The definition filters into my mind, snippets of a conversation I had years ago with a nice, older beta when I researched packs for my first book. It made more sense to meet someone my same designation — to figure out how he fit into a dynamic that my parents had convinced me that wasn’tforbetas.
“But don’t you get jealous?”
He’d smiled at me, tilting his head like my question was something he’d not thought about in a very long time. “It makes me happy to know the people I love are also loved ten times over. Them being happy with each other, makesmehappy.”
Bennett and I stare at each other for a soundless moment. I lick my lips, and then I close my eyes. I can’t think when he’s thisclose — he’s overwhelming, like handing a starved person the ripest fruit in the middle of the desert.
It’s easier to speak without seeing him, even though he’s surrounding me — his presence, his perfume, histouch—
“I don’t know how to do any of this.” I swallow the lump in the back of my throat, fighting back a whine. “I’m scared. I keep thinking I’m coming between you and Seth… that Arin doesn’t want something with me because there’s something between you and I, and then Theo…” My head spins.
His hand suddenly grips my chin and I look up at him, dripping orange juice awakening my senses, chasing away the flare of anxiety.
“Let me be very clear.” His voice is stern as he stares at me, his lips parting. “I amveryhappy that you and Seth like each other. I amverypleased that he makes you feel good.” I shiver, feeling the burn under my skin as he continues. “And I’mveryglad that you and Arin shared this evening. I meant what I said in the kitchen earlier, June, I want to court you.”
I fight the urge to fidget, letting his hand on my chin ground me. “So it’s okay that I like all of you?”
“It ismorethan okay,” he relents, stepping closer. “Arin might not know how to express to you that you have a place here, Seth might just embrace what happens, butIwill make it very clear to you now.”
I stumble back a step, my hip hitting the wall, caught in his eyes as Bennett’s head tilts down.
“I am not going to walk away if you develop feelings for every single one of us. I will not shun you for exploring what you want, what you like, and what desires each of us can fulfill for you.” Bennett’s lips near mine, barely brushing. “In fact, I welcome you touseme in whatever way you’d like.”
I stare up at him, sucking in a breath before I surge up and kiss him, wrapping my arms around his neck.ThisI can do.
Bennett grabs onto me, holding me tightly as he kisses me. His fingers slide under my jacket, pushing it off my shoulders and throwing it across a table in the hallway before he drags me against his bare chest, his voice rough.
“Your room, or mine?” He pulls back, staring at me. “With Seth.”
Sparks ricochet up my skin. “Yours. With Seth.”
Bennett wastes no time. He drags me toward the door, kissing me as we go. I lean into him, my hands slightly shaking as I stumble into the bedroom with him. There’s a rustle, and then Seth gasps, “June.”
I turn, Bennett’s hands landing on my hips as he pulls me back against his chest, his lips falling to kiss my jaw, then my neck. My eyes find Seth in the bed already, half rumpled and ready to sleep. He sits up, his eyes widening as he takes in Bennett behind me and my outfit.
“I got your note,” I whisper the words as Bennett’s hands dig into my hips, fingers seeking my skin under the waistband of my skirt.
A smile creeps over Seth’s face. He’s slow as he leans up, kneeling on the bed. “We can talk about that later, baby.”
Bennett kisses the back of my head, murmuring in my ear, “Go to your beta, darling.”
I shiver, stumbling away from the alpha and toward the bed. A little laugh bubbles up and escapes my throat when Seth reaches for me, grabbing onto my arms and tugging me against him, making me fall to the bed. I brace myself on my knees as he kisses me deeply. He drags a giggle from my lips as I try and fail to multitask, one hand in his hair and the other reaching down to tug on my boots so I don’t get my dirty shoes on the bed.
Bennett’s hands encircle my ankles, and then he tugs my shoes off, letting them fall to the hardwood with soft thumps. I hum against Seth’s lips as Bennett’s hands slide up, over myhips, touching my stomach and pushing my sweater up so he can hold me from behind.
My hair flies everywhere as I pull back long enough for Bennett to tug my sweater over my head, staring at Seth as I kneel on the bed in only my tight skirt and bra, my cheeks flushing.
I don’t care what I actually look like, because the moment Seth’s eyes track over my skin, I feel like a goddess. He scrambles up the bed, getting himself untangled from the sheets before he surges forward and kisses me again, groaning against my lips. “God, you’re so pretty.”
I flush, pressing against him, trying to clamber into his lap and grunting when the skirt stops me. “This thing has been thebaneof my existence tonight.”
Bennett laughs behind us, his thumbs rubbing small circles into my back before he grabs the zipper and helps me tug it down.
My socks are half falling off as I kneel on the bed, looking up at Seth again as Bennett’s hand skims across the backs of my shoulders. I turn into his touch, putting my back to Seth as I stare at Bennett.
His dark eyes take me in, dancing down my exposed skin. “Just as stunning as I imagined.”
I smile up at him, the bed shifting behind me as Seth reaches forward, his hands on the hook of my bra. I glance up at Bennett, locking eyes with him as Seth unclasps it from behind. Shifting my arms, I let Seth ease it off me as Bennett’s throat bobs, his eyes darting down to stare at my chest, breathing a little harder.
