechanical engineering qualification. First, the ones that took place in the lab with the machinery—those classes where you tinker with things, build projects, and have practical demonstrations. Then there were the theory classes. Those are the ones where you would sit in a lecture hall and listen to a teacher drone on and on about the mechanics of hydro engines.

Unfortunately for me, my day held several theory classes, which meant I had to make some sort of effort with my appearance. When it came to labs, I could look a mess—overalls, hair thrown up in a bun—because safety was more important. Machinery could be dangerous, and I wasn’t going to risk getting my well-conditioned hair stuck in an engine. That would be a real tragedy.

Opting to go low-maintenance for the day, I pulled out a pair of leggings and a cute dark pink T-shirt with the name of my old university on the front. I had noticed several students running around, wearing various items of clothing with the university’s name on it, so I wouldn’t stand out.

Well, I wasn’t going to stand out for that reason.

The fact that I had tits was what would most likely set me apart from my classmates.

Studying in a predominantly male field was difficult at times, but I loved it. It made all the sexist comments and leering glares worth it.

My hair still looked good from blow drying it yesterday, so I let it fall in waves around my shoulders, threw on a quick coat of mascara, grabbed my textbooks and student ID, and I was out the door.

Making a quick pit stop in the cafeteria, I grabbed a pastry to eat on my way to class.

Complex mathematics weren’t exactly my friend, but we endured one another. The three-hour lecture on advanced algebra was far from an enticing prospect. At Oakland, the classes were an hour, maybe two, if we were unlucky. Three hours felt like a special, sadistic kind of torture.

Checking the map I downloaded on my phone, I looked around the campus. The class was in the same building as my English lecture, so locating it wasn’t too difficult. Striding into the lecture hall with my head held high, I was immediately hit with the myriad of masculine scents. There was no mistaking this for an English lecture; the room smelled like a guys’ locker room—sweaty and icky.

Over the last two years of studying, I had adapted, and now I could sit in a roomful of stinky alphas pumping out pheromones as they leered at me and my rather impressive tits and ignore them.

Making a beeline for the third row, I sat down, not bothering to look at anyone else as I pulled out my textbook. Their eyes were on me, and I could tell they were whispering about me, but this was nothing new.

To kill time until the lecturer arrived, I opened my textbook to a chapter we would be working on shortly and started making notes and doing practice equations.

Lost in the numbers, I hardly noticed when someone flung themself down in the seat next to me. Their scent hit me before I could even think about turning my head to look at them.

Birthday cake.

The artificial kind, filled with all those bright, colourful sprinkles.

Shit.

I froze for a second, looking ahead. I didn’t want to turn to them; I didn’t want to confirm what I already knew, deep down.

“Sparky! Imagine meeting you here,” the familiar deep voice said gleefully.

Taking a deep breath—which I immediately regretted when my senses were filled with sugary, cakey deliciousness—I slowly rotated in my seat and came eye-to-eye with him.

The last time I had seen this guy was when he’d been rolling on the floor after I had tasered him in his privates and quickly fled the scene.

First my English teacher, and now this?

Never in a million years would I have taken the scholarship had I known I would have been running into those two again. I’d assumed the university was large enough that I wouldn’t. And did this mean he was actually an engineering student? The numbnuts who got a boat engine and an airplane engine confused?

“You’re kidding me,” I groaned.

“You don’t look happy to see me, sparky. If I wasn’t such a confident man, I would be wounded.” He beamed at me playfully.

He leaned in close as he spoke to me. Even from many inches away, I could smell the breath mint he had recently eaten.

“I see we haven’t learned anything about personal space since I saw you last,” I commented dryly, looking him up and down.

Wearing a university hoodie and jeans, his hair pushed back out of his face, and carrying a backpack, he looked the very picture of a casual student.

Over the last few months, I had convinced myself he wasn’t as handsome as my memory had led me to believe. Only, he was. He was still devastatingly handsome. Even sitting next to me, he towered over me.

He laughed jovially at my comment, throwing his head back as he did so. “Don’t worry, sparky. I’d rather not get electrocuted again, but it’s cruel to ask me to stay away.”

“You consider it cruel? Are you that used to getting what you want?” I asked, cocking my eyebrow.

He pursed his lips. “I’ll admit, getting tased was a new sensation, but hey, I’m not complaining. It meant I got to get up close and personal with you.”

“Well, I would like to avoid a repeat,” I said tersely.

“Of the tasering?” he asked, grinning. “I would also like to avoid that, but the up close and personal…”

“Are you seriously a student in this class?” I asked, bewildered. “You can’t identify types of engines. It’s not like you messed up the components. You messed up the entire fucking vehicle.”

“You wound me, sparky. I could be in this class because I’m a math major.” He snorted lightly. “Okay, that’s bullshit. I am a mechanical engineering student. I just said it was a plane engine because that sounded more impressive, and I didn’t think you’d know the difference.”

I glared at him. If he was really doing the same degree as me, there was a good chance I was going to be running into him often.

I should have known the scholarship was too good to be true.

Thankfully, I was saved from having to reply by the lecturer entering and standing at his desk at the front, clearing his throat, getting everyone’s attention.

The class went by both agonisingly slow and incredibly fast. Despite my best efforts, I hardly understood a word the teacher said. His accent was super thick and southern. But the material was easy enough. I was happy to discover that I already knew the majority of what he was going to be teaching this semester, which took some of the strain off of me.

On the other hand, focusing was an impossibility, due to the alpha sitting next to me. For the entire class, I could feel his eyes boring into me. I doubted he looked at the whiteboard for longer than ten minutes. Instead, he just gazed at me like a lovesick puppy.

For three months, I’d been fantasising about his smell, and now it was right next to me. But the things I had been imagining were downright inappropriate for my current situation. There was no way in hell I would be jumping the alpha’s bones. Even though I was sure he could give me some earth-shattering orgasms, there was no way in hell I would sleep with a student in my class. Gaining respect from my fellow students was hard enough. If they knew I was sleeping with one of them, they wouldn’t even bother giving me a chance. They would just see me as easy.

It was utter sexist bullshit, but it’s what I had to deal with. Every single alpha in that classroom could sleep with as many women as they wanted and be as obvious and clear about what they wanted. Hell, they could get away with bragging about it. Me, on the other hand? Because I was a woman, I wasn’t allowed to even whisper about my sexual exploits.

There were no breaks, so Teddy didn’t have any opportunities to try and talk to me until the end. As I was putting away my notebook and textbooks, he stood up, smiling down at me.

“Would you like to grab lunch with me, sparky?” he asked, hope clear in his voice.

“Sorry, I’ve got plenty of catching up to do,” I admitted. Usually, I would have been a bit harsher in rejecting a guy’s advances, but something about saying no to Teddy felt like kicking a puppy.

“I can help you study,” he declared happily. “I aced this class last year, I’m just taking it again for an easy credit.”

“Yet you can’t tell engines apart.” I smirked.

“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”

“Would you let me live it down if I had done that?” I asked pointedly.

“Okay, fair enough. I totally wouldn’t let that go. But still, we should at least be friends. Friends help each other study.”

“I highly doubt you’re interested in being friends.” I looked knowingly down to where I could see his semi-hard cock through his jeans.

“I’m a guy, you smell pretty, and we always get boners, okay? It’s not a big deal.” He laughed. “I’ll keep it away, come on! You’re a firecracker, I like that.”

What if I want to play with it? It took considerable effort to stop myself from whining at that thought.

“Sorry, I’ve got plans.” I shrugged, turning and pacing out of the room as fast as possible before he decided to follow me. He had longer legs than me and could easily catch up if he wanted to. Thankfully, he didn’t follow, so I turned the corner to the same coffee shop I had visited that morning.

I needed caffeine. An ocean of it.

Chapter Nine

Wyatt

Iwas exhausted.

Teddy had kept us up half the night, going on and on about this beta he was obsessed with. Between him being a lovesick boy and Calvin being pissed, it had been an interesting evening, which hadn’t ended until the early hours of the morning.

So, by mid-afternoon, I could feel my eyelids drooping. Why I decided to take on such a heavy class load was beyond me. Clearly, Wyatt of six months ago had lofty ambitions.

Out of all my packmates, I had the heaviest workload. I’d already completed my general studies degree, but when the university offered to fund a master’s degree, so I could keep playing hockey, it had been a no-brainer. My choice of nursing had surprised my packmates, but they all got on board quickly. I had gotten busted up enough times on the ice and met enough nurses to know that they did some truly amazing work. I didn’t mind getting my hands dirty, so it felt like a logical step.

I couldn’t turn up to my afternoon labs exhausted, though. Professor Dillan was a hard-ass and would happily kick me out of the room if he saw me falling asleep. And I couldn’t afford any dips in my grades.

So, to try and ward off some of the impending exhaustion, I made my way toward the coffee shop just across from the labs. If I downed a few shots of espresso, surely I’d be wide awake for the hour long lab.

Beaning Coffee had been a favourite of mine ever since I started at Hawking. The shop offered good coffee at a decent price, and the atmosphere wasn’t clinical. Like many coffee shops, it was warm and cosy—welcoming.

There were a few people in line in front of me, so I took my place and waited patiently to order. The scent of caffeine hitting me, making me all the more desperate for that bitter glory.

A sweet scent hit my nose, chocolate with just the slightest hint of berry. Possibly omega, possibly beta. Whatever they were, they smelled delicious.

Most omegas smelled sickly sweet to me, but this one had the bitter edge of chocolate that made it oh so tempting. Still sweet, but dark. There was a subtle fruity twist…maybe raspberry?

It didn’t take much to find the source of the scent. She was standing right in front of me in line. I could only see the back of her, but she was wearing a pair of black leggings that hugged her ass in the most delicious way. It took a fair bit of mental energy to avoid reaching out and grabbing a handful of that delectable-looking flesh.

She wore a T-shirt, hair piled up on the top of her head, giving me an excellent view of her neck, where her scent was undoubtedly the strongest. As she stepped up to the counter, my view changed slightly, letting me see her face. She was pretty. There was no doubt about that. Big bright blue eyes and pouty lips.

She smiled at the barista and greeted her warmly. “Hey, can I just get an iced dirty chai, please? Thank you so much.”

Her voice was undeniably appealing. She spoke with an English lilt, and it had a low, almost sultry quality to it that had my cock jerking to attention. My mind immediately jumped to imagining how she would sound in bed. Would it be just as sultry and deep, or would she make those little high-pitched moans? How would she sound as she asked to suck my cock?

You cannot be getting a boner in the middle of a coffee shop, Wyatt.

For a brief moment, I idly wondered if this was Teddy’s English girl, but I shrugged that off. The university was huge, with thousands of students, many of them international students.

“I’m so sorry, my dear, your card’s been declined,” the barista said with an apologetic look. My head shot up from the blonde’s neck as she started rummaging in her bag.

“Drat! I’m so sorry,” she said to the barista, fumbling with her purse. “I’m sure I’ve got some American cash here—I’ve not been here long. My card doesn’t work everywhere.”

Taking my opportunity, I grabbed my bank card, leaning forward and tapping it onto the terminal, quickly paying for her drink. “Don’t worry. I can grab this one.” I smiled at her, doing my best to seem friendly and open.

Her eyes widened ever so slightly as she took me in, gently biting on her bottom lip. I couldn’t lie; that made me feel good. I knew I was decent looking. I was an athlete, after all. But it still felt nice to watch someone appreciating it every now and again. Especially someone as pretty as her.

“Oh, uh, thank you, you didn’t have to…” She stumbled over her words.

“I’m Wyatt,” I said. “Sounds like you’re new here. It’s the least I could do.”

“Thank you. I am new, just got here a few days ago.”

“Where did you come from?” I asked before turning to the barista and giving her my order quickly, not wanting to hold up the line.

“England. Are you local?”

“I guessed England from the accent. I’m from Arizona.”

Her nose scrunched adorably. “How far away is that? I’ll admit, I don’t know much about American geography yet.”

I chuckled. “The state border is about five hours away.”

“Ahh, okay. See, that, I understand.” She smiled as we wandered to the end of the counter to wait for our drinks.

I contemplated asking her to sit down with me while we had our drinks, but I had to rush to class. Something about her was so alluring, though, that the temptation to forget class and spend the next hour talking to her was undeniable.

At the very least, I had to get her phone number.

“What are you studying? Are you a freshman?” I asked.

“Not at all. I’m in my third year. I just got a really good scholarship offer, so I decided to take the transfer. Brave new adventure and all that. I’m a mechanical engineering student.”

“You’re an engine obsessive?” I asked, a smile breaking out on my face.

She snorted delicately. “I guess you can say that I am. It fascinates me. Plus, it pays well.”

“I admire that. I doubt there are many women in your programme.”

“Not at all. I think I’m the only one in a few of them. Like I said, though, I’m used to it. It was the same back in England. What about you? What’s your…major?” Her nose scrunched ever so slightly on the word major. “Is that the right term? In England, when you study a subject, you study only that subject, none of this major and minor business.”

“Sounds efficient. I’m a nursing major.”

“Wouldn’t have pegged you for a nursing major,” she admitted. “Something about you just screams athlete—and they aren’t usually the most dedicated students.” She smirked.

“Well, you’re right there. I also play for the university’s hockey team. It’s the reason I’m still studying.”

“Oh, I love ice hockey. I used to go to the games a lot back home. My best friend ended up mated to a whole pack of hockey players.”

Her friend? With an entire pack. Did that mean her friend was an omega? It wasn’t unusual for alphas and betas to have wonderful, steamy, sexy affairs, but ninety-nine percent of alphas settled down with an omega.

“We have a very active team here. You should come watch us play. There’s a game this Saturday.”

“I think I will. That is, if I can get my bank account sorted. I told them I was moving to another country, but it didn’t stop them from freezing half of my accounts.”

“That sounds about right. I changed some details on my account last year, and I was on hold for so long, I’m pretty sure I’d grown a full beard by the time the call ended.”

“I bet that look suited you.”

“I think I looked very distinguished.”

The barista placed our drinks down, and I grabbed them both. After passing over her cup, I plucked a straw out of its little container on the counter and handed it to her.

She thanked me, quickly taking a sip and moaning in delight.

I don’t think any man on planet Earth would have blamed me for how hard my cock got in that moment. The noise that escaped her mouth could only be considered a sex noise. So, naturally, my imagination ran wild.

I quickly took a sip of my Americano, despite it still being a bit too hot, to hide my smirk. The burning of my tongue helped distract me from the blood rushing to my pants.

“I see you’re a fan of caffeine,” I said.

“Jet lag is killing me today. I’m probably going to end up drinking ten of these,” she admitted, looking at the cup longingly.

“I would advise against that. Now, I’m not that far in my nursing degree, but even I know that drinking that much caffeine isn’t good for your heart.”

“I know, but it tastes so good. Why is everything delicious bad for me?”

“The world just doesn’t want us to have fun.” I raised my cup to have another sip as she replied.

“Oh no, if I want fun, well, I can get exercise and enjoyment from a good sex session.” She smirked at me, her gaze unwavering.

I spluttered, spilling several drops of coffee over myself in my sheer surprise.

“I, uh…” I tried my best to find my words.

“There’s no need to be coy. I’m sure you’ve had your fair share of fun.”

“I have,” I admitted sheepishly, “but people usually aren’t so direct.”

Chapter Ten

Alexis

It may have been the caffeine, the copious fantasies I had been having, or just plain insanity—but this alpha, who smelled like oak, moss, and amber, was making my every nerve ending light up.

It had been too long. I needed to get laid. Taking suppressants was one thing, but it was still difficult to suppress that desperate hyper-sexual behaviour. This guy seemed like a good candidate. Handsome, sporty, charismatic.

We slowly walked out of the cafe together, each of us sipping our drinks.

“So, what are you doing for the rest of the day?”

“I’ve got about thirty minutes before I need to go to class,” he admitted.

I glanced down at his jeans. He had been sporting a semi since the first moment I looked at him. We both finished our coffees and threw the empty cups in a nearby bin.

“Is your car nearby?” I asked coyly.

“It’s one street over, why?”

“Because my dorm is too far away to walk to and get back within thirty minutes.”

His brow furrowed as he looked at me. “Why would you have to walk there and walk back before my class?”

I grinned. He seemed so genuine, almost innocent, in a way.

“Because it’s been a really hectic few days, and I could use some stress relief. And judging by your current state”—I glanced down at his semi again, taking my time, so my look was obvious—“you could also use a bit of stress relief.”

His eyes widened almost comically as his mouth opened and closed a few times while he attempted to find the words. “You want to?”

“Fuck in the back seat of your car? Yes. You seem like a good guy, and we could have some quick, fast fun. Now, if that’s not your sort of thing, I totally understand. No hard feelings, I would still love to be frie—”

His hand flew to my waist, pulling me right up to him, so our bodies pressed together. His lips brushed mine before becoming more demanding until he was practically devouring me.

I melted into him, my hands grabbing at his forearms. He tasted like smoked wood, a deep flavour with just a hint of amber.

“Car?” I asked, pulling back slightly, pleased at the semi dazed look on his face.

“Follow me.” He grabbed my wrist, dragging me with him in his eagerness.

My heart rate was pounding with excitement. Finally! Some action. He stilled by a large SUV, turning me so my back was pressed against it.

The side street he was parked on was far less crowded, so he pressed me against the car, letting me feel every inch of him.

“We don’t have long.” He groaned. “Then again, who needs to go to class?”

“We do.” I laughed. “Are you saying you can’t get the job done quickly?” I asked, cocking my eyebrow. “If you’re not up for the task, that’s okay. I know some guys can get a little performance anxi—”

My words were cut off as he growled, opened the back door, and pushed me inside with one quick movement. Smirking, I reached out, my hands fisting in the bottom of his shirt as I helped pull it over his head.

He had the body of an athlete, that’s for sure. Toned and defined muscles covered his torso, with the lightest smattering of hair on his stomach.

“Your turn,” he growled, quickly ridding me of my shirt. He took the briefest second to look—and I was thankful I was wearing one of my nicer bras today. It was only a plain black T-shirt bra, but it was new and made my tits look perky.

He kissed me like his life depended on it as his fingers deftly found my nipple under my bra, tugging on it lightly and twisting it, making me gasp into his mouth.

In the relatively small confines of the SUV, our scents were overpowering. This vehicle would be smelling like chocolate and oak moss for days—maybe weeks.

That thought turned me on even more.

Wyatt started to trail his fingers down into the waist of my leggings, but I pulled back, shaking my head as I panted.

“No time for foreplay. As fun as your fingers are, I want to get fucked.”

Wyatt smirked, a dark, cocky look. “Are you sure, sweetheart? I can be a lot to handle.”

“Give it to me,” I growled.

“Your wish is my command,” he said as he sat up on his knees between my legs, pulling my leggings and underwear off in one swift, powerful movement.

“Holy fuck, you’re soaked,” Wyatt cooed, eyes firmly locked between my legs. “What a pretty, dripping pussy.”

“Yes, now come here,” I growled, reaching up and grabbing the side of his neck, pulling him down on top of me.

The weight of him pressing me down into the seats was intoxicating. It had been too long since I’d had some fun, and solo fun just didn’t hit the spot for me.

Our lips crashed together aggressively, and I wanted to weep when the head of his cock started to press against my opening.

Wyatt’s cock stilled, teasingly close, just brushing against my folds. “Last chance to back out.”

“Fuck me,” I panted. “Please!” My voice took on a whining tone that must have done something to Wyatt. His eyes darkened, and with one quick snap of his hips, he was completely buried in me.

Holy motherfucking shit.

“Tight, oh god, tight,” Wyatt groaned, scrunching his eyes closed as he panted.

I wasn’t in any better state. Impossibly full and feeling that desperate need sinking in. The desperation for more.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long. I almost sobbed in relief when Wyatt moved his hips, his cock dragging along my walls, leaving me painfully empty—but only for a second.

Setting a fast pace, Wyatt used his athletic body in the best way. With every pump of his hips, his cock head dragged over that sensitive spot inside of me that made my head hum with pleasure.

“God, I wish I had longer. Your pussy is fucking perfection,” he panted, punctuating his words with each thrust.

I couldn’t find the words. With every stroke, I let out a high-pitched whine of need. Tension grew in my stomach, and I could already tell this was going to be a good one.

“Close, more,” I panted, my nails digging into his forearms, my nails leaving marks from my tight grip as he lightly bit my shoulder.

“Protection—fuck!” Wyatt whined, but he didn’t stop his movements.

“I’m on birth control fucking fill me with cum,” I told him as I watched his face break into a shit-eating grin. It was pretty damn difficult to get pregnant as a beta, anyway, especially with an alpha baby, so protection sometimes didn’t happen between beta and alpha pairs. Unfortunately for me, I was not a beta, but I wasn’t going to be divulging that information any time soon.

His thrusts increased. Hooking his hand under my knee, he lifted one of my legs onto his shoulder, spreading me wider and making me that much fuller.

It didn’t take long, and when he bit down on my neck, sucking—no doubt leaving me with an impressive hickey but not breaking the skin—my world exploded.

My release sent him over the edge, and with a rough thrust, he finished, his moans of pleasure music to my ears.

We lay quietly for a moment, the only noise in the car our panting as we attempted to catch our breaths. My naked back stuck to the leather seats as I shifted, and the smallest movement made a loud squeaking sound.

Our eyes met, and the tension broke as we both laughed.

“I think we may be a few minutes late for class!”

Chapter Eleven

Calvin

All week, I found myself both looking forward to and dreading class. For some reason, I hadn’t been able to keep my eyes off Alexis. It was like everything she wore was worn for the sole purpose of torturing me. Every class, her skirts became shorter and shorter, and I only had so much self-restraint.

I enjoyed being a professor. This was a career path I could see myself following for many, many years. Only, if I had sex with a student, that would most likely be ruined. The only way that would ever, in a million years, be acceptable would be if I was bonded to said student. To bond, she would have to be an omega, which Alexis was not.

“Hope you’ve all read the chapters we’re discussing today,” I declared as I put my briefcase on the desk and faced the class. Doing my best to ignore Alexis, who was sitting in the front row, wearing a pair of leggings so tight, I could see every curve of her body.

“Today, we’re going to be talking about the themes throughout Jane Austen’s work. So, grab your books and let’s get started. Don’t forget, your paper on the subliminal messaging of those chapters is due next week.”

Several students groaned at the reminder, and I resisted the urge to smile. Pride and Prejudice wasn’t the most exhilarating book for them to read. But it was a classic, and the university decided that they must read it. All the other professors had far more freedom when it came to choosing their topics—I, on the other hand, had been given a strict curriculum. My lack of a PhD clearly made the faculty nervous.

Opening my briefcase, I pulled out a folder of resources I had printed earlier in the day. Usually, I handed out the papers to the first student I could see. Except, today, that was Alexis. There were all of fifteen students in the class, and she was the only one sitting in the front row.

As I strode over to her, papers in hand, she held out her hand to take them, knowing what I was about to ask. When I was just two feet away from her, her scent hit me like a tonne of bricks.

Sweet. Oh, so fucking sweet. Sugary chocolate with a hint of raspberry and…another scent. Oakmoss and amber? Fuck, it smelled like Wyatt. She smelled like she’d literally just rolled out of bed, where she had been very well taken care of. A hickey was just visible at the collar of her T-shirt. My heart rate increased in my chest, tightening as I realised I was probably smelling her slick—which was impossible, because she was a beta. She must have been extremely aroused.

On edge, I quickly passed her the papers and walked back to my desk, taking slow and measured steps while trying to get my breathing under control. I was in a classroom full of students; the last thing I could do was give in to any of these ridiculous carnal urges.

Of all the fucking people, why her? Why had this beta set me so far on edge, and why did she seem determined to drive me up the wall? Why else would she come to class stinking of sex? I only had so much restraint, and something about this woman was testing it.

She was my student. I was in a position of power over her. I couldn’t abuse that.

And the hint of oakmoss? She had slept with someone who smelled uncannily like a member of my own pack. It was like she was waving a red flag in front of a bull. Me being the bull. Pack dynamics made our instincts do odd things. For instance, the idea of her smelling like one of my packmates sent my blood roaring with need. Though I highly doubted she’d actually slept with Wyatt. He had a full day of classes, and he was the last person I’d expect to have a quickie.

“Jane Austen’s work has many modern themes. Have any of you managed to identify some of these themes?” I asked, looking around pointedly. Alexis avoided my gaze. Considering she was a last-minute addition to the student body, I doubted she’d actually read the book yet.

I should have left her be, given her enough time to adequately do the assignment. Only the anger simmering under my skin demanded something else. This beta had disrupted the tenuous balance of my pack. Teddy was starting to fail his classes because of his little obsession, and his game was a mess. Yes, none of that was her fault—fuck, she was the victim of Teddy’s little obsession.

And now she smelled like sex?

That riled me up. Deep down, I knew I shouldn’t judge, but something about Alexis Franks infuriated me like never before. I hated that there was the scent of another alpha on her and not my scent—it wasn’t rational, and I needed to get myself under control.

“Miss Franks. How did you find the reading material?” I asked, quickly clearing my throat when it came out as a low grumble instead of my normal tone.

“I personally didn’t enjoy it,” she admitted. “It felt very dated.”

“Well, considering it was written in the early 1800s, I would agree with you—it is quite dated.” I smirked at her.

Her expression didn’t change as she continued. “There are many things that translate to modern day, I believe. There are still many women who look to make advantageous matches. Plus, women often fall for the quiet asshole.”

“The point of the book was that he wasn’t an asshole, Miss Franks. He was merely reserved.”

“There are ways to be reserved without being a dick about it.”

When the word dick slipped from her mouth, I had to move, shifting so no one could see my hardening cock. Just hearing the word out of her mouth was oddly erotic.

Months ago, I had watched this person taser my packmate in the balls. I shouldn’t have found her so attractive. When she was just a random person we would never see again, it was impressive, and I found myself fascinated by her. Now that she was here, and looking like a permanent fixture, I was concerned about what damage she could do.

“Watch your language in class, Miss Franks.”

“Sorry,” she replied with a grimace.

Alexis remained quiet for the rest of the class, taking notes and never really meeting my eye. It was clear as day that she was unhappy, pissed off, even.

Why did that excite me? I knew I was a controlling alpha. More than anything, I loved a bratty partner. I loved exerting that control and even administering discipline.

Only, when it came to Alexis, it was wrong. Even without the student thing, which was bad enough, Teddy had brought her here under false pretences. If I slept with her, I would be acting like a grade-A asshole.

The second class was over she barrelled out of the room, not even giving me a backwards glance.

With any luck, she would change classes, so I wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore. But even as I thought that, I could feel a pang in my chest. Deep down, I didn’t want her to leave. I had grown oddly attached to her, even when she was being snarky.

Chapter Twelve

Alexis

Doing my best to shove Professor Asshat from my mind and focusing on the positives of the day as I walked back to my dorm, I did have one bit of business I needed to take care of. The professor had riled me up far too quickly. I had risen to the bait so fast when he’d asked me about the reading. Usually, I was more reserved, but I was already worked up from my little car time. That didn’t stop me imagining riding him on that damn desk.

My libido was out of control. Even after the fun I had with Wyatt, I couldn’t stop thinking about Professor Calvin. The stern looks, the way his eyes kept going to me.

As soon as I got back to my dorm, I made a beeline for my room, pulling out my phone. After a few minutes on hold, someone picked up.

“Westminster Bank, how may I help you?” the small voice said.

I sighed in relief. It was a stroke of luck that my bank had locations all over the world, otherwise the time zones would have been a serious issue.

“Hi, I recently moved to America, and I think my account has been blocked?”

“Oh no, that’s terrible. Let me know your details, and I will look you up.”

I gave her my name and basic details and waited patiently as I heard typing on her keyboard.

“Oh,” she said, her voice confused.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, worry starting to creep in. Had some criminal mastermind managed to steal my entire life savings? Then again, I doubted he would go after my life savings. The measly five hundred in my debit account wasn’t much, in the grand scheme of things.

“Your card was reported stolen by a Mrs. Franks?”

My mother. I should have known. This had her written all over it.

“Ah, I recently moved. My mother doesn’t know yet. Can you get my card reinstated? I am the main card holder, and I’m over eighteen now.”

“Of course. I’ll do that immediately. Would you also like me to remove your mother as an authorised user?”

“I think that would be for the best.” I nodded absentmindedly, my mind reeling. My mother had a lot of audacity, but I didn’t expect this. I should have. The woman was determined for me to settle down and make little alpha babies.

Within a few moments, the representative let me know that my card should be working and to call her if I needed anything else in the future. I thanked her profusely before hanging up.

Sitting down on my bed, I took a few deep breaths. I looked at my phone screen, psyching myself up for the phone call I knew I needed to have now.

My mother answered on the first ring. “Alexis!” she screeched. “Why on earth haven’t you been answering my calls?”

“Because I moved to America,” I admitted, ripping off the Band-Aid.

“You…what?” my mother spluttered, like she didn’t understand a word I’d just said. “You can’t move to America. I would know if my daughter had moved halfway across the world!”

“I moved almost a week ago. I got a scholarship opportunity, and I decided to take it.”

“Without talking to me? Oh my god Alexis, just how selfish can you be? Just wait until your fathers hear about this!”

“I didn’t want to talk to you about it. I’m a grown-ass adult, and I wanted to do this. You would have just lectured me. Hell, you wouldn’t talk to me without berating me for six months when I told you I wanted to study mechanical engineering. Why on earth would I tell you about this move?”

“Because I’m your mother! Alexis, I know you have these grand ideas about wanting to be a mechanical engineer, but it’s just not the right field for a girl like you. An omega should be looking for her pack. Instead, you carry on with whichever alpha grabs your fancy.”

“Which has been working well for me. I’m happy.” I sighed. “Look, I’m an adult and this was my decision. Before you start to yell at me, just know that I’m not coming home, and I would appreciate it if you didn’t contact my bank.”

“Why are you doing this? What did we do that made you hate us so much? All you’ve ever been is mean and disrespectful to us!”

“Because I wouldn’t settle down with a pack and pop out babies the minute I turned eighteen?” I asked dryly.

“Alexis, you’re an omega. That is what you are biologically designed for. There’s no way you can be really happy until you have your pack. I thought we agreed you weren’t going to keep taking those disgusting suppressants.”

“It’s my choice to take them. My field of study is hard enough for a woman, let alone an omega.”

“Well, you shouldn’t be studying such a manly thing. Why do you hate your designation so much?” She started to sob. “Why do you hate me so much? Is that why you can’t stand the idea of being an omega? You’re doing your body no good, staying on those nasty pills.”

“I’m not delusional. I know I’m an omega. I just prefer suppressing it while I study. Sure, maybe once I’m settled in a career, I will come off the suppressants and think about finding a mate. But for now, that is the last thing on my mind. A few years of use is no big deal.” Well, other than potential kidney and liver issues, but I didn’t want to discuss that with my mother.

“No, that’s not acceptable. I’m sending your fathers. They’ll come and bring you home. What a load of utter nonsense—living in America!”

I rolled my eyes. My mother seemed to forget that I was a legal adult and could do whatever the hell I wanted.

“No. You will not come and get me, Mother. As I have said, I am living my life the way I want to. If you can’t appreciate that, then I guess we have no reason to talk anymore.”

“You’re being wicked. You are being cruel to me and your fathers. What are your siblings going to think? You’re meant to set an example for them, and instead, you’re gallivanting around the world, ashamed of what you are? Give me your new address right now. We are coming to get you.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening. I’ll call you before Christmas and let you know how I’m doing.” I hung up the phone, cutting her off mid-sentence. With a sigh, I threw my phone on the bed. Talking with my mother was exhausting.

And it wasn’t like she was a bad mother. In fact, she was maternal and loving and always there for me growing up. Our differences mainly started the day I presented.

As much as I hated to admit it, I was an omega.

An omega who loved engines.

When my mother realised I wanted to go into such a manly field, instead of education or literature or something more common for omegas, she nearly had an aneurysm.

She made me feel terrible simply for wanting to pursue my passion. The suppressants had actually been suggested by one of my fathers. They had seen how much the constant fighting between me and Mum had been weighing on me. So, he suggested it as a temporary solution, but I would never let my mother know that. As far as she knew, the suppressants were an idea that I concocted myself. She was almost ravenously desperate for grandbabies. Her desire for them outweighed my happiness, apparently. It hurt, but I never wanted to admit that to her.

I wanted to live my life the way I wanted. What was so wrong about that?

“Something’s up. I know you, spill,” Molly demanded. We were sitting on the floor in her bunny room. Parsnip, her baby tan lop was in my lap, casually munching on a piece of mint I was holding.

“It’s just been a week,” I said. “Hawking is not what I expected. Don’t get me wrong, the programme is amazing, and I’m really excited to get into it. It’s just a big adjustment.”

“Took me a while to settle in here as well,” Molly admitted.

“Yes, but you have a pack clamouring to meet your every need.”

“I do, don’t I?” She sighed wistfully.

“Mated life really suits you, Molly. I’m happy for you. Hell, even I would fall for an alpha if he gave me gifts as adorable as this,” I said, lifting the bunny to look him in the eyes and give him a little snuggle.

Several of her packmates were down in the kitchen, preparing us dinner, while we sat on the floor, catching up with each other.

“So, tell me everything else that happened over the last few days. Don’t leave anything out.”

“What do you want to hear? The fact that my mother interfered with my bank account, making it so I couldn’t even buy a fucking latte, all because I hadn’t called her for a few days? Or there’s the fact that I’ve got to take classes in English when I’m not even studying English. Then there’s the issue that, when I was here last year, I may or may not have tasered a guy in the balls when I went to go see the mechanical engineering lab because he wouldn’t understand the word no, and even though he’s like the human equivalent of a golden retriever, it felt close to kicking a puppy. Naturally, a gorgeous-as-sin man walked in on us who, uh yeah, is my English professor now. I’m so freaking sexually repressed that I grabbed a random hockey player after talking to him for maybe three sentences and dragged him into his car and proceeded to have freaky car sex. It’s not all bad, though. I found a lovely coffee shop, and the cafeteria in my dorm serves waffles.”

Taking a deep breath, I looked at my friend, my bravado suddenly shrinking. Molly stared at me, her mouth slightly open as she tried to compute everything I just said.

“I-I don’t know where to start with this,” she admitted. “But I feel like we’re going to need wine.”

A laugh bubbled in my chest. “I think that’s the smartest idea you’ve had today.”

Molly pulled her phone out of her pocket, quickly tapping on the screen several times, sending a text message. “There.” She smiled. “Wine will be here in just a minute!”

“That’s a neat trick. You’re going to have to teach me that one sometime. Wine on demand!”

“One of the perks of having a pack. They’re always eager to help.” Her face took on a goofy grin as she spoke.

“You really love them, don’t you?” I’d been ready to hurt one of her packmates just a year ago. When she and Grayson had accidentally bonded, I had panicked, thinking my best friend’s life was over. Her bonding was certainly problematic, but it was ultimately the making of her. I had never seen my friend so alive. So happy.

“I really do,” she admitted.

“Would you change it if you could? You know, everything that happened?” I wasn’t just referring to the accidental bonding. Molly had been through the ringer in the previous year, and the last thing I wanted to do was add to her stress.

“I think I would honestly do it all again. It would be nice not to have my nudes everywhere, but being kicked out by the university actually helped me. Were it not for their actions, I never would have been offered a place in my current programme. I am learning so much more here, and I am so much more appreciated, not just here with my pack, but I mean, at the university itself. People respect my opinions.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re from a country that’s a lot older than theirs and, hence, should know more about history.” I grinned.

“That could be part of it.” Her face broke into a serene smile as Potato hopped over to her, demanding ear scratches.

She shook herself slightly, as if remembering that we were meant to be discussing something else. “But this isn’t about my love life. Why don’t we start with, who did you taser when you were here last? And how did I not know about it?”

With a sigh, I launched into the story of how I met Teddy and the professor. Before I even got to the part where I tased him in the balls, Maverick appeared, holding two glasses full of red wine.

“I heard wine was needed?”

“It is,” Molly confirmed. “Alexis has been getting herself into all sorts of shenanigans the last week.”

“I’ve met your best friend. That’s to be expected, I believe.”

I snorted. “See? Maverick knows who I am as a person. I am an agent of chaos, and moving to America has only made me even more chaotic. God help this country.”

Maverick leaned down, kissing Molly on the top of her head, before ducking out of the room, informing us that food would be ready in just over an hour.

“We could go help him cook?” I offered, giving Molly a very innocent smile.

“You’re not getting out of this conversation that easily. They’re not cooking. They’re chopping up a salad and waiting for Nils to bring home takeout.” She said. “Tell me everything, or I’m going to take this glass of red wine and pour it all over that white mini dress you love so much.”

Shit. She would do it. And then she would feel bad and offer to get it dry cleaned, and if it was ruined, she would beg and plead for me to let her buy me a new one.

It took almost two hours and two very full plates of pasta to recount everything that had happened recently. Molly and I had opted to eat on our own in the living room, as we were too engrossed in the horror story that was my life for the last week.

Molly’s alphas hadn’t minded at all. They had just kissed her on the top of the head or given her a hug, told her to look after herself, and gone to do various things.

Zach, the older, grumpier one, had even brought us two slices of chocolate cake slathered in thick, clotted cream. It was one of those expensive chocolate cakes that was so rich, you’d get a stomach ache from one bite, but you just couldn’t stop eating.

“Holy fuck,” I moaned as I took a bite. “It would be worth having a pack if they fed me like this. Between all the orgasms and the cake, I could—I could handle it.”

Molly snorted delicately. “I think a pack would suit you quite nicely. I feel like it would take far more than one man to handle you.”

“Are you trying to say something?”

“Just that you run circles around guys, and you know—taser them in the bollocks. If it’s three against one, I think they have much better chances.”

“Please. You think three guys are enough to handle me?”

“Maybe I’m being optimistic. Then again, this is all hypothetical. You’re not an omega.”

“Nope, just a plain old beta. When I settle down, it’ll be one and done.”

The lie felt sour on my tongue. I hated not telling Molly the truth. She had been such a good friend for so many years, but I vowed when I left for university that I wouldn’t tell a soul. My desperation for independence drove me.

“So, are you going to see Wyatt again?”

“I may. He was damn good fun. My programme is so intense that I feel like he would be useful for stress relief. I forgot to get his number, but I’m hoping I’ll see him around.”

“Oh! That reminds me. Speaking of stress relief, my wonderful alphas got me a huge packet of English sweets the other day. There’s a whole box of them in the kitchen. Take a load, it’s amazing. I didn’t realise how much I’d missed the food.”

“Our food is pretty boring, but damn, I miss it too,” I agreed. “Though, I will say, the Mexican food here is delightful. I keep hearing about this taco truck near campus, and I’m desperate to go try it.”

Molly grimaced. “Just watch out for the fish tacos. I had some not long after coming here, and I have never been that sick in my life. It was worse than that time we played a drinking game while watching Game of Thrones.”

I shuddered. We had decided to drink every time someone died or someone fucked. As you can imagine, we were absolutely trashed within an hour.

“Never again,” I said.

“I agree!”

Chapter Thirteen

Alexis

Only a week into my programme and being in America, and I was already buried under the work. I knew it was going to be intense, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad. In the first week alone, I’d received over eight assignments, several of them research papers that would take me hours each.

I wouldn’t have minded the research papers if they were about mechanical engineering—the topic that I wanted to study. Instead, I had several random papers on odd subjects that I wanted nothing to do with. I had three different classics I needed to read. I didn’t mind a good book, but I’d much rather be elbows-deep in an engine.

There were also weird gaps in my schedule. So, during a three-hour gap, which wasn’t long enough to go home, I wandered around the campus until I found a quad. It was beautiful, with several tall trees, bright green in colour, some of them even with flowers.

Benches were dotted around the quad. While most of them were taken, I scoped out an empty one and made a beeline for it. Tucked away in a little alcove, where barely anyone could see me, I pulled out one of the classics I had to read. Jane Eyre.

I hadn’t even touched this book yet. I had been so distracted reading all of Pride and Prejudice. I’d finished it—I had read it cover to cover—and I still didn’t get what the big deal was. It was a decent read, but I didn’t need to spend three months studying it, in depth. It was irrelevant to my actual field of study.

I highly doubted that any skills I developed in this class would be useful in engineering. But, apparently, this was what it took to study in one of the best universities in the world, so with a sigh, I cracked open the book and started reading. If I could survive Molly’s lectures on the War of the Roses, I could survive this.

Before I’d even finished the third chapter, a shadow passed over me, blocking the sunlight. I squinted at the page, annoyed. Had a cloud gone over me? Dark, rich cherry wine invaded my senses, and I sighed in annoyance. That scent was all too familiar to me now. Professor Galloway.

Closing my book, possibly a little too forcefully, I turned to look at Calvin.

“Hello, Professor,” I said cheerfully.

“I see we’ve started our reading. How are you finding it?”

“I’ve already finished Pride and Prejudice. Now I’ve just got this joy of a read.” I held the book up loftily and shook it ever so slightly to emphasise my point.

“Well, that won’t be much use to you, considering it’s the wrong edition.” He smirked.

Somehow, he managed to look both scholarly and sexy at the same time. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, and he had rolled up the sleeves. His hair, which was usually quite tame, had blown around in the wind, giving it a very messy look. My fingers itched to bury my hands in it.

“What do you mean, it’s the wrong edition?” I asked, my voice tense.

“Well, if you looked through your programme paperwork, you would have seen that we’re studying the original first edition of the book, not this one.”

Bollocks.

“I’m already three chapters in!” I whined, all fight leaving me. I was exhausted. I did not have the time to re-read.

Calvin chuckled, and my body instinctively reacted to that dark sound. My stomach tightened, and my spine straightened ever so slightly. Fuck, I wanted to drown in that voice.

If only he wasn’t so obvious about how much he disliked me.

“You’re in luck. The first few chapters aren’t that different. Just make sure you pick up the right edition from the campus bookstore.”

I sighed in relief, placing my head on the bench with a groan. “Thanks for the heart attack.” I chuckled dryly.

“You’re welcome.”

I got up, picking up my bag. “But, honestly, thank you for letting me know, sir.” The sir was meant to be sarcastic, but there was no missing the way his eyes darkened and his breathing increased at the word.

Calvin cleared his throat, looking away from me, suddenly very interested in the plant next to me. “Yes. Well, anyway, I look forward to grading your first paper. I received it yesterday. Goodbye, Miss Franks.” He spoke in a rush, turning and pacing quickly out of the courtyard.

With a light chuckle, I pulled my phone out of my bag. I still had some time before class, and my stomach was feeling empty. So, food was the next mission. Hazel had told me about a Mexican joint on campus that was good for lunch, and a burrito sounded perfect.

Halfway to my destination, someone ran up behind me, the slapping of their feet alerting me to their presence.

Instinctually, my hand reached into my bag, looking for Mr. Sparky as I turned on my heels to see who was coming up behind me.

Wyatt.

“It is you!” He beamed at me.

“Heya.” I smiled warmly at him, pulling my hand out from my bag. There was a lot I didn’t know about this alpha, but he was hot, played hockey, and had given me mind-blowing orgasms in the back of a car—so I was pretty fond of him.

“I’ve been looking all over for you. You didn’t give me your number.” He panted as he tried to catch his breath.

“I know!” I cried. “I didn’t realise until I was halfway to my class.”

“And here I was thinking you were giving me the brush-off. I am fairly confident in my abilities, but when a girl runs away and doesn’t call you, you’ve gotta think there was something wrong with your game,” he said, still panting as he smiled at me.

“Give me your phone,” I demanded, holding out my hand expectantly. “There most certainly was nothing wrong. I would very much like a repeat at some point. I was honest about that.”

Wyatt’s eyebrows rose, but he took his phone out without ever looking away from me, handing it over. He was wearing scrubs, and something about that made my insides turn to mush.

“Also very happy to have a repeat at some point.” He grinned. “At many points.”

“Well, now you’ve got my number, and I’ve even called myself, so I’ve got your number.”

“Look forward to hearing from you.”

“Are you busy now?” I asked. It was very slow, at the moment, but I honestly wouldn’t mind taking him for another spin so soon. He’d already proven to be exemplary in the car. Sometime soon, I’d have to try him out in an actual bed—more room for fun.

“I wish I could take you up on that. I have to go straight to class. I am probably already late because I chased after you, but it was so worth it. I’m so sorry. I would skip, but this professor is a complete hard-ass, and it’s a lab.”

“We can find time later,” I assured him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m going to hold you to that, sweetheart. What are you doing Thursday after class?”

“Not much. I have a late English class with Professor Galloway,” I admitted, scrunching my nose as I spoke.

“You don’t seem too keen on him,” Wyatt observed, biting back a smirk.

“He’s a bit of an ass.”

“I completely agree. He is a grumpy old bastard who wants to play Daddy, if you know what I mean,” he waggled his eyebrows, “but he’s a good man.”

My eyebrows raised so high that they were practically in my hairline. “Sounds like you know him quite well.”

“I’m an older student, and we ran in a few of the same circles. Don’t let him bully you.”

“Do you think I let anyone bully me?” I asked, cocking my eyebrow.

“No, I don’t think you do,” he admitted with a look that I could only describe as pride on his face. “I’ve really got to go. I’m so sorry. But, Thursday, do you wanna meet up? Grab something to eat?”

“Go! Don’t get into trouble for me!” I laughed as I shooed him away with my hands.

“We’re getting food soon!” he shouted over his shoulder as he ran toward his building. I would have replied, but he was already too far out of reach.

If he wanted to feed me before he fucked me, I wasn’t going to complain.

Chapter Fourteen

Teddy

She was ignoring me.

Ever since that first day, when I introduced myself, Alexis had been stonewalling me. Anytime I sat next to her, she pointedly ignored me. Anytime I asked her questions, she gave me a terse, polite answer.

Not that her cold shoulder was having the intended effect. If anything, her behaviour was exciting me even more. Don’t get me wrong—she was amazing, and I was intrigued by her for many reasons. But I was also an alpha and having that challenge, a chase? It made my instincts hum with happiness.

So, when I came across her studying in the library, I practically rubbed my hands together with glee.

She was sitting alone at a table, several books scattered in front of her. Her hair was piled up on her head, showing off her neck, and my eyes zeroed in on where her scent glands would be.

Even relaxed, she looked stunning, wearing tight leggings and a large, oversized university sweatshirt. The sweatshirt made me pause for a moment. It was very large, but I hoped it was hers. The idea of her wearing another man’s sweatshirt didn’t sit well with me.

“Well, hello there, darling,” I chirped happily as I sat down next to her.

She groaned loudly. Several people turned to look at us, and I wanted to laugh.

“Now, those aren’t the sorts of noises I want to be hearing from you,” I chided in a low voice.

She turned, giving me a withering stare.

A stare that probably made many an alpha turn tail and run.

Not me.

It only gave me a boner.

“Don’t you have something better to do than annoy me?” Alexis asked.

“Nothing at all,” I replied, my voice chipper. “Are you sure you’re not an alpha? You’re looking at me like you want to murder me.”

“No,” she mused, tilting her head to the side. “Not murder. Maybe maim?”

“I’m down—tie me up and maim me any day, darling.”

Alexis snorted delicately. “As much as your presence is a delight,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “I am extremely behind, and I need to ace my applied thermofluids class, or I am fucked.”

I glanced down at her textbooks and winced. “Yeah, applied thermofluids is a bitch.”

That was an understatement. I’m pretty sure some of the assignments from that class still haunted my nightmares.

“What’s your email?” I asked, pulling my tablet out of my bag.

Alexis rolled her eyes. “I haven’t given you my phone number. What makes you think I’ll give you my email? It’ll just be another way for you to harass me.”

“Fair,” I admitted. “But how else am I going to send you all my notes from this class? I did this last year, and I managed to scrape by with a B. I spent so many freaking nights studying, and the test was a nightmare.”

Alexis looked at me, perplexed. “You took this class last year?”

“Yeah, it’s standard for people to take it in their second year here. I’m assuming they put you in it because you didn’t take it at your old university.”

“We technically did, but this feels much different.”

“Exactly. So, tell me your email, and I’ll send you all my notes. I know you don’t like me, but you’re not dumb enough to turn down freaking help.”

She glared at me for a second. “And you’re not going to use my email address to harass me?”

“Oh, I one-hundred-percent will, but you’ll also receive notes that can help you pass.”

Alexis snorted. “At least you’re honest. Here, I’ll give you my email.” She took the tablet off me and typed in her email address.

I couldn’t contain the grin on my face. Victory. It tasted so sweet.

Once she handed the tablet back, it only took a few minutes for me to send over all my various notes.

“These are really well laid out,” she admitted as she checked them out on her laptop.

“I may be a dumb boy, but I’m also a smart boy. Now, I’ve got to get going. I will see you around! Make sure you drink some water and try not to taser anyone else.”

Rummaging around in my bag, I pulled out the unopened bottle of water I had thrown in there this morning and placed it on the table in front of her as I stood up slowly to leave.

She looked at the water with furrowed brows. Did she think I had poisoned it? Her face softened, and she smiled ever so slightly.

I was winning her over. At least, I hoped I was.

“I save tasering for the really special people. The ones that truly get on my nerves.”

“All I heard from that is that I am special!” I laughed. “If you have any questions about my notes, email me. Don’t forget to drink.” I pointed at the water bottle with raised eyebrows. “Dehydration and studying don’t mix.”

“Thank you.” She said it so quietly I almost didn’t hear it.

Chapter Fifteen

Alexis

“Professor?” I asked as I poked my head through the door to his office. “I think we need to talk.” I levelled him with a hard stare, making it clear I had no intention of leaving until we had spoken.

He had failed me. My first god damned paper in his class and right there was the big ol’ F right in front of my face in bold red marker.

Calvin frowned at me through the crack in the door. He had practically thrown our papers at us at the end of class and high tailed it out of here. After that abrupt exit , I half-expected him to turn me away with a shout when I decided to come to his office to confront him.

Instead, he sighed and waved me in with a glare. “You failed, Miss Franks. You missed the point entirely,” he said as we walked further into the room.

“I hit all the major points, and you fucking know it!” I snarled.

He glowered at me. “Language, Miss Franks.”

“I’ll use whatever language I want. Why the fuck are you singling me out? It’s so fucking obvious you dislike me for some reason, and you’ve been taking it out on me for the last two weeks! It’s not fair, and I want to know why.”

“I’m treating you no different from any other student,” he gritted out.

“Does your ass ever get jealous of the shit coming out of your mouth?” I snarled. “Jesus, you’re pathetic, taking out some daft, unexplainable grudge on me!”

Calvin strode over to me, his face thunderous.

I should have been terrified—any normal person would have been. He was a head taller than me and could easily throw me out the window.

Instead, I was excited.

“Why are you such a fucking brat?” he asked once his face was inches from mine.

“I’m not,” I said simply.

“You want to know why you infuriate me?” he growled. “Because I can’t fucking escape you! Your scent follows me everywhere!”

“I’ve been having fun. Maybe you should as well. It’ll help you relax a bit,” I snarked, looking up at him with a glare.

“I know how to have fun, Miss Franks.”

“Then, why do you have such a stick up your ass about me fooling around with other people? I’m definitely not the first girl who’s had their fun on campus. It’s not like I’m letting guys run a train on me, though that would be hot.”

He didn’t reply. He only levelled me with an almost frantic stare.

“Cat got your tongue?” I asked. Something had possessed me. I never, in a million years, would have imagined speaking to a professor like this, but something about his behaviour was infuriating.

“Just leave,” he growled.

“Make me,” I declared as I kept my gaze even. His eyes widened, his nostrils flaring. Shit. I’ve gone and done it now.

“Fuck it,” he snarled, launching his body at me.

Before I could open my mouth to say something, to try and avoid a complete blowup, Calvin’s hand flew to the back of my head, tangling in my hair there as he walked us back three steps until I was firmly pressed between the wall and him.

His other hand grasped at my bare thigh, sliding up my skirt, just below my ass cheeks.

I wanted that hand higher.

His lips met mine in a frantic rush. He kissed like a man in a frenzy, and it was a heady sensation. His lips were hard, unrelenting, as he took what he wanted from me. There was a control, a power behind it that had me shaking internally.

“You are fucking maddening. The things I want to do…” He gasped, pulling back to look at me.

I gazed up at him, panting heavily. “Do them.”

With a growl, he hoisted me up in his arms, as if I weighed nothing, my legs wrapping around his hips as his considerable length dug into me.

Teeth scraped along my neck as I ground down on his erection, eliciting a groan from Calvin. My hand flew to his fly, reaching between us.

“No. I’m in charge here,” he growled, sitting me on his desk.

“Yes, sir.” I grinned.

His eyes darkened before he pulled me in for another bruising kiss that left me panting for air. Fingers trailed up my leg, grazing the thin scrap of lace that stood between him and me.

“I can smell how fucking wet you are. Do you need something, darling?” he asked, his voice low and gravelly.

“Yes,” I gasped as his fingers brushed ever so lightly over the sorry excuse for fabric.

“Ask nicely,” he commanded.

I smirked at him. I wanted to push him, to see this man truly unleash himself.

Which is why I threw down the gauntlet—saying those two words.

“Make. Me.”

I whimpered as he slid his fingers deep, not even hesitating, curling and hitting that spot that made me see stars.

“Fuck,” I whined, my hips moving desperately, seeking more friction.

The hand not buried in me came down on my thigh, the sting making me jolt.

“Hey!”

“Language. Good girls don’t fucking curse.”

Did I want to be a good girl? Maybe. Did I also want to point out that he, himself, had just cursed? Yes, I most certainly did.

His fingers crooked, and I was lost in the sensation again, gasping for air, my legs shaking. I guess I couldn’t talk back if I was hurtling towards a mind numbingly good orgasm, could I?

“Fucking soaked,” Calvin groaned. “So ready.”

“More,” I panted, grabbing the front of his shirt with both hands and clinging on for dear life.

The world spun as my body was flipped over, bent across the desk, my skirt flipped up and lace-covered ass on display.

Calvin rubbed his hand over the globes of my ass with an appreciative hum, and feeling empty, I wiggled my hips slightly, desperate for more friction.

A sharp, stinging pain bloomed across the cheek as his hand came down in several quick successions.

“Why the fuck are you doing that?” I growled, trying to sit up, but he just gave my ass several more swats.

He held me firmly in place, leaning over, his lips at my ear. “Because I am in charge here, and you’re not being a very good girl. I’m not like the others. You may run circles around them, but me? I like to be in charge. I won’t take misbehaving, and every single one of your orgasms belongs to me.”

I quivered under him. I was drenched—I doubted I had ever been so wet in my life.

“If you can’t handle that, then say so now, and you’ll leave, and we will never discuss this again. Fuck, we should probably do that, anyway, but I’m so sick of fucking resisting.”

Biting my lip, I recalled what Wyatt had said about this alpha’s particular kink—or at least what he had insinuated.

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I wanted to get fucked, and Calvin could fuck me good.

“Please, fuck me, Daddy,” I whimpered. “I’ll be good.”

I couldn’t see his face, but my words opened the floodgate. The ripping sound of my panties being destroyed hit my ears a split second before I was deliciously filled to the brim with cock, bent over the professor’s desk.

“Shit! Fuck!” Calvin’s voice was strangled as he gave me a moment to adjust. “You’re strangling my cock. Fuck, I knew you’d feel perfect.”

“Move. Please,” I panted.

His pace was brutal. All I could do was lie there, bent over the desk, my cheek pressed against the cool wood as Calvin destroyed me. My pussy was going to be sore for days, and that pleased me. I wanted a reminder of this and the undoubtedly glorious orgasm I was about to have.

“Play with your clit,” he instructed roughly.

I complied without thought, so happy that I had put on a skirt that morning. My fingers found my clit and started roughly stroking in time to Calvin’s thrusts. The sensation of being so stretched made my mind turn to mush.

“Good girl,” he growled. My body’s reaction to those words was visceral. Somehow, I got wetter, and everything amped up in intensity.

“Please, oh fuck, I’m so close,” I babbled between panting breaths. “I need to come!” My body felt strung tight, ready to burst. “I–ahg!”

A large hand clamped over my mouth, and lips met my ear. “Shush, we can’t have anyone hearing. Now, you’re going to be a good girl and come on my cock, aren’t you? And you’re going to be quiet. If you make a noise, I’ll have to punish you.” He hummed. “And I won’t let you come.”

Oh, fuck.

His thrusts stilled, and I whined from behind his hand.

“Do you understand?” he asked.

I nodded with all my strength. I needed to come more than I needed air. My entire body was wound so tightly, I would have done anything for release.

With my nod, he resumed his brutal pace, so harsh that his balls slapped up against my clit with every thrust.

One. Two. Three thrusts, and I detonated. Blinding white clouded my vision as every one of my limbs became fuzzy and warm.

“You’re clamping down on me so hard, you’re just greedy for my cum, aren’t you?” He chuckled lightly, punctuating his words with several thrusts.

Something shattered in me, and with a keening cry, I came harder than I had in a very, very long time. Wet heat coated his cock, and Calvin’s moan was downright pornographic.

“You’re drenching my desk, sweetheart. Fuck, I didn’t know you were a squirter.”

Was that what I had felt? I had never squirted before, and I refused to be embarrassed. I had copiously covered his desk…it would be smelling like me for a long time to come.

Doing my best to keep quiet as I came down, I could feel Calvin’s thrusts getting disjointed. Spurred on by my own release, he quickly followed me, thrusting deeply one last time, so hard my hips felt bruised, as his cock throbbed and expanded, only prolonging my orgasm.

He pulled out, panting heavily, and took a few steps back. My legs were still tingling, so I stayed bent over the desk. Calvin must have had quite the view of me, my skirt pushed up, exposing my pussy, which was now leaking his cum.

“Oh, fuck, that was a mistake,” he said, his voice rough.

I froze. That was not what a girl wanted to hear.

Slowly, I pushed myself up, righting my skirt and turning around. Calvin was looking me over with wide eyes.

“Well, that was fun,” I said lightly as I fiddled with my skirt, trying to pull it down, so no one could see the copious cum I had leaking out of me.

“You need to go.” Calvin’s voice was hoarse. “This was a mistake.”

“Yeah. I got that,” I growled. “You would think that a professor that just fucked a student over their desk would at least be nice to them, but apparently not.”

His face fell. “Alexis. I’m sorry, this never should have happened.”

God, he was really trying to dig the knife in wasn’t he?

“As you’ve said. Multiple times. I’ve got to go. We can pretend this never happened.” He looked almost pained. From the sound of his moans, he’d also had a damn good time, so his shift in behaviour was downright infuriating.

I didn’t wait for a response. Instead, I hightailed it out of Calvin’s office, stinking of sex as I made my way home. Desperate for a long hot shower to wash away the day.

Chapter Sixteen

Alexis

“Please tell me you’re coming to the hockey game tonight,” Hazel said the second I opened my door.

She’d put blue clips in her hair and was wearing a ridiculously large sized jersey over her jeans.

“That’s tonight? Shoot, I forgot. How quickly do I have to be ready?” I asked, turning back into my room, leaving the door open, so Hazel could follow me. I had been so distracted with what had happened in Calvin’s office the day before that I had been completely spacing out.

Mind-blowing sex, but the aftermath felt a little shitty. I had run straight back home and showered, determined to get every scrap of his smell off me. Classes the next day were hard, my mind was constantly running a mile a minute.

I should have been panicking. I had just slept with a freaking professor—that was probably grounds to lose my scholarship. Then again, I doubted he would tell a soul, and my body was now so damn relaxed from just how hard I had come.

“We’ve got plenty of time. I was thinking of grabbing an ice cream cone on the way. They sell ice cream at the stadium, but it’s cheap and not very good.”

“We can’t let you have subpar ice cream.” I laughed as I flung open my closet, grabbing a few items of clothing that might work.

“The team colours are blue, right?”

“They are,” Hazel confirmed.

“Do you think this will do?” I asked, pulling out a deep blue T-shirt dress. It was one of my favourites, because it hugged my body like a second skin and flared out slightly at the bottom.

“Oh, that will more than do. It matches the university’s colours almost perfectly.”

I nodded, quickly ducking into my bathroom to throw on the dress. Thankfully, my hair was already clean, so I just had to brush it out quickly and top up my mascara.

“How’s your work load been?” Hazel asked as she walked slowly around my room, smiling at the decor. “You got one of the big rooms,” she observed.

So, not only was I, as a scholarship student, in the fanciest dorm, but I was in one of the biggest rooms in the fanciest dorm… Something about that felt wrong. If I wasn’t in a rush to get out the door, I would have thought about it a bit harder.

“I guess I got lucky,” I said as I grabbed my black leather jacket. “How far away is the rink?”

“Oh, it’s a five-minute walk. We’re right by everything here. This is why I love Dallas House.”

“I know it’s not the biggest rink,” Hazel said as we walked to our seats. “But it belongs to the university.”

“This is actually the size of normal rinks in England. We tend not to have as much hockey playing as you guys do.”

“Have you had a chance to go to an NHL rink? If not, I so have to take you.”

“I have. Actually, I’ll probably be going again soon. My best friend is mated to a pack of hockey-playing alphas. Three of them are on the California Chargers.”

“Oh shit, really? That’s awesome.” She sighed wistfully. “I would love a pack of big, broody, athletic alphas.”

“I’m sure there are plenty of sporty alphas who would love to date you.”

Hazel snorted. “My parents are betas. I’m pretty sure I’m adopted because there’s no biological way that I could have been in an omega when they’re both betas—But they seem really grossed out by the whole pack thing. They’re convinced I just need to marry a beta and settle down.”

“That could work, if you plan to be on heat suppressants for the rest of your life.”

“No. They absolutely ruin your body. I kind of like my liver how it is now. Plus I prefer having two working kidneys. Unfortunately, my mother is a force of nature, who is convinced she knows best.”

“My mother is very much the same,” I admitted. “Hence, why I literally fled to America to get away from her.”

“So, fleeing the country works. Good. I’ll have to remember that one.” Hazel tapped her chin thoughtfully, smiling at me.

“It’s working out all right for me.”

We both turned to the ice as the players started coming out, and the announcer called out the names of various players.

“So, are all the players students?” I asked.

“Yep. It’s one of the rules for being on a college team. Since they televise these games, they make a lot of money for the programmes and the schools.”

Hazel started talking me through the players—their finer points, their skills, what they were good at. She was clearly a fan of the sport.

“Do these players work out as much as NHL players, though?” I asked. “Because those men are ripped.”

“I think any dude that plays ice hockey has a damn good body. There’s something about the sport that makes sure they’re cut.”

I was about to open my mouth and reply when the announcer called out another name I recognised.

Theodore Astor.

I turned to Hazel with a frown. “Why does that name sound familiar?”

“Oh, Teddy. He’s the son of the Dean. I’m sure you’ve met him. He’s part of the engineering programme.”

Crap. He told me a while ago that he was a member of the hockey team, but I’d forgotten, with everything that had happened.

He had been a thorn in my side all day. I had received several emails from him, all of them highly complementary in nature. It was flattering—if a little much, at times.

I did my best to focus on the game itself. Or even on the other players, but my eyes kept wandering back to Teddy. He was good. Like, really good. He was constantly on the ice and almost always had the puck with him. There were a few other players that he was regularly with, guys he was clearly close friends with. When they scored, they had practically jumped on top of one another in happiness.

“Is anyone allowed to come to these games? It’s not a university-specific thing, is it? I just want to make sure I know how it works here.”

“Oh yeah, anybody can buy a ticket. There are always some middle-aged hockey freaky enthusiasts here, thinking that certain players are going to make the NHL. They want to be here in their early days, so they can brag about it one day to their other out-of-shape middle-aged friends.”

I laughed. “I can see them from here.” I pointed to a group of beta males who weren’t sitting too far away from us. They were watching the game with rapt fascination, and they all looked like they had just left an office job, smelling strongly of printer ink.

Turning to Hazel, I smiled. “That’s good to know, though. I’ll have to ask Molly if she wants to come to a game one day. Then again, she’s always at games with her alphas. Zach doesn’t play anymore, but he still does something related to the business.”

“Wait, did you say Zach? As in Zach Stone?”

“Yeah, that’s him.”

“Oh, shit. So, your friend is the one who had those pictures leaked?” I opened my mouth to vehemently defend my friend, even if it meant burning my budding friendship with Hazel. Molly was in no way at fault for what happened to her, and I would go to my grave fighting for that.

Hazel grimaced, “That whole business was disgusting. I can’t believe they did that to her. Isn’t it true she’s going here now? I’ve heard rumours, but I’ve never seen her on campus. I hope she sued that tabloid to hell and back.”

“She lives off campus with her pack, but she does come here for classes.”

“She’s living my dream.” Hazel pouted.

“She could hook you up with some other players on the team?”

“NHL? My mother would have a conniption.” She paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. “Actually, on second thought, I may take you up on that, just to see her reaction. I’m definitely not NHL mate level, though.”

“Of course you are!” I exclaimed.

“I would be more than happy with some university-level players. People who play pro tend to have more issues. Was it all smooth sailing for your friend?”

She had a point there.

Chapter Seventeen

Alexis

“Iknow you’re probably exhausted from your first two weeks, but there’s an after-party at a few of the players’ house,” Hazel informed me as we got out of our seats at the end of the game. It had been a decent game, and Hawking University had won by a landslide. “Do you want to come? It could be a good way to make some friends.”

“I’d like to come. Thank you.” I smiled at her. I was exhausted. It had been a very long week, but other than Hazel, I hadn’t really made any friends.

“Perfect. It’s like a five-minute drive from here. I’ll order us a car. My friend Seb will be there tonight as well,” she said happily, pulling out her phone and tapping on the screen a few times.

“Should we nip back home and get changed first?” I asked, looking down at my dress. It would do in a pinch for a party. To be fair, it hugged my figure rather well, and my legs were on show. Hazel, on the other hand, was drowning in a hockey jersey.

“Not at all. Everyone’s really relaxed about this sort of thing. It’s not exactly a rager. It’s just a bunch of people hanging out at the players’ house.”

In my head, I was imagining some sort of fraternity house. “Okay. I will follow your wise guidance. Lead the way.”

The car was already waiting for us outside, so we quickly bustled into the back seat, the car pulling off before we’d even fully closed the door.

Despite coming straight from the game, as we pulled up in front of the house, it was already bustling. People walked in and out, red Solo cups in hand. I chuckled to myself. For some reason, I thought those cups were only in movies, but no, they were a very real thing.

The colonial-style house almost reminded me of an old fraternity house you’d see on TV shows. Large, with white wooden shingles. A grand entry, and plenty of shrubbery.

“This house looks far too nice for a bunch of hockey players,” I observed, looking over at Hazel, who just shrugged.

“They’ve got money. They’re going to spend it.”

True. As we clambered out of the cab, I did the mental math on how much this house must have cost. My future career prospects and potential for earning were good, but maybe I just needed to become a hockey player, because these guys were loaded—even at the university level. I wasn’t naive. I knew that, once you reach the NHL, you made giant, fuck you levels of money. I had seen Molly’s home; I just hadn’t expected that level of income for university players.

There were several people hanging out in hockey jerseys, and some ladies were wearing skimpy dresses—there was a little bit of everything, really.

“I’ll introduce you to Seb!” Hazel exclaimed happily, grabbing my wrist and gently dragging me toward the front door. She pulled me along with impressive strength, considering she was probably no bigger than five-foot tall and ninety pounds, soaking wet.

I wasn’t sure what, exactly, I expected from my first-ever American university party, but it honestly reminded me a lot of the parties back home. People milled around the room, their bodies close together, drinking various beverages. Some people were dancing, some were just talking, and the lights were low.

“Sebby!” Hazel screamed happily, running over and throwing her arms around her friend.

“Hey, short stack,” he greeted warmly as he embraced her in a bear hug. Seb was cute. He had dark curls falling all around his ears and wide, bright-blue eyes that were trained solely on Hazel.

“This is my friend Alexis, who I told you about!” She turned to look at me, still in his arms. “This is Seb!”

“Nice to meet you. Short stack has been talking about you nearly non-stop.”

“Don’t trust a word she says.” I laughed. “It’s all lies.”

“She said you’re great.” He smirked.

“Like I said, lies.”

Seb threw his head back in laughter. “You’re right, short stack. She’s a hoot.” He kissed the top of her head before turning to look at me. “Do you guys want a drink?”

“Just point me in the direction, and I’ll go get them,” I offered, not wanting to interrupt them. Sebastian was looking at Hazel like she’d hung the moon, and she didn’t even realise.

“All drinks are in the kitchen,” he informed me.

I thanked him and started making my way through the crowd, trying to find the kitchen.

It wasn’t hard. I merely followed the stench of sweat and cheap beer. In the large, open-plan kitchen area, several individuals were gathered around a keg. Kegs weren’t a common occurrence at parties in England. I had seen them plenty, in the cellars of pubs, where they rightly belonged. I had spent a summer bartending to make a little extra cash, and had become well acquainted with them.

There’s something about watching a bunch of students standing around a keg that felt very…American.

English young adults just went to the pub and got pissed. Legally.

The thought of stale beer didn’t exactly appeal to me, so I made my way through the crowd, trying to head toward what appeared to be a drink station, gently pushing people out of the way so I could get through.

Once I managed to get to the gigantic kitchen island, I took in the wide array of drinks. There was a little bit of everything, from cans of soda to bottles of beer—though, why they needed cans of beer when they had a keg a few metres away bewildered me—and there was even a large bowl of some sort of alcoholic beverage with bits of fruit floating in it.

Going for the option I deemed the least risky—soda, because it was already sealed—I quickly grabbed the can, flicked it open, and took a large swig.

I grimaced at the warm drink. The lack of refrigeration had made it rather unpleasant. The soda in America tasted far more sugary than the ones I was used to, but I kind of enjoyed it.

Because the party was full of everyone—alphas, betas and omegas—there were a myriad of scents in the air. It was hard to distinguish a single one. They blended together. But as I lifted my kind-of soda to take another swig, another scent, more distinguished than the rest, hit my nose. It was sweet. It reminded me of a sort of fruit—possibly a melon?

Leaning over the kitchen island ever so slightly, I took a subtle sniff. Did one of the drinks smell like that? Whatever it was, it smelled delightful. If it was, indeed, an alcoholic drink, I would have been tempted to partake.

“We keep the good sodas in the fridge,” a voice behind me said as I felt a presence standing behind me. “This is the cheap stuff for the riff raff.”

Voices shouldn’t be a turn-on. I had never listened to a man speak and gotten wet before, but it was happening with increasing regularity.

Turning around, I smiled at the owner of the voice. Alpha. Of course, he was an alpha. Had I lost my attraction to betas? Back home, I didn’t discriminate between alpha or beta. I was down to fuck. Since stepping foot on the Hawking campus, though, it seemed my brain had been solely focused on alphas.

I was starting to behave like an omega.

I couldn’t let myself behave like an omega.

I refused to throw away my life, to throw away everything I’d built, for mind-blowing sex.

The boyish-looking alpha towered over me. He had a smooth, clean-shaven face, with rounded cheeks. His hair was a mass of sandy curls. He beamed down at me, the sheer happiness in his expression making me think of a golden retriever.

Not that I needed another puppy dog following me around. I already had Teddy.

There was nothing boyish about this guy’s physique, though. Inches away from my face, his pectoral muscles flexed, and they were girthy. His face said, Sir, can I take you to the prom? And his body said, Shut the fuck up and take this dick like a good girl.

“Maybe I like being part of the riff raff.” I smirked up at him through my eyelashes.

The alpha whistled low as his eyes raked over me. “You’re not from around here.”

“Was it the accent that gave me away?” I asked, my tone heavy with sarcasm.

He didn’t even bat an eyelash at my sarcastic remarks. “That, and trust me, I would know if someone this beautiful was on campus. I don’t recognise you at all.”

“Alexis.” I held up my hand for him to shake.

He looked down at my hand, held out, and he pressed his lips, like he was trying to hold back laughter. I was about to retract my hand and apologise—maybe he didn’t want to be touched—when thick arms wound around my body, pulling me into that chest. So close to his body, there was no denying that he was the source of the delicious fruity mango smell I had been chasing.

“We’re not too formal around here, and I’ll take any excuse to hug a pretty girl.” He chuckled, his arms still around me. He was pressing me up against the kitchen island, even while his arms were around me. “I’m Miles.”

“Nice to meet you, Miles.”

“Let me take this,” he said, plucking the can of soda from my hand. “We’ll get you one of the better ones from the fridge. Warm soda is the worst on a hot day.”

“I wonder why the homeowners are serving it, then,” I mused.

“I don’t know. Maybe they’re inhospitable assholes. Or maybe they’re just comfortable knowing that most students don’t give a damn about the quality of their soda, especially when mixing it with copious amounts of alcohol.”

I tilted my head in a little nod. He had me there. “As long as it’s alcoholic, they’re usually happy,” I admitted.

“Are you drinking, or are you a designated driver?”

“Just not drinking. New country, new university, still fighting jet lag.”

His lips turned down into a grimace when I said jet lag. “Oh god, yeah. The summer after my freshman year, I travelled, then came back home and immediately partied with the rest of the team. They both hit me at the same time, and I did not feel like anything related to a human for like a week. I spent most of my time praying to the porcelain gods.”

“Ouch.” I winced at the thought. “So, are you a hockey player?”

“I sure am. Were are you at the game?”

I nodded in confirmation. “It was my first university hockey game.”

“What did you think?”

“American games are less violent than English games. That was a touch disappointing.”

A chuckle escaped Miles as he looked at me with amused confusion. “Most girls want less violence in their sports, so surely, that’s a good thing?”

“The violence is half the fun. In other sports, players get a paper cut and run away. In hockey, they beat each other to a pulp on the ice and then keep playing. It’s hot.”

Miles’s eyebrows rose. “It’s hot, is it?”

I rolled my eyes. This alpha was amusing, and smelled divine. “Hush, you know it is. In fa—”

“Miles!” a whiny high-pitched voice spoke from next to me. “Come play with us!”

Turning my head, I took in the omega standing next to us. She smelled metallic, and not in a good way. I wanted to recoil from the smell, especially when combined with her voice, which sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

Come play with us? The urge to throw up in my mouth almost won. What did she mean by play with them? I had a pretty good idea what she meant but she had a wild look in her eyes. She could have meant sex, she could have meant murdering small animals, it was impossible to tell. She was leaning forward, clearly doing her best to display her cleavage to Miles while simultaneously throwing dirty looks my way. It was actually quite skillful multitasking. Pressing my lips together, I resisted the urge to laugh as I realised what was happening.

The puck bunnies were on the hunt.

Don’t get me wrong, I was something of a puck bunny, but I wasn’t desperate.

“I’m busy at the moment, Cassie,” he said, keeping his answer short and slightly terse.

“But Miles!” She dragged out every syllable of his name in the most whiny, high-pitched voice I’d ever heard.

“I think I better leave you to your friend,” I told him, a smile spreading across my lips.

Panic flashed in his face, and I wanted to laugh out loud. It was clear as day from his body language that he would rather be anywhere else than next to that omega. He was physically turning away from her, and the looks he was giving her were hardly screaming that he wanted to rip her clothes off.

“Please stay,” he whispered frantically.

I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, but I didn’t want to leave. Miles was hotter than the sun, and he wasn’t coming across like an asshole. Maybe a bit of a himbo, but himbos were freaking beautiful, in my opinion.

“What’s in it for me?” I whispered back.

“Anything you want.” He grinned.

“Anything? Even a pony?”

He looked at me, baffled, yet still laughing. “Okay, I was not expecting that. I’m hung like a horse. Does that help?”

I snorted. “Oh god. I guess you’ll need to prove that!” I laughed quietly so the others didn’t hear us.

Hands grasped my waist, pulling my body flush with his. Holy fuck, he felt good. I could feel every defined ridge of his body through his thin T-shirt.

My body warmed, and I could feel my need growing. This man was clearly beautiful, didn’t act like an ass, and seemed like he’d be able to give me a good time.

Peering up at him through my lashes, I watched as he waited a moment, checking my face for any sign of hesitation before he bent down and claimed my lips. Sweet melon assaulted my tastebuds, and I resisted the urge to moan like a wanton harlot. The sweet melon taste was so fresh, but there was a hint of musk that somehow made him taste and smell masculine, despite his sweeter primary scent.

Would he taste like that? If so, I certainly wanted to try.

He looked down at me warmly as he pulled away, lips slightly swollen. I wanted to bite them. “I’ll prove it anytime. Just say when.”

Standing up on my tiptoes, I nipped his earlobe and was rewarded when he squeezed me tighter to him. “When,” I whispered in his ear.

“Are you serious?” he asked. “I’ve still got a lot of pent-up adrenaline from the game. I’m a little feral right now.”

A little feral sounded delightful. “I think it’s getting a little crowded in here, don’t you?”

“It definitely is. How about we go get some air?”

When he took my hand in his, I couldn’t help but notice just how large his hand felt compared to mine. He guided me through the throng of people, occasionally using his body to shield me. He treated me like I was precious cargo, and it made me smile.

We broke away from the crowd, finding ourselves in a random hallway that was completely deserted. I opened my mouth to say something, but I was cut off as my feet left the floor and my back was pressed up against the wall.

I was stuck between a wall and a hard place. In this case, a hard place was a very tall, very handsome, very well-built alpha. My legs instinctively wound around his hips, pressing his erection right where I wanted it. Lips trailed across my neck, and I whined at the sensation.

“Asking again ‘cause I wanna be sure. Are you sure?” he asked as he kissed down my neck.

I buried my hands in his hair, yanking his head back, so he was looking at me. “I’m not some fragile little omega. I want you to take me up there and fuck me within an inch of my life, okay? Is that clear enough?”

“You’re amazing,” he panted, grinding his cock against my centre one last time before he stepped back, taking me with him as he ran up the stairs. Giggling, I lightly nipped at his neck, relishing the way he jolted, and his scent increased every time I did.

He spun us around, and I squealed at the speed of it as he used his back to push open a door to his bedroom. It was clearly his room, because the entire place smelled so strongly of him. Miles threw me on the bed, and I bounced as I fell on my back.

“Your scent has been driving me crazy for the last twenty minutes.” He growled. It wasn’t a menacing growl. It was one of those sexy, made me wetter than the ocean growls.

“Well, you’ve got me now. What are you gonna do to me?” I asked, leaning up on my elbows. He was standing at the foot of the bed, towering over me. I expected him to undo his pants and get his cock out, but instead, he simply sank to his knees, grabbing my thighs and dragging my body, so my ass was at the edge of the bed.

Leaning in, he pressed his nose against my underwear, taking a deep inhale. His hands snaked around my hips, and the sound of fabric ripping filled the room as he literally tore my lacy scrap of underwear from my body.

“Hey, I li—” I broke off with a strangled moan at the first swipe of his tongue. Miles didn’t hesitate; he devoured me with gusto.

“You taste amazing,” he growled, flicking his tongue over my clit in a fast motion that made my legs shake. His fingers joined in on the action, swiftly filling me and finding my G-spot with slow, firm strokes.

My first orgasm hit me like a tonne of bricks, coming on fast and intense. My legs trembled, and I cried out as wave after wave hit me. Miles never let up on his ministrations, drawing out my release.

“Holy fuck,” I muttered, flopping back onto the bed and staring at the ceiling for a second while I desperately tried to catch my breath.

“You’re drenched, perfect.” He gently pulled me up, so I was sitting, and grabbed the hem of my dress and tugged it off me, leaving me in only my T-shirt bra.

Strong hands gripped my hips, pulling me closer to his cock, manoeuvring us so we were both on the bed, him hovering over me. I wanted to touch him, to feel him, but he had other plans as the head of his cock teased my folds.

“Do you think you can take me?” He chuckled.

“Easily.” I smirked at him, throwing down the challenge.

He chuckled wryly. “Be careful what you ask for,” he said before gliding forward with a single thrust.

Oh. Holy. Fuck.

If Calvin had stretched me, Miles obliterated me. My poor vagina may never recover. The burning pain from just how large he was only served to make me wetter as he bottomed out in me.

“Fuck!” I cried, unable to keep my noises at bay anymore. If the whole party heard us, then I hoped they fucking enjoyed the show.

Miles gave a few experimental thrusts, and I could feel something scraping along the inside of my walls, raking over my G-spot. Something hard—metal hard, not cock hard.

“W-what is that?” I panted, looking up at him in confusion.

“Piercings.” He beamed down at me warmly, his gaze self-assured, as he lazily thrusted deep again, making me groan. Every inch of my walls were being touched, scraped, stimulated. How many piercings did he have?

“Oh, I’m a fan,” I whimpered, my hand grasping in his hair.

“Think you can take more?” he asked, breaking off with a groan as I nipped at his shoulder.

“Give it to me.” Was I tempting fate? Maybe. But I wanted to see what those piercings could do. I slowly adjusted to his size, the painful stretching now a pleasant burn.

What would it be like to take his knot? I could. As an omega, I was literally built for taking knots, but no one could know. Part of me felt that urge to give in, though, because if his cock felt this intense without a knot, I could only imagine what it would be like with.

“I don’t know where you came from, but I think I’m going to keep you.” Miles chuckled, sitting up on his knees, lifting my ass with his hands so he had a spectacular view of my pussy eating his cock. “Oh, now that’s a pretty sight,” he hummed.

I couldn’t say anything. Every sensation was building, my body tightening with every thrust.

“Fuck. I didn’t even ask about birth control,” Miles said, eyes wide as he went to pull out of me.

I was faster, hooking my legs around his waist, heels on his ass, keeping him firmly seated in me. “I’m clean and on birth control,” I panted. “I’m close, so don’t you dare stop!”

Miles looked down at me with amazement. “Okay, I’m never letting you go. This tight and I get to fill you with cum? Dream girl.”

I smiled. “What can I say? I’m greedy.”

“Hmm, in that case…” Hands grabbed my hips, and he flipped us in one clean, fluid movement, so he was on his back and I was on top of him, his cock still buried in me. The new angle made him feel even larger, the pierced head of his cock bumping against my cervix.

“Oh holy—” My words were garbled.

“I want to see these tits bounce,” he said, leaning back. “Bra off.”

I would have bristled at the command if I hadn’t been so full and so close to coming. When I flung the bra into the corner of the room, Miles’s eyes darkened while he took in my nipples, his hands reaching up to thumb both my nipples as I started gyrating.

“Close,” I panted. There was no way I could do a marathon sex session with this cock. That would take a lot of endurance training—and I was down for that.

“Good, because I’m close. I’m going to make you even more full.”

I whined—surely that was impossible. I was already so full. The new angle was so tight, the pressure of his piercings increased, and with every thrust, they massaged my walls almost painfully.

Bliss coursed through me, and I cried as I came on his cock, my walls tightening so much, I almost passed out on the beautifully pierced cock.

“Oh fuck—” Miles moaned, throwing his head back.

Through my own waves of pleasure, I could feel his cock throbbing. So full.

So perfect.

Panting, I slumped over him as we both took a moment to catch our breaths. “Holy shit, that thing is a weapon.” I chuckled weakly.

“You’re one to talk,” he panted. “I thought you were going to cut off all circulation to my cock!”

We both laughed. I was splayed on top of him, my cheek stuck to his slightly sweaty pec as his hand ran up and down my back.

“I should go,” I said weakly.

“Hmm . . . later,” he grumbled, pulling me against him. He sounded sleepy, exhausted after such a strong orgasm.

“Okay, just for a few minutes,” I said, closing my eyes. I could rest for a little bit.

Chapter Eighteen

Alexis

The last thing I intended to do was fall asleep—I wanted to scratch my itch and get the heck out of there.

But no, Miles hadn’t just scratched my itch. He’d obliterated it.

Penis piercings. I was a fan. A huge fan.

But magical orgasms and fun, sexy times at night was one thing. The harsh reality of the morning was another.

The entire room smelled like a fruity explosion. Sweet, dewy melon was thick in the air. Opening my eyes, I took in the alpha next to me. Miles was lying on his back, with one arm resting above his head, as he snored softly.

Blankets bunched around his waist, showing off his defined chest that was void of any hair at all. Did he wax? I was pretty sure I had more hair on my chest than he did. Sadly for me, his rather impressive cock was hiding under the blankets. Was it wrong that I wanted just one more glance before I left? Those little pieces of metal had touched parts of me that I hadn’t even known existed, blowing my mind in the process.

Moving as slowly as possible, I edged out of the bed, lifting the blankets and sliding out. My feet hardly made a sound on the carpet as I gathered my clothing. I was no stranger to a walk of shame. To me, it was more a strut of pride, but unfortunately for me, society deemed women meeting their needs shameful and guys meeting their needs glorious.

To avoid the sounds of my heels hitting the floor, I opted to carry my shoes. The sun had hardly started to rise, so I doubted anyone else in the house was awake—giving me an opportunity to get away quietly.

Miles’s breathing didn’t even stutter as I slowly made my way across the room, opening the door at a snail’s pace and sliding out.

I expected him to live in some sort of fraternity or a typical guy’s place, especially after the party chaos I had seen the previous night. Only this house was stunning. Expensive and also very clean. Modern, with large windows that let so much light in. Or, at least, I assumed it let in a lot of light, since the sun had barely started to rise and I was sneaking out. There was zero evidence that, just a few hours ago, a wild party was happening here.

Cursing lightly to myself, I looked around, trying to ascertain the nearest exit. My mind had been somewhat occupied when I got here last night, so I hadn’t really taken note of the exits. All I’d been taking note of last night was Miles’s rather nice body. And his cock. Multiple times.

I vaguely remembered the path through the kitchen, so I headed that way.

I was so busy looking around at everything, instead of the room I was entering, it wasn’t until I was already halfway through the room that I realised I wasn’t alone.

There were three alphas at the dining table, two sitting, and one standing, holding a frying pan, serving what appeared to be bacon.

This was Miles’s pack.

I stood in the middle of the kitchen, gawking at the table as understanding crashed down on me. My stomach turned to ice and sweat broke out on my palms.

I knew these alphas. I’d met them.

In fact, I had fucked two of them.

Wyatt, Professor Calvin, and Teddy.

Fuck my life.

How was it that every single male that I’d had sex with since stepping foot in this country was in this house, three of them having breakfast like the very picture of pack bliss? Had I pissed off some cosmic force for my life to be in this state?

Well, I had slept with every one of them, except for Teddy . . . despite his best efforts. And truth be told, I was pretty close to caving in with him as well.

“Sparky! What are you doing here?” Teddy exclaimed, joy lighting up his face as he looked at me. His gaze roamed over me, taking in my slightly rumpled dress and the high heels I was carrying in my hand. “Did you just come out of Miles’s room?”

“I’ve got to go,” I said, doing my best to avoid every single one of their gazes.

“No, don’t go!” Teddy beamed as he got up from his seat and walked over to me. “Stay for breakfast. You must be hungry.”

“I’m good, honestly.”

“So, this is the girl you were talking about? Non-stop?” Wyatt asked, addressing his packmate before turning to me. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Wait, you guys have met?” Teddy asked.

His only answer was a shit-eating grin.

“Wyatt?”

“Oh, we’ve met,” he said, a seductive grin on his face, making it obvious just how we knew each other.

Everything in me screamed to run. To save myself the embarrassment. Teddy took advantage of my brain short-circuiting and gently grabbed me by the wrist, dragging me towards the table.

I was all for sexual liberation and rocking what you’ve got. But there was something about facing a pack that you had screwed seventy-five percent of that was just overwhelming and daunting. My stomach churned, and everything in me wanted to go back to my dorm, to get into my bed, to rearrange my pillows time and time again until I was happy with them, and just hide from the world.

Only, that was an omega instinct, an instinct I didn’t want to have, an instinct I shouldn’t be having, thanks to the suppressants.

I couldn’t quite come to terms with the fact that these alphas were a pack. It meant that they liked to share. That they ultimately intended to share an omega one day.

My mind started flitting through various images of the four of them in different positions together. Individually, each one of these men had blown my mind sexually. I’d had good sex before, but since coming to Hawking University, I’d had some amazing sex. And now, three individuals who gave me amazing sex were in a pack who wanted to share an omega?

I was kicking myself.

But after a moment’s thought, I was stupidly thankful that I was on the suppressants. If they knew I was an omega, there was every chance we would end up bonded, even if it was an accident. Molly had never intended to be bonded, but one accident during a heat, and she now lives in a different country.

My little charade meant that I could have fun with these alphas individually and still leave at the end of the day.

“How did you two meet?” Teddy asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

“At the coffee shop last week,” Wyatt said, clearing his throat.

Calvin’s head swung between me and Wyatt. “Wait, is he the reason you came to class stinking of sex?”

I didn’t say anything, but my face clearly conveyed the answer, because his eyes went wide as Teddy’s jaw dropped.

“Wait,” Teddy started. “So, not only did you spend last night with Miles, you also fucked Wyatt?” He beamed.

“Yeah, we had a great time last night,” a sleepy voice spoke from behind me. Miles, wearing only his boxers, was sleepy as he scratched the slight stubble on his chin. “You been having fun with Wyatt, darling?” he asked me, pulling me into his side for a brief moment.

Why did he have to look so good? Why do they all have to look so good? It wasn’t fair.

Calvin refused to meet my eyes, guilt evident on his features. Was he regretting what we did the other day? Something about that guilt ignited a rage in me, which is why I said what I said next.

“Well, actually, Teddy, I’ve fucked every single member of your pack, other than you. Miles, last night after the party. Wyatt, in his car last week. And then good old Professor Calvin, on his desk in his office just a few days ago. I had no idea you were all packmates. This is embarrassing enough. I’m going to go.” I rushed to say everything as I turned to leave, not wanting to see their reactions.

“Wait! Sparky!” he called after me, but I was determined to find the door and get the hell out of there.

I had really fucked up.

But it was so much fun.

I had never been ashamed of my sexual exploits. There were needs I had to meet as a hypersexual omega suppressing her every urge, and I wasn’t going to deny myself that.

As soon as I was back safe in my dorm, I headed for the shower. I smelled like Miles, like his home, like the rest of his packmates. I needed to get rid of it. I needed to smell like myself again.

But it’s nice to smell like them, a small voice in my head said. I refused to listen to that voice, because that was the voice of a needy omega.

I had already taken my dress off when I thought about my pills. Some were stashed away in my bathroom cabinet, so I hastily took two, washing them down with a handful of tap water. I would need to buy some more soon—but the cost was so astronomical. Instead of making my suppressants last longer and stretching them out, I was gulping them down at a breakneck speed.

Maybe it was time to look at getting a part-time job to help cover the cost. Weighing my options as I hopped in the shower, I came to the conclusion that it would probably be cheaper to just fly back home and get the pills. Thanks to public healthcare they were free for me back home.

When would I have time to do that?

As I reached across the shower and my hand brushed a bottle of shampoo, a violent cramp took over my midsection. Pain rippled through my stomach and back. Groaning, I bent over, my hand flat on the tiles, trying to keep myself upright. It was the worst pain I’d ever had, and I wasn’t even on my period.

Fuck. Even though I had never experienced it, I knew what it was. Heat. More specifically, preheat. Molly had told me all about how her heats worked, about the preheat pain and everything that came with that.

Why was I going into heat? Did I need to take more tablets?

Something about this pack had fucked with my head so monumentally, it had also fucked with my body. Being around so many alphas that smelled so good and that I’d had such good sex with was clearly making my omega restless.

Chapter Nineteen

Teddy

She had been with my pack.

Somehow, the impossible had happened—Alexis had gotten even sexier. Don’t get me wrong; she was beautiful, quick-witted, not afraid of me in the slightest. But I had always assumed that whatever happened between us would be one-on-one.

Now?

Now, she’d slept with the rest of my pack. Part of me was feeling a little hurt that she’d slept with all those fuckers before me, but I just had to remember that good things come to those who wait. And I was willing to wait for Alexis.

Would she want to be shared?

That was what most omegas dreamt of, but Alexis wasn’t an omega, despite what my overactive imagination kept telling me.

“We should probably have a conversation about this,” Wyatt said, leaning against the counter, mug of coffee in hand. “I’ll be upfront—I don’t know her well, but we had good conversation, and she took me like a fucking champ. I swear, the best fuck of my life.”

“She’s not an omega,” Calvin growled. “The only reason she’s even here is because Teddy is obsessed with her,”

“So what?” I frowned. “I like her. A lot.”

“You know we need to settle down with an omega. A beta can’t handle more than two alphas without physically wearing themselves out.”

“I don’t care that she’s a beta, Cal. I just want her.”

“If she was an omega, she would be fucking perfect. Sometimes she smells so damn sweet,” Wyatt said.

“Doesn’t she?” I asked. “The first time I smelled her, I would have sworn she was an omega.”

“It’s not right,” Calvin growled.

“Why? Because you fucked a student? How was it, Cal?” he was the last person I would have expected to cave into her charms, but I was fucking ecstatic he had.

Calvin ran a hand over his face, sighing deeply. “It was fucking amazing. Is that what you want to hear? You know I can’t resist someone who acts like a brat.”

“Isn’t she a bit too feisty for your taste?” Wyatt asked, genuinely concerned. It was no secret that Calvin liked to dominate and care for his partners.

“She’s challenging, but it’s that much more rewarding. I’ll be honest. If she wasn’t one of my students and was an omega, I would be fucking chasing her down, come hell or high water. But she is my student, and she’s not an omega. What we need is a pack. Sure, we can have our fun, but that’s all it can be. Fun. And ideally not with a god damned student.”

I knew, deep down, that Calvin was technically correct, but something about his words didn’t sit right with me. I hadn’t even had a taste of Alexis yet. But just seeing her coming out of my packmate’s room, looking freshly fucked, had done something to me. I wanted to wake up to that sight every day for the rest of my life. It drew me in so completely.

I’d heard friends and family talk about how obsessed alphas got when they met their omega. It felt like that, only Alexis wasn’t an omega. It was a cruel twist of fate.

Still, I wasn’t going to stay away from her.

And I got the distinct feeling that neither would my packmates.

Which is how I found myself making a pit stop at the university bookstore before I went to class that afternoon. Most of the team were still fighting hangovers after the party. We had all wanted to celebrate our victory, though Miles clearly had the most fun celebrating. He’d strutted around the kitchen at breakfast, loading his plate with a look of sheer pride on his face and a bite mark on his shoulder.

I didn’t have any classes with Alexis until the afternoon, but this was the best time for me to make the pit stop. So, with my purchases in hand, I went about my day, just preparing for our evening calculus class.

I got there ten minutes early, but I waited outside until I saw Alexis enter the lecture hall. I knew that if I took my seat before her, she would sit somewhere far, far away from me. Whereas if I waited until she chose a seat and I sat down right next door, she probably wouldn’t move. She would feel awkward moving that close to class starting.

Where Alexis was concerned, I was ready to be a criminal mastermind.

“Hello, sparky,” I cooed as I sat down next to her. She had changed out of her form-fitting dress into a university T-shirt and jeans. She was still just as stunning. Part of me wanted to wrap her up, to keep her close and safe. Alexis wasn’t that kind of girl, though.

“Hello, pest.” She sighed. “I don’t want to talk about this morning.”

“That’s no way to talk to someone who bought you a gift!”

She looked me up and down. “If you’re about to say your cock is my gift, I will stab you.”

“I’m sure you would. I wouldn’t put anything past you, sparky. Luckily, my gift is not my cock, even though that is a gift. Here.” I handed over the bag of textbooks. She took it cautiously, looking in the bag.

Her eyes flickered between the contents of the bag as her face went through a few different emotions as she tried to figure out what she was looking at.

“These are the textbooks. I already have these?”

“You have copies from the second-hand bookstore that are falling apart and are about to disintegrate any second. I literally saw pages fall out of one of your books. You deserve something better, in good condition.”

“Oh, uhh…” Alexis trailed off, her mouth opening and closing silently as she tried to find words.

“Look, I don’t expect anything. I just wanted to do something nice. I know how much this degree means to you. You moved across the world to study. This is the least I could do. It’s a drop in the bucket for me. As you said, I’m a spoiled little rich boy. Take the books.”

After a moment’s pause, she spoke. “Thank you.”

“When it comes to my pack, just have fun. There’s nothing stopping you. Calvin may be a grumpy ass, but he’s a good guy. Bit of a daddy, though, if you catch my drift…”

“Oh, I know.” She smirked. “I figured that out while bent over his desk, squirting.”

My eyes widened. “I need to find a reason to go visit his office! There’s no way he managed to clean it entirely. Is that why he’s avoiding his office?” She pressed her lips together and didn’t answer, opting to look directly forward instead. I laughed. “Oh, you are amazing.”

Chapter Twenty

Alexis

Three days. I held out for three days before texting one of them. Every night, I played with dildos, vibrating knot toys—you name it—but nothing was satisfying me. If I didn’t know better I would have assumed a heat was on the horizon, but I was taking a truckload of medication to avoid that.

What’s worse? They weren’t leaving me alone.

I wasn’t exactly screaming at them to leave, though.

It was small things. Candy delivered to my dorm room. Teddy brought me iced chai lattes when we had class together—the fact that he knew and remembered my coffee order made a part of me buried deep, deep inside feel mushy. Every day, I received goodnight and good morning messages from the three, each of them ranging from sweet to filthy. Wyatt had clearly shared my number with the rest of his pack.

When Miles had texted me, saying he was missing the taste of me and wanted me to cover his face again, I went weak at the knees and nearly gave in.

Then he told me that he wanted me in his lap, sitting on his cock while we studied. That one fueled several fantasies that night.

Wyatt had sent me a picture of a dried wet patch on the back seat of his SUV, saying he got a boner every time he got in his car.

Miles, Wyatt, and Teddy seemed to have all decided it was game on, and they weren’t going to avoid me.

Calvin, on the other hand, was pointedly ignoring me.

Oh, well. I could still have a damn good time playing with the three that seemed to like me, if I wanted to. While I had been resolved to ignore them entirely, I couldn’t let go of this insatiable need for cock.

I really hated being an omega.

They had no idea I was an omega, though, so I was safe from getting packed up. I could walk away at any time.

So, when I was sitting on my bed after classes on day three, tired, hormonal, and needy, I decided fuck it.

I skipped the one I had that day with Teddy. My scattered emotions were causing a headache. It wasn’t good, but I had told myself I could get notes off another student or study really hard and make it up. It was only one class, after all.

Pulling out my phone, I texted Molly.

ALEXIS

Is it bad if I fuck an entire pack? I’ve slept with three out of four already.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

Hot damn! Am I convincing you that pack life is the way to go?

ALEXIS

Not long term! In the short term…maybe? I fucked them individually, and now I’m trying to decide if I should continue, now I know they’re a pack.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

Look, you’re young and free, multiple-player adventures are FUN, okay? Surely I don’t have to tell you that?

I was well aware—but I couldn’t tell her my concern was mainly due to the fact I was terrified of them finding out I was an omega.

ALEXIS

I just don’t want to get too close to them.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

You can have fun and not get close. We both know you’re a needy bitch at times. You’re worse than an omega in heat, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

ALEXIS

So, you think I should just go for the ride?

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

If you’re not attached, then I say go for it. It’s not like they’ll want to settle down. They’ll want to find an omega one day—which I think is bullshit, because you’re better than any omega they could find!

ALEXIS

I can always count on you to be my cheerleader!

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

I’ve even got the pompoms. Now, go get laid.

ALEXIS

Yes ma’am!

Laughing to myself, I clicked off our conversation and took a deep breath, opening my contacts. My finger hovered over Wyatt’s name.

“Hello,” he answered on the first ring.

“Hey, it’s me,” I said lamely.

Wyatt chuckled. “I know. I added your number into my cell, remember? What can I do for you?”

I closed my eyes and sighed. Of course, he had saved my number. Why was I acting like such a moron?

“Do you want to come over?” There was a moment’s pause. “You don—”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” Wyatt said. I sighed in relief. Then excitement kicked in. “You live at Dallas House, don’t you?”

“I do,” I confirmed. I told him my room number, and we hung up.

I quickly ran into the bathroom, running a brush through my hair. A bit more warning would have been nice; I was wearing only undies and a gigantic university sweatshirt. I was going to at least make a bit of effort, brush my hair, put on some jeans. Opening the door like this made it obvious I was only interested in one thing. Sex. Lots of it.

Which was true, but I wanted at least the illusion of decency.

When someone knocked on my door only thirty seconds later, I groaned to myself.

“Okay, I thought you said ten minutes, not ten seconds,” I said as I opened the door.

Only, it wasn’t Wyatt on the other side.

It was Teddy.

Standing in my doorway, his eyes wide as he took in my naked legs, his nostrils flared. He could no doubt smell all the orgasms I had just given myself.

“You missed class,” he said. “I was worried.”

“I…uh, I’m fine,” I stammered. “I thought you were someone else.”

“Who?”

I bit my lip, debating if I should tell him. “Wyatt.”

Teddy’s face broke out into a devastating grin. “Were you about to play with my packmate again, sparky?”

“No!” I cried. “Ugh. Yes.” I stomped into my room, letting Teddy follow me in. “What do you want?”

“I brought notes for you.” He held up the folder. “I was going to offer to bring chicken noodle soup if you were sick, but I don’t think that’s what you need.”

“What I need will be here shortly,” I growled.

“What if you could have it now?” he asked, stepping closer, so he was towering over me.

My scent got stronger, drowning the room in sweet chocolate raspberry.

“You could use me however you want, sparky.”

Shit. That was a tempting offer.

“And it means nothing?” I asked.

“Oh, it means everything, but I won’t push you for more.”

I bit my lip. I could already feel how wet I was getting. I could smell it, for god’s sake. My whole room was starting to smell like a one-person whorehouse.

Did I want to sleep with Teddy? God, yes. I had been attracted to him since the first meeting; he smelled delicious and looked amazing.

I needed to throw caution to the wind.

Chapter Twenty-One

Wyatt

When Alexis had called me, I had dropped everything to rush over there. I didn’t even bother to tell my packmates where I was going.

I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to see her again.

Three days without seeing or hearing from her felt like a lifetime. I had been distracted, and a fair bit grumpy.

Knocking on the door, I was surprised at the lack of answer, until I heard the moaning. Was she taking care of herself?

I’d already been semi hard, but at that sound, I was at full attention.

Would it be wrong to go in? After all, she had just invited me over.

Opening the door, I took a step in, knocking on the door once more to get her attention.

Only, she was fully absorbed in her current actions.

Teddy was sprawled out on her bed, hands tied to the headboard, a ball of fabric in his mouth. He didn’t seem to care, though, considering Alexis was sitting on his cock, her head thrown back as she played with her clit.

It was like I had just walked onto the set of the most amazing porn film. Alexis’s sweatshirt covered her tits, and I wanted to rip it off her.

“Having fun?” I asked.

Alexis, realising I was there, turned to me, but didn’t stop her gyrating. “I am.”

“Was ten minutes too long to wait?” I asked.

“A girl has needs,” she said breathlessly, her face flushed beautifully red.

“What have you got in his mouth?”

“Socks. They’re clean.” She shrugged.

I burst out laughing. Teddy didn’t seem at all upset in his current situation. “Can I join?” I asked.

Instead of answering, Alexis held out her hand. Kicking off my shoes, I walked over to the bed, grabbing the back of her head as I pulled her in for a deep, messy kiss. She tasted extra sweet, and her movements on Teddy’s cock increased as we kissed and she moaned into my mouth.

“Do you like riding my packmate’s cock while I kiss you?” I asked.

Her pupils were blown, and she looked at me with hazy eyes. She nodded eagerly. “It feels so good.”

My hand snaked down to her clit, taking over. “Let me take care of that. Let us make you feel good.”

My other hand found the bottom of her sweatshirt and lifted it off her, exposing her bare breasts to us. God, they were perfect. I couldn’t resist leaning down and nipping at one.

She threw her head back and moaned, the movements of her hips becoming jerky as her first orgasm took over. My fingers never let up on her clit, until she slowed, coming down slowly.

“Such a good girl, coming all over my packmate’s cock,” I cooed. “Look, you got me messy,” I said, lifting my fingers that were covered in her juices. I held them up to her lips, and she didn’t disappoint. Opening her mouth, she sucked both my fingers clean with impressive suction that had me imagining those lips around my cock.

“I bet you got Teddy all messy as well,” I told her. I looked down at my packmate, who had a shit-eating grin through the makeshift gag. His face clearly said, I am not complaining one bit!

“I have,” she admitted, lapping at my fingers.

“Maybe you should clean him up,” I suggested.

Alexis nodded, lifting herself off Teddy’s still-hard cock. He moaned unhappily at the loss, and having felt the heat of her pussy, I couldn’t say I blamed him.

He only had to wait a few seconds, though, because Alexis quickly leaned over his cock, taking it all, like it was easy.

Fuck me.

Ripping off my T-shirt, I stalked around the edge of the bed and was rewarded with an amazing view of her puffy, drenched pussy as she sucked off my packmate.

Why hadn’t we shared partners before? It was fucking amazing. I didn’t think I could go back to just playing one-on-one.

While I’d been observing, Alexis had grown impatient. “I’m empty,” she growled, but it was a cute, almost whining growl.

Not one to disappoint, I pulled my sweatpants down—thank god I chose such an easy piece of clothing to remove—lining myself up behind her. She was already soaked, so my cock met no resistance as I slid into the familiar, maddening heat.

I lightly swatted her ass. “Don’t forget about Teddy.”

She resumed her actions with enthusiasm, and I could tell by the way Teddy’s legs were tensing up that he wasn’t going to last long.

“Who do you think is going to come first?” I hummed. “You or Teddy? If you make him come before you, I’ll reward you. How about that, sweet girl?”

She clearly agreed, because her head started bobbing across Teddy’s length faster, and his muffled moans increased.

“Are you going to swallow every drop of his cum?” I asked. She hummed in agreement.

My hands dug into her hips as my tempo increased, one hand circling around to her clit. I couldn’t make it too easy for her, could I?

Teddy groaned and panted behind his gag again, and Alexis started swallowing around his length as he came. Teddy had lost, but somehow, I think he had also won. Big time.

Alexis took a moment to clean Teddy up, lapping at his cock as it slowly softened.

Once she was done, I clenched her hips harder, leaning down to whisper in her ear. “Now he’s going to watch as I make you come, wishing it was his cock your walls were strangling. How does that sound?”

“Yes!” She nodded, and I increased my pace.

It was an exercise in control. I had been close to coming from the moment I had entered her heat, but I had to make her finish before me.

Bending over her, my lips found her neck and nipped lightly as I thrust deeply. She whined and writhed under me, but I kept her in a tight grip.

I could feel the tension gathering in my spine, and I knew I was going to explode any second. When Alexis cried out in orgasm, her walls clamping down, milking every drop of cum from my balls, I couldn’t hold back any further.

Claim. Mine. Keep.

A visceral urge hit me, and I leaned over, my teeth sinking into the juncture between her neck and shoulder as she trembled under me, her own release seeming to go on forever. I had only intended to mark her, give her a bruise, but my teeth sank into her skin and I tasted blood.

It egged me on further, my final thrusts becoming even more frantic. Mine. All mine.

We both collapsed, me doing my best not to squish her. My chest felt warm.

“Shit!” Alexis cried, pulling away from me and sitting up. Her hand was pressed over her neck. She dashed to the bathroom, leaving me and Teddy both naked on the bed.

I could feel her.

In my chest.

Shit.

I had bitten her like an alpha would bite an omega.

Creating a temporary bond.

Leaning forward, I quickly released Teddy’s hands—the fucker could do the rest himself—before following Alexis.

“Dude, what the fuck?” Teddy said.

“Why didn’t you stop me?” I asked, panic setting in.

“I had a pair of socks stuffed in my mouth!” he growled.

I shook my head and rushed to the bathroom.

Alexis was looking in the mirror, shock on her face. “You bit me. Like, actually bit me!” she growled, craning her neck and taking in the deep red puncture marks.

“I am so sorry. That totally got away from me. It’s one-sided, though, so it isn’t permanent, I don’t think,” I rushed to say.

“We need to talk to the others,” Teddy said. “This should be easy to fix.”

The idea of being close to her for a week or two wasn’t really horrifying to me, but she was looking almost distraught. My chest stung a little bit with the idea that I was hurting her. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly as she started to panic.

“I can’t be stuck in a one-sided bond. I have things to do!” Alexis screeched. “Oh my god, this is what I get for deciding to have some fun. The cosmos is fucking with me, I swear!”

Her distress was distressing me, I could feel it crystal clear through the bond. Everything in me demanded that I make it right, that I make her feel better.

“I will do everything I can to make sure your life isn’t disturbed in the slightest. I’ll talk to the pack today. Hell, I’ll talk to them right now. They’re all going to be at the house for dinner. Let’s go.”

Alexis nodded absentmindedly, grabbing her shirt and hastily buttoning it up. “This is temporary, right?” she asked in a surprisingly small voice.

“I mean, Calvin will know better. He’s the one who studied this shit. It’s not like we can form a proper bond, anyway. You’re a beta.”

“Calvin is a genius. I’m sure he’ll know what to do, sparky,” Teddy soothed.

She nodded, not meeting my eyes. The look of abject terror in her eyes worried me. Was the idea of being connected to my pack that horrifying?

“Okay, call them. I’ll—I don’t know.” She muttered to herself as she looked around the room. Gone was the bright and charming, confident woman I was used to, and in her place was someone riddled with anxiety.

“I’ve got shit signal in here. I’m going to go outside and quickly call. I’ll be right back,” I assured her. Considering this was one of the fanciest dorms, I would have imagined they had signal, but they didn’t. So, I had to leave the panicking beta to go outside and make the call.

I didn’t even make it halfway down the hall before an uncomfortable feeling started crawling under my skin. There was something that felt very wrong about the situation. With every step, the sensations only increased, ramping up, getting worse.

I didn’t even make it past the doorman.

The doorman, Oliver—was sitting at his desk, smiling at anyone who passed, same as always. His smile fell when he saw me. “Mr. Caldwell, are you feeling okay? You’re looking mighty pale,” he said, his brow furrowed as he stood up, hands outstretched like he was going to have to catch me.

That wasn’t an impossibility. The room was spinning, and a cold sweat had broken out on the back of my neck.

“I’m fine,” I said, even though my voice was strangled. “I was going to make a call, but it can wait.”

Without waiting for a reply from Oliver, I turned on my heel and rushed back up the hallway. Not bothering to knock, I threw open the door to her apartment and quickly walked right up to her. Teddy was sitting on the end of her bed, putting his shoes on.

“Shit. Wyatt, are you okay?” she asked, her eyes wide with shock.

“Wy, what the hell?” Teddy asked.

“I don’t feel so good.” My entire body was shaking with the strain.

“Sit down.” She started to lead me to the bed to take a seat, but the moment her hands touched me, the pain eased.

“Wait.” I grabbed her wrist, the one that was touching me. The skin-to-skin contact immediately made my head clearer. “It goes away when you touch me.”

I was still shaking ever so slightly when Alexis pulled her hand away from me, and I wanted to whine and pout like a child at the loss, but she swiftly placed both hands on either side of my neck, looking up at me.

“How’s that?” she asked gently, her eyes searching mine with concern.

“Better,” I admitted. “A lot better.”

“Bollocks, there’s some bonding shit going on here,” she muttered.

“Is it one-sided? I’m the one who bit you.”

“It didn’t feel great when you left, but I wasn’t anywhere near as bad as you look.”

“We need to call the others. I don’t know what’s happening,” I admitted.

“They aren’t gonna be happy with us, are they?” Alexis said as her nose scrunched.

“Probably not, but what can we do about it? Please, just don’t stop touching me.”

“I won’t,” she assured me.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Calvin snarled at me. We were all sitting around the dining room table—well, all of us accept Calvin, who was pacing and grumbling to himself.

“I think we can all agree I wasn’t thinking,” I said with a sigh before turning to Alexis. “I’m so sorry about this,” I said for probably the tenth time.

“How long will this last?” she asked Calvin.

“A few weeks, at most. You’re a beta, and the bond is only one-sided, so it’ll fade in time.”

“Why do I feel like I’m going to fucking die every time we’re apart?” I asked.

“Bonding is some pretty potent stuff, especially when it’s not completed.”

“We aren’t completing it,” I rushed to say, looking reassuringly at Alexis, who looked a little pale.

“Seems like a good thing to me.” Teddy grinned from across the table.

“I swear to god, Theodore, shut up, or I will taser you again.” Alexis shot him what I can only call a death glare.

He raised his hands in surrender. “Ouch. Don’t go using my full name. You’re not my daddy.” He grinned easily.

“What can we do to make sure this is painless for everyone?” Miles asked.

Calvin sighed. “At least for a few weeks, these two need to be near each other. Anytime they are apart, they’re going to struggle. Wyatt, in particular.”

“What are you suggesting?” I asked.

He looked physically pained. “I’m guessing her dormitory isn’t really suitable to have a second person living in it, is it?”

While she did live in one of the nicest dormitories on campus, it would have been tight if we were both living there, especially considering I had a lot of textbooks, a lot of clothes, and a lot of crap. It made more sense for her to come to us. The packhouse was gigantic, and she would have plenty of space.

“Would you be willing to move in?” I turned to Alexis as I spoke.

She looked horrified.

This was going to be fun.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Alexis

They wanted me to move into their house. To just pick up my life and live with them for several weeks.

“How would that work?” I asked. “I’ve got classes and assignments. Not to mention my ass of an English professor; I doubt I can skip his class.” As I spoke, I gave Calvin a pointed look. He didn’t even look sheepish, he just raised his eyebrows at me, giving me a hard look.

“Things like this have happened at the university before. You guys can attend together.”

“What if we have classes at the same time?”

“Wyatt has several he can’t miss, since he’s so close to getting his nursing certification.”

“And don’t get me wrong, that’s important,” I said, attempting to contain my temper. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to miss my own. I have labs and demonstrations that I can’t miss.”

I wanted to scream, to throw something at his stupid head. I already knew where he was going with this. They were going to prioritise the education of their packmate over me.

“Yes, but he’s in his final year. You’re not.”

“I also have a scholarship that only lasts a limited amount of time.” I wasn’t actually sure if it did have a time limit, but I wasn’t going to risk finding out the hard way.

Calvin snorted. “Trust me, your scholarship’s fine. If you need to retake a year, it’ll be funded.”

“Maybe I don’t want to retake a year?” I snapped.

He opened his mouth to reply, but Wyatt cut him off. “Dude, relax. I can miss a lot of mine. Like you said, this kind of thing has happened before. We’ll figure it out. There’s no way in hell we’re stopping Alexis from studying. I wouldn’t mind sitting through some engineering lessons. I’ve always been curious about what Teddy does.”

“And if Alexis has to miss a theory class to be with Wyatt, I can always get the full notes for her.” Teddy turned to me with an easy smile. “You’ve seen my notes. You know they’re good.”

I had to begrudgingly agree. The notes he had given me on my thermofluid class had helped me tenfold.

“We’ve got a guest room here. Actually, I’m pretty sure it’s next to Wyatt’s room,” Miles said. “She can move in there.”

“Yes and no,” Calvin said. “I’m not sure that is close enough. Judging by what Wyatt experienced when he tried to make a phone call, I think their bond is a bit deeper. Unless they are extremely close to one another, physically, I believe they’re going to struggle. Or, at least, Wyatt is. There’s a chance that, if they sleep in the same room at night, it may make the symptoms less extreme. I’ll have to check on that. I’m not an expert in this field.”

“We can handle a few nights of sleepovers, can’t we?” Wyatt winked at me.

I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing. I enjoyed spending time with Wyatt. If we could be close to one another without me missing anything important or damaging my standing at the university, then I was okay with that. It would be an adjustment, but one I could cope with.

I just had to remind myself that it was temporary. Nothing about this situation was like what Molly had been through. She had accidentally fully bonded with Grayson. They had both bitten each other during a heat. That’s the strongest and easiest way to form a bond.

Physiologically, I was pretty much a beta with the suppressants I was taking. So, the fact that it was a one-sided bite I hadn’t reciprocated, and there was no heat, meant that this was only a very temporary situation.

Still, I felt uneasy. This was too close to a potentially dangerous situation. Could I be fully bonded while on strong suppressants? I didn’t have heats, so surely not? Then again, this was something I clearly needed to research.

Maybe there was a doctor on campus I could talk to.

Medical professionals tended to frown upon someone hiding their designation, but they didn’t outright forbid it. They would still treat the person and keep their confidentiality. The only thing they would do was ensure they knew that their patient understood they disapproved of their actions. Doctors tended to hate it when folks destroyed their liver.

“Okay, I think I can do this.” I nodded. “Despite what Calvin may think, I’m not a heartless asshole.”

Never mind that my first instinct was to run like hell. I could get used to this. A few weeks living with several guys who have all given me amazing orgasms? That had the potential to be a lot of fun.

“Okay, I can come with you and Wyatt to your place, help you grab some of your things?” Miles asked.

“We can always spend a night or two at your place if you want,” Wyatt suggested.

“It’s best that you stay close to the pack,” Calvin insisted.

“Hey, it’s my fault.” Wyatt levelled Calvin with a glare. “The least I can do is be uncomfortable for a night or two to make her feel better about this mess.”

“I’m going to grab a drink,” I said, getting up. I needed a soda or a coffee, something with a caffeine kick. The kitchen was close enough that Wyatt wouldn’t feel too bad.

The kitchen was beautiful, all creams and pale wooden surfaces. The fridge was one of those ridiculously large ones with two doors that opened. Tugging on the door, I almost snorted when I saw that one side of the fridge was entirely dedicated to various beverages.

Grabbing a Coke, I closed the door, startled to see Calvin in the kitchen. “Hey,” I mumbled.

He took a step closer, so he was practically towering over me, his brow furrowed with concern. “Are you honestly okay?” he asked gently, his hand coming up to cup the side of my neck.

“I think so.”

Calvin nodded, opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. “Drink this before you have that.” I opened my mouth to complain. “When was the last time you drank water?” he asked, eyebrow raised.

He had a point. I just didn’t want to admit it.

“I drink plenty.”

Calvin snorted. “Now, that’s a lie. I thought you knew better than to lie to me.”

“What are you going to do, punish me?” I giggled. I was down for a little punishment.

He groaned. “You’re impossible. What on earth am I going to do with you?”

“Spank me and give me plenty of orgasms?”

“Hmm, that doesn’t sound like the worst plan,” he agreed.

The guest bedroom matched the rest of the house. Beautiful, but minimal. There were several windows displaying the expansive woods behind the house and a queen-size bed with large dark-grey pillows.

It also came with my own private bathroom, which was a relief. I know these guys weren’t filthy, but at the end of the day, they were guys. One of the small things that I always thought would put me off from living with a pack would be sharing a bathroom with that many males.

“It’s not much, unfortunately,” Wyatt said as he placed my duffel bag on the bed.

“It’s plenty,” I assured him.

“It’s getting late. I’ll leave you to get ready for bed. I’ll just be next door. Sleeping next door will be enough for tonight. I want to give you time to settle in,” he admitted.

“Do you want to stay in here while I shower? I don’t mind.” He was still looking rather pale. The last thing I wanted was him getting sick while I was in the shower. Then again, maybe that meant he would join me in the shower. I wasn’t opposed to that.

“Are you sure?”

“After everything we’ve done together, I really don’t mind sharing some personal space for a short amount of time.” As I spoke, I gathered my toiletries and a big, fluffy towel. I’d brought my own towel, thinking they may not have nice ones. I was wrong. Their towels were far nicer than anything I owned.

The shower was also a sight to behold. Two shower heads and water pressure that was a dream. Between Dallas House and here, I was beginning to get spoiled. I had no idea how I would cope once I returned to England. The shower in my old place had been abysmal.

I went through my nightly routine, throwing on an oversized T-shirt to sleep in and nothing else.

Returning to the bedroom, I found Wyatt under the blankets on my bed, shirt off, hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.

“I see you made yourself comfortable.” I laughed.

“You took ages!”

It was late. I couldn’t blame him for getting comfortable.

I raised my brows at him with a smile. “I took fifteen minutes.”

As I clambered into the bed next to him, he lifted the sheets for me. Nestling against his side, I rested my head on his chest and took a deep, calming breath of oak.

“You can stay, you know. You don’t have to go back to your room,” I said after a moment of quiet.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “I’ve put you in a shitty enough situation. I don’t want to invade your space more than I have to.”

“As I said, I don’t mind sharing some personal space. Now, if you hog the blankets, I reserve the right to kick you in the dick.”

I really wasn’t mad at him. It was a weird and slightly shitty situation we found ourselves in, probably spurred on by all the heats I had repressed. There was no use being mad at Wyatt. I had wanted it. Though I didn’t dare admit it out loud, I had been begging him in my mind to bite me.

Stupid omega hormones.

Wyatt chuckled. “Message received. I won’t hog the blankets. I happen to quite like my dick, and I think you do too.”

I took a deep, over dramatic sigh. “It’s true. I am rather fond of your dick, and rather fond of its uses. But if you hog the blankets, all bets are off.”

There was another moment of quiet as we nestled into each other. Part of me didn’t want to admit just how comfortable I found lying on him. Maybe I found snuggling with alphas so damn addictive because I’d never given myself a real nest.

Curled into his chest, I was quickly lulled to sleep by the warm smell of oak and every other member of the pack. Something about all those smells combined set my every nerve at ease.

I was out like a light in minutes.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Alexis

Iwoke to the feeling of lips on my neck. Through the haze of sleep, I could feel the growing need. Wyatt was behind me, lips pressed against my neck, gently kissing and sucking, one hand cupping my breast, flicking my nipple almost lazily as his other hand gently rubbed my clit.

I was already soaked.

“Good morning.” His voice was growly in my ear.

“Having fun there, are we?” I asked innocently.

His fingers moved faster, and I couldn’t contain my moan. Wearing a T-shirt with no panties to bed had clearly been the right call.

“Having loads of fun. How about you?” he asked with a smirk.

“This is a rather nice way to wake up.”

“Good, because I plan to do it again,” Wyatt said, adjusting his fingers so he could slide in and play with my G-spot. I was so wet, there was no resistance.

“Holy shit, warn a girl,” I panted, my hand flying to grip his forearm that was around me.

“I’m not letting you out of this bed until you are thoroughly fucked. Is that warning enough?” he asked, roughly punctuating his words with a few thrusts of his fingers.

I nodded, holding back another whimper. “I consider that a fair warning.”

“Good,” he growled, removing his fingers. I didn’t even have a chance to whine at the empty sensation he left behind before I was flat on my back, him hovering over me. Taking both my hands, he pinned them next to my head, looking down at me with what I can only describe as hunger.

I was wide awake. Any residual sleep had been chased away by the almost desperate look in his eyes.

He had mentioned being thoroughly fucked?

Yes, please.

“Fuck. I wanted to take my time, but you’re too damn fucking tempting.” He growled, leaning down to kiss me.

“We can go slow later. As you can tell, I’m clearly ready.” As I spoke, I leaned up and nipped at his neck.

He was between my legs, and his boxers had been discarded, probably before I had even woken. Just one thrust, and I would be so deliciously full. Need pooled in my belly.

“Please, fuck me, Wyatt,” I begged, moving my hips to try and find some friction.

He didn’t need any more reassurance. His eyes darkened as his grip on me tightened. His hips pushed forward, and he filled me completely with one single thrust.

“Yes,” I whimpered. I was obsessed with how full I felt, how utterly possessed.

“I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off of you,” Wyatt muttered, leaning down to capture one of my nipples in his mouth, lightly biting down, turning my entire body into goo. “Living here, always around. Fuck. All the places we could play.”

I had been so stressed at the prospect of staying at the packhouse that I hadn’t been looking at the possible upsides. Having slept with the entirety of the pack, I knew they were exemplary in bed.

And now I was living with them.

This opened many, many orgasm-filled opportunities for me. I just needed to grab the proverbial bull by the horns.

Calvin may not have been open to such adventures, but maybe I could convince him. I certainly wasn’t opposed to being bent over his desk again.

“I can see your mind running a mile a minute,” Wyatt said. “And your pussy is gushing. Are you realising all the dirty things you can do while you’re here, sweetheart? You have four alphas absolutely foaming at the mouth for you, and you’re living with us.”

“Oh, shit,” I panted. Wyatt’s thrusts increased, and I was quickly heading towards that sweet release.

“You have any idea what we would do for you? I don’t think there is a single alpha in this house that wouldn’t get on his knees for you.”

“Not … all of … you.” I was so close, I was struggling to form coherent sentences.

Wyatt hummed thoughtfully, leaning down to nip my neck, making me convulse in pleasure. “I’m sure if you ask Calvin nicely, he’d do it for you, but only after he’d bent you over, spanked your ass, and told you to be a good girl.” He broke off with a strangled laugh. “I see you like that idea. You just tightened so beautifully around me.”

I struggled against his hands, holding me down, but he kept me thoroughly in place. I wasn’t going anywhere.

“I’m so close,” I whimpered, frantically moving my hips, trying to increase the friction, but he was already pounding away with such strength that I was sure I’d be feeling him for days.

“So am I. I’m going to fill this pretty, tight pussy full of cum right before we go to breakfast. You’re going to have to sit and eat waffles, smelling like sex and my cum.”

Why was that such a turn-on?

“Please,” I begged.

“I wonder what my packmates will think, seeing you so thoroughly fucked before breakfast? I bet they’ll fucking love it.”

“I’d fucking love it!” I cried.

“In that case, sweet girl, I think it’s time I made you come.” As he spoke, he increased his pace to an almost impossibly harsh beat, every thrust scraping against my G-spot, forcing my hips open and making my entire body electrified.

I opened my mouth to speak, to try and say something witty, but my release hit me with such an intensity, all I could do was give a keening cry as I convulsed around Wyatt while held in place by his hands and hips.

“That’s it, such a good fucking girl, milk my cock.” Wyatt’s thrusts became jerky as his cock throbbed, and I was rewarded seconds later as he groaned low in my ear—why was hearing men groan like that so sexy?—as he fulfilled his promise and filled me. His knot was notched at my entrance, and I wanted so desperately for it to be thrust deep inside me as it expanded.

Wyatt was being a gentleman; he didn’t want to hurt me. After all, he had no idea my impulse was to take knot after knot. Betas could take knots, but it was a process that took training and a lot of foreplay.

Part of me desperately wanted to admit that I could take a knot. The risk would be worth the feeling of being so perfectly full. Locked on a knot, with nothing else to worry about.

“Fuck me. I want to wake up like that every morning.” Wyatt chuckled as he caught his breath.

“It is a damn load of fun,” I agreed.

After taking a few moments to catch my breath, I clambered out of bed.

“Breakfast should be ready. Are you hungry?” Wyatt asked.

“Well, I did work up an appetite. Just let me grab a quick shower, and I’ll be right there.” I took one step toward the bathroom, but Wyatt got in my way, his arm snaking around my waist. He had managed to get out of the bed so quickly, I’d hardly noticed.

“No shower,” he instructed, kissing the top of my shoulder. “I want everyone to be able to smell us.”

“Really?” I asked, eyebrows rising as I turned to look at him.

“Hell fucking yeah. I meant every word I said. Your smell is going to fucking send them wild. You can get dressed after we eat.”

I laughed. “On your head, be it!”

“Worth it!” Wyatt cried as he grabbed the discarded shirt and gently put it over my head before dragging me out of the room.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Teddy

Iwas the first one up. Actually, I had hardly slept.

Alexis had stayed the night at our house, and my body would not relax.

Technically, she had stayed here once before, when she and Miles had fucked like bunnies, but this was different. Last time, I had no idea she was under our roof.

This time, I was painfully aware.

My cock was painfully aware.

Somehow, me going to her place, concerned that she wasn’t feeling very well and bringing her notes had turned into, hands-down, the hottest sexual experience I’d ever had.

And I’d had a lot.

I had left her alone overnight, even though I knew Wyatt had stayed with her. She was clearly overwhelmed. I didn’t want to add to her stress. I needed to ease her into life with our pack slowly.

Calvin and Miles were already downstairs, eating breakfast, when I finally left my room after pacing for several hours.

“Morning,” I greeted them all.

Miles was cooking bacon topless while Calvin sat and drank his cup of coffee.

“Have you seen either of them yet today?” Miles asked, talking about the bonded love birds.

“No, they’re probably exhausted. Hell, I didn’t do any bonding and I’m freaking exhausted. One round with Alexis, and I feel like I’m going to need a week to recover. Totally worth it, though. She’s a smoke show.” I beamed at my packmates as I grabbed a mug.

“I’ve already called the faculty and did some research about their…situation,” Calvin said. “There are rules in place for this, and the university will make allowances. I’ll explain more once they get up.”

Putting a piece of bread in the toaster, I couldn’t help but grin to myself. Everything just felt right.

“Maybe they’ll stay up there all day,” Miles said.

If that was the case, I was definitely going to go and say hello—I didn’t want to miss out on any more of the fun.

When Alexis had dragged me into her room, roughly tying me up and shoving a pair of socks in my mouth, I had gone with it. Partly because I was curious, partly because I was fairly sure, from the fire in her eyes, that she would gladly taser me again if I misbehaved. Luckily, I was a good boy, and ever since, the image of her bouncing on my cock while I lay there, unable to move or speak, had been ingrained in my brain.

Every hour or two, I would remember, and boom—hard as a rock.

“Wyatt has a class he can’t miss this morning. He’s already texted me, saying they’d be going,” Calvin said.

Footsteps from the hallway announced their arrival. All our heads turned to the doorway, where Wyatt strutted into the room with a shit-eating grin on his face, Alexis padding after him, her face pink.

The only way to describe how she looked was thoroughly fucked. Her usually sleek hair was messy and sticking up at odd angles, and she was wearing one of Wyatt’s T-shirts.

They stank like sex.

That explained Wyatt’s grin.

“Smells like you guys had a good time,” Miles said with a laugh. “Do you want some bacon?” He directed his question at Alexis, ignoring our packmate. Wyatt could fend for himself.

“Oh, yes, please,” she said, taking a seat at the table. She kept her legs pressed together as she sat down. Her scent was overpowering; I don’t think she realised just how much. I could smell Wyatt’s cum on her.

Calvin, on the other hand, looked constipated. The vein in his forehead was throbbing, and his hands were clenched so tightly around his coffee mug, I was surprised it didn’t shatter in his grip.

Alexis had him tied up in knots, and she didn’t even realise. Once the pair of them accepted that they were good for each other, I would have a hell of a time watching them have fun.

“You guys smell amazing. Personally, I’m wounded. You didn’t ask me to join in again.” I pouted.

“I’m waiting for the handcuffs and ball gag to arrive,” Alexis commented dryly, but her cheeks were red.

“In the meantime, I’ve spoken to the faculty and sorted out your classes.” Calvin spoke quickly before I could reply. “They basically give you guys a pass to miss whatever you think you can catch up on, and you guys can attend every other class that you need to attend in person together.”

“That’s a relief,” Wyatt said as he sat down, lightly dragging Alexis’s chair closer to his. He stayed glued to her side, his hand always touching her in some way, whether it be on the small of her back or a light touch on her thigh.

He was well and truly falling for her.

Why did that make me so happy?

I wanted Alexis. Would my family approve? No way in hell. They wanted me to continue the Astor legacy. That meant finding an omega to have lots of babies with. Ugh.

It wasn’t unheard of to have a female beta as part of the pack as well, but the idea of bringing another woman into our relationship with Alexis made my stomach turn.

I wanted no one else, just her.

The moment she had tied me up and sank down on my cock, she had sealed her fate in my eyes.

Alexis Franks was the woman for me.

I just needed to ensure she knew that.

“So, the university is okay with this? There won’t be any repercussions?” Alexis asked softly, smiling at Miles as he passed her a plate of bacon and eggs.

“Only if you let yourselves fall behind. Wyatt can pretend he’s sitting in on your labs, Alexis,” Calvin assured her. “That way, no one needs to know you’re partially bonded, if you don’t want them to.”

We all knew she worried about the guys in her classes—hell, I understood it. I had heard the way some of those pigs had spoken about her. Though I was a fairly easy going guy, it had been hard to resist punching a few of them when they had made comments about her ass.

“That’s a relief.” Alexis nodded. “You’re lovely and all”—she smiled at Wyatt—“but folks can be misogynistic pigs, and I don’t want to deal with that.”

“We’ll do whatever is best for you.” Wyatt placed his arm around her and hugged her close.

Alexis and Wyatt both quickly ate their breakfasts, even going so far as to pick pieces of bacon off each other’s plates. They had developed an ease around each other. Was it the bond? Jealousy tugged at me, but I reminded myself that I needed to give her time to adjust to all of us, but I craved that level of closeness with her.

“I suppose we better get dressed,” Wyatt said after they ate.

“I just want to go back to sleep,” Alexis admitted.

“How about I get you some caffeine on the way?”

“Sold!” Alexis grinned as she stood up, stealing one more piece of bacon from his plate before scampering off to get dressed.

Miles chuckled. “Caffeine seems to be the way to her heart.”

Would it be extreme if I bought her an entire coffee shop? Because I fucking will.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Alexis

Ineeded to speak to Calvin. He’d been stomping around the house ever since I had come down to breakfast, reeking of sex and cum.

My first day of classes with Wyatt had gone well. While he’d taken his exam, I’d sat in the back of the lecture hall with some of my own homework and kept myself busy. The teacher had given me a funny look, his eyes lingering on my neck a bit too long for my liking. I had worn a turtleneck to hide the bite, but I could still feel it—a constant reminder of what we had done.

Leaving Wyatt in bed after a lazy morning together, I started making my way through the house. The bond was weak enough that I could go anywhere in the structure without Wyatt being in pain. I just couldn’t leave without him.

Of all places to find the professor, I found him in the library. I’d been meaning to check out the gargantuan room. It was larger than any other room in the house and had wall-to-wall books. If Molly could see this room, she would have been creaming her panties. There were a plethora of historical textbooks.

Calvin was sitting in a large leather chair, his hair raked back, like he’d been running his hand through it. Even though he was wearing a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt, he still looked every bit the professor.

“Hey,” I said softly, pulling his attention away from the book he was reading.

“Alexis.” He cleared his throat. “Do you want to use the library? I can go.”

“No, nothing like that. I, uh, I want to talk to you.”

“I can’t imagine what we have to discuss. Where’s Wyatt?” he asked, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

“Taking a nap. I think practise killed him. I don’t know how they do it.”

“I can’t say I miss those days,” he admitted ruefully.

“You were a player, weren’t you, professionally?”

“I was. I was freaking miserable.” He grimaced at the memory.

“I imagine it’s a lot of pressure. Is that why you decided to go into teaching?”

“Yeah, it was.” He sighed, putting his book down. “Did you come here to talk about my career?”

I pursed my lips. “Not particularly. Things just feel awkward. I wanted to clear the air.”

“Nothing’s awkward.”

“You’ve barely said two words to me since we had sex on your desk.” Hot, mind-blowing sex, but I didn’t feel the need to mention that part.

Calvin grimaced again, getting up from his seat, like he was about to flee the room. “There’s nothing to discuss. Nothing happened.”

I frowned. Something very much happened. Why was he trying to deny it? “Calvin…”

“I’m your professor, Alexis. What happened was beyond inappropriate. Can we just move on and pretend it never happened? I know you’re stubborn, and I know you’re a brat, but this is better for all of us.”

“I think we passed inappropriate after the multiple orgasms and your packmate accidentally biting me.” I took a few steps forward, but he took a step back. “Do you hate me that much?” I asked, my voice small.

His eyes widened and jaw dropped as he looked at me with horror. “What? No! Why would you say that?”

“Because you fucked me and then acted like I’m a fucking pariah?” I shook my head. “I get that you don’t want this. I get that you’re disgusted with yourself for going near me. But we have to at least be civil while under the same roof. I could leave, but I don’t want to hurt Wyatt.”

“Alexis, It’s not that. I don’t hate you, and I’m not disgusted. Yes, I should have been better—I was weak. You know you’re beautiful.”

“Do you think I wanted to bang one of my professors? I didn’t ask for this, Calvin. I just want to keep my head down and study and have some fun sex. I never thought I’d be so attracted to a professor! I—uh!” I threw my hands in the air before running them through my hair with a huff of irritation. “There’s something about you guys. All of you. I don’t know what it is, but I know that I’m stupidly attracted to all of you.”

“Even Teddy?” Calvin asked with a smirk.

“Yes. Even the golden retriever—but don’t tell him that, or I’ll have to taser you.”

Calvin laughed. A large, deep belly laugh that made me smile. His rich cherry wine scent intensified. Once the laugh died down, he spoke. “You’re good for them.”

“But not for you?” I asked.

“You’re a student.”

“And that’s not changing anytime soon. No matter how badly I want to take you for a ride, I am not risking my academic career. I’m not some simpering omega who’s going to drop everything just to be with the pack. But I do think there’s something here, and for some reason, you’re scared to admit it.”

“I’m not scared to admit it—you terrify me. You’ve already had a taste of the control I crave. If I let myself do half the things I wanted to do with you, I would be risking my career.”

“But you wouldn’t.”

“I would.”

“Have you read the university’s guidelines?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.

“Yes, and not fucking your students is pretty high on the list of things not to do.”

“But if that student is bitten into your pack, even on a temporary basis, that rule doesn’t apply. As long as you’re not the one that’s bitten the student, it’s all kosher.” I tilted my head, anticipating his response.

Calvin went still, his eyes boring into mine. “What?”

“Yeah, I got curious, so I decided to have a read. If the only thing stopping us from having some fun is the fact that you think the university will get mad at you, then you’re the one being an idiot.” I shrugged. “As for the other stuff, I think our time in the office made it pretty clear that I was up for that.”

“What other stuff?” he asked, his tone measured. He was seeing if I remembered.

With every single member of the pack, there was a different power dynamic. With the three others, I felt like I had power, like I was in charge. Hell, I had been treating Teddy like he was my bitch, and he had been more than happy to go along for the ride. Calvin was different. He liked to be in charge, but he was also a caretaker.

A daddy dom.

Like any self-respecting, sexually active twenty-something, I’d dipped my toes into the pool of BDSM. Admittedly, most of the time, I preferred to be in control. Maybe I was a control freak. But with Calvin, I didn’t find the idea of relinquishing control stifling.

If anything, it was exciting.

“The fact that you like to take care of people and you like to be called Daddy.”

His eyes closed as I spoke, like he was relishing the word coming out of my mouth. “And that’s not your sort of thing, clearly. I’ve seen the way you run circles around the other three.”

I thought for a minute, biting my lip. “Yeah, but maybe it would be nice to relinquish that power every now and again. It’s exhausting kicking ass and taking names.” I laughed lightly. Calvin was staring at me intently, but I couldn’t decipher what that stare meant. “Anyway, I get that you may not want this, and that’s okay, but can we at least be civil? If I wasn’t in the same house as you, I would be my normal bitchy self, but I just can’t do it in my home—even if it’s just a temporary home.”

I didn’t give him time to reply, quickly scampering out of the door, leaving him speechless. Practically jogging back to my room, I flung myself onto the bed and threw my head into a pillow, screaming lightly.

Maybe I was going insane. Why else would my mind keep going to Calvin? Back to what we did in his office. Back to the feeling of him pinning me down, smacking my ass, and calling me a good girl?

Chapter Twenty-Six

Alexis

“Are you squeamish?” Wyatt asked, looking at me with concern. We were sitting in a coffee shop near the nursing school, the morning after my little chat with Calvin. I had been so frustrated, I had gone to bed before Wyatt. When he dragged me out of bed at a ridiculously early time, I had insisted that we get caffeine beforehand. Thankfully, he’d been more than happy to do so, leading me to yet another coffee shop on campus—the place was packed with them.

Every morning before we went to class, he took me to a coffee shop, and we had yet to go to the same place twice.

Wyatt would not have enjoyed the experience of attending an early-morning class with a severely under caffeinated, cranky woman. Especially when those classes involved medical equipment. When I was sleepy or caffeine deprived, I could easily become stabby.

“I’m not particularly squeamish. Why?” I narrowed my eyes at him, taking a sip of my chai.

“Well, one of the classes I can’t miss is a lab, and let’s just say, I’m going to be taking blood. I know some people don’t like that.”

I shrugged. It was no big deal to me. If he was hacking someone open, I may have something to say about it, but a little blood draw was nothing. “I can handle that easily enough. Hey, do you think they’d let me try and take your blood?” I laughed.

Wyatt winced. “This professor may let you, just for the hell of it.”

“Oh, I like him already!”

“Anyway.” Wyatt shuffled in his seat, pulling out his phone. “You have that class at one, right?”

I grinned at his attempt to distract me. He knew I wasn’t bluffing when it came to me drawing blood. “Yeah, I can’t really miss any of the physics classes. They’re so easy to fall behind on. Teddy is doing more mathematics this year, so he can’t even take notes for me.”

“No problem. I’m just making a note of it to make sure I don’t forget. We can always grab some lunch before, same as last time?”

I nodded. “Sure, that sounds nice! Then you have practise, don’t you?”

Wyatt groaned. “We do. All three of us. If we go home beforehand, grab some snacks, then maybe you can grab a few books or something to do? Practise can last a few hours.”

“I can always bring my tablet or laptop and work on that. As long as you supply me with caffeine, I’m happy.”

“Good to know. I will have to get you the biggest gift card to the coffee shop I can find.”

“Ugh, now you’re just talking dirty.”

“That’s what gets you going, is it?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

“Never stand between a woman and her caffeine.”

“Noted. Also, the class that you’re with me tomorrow? The professor is a little old lady, and she’s sweet as pie. If you want to bring your own textbooks and study, she won’t mind one bit.”

That was good to know. At least I could make some use of the time I was forced to be in the lecture halls with Wyatt. I had been so distracted for the past week, it had been a struggle to keep up.

“I think we’re going to make this work,” I said with a smile, downing the last of my chai.

“The schedule does seem to be falling into place rather well.” Wyatt stood, stretching. “We better get going. I’ll just grab you another tea first, so you can drink it on the way there.”

I gaped at him for a moment. “Have I ever told you you’re beautiful?” I asked, my face serious.

Wyatt laughed. A full belly laugh that made his head go back with the sheer intensity of it. Several people looked over to us, but he didn’t seem to care. “You know, I think you have a caffeine problem.”

“Shut your filthy whore mouth,” I growled.

“Be nice, or I’ll tell Calvin.” Wyatt waggled his finger at me.

“And what will Calvin do?” I asked, holding my head high.

“He’ll get rid of all the caffeine at the house. I don’t think he’ll like the fact that you’re so addicted to it. Ever the mother hen, he’ll have you detoxing in no time. Or he’ll spank you until you behave.”

“I’ll taser him,” I muttered. The thought of spanking had me feeling all warm… Usually when a guy talked about spanking me, I had the irresistible urge to smack them over the backside of their head.

“You can’t. He’s a professor here.” Wyatt shrugged. “That won’t look good on your record.”

Drat. “I’ll taser you, then.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Message received. Don’t mess with the caffeine.”

The walk wasn’t that bad. I would have complained about the cold, but I had a fresh cup of chai in my hands to keep me warm. Wyatt insisted on carrying my bag, and I didn’t feel like fighting him on it, so I just let him. That meant I got a leisurely stroll to the nursing building, drinking my tea, with no bags to carry.

He was feeling guilty that my life was being upturned. That much I knew, but I didn’t mind the upheaval, in a way. I wasn’t going to miss any of my own more important classes, and I was going to get to sit in on lots of others. I never considered nursing as a profession myself, but I was interested in seeing what it was about.

I also wasn’t a heartless asshole. I wasn’t going to let Wyatt be in pain.

“What the heck do you keep in this thing?” he asked, slumping, as though my bag was dragging him to the ground.

“That’ll be the three gold bars I carry with me everywhere,” I said, taking a sip of tea.

“Only three bars? Teddy will be so disappointed. In Pack Astor, it’s the rule that we must always carry at least five gold bars with us wherever we go. You’re letting the team down.”

“Shoot.” I snapped my fingers. “I guess I’ll have to steal some bars from Teddy. I’m sure if I flashed my chest, he wouldn’t even notice me pilfering.”

Wyatt snorted. “If you flash him, his brain will short-circuit and won’t come back online for several hours.”

“Good to know!” I laughed. “If we ever play a particularly intense board game, I’m going to use that one.”

“Oh god, please let me be around when you do. That’ll be something to see.”

“My tits or Teddy short-circuiting?”

“Both,” he said, grabbing my hand and holding it in his as we wandered to his class. It was domestic.

I liked it far more than I should have.

The class was pleasant enough. When we arrived, Wyatt spoke quietly with the doctor who was running the class. I settled into the back of the room, just a few feet from Wyatt, and pulled out a textbook. I spent the majority of the three-hour class working through several mathematical equations.

Wyatt, on the other hand, was working with a partner as they took each other’s blood. Every now and again, I couldn’t resist looking away from my textbooks to watch him. He seemed so happy, at ease, as he did these jobs. Smiling warmly at his partner while he took their blood. After the blood taking there was a bunch of paperwork and learning about how blood draws are used. Wyatt was attentive the entire time.

He seemed like the type of person who would flourish in a nursing environment. It was hard to believe someone that treated his pseudo patients so gently was also a hockey player who would be willing to battle in an instant. Yet, for some reason, I found that insanely hot.

After his lab, we grabbed some lunch, Miles joining us between classes. Mexican burritos.

“How was class?” Miles asked, barely glancing away from his tacos.

“Good, I got to watch Wyatt stab some people.” I said, leaning forward and plucking a taco off Miles’ plate.

“Hey!” he pouted at me, but did nothing. When Wyatt reached for a taco on the other hand he straight up growled at his pack mate in warning.

“You’re the favourite,” Wyatt grumbled at me, shooting me a playful glare.

“It’s the boobs. They make me the automatic favourite.”

Miles frowned around a mouthful of taco. “It’s not just the boobs, it’s also your pussy!”

“Miles!” I laughed, throwing a taco wrapper at him as he beamed at me.

Despite everything, I was enjoying myself.

The day slipped by with an ease I hadn’t expected. Even during my own class, Wyatt had stayed in the back, and no one had really noticed him. Mrs. Gunn was amazing; she hadn’t even batted an eyelid when I told her about my situation.

Something about our new way of living felt oddly easy. The pack fed me, gave me caffeine and were generally sweet to me.

A small part of me couldn’t help but worry. Was I being lured into a false sense of security?

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Calvin

Idon’t know what I expected when I came home late, but it wasn’t a very tired and bedraggled Alexis studying at the dining room table. Her scent hit me long before I saw her. Sweet and tart raspberry chocolate. It had been almost two weeks since Alexis had moved into the packhouse, and we had developed a truce of sorts. I didn’t flee the room when I saw her anymore.

When I rounded the corner into the kitchen and dining room, I couldn’t help but grin to myself. Her blonde hair was hanging wild around her face, sticking up in some places. She was sitting with her legs tucked under her in front of what I could only describe as an ocean of textbooks. With a pad of paper in hand, she was jotting down as many notes as she could, her eyes darting between all the different books and information. Wearing a pair of sleeping shorts and one of my packmates’ shirts—Wyatt’s, if I wasn’t mistaken—she looked perfectly at home.

A pang of longing assaulted my chest. All my pack members were having an amazing time with her. All except me.

“Where is everyone else?” I asked.

Alexis jumped at my voice, having been so absorbed in her work. “Oh, crap, Calvin. Hi. Uh, I’m not sure where they are. I think they went to do something. Or practise? I don’t know.” She shook her head.

Taking my phone out of my pocket, I shot off a quick text to my packmates. They answered immediately—they were at practice. Well, Wyatt had decided to go to bed early, opting to skip this practice so Alexis wouldn’t be dragged out of the house again. He wasn’t blind. He could see that she was stressed over the sheer amount of work she had.

“When’s the last time you slept or ate, for that matter?”

“Too busy for that. I’ve got a test in two days.” She pulled another textbook towards her as she spoke, flicking through some of the pages.

There were bags under her eyes, and she may not have noticed it, but her face had been getting slightly thinner. Some deep, innate part of me hated that. I hated watching her run herself into the ground.

My hand itched to spank her ass for letting herself get so exhausted. She needed to eat a good meal and get some rest.

“Come here,” I ordered.

Every part of me had expected her to bristle at the command, to be stubborn and give me that look and tell me no. Only, she didn’t.

As if on autopilot, she got up and padded over to me, looking at me. Something about her obedience made my slacks tighten. Standing in front of me, looking up through sleepy eyes, she had never looked more perfect.

God, the things I wanted to do to her.

“You need to eat. Come on.” I nodded toward the kitchen.

“But I can’t fail,” she whined.

“You can study after you eat. But only for an hour.”

She frowned at me but didn’t say anything, following me to the kitchen.

“Pasta?” I asked. We always had pasta, and it was fairly quick to make.

Alexis nodded, sliding onto the stool at the breakfast bar. “I’ll never say no to delicious carbs.”

Grabbing everything to make the pasta, I took a quick detour to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water and placing it in front of her. “Drink all that. You’re probably dehydrated as well.”

She had been doing a lot of…exercise with my packmates, without giving her body the proper nutrition. She needed someone to look after her. Teddy had insisted that she was a badass who needed no one, but everyone needed someone to look after them.

And I wanted to look after her.

Maybe we shouldn’t have a sexual relationship, and maybe letting myself care for her was setting us on a slippery slope, but I just couldn’t resist. What harm would it truly do to look after her?

The pasta was done in no time, and Alexis spent the entire time reading a textbook on the counter. I nudged her once or twice, reminding her to drink her water, and she did without complaint every time.

Sleepy-and-hungry Alexis was sweet and obedient. That shouldn’t have been such a turn-on for me, but fucking hell, I was glad the countertop concealed my boner from her.

When I placed the bowl of pasta in front of her, she hummed happily, picking up a fork and digging in. “Thank you, oh god, I needed this.”

I frowned. “You need to take better care of yourself.”

“I’m usually better at it, but this programme is burying me. If I’m going to stay one of the best, I’m just going to have to bust my ass for a while.” She clambered off the stool, stretched, and started to pad towards the table, back to the pile of textbooks.

“Not happening,” I grunted. Before my mind could catch up to my body, I had swung her into my arms. Ignoring how very right she felt in my arms, I strode up the stairs and deposited her so she was standing at the end of her bed.

“Hey!”

“You need rest,” I told her.

“But homework!” she whined.

“Can wait, brat. You’re fucking the son of the Dean. You can get away with a few things.”

She snorted delicately. “No thanks. I won’t be using Teddy’s cock for anything other than orgasms. Women in engineering get enough flack as it is. Imagine how bad it would be if everyone knew.”

I grimaced. She wasn’t wrong. People were ruthless. Teddy was in the same programme but had never dealt with discrimination. I had never really thought about how it would impact someone like Alexis.

“Either way, you need to sleep,” I instructed, gently pushing her towards the bed.

She turned, looking up at me with a slight pout.

“Behave, and I’ll steal Teddy’s notes for you. He got private tutoring last year because his family is loaded.” Her eyes lit up. “But behave and go to bed,” I ordered.

Alexis smirked up at me, biting her lip. “Okay…Daddy,” she said, doing her best to bite back a grin.

I was powerless to resist. Gently cupping each side of her neck, I drew her in for a kiss. A slow, maddening kiss that made me want so much more. She tasted just as good as I remembered, sweet and tart. Irresistible.

All I wanted was to redden her ass and fuck her until she begged me for more, like a good girl.

It took all my strength to pull away, resting my chin on the top of her head. “Brat,” I said, but my tone held no venom. It was . . . affectionate.

“You want to join me?” she asked, giving me a pointed look.

She was offering me everything I wanted, and resisting felt like an impossible task, but I had to—for her.

“You need rest. Get some sleep, or I’ll make sure to redden your ass.”

She grinned at me, thankfully not wounded by my rejection. “Promises, promises,” she muttered, clambering into bed, giving me a spectacular view of her ass in those tiny sleep shorts as she did.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Alexis

My body ached, but I was also wound up. Although I needed a release, Wyatt was clearly exhausted. Having just finished a day full of labs, we both were.

“I’m going straight to bed,” he told me. “I can hardly see straight.”

“At least the worst is over for now,” I soothed, gently rubbing his back as we walked the short distance back to the packhouse. Teddy and Miles had both been at practice, but Wyatt had been forced to give it a miss for this lab. It was a graded one, so pretty much a test he was scored on and couldn’t afford to miss.

“I can smell you, you know.” Wyatt yawned. “Why don’t you go find one of the others before you sleep?”

“I…uh,” I stumbled, trying to find the words. Since coming to the packhouse, I’d only had sex with Wyatt. Everyone, other than Calvin, had made it clear that they were down for anything I wanted.

“It’s okay,” Wyatt said, stopping to pull me in for a quick hug, kissing the top of my head.

“But—”

“I can smell how wet you are,” Wyatt murmured in my ear. “Go have fun.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with it?” I asked.

“Totally. In fact, I want a complete blow by blow once I’m awake, with practical demonstrations.”

I laughed, pushing him slightly.

My body was wound so tightly, I could use a release.

But who to go for?

Miles was already in the shower when I got back. I left my textbooks on the dining room table as I clambered up the stairs to find him after a sleepy kiss from Wyatt before he collapsed into bed for the night.

The door to the bathroom was open, steam pouring out. A clear invitation.

The walls of the shower were frosted, so I could only just make out his shape and his dark hair as he stood with his back to me under the spray.

“Long practice?” I asked.

“The longest,” Miles groaned.

“Why didn’t you shower at the rink?”

“Water pressure is better here.”

That was fair. I’d learned the other night that the bathtub in my room had jets. Ridiculously fancy, but much appreciated. I’d spent most of the evening lying in the bath, enjoying the feeling of the jets assaulting my sore muscles.

Looking quietly for a moment, content to simply watch him, I leaned against the doorframe. The warmth of the room made the melon scent so much stronger, and I subtly breathed in several lungfuls of it.

“Are you just going to watch me, or are you going to join me?” he asked. His tone sounded like he was beaming, even though his back was to me.

“Is that an invitation?” I asked coyly.

“Sweetheart, you have an open invitation to my body anytime you want.”

“Anytime? That seems a might presumptuous.” As I spoke, I slowly made my way to the shower. This close, I could make out more of the shape of his body, including his rock-hard cock jutting out.

Yummy.

I couldn’t quite make out his piercings through the glass, but I squinted my eyes, giving it my best shot. Miles, taking advantage of my distracted state, opened the shower door and gripped my wrist, tugging me into the shower with him and under the water.

“Miles!” I cried. “You’re getting me wet!” I was still in all my clothing, and within seconds, I was completely soaked.

“No shit, Sherlock.” He laughed.

I lightly smacked his pec but couldn’t contain my own smile. “And if I’d had my phone on me?” I asked.

“I guess I would have bought you a new one.” He shrugged, water dripping from his hair as he looked down at me. “Now, Alexis. I don’t know if you know this, but your clothes appear to be rather wet. I think it would be the gentlemanly thing to help you out of them.”

I pursed my lips and tapped my chin in a thoughtful gesture. “I suppose that would be the gentlemanly thing to do.”

He stood back, so his hands could snake around my waist, lifting my dress up and off in one clean movement.

“Fuck me, you should have warned me that you’re wearing this underneath,” he said as he took in my underwear.

I’d thrown on one of my favourite sets before I left the house today, intending it to be a confidence boost for dealing with certain assholes. But it was proving rather useful. A deep, deep burgundy with just a hint of lace, the bra gave me impressive cleavage and the panties displayed my ass to perfection.

“What? These old things?” I laughed. Looking down, I hummed in appreciation at the sight of his cock. Now I was up close, I could see several gold metal bars running down the length of his cock.

“Enjoying the view?” he asked.

“Didn’t get a good look last time. I’m curious. Did they hurt?”

“A little, but from what I can tell, they were well worth it. What did you think?”

“I think they’re pretty spectacular,” I admitted. “But there is something I’m curious about.”

“And what is that?”

I grinned up at him. “How they’ll feel in my throat.” As I spoke, I slowly sank to my knees. Face-to-face with his rather impressive piercings, I hummed in appreciation, remembering how every one of those little balls scraped across my inner walls and made me downright feral with need.

“Shit, are you sure? They can be a lot.” Miles’s voice was concerned, but his hand still gathered in my hair.

“I like a challenge,” I said, opening my mouth and holding out my tongue so the tip rested on it. A fruity musk flavour burst across my tongue, and I wanted to moan obscenely. These alphas had no right to taste so damn good. “Please?” I asked, kissing the tip of his cock before holding my mouth open, waiting.

The ball was in his court. The hand tangled in my hair stopped me from going to town the way I wanted.

“Please Alpha, let me suck your cock.”

Those words worked magic. Miles’s eyes darkened as he slowly fed me his cock. I took every inch, the piercings slowly dragging across my tongue. He threw his head back and moaned.

“Oh shit, your mouth is like fire.”

His grip loosened, and I took my opportunity, swallowing down as much of his cock as I could. It tasted so good, and the pheromones Miles was putting out were addictive. Even on my knees, I felt powerful. Others struggled to take him because of the piercings, but I kept taking him deeper and deeper into my throat with every thrust until my nose was touching his public bone.

“Oh, fuck—you’ve taken it all. Holy shit. You’re perfect,” Miles rambled as his knees shook. He was already close. I could tell by the way his hand was gripping my hair, his thrusts becoming disjointed. His moans were increasing in sound, and he threw his head back as his entire body shook.

I wanted to be the one to make him finish. I wanted to taste everything he had to give me. Had this been my plan when I stepped into the bathroom? No.

It was so much better.

“Play with yourself,” Miles ordered in a rough voice.

My hand trailed down to my underwear, lightly brushing my folds. I was already drenched. Miles hummed in appreciation as he stared down at me.

The deep, suppressed part of me that was an omega craved that submission. It was part of the reason I found Calvin so hard to resist. So there, kneeling on the floor of the shower, my throat full of alpha cock, I’d never felt stronger or happier. I was pleasing my alpha and having a fuck load of fun while I did it.

Miles’s hand left my hair. “You better stop, or you’re going to get a mouthful,” he warned between pants.

My lips made an obscene popping sound as I removed his cock from my mouth. “Maybe I want a mouthful?”

“Fuck me, for real?”

“Please let me swallow your cum, alpha,” I begged before returning to my ministrations.

One. Two. Three pumps of my lips and his cock started throbbing, his taste increasing as he exploded in my mouth, the hand in my hair holding me firmly in place as I swallowed around him.

As he finished, I waited, holding off on swallowing the last mouthful. Once his softening cock slid from my lips, I opened my mouth, showing off his cum. Miles’s eyes darkened as he watched me swallow it down, keeping my mouth open and eyes on him.

It had the intended impact. His cock was immediately hard again.

Perfect.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Alexis

Iwas freaking exhausted. I hadn’t done much. I’d only been to one of my own classes and another lab of Wyatt’s, but my eyelids felt heavy with sleep.

“Should we stop by the cafe and grab you some food?” Wyatt asked, looking down at me, his brow furrowed with concern. “We won’t eat until late tonight because of practise, but you should probably eat something.” We were walking toward his Jeep, the same vehicle that we’d had sex in the day we met.

“Do they do cookies?” I asked. Something chocolatey sounded like heaven right now. We were both standing at the passenger side of the car, and he opened the door and gestured for me to get in. He hovered over me as I did so, like he was terrified I was gonna fall asleep and fall out of the car.

“I’m sure they do. Why don’t you stay here? The cafe’s literally right there, so we won’t be too far apart. I’ll go grab you some food and a coffee. Dirty chai?” he asked.

I nodded, unable to repress the yawn. “Thank you.”

The moment he was happy with how secure I was in the car, he turned and wandered into the cafe. Hawking University was no joke. I’d been staying up far too late studying, and now, with the extra strain of Wyatt’s classes, I was floundering.

We were done with our classes for the day, but that still didn’t mean I could go back and sleep. Wyatt, Teddy, and Miles all had practise. Thankfully, the rink was only five minutes away from campus. It was the same one I’d gone to the night that I first had sex with Miles.

The last thing I wanted to do when I was so exhausted was sit in an ice-cold hockey arena, but this was a unique situation I found myself in.

My phone pinged. I groaned slightly as I reached to grab it out of my bag, unhappy that I needed to move, even though I was always happy to see a new message from Molly.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

Are you guys doing okay? How are you holding up?

ALEXIS

Exhausted. Between attending my classes, his classes, and hockey practise, I just wanna nap.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

Ouch. I don’t blame you. Do you want me to join you? I can keep you company.

ALEXIS

Maybe next time. I’m so tired, I’ll be rubbish company right now.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

Has the bond faded at all yet?

ALEXIS

I think it’s starting to. He’s currently in the café, getting me a coffee, while I sit in the car.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

At least he’s remembering to feed you. Is everyone being nice to you? Do you need me to come get you?

ALEXIS

Down, girl. I’m holding my own. If anyone’s mean, I will simply introduce them to Mr. Sparky.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

LOL. Okay. Stay safe. I love you.

ALEXIS

I love you. Now, go have fun with those hunks you call your alphas.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

You don’t need to tell me twice!

I laughed at the screen. Molly had changed a lot in the last two years. Gone was the shy omega who hardly liked sex. Now she was all about sex with her alphas. A few times, she had offered to let me stay at their house, now that I was living near them, but Molly was loud when she was having fun. And sound carried.

More power to her. I just didn’t need to be within hearing range of that.

Turning my phone screen off, I leaned back, tilting my head back and closing my eyes. I was alerted to Wyatt’s return when the car door opened, and a cool gust of air filled the space.

“Okay, so I got a little bit of everything,” Wyatt said, putting a brown paper bag full of food in the foot well by my feet. “There are sandwiches, there’s a bagel, there’s some pastries. I didn’t forget the cookie. In fact, there are three cookies in there.”

He leaned over me, and I got a long fall off his scent as he gently placed the steaming take out cup of dirty chai in the cup holder between our seats.

“Three cookies? You know how to spoil a girl!” I chuckled lightly.

“Is the least I can do for you. I’ve got a reusable cup that will keep your drink hotter for way longer in the back. Do you want me to put your tea in there, or do you think you’ll drink it quickly?” he asked as he stood next to my open car door.

“I plan to consume all of that before we even get to the rink.”

“How do you not have the jitters? You consume caffeine constantly.” He smiled.

“I’m just amazing. What can I say?” But my voice lacked its usual oomph.

He closed my car door gently and ran around to the driver’s side, sliding in and starting the car. “There’s also a cafe at the rink, so you’ll be well supplied with hot drinks while we practise.”

“See, this following each other around is easy.”

I still wasn’t used to going to empty hockey rinks. I had been a handful of times since the bonding bite, but before it had been during a hockey game, so the seats had always been filled. The deserted rink was sort of eerie.

Wyatt set me up on a small set of bleachers, where I could see the entirety of the practise happening, before rushing off to get changed. Miles and Teddy were already in the changing room. We were ever so slightly late, due to our food pit stop, but Wyatt had brushed off my concern when I’d asked him about it.

Practise was almost three hours long. I spent the first two hours by myself, sipping on various hot drinks from the cafe while I read through a textbook that essentially told me how to take apart various engines . . . but not how to put them back together. That was apparently a different textbook.

“Hanging in there?” I was pulled away from my reading by Miles’s voice. He had taken off his helmet, and sweat plastered his hair and his forehead. For a sport played on ice, they got damn sweaty.

“I’m doing okay. How’s practise going?” I’d been watching, but I couldn’t really tell much of what they were doing. They had been practising various shots and gliding up and down the ice. Maybe they were practising formations; I didn’t really know.

“It’s going well. Coach is actually in an okay mood. I thought he was going to be a bit of a hardass.”

All of the guys had been concerned about me joining the practise. Not because they didn’t want me there—they were all happy for me to join—but practises were usually closed. No one but the team members were allowed, but they had to make an exception for me because I was temporarily bonded to Wyatt.

“Cookie?” I asked, holding out my half-eaten chocolate chip cookie.

He leaned forward with a smirk, taking a bite. He was wearing bulky hockey gloves, so he couldn’t exactly pick up the cookie to eat it for himself.

“Oh god, that’s amazing,” he said around his mouthful.

“The coach is looking over. You should probably get back.”

“He said it was okay if I came to check on you. I think he actually likes you.”

I snorted. “He’s never even spoken to me. How do you know he likes me?”

“He hasn’t shouted at you. He’s a cantankerous old man who will shout if he wants to.”

“I suppose I should consider myself blessed, then.”

“You certainly should. Okay, I should probably get back.” He leaned down to kiss the top of my head. Once there, he paused, leaned back, took off both his gloves, and placed his hand on my forehead. “You’re feeling warm.”

“I’m just a little rundown and tired. I’m fine.”

“It feels like you have a fever.” He frowned. “You need to be at home in bed. I’m gonna tell Wyatt.”

“No! You don’t have—”

He turned and left before I could even finish my sentence.

Groaning, I closed my textbook. I wasn’t feeling one-hundred-percent, but I didn’t need them all acting like mother hens over me.

Miles spoke to the coach, and they waved over another player, who I could only just make out the shape of. Once they removed their helmets, I recognised it as Wyatt. They all looked between Wyatt and me.

Wyatt and Miles both glided off the ice, hobbling over to me. I always found it funny how they walked with their blades on the floor instead of on the ice. It just looked out of place.

“Feel her forehead,” Miles instructed once they were closer.

“I’m fine,” I said firmly.

That didn’t stop Wyatt. He took off his gloves and gently placed one hand at the side of my neck and the other on my forehead. I looked up at him with a long-suffering look.

“Right, you do feel warm. Why didn’t you say something before we came?”

“I’m fine, and you have practise.”

“I’m done. We’re going home. Coach has already approved it.”

I groaned. “You didn’t have to do that for me. I’m fine. I’ve got plenty of studying I need to do.”

“Teddy’s texting Calvin as we speak, so you are fresh out of luck. Pack up this stuff. I’m going to throw some clothes on. I’ll be back in two minutes.”

“Is there any point in me protesting?” I asked with a sigh.

“Nope,” Miles said. He took a seat next to me. “I’m gonna stay with you until he gets back.”

“You guys are acting like I’m dying. I’m a little rundown.”

Miles snorted. “You’ve been working yourself to the freaking bone. This is a basic practise. It’s not a big deal. Go home and get some rest. Wyatt could probably do with the rest as well.”

“Ugh. You guys are so stubborn.”

“Ha! Have you met yourself? You’re usually stubborn as a mule.”

“Don’t make me taser you,” I threatened.

“You look like you’re too tired to even get the bloody thing out of your bag. I think I’m safe.” Miles chuckled and leaned back, looking the very picture of relaxed. “Here comes your cab driver now.” He nodded to where Wyatt was approaching.

He hadn’t showered. That was obvious from the smell. He had simply thrown on some normal clothes. Normally, I would have been all for that. I would have enjoyed smelling his natural funk up close and personal. I was just so damn tired, I didn’t have the energy to climb him like a tree, which was honestly disappointing.

Miles took it upon himself to pack my textbooks back in my bag and throw away the food wrappers I had accumulated.

A large part of me wanted to fight him and tell him that I wasn’t helpless, that I could do it myself. But I was so tired, I just let him. I struggled with letting this pack help me. Usually, I was all for big strapping alphas helping me, so why were these guys so different?

“Come on, let’s get you home,” Wyatt said. He guided me out of the rink and back into the car. The late November weather was cold, so Wyatt put on the heated seats and grabbed a large knit blanket out of the back seat, placing it on my lap.

The warmth was lovely. Between the blanket and the electric heating, my bones began to warm up. The rink must have been colder than I thought.

We hardly spoke on the drive home. I was content to sit there and rest. Rock music was playing through the speakers, a regular choice of his. The silence wasn’t awkward or painful. In fact, it was easy.

Calvin was waiting for us in the entryway when we got home. Instead of saying hello, like a normal person, he strode right up to me, put his hand on my chin, and shoved a thermometer in my mouth.

“Wh—” I tried to protest, but he glared at me.

“You should have told us if you’re getting sick,” he chided me.

I did my best to give him a look that said you guys are all being overdramatic babies, but I wasn’t sure it translated.

As soon as the thermometer beeped, he pulled it out of my mouth and looked at the screen, glaring at it slightly. “You’re definitely not well,” he declared. “Bed.”

“I’m fine. I’ve got studying to do,” I insisted.

“Now,” Calvin growled.

“I can’t ju—” My words were cut off as Calvin swept me up into his arms, throwing me over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold.

“You are going to bed, you are going to rest, or I’m going to make your ass so red, you won’t be able to sit for the rest of the week,” he said as I gently punched his ass, which I actually had quite a nice view of in that position.

“If I’m sick and need rest, why are you threatening to spank me? You can’t spank someone who is sick,” I grumbled as he put me down on a bed. I looked around the room, confused. This wasn’t my bedroom—judging by the smell, it was Calvin’s.

“So, you’re agreeing that you are sick?” Calvin asked in a smug tone.

I went to get up off the bed, but Calvin glared at me with such ferocity that I backed down. I’d never seen him look so angry, and I had really irritated him in the past.

“I’m not agreeing or disagreeing,” I said primly.

“Sure. Well, I can always spank you once you’re feeling better. Stay put. I’ll grab you some food. If you’re not still there when I get back, I am tying you down to this goddamn bed.”

Why did that sound so appealing?

Chapter Thirty

Calvin

She was sick. She had been running herself ragged for weeks. We could all see it. Her face was getting slimmer, and she had dark circles under her eyes. As irritated as I was at the situation we found ourselves in, even I had to admit that Alexis had been absolutely amazing. She had followed Wyatt to every essential class, as well as keeping on top of her own.

But while keeping up with such a hectic schedule, she hadn’t been keeping up with herself. She hadn’t been sleeping or eating enough. I usually found her eating a pack of gummy bears instead of a meal. Were she mine, I would never let a member of my pack get sick or treat themselves so badly.

And, even if only temporarily, Alexis was part of our pack.

At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. Why else would I have such deep feelings of panic over her being sick?

I’d been acting purely on instinct when I dropped her in my own bed. But once she was there, it felt undeniably right. That way, I could keep a close eye on her, make sure that she actually rested and ate regular meals.

“Did you just put her in your bedroom?” Wyatt asked as I stomped toward the kitchen.

“Yes,” I growled, opening the fridge and pulling out all the ingredients to make a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.

“Uh…any particular reason why you did that?”

“She needs to get better. She needs someone watching her.”

“And that someone’s going to be you?”

“Yes. Your room is only a few doors down. You’ll be fine.”

“I’m not worried about myself. Just make sure she gets some rest, okay? If anyone can force her to, it will be you.”

Damn right.

While the soup simmered, I searched through our cabinets to find our box of first aid supplies and medicine. With all of us playing sports, we often got banged up and needed bandages or painkillers, so we kept it well-stocked. I grabbed a packet of cold and flu medication to help bring down her fever.

Ever since receiving the call that Wyatt was bringing Alexis home because she had a fever, restlessness had overtaken me. While she wasn’t an omega, she still set my instincts on edge as though she were. A deep part of me was screaming at me to take care of her, to make her comfortable, to feed her. To watch over her while she rested, even if it meant standing over her while she slept.

Once the food was ready, I plated it up, cutting the grilled cheese into small, manageable pieces. She was probably going to roll her eyes at me, and I couldn’t say I would blame her. She hadn’t seemed that sick, only worn down, but that didn’t change the reaction my alpha was having to the situation.

Grabbing the medicine and the food, I made my way up to my room. Knowing how stubborn she was, I half expected her to have scurried off to her own room or, hell, made a break over the fence.

I stopped short at the sight of her curled up in a ball on my bed, dozing lightly.

It hit me square in the chest—the rightness of the sight. I wanted her in my bed more often, but it isn’t appropriate, I had to remind myself.

My entrance hadn’t been silent, so her eyes cracked open as she took me in. “What have you got there?” Her voice was so sleepy. She’d sounded like that for the last day or two, like she hadn’t been getting enough sleep. She was constantly lethargic.

“Grilled cheese and tomato soup. Also some medication. Can you sit up?”

“I’m not an invalid yet,” Alexis said as she hauled herself up, so her back was pressed against the headboard. “How old are these pillows?” she asked as she moved one out of her way.

They were pretty old. My entire bed was bare bones. Two pillows and a comforter. “Are you complaining about my bed?”

“The pillows are really thin and old. I may not need a nest, but I do want enough pillows to ensure I don’t throw my back out in my sleep.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Is this why you’re always cranky? Are you in chronic back pain?” she asked.

“Zip it,” I told her, gently passing her the plate.

“Thank you.” Alexis smiled at me as she picked up a piece of grilled cheese, dunking it in the soup and taking a bite, letting out an appreciative hum at the taste. “This is really good.”

“It’s the ultimate comfort food. I make it every time one of the others gets sick. Teddy got food poisoning once, and he would only eat grilled cheese for like two weeks.”

“I’m not sick,” she insisted.

“Why are you being so stubborn?”

“I’ve got so much to do. I can’t be sick. I’ve got classes. Wyatt can’t miss classes because I’m sick.”

“He could use the rest just as much as you. You both have been running around a lot lately. You’re essentially doing two different programmes at the same time. It’s enough to burn anybody out.”

I took the plate as she finished and placed it on the bedside table. Her eyes were already starting to droop, the exhaustion well and truly setting in.

“I think I need to rest for a bit, is that okay? I can go back to my room.”

“Don’t you even think about moving,” I ordered.

“Okay.” She yawned sleepily, sinking down until she was lying flat on the bed, curling up into a little ball.

Seconds later, she was snoring lightly.

Alexis was sick. Like, actually sick.

I went to go check on her a few hours after she ate, and her fever was only getting worse. She was starting to toss and turn and mumble in her sleep, sweat gathering on her brow.

Sitting down on the edge of my bed, I reached out and touched her forehead again.

“Alexis.” Gently, I shook her shoulder. She groaned and rolled over. Gently grasping her upper forearms, I rolled her back over to face me, rubbing up and down her arm to gently wake her. “Alexis, can you wake up? You need to take a few more meds, darling.” I did my best to keep my voice low and soothing.

“Noooo,” she mumbled, drawing the word out.

“Come on.” I slid behind her, pulling her up so she was sitting with her back to my chest. Taking the medication and bottle of water off the bedside table, I opened the water before lifting the pills to her mouth. “Open,” I instructed. When she didn’t move, I spoke again. “Open up and take the medicine, then you can go back to sleep. How does that sound?”

“Okay,” she mumbled, opening her mouth and letting me pop the medication in. She went to take the bottle of water from me, but I just lifted the bottle to her lips myself.

“Good girl,” I hummed. She started to leave my arms, but I didn’t want her to move. Snaking my arm around her waist, I kept her firmly in place, and she didn’t even put up a fight. She sank into my arms, jostling around a little bit to get comfortable, before quickly falling into a deep sleep again.

Chapter Thirty-One

Miles

The last hour of practice dragged on forever. Alexis hadn’t looked good at all. She had done her best to hide it, but I’d seen the way she had swayed slightly when she stood up.

If working around both hers and Wyatt’s schedule was becoming too much, then Wyatt would just have to drop a few classes until next semester. There’s no way he could ask her to drop classes when he was the one who bit her. Both of them had seemed confident that they could make this work, but judging by the state of Alexis, it wasn’t.

“I thought that would never end,” Teddy grumbled as we piled into his car. Neither of us had bothered to shower.

Frankly, I never wanted to shower at the rink again, after what happened the last time I waited until I was home and Alexis joined me. I would gladly experience a repeat of those events any day. As long as she was well enough, the last thing I wanted to do was to tire her out when she clearly needed rest more than anything.

“I know. Why did he feel the need to add all those extra drills?”

Teddy groaned. “Just to torture us?”

I nodded. Apparently so.

Wyatt met us in the entryway.

“Why aren’t you with Alexis?” Teddy asked with a frown, dumping his gym bag on the floor.

“Because Calvin is with her. He’s going all caregiver on her.”

A laugh escaped me. “No shit?”

“Yeah, he shoved a thermometer in her mouth the minute she walked in, put her in his bed, stomped around here like a cloud of thunder while he made her grilled cheese and got her medicine before vanishing upstairs for ages.” Wyatt smiled. “I didn’t want to disturb him. You know what he’s like.”

We did. That man was downright anal when it came to the health and well-being of his pack. I liked that his behaviour now extended to Alexis—probably a bit too much. Calvin had put her in his bed. It was clear as day to everyone in the pack, other than him, that he was getting obsessed with the beta. He needed to open his eyes and see what was right in front of him, for all our sakes.

“I’ll go and make sure she hasn’t murdered him yet,” I said, taking the stairs two at a time. Knowing Alexis’s temperament could be somewhat testy at times, there was a damn good chance I was going to find Calvin passed out from a taser shock.

I didn’t even bother to knock on his door, just walked right in. If something indecent was going on, then there was no way in hell I would miss it—even if the likelihood of that happening at that time was slim.

The room was thick with their rich scents, chocolate fruity wine. Calvin was lying on his back, Alexis sprawled out over him, fast asleep.

Turning his head to me, Calvin raised his eyebrows slightly.

“This looks downright domestic,” I commented, leaning against the doorframe. “How is she doing?”

Calvin grimaced. “She’s completely worn down, falling behind, stressed, not sleeping enough. She’s getting sicker every day. I don’t like it.”

“Wyatt’s just going to have to postpone a few classes a semester or two.” I shrugged.

Calvin’s hand was idly running through Alexis’s hair as a light purr emanated from his chest. “That’s not a good idea either.”

“It’s not like we can ask her to reduce her classes. Wy bit her, it’s his fault. You know the university won’t care if he’s around an extra semester or two—more time for him to play hockey.”

“But he has a plan. I don’t want it to get derailed.”

“She also had a plan. Wy messed that up.”

Calvin sighed. “I suppose you’re right. Fuck. I’ll talk to him later. For now, let’s just focus on letting both of them rest.”

“Yeah, I can see you’re real eager for her to rest. Your bed, huh?”

“Shut it,” Calvin growled lightly.

“Yes, sir!” I saluted him playfully.

Our quiet laughter died down, and I took a moment to really look at them. They both seemed so at peace. “Do you really want her to leave in a few weeks?”

“It’s what’s best,” Calvin said.

“That’s not what I asked.”

Calvin looked down at Alexis and didn’t answer me.

We both knew his answer, even if he didn’t want to admit it.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Alexis

Henrietta Jones was everything I wanted to be when I grew up. I had first read about her when I was only twelve years old, and ever since then I had idolised her.

The alpha was a legend in the engineering world. She had been one of American Airlines first female flight technicians and helped design some of the components that became standard in all large planes. At seventy years old she had experienced a damn impressive career and travelled the world in the name of research.

She no longer needed to work, having more than earned a lengthy retirement, but she had decided to teach.

And by some stroke of luck, I was in her class.

“Franks, who’s your guest?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at Wyatt.

My palms started sweating. I could survive withering looks from the male professors, but from Professor Jones? I doubted I would cope well with that. She didn’t look a day over fifty, wearing dark green overalls, her silver hair pulled back into a sleek, no nonsense bun.

“We are sort of bonded, and waiting for it to die down. The university gave him permission to follow me around.”

“Follow you around?” her eyebrows rose. “Usually the beta would be following the alpha.”

She wasn’t wrong there. Stupid sexist society prioritising male alphas.

“He bit me, I didn’t bite him,” I admitted. “He has to follow me, not the other way around.”

Professor Jones barked a laugh. “Good on you! As long as he stays in the back and doesn’t disturb us, I don’t mind him being here. He can’t go near the engines, though. We’re playing with Jet engines today and I don’t want to risk a student who doesn’t know the first thing about mechanics to get hurt.”

“Wait, like a real jet engine?” I asked excitedly, any worry about Wyatt’s presence evaporating.

“Straight out of a real jet! There was a mass error with the cooling system, so I convinced the gentleman who owned the hangar to donate the engine for the betterment of future engineers. You’re going to be taking it apart today, then next week you can try your hand at putting it back together.”

Oakland university never let us work with jet engines. I had only ever worked on cars, fridges and other domestic technology. In the few weeks I been at Hawking I had already studied several medical devices—and in the next two years there were semesters that focused on the devices used in dams and MRI machines. Just with hands on experience alone Hawking had been an amazing choice for my career, despite the alpha related complications.

I thanked Professor Jones before grabbing a seat at one of the tables surrounding the various hunks of engines while Wyatt stayed far back, reading his anatomy textbook, not making a peep for the entire lab.

The bed shook as someone threw themselves on top of me. I had been having a nice nap but was rudely awakened.

“What the heck?” I grumbled, sitting up and taking in Miles, who was lying next to me, head propped up with his elbow.

“What are your plans for the night?” he asked, his tone playful. His hair was sticking up from every angle.

“Plan was to have a lovely nap, but you disturbed that.” I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. He laughed and batted the pillow away.

It had been three days since Wyatt had brought me home, simply because I was a little warm. I had been fine after twenty-four hours of rest, but Calvin had kept me in his room for two days straight, only allowing me to return to my own space the day before.

All the guys had been hypervigilant, hovering over me, bringing me food, refusing to let me get out of bed, other than quick trips to the bathroom. When I had tried to study, Teddy had taken it as his moment to shine and had hidden my textbooks.

The smart little shit had also hid my taser.

“Well, now that you’re not sleeping, how do you feel about joining us on a little outing tonight?”

I glared at him. “Will you feed me?”

He had just woken me up, and I was cranky. Food would go a long way to solving that.

“We will feed you. There’s plenty of junk food at the big rink.”

“The big rink?”

“We have tickets to the Chargers game tonight. It’s totally up to you. We usually go as a pack, but we don’t have to. I am more than happy to stay, if you want to stay.”

I slowly sat up, rubbing my face and groaning as my back cracked. “How soon is it?”

“We’ve got an hour or two. I wanted to give you plenty of time, in case you wanted to shower.”

“Are you saying I smell?” I asked with a frown.

“I think you smell amazing, but I can also tell everything Wyatt did to you when you first got home.”

He had a point. I didn’t exactly want to go out smelling like sex.

“Okay, fair enough. Give me half an hour.”

“Do you want a jersey to wear?”

“No need. I already own a few Chargers jerseys.” Courtesy of my best friend. I had briefly mentioned that my best friend was mated to hockey players, but I don’t think they had realised just who she was mated to.

Miles lightly swatted my ass as I got up, and I glared at him as I hurried to the bathroom.

An hour later, I was clambering out of the car at the rink. I was wearing an old jersey of Grayson’s, one Molly had given me before a game a few weeks ago. A pair of simple leggings and boots, and I was ready to go.

Wyatt had given me a funny look when he saw me. “There’s no way that’s a real signed Wood jersey,” he said, pointing out the signature on the shoulder. “Those things are impossible to get a hold of. Shit, I think you got duped.” He grimaced.

I wanted to laugh, but instead, I decided to keep quiet and have some fun.

“Oh no, how terrible. At least I can wear it for tonight.” I beamed at him, doing my best to hold back the giggles.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Teddy said as he dragged me towards the rink. “Let’s get you some food. We’ve got good seats.”

We stopped by one of the concessions stands and ordered fries for me, and the others got a variety of beer and burgers.

“We sitting in the usual place?” Miles asked around a mouthful of fries.

“Same as always,” Teddy confirmed, turning to face me. “Let’s go. Our seats are in the fourth row. They’re awesome!”

I frowned. “Oh, so you just sit with everyone else? I would assume you guys would have a box.” I did my best to look thoughtful, but an idea was already forming in my head.

“I totally would if I could, but all the boxes are reserved for family members and stuff.” Teddy groaned. “No matter how much money I throw around, no can do.”

“We could always go join Zach. He’s got a box.”

“Zach?” Calvin asked, rounding on me, his face set in a frown, as if he were jealous.

“Yeah, one of Molly’s mates,” I said, not wanting to stoke the fire of jealousy. While that could, in the right situation,be strangely hot, it was not the time.

“There’s no way you know someone with a box. Who is this Zach?” Miles narrowed his eyes at me.

“Zach Stone.” I said, waving him off like it was nothing. Truthfully, I knew I had dropped a bomb and I wanted to watch their faces as they realised.

Every pack member looked at me like I’d grown a second head. Teddy was the first one to break the silence. “There’s no way. Zach Stone is the manager for his packmates, and they’re like hockey royalty! Alexis, you’re awesome, but there’s no way.”

I snorted lightly, pulling out my phone and calling a familiar contact.

Molly picked up on the first ring. “Heya! What are you up to?”

“Heya! Good. I’m actually at the game. I wanted to see if we could pop by and say hi?”

Molly squealed slightly. “We? Have you got your pack with you?”

“I would hardly call them that!” I said, doing my best not to look any of the guys in the eye.

“Come here right now! It feels like forever since I’ve seen you.”

“It’s been two weeks.”

“Two weeks too long, and I say that as an introvert, so you know I like you.”

“We’ll be there in five!” I turned to the others. “Follow me,” I said, making a beeline for the security doors. This was a specific area in the arena that you could only go through if you knew the security and had clearance. I recognised the security guard immediately—Clarence. He had been there several times before when I’d gone into Molly’s box.

“Hey, Clarence. We okay to go through?” I asked.

“You know you’re always welcome.” He waved me through the double doors, and the pack followed me, Miles, Teddy, and Wyatt with their mouths slightly agape.

Calvin, on the other hand, looked like he was suppressing a laugh. I shot him a look that said, Don’t spoil my fun, because he had clearly caught on.

I led them all down, doing my best to suppress a smile. I was looking forward to the dopey looks on their faces when they realised I did, in fact, know very famous hockey players.

I didn’t even bother knocking when we reached box number twelve. Molly’s box. I opened the door and strolled straight in. “Molls!” I greeted my friend.

She was sitting in one of the stuffed chairs, a book in her lap. Zach was sitting next to her, in the same suit as always, looking every bit the manager as he scrolled through on his phone.

“Lex!” Molly put down her book and grabbed me in a bone-crushing hug.

“Hello pest,” Zach said warmly once I had disengaged from his mate.

“Hey, Zach, how are you doing?” I gave him a quick hug.

“We’re doing good,” he said as he pulled Molly into his side.

“Zach, I have to mention something. My friend here seems to think that my jersey’s fake. Do you think Grayson gave me a fake one?” As I spoke, I gestured to my jersey. Wyatt made a strangled noise, and I wanted to crow with laughter.

Zach smirked. “I’m pretty sure I was there when he took off that jersey and signed it. I think you’re good.”

“Oh, that’s a relief. Do you want to meet my friends? This is the pack I’m hanging around with at the moment.”

I turned to look at the four alphas behind me. All the others, except Calvin, had shocked expressions on their faces. “You guys believe me now?” I asked smugly.

“I never doubted you,” Calvin said before turning to look at Zach. “Hey, man, how you been?”

“Things have been brilliant. Mated life suits me well.”

I looked between the two alphas who were smiling warmly at each other. “You two know each other?”

“Yeah, I played on the Chargers for a year. I told you I did the NHL for a year.”

“Oh, yeah.” I knew he had been in the NHL, but for some bizarre reason, I hadn’t made the connection that he had been part of the Chargers.

“So, who are these guys? Introduce me!” Molly said excitedly.

“Well, this guy is Calvin. He played for us for a year,” Zach said. “You’re now a professor, aren’t you?”

Calvin nodded in confirmation. “I am. I’m too old for this hockey shit now.”

Zach barked out a laugh. “I fucking feel that.”

I introduced each of the guys to Molly and Zach, and when I got to Teddy, Molly’s eyes went wide. “Is he the one you tasered?” she asked.

“I am!” Teddy declared gleefully.

Zach looks between us, confused. “Do I want to know why Alexis is tasering people?” he asked, looking down at his mate in confusion.

“Probably not.” She laughed before turning back to us.

“Teddy plays for the university. Miles and Wyatt too. I think they’re hoping to try for the NHL, aren’t you?” I asked, looking back at Teddy.

“Well, that’s the dream,” Teddy said, scratching the back of his head.

“In that case, give me your number. We regularly train with potential teammates. It will be good to see what you got.”

Teddy looked at Zach with his mouth agape, like he couldn’t believe what was happening.

I chuckled. “I’ll give you his number.”

“You guys just stay here and watch the game with us,” Molly offered. “There’s plenty of space.”

“Are you sure, Molls?” There were five of us, and alphas tended take up a lot of space.

“Of course! You have to share those fries with me, though.”

“Deal!”

The game was entertaining, with a lot of flashing lights and loud noises. The players took to the ice and the fast pace movements started. It only took three minutes of game time for a fight to break out.

“Holy crap, is that one of the Chargers?” I asked. A giant hulking man wearing blue had just tackled a player from the other team and was punching him repeatedly, much to the crowd’s pleasure.

“Ah. That’s Thorne.” Zach winced. “The poor bastard is one of the best players out there but hates the game.”

“Yeah,” Calvin chimed in. “He hated playing even when I was on the team. We commiserated a lot.”

“Why does he play then?” Molly asked. “I’ve never seen him at team events.” She looked at Zach.

“He’s got a pack to support. I’m pretty sure there were medical bills involved and he can’t afford to leave the team. He doesn’t like to talk about it. He’s a bit of a recluse, really,” Zach said, pulling Molly closer to him. “I get the impression he wants a family and to settle down.”

“That’s so sad!” Molly said, watching as the fight was broken up.

“He looks like he could crush someone’s skull with his bare hands,” I commented dryly. Calling Thorne large was an understatement. He made the other alphas on the team look downright weedy.

“Oh he totally could,” Zach agreed with a laugh.

By the time we got back to the packhouse, Teddy was practically vibrating with excitement. We’d spent the entirety of the game in the box, Molly and I sitting together and catching up while the pack and Zach talked shop. Every now and again, Molly had looked at one of the guys and then looked at me, her eyebrows raised knowingly.

I knew she would call me soon after I got home for a full debrief. She had been champing at the bit for more information ever since she found out about the partial bond. Part of me wanted nothing more than to tell her everything. Every time I was near, I almost spilled the beans. I wanted to let her know that I was actually an omega and that I was absolutely terrified of what this bond may mean. That it may not be partial. The bond could be very real, and I could be very stuck.

And I wasn’t scared of that. But the fact that I wasn’t scared about that terrified me.

Emotional stability felt like an impossibility, at this point.

“I knew you were cool, sparky, but damn, first-name basis with a hockey legend?” Teddy shook his head, as though he still couldn’t believe it. “I don’t think it’s possible for you to get any hotter! I can’t believe I’m going to get to practise with several of the Arctic blades. Like, I had a poster of Zach when I was a child.”

“Don’t tell him that. If he knows you had a crush on him as a child, that’ll make things weird.” I laughed as I hung up my jacket.

Teddy pouted. “But making things weird is my specialty.”

“Thank you. For what you did for him,” Calvin said once Teddy had barrelled down the hallway and out of earshot.

“Was no big deal.”

“It’s a big deal for him.”

“I’m just glad I could help. He can be irritating as anything, but he’s got a good heart under all that.”

“Huh. It’s like you know him.” Calvin chuckled lightly. I went to answer him but was cut off by a large yawn. “You need to get to bed. Don’t you have an eight a.m. class?”

“I do.” I grimaced. “Thanks for reminding me.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Alexis

Iwas craving a snack, so I crawled out of bed, tripping over one of Wyatt’s t-shirts. Having his clothes lying around didn’t bother me like I thought it would. It was kind of comforting to have his scent around me.

My feet slapped against the cold tile, and I mentally cursed myself for not putting some socks on. The hard flooring downstairs was always freezing at night. Part of me wanted to remain in bed, but arena fries just weren’t enough to sustain me.

Opening the fridge door, I rummaged through the well-stocked supplies. I was hungry, but for what? My skin was itchy, and I had been feeling all over irritable. Not even several rounds with my favourite dildo had exhausted me. Wyatt was asleep in his own room for once. I had considered waking him, but the itchy skin, irritability, and general need for sex had me concerned that my suppressants weren’t working as well anymore.

Pulling out a packet of salami and cheese slices, I place them on the kitchen island, picking out a can of soda before hopping up on the counter to save my freezing feet from the tile.

Pulling out a slice of cheese and salami, I rolled them up and nibbled on them, closing my eyes in happiness at the salty treat. After the first roll up I opened the soda, taking several large swigs, before making another roll up.

“Midnight snack?” a voice rumbled from the door from behind me. I had to twist my torso rather impressively to see Teddy standing there. “It’s four in the morning,” he said.

“You can’t help when your stomach calls,” I smiled, holding up my snack of choice. He was wearing nothing but a pair of thin grey sweatpants—the sluttiest item of clothing a man can wear, with his annoyingly toned chest on display. Athletic bodies were a work of art. Looking at Teddy’s chest, all I wanted to do was run my tongue between those highly defined abs. How he could look like that and still demolish several chocolate bars a night was beyond me.

“That you can’t,” Teddy said as he padded into the kitchen, nostrils flaring as he passed me. “You smell…”

“Horny?” I supplied with a laugh.

Teddy’s hand stilled as it was reaching out to steal one of my slices of salami.

“I-uh. I mean. Yeah?” he said, eyes wide as he took me in.

My shirt wasn’t exactly covering much. It was a thin T-shirt belonging to one of the guys, but it did nothing to hide my very hard nipples. Teddy would have had an amazing view. The shirt fell to my knees, so I decided to forego underwear to sleep. I was starting to question that decision when I realised my very naked pussy wasn’t far from the alpha, looking at me like I was his next meal.

“We are all grown up here. We can admit when we are horny,” I snorted delicately.

“Well, in that case, I’m always horny. Having to live with your scent around is downright cruel, sparky.” He admitted, plucking the salami out of my hand and shoving it in his mouth with a boyish grin.

“Thief!” I growled playfully, swatting at him, but he easily stepped back, dodging my hand.

“I’m so sorry, however can I make it up to you?” he grinned, sauntering back over to me. His vanilla cake scent was growing stronger. There was something so warm, so comforting that I wanted to bathe in it, to rub my body all over his and make sure it never left my senses.

His eyes widened as my scent intensified. Why was I so damn horny all the time? I needed to keep my cool for once, goddamn it!

“You know what?” I said, my voice coming out low and husky. “You can make it up to me by getting on your knees.” I raised my eyebrows as I spoke, my real meaning crystal clear.

Every fibre of my being was demanding release. Even if this was my medication messing up, I didn’t care. I needed to ease the tension, and Teddy was right there in front of me. He had made no secret of the fact that he would always be a happy participant.

Teddy’s face went slack for a moment, before physically shaking himself out of it.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Are you going to make me ask twice?”

He shook his head, and instead of verbally answering, he stood in front of me, sliding the soda can out of his way as he gently grabbed my bare thighs, dragging me to the edge of the kitchen island, spreading my legs open for him.

“I live to please,” he hummed, sinking down, so he was face to face with my very naked pussy. “God, you’re always so ready. I fucking dream of your pussy, of your scent. My face needs to be bathed in it.”

He blew ever so lightly, the cool air making my body convulse, and tingles erupt over my body.

“Are you going to just look at it, or are you going to make me cum,” I growled, one hand behind me on the counter keeping me stabilised, the other tangling in Teddy’s golden waves. My voice was uneven as I desperately tried to stay in control.

“I’ll worship you any day, sparky,” he growled, prying my legs open further and diving in.

The first swipe of his tongue had me crying out, writhing on the counter as he repeatedly caressed my clit with firm strokes of his tongue.

“Faster,” I panted. His finger clenched at my thighs, and I wanted to scream at how good that felt. Strong arms forcing my legs open while he ate me like I was the tastiest meal on the planet.

My hand clenched in his hair, tugging. A warning. I needed more, and if I didn’t get it, I was going to get grumpy. He didn’t make me wait long, nipping at my clit, giving it that sweet bite of pain before soothing it with his lips.

Heat filled my body as his actions stole the breath from my body. All I could do was moan and babble. He was far too skilled with his mouth. How hadn’t I tried that yet?

I’m going to have to use this mouth more often—fuck!

I cried out as he sunk two fingers into my warmth, looking for that sweet spot. His hands had left marks on my thighs, and seeing that only made my need amp up further.

I wanted—no, I needed the alpha to make me cum. To knot me, to make it all better

“Fuck! I’m gonna—” I panted, trying to stop my thighs from shaking so violently.

Teddy pulled back, smirking up at me, his face covered in my arousal. His fingers never stopped thrusting, hitting that spot again and again. Leaning down, he nipped at my thigh, and my whole body went molten.

“Cum all over my face. I want to taste it. Let all my pack mates hear you as you cum so fucking good for me,” he growled, before sucking my clit so hard I saw stars as I shattered. Throwing my head back and moaning loudly, my body convulsing as wave after wave of pleasure ricocheted through my body.

I fucking needed that.

By the time Teddy came up for air, I was completely boneless. His face was indeed covered as he smirked at me with a pleased grin. “Fuck me, you taste good.” He said, leaning down to give my clit one last gentle kiss before standing up.

“Holy fuck,” I mumbled breathlessly.

“I’ll take that as a job well done,” Teddy said, taking a step back; his eyes raking over me laid across the kitchen island, completely on display. There was a significant tent in his sweatpants.

Slowly closing my legs, I slid off the counter. My knees struggling to take the weight after such an intense orgasm.

“Your turn,” I purred, taking a shaky step towards him.

“Oh, shit!” Teddy moaned as I sunk to my knees.

Seeing as he had given me a mind-blowing orgasm, it was fair for me to get a taste of him for myself. He tasted like he smelled, like sweet artificial cake batter, the kind with all those sugar loaded sprinkles.

It was time to find out.

“Do you not want me to?” I asked, looking up at him with big, round eyes. There was no way in hell he was going to say no. But it was fun just to see him panic that split second, thinking he could potentially miss out.

“No! Fuck, please!” He rushed to say.

Naturally, he wasn’t wearing anything under his sweatpants. Pulling his cock out, I took a moment to admire it. He was certainly well endowed, and now I was looking at it face to face. I could tell just why it made me feel so damn good. Leaning forward, I ran my tongue along the underside and was rewarded with a shiver from Teddy.

“I’m not going to last if you do that,” he admitted.

Oh really?

Game on.

With an idea taking root in my head, I opened my mouth, letting him see for a brief second, the tip of his cock pressed against my tongue before I swallowed the entire length, until my nose was buried in the small tuft of hair on his public bone.

“Fuck!” Teddy’s voice was strangled as his hand flew to my hair, keeping my head firmly in place.

“Are you okay?” Another voice called out from the doorway. I stilled for the briefest of seconds. Miles. His voice was easily recognisable. In our current position, he would have been able to see Teddy from the waist up, but he would have no idea what I was doing, as I was concealed by the kitchen island.

“I’m uh, Just getting a snack.” Teddy said, his voice strained. Laughing to myself, I started to increase my movements. I was pleased to discover he tasted just as sweet as he smelled. I could have easily stayed on my knees for hours for him, enjoying his taste.

Not that I could tell him that, because I wouldn’t want to stroke his ego so much.

“Judging by the scent in here, you’re getting way more than a snack. Where is Alexis?”

There was nothing I could say with Teddy’s cock buried in my throat. So instead, I hummed. That did two things. It both alerted Miles to my presence and also sent a vibration through Teddies cock, making him groan and throw his head back as his hand clenched tightly in my hair.

Footsteps sounded as Miles made his way around the island. “Now that is a beautiful sight,” he said. I wanted to turn and look at him, but it was impossible to look away. My eyes glued to Teddy’s as I worked his length, watching him slowly lose all composure.

“You’re driving him wild,” Miles said, humming in appreciation.

“So fucking good,” Teddy groaned, his eyes hazy.

“She’s got a fucking excellent mouth, swallowed down my piercings as if it were nothing,” Miles hummed. A strong hand gently wrapped around my throat, and I was momentarily concerned that the floor would be covered in my arousal, because I fucking gushed.

“Such a filthy girl,” Miles cooed. “Are you being a good little slut and making him cum?” I hummed, unable to do anything else. “I can feel how deep his cock is in your throat. Fuck me, you’re amazing,” he growled.

Egged on by the praise, I increased my pace, sucking even harder, hollowing out my cheeks and doubling down. Teddy was close, his legs quivering, hand tightening in my hair just like I had done to him only minutes earlier.

“I’m so close,” Teddy moaned.

“Are you going to be a good slut and swallow it all?” Miles asked, his voice dark and oh so filthy. Again, all I could do was hum. “Good, then take every fucking drop. Teddy, fill our girl’s mouth up, make her choke on your cum. I want to feel her swallowing it down.”

Had I died and gone to heaven? I had never been so turned on giving a blow job, but I felt like I was about to go into heat, bend over and beg mindlessly to be fucked within an inch of my life.

Reaching up, my hands clenched at Teddy’s thighs, holding on tightly as I upped my pace to nearly frantic. Mile’s hand stayed latched on my throat.

Sweet, salty cum splashed against my tongue as Teddy let out a moan, his legs shaking under my hand. I didn’t let up until I was sure I had milked him for every last drop.

Pulling back, I beamed at him. “Not bad for a midnight snack,” I giggled. Yes giggled like a fucking schoolgirl. Going to get up, Miles’ hands reached for me, hauling me up with ease.

“That was one hell of a show,” he said, his own eyes hungry.

“Maybe I’ll do it again tomorrow,” I said. “But I have class in the morning, so I better get to bed.”

“Hmmm,” Miles pulled me into his arms. “Make sure you think of me when you play with that soaking wet clit, okay?”

I pulled away, heading to the door, turning back to deliver one last line, before leaving to undoubtedly finger fuck myself into oblivion.

“I’ll think about both of you.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Alexis

“Wakey wakey, sleepyhead,” A hand gently ran through my hair, and I groaned lightly, stretching. Head scratches were a special kind of drug.

“Ten more minutes,” I groaned, going to roll over, only to be stopped by a strong set of arms holding me firmly in place.

“No can do, beautiful. We’ve got a lot to do today.”

“It’s the weekend,” I growled, my eyes still firmly shut as I nuzzled into Teddy’s chest.

“I know, but we’re taking you shopping and feeding you fancy Italian food. How does that sound?”

“Amazing…for later,” I grumbled.

“We need to get you a fancy dress,” Teddy said.

“Why?”

“I’m planning to show you off tonight. My parents are hosting their annual fundraiser for the university, and I want to bring you with us.”

It took a moment for his words to sink in, but when they did, I sat straight up, staring at Teddy with wide eyes.

“You want to take me where?” I asked, my voice shrill.

He beamed. “You can meet my parents.”

“Your parents? As in, the people who run the university?”

“That’s only my father. My mother, on the other hand, is a shameless socialite.”

The idea of meeting his family filled me with dread. I had never met any of my boyfriends’ parents. I didn’t do well with that aspect of relationships.

“I—I can’t!” I stammered.

Teddy shrugged, sitting up and resting his back against my headboard, emphasising his very defined, and very naked, chest.

“You don’t really have a choice. Wyatt has to go as a member of our pack, and he can’t go anywhere without you right now.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to introduce me to your parents!” I cried, raking my hand through my hair, chewing absentmindedly on my lip.

Teddy leaned forward, gently using his thumb to tug on my lip, stopping me from biting it. “I want to show you off. Of course I do, you’re amazing.”

“Your family are snobs!”

“They are, and I frankly don’t care,” Teddy said, snaking his arm around my waist and pulling me into his lap. My nose instinctively buried itself in his neck. Sweet, comforting vanilla cake. “You don’t see yourself clearly.”

“I know I’m awesome when it comes to an engine, and I’m well aware I’m hot as fuck—I mean, you’ve seen my tits.”

Teddy hummed, his eyes trailing down the V of my pyjama top. “They are amazing tits. So, why don’t you let me show off my glorious, engine-mending, butt-kicking woman?”

“Because I would rather stay here, watching movies and doing literally anything else?”

“Please.” Teddy’s eyes softened. “I don’t want to lie to them. If they have a problem with it, they can get fucked.”

“And if they cut you off? I’m not sure you’d survive well without the pack’s money.”

Teddy snorted lightly. “I would be just fine. I’ve known they’re judgmental dickheads for a long time. I started investing the moment I got my trust fund. I’m not quite as well off as my parents, but I’m independently wealthy.”

I raised my eyebrows. “What did you invest in?”

“A little bit of everything. Miles picked a few computer companies, but we made sure to keep our portfolio diverse.”

“Not just a pretty face, are you?” I said, my hand lightly brushing over the soft stubble on his face.

“I’m at least ninety percent pretty face,” Teddy assured me.

“What’s the other ten percent—defined abs?” I asked, looking down at his chest with a smirk.

“Oh no, twenty percent abs, ninety percent pretty face.”

“And negative ten percent intelligence?”

He leaned forward, gently taking my lips in his. “See, you’ve got me pegged.”

The kiss deepened, and I shifted in his lap, so my knees rested on either side of his hips, my pussy grinding down on his cock. We were both wearing thin pyjamas, so I could feel every inch of him.

“How much time do we have before we have to go out?” I asked, leaning forward to nip at his earlobe.

“We’ve got an hour. I think we can do a lot in an hour.”

“Get naked,” I ordered, leaning back, smirking at him as my hands grabbed the hem of my vest, pulling it over my head. My nipples pebbled in the cool morning air, my core convulsing at the hungry look on his face.

“I want to take things slow and savour this, but I don’t think I can,” he admitted.

“Fast and hard is good with me.”

Teddy groaned, throwing his head back. “Remember, you asked for it,” he growled, flipping us over, so he was on top of me, his weight pressing us into the mattress.

Hands scrabbled at our underwear. Teddy’s fingers found my folds, giving them a few quick pumps, teasing my G-spot.

“No foreplay. I need to be fucked,” I insisted. “Hard and fast.”

Teddy smirked at me, a panty-dropping, dangerous smirk. “Your wish is my command.” His lips commanded my mouth, nipping at my lip every now and again, the sting amping everything up.

His cock teased my folds for the briefest of moments before he slowly pushed forward, inch by inch. Slowly forcing my pussy to accommodate his girth.

“Faster!” I panted, letting loose an embarrassingly loud moan as he stretched me impossibly full on his cock. “That’s it. I’ve missed the feeling of this sweet pussy. God, I could stay here for hours.”

Teddy began thrusting, his pace starting out almost leisurely, then slowly speeding up. He leaned back on his haunches, hands on my hips, dragging me back and forth on his cock with measured movements.

He looked down at my clit as he slowly rubbed his thumb along it.

I wasn’t going to last, and, judging by the twisted look of pleasure on Teddy’s face, neither was he. My pussy leaked over his cock, and the sounds of his thrusts were downright lurid.

“God, sparky, part of me wants to pin you to this bed and never let you go,” he growled, his pace never wavering. “The other part of me wants to lie back and let you do whatever you want to me.”

My core clenched at his words. Having such a large alpha who would willingly submit to me made my heart race.

One of his arms hooked under my leg, pulling it up to his shoulder. The new angle made him feel so much larger. My pussy clenched down on him, searching for a knot that was so close, but I wouldn’t let myself have.

Why are you making yourself suffer? Let your alpha knot you. Feel so full.

No. Logic had to win. I would have to make do with the sensation of his knot brushing up against my entrance with each thrust.

Thinking about Teddy’s knot had my pussy going haywire, fluttering around his cock.

“It’s like your pussy is trying to suck me in deeper,” he groaned. “So greedy, just begging for cum.”

“Then fucking fill me up, Alpha.”

With a roar, Teddy thrust so deep, his knot notched at my entrance, the mind-numbingly, burning stretch setting of my own climax. My fingers raked at his chest, drawing him closer as he groaned with his release.

When we finally collapsed in a sweaty tangle of limbs, I felt like I had run a marathon.

“Can we start every day that way?” Teddy asked.

“I’m a mess,” I groaned, rolling over and placing a light kiss on his chest.

“We could always shower together. I can help you get to those hard-to-reach places.”

I hummed. “That sounds like a good idea. Maybe you can even make me messier before you clean me.”

“Marry me.” Teddy chuckled lightly.

“Nah, your trust fund isn’t nearly big enough.” I giggled, but my voice was weak with exhaustion.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Teddy

Alexis was worried. She had spent a good twenty minutes wearing a hole in our entryway floor—which was no easy feat, considering she was wearing heels that were stupidly tall and could easily be used to stab someone.

The heels were part of an outfit that had me thinking fuck my parents, and instead of going to this stupid gala, dragging Alexis into my bedroom for several hours. The dark red dress moulded to her body like a second skin and fell just below the knee. Between the length and the cap sleeves, it actually covered a fair amount of skin, but the sheer tightness of it was what made it indecent. I could see every curve of her body.

And I loved it.

I was so glad we had convinced her to get it. She had been hell-bent on some shapeless pile of fabric, but even I could see her disdain for it when she tried it on.

Her hair was swept up into some sort of updo, and she wore simple jewellery. She was stunning in every way. She looked so put together, neat. All I wanted to do was make her rumpled and very untidy.

“Relax. Everything is going to be fine. They’re not that big a deal.” I tried soothing her, gently holding her upper arms and rubbing.

“Are you honestly telling me to relax right now, Theodore?” The use of my full name, which was only used by my parents, shouldn’t have gotten my dick hard. But lo and behold, here we were. Alexis batted my hands away. “Your parents literally own the university. They can make or break my career! I’m not fancy like you guys.”

“Are you calling me fancy?” I laughed.

Alexis rolled her eyes. “I watched you trip over your own feet while holding pizza and ended up with the pizza in your hair. I never doubted the fact that you’re not fancy, but your parents are, well, your parents.”

“And they’ll love you. They have no other choice,” Wyatt said as he walked into the room, quickly placing a kiss on top of Alexis’s head. He was dressed similar to me, suit and tie. I didn’t miss the way Alexis’s eyes raked over Wyatt, her pupils dilating ever so slightly. Our girl liked the sight of us in suits.

I filed that information away for future use.

“Calvin and Miles are already there, so we better hurry up,” I said, pulling out my phone and grimacing when I saw several missed messages from my parents. I assured them that I would be at the gala on time, but they didn’t seem to believe me.

Luckily, I was going to prove them wrong tonight. I had a beautiful woman with my pack, all attending together. We were going to look the very picture of put together.

We piled into my Range Rover, Alexis sitting up front with me after taking extra caution to get in. The dress skirt was rather tight, so climbing in had been quite the experience. While I considered offering to help her, I had way too much fun watching her as she tried to move into the vehicle.

The venue was only a five-minute drive away, and the entire time, Alexis was chewing on her thumbnail.

“Stop stressing out, or I’ll make Wyatt give you some stress relief.” I laughed.

“Don’t even think about it,” Alexis growled, looking behind her at Wyatt, who was grinning like the cat who got the canary. “I am not going to this fancy event smelling like sex.”

“It would certainly give the old bastards something to talk about.” Wyatt chuckled.

Alexis groaned. “You guys are going to be the death of me.”

“But what a way to go!”

The gala was the same as every other gala I’d ever been to. Everyone wore tuxedos and fancy dresses, congregating in a big room while waiters carrying little trays of snacks circulated.

“Okay, this thing is probably going to be very boring, but the food is usually pretty good, and they always bring out the good booze when the investors are around,” I told Alexis as she got out of the car.

She looked a little pale. Was I asking too much of her to bring her here? She fiddled with her tiny clutch bag, shifting from foot to foot. I had never seen her so out of place before. It was kind of endearing, but I was also concerned. She hadn’t long recovered from being sick—maybe it was too much to bring her?

“Just be yourself,” I insisted, leaning down and whispering in her ear.

“Being myself is what led to you being tasered in the dick!” she whispered back at me in a furious tone.

Beaming, I lead Alexis into the event, Wyatt trailing behind us. For some reason, she seemed to think that I was mad over the tasering. I thought it was the hottest thing that I’d ever been through. It’s partially what brought this amazing woman into my life, so I wasn’t going to complain. I just had to do everything in my power to keep her.

Even if that meant dealing with my parents.

The room was tastefully decorated—clearly the work of my mother. Almost every gala she threw looked identical. Mrs. Astor was a discerning woman who liked things a certain way. That included, and was not limited to, her family.

Gently leading Alexis deeper into the room, I did my best to find people I knew who wouldn’t be too daunting. It was like an analogy I’d heard ages ago about frogs. You don’t just throw a frog into a pot of boiling water. You put them in a pot of cold water and heat it up slowly. So, Alexis was the frog in this situation, and my family and social circle were the water.

Only I didn’t want Alexis to die like the frog, I just wanted her to survive my family.

If I didn’t ease her into this mess, it could be a disaster.

All I wanted was for my parents to see how amazing she was.

“You’re going to have to remind me who everyone is, I’m going to forget all the names,” Alexis said as Wyatt grabbed two flutes of champagne off a tray and handed one to her.

“Drink. It’ll make this more tolerable,” he whispered.

“You just want me tipsy so you can fuck me in the ass later,” Alexis whispered back.

My ears perked up. “What’s this I’m hearing about asses?” I asked, moving closer.

“Nothing!” Alexis blushed, like actually blushed, with embarrassment.

I gave Wyatt a look that said we are talking about this later, and he shrugged, giving me a shit-eating grin.

“Theodore!” a booming voice called my name, and I recognised it without having to look at the person.

Shit.

I wanted to give Alexis some time to drink, relax, meet a few people before throwing her to the wolves.

But the wolves were here now.

“Dad.” I greeted him with a handshake. My mother was by his side.

“It’s so good to have you here, Theodore. Come—we have many people you need to talk to.” She looked pointedly at Alexis. “Is this your friend?”

“It is,” I declared, pulling the suddenly shy beta into my side.

My mother hummed thoughtfully, and my father frowned. “Lovely to meet you, my dear.” My mother’s voice had that subtle hint of sarcasm that irritated me to no end.

“Lovely to meet you, Mrs. Astor,” Alexis replied, keeping her tone polite and friendly.

“Are you studying here at the university?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m in my third year of my mechanical engineering degree.” Alexis spoke with pride.

My mother frowned. “What a unique subject. The same as Theodore, yes?”

“Yes, we bonded over our mutual love of engines,” I declared.

“Well, It’s nice to meet you, Alexis. It’s always a pleasure meeting Theodore’s friends.” She turned to face me. “When you have a moment, there are a few ladies I would like to introduce you to.”

“Mother, I’m here with a date,” I ground out.

“Yes, but she’s not a real date, is she? No offence, darling.” She directed the second part of her sentence at Alexis.

“I’m pretty sure she’s a real date.”

My mother scoffed. “Theodore, now is not the time for your theatrics. We all know you can’t settle down with a beta. It’s bad enough that you formed your pack without even discussing it with us. You need to find an omega who’s suitable.”

I sighed. “This is not a conversation for now, Mother.”

“I only want what’s best for you.”

“You only want to control me,” I growled quietly. Leaning forward, so Alexis couldn’t hear me, I added, “This is not the time or the place. Unless you want me to make a scene, I suggest you act nice and dignified.”

She leaned back, looking at me, horrified. I’d never really spoken back to her, so I assumed that’s why she was so shocked.

She recovered quickly, shaking it off and smiling placidly at me. “Of course, sweetheart. Just make sure you can meet my friends.”

I wanted to laugh—friends? I was certain that all her friends would be my age or younger. Omegas, and single.

Alexis has quickly extracted herself under the guise of going to find Miles. I knew she really just wanted to get the hell away from my family.

My mother had made a stellar impression. After extracting myself from her, I went around the ballroom, trying to find my pack. I found Wyatt and Alexis amongst a small group of people chatting happily near the entrance. As I got closer, I could hear what they were talking about.

“No, no, that engine was wholly unsuitable. I think he should use the diesel.”

“No way. That wouldn’t be anywhere near as efficient.”

“If it’s sufficient for a Formula One car, it’s sufficient for a little runaround car for the city. Just because guys want to feel special and have cars that go vroom doesn’t mean they should use wholly unsuitable engines.” Alexis’s eyes lit up as she spoke, her hands moving animatedly.

I could have spent the entire night watching her. When she spoke about engines or what she studied, her whole face lit up and her entire demeanour changed.

“You have the same major as Teddy, right?” one of the guys I used to hang out with as a child—I think his name was Gerald?—asked.

“I am.” Alexis nodded. “But please don’t judge me for that. The first time I met Teddy, he mistook a cruise engine for a plane engine!”

Wyatt snickered next to her. “Only, he had no idea that you actually knew how engines worked. The poor idiot thought he could impress you by calling it a plane engine.”

“I was very impressed by his stupidity.” Alexis smiled. “I was rather shocked when I found out there’s a lot more going on in that brain than just a pretty face. Seriously, though, he is really good. We’ve been studying together a lot, and it’s been lovely.”

“So, what made you decide to study here?” someone asked.

Shit. Now was my time to intervene. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if she mentioned the scholarship, but it could raise a few questions I’d rather not have to answer right now.

Grabbing a few small pieces of food off a tray, I walked up to Alexis with a smile. I handed her two of the cocktail sticks with little meats and cheeses on them. “Hey, I got you some food.”

“Well speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear.” Alexis smiled at me, taking a sip of her champagne before accepting the cocktail sticks. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. And if I’m a devil, at least I’m a handsome devil, yes?”

“Alexis!” I turned my head to the voice as Hazel extracted herself from a group of people, making her way over to me. “I didn’t know you were coming to this thing!”

“Hazel! Oh my word, you look amazing!” Her dress was a pastel pink with a sweetheart neckline and thin straps tied in bows at the top of her shoulders. Her dark hair was up in a ponytail, with sleek, cascading waves.

“Thank you! It’s nice to have an excuse to dress up every now and then. Who are you here with?”

“This one,” Alexis admitted, gesturing to me. “You?”

“My parents. They are big donors to the university, so they’re always at these things, trying to set me up.”

Alexis scrunched her nose. “Parents are the worst.”

“You’ll hear no disagreement from me,” I said. “Can I get you guys a drink?” I looked at Hazel. “Ant?”

“I’m good, thank you,” she said.

“White wine for me.” Alexis said. I nodded. I would wait until the area around us was a bit less crowded to get drinks.

Alexis turned to Hazel, eyebrows raised. “Ant?”

“Teddy and I went to a lot of the same events growing up, thanks to our parents. We became…friends. He would never stop teasing me for being short.”

“Sounds like Teddy.”

“I can’t believe you brought her here! You guys must be getting serious!” Hazel directed her question at me.

“We are!” I declared. Alexis playfully glared at me but said nothing, so that was a win, in my opinion. She looked around the room, desperately searching for her alphas. “Oh, there’s Wyatt!” she waved at him. He was talking to an old man in a suit, a glass of whisky in his hands.

As he walked over, Alexis’s Phone started buzzing. Looking down at the screen, she frowned before hitting ignore and throwing the phone back into her clutch.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Alexis

“Your phone has been going off non-stop. You should take that,” Wyatt said with a frown.

My mother had rung six times in a row, and it was infuriating me. Usually, she got the message after one or two unanswered calls. Groaning to myself, I realised that I was going to have to answer her, eventually.

“I’ll just be a minute,” I said, nodding towards the door before leaving to take the call. The evening air was cold, my arms breaking out in goosebumps.

“Hello?” I answered, my voice tense.

“Hello? That’s all you have to say to me?” My mother’s shrill voice cried out. “Where are you? I can hear people.”

“I’m at a fundraiser,” I admitted through gritted teeth.

My mother was quiet for a moment. “That sounds…nice. Are there many eligible alphas there?” she asked, her voice taking on a sugary sweet tone.

There were many, in fact, and I was sleeping with four of them. My mother would freak out and have kittens if she knew that. Then would come the judgement. Why are you studying? You should be looking after your pack. There’s no greater joy! Look at me. I’m so happy.

“I’m not socialising with those sorts of folks. I’m just a guest.”

“You need to put yourself out there. Anyway, the reason for my call. Your brother is having a mating ceremony. Are you coming?”

“I can’t. It’s during exam season,” I said. “I told you this.”

“I thought you would have reconsidered. Putting your silly hobby before your family is disgusting behaviour!”

I groaned internally. My mother wanted me to drop everything and return home just to watch a ceremony between one of my dopey brothers and whatever poor omega they had managed to con into mating. “If you had been accepting of who I am in the first place, maybe I wouldn’t have left for America,” I growled.

“Don’t use that disgusting tone with me.”

My mother hated it when I growled. She thought that only alphas should growl and snarl. An omega was meant to be gentle and delicate. I’m pretty sure she believed that omegas should fart roses and shit sunshine too.

“I’ll use whatever tone I want when you’re being nasty to me.”

“I am not being nasty. You’re the one who’s being wicked.”

“Yes, how selfish and inconsiderate of me to follow my own passions in life. Have you ever stopped to think that you’re the one who’s disgusting? For God’s sake, you’re an omega. You’re meant to be maternal and caring. You haven’t given a shit about me since the first day I tinkered on the engines with Dad. All you did was reprimand me for getting oil on my dungarees and told me never to work on cars again.”

Movement out of my peripheral vision alerted me to Calvin’s presence. He stood a few paces away, his brow furrowed in concern.

“I have raised you children with the utmost love and care!” my mother screeched. I had hit her where it hurt the most, doubting her ability as an omega.

“Telling your daughter she’s wrong for loving what she loves isn’t love and care, Mother. It’s cruel. Don’t get me wrong—you’re an amazing omega and mother to my brothers, but me? Not so much.” I took a deep breath before continuing. “Look, I think we need to accept that we are very different people, and I just don’t want anything to do with you anymore. I love you guys. You are my family. But you clearly want a very different life from what I want. And that’s okay. But it is not okay to tear someone down for wanting the lifestyle they want.”

“Alexis, you’re blowing this all out of proportion. Just come home, and everything will be fine.” Her voice was panicky, whining. She wasn’t used to being told no. Everyone in my family bowed down to her every wish.

My chest burned and tears gathered in the corners of my eyes as a sinking feeling hit me—the understanding that my mother would never truly accept me. Deep down, I’d known. Known that she hated the things I loved. Hated my behaviour. But part of me had always held on to the hope that she would come round.

That stupid, childish, naive part of me.

“I’m not coming home, Mother. And I think, for a while, I’m going to stop picking up the phone. I love you. I love the dads. Goodbye.”

I hung up the phone and threw it into my clutch with a sigh. Pressing my hands to my temples, I rubbed thoroughly. I couldn’t let myself break down. We were at a fancy gala with Teddy’s family, and the last thing I wanted to do was make a scene.

“Your mother?” Calvin asked softly.

“Yeah,” I admitted weakly. “Liliana Franks—the perfect omega. She hates that she has a defective daughter like me.”

“You’re not defective.” He frowned, then took a few steps closer to me. When he was near, the rest of the world melted away, leaving only his rich cherry wine scent behind.

“I don’t think she got that message,” I admitted, my emotions getting the better of me, and tears slipped for from my eyes. “Oh shit, sorry.” I wiped at my eyes delicately, trying to avoid ruining my makeup. I did not need to look like a raccoon in front of this many fancy people.

“Hey.” Calvin’s voice was soft as his arms gently went around me, pulling me into his chest. One of his hands lightly gripped the back of my head, holding me to him.

That one kind gesture was too much. The floodgates opened, large, messy sobs escaping my chest.

He didn’t seem to mind. He simply held me to him and whispered sweet, calming words in my ear.

It had been a long time since I’d cried over my family. For years, I had merely pushed my feelings down, refusing to see what was right in front of me. Swallowing roughly, I raised my hand to my eyes, trying to wipe away the tears. I grimaced when I saw the mascara on my hands. I must have looked terrible.

“Don’t listen to a word she says. You’ve been doing amazing here.”

“She hates that I’m in engineering.”

Calvin scoffed. “She should be damn proud. This university only accepts 4% of applicants. Only the best of the best. You made it here and you’re nearly the top of your class.” He snorted. “In fact, I’m pretty sure you would be top of your class, if you didn’t have to deal with Teddy and the unfortunate situation with Wyatt.”

“I know!” I cried, my voice watery.

His large hand rubbed up and down my back, doing his best to soothe me. “Do you want to get out of here?”

“Are you sure Teddy won’t mind?” I asked, doing my utmost to stop sobbing. “I think I’ve had enough of mothers for one night,” I admitted.

“I’m pretty sure he will be pissed if I take you back in there.” He pulled himself away from me so he could look down at me. “Let me take care of you, for once.”

“Okay,” I said, my voice shockingly weak.

The packhouse was oddly quiet. We hadn’t spoken on the way home. Instead, we’d sat in a comfortable sort of quiet. It wasn’t until we were pulling up outside that I realised Wyatt wasn’t even with us.

“Oh god, Wyatt,” I said, sitting up straighter and looking around, like he would mysteriously appear in the back seat.

“He’s doing okay. He’ll text me. I let him know we were going back to the house. Relax. He’ll come home if he needs to.”

I let out a sigh of relief. The bond was loosening.

“Did you eat?” Calvin asked as he undid his seatbelt, then walked around to my side of the car to open my door for me. It wasn’t the first time a man had opened my car door for me, but this time felt different. Usually, it felt forced, like the guy was expecting to be congratulated for being a decent human being. With Calvin, it just felt right. He had a power and control over the situation that I didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.

“Oh yeah, I ate loads of those little appetisers. I don’t think I can look at food again for several hours.”

Calvin chuckled, taking my hand as I hopped out of the car. “I will say that’s one thing they excel at. Good food and good booze.”

“I didn’t get to try much of the booze.” I pouted.

“I’m sure there’ll be a next time.”

“That’s not an appealing thought,” I groaned.

Once we were inside, I made my way to my room, Calvin following closely. “Can you unzip my dress?” I asked as I kicked off my heels.

Instead of answering, he walked up behind me. I could feel his breath on my neck as he slowly pulled the zipper down, exposing my naked back. “No bra?” he asked roughly.

“Have you seen how tight this dress is?” I laughed. “There was no way in hell.”

“I have seen how tight this dress is. I saw it a lot tonight.” He hummed in appreciation.

With my back still to him, I shimmied out of the dress, leaving me in only my tiny thong.

Calvin groaned at the sight. “Why are you so fucking tempting?”

“Could say the same thing to you,” I said as I turned to face him.

His eyes widened as they raked over my body. Reaching for my chest, he gently rolled my nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “I didn’t get a chance to see these last time.”

He looked far too overdressed compared to me, wearing his slacks and dress shirt while I stood there in nothing but my tiny blue thong. My sense of modesty had long gone around my men.

“I suppose you have lost time to make up for, then,” I said, my voice breathless with need.

“I’m done fucking resisting,” he growled, crouching as he grabbed my thighs, hauling me up so my legs wrapped around his hips.

I squealed in delight as he captured my mouth in his, demanding my lips open to him as his fingers dug into the soft flesh of my thighs, subtly grinding me on his cock.

“What do you want?” he asked roughly as he walked out of the room with me still in his arms, down the hallway, and into another room. His cherry wine scent intensified, and without looking, I knew he had taken me to his room.

“I want you to take care of me, Calvin—hey!” I broke off when he pinched my ass. “That stings!”

“That’s not what you call me,” he said gruffly.

I kept my voice sweet as I nipped at his neck, hands fisting in his shirt. “Sorry, take care of me please, Daddy.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Calvin

How the fuck did I get so lucky?

Alexis was lying on my bed, leaning back on her elbows, her eyes roaming over my body hungrily.

The moment she called me Daddy, my entire body was electrified, blood roaring in my ears.

Sitting up, she reached for my belt, looking up at me with hunger. As tempting as that was, I had something else in mind.

“Not yet,” I told her roughly. “I’ve got other plans for you first.”

She looked at me inquisitively, and her eyes went wide as I sank to my knees at the end of the bed. My hands grabbed her thighs, dragging her to the edge. Spreading her wide, I could see the dark patch on her thong. Someone was already excited.

Ever since she had stayed in my room, my room had smelled like sweet chocolate raspberry. The smell had slowly been fading, but now I was going to make sure it was back in full force.

Running my nose along the seam, I hummed in happiness as I was rewarded with her potent scent.

“I hope you’re not attached to these,” I said, grabbing at the thin strap and yanking hard until the scrap of fabric gave way.

We probably owed her a whole new wardrobe. I had heard her complaining on several occasions about the pairs of underwear we had destroyed.

Her pussy looked amazing, already soaked with arousal, and her clit stood to attention, begging for me.

“Are you just going to look, Alpha?” Alexis panted.

Her entire body jolted as my hand landed on her thigh, smacking it lightly. “Want to try that again?” I asked.

“Are you just going to look, Daddy?” she asked with a whine, her voice desperate and needy.

“Brat,” I growled, smacking her thigh once more before leaning forward for a taste.

I struggled to contain my moan of joy. She tasted exactly how she smelled. Rich and creamy chocolate raspberry burst across my tongue, and I ate like a man starving.

Nothing was going to stop me. Her hand tangled in my hair, holding me in place, even though there was no way in hell I was moving. When the sensations became too much, she tried to clamp her thighs around my head. Using my shoulders, I pried her legs open, keeping her spread out before me, like the tastiest buffet.

Her legs started to tremble when her release was near. Part of me wanted to hear her cry with her orgasm. But the other, more jealous part of me wanted to feel it for myself. I wanted to feel her clamping down on my cock, milking me for every drop.

Just as she was about to tumble over the edge, I backed up, grinning up at her.

She glared at me. “Why did you stop?”

“Because you’re not allowed to come until I’ve got my cock buried so deep in you that you’ll be remembering it for weeks.

Alexis groaned, throwing her head back as I quickly stripped off my clothes, crawling over her. “Last time…in your office.” She gently bit her lip, warmth rising in her cheeks. “I could feel you for days after.”

Pride, so powerful I felt like my chest would burst, filled me at her admission. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah, I’ve never squirted, either.”

Oh, but she had. All over my desk.

When she had soaked my desk in her juices, I’d honestly thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Or possibly hell, because I’d known I shouldn’t have been having sex with her, but fuck me, it was glorious. No matter what I did, her smell still lingered ever so slightly in my office. It was faint enough that no one else could tell what it was, but every time I sat down to grade papers, I could smell her, and my cock was instantly hard again.

It made for many awkward meetings.

Leaning down, I captured her lips in a long, slow and downright lurid kiss. I poured all my emotions into it.

“You have no idea how happy you just made me. I think we’re going to have to try for a repeat, aren’t we?”

Alexis’s eyes widened. “I won’t be able to do that again! Surely it was a one-off?”

I was willing to take that challenge.

“Hmm. Maybe it was the angle?” I said with a smirk; giving her only a fraction of a second to register my words before I flipped her over, that delectable ass filling my view.

“Ask nicely,” I instructed, leaning over and nipping lightly at her shoulder, watching her entire body shiver with delight at the sensation.

“Please fuck me, Daddy,” she panted. It was freaking music to my ears.

“I suppose I could take my time,” I mused.

“No! Please, I need your cock. I need to be filled with cum.”

“You’re not in charge here,” I reminded her.

“I’ll be good. Fuck, I’ll do anything for your cock, please, Daddy!”

I wanted to hold out, to take my time and tease her. But the sound of her pleading sobs was too much. Grabbing her hips in my hands, I lifted her, so that her pussy was perfectly lined up with my cock.

She was so needy; her arousal was already starting to coat her thighs, making it easy for me to slide in, filling her entirely. My knot was already starting to swell.

“Hold on tight, baby,” I ordered, my grip on her hips becoming firmer as my tempo increased. With every thrust, she got tighter and tighter to a degree I didn’t even believe was possible. If I hadn’t been so deep in the haze of lust, I would have been worried that my cock was going to fall off from the sheer pressure of it.

All my instincts hummed in delight at having Alexis in front of me, my cock buried in her soaking wet pussy as she babbled mindlessly at the intensity.

It was nearly impossible to stay focused, my every nerve ending on fire, my balls tightening almost painfully. There was something about Alexis’s easy submission that lit up a deep, primal part of me.

My inner alpha was also feeling rather boastful. She didn’t behave this way with the others. It was only for me. This was our thing, no one else’s.

When she cried out, her walls fluttering and clamping down on me, I was a goner, driving my cock into her with shocking force.

My gaze turned red, and my knot expanded.

Shit.

I pulled back, attempting to make my thrusts less shallow, but Alexis whined in protest.

“I’ve got to pull back, or I’m going to knot you,” I told her softly, leaning down and nipping at her shoulder again.

“So close,” she whined.

“I know, don’t worry, I’m almost there too. You’re embarrassing me. I can’t last with you clenching down on me like such a good girl.”

One more nip at her neck, and she exploded with a cry, writhing under me as she babbled. I quickly followed her, pumping every fucking drop of cum into her, my knot teasing her entrance.

I rolled over, taking her with me, so we were both on our sides, my now-softening cock still inside her. Wrapping my arm around her waist, I kept her in place as we both desperately tried to catch our breaths, coming down from the high.

“Give me ten minutes, and we are doing that again,” I said breathlessly.

Alexis nodded weakly, right before falling asleep in my arms.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Alexis

ALEXIS

You want to come to a college hockey game? Not quite as exciting as your NHL games, but it reminds me of home.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

Yes, please! When?

ALEXIS

Tonight. Short notice, I know, but I’ve been distracted.

BUNNY BABE (MOLLY)

Am I okay to bring Zach and maybe Grayson?

ALEXIS

Naturally, I expected at least one member of your entourage. Three extra tickets, it is!

Icouldn’t stop grinning as I made my way into the dining room. Calvin was in his usual spot at the head of the table, reading something on his tablet as he drank his coffee.

When his eyes met mine over the tablet, he opened his arms in an inviting gesture. Without any hesitation, I slid into his lap, burying my nose in his neck, inhaling that comforting cherry wine scent.

“Hello, there. Have a good morning?”

“I managed to get a lot of studying done.” I snuggled into him, humming happily as his arms wrapped around me.

“Good, have you eaten?”

“Does a Pop-Tart count?” I asked, smiling into his neck.

“Brat,” he said, kissing the top of my head, no real heat in his voice.

“Hey, can we get three extra tickets for the guys’ game tonight? Molly and two of her alphas would like to come.”

“Already figured out. Zach texted me.”

I huffed. “Having the two of you in touch is going to either be really useful or a pain in my butt.”

“Probably both,” Calvin admitted with a small laugh. His hand that rested on my thigh trailed higher, and my body reacted on instinct, wetness pooling between my legs.

“You know—”

Teddy came bounding into the room. “Sorry to break this up, guys, but I’ve got a question for our girl here.”

“I think she would be a lot nicer in her answers if my fingers were buried deep in her cunt.” The alpha under me chuckled, making me squirm in his lap, and his hardening cock digging into my thigh.

“See, now, that’s a good idea,” Teddy said, though he frowned. “But considering we need to talk about my mother, now is probably not the time.”

It was like a bucket of ice water had been thrown over me. The very mention of that perfectly manicured harpy turned my veins to ice.

“That’s one way to kill the mood,” I grumbled, going to slide off Calvin’s lap, but his impressive grip held me in place.

“Not going anywhere,” he grumbled. “Teddy can ask his question with you right here where you belong,” he said, nipping at my ear.

Teddy’s head cocked to the side. “You guys look far too good together. It’s mean. Anyway, my mother. Well. She—”

“Just spit it out, Teddy,” I said, my grumpiness seeping into my voice.

“She wants you guys to get lunch together. Some sort of girls-only thing?”

“I would rather fuck a cactus, honestly.” Teddy grimaced, and Calvin chuckled lightly underneath me. “Why on earth does she want to go for lunch?”

“I don’t know, but surely it’s a good thing? Her inviting you out now that we’ve made our intentions clear. Taking you to the gala made this,” he gestured between us all, “pretty obvious. It’s not even for like two weeks—her schedule is so damned packed with materialistic bullshit that’s the first time she could fit a lunch in.”

I groaned, looking at Calvin for emotional support, but he simply shrugged. “I suppose I should at least try to make an effort with her, seeing as we are…y’know…spending a lot of time together. One lunch. That’s all I’ll agree to,” I told Teddy firmly.

“Thank you, sparky!” Teddy rushed forward, stealing my lips in a quick, breathless kiss before darting out of the room.

“Never out of energy, that one. Damn golden retriever.” I chuckled.

“That’s true. But he’s your golden retriever.”

I hummed. “He is, isn’t he?”

Calvin and I hung around the rink, waiting for Molly and her pack to arrive. The rest of my pack had left a lot earlier, as they needed to warm up and get changed. I didn’t mind. It was nice to get some one-on-one time with Calvin.

I had always believed that having a pack meant I would be overwhelmed with how and when to give my time to people. When, in fact, it was shockingly easy. It just happened naturally. Sometimes we were together as a pack. Sometimes we had one-on-one time, and others, one or two of us would congregate in the same area of the house.

Either way, I feel like I had managed to get a decent amount of time with every single member of the pack, and I hadn’t been stressed about it.

“Alexis!” Molly screeched from the other side of the arena, waving wildly.

Zach was next to her, holding her hand, keeping her from barrelling through the crowd to meet us.

She impatiently tugged her alpha towards us, a grin on her face. Once they were a few feet away, Molly launched herself at me, enveloping me in her peachy scent.

“It’s been too long!” I said, clutching her tightly.

“Far too long,” Molly agreed, taking a step back, looking over me. “You’re all glowy!” she declared.

“I am not!”

Molly smirked. “It’s all that good sex, eh?”

“Oh shush, let’s go find our seats. Heya, Zach!” I greeted her alpha.

“Hey, Alexis. Still causing trouble?”

“Always!” I grinned as he gave Calvin a look that said good luck, buddy.

We made our way as a group to our seats. They were decent seats, front row.

“It’s not quite the fancy box that you’re used to.” I laughed as Molly grimaced.

“Front-row seats hold traumatic memories for me.” She giggled, looking at her alpha lovingly. “If a dude comes crashing through the barrier, will you protect me? I doubt it’s going to happen again, but knowing my luck, anything is possible.”

“I already checked. The barriers were replaced only two years ago,” Zach said with a smug smile.

“I’m going to grab you a soda, stay put.” Calvin kissed the top of my head before disappearing with a smirk.

“He had a soda in his hand…” Molly said in confusion, watching him leave.

Zach laughed. “Babe, he’s giving you guys space to talk.”

Molly’s face lit up with realisation. “Oh!” We both laughed at her amazement.

“I’m going to make a quick call. I’ll be in sight,” Zach told us, pulling out his phone and walking a few feet away. Far enough that he could see us but couldn’t hear us.

“How’s it going?” Molly asked, turning to me with wide eyes.

“Do you want the simple version or the long-winded one?”

“Short. I’ll get the long one later. Your alpha will be back soon. He is your alpha, right?”

“Yes. We are all dating. I fucked my professor again. He likes to be called Daddy. We seem to be giving this relationship a go, though none of us have admitted that out loud. Yes, me and four guys. Also, I’m pretty sure Teddy’s parents who run the university hate me? My mother still hasn’t stopped calling me. I think that’s the basics of it.”

“Holy shit. We need a sleepover and wine to unpack all that.”

“A lot of wine!” I agreed.

Molly turned to the ice, her face lighting up in excitement. “Here come the players! Which ones are yours again?”

“Teddy’s number sixty-nine,” I admitted with a grimace.

“Seriously?” Molly laughed. “He’s the one doing sexual moves down there right now, isn’t he?”

I looked at the ice, and sure enough, Teddy was currently stretching. Ice hockey players getting ready for a game did some very unique stretches. They were almost sexual in nature. Fuck it, they were highly sexual. It looked like he was humping the ice.

“Yep, that’s him. He’s also the one I tasered in the balls.”

“Sounds like love at first buzz.”

“Oh, shut up.” I laughed, stealing one of Molly’s nachos. “The game is about to start.”

As soon as I said that, the lights dimmed and strobe lights began going off throughout the building. The familiar sounds of hockey games filled the air, except the American ones were a bit louder. Zach walked over, sitting down next to Molly and wrapping his arm around her. She rested her head on his chest happily as she watched the ice.

Seeing Molly with any of her alphas gave me a funny feeling in my chest. She was so blissfully happy. Back when we’d lived together, she had been so high-strung. Not in a bad way. That was just the way she was. Now she was so relaxed. I wanted that.

We all agreed we were going to try and make this work. I had grown attached to the guys. I had feelings for them. There was no denying that. Would they feel the same way about me if they knew I was an omega? I knew enough about biology to understand that they would love it. They would love the sex, and they would be very happy, as would I. I had been dreaming about their knots lately. After the gala, when Calvin and I had been in his bedroom, I had nearly broken and begged him to knot me.

But they were technically a high-society pack. They would want an omega who was a socialite. An omega who didn’t work. I was down to be spoiled, but I didn’t want to be kept in a golden cage.

Would it really be a cage if you’re with them, though? A small voice nagged at the corner of my brain.

If only there was a way to know without destroying everything.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Alexis

Molly had to go home after the game. It was sad, because I had been hoping she would have enough time to come to the packhouse. A small part of me wanted my best friend’s approval for my new living situation.

Even if it was technically temporary.

Or was it? The guys had insinuated this was more serious, but none of us had exactly laid our cards out on the table. We were dancing around the topic of what would happen when the bond with Wyatt fully died.

Part of me really, really didn’t want to leave.

We said goodbye after the game, and Calvin and I drove home. The others would follow shortly. There was no point waiting around. The others needed to shower and have a post-game meeting with the coach. That left me and Daddy Calvin to have a little alone time together.

“I really need to head back to my place and grab some more clothes. I should take some stuff back as well,” I said as I rummaged through my pile of clothes I had haphazardly thrown on the bed.

“Why would you need to take stuff back?” Calvin asked with a frown. He was sitting on my bed, his legs out in front of him, his back against the headboard, a book in his hands.

“Wyatt is doing good now. I assumed you guys would want me to go home soon? I’m cramping your style.”

“When did we ever say we wanted you to go back?”

“Well, you weren’t very happy when I moved in.”

“Things have changed since then.”

What he meant by that was we had started having sex. Did that really change things?

“Just because we all started this thing”—I waved my hand between the two of us, indicating our general relationship—“doesn’t mean you want me to stay here.”

Calvin sat up straighter. “I’m sure Teddy requested it several times.”

“He has, but Teddy is a giant puppy dog who sees me as his favourite toy and never wants me to leave. He also requests to see my boobs every two minutes. That doesn’t mean it’s always the right thing to do.”

Grabbing a pair of my overalls, I threw them in a tote bag. I needed to wash them desperately; I had oil stains all over them.

“I suppose.” Calvin looked disgruntled.

“Hey, I’m not going yet. The bond isn’t a hundred percent gone. Wyatt seems to only be able to last an hour or two without me at the moment.” I crawled onto the bed and snuggled into his side, humming in happiness when he opened his arms for me.

“I know. I guess I’ve gotten used to having you here.”

“We’ve never really spoken about what happens after this.”

“After?” he asked.

“Like wh—,” I broke off with a groan. “This is going to sound pathetic, but what are we? We’ve never actually discussed what all this means.”

“Well, that’s simple. You’re mine.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, it’s not that simple, surely?” I asked, looking at Calvin, dumbfounded. He was leaning back so casually.

“All of us want you, all of us like having you here, and we don’t want anyone else. That feels pretty simple to me.”

“I think you’re oversimplifying.”

Calvin hummed. “Possibly. Either way—even if you stupidly choose to go back to the dorm—we’ll still want you.”

“I suppose I’m not adverse to that. You guys are getting me used to hot sex on demand.”

“Oh no, how inconsiderate of us.”

“I know, you’re monsters!” I giggled.

My hands roamed over his body while his came to rest on the side of my neck, keeping me firmly in place.

“What are we up to here?” a happy voice exclaimed from the doorway. Miles was leaning against the doorframe, his hair still damp from his post-game shower.

“We’re talking about how we are officially dating Alexis now,” Calvin said, his eyes never leaving mine.

Miles laughed. “Well, I thought that was obvious.”

“Hey! Sometimes a girl needs confirmation.”

“You’re ours. Confirmation enough?” he asked with a raised brow.

“Yes, now come here and fuck me,” I demanded.

I went to sit up, but Calvin held me to his side. “Tomorrow. You’re exhausted.”

“I’ll have you know, I’m never too exhausted for dick!” I cried.

“Don’t make me spank you.”

“Now that I wanna see.” Miles smirked.

“No, I think our girl should lie back, relax and let us take care of her.” Calvin smirked. “But first she needs to lose her underwear.”

Well I wasn’t going to say no to that.

Chapter Forty

Alexis

Humming lightly to myself, I wandered down the corridor, chocolate in hand. Calvin was standing in my room, his back to me, leaning slightly over the dresser where I had laid out all my makeup.

Ever since they had confirmed we were dating, I had let my space get a little more chaotic. Makeup lying about, maybe a bit more clutter—they needed to know what they were letting themselves in for.

“What are you looking at?” I asked cheerfully as I walked over to the bed, putting my snacks down. “If you want recommendations on what shade of blush to use, I know the perfect one for your skin type.”

He didn’t reply. He didn’t even turn around to look at me.

“Calvin?” I asked, padding over to him. His head was bowed as he stared intently at an object in his hand.

My suppressants.

Shit.

“What are these?” he asked, his voice low and gravelly.

“Just medication, no big deal.” I did my best to keep my voice chipper as I leaned forward to take the pills from him.

His head whipped up to look at me, hurt on his face as he pulled the bottle out of my grasp. “This isn’t just medication. They’re fucking suppressants. Why the hell do you have these?” he asked, his voice gravelly.

“I need them, okay? It’s no big deal.” My voice cracked ever so slightly. Maybe I could play this off.

“You’re an omega, aren’t you?” he asked, his voice devoid of emotion.

“What are you talking about? Of course I’m not.” My voice wavered as I lied.

“Cut the crap, Alexis. I know what these are. The only reason you would have them is if you are an omega.” He laughed wryly, pacing the room like a rabid animal. “I’m so fucking stupid. We knew you smelled like an omega, but we believed you when you said you were a beta. Why the hell would you lie to us?” He couldn’t hide the hurt in his voice. I winced.

“What I am is no business of yours—as far as you’re concerned, I am a beta.”

“We have been doing everything to help you with this bond with Wyatt—if you’re an omega, that shit could be permanent. We have a fucking right to know that! Something as big as that could change the trajectory of all our lives. Teddy has been going to bat for you against his parents! Fucking hell. We all have. We’ve been tearing ourselves apart, wanting to be with you when everyone expects us to be with an omega!”

“I have my reasons. Good reasons.” I stumbled over my words.

“And you can’t fucking trust us with them?” He laughed bitterly. “Was this just some ploy to get into our pack—to use us? What are you after? Is it Teddy’s money? If so, you’ve done a damn good job. You’ve got that boy wrapped around your finger.”

“Of course not. Do you really think that’s what I am?”

“I have no fucking clue what you are, Alexis. You’ve clearly been lying to us,” he shouted, throwing the pill bottle across the room. “An omega bond is a huge deal. The moment Wyatt accidentally bit you, we needed to know.”

Tears filled my eyes. Part of me wanted to go to Calvin, to reassure him, but the pure venom in his eyes made me pause.

“Calvin, I was protecting myself.”

He turned to me, a bewildered expression on his face. “Protecting yourself from who? From us?”

“No!” I cried. “From everyone. Omegas get zero respect in my field, and I wanted a career, not a pack!”

“Well, look around, you’re in a fucking pack! Wyatt bit you.” he exclaimed, waving his arms around wildly. “Then you went and let them get attached to you. You let us all fall for you. Fuck, do you have any idea the things Teddy was willing to give up for you? He was going to walk away from his family for you, and you weren’t even willing to tell us you’re really an omega!”

Teddy was going to leave his family? I knew they’d had disagreements ever since the gala, but nothing else.

“I had no idea…”

“Because you only care about yourself.”

“No! You know I care for you guys, probably more than I should.”

“You care about us enough to fuck us. That’s all.”

“Cal…”

“Just leave.”

“I can’t.”

“The bond is weak enough. At least it better fucking be. You can go. My pack deserves better.”

A sob escaped my chest. He was right. They did deserve better.

I was in love with them.

And I was lying to them.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, striding over to the bed and grabbing my handbag before fleeing from the room.

No one stopped me from leaving. Everyone else was probably out or doing their own thing. Had anyone else even heard us yelling?

I practically ran the first few streets back toward Dallas House. Once there was a little distance between us, I rummaged through my bag between sobs. My chest physically ached. Though I didn’t know if that was because of the distance and the partial bond, or it was just the breaking of my heart.

Calvin was a good man. He was kind, and he saw the best in everyone. And for him to think I was selfish and malicious stung.

Pulling out my cell phone, I quickly dialled.

“Hello?” the familiar voice chirped.

“Molly,” I sobbed. “I fucked up.”

My stomach turned to lead as I took the final few steps towards Dallas House. I needed my best friend. I felt so alone. That meant only one thing.

I was going to have to tell her everything.

I couldn’t handle it if she hated me as well.

Molly wasted no time. Not long after I crawled into my bed and wrapped myself up in the blankets, she appeared.

There was no knock on the door. She simply barrelled in and made a beeline for my bed while I was in the foetal position, sobbing.

“What happened? Who do I have to kill? I can set Zach on someone. You know I will,” she hurried to say as she pulled me into her arms. Her sweet peach fragrance almost smelled like home. It was a throwback to all those nights we had spent together, studying.

I could smell a darker, masculine scent as well. She had brought one of her alphas with her.

“I really messed up,” I admitted through sobs. Sitting up, I saw Zach standing in my doorway, his brow furrowed with concern.

“How?” Molly asked.

“Did someone hurt you?” Zach asked, his voice measured.

I shook my head, sniffling. “This is my own doing.”

“Okay, I’m going to grab us all some coffee while you two talk.” He dipped out of the room with a final nod now he was satisfied that he didn’t need to go pummel anyone into a pulp.

Molly turned to me, gently brushing the hair out of my face and wiping my tears away.

“You’re going to hate me.”

“Of course I won’t!” she cried, looking horrified.

“I’m not a beta!” The admission brought on a new wave of sobs.

“What do you mean, you’re not a beta?” Molly asked, confused.

“I take suppressants.”

Molly’s mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to take in my words. “Wait, are you saying you’re an omega?” She screeched the last word.

I nodded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to lie.” I sobbed some more as Molly pulled me in for a hug, gently stroking my hair.

“Why did you think you had to lie?” she asked gently, her eyes wide and full of concern.

“My family was so hell-bent on me joining a pack. They didn’t want me to pursue engineering. They were so stubborn that I decided, when I went to university, I would just be a normal beta. You know what it’s like for women in engineering, let alone omegas.”

“Oh, Lex…” Molly squeezed me harder. “I-I’m not going to lie. I am shocked. All this time, I had no idea.. Are you okay? Are you having a surprise heat? You don’t smell like you’re in heat.”

“Calvin found out.”

“Wait, so the pack you’ve been sleeping with doesn’t know?”

“I wanted to tell them. I just didn’t know how. When is the best time to tell someone you’ve been lying about your very identity for years? Oh, Molly, he was so mad at me. I really ruined it.” My sobs increased.

“Okay, we can fix this. Do you want to come stay with me for a few days? We have plenty of space. You can have all the bunny cuddles.”

That was a tempting offer. Those fluffy little beasts of hers were good stress relief.

“No, I’ve got a midterm coming up I can’t miss. I should be studying. Oh, fuck. All my textbooks are at the packhouse!” I cried.

“We can get you new textbooks. In fact, let’s get your butt in the shower.” She started to pull me from the bed, but I whined in protest.

“I want to stay here!”

“Here isn’t good enough. Alexis, you’re an omega, and this is your idea of a bed? One pillow and one measly comforter? Nope. If you want to wallow for a few days, you are going to do so in a proper nest.”

“I’ve never allowed myself to build a nest,” I admitted.

“Suppressants don’t get rid of those urges. God, Alexis, you must have been struggling so much.”

“I’m sorry.”

A pillow soared through the air, hitting me softly on the side of the head. Molly glared at me. “Stop apologising!” she cried. “I wish I had known. That explains why you crawled into my nest so often.”

“That nest was pretty amazing,” I said weakly.

“It was. If only you’d told me, we could have set up your own nest. We could have kept it between us and not let anyone know.”

I had wanted that—and I knew that Molly would have taken my secret to the grave. There was a deep part of me that was terrified if I let myself indulge in any omega instincts they would snowball.

“I didn’t want to risk doing anything omega like.”

“Well, that stops now. You are in distress. You are in a foreign country. The least you can do is give yourself a little squish. So, I swear to God, get your ass up out of this bed and into that shower, and we’re going shopping. I’m not mad at you, but if you don’t get out of this bed, I will get mad.”

I looked at her through tear-filled eyes. Her lips were set in a determined line. I’d seen that look many times before. I knew there was little use fighting it.

“You’re too good for me, you know that?”

“Hush, let’s go get you some squishy things!”

Chapter Forty-One

Alexis

It could have been days, or it could have been weeks. Time had ceased to have meaning as I’d curled up in my new nest. I spent the majority of the first day sobbing. The second day, I tried to pull myself together before having a breakdown in the shower.

The only reason I knew days were passing by instead of hours was the slow rising and setting of the sun changing the light in my room, sending bright waves of light across my newly built nest or drowning it in darkness.

Both Molly and Oliver had been making regular appearances with food. I was fairly certain the doorman was reporting back to Molly anything and everything about me. There wasn’t much to report, though. I hardly left my bed. They did their best to deliver three square meals to my room every day. All I wanted to do was rot in bed, my appetite was non existent. My chest felt hollow, like an essential part of me was missing. Was this really what the independence I had fought so hard for felt like?

I wanted a refund.

Molly had pimped my bed out with a million blankets and pillows, and she had wanted to stay with me, but her heat was due, and I insisted she go home. She needed to be around her alphas, not comforting me.

How had I allowed myself to get to this point? I was a mess. Pathetic, in fact. I wasn’t the kind of girl to cry over boys. I was the type who would quickly move on to bigger and better things.

Only, I wasn’t sure there were better things. In the last few months, I had gotten so obscenely attached to these alphas. I’d slotted into their life easily, like I was always meant to be there.

Part of me wanted to throw caution to the wind and tell them. Despite all my drive and all my desperation, I couldn’t ignore the small part of me that was saying that being their omega would have been amazing. I had no doubt that they would have cared for me the way Molly’s pack cared for her. What woman wouldn’t want that?

But would they have let me continue with my career?

Sure, they were happy for me to study and work when I was just a beta, but people treated omegas differently. They expected them to stay home, have babies, be pretty and available. It was a bunch of sexist bullshit, unfortunately.

I was roused from sleep by knocking on the door. Molly had visited me several times to check on how I was doing, but I sent her away every time. She needed to focus on her approaching heat.

“Molly, I don’t wanna talk right now,” I called out, my voice listless. Hopefully she would get the message and walk away. Or she would get Oliver to let her in, that was also a distinct possibility.

“It’s not Molly.”

I sat up, ramrod straight, staring at my closed front door with shock. I recognised that voice far too easily.

Calvin.

“Go away,” I said, trying to keep my voice firm. The last thing I needed was another verbal lashing from Calvin. I didn’t think I could survive that.

“Alexis, we need to talk.”

“No, we don’t.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Well, I’m not opening the door,” I growled. Grabbing one of the pillows, I hugged it to my chest as I glowered at the door.

“Something happened, okay? Wyatt isn’t doing well.”

That got my attention. With a sigh, I threw the pillow aside, clambered out of bed, and opened the front door.

Calvin looked like shit. The bags under his eyes were so dark, I doubted he had slept since our fight.

“What’s happened?” I asked.

“I think it’s the bond. Something is fucked up with it. God, it fucking stinks in here.”

“I’m sure they all hate me right now. They don’t need me.” Also, of course my room smelled bad. I had been wallowing in bed for days! I wasn’t going to point that out to him though.

“I haven’t told them yet. I haven’t had a chance. He’s hurting, and you can ease that.”

I wanted to just scream at him, to hit him and tell him to get the hell out of my building. Only, Wyatt was in pain.

“You look like shit,” I commented dryly.

“You should look in a mirror.” His response was snarky. I had been rotting in bed for several days; of course, I looked like crap. What was his excuse?

“I’ll come to help Wyatt. That’s it. Then I’ll come home.”

“Well, it’s clear that you don’t want anything else from us,” he said, his voice dejected.

“Oh, shut up. You know I had feelings for you. You’re the one that kicked me out.”

“You left! This bond could be permanent and you left!” Every fibre of my being was praying that the bond was in fact, not permanent. Being tied to a pack that hated me did not sound like a good time.

“Oh, bugger off. We do not have time for this.” I grabbed my handbag, glaring at Calvin as I rushed around the room, grabbing my bits . “Do you want me to help Wyatt or not?” I asked pointedly.

“Yes, come on. I’ll drive.”

I didn’t say a single word to Calvin as we pulled up outside the packhouse. Slamming the car door behind me, I rushed straight in.

Wyatt was almost in the exact same position I’d been in thirty minutes prior—curled up in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

“Wyatt,” I whispered.

“Hey, baby,” he said, his voice despondent. His face looked gaunt, his eyes haunted. The sight of him in such a state hurt.

Without another word, I crawled into the bed. He opened his arms for me to nuzzle into his side. Burying my nose in his neck, I inhaled his rich oakmoss scent.

“It hurts,” he said simply.

“I know. Calvin told me.”

It had been several days since I had last taken my suppressants. Ever since Calvin had thrown them across the room, and I had been busy wallowing in my bed, I hadn’t been able to take them.

Which is probably why, as I was holding Wyatt in my arms, desperate to make him feel better, a purr rose in my chest.

Omega’s and alpha’s purred. Beta’s didn’t. It was another habit I had never let myself indulge in.

“What?” Wyatt asked, his voice slightly slurred. “Are you?”

“Just roll with it,” I insisted, nuzzling deeper into his neck, the purr ramping up.

It did its magic, and we were asleep in no time.

Chapter Forty-Two

Wyatt

Holy fuck.

She smelled amazing.

Chocolate, but oh so fruity. Instead of the subtle hint of fruit I had grown used to, she now possessed a potent, sweet-yet-bitter fragrance. It hit me in the face at full force, and every nerve ending in my body lit up.

When she left, I had been fine at first. Then the tugging in my chest started. I had distracted myself any way that I could—exercise, video games—but nothing worked.

Calvin hadn’t told us why she had gone back to her place, only that it was for the best. I had wanted to ask more, but I was already starting to feel the effects of the distance.

By the first night, I was gone. My chest felt hollow, and some deep part of me felt so damn despondent.

Why wasn’t Alexis coming to me?

Why weren’t the guys getting her?

She is mine. I need her.

I had laid in bed for hours, whining at my packmates to bring her to me.

Eventually, I started to go numb. Days passed and I refused to leave bed. Nothing could move me. Even when Calvin came and yelled at me I didn’t flinch, opting to stare at a single speck of dirt on the wall and whine in pain.

Teddy and Miles had both checked on me wearing jerseys twice, so I must have missed a few practices while I lamented in bed.

“Why can’t we fucking get her?” Miles had growled.

“She’s gone, okay?” Calvin had growled back. “We need to make do without her!”

“That is such bullshit—I’m going to her place!”

Calvin growled at Miles. Why was he growling? We wanted Alexis.

When the numbness became too much, everything else ceased to exist. My body was on fire, and not in the sexy way. I was burning up, exhausted, and unable to do anything other than lie in bed.

I could have been lying there hours, days, or even fucking weeks, for all I knew.

Nothing made sense. The entire world felt like it was in black and white.

I smelled her entering the room before I saw her. My eyes had remained firmly locked on the ceiling as her warm body crawled onto the bed, her scent hitting me stronger than it ever had. It was somehow both sweeter and richer. Had the distance made me appreciate her scent that much more?

Already, I could feel the tension in my chest easing, just from her being near.

Then she started to purr.

Purr.

Betas didn’t purr.

Omegas did.

I desperately wanted to question her. Was I hallucinating? Surely, I was imagining things. There was no way she was purring for me.

Only, the steady lull of her purr radiated through my body, pulling me into a deep sleep.

When I opened my eyes, I felt a million times better. My body no longer felt weighed down and heavy, even though I had a particularly stubborn beta laid across my chest.

Alexis’s cheek was pressed to my chest, her face scrunched up with sleep. Her hair was in a bun, but it seemed like most of the locks had fallen out.

Now I had some time to recover. With her near, I could smell just how different she was. She smelled even more like an omega, which was impossible.

Then again, she had purred.

“How are you feeling?” Miles asked. I turned my head. He was sitting in a chair next to my bed, watching over us with rapt attention.

“A lot better.” My voice was hoarse. “Am I hallucinating, or did she purr?”

“You’re not hallucinating. It seems Calvin didn’t tell us the real reason she left.”

“She’s an omega?” My hand gently went up to her head, brushing a few loose strands out of her face. She looked so peaceful, beautiful. My heart rate picked up. Surely this was a good thing? “Why would that make her leave? Isn’t her being an omega amazing? Like shit, we can keep her.”

“It would be if she hadn’t hidden it from us.” Calvin’s voice came from the doorway. He stood there, a frown on his face as he watched us lying together. He had a steaming mug in his hand that he placed on my bedside table. “Some light soup. You need to eat.”

“What do you mean? She was trying to hide it from us?”

“I found her suppressants. She decided it wasn’t worth telling us even though your bite mark was on her neck. If she were a beta, the distance wouldn’t have made you so sick.”

“Has she said why she’s taking them?” I asked. My mind was feeling slightly fuzzy. I was struggling to figure out what was so terrible about this situation. We had all been unhappy with the fact that she was a beta. We had fallen in love with her, despite her designation. In my mind, her being an omega was a dream come true.

“Some bullshit reason to do with her classes,” Calvin growled.

I scowled at him. “Who are you to say her reasons are bullshit?”

He went to open his mouth, probably to say something scathing, but stopped when Alexis moved on my chest, slowly stretching and blearily opening her eyes. Her gaze was heavy with sleep. I hadn’t taken a good look at her when she came in, but now that I was feeling better, I could see far more clearly. She looked exhausted. Her eyes were puffy and swollen, and she had deep purple bags under her eyes.

“Hey,” I greeted her gently, cupping the side of her face. “Are you okay?”

She swallowed, her eyes not meeting mine. “Yeah, of course I’m okay. I’m sorry that I left. I didn’t realise you were still that deep in the bond. I uh…bathroom.” She scrambled off the bed, practically running past Calvin, refusing to even look at him.

“I think we all need to sit down and have a conversation,” I growled, sitting up. My body ached and my head felt heavy.

“Suppose we do,” he agreed. “Teddy’s making lunch. He’ll be here in a minute.”

Teddy. How had he reacted when he found out she was an omega? He had been obsessed with her since the first time they had met. He had turned down his parents’ many attempts to set him up with suitable omegas because of his feelings for Alexis. But if she were an omega, that would make her far more suitable in the eyes of his ridiculous, stuffy parents.

It also meant heats and nesting. Omegas were undeniably adorable in that way. Omega behaviours sang to our instincts. Everything that made us alphas made us want to care, protect, love, and claim omegas. We’d been having some of those feelings for Alexis, which had shocked us, given the fact that she was a beta. But now it was starting to make a whole lot more sense.

Only, we needed to know why.

Did she not trust us?

Teddy had baked a few frozen pizzas and piled them high onto a tray. Noticing me as he entered the room, he beamed. “You’re looking a lot better, Wy. How are you feeling?”

“Back to normal, pretty much,” I admitted.

“Where’s Alexis?”

“Bathroom,” Miles informed him.

“How long has she been in there?”

“Pretty sure she’s hiding,” Calvin said, crossing his arms.

“Not hiding,” a small voice growled from the direction of the adjoining bathroom. “Are you now monitoring how long it takes me to piss?” She glared at Calvin.

Clearly, he had done something to annoy her.

“Wyatt, if you’re feeling better, I think I need to get going,” she said.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” It was Calvin who spoke. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Alexis turned on him, levelling him with a glare. “I’m a free adult. I can go wherever the hell I want.”

“You’re not. You’re an omega who’s technically breaking the law.”

“How the hell am I breaking the law?”

“Are you registered as an omega? Because it’s illegal to hide that and I’m pretty sure if the university knew, Teddy would know!”

Teddy sat on the edge of the bed as I scooted back so I was up against the headboard. Miles stayed in his seat, and Calvin remained leaning in the doorway. Alexis looked around, like she was trying to assess her options.

Finally, she stood at the foot of the bed, her arms crossed, her posture almost defensive. “Look, what I do and don’t choose to put on my paperwork has nothing to do with you guys.”

“You’re really an omega, sparky?” Teddy asked in a soft voice filled with wonder.

Alexis nodded. “I guess there’s no use lying about it now.”

“So, you admit that you lied?” Calvin growled.

“For my own protection? Hell yes, I would lie. You would do the exact same thing in my position.”

“Why?” My question was simple.

She sighed. “As you know, I have wanted to study mechanical engineering for the longest time. I presented as an omega when I was fourteen, and from that day on, all my family could talk about were my future alphas. It was like the minute I perfumed, they forgot that I was a human being with my own thoughts and feelings.” Tears welled up in her eyes, and she sat down on the end of the bed, running her hand loosely through her hair. Her voice was laced with pain. “Overnight, I became nothing to them, other than the mother of their future grandbabies. Any academic hopes that I had were suddenly discouraged. After all, if I was going to go to university, it better be for something like childcare, because that was what I was going to be doing when I was an adult.” She scoffed.

“That’s pretty shitty of them,” Teddy said. “I can’t say exactly how that feels, but I do understand what it’s like to have shitty parents. You remember?”

Alexis grimaced at the memory. “Yeah. I have no intention of repeating that anytime soon. Anyway, when I turned eighteen, I secretly applied for university. One of my dads helped me get the correct medication to hide what I am. It’s not illegal to take suppressants. I managed to get into university with a full-ride scholarship. The day after I turned eighteen, I left.”

“But why hide it in the first place?” Miles asked. Calvin went to open his mouth, but Miles shot him a glare. “For God’s sake Calvin, let her speak without interrupting her.”

He said nothing, but he didn’t look happy about it.

“You know, mechanical engineering is very male dominated. There are a lot of alphas in the programme. I know you guys have been around your fair share of omegas, but I doubt you’ve seen how they are treated in situations like that. If I’d gone to my first day of classes smelling like an omega, I would have had to deal with endless taunts. All my fellow classmates would see was someone who was trying to find an alpha or looking for a knot.”

“I can attest to that,” Teddy said. “There was actually an omega here in our first year. She didn’t last two weeks. Every fucking guy in the class was determined to sleep with her. Several of them got very pissy when she turned him down. It’s not exactly the ideal environment for an omega.”

“And that’s not my fault,” Alexis said. “I shouldn’t have to give up the one thing that I love studying because a load of knotheads can’t fucking behave themselves.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” My voice was still rough from being sick, and Alexis looked over at me with concern. “We wouldn’t have treated you any differently.”

“You guys…kind of crept up on me. At first, it was just some quick and easy fun. A little car sex or a little office sex. While the medication managed to keep my heats away, I was still hypersexual. You guys were sweet and a good way to scratch that itch. Then it became more. By the time I realised I was falling for you guys, I was in too deep. I knew you guys wanted an omega, and you were willing to give that up for me. But if you knew what I was, would you have still thought that way?”

“What do you mean?” Miles asked.

“Do you know a single omega who has an active career? Much less one that often requires manual labour, like mechanical engineering?” We all shook our heads. “Exactly. Anytime I’ve spoken to alphas about their future omegas, they’ve all made it very clear that they could never imagine their omega holding down a job, or even studying such a manly subject.” She grimaced, sticking out her tongue slightly in disgust. Even though she was expressing her distaste at those alphas’ words, her expression was still adorable to me.

“It’s certainly not common,” I agreed.

“Which is why I couldn’t risk it. I never set out to hurt you guys. All I wanted to do was work with engines. Then Wyatt bit me, and everything seemed to spiral from there.”

“But you lied to us,” Calvin said, though his frown had softened slightly by his confusion. Her words were getting to him, but he was being stubborn.

“Do you believe that an omega has rights to her own body? What do you believe? That her body is property of her pack? That they get to make medical decisions for her?” She levelled him with a glare, and Calvin actually stumbled over his words slightly.

“Well, uh, well of course not. But, usually, an omega would ask the opinion of her family and alphas before doing anything big.”

“My family are assholes, and I didn’t even know you guys when I made the decision to do this. This was my choice, my body. I understand why it was upsetting, and I will even apologise for not telling you guys sooner. But one thing I will not do, Calvin, is apologise for doing it in the first place. Alpha, beta, omega. It doesn’t matter what I am. I was exercising my right as a woman to stop my heats and stave off any unwanted advances.”

“Why did you leave?” Miles asked.

“Calvin accused me of lying to you guys so I could use you. There were some gold digger comments thrown around.”

We all glared at him. Seriously? Alexis was painfully independent.

Also, we were loaded. If she wanted to dig for gold, she was more than welcome.

“I may have jumped to conclusions,” he admitted begrudgingly.

Alexis snorted. “You sure did. But you were right about something. This clearly wouldn’t have worked. If I’ve got to stick around for a few days for Wyatt, I will, so hopefully the bond will ease, but then I’m going back to my own place.”

“What do you mean this clearly wouldn’t have worked?” I asked, leaning forward.

“You guys don’t know me, not fully. I never intended to be part of a pack, and we never should have let it get so far.”

Chapter Forty-Three

Teddy

She didn’t think we would work?

That was the biggest load of bullshit I had ever heard.

She was an omega.

I didn’t think Alexis could be any more perfect for us, but I had been proven wrong.

We were biologically driven to be with an omega—Alexis was amazing, and we hadn’t cared that she was a beta…but an omega?

Fuck me.

Exhausted from our conversation, we had left her and Wyatt in his room, where they had promptly fallen back asleep. They both looked like they had been through the wringer. They needed someone to look after them.

Care for your omega! a voice inside me screamed. Ever since I had felt the soft vibrations of her purr, I had been obsessed. She had come back to the packhouse, despite Calvin being an ass, to take care of Wyatt. Were those her omega instincts driving her? She smelled sweeter, but surely, that was a figment of my imagination if she was still taking suppressants?

“Why are you being such a dick to her?” I asked Calvin as we carried several dishes back down to the kitchen, Miles following us.

“Aren’t you pissed about the lies?” he asked, putting his dish down a little too hard on the kitchen countertop.

“I mean, she had her reasons. What is there to be angry about? This is a good thing. It’s like finding out the guy you’ve been dating for years is actually a prince who’s going to whisk you away—like those bodice-ripper romance books Ma loves to hide in her bedside table and pretend she doesn’t read.”

“She doesn’t trust us.”

“She hardly knows us. We’ve been together for maybe three months, at most. Believe it or not, it takes time for some people to become open to sharing their deepest, darkest secrets.”

Calvin gave me a funny look. He was the prickliest of us, and I knew it came from a good place, but man, was it annoying me right now—and it took a lot for me to get annoyed. We had something potentially amazing in front of us, and I didn’t want it ruined because he was being an overly cautious bonehead.

“I’m with Teddy,” Miles said, taking a seat at the kitchen table and pulling out his laptop, opening it and pressing on a few buttons. “This is a non-issue for me. I don’t give a damn what Alexis is. Her being an omega is merely a bonus. But if it’s her choice not to let people know she’s an omega at this point, then we will date her as a beta.”

“Just how angry did you get when you found out?” I asked Calvin.

“Pretty angry,” he admitted, crossing his arms and leaning back against the kitchen counter.

“Cal.” Miles sighed, looking away from his computer screen. “Do you want to know what I think? I think you fucked up. We’re all happy that Alexis is an omega, and we all understand why she hid it. You’ve had hang-ups about our relationship with her, but even you have to admit you fell damn hard. I’ve never seen you so obsessive when it came to caring for someone who wasn’t a member of your pack.”

“I’m not obsessive,” Calvin grumbled defensively.

“Is that why there are bottles of water in every single room of this house, as well as protein bars and those little chocolate snacks that she loves so much?” Miles asked with a raised brow.

Calvin opened his mouth to speak but quickly closed it. He had been caring for Alexis ever since she had stepped foot in our home. When she was sick, he insisted on caring for her. In fact, he wouldn’t let us look after her—only him.

“Alexis can be rough around the edges, but that’s all part of her fucking beauty. Has she ever done anything to hurt us?” I asked.

“She could be lying about other things,” Calvin suggested weakly, but his tone made it clear he didn’t believe the crap coming out of his own mouth.

I snorted. “I highly doubt it, but even if she is, only time will tell. You can’t keep treating her like this. The hot and cold thing is going to run her off forever.”

Calvin sighed, busying himself with drying a recently cleaned glass.

“It’s obvious to everyone but you that you’re in love with her,” Miles said.

“Her betrayal stung because I love her!” Calvin growled, turning around, looking at us with wild eyes. We both gaped at him as he seemed to realise what he’d said, looking startled by his own revelation. “I love her…” he whispered.

“Of course, you do. We all do. But do you really think what she did was a betrayal? Honestly, I saw the way the omega was treated when she joined our class. It wasn’t pretty. I don’t think we can blame her for wanting to protect herself from that sort of behaviour.” I grimaced. “I would hate to see someone I love be treated that way.”

“But given your family’s position, she wouldn’t.”

“Now, possibly. But she had no idea who I was when she enrolled.” I shrugged. “If we blame her for protecting herself, that kinda makes us dicks.”

Miles closed his laptop and levelled Calvin with a knowing smirk. “Also, Cal, you never told her the truth about her scholarship, did you? Why didn’t you do that if you’re so serious about being honest?”

Oh, crap. I probably needed to have a conversation with Alexis about that. She was going to Taser me in the dick again, I just knew it.

“To protect us from getting in trouble because Teddy is obsessed with her… Shit,” Calvin groaned, realisation dawning on his face. “I see what you mean. I totally overreacted, didn’t I?”

“In my opinion, you overreacted because you care about us, which isn’t the worst thing in the world. It just means you’ve got a hell of a lot of apologising to do to Alexis. We all like her and want a relationship with her.”

“How do I even go about that?”

“I could buy her a classic car! I bet she would love tinkering with one of those engines,” I declared, my mind already running through possibilities. The mental image of Alexis in tiny denim shorts, bent over the hood of a car while working on the engine, covered in grease and showing off her spectacular ass, had me drooling.

“Do you want her to taser you again?” Miles asked with a chuckle.

Ignoring him, I spoke to Calvin. “She’s going to be here a few more days, no matter what, because clearly her bond with Wyatt hasn’t ebbed enough. So, you’ve got a few days to talk to her.” I also had plenty of time to dazzle her with my dick and ensure she was too cock-happy to leave.

Calvin groaned, throwing his head back dramatically. “I need to make this up to her.”

Chapter Forty-Four

Alexis

For the first time in days, my body was actually relaxed. As I slowly woke to the sensation of someone scratching my back, my body felt sore, the kind of sore you get from a bone-deep, extremely restful sleep.

I was lying on top of a chest, my nose smashed into the T-shirt fabric. Oakmoss and Lavalin.

Wyatt.

Slowly stretching, I took in the room. My bedmate was already awake and looking up at me with a soft, sleepy smile on his face.

“Hey there, sweetheart,” he said softly.

“Hey.” My voice was unusually quiet. “I’m sorry I left.”

Wyatt snorted lightly. His hands never left me. They were either slowly gliding up and down my back or pushing a piece of hair off my face. Or just holding onto my hand. “I’m not surprised you left; Calvin told us what an ass he’s been.”

“Are you mad at me?” I didn’t think I could take it if he was. For so long, I’d been able to brush off what other people thought of me. I had been able to keep my head high. Calvin’s hatred had broken something in me, and I didn’t think I could have taken it from the others.

Wyatt’s eyes widened. “Of course not! Alexis, why in the world would I be mad at you?”

“Because I didn’t tell you I was an omega?”

“It would have been nice to know. The whole purring thing is pretty amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever slept so deeply in my life.”

“I didn’t even know I could do that,” I admitted shyly.

“You’ve never purred before?”

“No. I left home when I turned eighteen and was taking suppressants, so it never happened. When I saw you in pain, though, it was like the most natural thing. It happened without me even thinking about it.”

“Well, I’m happy for you to do that anytime. It was like the best sleeping drug and crack at once.”

I gently sat up, careful not to jostle him. I felt grimy. It had been far too long since I’d had a shower. Wyatt wasn’t smelling particularly fresh, either.

“I think we kind of smell,” I admitted, scrunching my nose, making Wyatt laugh.

“Yeah, it’s been a few days. I should probably shower now that I’m feeling a little better. Have you still got things here?”

I nodded. In my rush to leave, I’d only grabbed a few items before returning to my dorm. Moving towards the edge of the bed, I let out a yip of surprise as a strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back.

Wyatt leaned over me, but instead of leaning in for a kiss on my lips, like I thought he would, his lips gently brushed my forehead.

“Whatever’s going on, we will be okay. I loved you as a beta and I love you as an omega. Don’t worry.”

Love? He was really bringing up love?

I was also in love with him, but I wasn’t sure how to say it. Opening my mouth no words came out. “I…uh…”

Wyatt kissed the top of my head. “I know you love me too, you don’t need to say it right now,” he reassured me. “You’ve got enough to stress about with classes. Go take a long hot shower, and then why don’t we curl up and spend the rest of the day watching TV?”

I groaned at the mention of classes. “I should probably be studying.”

“One more day won’t make a difference. We need time to recover.”

Usually, I would have turned him down, insisted on doing my classwork. After all, nothing was more important than getting my degree. But after spending several days curled up in bed, sobbing, with a heaviness to my chest, I finally felt slightly better. Would it be that terrible to let myself feel good for a while?

The shower was downright orgasmic. I hadn’t been paying attention to my personal hygiene while I’d been rotting in my bed for days, and that became horribly apparent when I stood under the hot spray.

I didn’t even know if I was allowed to shower in my old room. Or was it still my room? If Wyatt was getting sick, then I probably couldn’t leave again, but Calvin had made it pretty clear that he didn’t want me to stay.

Sighing, I rested my head on the cool tile of the shower while hot water beat down on my back. Calvin was the one who had brought me back here, but he hadn’t exactly been clear about what that meant.

Thankfully, I still had a fair amount of clothing in the wardrobe. Grabbing the first comfortable items I could find, I shimmied into a tiny pair of cotton shorts and an oversized Henley style shirt that was so large, it slid off my shoulder.

Instead of drying my hair, I opted to throw it up into a damp bun. Grabbing my phone, I drafted a message to Molly, letting her know what had happened. I played it down somewhat, because I didn’t want her storming over here to try and help me. I fully believed that her threat to sic Zach on any of the pack was far from an empty threat.

Chapter Forty-Five

Calvin

Iwas in love with her.

How was I only just realising that?

For weeks now, this woman had infuriated me and, at the same time, every fibre of my being demanded that I take care of her. Instead of making her comfortable and secure, I had yelled at her and mistreated her, I jumped to conclusions like an ass.

If my mother could see me now, she would have probably put me through a window in her anger. Mrs. Galloway wasn’t someone to be messed with.

As much as I hated to admit it, Alexis being an omega also changed things. It amplified my guilt by one-hundred-fold. It was one thing to be an asshole to a beta who you knew could handle herself. After all, I had watched Alexis taser Teddy in the balls; she clearly had a good handle on things. But some deep, instinctual part of me was pissed that I had gotten so belligerent with an omega. They were meant to be protected, loved, cherished. Inadvertently, I had been going against every single one of my instincts when I’d been an ass to her. Maybe that was why I felt so terrible.

God, all I wanted now was to make up with her. To let her know I was a complete ass. I would do anything it took to make it up to her.

Even when exhausted, Alexis was beautiful. When I had gone to her dormitory to grab her for Wyatt, I had expected my anger to stop me from being so enthralled by her. That was a pipe dream. Even with dark bags under her eyes and messy hair, she was still stunning. The second she’d opened the door, the sweetest scent hit me. It was Alexis. The same cocoa scent I was used to, but with a rich, fruity twist that was somehow sweeter and richer than before. She was starting to smell more like an omega.

If she hadn’t agreed to come with me, I’d been fully prepared to throw over my shoulder and bring her home. Part of me wanted to do that, anyway. The urge to claim and keep my omega safe near me was strong. Thankfully, she came with me willingly, because I was pretty sure the doorman would have called the police on me, and I would have probably been fired.

It would have been worth it, though.

Wyatt was already feeling a hundred times better. He’d eaten and had a few naps with Alexis. Every now and then, I had gone into the room to check on them and had found them curled up together. Alexis’s back pressed to his chest, his arms wrapped around her, his nose buried in her hair.

Wyatt was sick. I shouldn’t be jealous of him, but I was.

I had spent all night racking my brain, trying to think of something I could do for Alexis. I kept thinking of potential ideas and dismissing them. Alexis wasn’t exactly a chocolate and flowers kind of girl. If I was going to do something to prove how I felt about her, it had to be right for her.

Finally, at four in the morning, after many hours of tossing and turning, an idea came to me.

As sleep clearly wasn’t going to happen, I sat up in bed and grabbed my laptop. I had some shopping to do. As I sat in bed, computer in my lap, I couldn’t help but imagine how it would feel to have Alexis curled up next to me.

I left the packhouse before anyone else was even up, having stayed awake all night, compiling an order for pickup. I could sleep after I fixed things.

Even though I had spent a large portion of pack funds, it was going to be worth it. When I had picked up Alexis from her dorm to bring her back, I’d noticed the new pillows and blankets adorning her bed. Clearly, she wanted to nest.

So, I was going to give her the best fucking nest possible.

When we had picked out the packhouse two years prior, we had picked one with an omega suite. It had never been used, the doors had remained closed, and I doubted any of us had stepped foot in it since we’d purchased the property.

Now it was time to use it.

“Uh… Cal, why does it look like a bedding monster threw up in here?” Miles asked from the doorway.

Maybe because I had purchased as many pillows, blankets, comforters, and comfortable squishy things in as many varieties as possible at the store.

“She needs a nest,” I said simply. Surely it was obvious—I was standing in the omega suite with nesting materials. It shouldn’t take a genius to figure out why.

“So, you took it upon yourself to start building her nest before the sun was even up?” Miles rubbed his hand over his face. “Also, isn’t this the sort of shit you need to run by her? What if she doesn’t like some of those fabrics?”

“Then I’ll give her a credit card, and she can buy whatever she wants for the nest… this is just a start. She’s exhausted, as is Wy. She’s probably not up for shopping. It’s the least I can do.”

I had used various tones of blue, since that was the colour I had seen Alexis gravitate towards. A lot of her bags, her folders, and many items in her wardrobe were blue. She had never said it out loud, but it was clear she favoured the colour. Most of her nest was a deep navy blue with the odd smattering of pale blue.

Considering I’d never even tried to build a nest, I didn’t think it was that bad. But my opinion wasn’t what mattered. It was Alexis’s opinion I worried about.

“I will admit, it’s nice seeing this room being used. It’s been empty for far too long. Do you think she’ll want it?” Miles asked.

It was true. I’d had to dust the room thoroughly before I’d even thought about bringing in the bedding. Even the maid service we used had never entered the room. We wanted to keep it odourless. Ready for our omega to coat the room in her own scent.

“Hopefully she does, but I’m not going to force her to take it. I’ll show her once she wakes up.”

“She and Wyatt are going to class today,” Miles informed me.

“They are?” Their separation had been so hard on them, I’d thought it would be days, if not weeks, before they went back to class. “Isn’t it a little soon?”

“They’re both in pretty intense programmes. I don’t think they can afford to take any more time off. They’ll be sticking to each other’s sides like glue, though.”

This bond was proving difficult for both. Alexis had never outright said she was struggling with it, but I had noticed when she had been away from Wyatt for some time, she didn’t look healthy. She was often anxious to get back to his side. In the early days of the bond, it was small things, like her eyes searching for him in a room or her checking her phone, trying to figure out when his class was over.

I didn’t even know what their bond was. When they first came to me after the bite, I had explained to them the logistics of beta biting. Only, this wasn’t beta biting. Alexis was an omega. That made things different. How? I had no idea. I needed to do some research.

“I’m not sure their bond is temporary,” I admitted.

Miles’s expression fell. “Wait, what do you mean?”

“One-sided bonds with betas are temporary. I have no clue if they are when it comes to omegas.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah, that’s half the reason I was so pissed. What are you doing today?” I asked, more to distract myself than him.

“I’ve got a fairly empty day. I was supposed to be in a robotics lab all day, but I may have accidentally exploded a small robot, so the university asked me to take the day off.”

My eyebrows raised. We were going to have to discuss that later, once we took care of everything else.

“In that case, just join me in doing a bit of research?”

“Usually, the idea of research would make me want to go hide under the bed, but considering this is important to the future of our pack? I’ll join.” Miles grinned, picking up a pale blue, almost lavender-coloured pillow off the floor and throwing it gently onto the bed.

“Think the first stop is going to be the university library.”

“Lead the way, Daddy!” Miles smirked. He had been looking for a moment to call me that ever since he had heard Alexis use that name for me.

“Shut up,” I growled, but there was no heat behind the words.

“You didn’t have to stab him that hard!” Alexis laughed, taking a bite of her burrito.

I had taken the day off—called in sick for the first time since I started teaching—and spent the day researching.

I had purchased a small forest’s worth of textbooks and, still, nothing. There was one last thing I could do, but I wanted to wait and ask Alexis’s opinion before moving forward.

Hawking has an exemplary omega studies programme. Some of the professors here were top in the world. Undoubtedly, they would have the answers we needed. I could make the inquiries without giving her name, but it would still be out of place, me asking these random questions about an omega pretending to be a beta.

No secrets. That’s the way we had to operate from now on.

“I didn’t stab him!” Wyatt cried indignantly.

Alexis turned to us, her face lighting up as she recounted how Wyatt had accidentally stabbed a poor volunteer he was supposed to be taking blood from.

“I’m sure it happens to the best of us.” Teddy nodded sagely.

Wyatt groaned, running a hand over his face. “The professor looked at me like I was certifiable! He’s for sure going to fail me.”

“It was one bad day,” I reasoned. “I’m sure that isn’t enough to tank your future nursing career.”

“Isn’t there a huge shortage of nurses here?” Alexis asked. “I’m pretty sure they can’t afford for you to fail.”

“Somehow, that isn’t exactly comforting,” Wyatt grumbled.

It really wasn’t. I was suddenly thankful we had excellent health insurance. The whole pack did.

“Speaking of health care, Alexis.” I turned to look at her. She had her burrito stuffed into her mouth and her eyes widened. She had to either eat the huge bite and chew or embarrass herself. I couldn’t help but laugh at her predicament.

“Sorry,” she mumbled once she finally swallowed the gargantuan bite. “It’s too damn good.” As she spoke, she wiped at the corners of her mouth, probably worried about sour cream or guacamole spillage.

I had already eaten two burritos, and I wholeheartedly agreed. “I need to get your details for our health insurance—you should be on our plan.”

“Oh, yeah!” Teddy cried, while Alexis looked at me in confusion.

“Why would I need to be on your health plan?” she asked, brows furrowed.

“Because the student health plan is only the basics, and their providers aren’t the best. Thanks to Teddy’s parents, we have fancy insurance for the whole pack.”

“But I’m not pack…”

“You are!” Wyatt cried, as everyone else around the table voiced their disagreement with her statement.

“It’s for your health. Just let us do this. We can discuss the semantics later, okay? What if you have an accident? Please, for our peace of mind.”

Alexis nodded, not meeting my eyes as she nibbled her bottom lip. I hated that she was still nervous; she shouldn’t have to be around me. But I had created this situation, and I had to fix it.

Once we had all finished eating, Teddy and Wyatt went to put their dishes away, and Miles flopped on the sofa in front of the TV.

“Nurse Wyatt,” he moaned from the sofa, “I think I’m entering a food coma.”

“Serves you right for eating four burritos.” Alexis laughed, leaning over and patting his head lightly.

“Hey.” I gently cupped Alexis’s elbow as she straightened up. “There’s something I want to show you.”

She gave me a cautious look, thinking for a moment, before giving her answer. “Okay.”

“It’s upstairs. Come with me.” I led her up the stairs, keeping my hand on the small of her back. She didn’t flinch away from my touch, but she didn’t lean into it, either. Not long ago, she would have been leaning into my side. Maybe even pawing at me or making dirty jokes.

I would regret messing this up for a long time.

When we turned down the hall toward the omega suite, Alexis’s steps faltered. “I’ve never been down here. I thought this was all storage?”

“It’s more than just storage,” I admitted as we reached the large set of double doors that lead toward the main omega suite.

She looked at me with confusion as I opened the doors. It was probably a better idea to show her before trying to explain. I didn’t know if I could even find the right words to explain it at that moment.

Taking two steps into the room, her eyes widened as she realised what it was. The nest itself was ridiculously large, easily big enough to sleep an entire pack.

At least, in theory. But the nest I had made for Alexis was piled so high with pillows, I doubted anyone else other than her would fit.

“I didn’t realise you guys had a nest here…” She trailed off, rapidly blinking as she took in the room.

“We wanted a house with an omega suite when we moved in, but we never decorated the room. We left it empty.”

Alexis laughed, taking in all the various throw pillows and blankets piled high on every surface. “It doesn’t look very empty.”

“That’s because I filled it…for you,” I admitted, my heart beating rapidly in my chest.

Alexis’s face went slack for a moment as she took a slow lap around the room. She hugged herself and bit her lip. Her sweet scent had a burnt edge to it.

That wasn’t exactly the response I was looking for.

“You can change it or add to it however you want. I just know you’ve been busy recently, so I wanted to set it up for you. But you can use the pack funds to do whatever you want—change the colours, change the fabrics. Whatever you want.”

“You built me a nest?” she asked, her hand reaching out and lightly touching some of the pillows. I nodded. “Why?”

“Why did I build you a nest?” She nodded, her eyes not fully meeting mine as they darted around the room. “Because you’re an omega… you need a nest.” I said it like it was obvious. I had never heard of an omega not having a nest.

“I haven’t had a nest for a very long time, Calvin, because I don’t live as an omega.”

“Yeah, but things are different now.” Why wasn’t she happy? Omegas adored nesting. It was one of the core things about them.

Nesting and knots. Those were the fundamentals that made omegas happy.

Alexis sighed, running her hand lightly through her hair. “Why would you give me a nest if you didn’t even want me to stay?”

“I do want you to stay. Look, I fucked up. I admit that. I get that you were doing it for your own reasons, but things are different now that we know you’re an omega. We want to make this work.”

Her face fell and her body language tightened, her shoulders caving in protectively.

Something about her stance told me that I had just royally put my foot in my mouth.

“Huh, I guess now you know I’m an omega, I am much more valuable. I mean—” She broke off with a dry laugh.

“That’s not it at all. I want you to be comfortable.”

“So, you got me a nest? Calvin, I don’t want a nest from you.”

Shit. Somehow I had messed up. I wasn’t sure how, but I needed to make it better—immediately. “Then, what can I do to make this right? I know I messed things up, but we are good together. You are good as part of this pack. I am not above admitting that I was wrong.”

“But a nest, Calvin? Do you know what your choice of gift tells me? That now all you can think about is the fact that I’m an omega. While that is a part of who I am, it is a small part of who I am, especially while I’m taking suppressants.”

“Things will change now if we’re together. You won’t be taking them.”

“Who said I won’t be taking them if I’m staying here?” she asked sharply.

“I just…”

“You just assumed, instead of talking to me. Because now you know I’m an omega. You expect me to just fall in line and be a good girl for your knot? Ugh!” She threw her hands in the air in frustration. “For someone so damn smart, you are so boneheaded.”

Tears gathered in her eyes, despite her anger.

“Surely with the pack, you wouldn’t want to do that? You can be yourself here.”

“I still have a year and a half left of university.” She took a deep breath and looked at me with an almost pitying look in her eyes. That gaze made my stomach feel like lead. “I get that you messed up, and I get that you didn’t mean a lot of things that you said. But I’m not going to change everything about my life plans just because you made me a pretty nest.” She looked around the room, an almost wistful look on her face. “It is a nice nest.”

“If you are a bonded omega, the university can’t say shit about our relationship.”

Alexis’s eyes snapped to me. “So, you want me to sacrifice, so you’re more secure?”

“We would both be more secure.”

“Can you imagine the ridicule I’ll have to deal with from my classmates when they realise I’m an omega? Not only an omega, but one who’s bonded with the professor?”

“We’re in love with you,” I admitted, my mouth dry, my throat closing up with the force of the emotion.

Alexis closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Her voice was watery when she finally spoke. “I know. I’m pretty sure I’m also in love with you guys. But I can’t be sure if you love me for me, or because I can take a freaking knot.” Tears spilled over as she spoke. “Look at this gift. You made a lot of assumptions instead of talking to me, Calvin. You thought, hey, I’m the alpha. I’ll take control and make all the decisions. Only, I can’t live like that.” She took a deep, ragged sigh. “It’s a really fucking beautiful nest as well…”

Even if I didn’t fully understand it, I had messed up. My gift choice was for an omega, and Alexis had every right to be frustrated at me. I should have figured out something that would appeal to her as a person, not her as an omega.

“Alexis…”

“I’m going back to my room. I’m exhausted,” she said quickly, swiping at the tears on her face as she fled, leaving me standing there, opening and closing my mouth like a goddamned goldfish.

Chapter Forty-Six

Alexis

“We need to talk,” Calvin said, standing in my doorway. I had been trying to take a midafternoon nap and failing miserably. My heart ached at the sight of him.

I was in love with him.

It had been a whole day since the nesting disaster, and I had spent the majority of that time napping. Everything in me wanted to run into his arms, drag him into the nest, and spend the day curled up with him.

Only, I had no idea if he wanted me for me, or simply because I was an omega. Frankly, I didn’t have the brainpower to consider it anymore.

“I don’t really have the energy,” I mumbled, sitting up.

“I’ll just be a minute. It’s important,” he insisted gently.

“Fine,” I grumbled, running a hand through my hair and sighing. He could come in here; I wasn’t going to be getting up to have a chat with him.

He took a few tentative steps into the room before sitting on the edge of my bed. “I really messed this up, didn’t I?”

Instead of answering him, I just shrugged my shoulders. He knew that things weren’t right between us. He didn’t need me to reiterate it.

“I got you something,” he said. I hadn’t noticed the small bottle in his hands until he held it out for me.

I eyed the bottle cautiously. The last gift he had given me hadn’t exactly been a winner, and I was far from confident about this.

“What is it?” I asked, making no move to take it.

“New suppressants. I got some from Teddy’s family’s fancy doctor.”

That made me sit up a little straighter.

Ever since he had thrown my suppressants across the room during our fight, I hadn’t been able to get a refill. They would be wearing off soon enough—I desperately needed more, but they were so damn expensive, I had been avoiding it.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the bottle off him gingerly. I opened the bottle and looked at the little tablets inside, pleased to see the exact same ones I used to take, right down to the little lettering on the side.

“You have every right to live your life how you want to. We get no say in that. I get no say in that.”

My eyebrows lifted so high, they’d probably disappeared into my hairline at this point.

Calvin was sitting so close to me, I wanted to reach out and touch him, but something was holding me back. Cherry wine teased me, enticing me to come closer.

“You’ve changed your tune a bit. What happened to being absolutely horrified at the idea of me taking these?”

“I was an ass,” he said simply. “I never explained why I hated the idea of you taking them. I’ll be honest—part of me was shocked that you wouldn’t want the world to know you’re an omega, considering how they are usually so cherished. But I do understand it, to a degree. What tripped me up was that I know these aren’t good for you. When’s the last time you went to the doctor for a kidney or liver check?”

I grimaced. It had been a while. “I’ve kind of been avoiding that.”

Calvin sighed. “You’re on the pack’s insurance now. Please go get a check-up. It’s the least we can do for you.”

“I will.”

“A lot of my anger about the tablets wasn’t the concealing of who you are. You slowly snuck up on me, Alexis. I had zero intention of finding an omega, of dating a student, or anything of that sort. Then you came into my life like a taser-wielding hurricane.”

I snorted lightly. I had been called many things over the years, but I think a taser-wielding hurricane was definitely one of my favourites.

“Then I just couldn’t resist you. There was something about you that was like a drug I couldn’t refuse. And then Wyatt bit you, and you moved in. Once we were under the same roof, you infected every facet of my life. And as much as I tried to hate it, I didn’t. I fell in love with you. And despite what you think, I didn’t fall in love with you because you are really an omega. I fell in love with you because you’ve got a sharp tongue, you are freaking stunning, and you run circles around my packmates, yet can still be so sweet and soft. It’s crazy, really.”

My chest felt tight at his declaration. Did he really mean that?

Why was I sitting in bed, wearing a ratty old T-shirt? Why didn’t I think? I should be dressed in something better for this!

His hand reached out, gently touching my knee. Unable to look away from the large hand, part of me couldn’t help remembering just what those hands could do…

“Calvin…”

“I’m not crazy, am I? You developed feelings for us as well.”

“I have fallen in love with you guys,” I admitted, tears welling up in my eyes.

“I will happily spend the next ten years of my life proving that I love you—regardless of what your designation is.” His voice was so sincere, it made my heart hurt.

“How do you plan on doing that?” I asked in a watery voice.

“I was considering letting you taser me in the balls, but I feel like that’s a special punishment you reserve only for Teddy now.”

I cocked my head to the side. “And, occasionally, Wyatt.”

Calvin laughed, the sound familiar and warm. “But seriously. I spoke to the others, and we all agreed that whatever you want to do going forward, we will listen. If you want to keep living life as a beta, then you can, and we will fully support you.”

“I thought that would create a load of complications for you guys? Your careers, your families.”

He took a deep breath. “Teddy doesn’t care what his family thinks. If he doesn’t care, we shouldn’t care. We’ve been independently wealthy for a long time. We don’t need them.”

“And what about your job? You can’t be with a beta student. We were only allowed this grace period because Wyatt accidentally bit me. It was a temporary thing, and the university knew that.”

“There are several options we can go with, but it’s ultimately up to you. What do you want? How long do you see yourself being on suppressants for?”

“I’ve thought about it a lot. At least until I finish university, and then probably for the first year or two I’m working. Just until I get my foot in the door.”

That would only be two or three more years. Considering I had been on suppressants for almost three years at this point already, and I hadn’t experienced any ill effects yet, I was confident that I could do it.

Calvin nodded. “And if you’re under the care of the pack doctor, you’re far less likely to have negative side effects,” he said, as if he could read my mind.

“But that wouldn’t change the fact that we wouldn’t be allowed to be together. Professors here can’t date beta students. Our situation is only temporary, because the bite is supposed to be only temporary. It’s not like Wyatt can keep biting me to keep me near.”

“Then, I guess I have to leave the university.” Calvin shrugged. “I’ve had offers from other places.”

My heart stuttered. Calvin loved working at Hawking. Why on earth would he give that up?

“But…” I trailed off uselessly, trying to find the words.

His hands rose to cup either side of my face as he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. I wanted to cry at the simple, sweet action.

“It’s up to you. Decide what you’re comfortable with, and we will support you in any way we can. You wormed your way into our hearts, and I don’t think there’s any going forward without you. If you left, I would be miserable, and any joy I got from teaching would diminish entirely. It’s not worth it without you.”

“Calvin… I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything for now.. I’ve got some soup warming downstairs for you. I want you to take the time to think about this. That’s why I didn’t tell you this with all the guys present. I didn’t want you to feel any sort of pressure.”

No pressure? My chest felt like it was going to explode from the pressure.

“The same goes for the nest. It’s there, but only if you want it. Otherwise, just leave it. I won’t be offended at all. I noticed all the new nesting supplies at your dorm and I assumed… that was wrong of me.”

“I do want it,” I admitted in a small voice. “I just wanted…”

“Me to accept you as you are?” he asked gently.

“Yeah.”

“I see you, Alexis Franks, and it’s a pretty glorious sight.”

Chapter Forty-Seven

Alexis

Packages had been coming to the house non-stop for several days. The guys had insisted on getting me even more nesting materials as soon as they learned I wanted to keep the nest, and for once in my life, I wasn’t going to say no.

The nest was huge, and even with all the items Molly and Calvin purchased for me, it wasn’t enough.

We decorated the nest in multiple tones of grey and pale blue. It was one of the more neutral nests I’d ever seen, but something about it brought me such immense joy. Sitting in the centre of the nest, I unpacked two more gigantic grey body pillows, humming happily to myself as I rearranged them.

Teddy had gone to visit his father, and everyone else was either at class or working. I used to love my alone time, but since we had started living together properly as a pack, every time I was on my own—which, admittedly, wasn’t often—my chest would feel kind of hollow.

I started retaking my suppressants, thanks to Calvin. They would take a few days to kick in properly, so I was still smelling pretty damn omega. The nesting instincts had also been hitting me hard.

The sound of the doorbell ricocheted through the house. Teddy had installed one of those obnoxious doorbells that made a chirping singsong sound, so there was no mistaking it.

With a sigh, I climbed out of the nest. It was probably another parcel, so I had to go sign for it. A cramp rippled through my midsection as my feet hit the plush carpeted floor. I had been cramping on and off all night, much to my irritation.

My feet made little slapping noises as I gently jogged down the hallway, skidding to a halt when I reached the entryway.

Throwing open the door, I smiled at the delivery guy holding a brown envelope. “Heya,” I greeted warmly.

“Alexis Franks?” he asked, looking me up and down.

I hadn’t bothered to get dressed yet, so I was still wearing the guys’ clothes. They were just so comfortable and smelled so nice. Now I was letting more of my omega senses loose, it was irresistible. I wanted to bathe in the scents of my pack every day.

“Yes, that’s me,” I confirmed with a nod.

Once I confirmed my identity, he handed over the envelope, bid me goodbye, and walked away. I looked down at the envelope with a frown. What on earth could it be? It certainly wasn’t another body pillow. In fact, it wasn’t anything for my nest. Part of me was a little disappointed as I padded over to the kitchen to grab a drink while I opened the envelope.

It contained a thick wad of paper. On the top was a small note in elegantly written script.

Miss Franks, I thought it best you see these. All the best, Mrs Astor.

Why was Mrs. Astor sending me paperwork? I had postponed our lunch, given the fight and the suppressant lapse. She had given me a simple answer that we would reschedule when possible.

With a can of soda in hand, I sat down at the dining table, tucking my feet under me as I pulled out the thick wad of paper. It looked like a gigantic contract that was at least an inch thick.

Before I even read the first line, I knew this couldn’t be good. Mrs. Franks should have no reason to send me a contract.

Creation of scholarship. Recipient A Franks.

I frowned at the first piece of paper. My scholarship paperwork? Why did she think I needed to see that? When I first received the offer, I’d read the paperwork back to front at least a hundred times before I accepted.

Funding for the scholarship will be provided by Theodore Astor.

I read and reread that line several times. My personal paperwork said nothing about who created the scholarship. It merely stated that it was created by the faculty; that’s why I had assumed it was for women in STEM.

This paperwork said it was created by Teddy.

I chewed my bottom lip as I flipped through the papers. It didn’t make sense. Why would Teddy create a scholarship for me? I’d barely even met him before I got the scholarship offer.

Thinking back to that day when I tasered him, I couldn’t help but mill it over in my mind. I wasn’t naïve. I knew he had a lot of money, and he liked to use it to make things go his way. But would he really buy my way into the university? He had been so attracted to me that he’d acted downright stalkerish at times.

I had come to find his adoration quite amusing and flattering—but he knew me well enough to know I didn’t want anyone to interfere with my university career, didn’t he?

He wouldn’t have known after your first meeting, a small voice in the back of my head said.

My stomach felt heavy, and I found myself pacing the kitchen, flipping through page after page. Most of it was legal mumbo jumbo I could hardly understand, but I had the basic gist. The scholarship I received hadn’t existed until two days after Teddy had met me for the first time.

Was anything I had achieved at Hawking real?

When my advisor had offered me the scholarship back in England, I had been so excited, I hadn’t asked as many questions as I probably should have. Why me? I had assumed it was because I was a woman, and while that irritated me, I’d wanted to use it to my advantage.

I’d let myself become blinded by dick. Played right into his hands. He had made up a scholarship for me, and now I was living with him as a member of his pack.

Oh, god. I’d spoken to his mother about how proud I was of how far I’d gotten in mechanical engineering. All the while, she knew her son had basically bribed the faculty for me to be there.

Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes. Why had Teddy never told me? We were meant to be a pack now. No secrets, no lies, when our entire meeting was seemingly based on a lie. I’d been ready to tell them I was all in, but this made me pause.

Grabbing the paperwork, I scampered up to my new room, slamming the door and crawling into my nest.

Teddy had a lot to answer for. He needed to give me answers.

Honest answers.

I hadn’t even been in the nest for ten minutes when I heard movement downstairs. Most of the guys would be busy for several hours, so logically, there could only be only one alpha home right now.

Teddy.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Teddy

“You and I need to have a conversation,” Alexis growled, stomping down the stairs, a hard look in her eyes.

That wasn’t exactly the greeting I was expecting. Alexis had been far happier the last day or two, snuggling with us and spending time in her nest.

“Of course, whatever you want!” I rushed to say.

Her brows were pinched, and her eyes wouldn’t settle on anything. She wasn’t just angry; she was furious. Her scent was overpowering. Yet she smelled sweeter than usual.

“Sit,” she ordered, pointing roughly at the dining room chair before stomping out of the room, muttering to herself.

The last thing I wanted to do was infuriate her further, so I tentatively sat down. She had been fine this morning when I’d went out for my run, but now that I was home, she was livid. The others weren’t around to save me from her wrath, either.

My omega was pissed, and that was unsettling my alpha. I needed to make things right, to soothe her, reassure her.

Somehow, I was incredibly skilled at shoving my foot in my mouth, and I didn’t want to say the wrong thing. Her unhappiness was filling the air, her raspberry chocolate smell burnt. I racked my brain, trying to figure out what could be hurting her. The last time her scent was so burnt, it was because her nest wasn’t set up right, and she was struggling to get it just the way she wanted.

I didn’t have to wait long. Alexis stomped back into the room, something glinting in her hands.

Handcuffs.

Despite the scent of her anger, the sight of her holding restraints had my cock hard as a rock.

It was a damn Pavlovian reaction. Any sort of restraint in her hands, and I was transported back to being bound and gagged on her bed as she rode me like a damn omega in heat, taking what she needed from me.

“Hands behind your back,” she ordered, coming to stand in front of me. I did as I was told. Like I would say no to being tied up again.

The metal was cold on my wrists as they clinked into place, cuffed behind me so I was bound to the chair.

“Okay, so we need to have a conversation,” Alexis said, grabbing a chair and sitting directly opposite me, a glare on her face.

My eyes fell to her hands and to the small black device she was holding.

Oh shit.

Double shit.

Triple shit.

She was clutching Mr. Sparky, her trusty taser.

And I was tied up and essentially helpless.

And she was pissed.

My outlook did not look good.

“I’ll tell you anything you want to know, sparky,” I said, my voice breaking. As much as I loved this woman and was head over heels for her, I wanted to avoid another taser shock to the dick. That shit had made me feel icky for days afterwards.

Alexis levelled me with what I can only call a murderous glare. The taser crackled to life as she tested out the switch, her eyes never leaving me. Sweat gathered on my brow. The mix of anxiety and arousal was confusing as fuck.

“Have you ever messed with my grades?” she asked.

“Of course not!”

“Have you ever influenced my teachers?”

The front door opened and closed, the rest of the pack now trickling in.

“Uh…what sort of kinky roleplay is this?” Miles asked, taking in my bound state. His nostrils flared. “Uh, Alexis…you smell…”

She smelled like slick, which should have been impossible because she had started taking her suppressants again.

“Could she be going into heat?”

“Shut it!” she snarled. “No kinky fun here. I just need to get a few answers out of Teddy,” Alexis growled.

I wanted to moan in disappointment at her adamant tone.

“Have you electrocuted him yet?” Wyatt asked, leaning against the doorframe.

“Not yet. It depends on his answer to the next question,” she ground out, shifting in her seat.

“Now sparky, what is with this line of questioning?”

“Have you had breakfast?” Calvin asked casually, interrupting my interrogation. My packmates weren’t at all concerned about my current predicament.

“Not important!” Alexis cried, never removing her eyes from me. In any other situation, this would have been incredibly hot. Who am I kidding? It is hot. Also, a little terrifying.

I wanted kids one day—I wasn’t sure my swimmers would be swimming if she went all thunder and lightning on my balls.

“Did you make up a scholarship for me?” she asked directly, glaring at me.

Uh-oh.

I was mentally kissing my junk goodbye. She was going to electrocute it repeatedly until I begged for mercy—I could feel it in my bones.

“Yes,” I rushed to say, “but you got in totally on your own merit!”

Alexis’s lips turned down in a frown. “I find that hard to believe,” she growled, moving forward and brandishing the taser.

I was about to open my mouth to beg, to plead my case, but Calvin strode into the room, gently wrapping an arm around Alexis’s waist and turning her to face him, handing her a protein bar.

“Eat. You can electrically assault Teddy after.”

“But he lied!”

“Did he, though?” Miles reasoned from the doorway. “Technically, you never asked him.”

Alexis whirled to face Miles, glaring at him and pointing the taser his way. He swiftly raised his hands in surrender.

Chicken.

“He made the scholarship, but he’s telling the truth. You got in on your own merit.” Calvin lightly kissed Alexis’s head, completely relaxed, despite her volatile state. “Baby, you smell—”

“Why would you tell me I smell?” she snapped, groaning slightly, her hand resting on her stomach. “I’m tired and I have cramps. Now is not the time to fuck with me.”

Calvin gently gripped the top of her arms, pulling back so he could look her in the eye.

“How many days were you off suppressants?” he asked gently.

“I don’t know! Four, maybe five?” Alexis cried. “Some dumbass threw my bottle and spilled a load!”

“Alexis.” Calvin kept his voice firm but gentle. “I think you’re going into heat.”

Chapter Forty-Nine

Alexis

Well, fuck.

As soon as Calvin said the words, it became glaringly obvious.

The stomach cramps, the increased horniness, the irritability. Every omega knew the signs of an impending heat, but because I had been suppressing them for so long, I had never actually experienced one.

I stood still, staring up at Calvin with surprise. “I think you’re right. But I’m already taking my suppressants again.”

“You must have been off them for long enough to trigger a heat. I imagine your body is eager for one, considering you’ve been using suppressants for so long,” he reasoned, reassuringly pushing my hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear.

“Heat?! Hell yeah!” Teddy beamed from his restrained position.

“You should probably stay quiet.” Miles laughed.

“Oh. I…uh. I’m not sure what to do,” I admitted, looking to Calvin. “I’ve never actually had a heat before.”

His eyes widened. “Never?”

“I have been taking suppressants since I was eighteen! There was never a chance.”

Calvin hummed thoughtfully. “Then, I guess what happens now is up to you. How do you want to spend your heat? I’m certain that all of us would be happy to be involved, or if you only want one or two of us, that is totally understandable. Or if you want to do it completely alone, we can make sure that happens. The only thing we have to do is keep you fed, hydrated, and safe, okay?”

This man. What had I done to deserve him? “You honestly wouldn’t mind if I wanted to spend my heat alone?” I asked.

“Of course not. I’d be walking around funny with the biggest boner in the world, knowing you’re in my house and desperate for a knot. I’ll happily do it though, for you.”

I laughed at the idea of him walking around, bowlegged.

Did I want to spend my heat alone? Not particularly. I had seen my best friend, Molly, through several solo heats. And every time, she looked absolutely destroyed afterwards. Many omegas had described heat as one of the worst pains they’d ever experienced. The desperate hunger to fill the emptiness inside.

Why would I do that to myself when I had four very attractive, very strong alphas willing to service my every need?

It also helped that I was madly in love with them.

Biting my lip, I looked around at the pack. At my pack.

“Please, can you knot me?” I asked, batting my eyelids up at Calvin.

His eyes closed, and he groaned. “I think I’m going to call in sick for the next few days.”

“Hell, yes! Sexy, sexy time!” Miles crowed, pumping his fist in the air, making me laugh.

Wyatt didn’t say anything. He simply pulled me out of Calvin’s arms and kissed me so hard, I was gasping for breath. The second he started kissing me, my body reacted, the cramps increasing as wetness gathered between my legs.

Slick.

And to think, I simply thought I was sweatier than normal.

“Is someone going to untie me?” Teddy asked, excitement evident on his face.

Wyatt’s hand had slid under my shirt, finding my nipple and deftly twisting it, making me moan as the sensations radiated through my chest.

I wasn’t truly mad at Teddy. I understood his motivations, but I was still a little peeved that he’d had the audacity to fuck with my life in that way.

“You know, Teddy, I don’t think you’ve learned your lesson yet. If anything—judging by the gigantic boner you’ve been sporting since I cuffed you to that chair—you quite like the idea of being tasered. In your nut sack.” My words were slightly disjointed as Wyatt’s lips found my neck. Between that and his fingers twisting my nipples, I was getting worked up.

“Sparky!” Teddy whined.

“What are you planning to do with him?” Wyatt asked, chuckling lightly against the skin of my neck.

“Think he’s going to stay put right there. At least for a few hours. What do you think?” I asked, turning to look at our other packmates. Miles started laughing manically, bending over, his hands on his knees as he tried to take in a breath.

Teddy, on the other hand, looked horrified. “Y-you can’t,” he stuttered.

I beamed at him. “Oh, but I can! Call it punishment for fucking with my academic career.” I shrugged before turning to Wyatt. “Can I taste you?” I purred. He had become one of my favourite snacks, and I had a real bad craving right now.

Wyatt groaned. “Like you ever have to ask.”

Smirking, I ran to the sideboard, where there were a few items littered, including winter gloves.

Teddy was going to shut up and watch. The rest of the pack gazed at me with wide eyes as I took one glove and shoved it in Teddy’s mouth while he pouted at me.

“Enjoy the show,” I said, patting his cheek lightly.

Wyatt had probably been expecting me to lead him to the bedroom, but an idea struck me. Part of me was giggling internally as I sank to my knees in front of Wyatt, tugging at his grey sweatpants and pulling out his already erect cock.

All the while, Teddy was forced to watch, unable to touch.

“You are evil.” Wyatt laughed, his hand coming to rest in my hair. “But I fucking love you.”

“I love you too. Now shut up and let me suck your cock, Alpha.”

His eyes closed with a groan as he threw his head back at my words.

This was the first time I was doing something like this with all of them in the same room. The most I’d ever taken all at once was two.

But I was an overachiever and determined to take more.

Leaning forward, I hummed as the familiar taste of Wyatt burst across my tongue. It was somehow more intense than usual, richer, and so much more alpha.

“Holy fuck, her thighs are already wet with slick,” Miles moaned, watching as I slowly lavished Wyatt’s cock with attention.

“Then why don’t you give her some relief?” Calvin suggested as he sat down in one of the dining room chairs, settling in to watch the show.

“Sweetheart, is that okay? Can I play with your pretty pussy?” Miles asked as he approached. I couldn’t see him. The only thing in my view was Wyatt’s pubic mound as I took every inch of him into my throat. I couldn’t even nod, so instead, I hummed eagerly.

“Oh, fuck—that’s lethal,” Wyatt choked. “You’re going to embarrass me in front of our pack, little omega.”

Hearing him call me little omega did something to me. My insides turned to mush, and I could feel a rush of slick. At this rate, I was going to be drenching the floors.

“Our girl likes being called omega, apparently.” Miles hummed. “We are never going to get the smell of chocolate raspberries out of this room. Fuck, anytime I come in here to eat a meal, I’m gonna have a boner.”

I scooted my ass back, never halting my attentions on Wyatt. The new position displayed my ass to Miles and allowed him to slide off my underwear, exposing my dripping folds.

“By the time we’re done, every single room in this house is going to smell like her slick,” Calvin said.

“Fuck. We are never going to have visitors again, because no way in hell am I letting them smell that,” Wyatt panted. “That smell is ours and ours alone.”

“That suits me just fine,” Miles cooed as he lined up his cock with my entrance. “All the more privacy to fuck our omega with. Anywhere and everywhere we want to.”

“Slow and steady or fast?” Miles asked as he slowly dragged the head of his cock through my folds.

“Fast,” I said, my voice breathy as I used my tongue to continue lavishing attention on Wyatt’s cock.

“Good.” He chuckled darkly. “Because I don’t know if I will be able to take it slow once I get a taste of this.” From the last word, he thrust forward, his piercings dragging along my inner wall, making me want to howl with pleasure.

“Holy shit, she’s never been this wet. Fuck, so slick,” Miles mumbled as his hands came to rest on my hips.

“Her pussy is begging for a knot,” Calvin observed.

Somehow, having him watch us was a hundred times hotter than him joining in.

I couldn’t lie—I also took great pleasure in knowing that Teddy was desperate to join in on the fun.

Doubling down on my efforts on Wyatt’s cock, I could tell he was close. His groans were increasing, and his thrusts were becoming jerky.

As he started to moan his impending release, Miles chose that exact moment to rear back until his cock was almost completely out of me before thrusting back in with a single hard, brutal thrust that made me see stars.

And he did it again.

And again.

Each thrust made my body coil tighter and tighter. There was a need growing in me that was visceral in nature. I needed to come. I needed a knot. If I didn’t get it, I was going to die. Desperation, unlike anything I had ever experienced before, clawed at me. I had never wanted anything more than I wanted a knot in that moment. I had never even been knotted, so I had no idea what I was missing, really—yet, somehow, I knew that was what my body needed.

Wyatt gasped, his cock throbbing as he came, releasing rope after rope of salty cum down my throat. I cleaned up every drop with a happy hum. Even cum tasted better in my sex-crazed, knot-desperate state. Omega hormones were an amazing thing. No wonder all omegas were cock drunk. Beaming up at Wyatt while he caught his breath, I let the sensation of Miles’s brutal thrusts consume me, throwing my head back with a strangled groan.

“Such a good omega,” Wyatt cooed, cupping the side of my face while Miles proceeded to rail me so hard I was probably going to have some impressive bruising on my hips and inner walls. “Do you like taking Miles’s cock? Does it feel good? Is he stretching that pretty pussy out nicely?”

“So good. So full,” I babbled. “Need to come!”

My orgasm was already building fast. My body had never felt so tight, so tense, and I worried that when my release finally did hit, it was going to be so intense, I wouldn’t be able to survive it.

As far as ways to die went, that would have been pretty fun. It also felt like a very omega way to die—“death by intense orgasm.”

“Nope.” Miles chucked, pulling away, leaving me whining at the sudden empty feeling.

“Why the hell did you do that?” I growled, turning on my knees to glare at him.

“Because,” Miles said, roughly grabbing my thigh and rolling onto his back, “I am not going to knot you for the first time from behind on the dining room floor. Now, I’m sure once we’re done, Calvin will have you presenting that pretty pussy to him to knot and fill with cum—but that’s for your nest.”

“I want a knot now,” I snarled, clawing at Miles’s chest.

“Then take it,” he said with a smirk. “Ride my cock and make me knot you like a good fucking omega. This way, once you’re locked down on my cock, you can relax on me instead of being bent over on the floor. How does that sound, hmm?”

“Good, that sounds good,” I said, nodding to myself as I lined myself up with his cock, sinking down on his length.

Miles’s hands shot out, grasping the hem of my shirt and quickly pulling it up over my head, my nipples pebbling as they became exposed to the cool air.

“Yes!” I panted once I was completely full. At this new angle, I could feel the head of his cock bumping up against my cervix. Planting my hands on Miles’s chest, I started riding his cock with everything I had in me. Quick, jerky movements as I took everything I needed from him.

“I’m so close,” I whined. “Need more!” Tears started welling in my eyes. Yes, the cock filling me was amazing, and I was loving every second of it, but there was something deep in my chest telling me it wasn’t enough.

“Keep riding him, baby,” Calvin’s firm voice said from behind me.

When had he moved? I had been so distracted riding Miles, I hadn’t even noticed him get up.

A strong hand found the back of my neck, followed by lips. Calvin had come up behind me, on his knees, and was nipping at my neck.

Fingers trailed across my stomach and down to my clit, running through the copious wetness there. He removed his fingers after a few strokes, and I wanted to scream.

Until I felt his now slick-covered fingers pressing against my back entrance.

“Do you want to feel even fuller, baby?” Calvin asked.

“Yes,” I cried. There was no question about that.

My ass stung as he swatted it with surprising strength, the pain only amplifying every nerve ending in my body.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, Daddy! Please, fuck my ass with your fingers, Daddy,” I begged.

“Holy shit,” Wyatt groaned from somewhere across the room, but I was too distracted to look at him.

“Look at you, such a good little slut for us. Begging for your ass to be filled while your alphas fuck you.” He eased his fingers in, starting with shallow thrusts and slowly increasing. “One day, I’ll fuck this ass while Miles knots your pussy. Maybe we’ll both knot you, make you so full of our knots and our cum that you’ll forever carry our scents around.”

That sounded more than okay to me.

“Cal, I’m getting close. Make her come,” Miles panted, throwing his head back with a groan.

Calvin added another finger, stretching me further and increasing his pace. “I can’t wait to fuck this ass. I’m going to have you bent over my desk as I work, taking every inch of me back there. And you’re going to beg for it, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Daddy!”

“Now, be a good girl and come on Miles’s cock, make him knot you. Let him fill you with his cum and lock it in there while I play with this ass.”

My entire body felt so tightly wound, I knew I was going to snap, and when I did, it would be amazing.

I was no longer in control of my movements. Large hands moved me up and down, filling me with powerful thrusts. I was a puppet in their hands and was about to implode.

“Knot,” I demanded, my voice whiney.

Miles didn’t need to answer. I felt it. His cock started swelling, expanding so much that my pussy felt impossibly full, and with that fullness came complete and utter euphoria as I came, my walls clamping down on Miles’s knot.

“Holy fuck, holy fuck,” Miles chanted in a guttural voice as he exploded, throwing his head back as his own orgasm was elongated by my pussy fluttering around him.

White filled my vision, and I babbled unintelligibly as my head spun with the intensity of my orgasm. At one point, I tried to adjust myself, but the delicious tugging inside me reminded me that I was indeed locked on his knot.

Everything was perfect.

Chapter Fifty

Miles

Was it possible for your soul to get sucked out via your cock?

If so, Alexis Franks had just stolen my everything.

I could die a happy man with the mental image of her grinding down on my knot, her stunning tits bouncing in my face as she came, gushing slick all over me. The moment Calvin had started playing with her ass, she had somehow gotten even tighter—I was honestly surprised I had any blood flow to my cock left.

Alexis slumped over on my chest, panting heavily. She turned her head and looked up at me with wide, wicked eyes, grinning at me. Her hair was a wild tangle around her face, and her neck was littered with small bruises. I was amazed at the beautiful and thoroughly fucked omega sitting on my cock.

“I think we are stuck for the moment.” I laughed happily.

“I’m not complaining.” She grinned, wiggling her hips and moaning. “Holy fuck, your piercings and the knot… I think you’ve destroyed my pussy.”

Hopefully not, because I wanted to do that again in the future. Many times. In all the positions. Part of me had wanted to keep her bent over, rutting my knot into her from behind. I had wanted to mount her like a feral beast until she was a sloppy mess on my knot.

She turned her head, grinning at the gagged Teddy. “I suppose I should free him now.”

“You could,” I agreed. “But that would mean moving.”

“Wyatt?” she asked sweetly.

He huffed out a laugh. “I suppose I can be nice and free him.”

“In the meantime,” I said, standing up, Alexis still wrapped in my arms, “I’m going to take this one to her nest.”

“Nest!” she exclaimed excitedly.

Nesting and knots. Omegas were amazingly simple creatures at times. They only needed a few core things to be happy.

It was somewhat awkward trying to carry her upstairs, buck-ass naked, with her still attached to my cock, but I managed to do it without bumping into too many walls.

Alexis giggled as I placed her gently on the nest like I was crawling over her. After several attempts, I managed to get my back against the nest, so she could comfortably snuggle between the pillows and me.

Every time I started to feel my knot deflate, losing blood flow, Alexis would move, wiggle her hips or her walls would tighten around me, and I’d be rock hard again.

We only got a few blissful minutes alone before everyone else joined us.

Teddy threw himself down on the nest next to us, pouting at Alexis. “That was mean,” he whined. “Mean, but hot as fuck. I would happily do it again.”

Alexis hummed happily. “Maybe I can make it up to you after Miles’s knot manages to deflate.”

“Wouldn’t bet on that happening anytime soon. You’re locked around me like a goddamned vice.”

“Are you complaining?” she asked with a sleepy smirk.

“Never in a million years, darling.”

It took close to an hour for my knot to deflate while we lay there in comfortable bliss. Teddy reached out gently, running his hand up and down Alexis’s back as she breathed heavily, already exhausted.

The second my knot slipped out, her eyes widened, and she started whining. It was as if removing my knot had triggered her heat to amp up again.

Calvin had been spending his time preparing for her impending heat instead of joining us. There were cereal bars and water bottles next to the bed, and while we had waited for my knot to go down, he had ensured that Alexis consumed both.

Her eyes became glossed over and hazy as she looked between her packmates, trying to figure out which one of us to use.

She climbed over to Teddy, who was lying on the nest, hands behind his head, casually watching the scene before him unfold. He’d already shed most of his clothes, leaving him in just his boxers. I had no idea when that happened. I had been somewhat distracted by a stunning omega sitting on my cock.

“Hello, sparky,” he cooed, his hands flying to her hips as she leaned down, nipping at his neck.

“Knot,” she demanded, her voice whiny and needy.

“You know you can take whatever you want.” Teddy grinned as his hand tangled in the hair at her nape.

It was hard to see what was happening from my position, but it was glaringly obvious the moment Alexis sank down on his cock. Her face went from unhappy, with a pinched brow and upturned lips, to blissfully serene.

Wasting no time, she started jerking her hips, seeking another release, another knot. With every thrust, her tits bounced beautifully, and I couldn’t pull my eyes away as she rode Teddy with just as much enthusiasm as she had while riding me in the kitchen.

Teddy was enraptured with her, and the pair frantically moved together until their releases quickly took over, Alexis screaming with pleasure as she was knotted again.

“So, this is what it feels like to die and go to heaven. Sparky, you can tie me up any day, if it leads to this.” Teddy groaned, slumping back on the bed as Alexis desperately tried to catch her breath, a look of pure, relaxed bliss on her face.

“God, why am I still horny?” Alexis moaned, her forehead pressed against Teddy’s peck, her hair concealing her face.

“Welcome to heat, or preheat,” Wyatt said. “This could just be early heat symptoms. You’re not completely feral for cock yet.”

“It fucking feels like I am,” she grumbled, making us all laugh.

Luckily, Teddy’s knot died down quicker than mine, and Alexis was able to extract herself with an almost pained moan.

Calvin was ready and waiting for her with open arms next to the bed. She crawled to the edge and looked up at him.

“How about we get you in the shower?” he asked her, holding his hand out.

Alexis shot him an adorably grumpy look, shaking her head. “I want more.”

“Are you sure?” Calvin asked, raising his eyebrows. “You look exhausted.”

“Are you saying I look like crap?” Alexis growled up at him, but it was about as threatening as a baby kitten hissing.

“Not at all,” he said softly.

“I still need a knot,” she whined, her hands coming up to paw at Calvin’s T-shirt, trying to take it off him.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to wear you out,” he said, keeping his voice gentle.

“I’m fucking sure,” she said, looking up at him pleadingly, plucking at his shirt. “Please. Daddy, can you knot me?”

Fuck me. The same woman who tied up Teddy and ran circles around him was on her knees, calling Calvin Daddy, and it was the hottest thing I had ever seen.

Calvin clearly thought so as well. His eyes darkened and his posture tensed, his hand coming up to cup her cheek, gently running his thumb over her cheekbone.

“Are you sure?” he asked firmly.

“Please,” she whined.

Calvin’s hands reached for his belt. “Present,” he growled, his voice full of alpha force. She melted at that sound. Her eyes went wide, and she beamed. Crawling deeper into the nest with no hesitation, she bent over, arching her back so deeply, her breasts pressed firmly against the nest. She faced me with excitement in her eyes and displayed what I was sure was a puffy, cum-covered pussy to Calvin.

She whined happily at the sound of Calvin opening his belt buckle, arching down even lower, presenting for him.

My boner was going to be a permanent fixture with Alexis around. I couldn’t see myself ever becoming soft again. As Calvin thrust forward, her mouth dropped open, eyes rolling into the back of her head.

Would it be too much if I offered her my cock? Her open mouth was damn tempting, and I knew just how good her throat felt around me. She was stunning, her hair a wild mess, eyes hooded and hazy as Calvin fucked her with a punishing pace. Her hands gripped the sheets in front of her, hanging on for dear life.

It didn’t take long for her to come again, her body convulsing under Calvin as he kept up his brutal movements. If I couldn’t see her face, I would have been concerned about how rough he was being, but she was thoroughly enjoying it, babbling to herself, begging for cum.

With one final roar, Calvin came, knotting her and setting off another release of hers. When finished, they both slumped over, Alexis practically melting into the nest with a pleased smile.

“Okay, my vagina surrenders,” she moaned, shifting on Calvin’s knot. “This heat is thoroughly broken.”

Calvin lightly kissed her shoulder. “As soon as I can, we’ll take a shower and get you into bed. How does that sound?”

“Perfect!”

Chapter Fifty-One

Alexis

“Isuppose we all need to have a conversation,” I said, stretching lazily.

We were all lounging on the couch, trying to recover, even though my heat only lasted twenty-four hours. My feet rested on Teddy’s lap while he gently rubbed them. I leaned against Calvin, his arm wrapped around me.

“No conversation needed here. I am more than happy.” Teddy grinned lazily.

I lightly kicked him with my foot and gave him a glare, making Miles chuckle from his space on the armchair. Wyatt was sitting on the floor, a gaming controller in his hand. None of us had felt like cooking, so Teddy had ordered some ridiculously fancy takeout, consisting of various cuisines. The boxes were scattered on various surfaces in the room while we lay around, recovering from the copious food and hot sex.

“Well, I am happy this isn’t going to be happening again for a while.” I sat up, brushing my hair out of my face and ignoring Teddy’s pout as my feet were removed from his lap.

“What do you mean?” Wyatt asked, putting down his controller and turning to face me.

“Just that, if this is going to work—and I do want it to work—then, as far as anyone outside this pack knows, I am still a beta. I just can’t handle people’s judgments about my designation right now. All I want to do is focus on my studies.”

“We know,” Miles said. “We’ve seen the way omegas are treated and assumed you don’t want to put up that bullshit right now.”

“But what does that mean for us?” I asked, raking my hand through my hair. “Is there even an us if I’m not an omega? Everything has happened so quickly that we’ve never really sat down and spoken about this.”

Wyatt pursed his lips for a second before speaking. “As far as I’m concerned, nothing’s changed. I want you around. I still freaking love you. That hasn’t changed. Your designation doesn’t matter.”

“Nothing’s changed for me, either,” Calvin said. “Well, I’ve gained a new appreciation for your designation, I must say. But as far as you are concerned, you are mine.” He growled the last word playfully before kissing the top of my head, his arm tightening around me.

Not the time to get horny, Alexis.

“I love you,” I whispered, looking up at him. His hair was wilder than usual, and he had a relaxed demeanour that suited him.

Both Calvin and Wyatt had declared their feelings for me before, but I hadn’t heard it from the others. Then again, Teddy declared how he was obsessed with me on a nearly daily basis. I was fairly confident that they were also feeling what I was feeling, but I’d never said it to them.

“Hey, you told him you loved him, but not me?” Wyatt cried indignantly.

I couldn’t help but snort. “I told you I loved you in the middle of my heat, dumbass.”

“It’s still nice to hear it again,” he said with a pout.

With a roll of my eyes, I tore myself away from Calvin and padded over to where Wyatt was sitting on the floor. He opened his arms, and I sat in his lap easily, my hands on either side of his neck as I looked directly into his face.

“I love you, dumbass. I want to be with you. But get one thing straight—if you bite me again without warning, or permission, I will tase you.” There was no real threat in my words, and clearly Wyatt could tell, because his face broke out in a grin before he pulled me in for a kiss.

“I love you too, Alexis,” he whispered against my lips. Kissing him was a momentary distraction, so I cried out in surprise when another pair of arms grabbed my waist and hauled me up. It took a second for me to understand where I was, but I found myself on Miles’s lap on the armchair.

The fact they could toss me around so easily shouldn’t have been as attractive as it was.

“I guess I haven’t said it in as many words, have I? But I’m in love with you, Alexis. I want you in our bed, in our home, in our pack. For the next few years, you’ll be our beta, and then hopefully, one day, you’ll be our omega. I’m happy to have you, beta or omega, it makes no difference.”

It was too much. Three of them had just declared their love for me, and I could already feel the tears welling up.

Teddy, ever the idiot, spoke up, stopping the impending tears. “If you’re not painfully aware that I’m in love with you, then we really need to take you to a doctor, because I think that would require negative brain cells.”

“She’s spending time with you, idiot. She probably does have negative brain cells.” Miles chucked, his entire body moving under me.

Teddy opened his arms. “My turn?”

“I’m being passed around to everyone today, aren’t I?” I laughed lightly as I got up, my knees wobbling ever so slightly.

“Well, as we have all learned, being passed around and shared between us can be quite fun.” Miles smirked as he guided me off his lap and pushed me in Teddy’s direction. I didn’t need any more reminders of what we had just done together—If my lady business didn’t need time to recover, I probably would have jumped their bones again.

I made to sit down next to Teddy, but he frowned at me and grabbed my hips, dragging me onto his lap. His rather prominent bulge rubbed up against my ass. I resisted the urge to wiggle and make his predicament worse.

Teddy could see right through me.

“I know you can feel it, and I know you want to play with it. Tease,” he said on a laugh.

“You’re just so fun to play with,” I admitted sheepishly.

“Well, guess what? You can play with me for the rest of your life. As I have said before, probably a million times by now, I am in love with you.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with me not being an omega for a while? Your family seems to have very strong opinions about your life partner.”

“My parents can get fucked. I don’t need them. All that matters to me is that you are healthy and happy. Let my parents kick up a fuss. It’ll be all that much more embarrassing for them in a few years when they realise you’re actually an omega.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and I burst out laughing.

“Oh god, I almost want to see that!” I laughed. “But seriously. I…” I took a deep breath. “I want this. I used to think I would never have a pack. I never wanted a bunch of alphas to control my life. Then I met an overly friendly golden retriever in human form who I tased in the balls.”

Teddy beamed at me. “That gentleman sounds like quite the catch.”

“That gentleman is a bit of an idiot who keeps doing dumb things, but I guess, ultimately, I am in love with him, and I understand why he does the stupid things he does.”

Teddy pursed his lips. “And let me guess, if I mess up again, you will taser me?”

“Yes. Or I will handcuff you to the nearest surface and make you watch as every single member of the pack fucks me, and you don’t get off for several hours. And you won’t be getting off with me; it’ll just be you and your hand.”

His eyes widened. “Message received. I’ll be a good boy.” I laughed at his words. “But you’ve got to admit, bringing her here is the best power play I’ve ever made!” He looked around at his pack mates. “Admit it, you guys are glad I am the way that I am!”

I giggled, leaning in to kiss him, revelling in the sweet vanilla cake that was now mine while the rest of his pack—my pack—grumbled in reluctant agreement.

Chapter Fifty-Two

Teddy

The familiar, ultra-modern family home looked cold to me now. Astor House had been built shortly before I was born and was a case study in modern extravagance.

I had never been particularly attached to the house, despite growing up there. I was eighteen years old when I moved into the dormitories. Technically, I’d lived in several foreign countries instead of living in my own home, as my parents took every opportunity to ship me off to boarding school.

Despite the cold nature of my upbringing, I wouldn’t have changed a single thing. Because everything I had endured from my parents had led me up to meeting Alexis in the engineering lab all those months ago.

We were all exhausted after Alexis’s heat. It had been our first time participating in a heat together, and it had gone perfectly. Alexis had warned us it had been a relatively short heat—the real thing could last up to a week.

That prospect didn’t deter me at all. If anything, it just made me more eager to get through the last few years of university so we could all be together as a normal pack.

As I sat in the driveway, staring at my steering wheel instead of going into the house, I thought about the last few days. I could admit I had never been so happy. It felt like Alexis was the missing piece that had finally completed this pack I had created for myself.

Would things be difficult with her living life as a beta? Possibly. Would it be worth it? Most definitely.

The future I wanted more than anything was ripe for the taking. I just had one more small thing I had to take care of first.

Calling it small was probably an under exaggeration.

I needed to face my parents.

They were never going to accept me dating a beta, but there was no way in hell I was going to tell them the truth. My mother would let it slip at the fancy society parties she went to, just to save herself the embarrassment of having to admit that her son likes a beta more than a random society omega. They needed to understand that they held no power over my life anymore.

My head felt fuzzy as I ran over what I wanted to say in my head. I was usually the comic relief of the pack. Never that serious. But for Alexis’s sake, I would be serious.

With a single, long-suffering sigh, I turned off my phone screen and climbed out of the car, not bothering to knock as I entered—which would surely alert my mother of my arrival. The home looked nothing like it had when I was a child. Every year or two, my mother got it in her head that she needed to redecorate, and judging by the painter’s tape I could see in the grand entryway, she was gearing up to do so again.

“Theodore!” my mother’s sickly sweet voice called out. She came downstairs looking perfectly manicured, as always, wearing a Chanel two piece. Never a hair out of place.

“Hello, Mother,” I replied, accepting the hug begrudgingly. “Is Dad around?”

“Your father is in the sunroom! Come, let’s have a drink.” She nodded at one of the staff members, who swiftly vanished down the corridor toward the kitchen.

My dad was sitting at the small table, his glasses on as he read the paper. “Darling! Look who’s here!” my mother chirped, making my father turn his head.

“Theodore! Good to see you. Come, take a seat. Sally Hetherington was just asking about you.”

“Who?” I asked.

“She’s a friend of your mother’s.”

“She has a daughter about your age,” my mother said, taking a seat next to me and giving me a smile that was meant to be warm but came off slightly sinister and desperate.

I sighed. “Let me guess. An omega daughter?”

My mother cocked her head. “Of course.”

I looked back and forth at my parents. “I’m not interested.”

My mother frowned, taking a sip of her iced tea to give herself a moment to think. “Theodore, I know you have these grand ideas.” Her voice was softly patronising. “But you know what this family needs.”

“Not interested,” I repeated. “That’s actually what I came here to talk to you guys about. My pack and I have made a decision regarding our future mate.”

My mother’s eyes widened, a look I can only describe as terror flitting across her face. “Now, Theodore, don’t be rash. We are all for you having your fun—”

“We are in love with Alexis Franks. She is going to become an official member of our pack. She is going to complete her degree. We will not be looking for any more female members of the pack in the future. She’s it for us.”

My father frowned, putting his paper down. “Surely you want an omega that you can have children with?”

I shrugged. “Betas and alphas have children all the time. Yes, it can be more difficult, and if it’s not in the cards for us, we can adopt. We refuse to disrespect Alexis by adding someone else into our pack that we don’t love just for the sake of making children.”

“But she’s not really appropriate, is she, darling?” my mother asked in a pained voice.

I hated this. My parents were so stuck in their rigid ways. Why couldn’t they see how amazing Alexis was? Why couldn’t they see how amazingly happy I had been since she came into my life? Wasn’t that what parents were supposed to want? To be happy when their children were happy?

Now that we knew the truth about Alexis’s designation, there was a good chance that, in the future, we would have children. But I would refuse to raise them the way my parents raised me. My children would never go after society’s ranks or prestige. No, they would chase whatever made them happy. They would marry whoever the hell they wanted to marry, and they would be so damn loved by every member of our pack.

“She is more than appropriate for me. Isn’t that what matters?” I asked, a hard edge to my voice.

“Your mother is concerned that this won’t look good for the family,” my father said.

I snorted. “Tell me this, why isn’t she good enough? Yes, she was born a beta, but she’s one of the highest-ranking students at the university that you run. The very university that gives you plenty of prestige is the one where she is dominating. Hell, she’s even running circles around me.”

“She’s training to be a mechanic.” The way my mother spat out the last word made it sound like it was an insult.

I wanted to pick up my stupid little glass of iced tea and throw it against the wall. I had been studying mechanical engineering for three years, and she still had no idea what we were doing.

“Your ignorance is showing, Mother,” I growled.

“Don’t talk to your mother like that!” my father snapped while my mother’s hand flew to her chest in surprise. “We stood by and let you make a pack with alphas who are wholly unsuitable, but we cannot allow you to have such an inappropriate woman in your pack!”

“You talk about a relationship being appropriate. Well, why don’t you two look in the mirror ‘cause I’m pretty sure grandfather didn’t want you two to marry without a pack!”

Her eyes widened. I had hit the nail on the head. She swallowed before taking a deep breath and looking at me with a hard gaze. “Theodore, I know you may not understand this, but if you go forward with this path, you will no longer be a part of this family. We have spent decades building up our image and making a dynasty for our family. We’ve worked too hard for you to ruin it.”

“I guess I’m no longer part of this family, then.” I shrugged.

Both my parents stared at me, stunned, trying to find the words.

“Y-you would never survive financially…” My mother trailed off weekly.

“My pack has been independently wealthy for years. Actually, it’s thanks to Grandfather.”

“What do you mean?” my father snapped.

“Well, when I formed a pack, which Grandfather so desperately wanted you to do and you didn’t, he gifted me quite a large sum of money. No strings attached. My packmates and I have invested well, and we are doing so more than successfully.”

“You don’t know the first thing about investing,” my father spluttered. “If my father really gave you significant money, you will be washing it down the drain! I can’t allow you to do that.”

“Can’t allow me? I’m an adult. I can do whatever I want with the money I have been gifted. You are right, though. I don’t know the first thing about investing. Do you know who does, though? Miles—my packmate who specialises in computers.”

Miles had convinced me to invest in a new computer chip or computer hardware of some variety. I honestly had no idea what it was, but I trusted him, and it made us a lot of money when that piece of equipment became standard in every desktop computer made in the country.

Both my parents gaped at me as I grinned at them easily. Money had always been their trump card. If I didn’t do something they wanted me to, they would threaten to cut me off. It was extremely hypocritical, considering I could get kicked out of any boarding school I wanted, and they would just pay them off. A misbehaving young alpha was appropriate, but dating a woman who wanted to work with engines was apparently the last straw.

“Son—” my father started, but I cut him off.

“Don’t call me that. I’m not your son, remember? If I can’t date someone appropriate, then I’m not a member of your family. That’s what you said.”

“Now let’s not be hasty,” my mother rushed to say.

“I’m not being hasty in the slightest, Mother. I’ve been considering this for a long time. I was just waiting to see if you two would become decent human beings, or if the public’s perception of you is still more important than your own child.”

My father’s face was turning red as he glared at me. “This woman has put ideas into your head. If this is the sort of person we’re allowing into my university now, I’m going to have to do something about it.”

I turned to look at my father, putting every ounce of my hatred into my gaze. “You will not touch Alexis’s education. Listen to me very carefully. If you interfere at all with her academic career at Hawking, I will make it my life’s mission to embarrass you. I will go around to every single one of your friends and tell them about how you’re too high and mighty for a woman who wants to get an education. Also, I’ve been around for a long time. I’ve heard the things you say about your friends when drunk, and I am not above using them. I know for a fact you think Mr. Connors is a brutish old mule who is boring or that you’ve used university funds to finance some of those fancy trips to Europe. I will ruin you if you touch her. Are we clear?”

Neither of them said anything as they stared at me. Their shock was understandable, considering I had never behaved like this before.

“Now, I can see you guys are busy. I need to head back home. Best of luck to you.”

I walked out of that house with my head held high, a grin on my face.

Freedom felt pretty good.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Alexis

My dorm room felt so empty now. Every time I came back to grab things I would miss my pack with a vengeance.

My pack.

That was right, I had a pack.

I needed to grab a few more items of clothing before Calvin finished classes and picked me up for the day. I had been running low on clothing and now I was going to be moving into the pack house officially, it was time to start moving more of my things in.

Those alphas were in for a shock when they realised just how cluttery an omega I was. Humming to myself, I quickly packed several bags. A feeling almost giddy in nature was welling up in me. For some reason, everything was just feeling right.

A quiet knocking on the door alerted me to someone’s presence. I shook my head, even though no one could see me. Why Calvin felt the need to knock was beyond me. He was more than welcome to just walk right in.

“Hey, Calvin, can you—”

I was cut off when I saw who was standing in my doorway.

It wasn’t Calvin.

“Josh?” I asked, my brow furrowed in confusion. The short alpha stood in my doorway, wearing his signature black suit, his brunette curls cropped short, a pissed look on his face.

What the hell was my brother doing at my university? What the hell was my brother doing in America?

“Alexis, why the fuck have you not been answering your phone!” he thundered.

“Because I didn’t wanna deal with Mum. Why the hell are you here?” I asked, utterly baffled. Seeing my brother in America was like seeing a fish in the desert. So out of place it was almost comical.

“Mum sent me to bring you home. I see you’ve already got some bags packed, so let’s move.” He looked into my room where I had packed a few boxes and suitcases in preparation for moving to the pack house.

I stared at him for a moment, opening and closing my mouth several times, trying to find the words. “No.” I settled on a simple answer.

“What the hell do you mean? You need to come home. You’ve had enough time to gallivant around a different country. Mum needs you.”

I snorted. “Mum’s need is for me to find a pack and give her lots of grandbabies.”

“You’re the only daughter. It’s your duty. I don’t know why you hate yourself so much that you decided you have to spend all your time with engines.”

Josh pushed his way past me into my room. Standing in the middle, he took in the surroundings with a shocked look on his face. “How in the hell did you afford a place like this?” he asked, his lips curled up in a sneer.

“I got a scholarship because I’m good at what I do.” My voice was terse. I wasn’t about to admit that I only got this amazing room and my academic opportunities here because Teddy had a boner for me.

If my mother knew that, she would be begging me to get packed up with Teddy.

“Come off it. This place must have cost a fortune! Ugh.” His face contorted in disgust. “How many men have you had in here? It smells like a brothel. Is this why you left, so you could act like a whore?”

Rage simmered beneath my skin. “Can you leave? I’m not going with you,” I gritted out. “You haven’t bothered to ask how I am, or if I’m okay. No, all you give a fuck about is making things go your way!”

“Yes, you are. Mom and Dads said they want you home. They hate that you decided to run away to another country without even consulting them. How bloody heartless can you be?” He threw his hands in the air.

“They don’t want me,” I said bitterly. “They just care that I can give them grandbabies. They want me to be a perfect little omega daughter, when that is not what I am.”

Josh’s nostrils flared, no doubt taking in the fact that I smelled a lot sweeter now. “You stop taking suppressants?”

“It’s frankly none of your business.” I sighed. “I’m going to say for probably the tenth time now, can you leave?”

Instead of listening to me, Josh grabbed my bags. “You’re coming home, and that’s that. I’ll contact the university and let them know that you ran away from home and your responsibilities.”

“I have three brothers, and none of you are capable of looking after Mum and Dads? Are you that deficient?”

Josh’s face turned red. “It’s not my job to look after our parents.”

“And it’s not mine,” I snarled. “Just because I had the misfortune of being born with a vagina does not mean that I’m going to be at this family’s beck and call my entire life.”

“You’ve got over a year left on this stupid degree. You could have stayed if you’d kept in touch with the bloody family, but instead, you had to go and be silent. Now Mum’s freaking out and demanding we bring you home. She won’t let us hear the end of it. You would be coming home in a year, anyway. What’s the difference in coming home early?” He started grabbing items of clothing and throwing them into boxes.

“Well, I think actually getting my degree is a pretty big difference, but other than that, I’m not coming back to England, I like it here. Josh! Stop touching my things!” I yanked my bag out of his hands, throwing it on my bed and glowering at him.

“What do you mean, you won’t come home? Someone’s been poisoning your brain! This is such bullshit.”

“Poisoning my brain? Do you hear yourself? I’m happy here, Josh. I know none of our family gives a fuck whether I’m happy, but I do.”

Josh sighed. “You’ve not got a choice in this matter. Dad’s revoking his permission for you to come here. You can’t stay in a foreign country without parental permission. You’re an unmated omega.”

Shit. I hadn’t thought of that. Technically, my parents could compel me to come back legally. Being mated was the only way around that.

I was pretty sure that I was going to be packed up in the imminent future with my guys, but I didn’t really want to discuss that with my brother. We had a few more years of me being a beta.

“Actually that’s English law. Now she’s in America you can’t compel her to leave, she’s over eighteen, and you have zero say on where she goes,” a voice growled from the doorway.

Wyatt.

I turned to glare at him with wide eyes.

“Who the hell are you?” Josh asked.

“The name’s Wyatt. I think the bigger question is what are you doing in my mate’s room?”

Josh looked between us, disbelief on his face. He took a deep breath, no doubt recognising Wyatt’s smell as one of the scents in the room.

“What the hell?” He rounded on me, his face going red. “You fucking mated without telling the family?”

“Again, none of your business. I don’t need their permission.” and I wasn’t even technically mated yet.

“You have no power here,” Wyatt said, leaning against the doorframe. He looked ever so casual, but I could tell from the glint in his eye that there was a rage simmering underneath. Josh needed to watch his words. Wyatt was ready to snap.

My brother shook his head. “You should have told us.”

“It’s none of your business,” I said simply. “You can’t compel me to leave. The family has no say over what I do now. This is the last time I’m going to say get the fuck out of my room. I’m calling security. Yes, this building is so nice, it has security, and they wouldn’t hesitate to throw you out on your ass.”

Josh’s face went through a myriad of emotions, settling on rage. He took a step towards me, but Wyatt was faster. Grabbing the back of Josh’s neck, he put so much strength behind his grip, the veins in his forearm bulged out. “Let’s not do anything stupid. Let me make one thing very clear. If you lay a hand on her, I will have you arrested and locked up in an American jail faster than you can blink, and there is nothing your family can do about it. Do you understand me?”

Josh nodded, giving me a death glare. Wyatt shoved my brother towards the door.

“Don’t let it hit your ass on the way out!” I shouted.

Chapter Fifty-Four

Wyatt

Alexis watched the doorway until she was sure her brother had left. Once she was certain, she let out a deep, shaky breath.

“Holy shit,” she muttered.

“Your brother?” I asked. I had only caught the tail end of their conversation, but I didn’t like it one bit. The way he had spoken down to her had made me enraged. If I thought it wouldn’t upset her, I would have happily pummelled him there and then. He sounded like he needed a good beating.

“He thought he could just force me to go home.” She sighed. “Do you see why I hate this omega stuff?” she asked, pointedly, while grabbing the bag her brother had thrown on the floor.

As much as I hated to admit it, over the last few weeks, I had seen how much of a burden being omega could be. Every fibre of my being wanted to protect her, to make it right somehow. But I couldn’t change our entire society.

“Can I do anything to help?” I asked.

“Well, how serious were you about us being mated?”

“Extremely. Why?”

“Because I know my family, and they’re probably going to try and force me to come home. They’re stubborn.” The sad look on her face caused me physical pain. I needed to make it right. We could still be an official pack and protect her as a beta.

“That’s not your home. Not anymore,” I said, pulling out my phone. Calvin should have just finished class, so I went onto our pack group chat and started a video call.

It took a moment, but everyone answered, the entire pack filling up the screen.

“What’s taking you guys so long?” Teddy whined.

“I’m on my way to you now, darling,” Calvin said.

“Guys, can you shut up? I have a question.” Everyone quieted down. “So, Alexis’s family wants to force her to come home. She’s an unmated omega, and they could do that—”

Everyone started talking in rapid succession. They spoke over each other to the point that I could hardly understand any of them. There was a lot of swearing, and anger, from what I could decipher.

“Guys! Shut up and let me speak!” I shouted, wincing and looking at Alexis apologetically as she lifted her hands to cover her ears. I was being rather loud. “Sorry,” I mouthed at her. She just smiled and shook her head affectionately.

“Wyatt kind of did something,” Alexis admitted.

“Her brother was going to force her to leave. The only way he can’t do that is if she’s mated to a pack. So, I told him I’m her mate, and she’s part of our pack. Now Alexis is worried that her family is going to want the official paperwork. I personally think that’s no problem. What’s everyone’s opinion on getting paperwork?” I asked, keeping my tone light and unable to keep the grin off my face.

“Oh, hell yeah, I’m ready to make it official,” Teddy shouted.

“You’re already part of the pack.” Miles shrugged. “Paperwork makes no difference to me. You’re ours.”

“Calvin?” Alexis asked, her voice quiet. “You haven’t said anything.”

He looked thoughtful. “Is this what you want? As far as I’m concerned, you’re already one of us, but I don’t want us to push you into something official before you’re ready.”

“Like the others said, I already consider you pack and my mates. We can still file all the paperwork that’ll keep me safe without disclosing it, right?”

Calvin smiled. “But there are other things to consider. You would be able to pretend to be a beta, but you would need to be registered as an omega officially. The university would know.”

Alexis’s face whitened, and I could feel her breathing increase as panic took over. She had been disguising who she was for so long that the idea of being herself was probably so foreign.

I opened my mouth, prepared to jump in and defend her, when she took in a deep breath to calm herself.

In this situation, I wasn’t opposed to using a little bit of nepotism in my favour. I could make sure the university protected her.

“I don’t mind,” Alexis admitted. “As long as we don’t have to tell all my classmates I can survive.” Her voice wavered slightly as she spoke, but I could see the resolve, in the straightening of her spine and the determination in her eyes growing, with every word she spoke. “Would you guys be okay with that?”

“Of course we are.” Calvin beamed through the screen.

I pulled her into my chest, kissing the top of her head. How the hell did we get so lucky?

“This doesn’t feel like the kind of conversation we should be having over the phone. I say we all get home,” said Calvin.

“Home.” Alexis smiled. “That sounds amazing.”

I couldn’t resist giving her a quick kiss before hanging up the phone. Part of me wanted to take my time with her, let her know just how happy I was, but that was unfair to my packmates.

We could all have our fun at home.

Chapter Fifty-Five

Alexis

Two years later

Adjusting the teal throw pillow for the hundredth time, I stood back and admired my work. Over the last two years, my nest had become a thing of beauty. It felt like every week, we added new items to it.

We had also learned the hard way that everything within the nest had to be machine washable. I had zero regrets about how we discovered that, because it had been a damn fun time.

My brand-new degree hung near the doorway. Having graduated two months prior, I was now looking for work. Or, at least, that’s what my pack thought I was doing. I had actually made my decision six weeks ago.

Crawling out of the nest, I smiled at my handiwork. It was ready.

As I had come to the end of my degree, I had found myself thinking about my future, about what I wanted. I had so much love and support from my pack throughout my studies. Obviously, I would have been able to do it without them, but having them there by my side, being so loving and supportive, had been phenomenal.

Smiling to myself, I turned out of the nest, tiptoeing down the corridor. It was the middle of the day on a Sunday, and the pack was in the den, watching a hockey game.

For the past two years, we had been living in bliss. Calvin had started working at a nearby university and was loving being away from Hawking. Miles was still studying, and Wyatt was now a trainee nurse. Teddy had graduated a year ago, and instead of looking for a normal job like we thought he would, he had decided to open his own company—Beautiful Motors—using the money from the pack investments. It had been a hit, after only a year, and they were now making considerable profit.

I had been firm with my entire pack that I was going to look for my own job after graduation. Teddy had made many jokes about joining Beautiful Motors and screwing the boss, and I had made many jokes about stabbing him.

“Who’s winning?” I asked innocently, going to the chair where Calvin was sitting and perching on the arm.

“No one yet,” Teddy said, his eyes glued to the TV. He and Wyatt had a bowl of pretzels between them that they were slowly demolishing.

Calvin opened his arms, and I took the invitation gratefully. I had become addicted to sitting in his lap whenever possible.

“Baby, you’re smelling very sweet,” he observed, his brows pinching together. “Feeling all right?”

“I’m feeling just dandy.” I beamed at him, wrapping my arms around his chest.

“Are you sure?” he asked, raising his hand to my forehead. “You’re a touch warm.”

I pouted thoughtfully. “Ah! That’s probably because I’m going into heat!”

Every alpha in the room stilled for a second before turning to look at me.

“What did you just say?” Wyatt asked, his nostrils flaring as he took in just how sweet my scent had become.

“Oh, yeah. Did I forget to mention I stopped taking my suppressants after graduation?” I asked sweetly.

“Why would you do that?” Miles asked, standing up and walking to stand next to me and Calvin. “That’s not part of the plan.”

“Screw the plan.” I laughed. “Frankly, I’m sick and tired of taking them, and I want to officially bond with the rest of you guys. I’m done waiting.” The bond with Wyatt had long since worn off, and frankly I missed it.

“But what about applying for jobs?” Calvin asked, his tone calm, but I could see the excitement in his eyes clear as day.

“I’m guessing there’s a job waiting for me at Beautiful Motors,” I said, looking over at Teddy, who had a love-struck grin on his face.

“There will always be space for you there, sparky.”

“I may or may not have timed when I came off my suppressants. Calvin isn’t teaching over the summer, and we all have lighter schedules.”

Calvin’s hand flew to the back of my hair, pulling me in for a delicious cherry wine kiss. All their scents intensified. Alpha.

“I don’t give a fuck how busy our schedules are, heats overtake everything,” Teddy declared.

“Is this a full heat or a mini one, like last time?” Calvin asked after pulling back.

“Full one. It’s been gearing up for days—I’ve just been using scent blockers to make it less obvious,” I admitted, biting my lip.

Calvin’s hand tightened in my hair, the delicious tugging only encouraging my already gathering slick.

Crawling off Calvin’s lap, I allowed Wyatt to pull me into his arms, who kissed me so hard my vision spun.

“Nest?” I asked breathlessly when he pulled back.

Everyone voiced their approval.

“One sec,” I said, walking over to Teddy, wrapping my arms around him and kissing him slowly. I had become addicted to his sweet, cake batter kisses over the years. And even though I was madly in love with him, that didn’t stop me from having my fun.

He was so distracted, he didn’t realise my true intention until the cuff clinked onto his wrist, attaching him to the doorframe. I had slid a pair into my pocket, the very same pair I had used on him during my mini heat two years prior.

“Alexis!” he cried, looking at his wrist and back at me several times, horrified, while the rest of the pack laughed. Wyatt was laughing so hard, he was wheezing.

Calvin, on the other hand, pressed his lips together and raised a single eyebrow as he tried to contain his laughter.

I kissed Teddy’s cheek lightly. “It’s tradition.” I shrugged. “One of the others will come uncuff you in a bit.” They would actually be uncuffing him in a few minutes, but it was far too fun to play with Teddy.

I had to keep my alphas on their toes somehow.

“You’re evil,” Teddy said, and I couldn’t contain my laughter.

Returning to Wyatt, I resumed kissing him, pressing my body against his. His cock dug into my stomach through his jeans. Reaching my hand down, I palmed his cock and was rewarded with a moan.

My T-shirt was ripped off me by one of the alphas—I didn’t know who, because I was too busy with Wyatt.

Foreplay was all good and dandy, but I needed a knot. I wanted to be knotted in my nest for the next several days until I was a wreck. If I could walk afterwards, my alphas were doing it wrong.

Hands snaked around my waist from behind, pulling me away from Wyatt.

“Nope!” Teddy declared loudly, throwing me over his shoulder and bounding out of the room.

“What the—” I started to say as he carried me out of the room. How on earth did he escape the cuffs?

“I’ve been hiding keys around the house for years. I wasn’t going to let you catch me out again!”

“Fine!” I declared grumpily. I would have to get him back later—after my heat. “You win! Now… fuck me?”

“I thought you would never ask!”

Here’s a sneak peak of Jeremy’s story - the grumpy player from the Chargers! His story Pack Plus Three is coming soon!

Chapter One - Jeremy

If I had to look at one more play book, I was going to lose my mind.

Work had been a ballache and a half. My team, the California Chargers, had a good chance of making it to the Stanley Cup so they were working us to death with practice after practice. But that’s not what I wanted. We were entering the warm summer months, and I dreamed of a job where I could use my hands full time.

Hockey was the job I was forced to do, but I much preferred working construction. Owning a small construction company on the side wasn’t the most glamorous of jobs, but it was one of the few things that brought me genuine joy, and I got to take Gilbert to work with me, Gilbert being my giant golden retriever who was so large, he was probably cross bred with a polar bear.

We were selective when taking on clients, usually leaving my name out of things due to my celebrity status. The demand for work gave me that luxury and we always took on jobs from folks who seemed kind and agreeable. Not a soul had complained about Gilbert’s presence.

Gilbert was laying at my feet while I cooked. I had been craving spicy rice cakes for a few days, so instead of lounging on the couch with a beer, I dragged my ass into the kitchen and started cooking.

My stepfather had spent his youth in Korea, so growing up I was spoiled for choice. My mother had been visiting Korea when the two scent matched. My stepfather hadn’t been able to resist my mother’s scent; he claimed it was like crack. They had been together ever since. Blissfully in love.

The kind of love I would do anything for.

I’d done what was expected of me, taking to the ice like a pro since the first moment I’d put on skates. I’d made it my life whether I wanted it or not, and it was a life others would kill for.

Yet, the kind of happiness my stepdad had found with my mother? That was far out of reach.

I’d tried dating a few omegas, but their scents, while nice, weren’t mind that kind of life changing like my stepdad described.

The closest I had come was a three-month fling with an omega in Dallas, but she had just been looking for a convenient knot to get her through her heat. I enjoyed it, like any alpha would, but I wanted more.

Walking over to the fridge I grabbed a bag of cheese to stir into the sauce, pausing a moment to feed a small pinch to Gilbert, who had been hot on my heels the moment he had seen me reaching for the cheese. I had spoiled him as a puppy, and now he was a cheese demon.

Sprinkling a little into the sauce, I shrugged to myself before tipping the rest of the bag in. Cheese improved everything. I was halfway towards the cupboard, intending to grab a bowl and indulge in cheesy heaven with a beer, when there was a knock on my door.

Probably Mrs Jenna, the elderly widow who lived on my floor. She often asked for help with odd jobs, and I was happy to help. Last time I fixed a leaking pipe for her, she gave me enough cookies to feed an army. I loved jobs like that; fixing things and using my hands. So far from skates, drills, competitions, and never ending fans climbing over themselves for a signature—or worse, a grope.

But when I opened the door, it wasn’t to a sweet elderly lady who smelled like citrus. I paused in surprise as I looked down at a tiny, heavily pregnant omega.

I had seen her before in the building, but I had never really seen her. How on earth could I have missed someone that beautiful right next door? Her hair fell in copper waves and her nose was covered with a smattering of freckles. She was wearing an oversized T-shirt and denim dungarees that looked fit to burst over her bump. She must have been at least six months long, if not ready to pop yesterday.

Right now she was blushing, and panting slightly, one hand leaning on my door frame and the other cradling her bump.

Instead of greeting her like a normal, rational human being I simply stared at her with wide eyes. Where the hell had this omega came from, and why was she alone. She was far too beautiful to be left alone.

“Uh… hi, I’m Daisy.” She introduced herself breathlessly.

“Hey!” I replied casually, trying to pull my shit together. I had already heard her name from Mrs Jenna. She had been quick to tell me of the pretty omega who just moved into the building and was living alone. She had told me with excitement, commenting that the omega could probably use some help settling in, with that wink-wink-nudge-nudge sort of manner that old ladies are so skilled at.

But surely she wasn’t alone if she was expecting? She would have a husband, or a boyfriend at the very least. Omegas didn’t stay single long, especially not ones as stunning as her.

Her stomach was disproportionately large compared to the rest of her body and she looked ready to pop.

“Hi… uh… this is going to sound odd.” She huffed, her face bright pink as she ran her hand through her hair, the movement filling the air with that sweet brown sugar apple scent. “Look, this is on add request, I know, these hormones are killing me b—”

“How can I help?” I asked with a smile, cutting off her adorable rambling.

She wanted something from me? She could ask for the keys to my car and I would hand them over in a heartbeat.

She sighed a long-suffering sigh. “Can I uh…” She chewed on her lip, eyes darting past me. “Can I have some of whatever you’re cooking?”

I looked down at her, and I couldn’t help it, my smile grew even wider.

“Gah! I’m sorry, I know you must think I’m a crazy person,” she spoke so fast I almost didn’t catch her words. “I would think I’m a crazy person, I swear this little devil,” she waved at her stomach, “is making nothing smell good. Kicking me in the bladder every ten minutes and giving me backache to boot. I haven’t managed to eat in days but whatever you’re making smells so damn good my hormonal ass dragged me off my comfy sofa to investigate! Do you know how hard it is to sit up when you’re smuggling a beach ball in your pants? And don’t even—”

“Come in,” I cut her off before she could say anything else. “There’s plenty.” I opened my door, inviting her in. Her face softened and she gave me a grateful look.

“Are you sure?” she asked softly.

She has to have a partner, I reminded myself, no good will come of this.

But… I didn’t care.

She was absolutely captivating—and she wanted my food.

“My sister had a baby a few years ago. I remember how bad her cravings got. I’m pretty sure I once got a remote thrown at my head because I ate the last chocolate chip cookie.” As I spoke I walked down the hallway, and Daisy followed me, peering around my apartment anxiously. Well, calling it my apartment was a stretch. It was my pet project. I usually live with my pack, but this apartment was in such a state of disrepair we saw an opportunity. While this area wasn’t exactly desirable, the apartment was a steal, and with a few months fixing it up we would be able to sell it for a tidy profit.

“Maybe it’s the hormones, but I say that’s totally fair!” She laughed, following me slowly. “I probably should have asked your name. Or asked if you’re a serial killer. Are you a serial killer? Actually I don’t care as long as you feed me first.”

“Jeremy,” I said, unable to take my eyes from her as we entered the kitchen, “Take a seat, I’ll grab you a dish.” I nodded at the small table as I went over to the cooker, stirring the gooey rice cakes. Gilbert poked his head up from his dog bed, noticing our guest as she took a seat, holding her swollen belly as she did. Why was that so cute? I wanted a heavily pregnant omega of my own to spoil more than anything. Gilbert trotted over to her, a goofy, lopsided grin on his face.

“Oh! Hello sweetheart,” Daisy cooed as Gilbert rested his head in her lap. “What’s your name?” she asked, gently stroking his head.

“Gilbert.”

“Oh, such a lovely name for a lovely boy!” She looked up at me, expression so content as she scratched him. “He is perfect, I adore him!” She glanced up at me, beaming wildly. Pride filled my chest because she liked my dog. Not the ratty thing that lived four doors down that looked like it was mutated in a lab, no my dog was the one the pretty omega liked.

“He’s a good dog,” I smiled as I dished up two plates. “But I worry he doesn’t get enough attention when I’m out at work.”

“What do you do?” she asked, looking up at me, still absentmindedly fussing Gilbert’s ears

“I’m a…” I paused, finding I didn’t want to ruin this moment with the truth. “A contractor. What about you?”

“I do some admin work from home, I used to work at a bookstore and cafe, but this situation makes it a little difficult.” She gestured to her stomach again. “But I need to make ends meet, so working from home it is!”

“Can’t your boyfriend or husband help you?” I asked, eyes drifting from where I was serving up the rice cakes, suddenly tense. I cleared my throat.. “I just mean, you must be exhausted, my sister literally only ate and napped in the later months.”

I walked over to the table with two bowls, setting one down in front of her and one on the place next to her for me.

“I’m uh… on my own,” she admitted, not meeting my eye. The smell of her unhappiness filled the room.

She was alone?

How the hell could someone leave her? There was no possible way she got into her current predicament alone, so she should have at least one person by her side. Were she mind I would be on her ass like glue, making sure she had everything she needed. Fulfil every weird craving, or giving 3am foot rubs, I would be there with a fucking smile on my face.

I wanted answers, but shit. I hadn’t meant to upset her.

“Chopsticks or fork?” I asked, changing the topic, mind still racing over that information.

“Chopsticks if you have them, it feels wrong to eat this sort of food with a fork.” She smiled. “This smells so damn good,” she moaned, gently rubbing her belly, and I couldn’t take my eyes from her.

She had to be lying. No one would leave an omega like her alone. Not expecting.

“I agree,” I grabbed two sets from the drawer to get my thoughts straight and took a set next to her, handing her a set. “I’m so used to them now, my dad is Korean, and would always make me use chopsticks. It’s second nature, now. I’m grateful he did, though. I went to Korea to study for a few summers and all his training made me a natural!”

“That sounds amazing!” she took the chopsticks gratefully, deftly digging into the plate.

“It is spicy,” I warned but she looked up at me with a grin that lit up her face

“Don’t threaten me with a good time!” She laughed, before picking up a noodle and shoving it whole into her mouth. The happy little sound she let out was obscene, and I was suddenly grateful that the table was hiding my tightening trousers and obvious hard on.

She did really have no support?

Still, that didn’t give me an excuse to skip my manners. And it didn’t mean anything. Not really. She had her life to get to, and I still had the season to complete. The ice never stopped its demands, and there wasn’t room to give an omega like this what she needed. Not really.

Even if she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on.

“How long have you lived here?” I asked.

“Just a few weeks.” Daisy hummed as she took another bite. “You?”

“About a year, it’s a good building. The neighbours are good people.”

“Mrs Jenna from number thirty-six was at my door the moment I moved in, plate of cookies in hand.”

“The butter pecan ones?” I asked with a groan of my own. “I love those things, she hardly ever makes them for me! I get regular chocolate chip even when I’m her on-call handyman!” I laughed.

“She’s been giving me a plate every week, I would have accused her of trying to fatten me up if I weren’t already the size of a house!”

I looked over at her again. While her stomach was almost comically large, she was still tiny. When standing her head hardly touched my chest. “My sister couldn’t move by herself at the end, her mates had to carry her everywhere.”

“Oh, lucky woman! I would love my own human taxi service. This food is amazing, what is it?”

“Spicy Korean rice cakes. I’d been craving them all week and dying for an excuse to make them, plus Gilbert goes nuts whenever I make something with cheese,” I said. “Sometimes I can’t take him to places because he tries to steal anything with cheese in it.”

“If you ever need someone to watch him nearby, I’m happy to help! It’s the least I can do. This food is seriously a god send!”

I took a moment to look her over. Despite her happiness, her cheeks were slightly hollow, and she had a slight grey tinge to her skin. It looked like she hadn’t had a good meal in a while. “Morning sickness?” I asked.

“Twenty-four hour sickness.” She grimaced. “You know, I was told it would stop after the first trimester, but no, it’s never ending.”

“That’s rough. If you ever want more rice noodles, you’re welcome to come over. It’s quite nice having some company.”

“Thank you, I can’t believe I just knocked on your door,” Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.

“The hormones will make you do crazy things, and you could do with a few good meals. There’s some extra as well, I can pack them up for you if you want?” I didn’t tell her I had planned to use those for my lunch tomorrow, she clearly needed it more. A deep, instinctual part of me wanted to care for this omega. The idea of her alone, struggling to eat didn’t sit right with me. Clara had her entire pack and our parents around while she was pregnant so she wanted for nothing, and it had still been hard on her.

“Really?” she asked, looking at me hopefully. “Are you sure?”

I frowned at that, the alpha part of me rejecting the notion that anyone had ever made her nervous to ask for what she needed. Who was responsible for that?

If I had an omega like this, I would never leave her wanting for anything. Nothing, not even the Stanley Cup would get in my way

“Of course. I’ll box them up.”

Her eyes lit up and my heart warmed. She was terrible at hiding her emotions, and I liked that, I liked that her every thought and feeling was written clearly across her face.

“Thank you,” she said. “You could have told me to go away.”

“Only a grade A asshole would do that.”

She frowned, biting her lip again gently.

Had someone else rejected her when she asked for help? I hated that idea. “Seriously.” I made sure she was looking me in the eye before I continued. “You’re welcome here to attack my kitchen any time. If you can convince Mrs Jenna to give me more butter pecan cookies I’ll happily give you my entire pantry!”

My pack might think I was mad, but I didn’t care. There was a pregnant omega in this building with no one to take care of her.

“Thank you.” Her voice was a low whisper as she nibbled on one of the last noodles, looking down at her plate with a shy smile. Her mood had lifted considerably from the frazzled omega who had been at my door not long ago. I had done that, I had made her happier by cooking for her. My chest was so full of pride it wanted to burst.

“Do you want to try some Korean desserts before you go?” I asked once she ate the last noodle.

She looked torn. “I’ve imposed enough…”

“Hush.” I waved away the notion. The most beautiful omega I’d ever met was in my house, wanting my food. Not for my autograph, not for skating tips, not making a bid for my money. For my food. “I’ve got plenty. My mother sends me loads. Strawberry Mochi, it’s a soft rice cake.”

“So the sweet version of what I just ate?” she asked with an adorable frown.

“Basically!” I grinned. I hadn’t made the connection before.

“If you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“I’m happy to share. Gilbert is rubbish dinner company.”

“He’s so sweet,” she said, looking at the dog sleeping at her feet.

“He would let someone break in and steal everything if they gave him a treat.”

“Well, he and I have that in common.”

I took our plates, putting them in the sink and grabbing two mochi packets out of the cupboard.

“Do you need help cleaning up, it’s the least I can do,” she asked from her seat, bracing her hand on the table like she was going to try and stand up.

“You keep your butt there! You should be resting. My mother and sister would skin me alive if they found out I let a pregnant woman clean up—and I happen to like my skin.”

“It is annoyingly clear skin,” Daisy nodded with a serious face.

“It’s those good genes,” I said, placing the mochi in front of her. She took one with a smile and gently nibbled on it.

“My lord!” Her beautiful green eyes found me, and my heart tripped. “This is so good. My stomach hasn’t been this happy in weeks.”

“Glad I can help. Have you been having any cravings?”

It would, of course, be insane for me to make a mental note of all of them to keep for later.

“Loads, but I don’t have a car, so unless I want to catch a night bus when I have a three am craving I have to ignore it.”

A night bus? We lived in a decent area, but those buses were not the safest. The idea of a tiny pregnant omega on one of those filled me with worry.

I wanted to tell her that I would happily drive her to the store if she needed, but that would be coming on a little strong. We were practically strangers.

“Well, if I can satisfy any cravings, let me know, I’m at your disposal!” I smiled.

Her face turned bright red. Ah. Had that sounded dirty?

“Thank you.” She composed herself, fighting her smile before her hand flew to her side and she hissed gently.

“Kicks?” I asked.

Daisy nodded. “Strong ones as well, I love this little parasite already, but I’m not sure they love me with the way they are using my insides as a punching bag.”

“Do you know what you’re having?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise… the uh… dad wanted to know but he didn’t bother showing up for any of the sonogram appointments, so I decided to find out on their birthday.”

What sort of pathetic excuse for a human didn’t attend sonograms for his own child? She had already mentioned she didn’t have a car, which meant she was travelling alone on a crowded bus to attend doctor’s appointments without anyone looking out for her.

Someone needed a punch to the dick. I didn’t know who this guy was, but I already hated him.

My entire home smelled like apple sugar, and I found it comforting. Gilbert clearly didn’t mind either, he was still fast asleep at Daisy’s feet.

“My family is far too impatient, my sister found out the moment she could and decorated the nursery in every shade of blue imaginable. It was like a tornado of blue had come crashing through the house. Her and mom together… Dad and I just hid in the basement and discussed work until they summoned us to build furniture. Then we bought them cupcakes and left them to it.”

“You sound like very smart men. Your sister is lucky to have so many people helping her.”

“That’s what family is meant to do.”

Daisy frowned slightly, her gaze finding the clock on the wall. “Damn, it’s getting late. I should get back. I can’t thank you enough for this, I know it’s not exactly normal.”

“Daisy, I’m happy to help. Seriously.”

She blushed before nodding, and I got the impression she didn’t fully believe me. She pulled herself out of the chair with a groan, gently rubbing her lower back. I wanted to offer her a back rub, but that would just be creepy.

“Thank you,” she repeated when we got to my doorway. She clutched the tupperware of noodles tightly. As if it was precious. I wondered how long it had been since she’d been offered something by someone else. I was glad she was taking some food home with her.

“Anytime, I mean it.” I said as she petted Gilbert goodbye.

I watched for as long as I could get away with as she waddled off to her own apartment. When the door closed behind her, I was left alone. I stood in silence for a long time, surrounded by the fading scent of sweet apple sugar, unable to shake the feeling that the apartment felt oddly empty.