And this heat would be different.
Because of them.
“I choose this,” I whispered, more to myself than to them.
I lifted my chin, confidence cementing as I met his gaze again.
“I choose you both.”
And they had chosen me.
Chapter 25: Knox
My brother was right.
Lena wasn’t fragile anymore.
Maybe he was correct that she had never been.
One thing was certain, watching her now, there was nothing fragile about her.
Only determined. She moved around the room with quiet focus, arranging her nest. Pillows fluffed and repositioned, blankets spread and adjusted, fabrics tested against her skin as she built a nest that felt right to her. Sometimes she would carry pieces of nesting material over to us and rub them against our skin, coating them in our scent before returning the items to her nest.
The runt was fully in the throes of her heat.
Her scent had deepened, thick and sweet in the air, saturating the space until it was impossible to ignore. It wrapped around both of us, pulling at our primal instincts. Every passing second tested our restraint.
My hands flexed as I watched Lena build her nest, forcingmyself to stay where I was, plastered to the floor near her bed, even as every instinct pushed me closer.
Silas wasn’t faring much better. I could feel it in him: the shift in his posture, the way his control was holding, but just barely.
Our rut was setting in.
My knot had already inflated, just from her scent.
My cock pulsed, jerking every time my eyes grazed the expanse of Lena's olive skin. A thin layer of sweat made it glisten and shine.
I exhaled slowly, before standing and forcing my feet to carry me out of her room, pulling my phone from my pocket.
I needed a moment to steady myself, but also to make arrangements.
“Director Mallory,” I said when the line picked up. “We’re out of commission for the next few days, sir.”
A brief pause. Then a knowing hum on the other end.
“Ah,” he said. “I see your unit's omega is settling in nicely.”
I didn’t need to respond.
“I’ll make sure no one bothers you,” he continued. “But when you’re finished attending to her… it’s back to work. We need you both.”
Another pause.
“The time’s come. Command has given AIED the go-ahead. Marco is green light for pick up.”
My grip tightened slightly around the phone.
“Noted,” I said in a clipped tone.
