With a gentle nudge, I guide her over to Seb, and lower her onto the bed next to him. "Little star, I think Seb's alpha needs a cuddle. Would you be okay to give him one?" I hold my breath internally.
She smiles. "Sure," she says, and grabs my hand, tugging me down until my ear is level with her mouth. "Um, I think Ralph might need some help. He's a bit out of it." Her voice is quiet, tinged with concern. She shuffles back and leans against Seb's shoulder. He grins at James, smugly.
James pretends not to notice as he fusses over Zeke.
My face can't hide the shock. I did my master's thesis on ways to avoid triggering beta rejection during aftercare. Istillhaven't found a way that's totally reliable. I'venevermet an omega who would allow a beta that she (or he) didn't have abond with to monopolize one of their alphas after sex. Let alonesend one of their unbonded alphas awayto look after a beta.
My hands cup her face and my mouth falls into a smile. "Yes, Omega, whatever you think is best."
I reach over to Clarke, who's grinning up at me, delight flaring in our bond. I play with the soft brown curls next to his ear.
"You need some help cleaning up, love?" I murmur. He nods, a tiny yawn slipping out. I clamber over Seb and Dellie, and scoop my beta up. He shivers as I lay a gentle kiss on my silvery bond mark on his neck.
"Come on, then." I shuffle us off the bed and carry him into the bathroom.
Chapter 13
A contented sigh seeps out of Dellie as she settles in against my shoulder. Zeke's grunts from the bottom of the bed are muffled by the doona while James works on his back. Allen's murmuring something quietly to Clarke as he carries our beta into the bathroom.
The door shuts gently behind them as our omega snuggles into me. "So, Bondi, you got a cuddly alpha, then?" Her voice is soft.
Shit. I just thought of her as 'our' omega. I tell my brain to hurry up and chill the fuck out.
Too soon. Way too soon.
I let a rakish grin form over my mouth. "Bondi, huh? Yeah, sure,Balga, the cuddliest. He's all about the omega snuggles."
She cackles into my chest. I laugh, and plant a kiss on top of her hair.
It all just feels so… easy.Don't think I've ever had things feel easy without working fucking hard for it. Don't even care that I'm the only one who hasn't got to…
Nope. Not going there. I mentally whack my alpha on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper, and remind him that she gets to pick who touches her and how, and we've got to be along for the ride so far, and that's afuckingprivilege.
Her small hand rests against my cheek, guiding my face towards hers. "Where'd you go just now, Bondi?" she asks.
Fuck.
"N-nowhere, Balga, just zoned out for a minute."
She sits up straight and glares at me. "None of that, please," she says, her voice low but firm. She straddles me and cups my face in her hands. "You don't have to have the words, but please don't lie. I don't like liars."
My treacherous cock twitches.Down, boy.
There's a stiffness in my jaw that I can't shake out. "Sorry. My alpha is occasionally a bit, um, kinda a dickhead, to be honest. Just… telling him off."
Her hand strokes my face as she faces me and lowers herself over my lap, straddling me. I give her my most disarming grin. My cock twitches again, this time nudging her thigh.
She raises an eyebrow. My face feels hot.
Fuck, I'm being too much. I'm fucking this up.
Something that matters is about to snap. I can feel it.I can't stop it and I don't know how to fix it and I'm about to wreck it and it's my fault—
Dellie sighs as I glance away, and pulls me into a hug. "You're worse than me, Bondi," she murmurs into my ear.
"I just don't want to fuck this up." The quiet words spill out of the crack she somehow made inside me before I can stop them.
She stills against me, her breathing shallow, like if we're silent enough, we can pause this moment, never risking breaking it.
