Page 65 of Knot Your Pawn

I can hope and try.

He stirs, wrapping his arms around me, his pheromones slowly starting to settle closer to what they’re like normally.

“I’m sorry.” Luca’s voice is quiet and he steps away from me. “This is my fault. I didn’t pay attention.”

“It’s not your fault.” I make him sit in one of the chairs. “Masks can slip, it happens. Especially if your mind is elsewhere and you’re not paying close attention. For example, when you’re slamming into Mathew.”

His eyes go wide and a blush spreads over his cheeks and down his body, his pheromones taking on a note of desire. “I’m sorry you had to hear all that.”

“Firstly.” I put my fingers under his chin, making him look at me. “Stop apologising. There’s no need for it. I know that it’s hard, I was the same when I got out, but there’s no need to always apologise. You’re not going to get punished for making simple mistakes.”

He nods slowly, still looking troubled.

“Secondly, Vera and Mathew sneaking off together or with one or more of the pack to have sex is normal. They have a very high libido and love sex. Getting shy around the rest of us every time it happens is not going to do you much good. It’s how they are. You better get used to it.” I try to make my voice sound light, but I’m not sure it works with the way Luca is staring at me.

Then I notice the note of lust and curiosity in his pheromones. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure...” Though I don’t know exactly how to interpret his tone.

“Do Vera and Mathew sometimes take more than one person at a time with them?”

I can’t help my laugh. “Yes, all the time. They often take Jorge and Caleb off together. To spend time only with the four of them together.”

“What about you?”

Even the short thought of having to share Vera or Mathew with Jorge or Caleb while I’m having sex with them pulls a growl from me.

Luca moves back, surprised. “No?”

“No.” I stand up, purposefully releasing the tension in my body. “I don’t share my Omegas with any Alphas. Not during sex, anyway.”

“Okay.” His voice is soft, careful, and when I look back at him, he seems lost in thought.

I try to imagine sharing Vera and Mathew with Luca, the shorter man mixed in with the three of us, another variation of body, another variation of pheromones.

And I notice that not only does it not trigger some angry possessive response, it makes me curious. I have no idea how it would work, how he would fit in, but I’d be interested to find out.

I swallow hard, not even sure I want Luca to hear this, but also needing to say the words out loud. “I don’t think I would mind it if it was you.”

The spike in Luca’s pheromones are my only clue that he heard my words, and I quickly turn back to the door.

“Once you feel better again, you should go back inside.” I open and close the door in as short a time as possible.

I’m overwhelmed with a mix of Caleb’s, Jorge’s and Vera’s pheromones, all somewhat on edge, but none of them are too out of the norm anymore.

Vera and Mathew seem to be asleep again, and my heart aches as I look at them.

I wish I could pick them up and hide them in their nest, they’d feel so much better in there.

Then I remember why they can’t be in there right now, they tried to destroy it. We’re going to have to clean the nest out once everything settles down, which makes me feel even worse.

How are they going to react when they come back to their senses and find out their nest is an absolute mess?

Do they remember doing it, or will this be a total surprise to them?

Caleb looks up and motions for me to come over, then he scoots aside so I can curl up against Vera. “Shift change.” His laugh is hollow. “I’m sorry for⁠—”

At my pointed look, he stops, simply nods at me and then slides off the bed.