“Rowan Foster! Good gracious, what has gotten into you? That’s hardly—” She breaks off with a sigh before starting up again.
“Nix, honey, come here.”
She had hugged him then, her beta scent sweet and warm, like blueberry pancakes. Smaller than even he or Luca, Beth had an energy that radiated kindness. With her bright smile and long red hair pulled into a high ponytail, she hardly looked older than Jamie. But her embrace was strong, as fierce and grounding as Rowan’s, and it tugged at something deep inside Nix—memories of his mother, her slim arms and soft bosom full of comfort and love.
He’d looked up from the warmth of Beth’s shoulder to see Finn’s parents slipping out in the rush, not being used to crowds. The other two betas in his family pack, Rusty and Claire, had hugged Finn before following quickly after.
Nix caught the flicker of resignation on Finn’s face—not surprise, not hurt, just understanding. He’d accepted a one-armed hug from Mama-Frankie instead, leaning into her without hesitation.
It made Nix sad because this probably wasn’t the first time they’d left their son to cope alone. Still, they’d shown up. They’d come to support them, and in Nix’s books, that counted for something.
By the time they’d finished their goodbyes, a crowd had gathered on the front steps, forcing them to slip out a side entrance to reach their car unnoticed.
As the car pulled away, Nix glimpsed the omegas greeting the press conference, proving an effective distraction to cover their departure. If Finn’s estimate was accurate, there had to have been five television vans and at least a hundred people gathered outside.
Nix had spent the ride home in Jamie’s lap, being scented and listening to him hum some tune.
It had been a quiet ride, everyone lost in their thoughts until Rowan had finally burst out with, “You laid that fucker out, Gray. Who knew you coulddo that? It was awesome!”
That had earned him a smack on the back of the head from Gideon and a squeak from Luca, who’d had the misfortune of sitting closest.
“What?! Am I wrong?”
No, he wasn’t wrong atall.
Seeing his soulmate pummel Hayes had been hot as fuck. Even on the heels of seeing Hayes bear down on him with foul-scented evil, there’s a surge of intense desire at the memory of Grayson’s possessive fury.
Nix knows it’s a bit old-fashioned, and he admires Grayson’s usual restraint, but…well…call him whatever you want. It felt good to be defended in that most public and fundamental way.
He is very much about being self-sufficient—always has been, whether by choice or circumstance—but Nix is getting used to letting people show they care for him in so many ways.
Now, lying with Grayson pressed up against him, thoughts of Grayson’s possessive show of strength and dominance make the persistent low-grade heat in his belly surge and his skin feel tight.
It reminds him that he hasn’t come in several days.
His mates have been respectful and cautious since his revelations and insecurities, as if they’d been uncertain of their welcome. And while he appreciates it—loves them more because of it—right now, he wants them.
All he wants now is to be held and loved and maybe…ruined.
Grayson and Gideon’s possessive anger, Jamie’s incredible strength and sacrifice, Rowan’s scenting, and Finn and Leo’s support throughout the day have settled something deep inside him.
And Luca. While he’d been nervous the day of the trial, he had been calm and relaxed since before Hayes’s outburst. Nix could always trust Luca to set the barometer for whether he should be worried—if Luca wasn’t worried, then Nix wasn’t, either.
This sense of urgency had been building since they got home. After a quick dinner and before they’d piled into the nest, Nix had stolen Jamie’s black dress shirt right off his back, crawled into the nest, and let his vanilla scent cover his mates with love and…relief. But now, his scentis almost cloying in its sweetness.
He shifts, heat pooling in his belly, his skin prickling with the need to be touched. He exhales slowly, but it’s like something in him is waking up,and when he squirms, he can feel that he is wet between his cheeks.
Rolling onto his side facing Grayson, he pushes back into Rowan, who tilts his hips forward so that when Nix pushes back, he feels the alpha’s hard cock grind into him from behind.
“Nix,” Rowan rumbles, his voice already wrecked.
Nix grabs his wrist and brings two of Rowan’s fingers to his mouth, sucking them in deep. He rolls his tongue over them, dragging his teeth lightly along the fingertips before sucking hard again. The vibration of Rowan’s moan makes Nix even wetter, his hole clenching hard.
With a groan, Rowan stops, pressing his nose and teeth into Nix’s shoulder.
“Oh, fuck me,” Rowan mutters.
“That’s the idea. Come on, Ro. I’m on fire—fuck—help me, please.”
