Page 4 of Scent of Sanctuary
Just be easy with her.
Lyle:. Got it, boss.
Ambrose: Got it. Picking up that strawberry cake tho. Her fave. Fuck your birthday. Respectfully boss.
A chuckle escapes me as I pocket my phone, muttering “Asshole” under my breath before heading to the sink to wash my hands and then starting in on the chopping. The silence in the kitchen is comfortable, Seraphina falling into a little rhythm as she starts humming, her voice bouncing around the wooden panels. I can’t help the smile that falls across my face, the need for more than these late night dinners and sparse cuddles. The problem is getting Seraphina to believe that we can take care of her, that we aren’t the same as that monster that tried to ruin her.
Seraphina breaks the silence as she approaches with a bowl for the vegetables. “You didn’t have to come early,” she muses, stepping up to my side. There’s a bit of a whine to her voice, her Omega creeping in, and I fucking love when she leans into it.
“Wanted to.” I scoop up the peppers and onions into the bowl before turning to her. “Missed you a bit.”
Her nose scrunches up as she tilts her chin higher to meet my gaze. “Liar. You were here two nights ago.”
“Still missed you, Fi,” I purr, reaching forward to tuck a loose strand by her ear. I can’t wait until she’s ready for when I can truly tell her how I feel. That I miss it when she’s not just down the hall or when she’s not curled up against me on the couch during movie nights or when she’s offering me little kisses, her Omega fully taking over.
Maybe it’s not right, this line we tease between friend, mate, and lover. The cuddles are one thing but the kisses and watching her fall apart on our fingers when she truly needs the relief reveal feelings I’m so desperately trying to keep to myself. She’s greedy for our affection and I wish she’d take more, wish she’d tell us that we could stay, that we could be hers—that she could be ours.
For now, though, I’ll take what I can get.
I quirk a brow as she leans up on her toes to press a kiss to the corner of my mouth, a giggle following as she murmurs ‘thank you’ and then steals the bowl to add to her prep.
Seraphina
Thepotroastissimmering in the oven, filling my apartment with a mixture of savory spices and onions that makes everything feel like it could be just right.
“Smells wonderful, Fi,” Callum murmurs as he comes up beside me. I preen beneath the praise, my cheeks warming as one of his large hands settle beside me, everything about us a beautiful contrast. My hands disappear in his, the creamy tone of my skin clashes against the rich brown of his.
The rumble of Ambrose’s truck in the parking lot steals my attention and I twist to look at Callum, his deep brown eyes playfully mocking me as I run to the edge of the mudroom to wait for them. Callum just shakes his head as he starts cleaning up the mess in the kitchen and I bounce on my toes, grinning as the other two spill inside, several bags in each of Ambrose’s hands.
They follow the same routine Callum did—kicking off their shoes and dousing themselves in descenter spray but not fast enough because I catch a whiff of Lyle’s eucalyptus amber and Ambrose’s rum spice. I take greedy gulps of air, my chest tight with want, knowing I shouldn’t. My fingers twist in the sides of my dress as I anxiously wait for them to hurry up, to come to me, to fill this growing need for men I’m not supposed to have.
Ambrose spots me first, his hazel eyes glinting with that reckless charm. He’s all tattoos and long black silky hair that brushes his shoulders, a length that Lyle mentions every now and then. I’m more intrigued by the several piercings, especially the one in his lip that he always chews on.
I launch myself at him, the Alpha dropping the groceries to catch me against him as strong hands lift me until my legs wrap around his waist. “Hey, wildfire,” he murmurs, voice rough against my ear. I cling to him, face buried in his neck, chasing the faint trace of his scent beneath the spray.
Lyle steps up to my side, brushing a soft kiss just behind my ear, and a purr rumbles from his chest, vibrating through me. The last of the three Alphas that are my entire world is nothing short of a teddy bear, his large size in contrast to his personality. At least when it comes to me. He’s the softest, sweetest Alpha I’ve ever met, the scraggly brown hair that sits on top of his head just adding to his boyish charm.
I lean into them, Ambrose’s hands steady on my thighs, Lyle’s breath warm on my skin. My own purr slips out, soft and needy, and I crave more, even though I know I can’t have it. Not like this. Not when one wrong move could shatter everything.
Callum’s voice booms from the kitchen. “Hello, lovebirds!”
I chuckle into Ambrose’s neck, wondering what it would be like to truly be part of these men’s lives. They’ve told me stories of how they met, how Ambrose and Lyle fell together, how they all share a cute little house a few streets over from the firehouse. But I’m so far removed from them that I don’tseeany of it. Every now and then, I’ll catch Lyle stealing a kiss from Ambrose or a small caress but I only get snippets of their lives because I’m in here while they have the whole world at their feet.
Ambrose presses a kiss to my temple before sliding me down to my feet and grabbing the bags again. “Got you a few things, Fi.”
I clasp my hands together as I follow him to the kitchen, Lyle on my heels. Digging into the bags the moment Ambrose sets them on my counter, I wade through the steaks, several containers of fruit, and then the prettiest slice of strawberry cake I’ve ever seen. My favorite flavor in absolutely everything. But it’s Callum’s birthday, not mine.
A frown overtakes my face as I glance up at Ambrose. “What about Callum?”
Ambrose laughs, digging deeper into the bag. He unearths a small round chocolate cake that looks like it’s been iced twice over. “Got him covered,” he says, winking. “That slice is just for you, though.”
I protectively cradle the strawberry cake against my chest when Ambrose tries to reach for it and then set it on the counter with a pout. “Don’t want it cold,” I mumble, the Alphas chuckling at my insistence. Soft, room temperature icing is the only way to go and nuking it for 15 seconds just isn’t the same.
Ambrose starts unloading the rest of the things into the fridge, Lyle pulling plates and forks to set up the coffee table as Callum delivers the roast in the middle. I try to help but I’m dragged into my spot beside Lyle, the Alpha wrapping an arm around my shoulder as I sink into his warmth. “Hey, bear,” I murmur as he squeezes me a little tighter, his Alpha purr rumbling through his chest.
It’s moments like this that I wish I could frame and keep forever. Moments that I know after tonight will cease. A sob threatens to lodge itself in my throat, but I shove that away, focusing on these men as they settle around me. Callum sits across from us, his ever watchful eye trying to dissect the range of emotions running through my face. Ambrose saddles up on my other side, squeezing my thigh before they all start dishing out food, metal clanking against porcelain.
I blush under their whispered praises and muffled groans, my own little plate of meat and potatoes losing its flavor. They notice but don’t comment as I stab one of the carrots and it falls apart, my resolve slowly going with it. I’m not sure why I waited until tonight, until Callum’s birthday to deliver this news but it can’t wait any longer.
