Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Emerald

I knew something had happened in the garden as soon as Talya returned with Ainsley and Ronan. When Ainsley got close to me, he smelled strongly of Talya’s sweet orange creamsicle. The reaction in me was so strong when I growled and pulled him close so I could lick his neck that it startled me and I froze.

He chuckled, his arms wrapping around me. “Like that, Em?” he asked, his voice a seductive purr.

Shivering, I nodded. “What did you do? Bathe in her?”

Ainsley grinned, rubbing his cheek along mine. His alpha soothed every twisted part inside me. All those different and warring instincts calmed down so I could think as me instead of a designation when he calmed me down. Marked his scent on me. “No. I just fed her.”

I pulled away to look in his eyes. “Right. Just.”

His grin was mischievous.

Beyond him, I could see Talya outside. She’d dropped into Colby’s lap, and they were talking. Smiling. “Everything okay?” I asked. Her expression was serious but I could also see the flush high on her cheeks.

“Perfect,” he answered.

“How perfect?” Blakely asked, sidling up beside us as he rinsed romaine lettuce leaves he gathered from the garden.

I looked at the pleased and slightly aroused eyes of my alpha. “She’s agreed to be courted if it’s alright with Colby,” he answered.

Blakely’s hands stilled for a minute as he glanced into the yard. “Yeah?”

Ainsley and I shared a smile. They weren’t interested in Talya like we were. Their interests were in her alpha.

“How did that conversation go?” Blakely asked.

“Well, she understands that our pack is made up of different kinds of relationships and that Ronan and I do not want Colby in the way we’d like to court her but that we certainly want him to join our pack if that’s what they both want,” Ainsley said.

“And how does Colby feel about… that?”

Ainsley grinned and pushed Blakely until the other alpha looked at him. “Ask him.”

Blakely huffed and turned back to the sink and the romaine. “I will. They haven’t been here long and I didn’t want to push though I think we’ve been pretty obvious what our intentions are.”

“To me, you have, but it sounds like they’ve had a hell of a time with packs up to this point.”

Blakely huffed again, this time it turned into a grumble. He didn’t actually care about talking to Colby himself. It was how they’d been treated by other packs. Both of them – Colby and Talya. He wasn’t wrong. It was shit.

Honestly, I wasn’t surprised that their attraction was towards Colby instead of Talya. Kasen was their omega, even if he wasn’t an omega. The way they doted on him and spoiled him and spoke to him, I wasn’t sure if they even knew that he was, in fact, a beta by genetics. You’d never know that by watching the three of them together.

Besides that, I was pretty sure that neither of them actually wanted an actual omega. They couldn’t help their biological response to her, and I think they liked her as a person. They’d protect her until their last breath as they would anyone else in their pack. But their physical and romantic attraction wasn’t towards her.

“I don’t suppose you included me in your courting questions?” I asked, raising a brow at Ainsley.

He grinned, covering his mouth over mine in a possessive kiss that had my toes curling in my sneakers. “No,” he said into my mouth. “However, I did tell her ‘a few’ would be interested in courting her. Since Ronan was with me already and confirmed he was one of them, I left that wide open for you.”

I smiled into his mouth. “Good.”

“Stop kissing and finish making dinner,” Lohtus said as he came into the kitchen.

Ainsley snickered. He kissed my cheek and pulled away. “Don’t be jealous that I’m getting kisses and you’re not.”

Lohtus stared at him for a minute before moving behind Blakely. He wrapped his hand around Blakely’s neck and tipped his head back, guiding their lips together for a hot kiss. Lohtus let him go, giving his ass a quick groping on the way by as he raised a brow in Ainsley’s direction.

Ainsley chuckled. “Savage,” he muttered, tossing a washcloth at him.

Lohtus caught it and dropped it on the counter. He turned to me. “Want to track down Kasen and set the table?”

I nodded. “Inside or out?”

Lohtus glanced to the sky outside. Clouds had been rolling in for a while but I wasn’t sure if it was going to rain. “Let’s eat inside. Just in case.”

Nodding again, I headed deeper into the house to find Kasen. I didn’t have to look far. He was in the media room with a game controller in his hands and headphones on. For a minute, I just looked at him. Admiring his sexy self. His hair, longer on top and curly, fell over his forehead. The tip of his tongue stuck out between beautiful pink lips that were begging to be kissed. Or bitten. Maybe both.

He was smaller in frame. Lean. Fucking perfect for wrapping in my arms and holding against me. The best small spoon.

Kasen didn’t see me as I crossed the room. He was so engrossed that when I took his chin in my fingers to bring his attention to me, he jumped slightly. His eyes widened in surprise. I kissed him, licking along his lips before I gave into temptation and took his lower one between my teeth in a soft kiss.

He shivered in my hold. I sucked on his lip for a minute before letting him go. His eyes were closed as he swayed slightly, skin flushed. My perfect little beta.

“Hey, you,” I murmured. My voice was deep, husky.

His eyes fluttered open, and a smile touched his lips. “Hi Em.” I loved the breathless quality of his voice. Especially when I put it there. So damn sexy.

“Ready to eat?”

Kasen nodded.

“Want to help me set the table?”

“Okay,” he said, smiling. He didn’t give the game more than a cursory look as he flicked the Switch off and left it on the chair.

With his hand in mine, we returned to the kitchen and began gathering place settings. Glancing outside confirmed that Talya and Colby were still talking. They were relaxed but it still appeared to be serious. Biting my lip, I turned away and followed Kasen around the table, setting silverware down as he placed napkins.

There was a sliver of doubt in my chest saying that maybe we read the situation wrong. Sure, they were comfortable here, but maybe they didn’t want to be a part of this pack. It’s not like they’d chosen to be here.

“Are they okay?”

I looked up at Kasen’s question to find him looking outside. His brows knit together in concern. I wrapped him in my arms and kissed his temple. “Yeah. They’re talking about being courted. At least, I think that’s what they’re talking about.”

He looked at me with wide eyes. “Are you going to court them?”

Laughing, I shook my head. “Not them. And though I haven’t actually talked to Talya myself, I’d like to see if she’ll have me.”

His grin was wide. “That’s awesome. I wonder if my alphas will court Colby.” His gaze went distant for a moment before he frowned at me and bit his lip. I let him think about whatever just pushed its way into his mind. Eventually, he said, “What if he doesn’t want me, too?”

The question was quiet, and I could hear the quiver of doubt in his voice. I hated that tone. I hated when he felt uncertain about his place and those around him. Even in regard to Colby.

“You’re going to have to talk to him, but I don’t think that will be the case.”

“You don’t know that. He doesn’t like betas,” Kasen said. He already sounded defeated. Rejected.

I pressed his face onto my shoulder and hugged him tightly. “You’re putting words into his mouth. Sounds to me like whatever he and Talya had been through was at the hands of betas. It’s made him a little wary. But you’ve all been through something traumatic, Kasen. And look where you’re at now.”

Kasen sighed. “Yeah. Okay. But what if I’m supposed to court him?” He picked his head up with wide eyes. “How do I do that?”

Laughter made me grasp him tighter. “You’re getting ahead of yourself, babe. Just take it slow. One day at a time. And talk to your alphas, hm? See what their plan is.”

He nodded. After another minute, we finished setting the table. By the time we turned around to begin bringing food in, we were met in the door by Talya and Colby, each carrying a plate of food. Kasen flushed and ducked past them. Talya watched him go, concerned. Colby was smiling after him, amused.

I was pretty sure this would be just fine. Everything about it would be fine.

We gathered around the table and passed the plates. I studied Talya as she looked between us all, as if she were trying to piece together a puzzle and the pieces didn’t quite fit together. Or she didn’t know how to interpret them.

Conversation was quiet and comfortable, never remaining on one thing for any real length of time. When dinner was finished and we took care of cleanup as a large group, we headed into the family room to watch a movie.

I continued to watch Talya. Wondering if she’d be interested in me. I’m not an alpha, even if I can appear as one sometimes. Even to trick your senses for a while. If I were just a normal beta, would she even consider me?

By the time we went up to bed, I was almost jittery with questions. Concerns. Doubts. And I was eager. To talk to her. To ask. Fuck, to know if her and Colby were even open to the possibility of being courted.

Ainsley pulled me into his chest as soon as the door shut behind us after entering his room. He still smelled like Talya, and it was driving me fucking wild. So much so that I was feeling all growly and possessive as I licked his neck and face once we’d closed the door to his room.

“You know, I’m a little nervous,” I said as I sucked on Ainsley’s ear.

“Why? We’ve done this many times.”

I pulled away, slightly disoriented so I could look at him. “What?”

Ainsley laughed. “Never mind. What are you nervous about?”

“Asking Talya. Courting her. What if she only wants alphas? I’m not actually an alpha. And I’ve never courted anyone before.”

He kissed me softly for a minute. “Maybe not but you’re being courted now. You know what I do to make sure you understand what my intentions are and that I want to provide for you. To keep you. Though it’s societally an alpha thing that we do for omegas, courting is not strictly something that is necessary. There’s no reason other designations can’t court each other.”

I sighed, leaning my face against his. “Thanks.”

He held me close for a minute and then picked me up so quickly that I burst into laughter. Ainsley didn’t carry me like a bride or even wrap my legs around his waist. He threw me over his shoulder and slapped my ass.

The sting of it made me shout again. And then my breath left me as he heaved me onto the bed. “Ass,” I sputtered between laughter.

Ainsley grinned as he pulled at my clothing, stripping me down until I was bare before him. I watched with hungry eyes as he removed his clothes, too. For a minute, he stood there looking at me, his gaze like a caress going over my body, setting fires everywhere it touched.

His knees dropped to the bed, and he crawled towards me, dropping a hand on my chest. The contrast of our skin tones always made me stare in awe. He was so creamy white, tanned by most standards. But against my much darker skin, he looked nearly ethereal. It was beautiful to see.

“What do you want tonight, Em?” he asked, a purr in his voice that made me squirm.

I swallowed, my dick leaking where it lay hard against my stomach. “Touch me,” I whined. “Inside. Then cover me in your cum.”

Ainsley’s body came over mine, his mouth swallowed my moan at the feel of his skin on me. I groaned louder as he rolled his dick against mine. “Purr for me,” he said into my mouth. As if I had a choice.

A purr built in my chest and I let it out. Ainsley growled as he bit my lower lip. Hard. It felt like he was going to break skin. My heart pounded loudly as my hands fell to his round ass. I gripped him, shoving my dick against his.

Bite me.

The words didn’t leave my mouth. I couldn’t do that. Not right now. Even though that need screamed inside me. Begging for him to bite me for real.

His teeth loosened but he sucked my lip to calm the sting. I nearly sobbed, the purr in my chest stuttering a little.

“I fucking love when you purr,” he said.

“Not as good as yours.”

He snorted. “It sure as fuck is, Em.”

He’s not at all biased. Not even a little bit. His hot, wet mouth moved down to my neck and I gripped his ass harder, spreading his cheeks and roughly pressing my dick to his. “Ainsley,” I groaned. “I really need you to touch me.”

The wet feel of his tongue as he trailed over my neck did everything to me. My body spasmed under him as it broke out in chills. My fingers dug into his ass and I whined pathetically. In any other circumstance, I’d laugh because whining while purring felt as weird as it sounded.

Neither were exactly as they should be. My purr was good enough to fool someone from afar but not up close. As was my whine. I loved, more than anything, when Ainsley growled in response and ran his teeth over my skin.

“Feels like you want in my ass,” he said at my neck. “You want that, sweet beta?”

I grunted, trying to decide if the war in my body wanted to be buried in his ass or if I wanted his dick in mine. Fuck, I couldn’t be given these decisions when I can’t think straight. “Ainsley,” I grunted.

He chuckled. “Alright, love. Roll over.”

His body coming off mine was like I was just given a chance to breathe after holding my breath for an hour. I sucked in a breath as I rolled to my stomach. And then his face was between my cheeks and I whined loudly into the pillow at the feel of his tongue over my hole. I quivered under him, my hips bucking, trying to get his tongue in my ass.

Ainsley chuckled and his tongue was replaced by his fingers. Two. Gliding inside me smoothly. His other hand went to the small of my back, pushing me flat to the bed as he worked his way inside me, wasting no time in pressing against my prostate.

My breath was ragged as I whimpered pathetically. He could undo me so easily. So fucking easily.

But I was too impatient to enjoy it much tonight. The smell of Talya’s perfume was still in my nose. Ainsley’s scent wrapped around me. I was unhinged and wild.

His body came down to blanket mind as he rubbed his slicked up cock between my cheeks. “Ready?”

I nodded into the comforter. His arms wrapped around my chest, pinning me still as he ran the length of his cock between my cheeks. The head of his dick would momentarily get stuck at my opening before moving up further. I whined and begged.

“Ainsley,” I drew out his name, tears stinging my eyes.

He chuckled. The next slide I felt his knot and I shivered under him. I hadn’t taken his knot though I’ve thought about it. I was a beta. I couldn’t actually make my body respond like an omega. I wasn’t naïve enough to think I could take a knot like one either. But there was a faint need in me, every time I felt it, that was just shy of making me spit out the demand to give me his knot.

I kept it in based on fear of the pain it might bring.

Finally, when his cockhead notched at my hole, he didn’t slide away but pushed inside me. For just a second, he paused as soon as the mushroom tip was fully in me. We took a couple synced breaths and then in one long, smooth stroke, he slid his dick into me until his pelvis met my ass cheeks.

The noise that left me grew with every inch that made its way inside. It stung and pulsed and stretched in such a delicious way that holding still would have been futile if he hadn’t had me pinned beneath him in a straitjacket hold.

I loved being held like this. Unable to move. Unable to do anything but take his dick. His growing knot settled right at my hole. Not trying to make its way in but just rested there. Like a pillow.

A pillow made of cement but a pillow all the same.

“You take my dick so fucking good, beta,” he growled in my ear.

“So deep,” I said, my voice higher than normal. “You’re so fucking deep.”

“I am. You like that, don’t you?”

I nodded. “Yes. Oh fuck, yes.”

Then he started moving. Slowly at first but the leisurely pace didn’t last long. Soon enough, he was pounding into me. His upper body, because he held me in the way he did, had my shoulders and head pressed hard into the bed. It was difficult to catch a full breath, which only heightened my growing arousal.

The sounds and whines and words never stopped spilling from my mouth as he slammed into me over and over. His dick lay me open. His knot slammed against my hole, tauntingly.

That need to take it deep grew louder. The need to feel him in my chest, to feel his arousal inside me was screaming in my head, demanding that I take his bite.

Somehow, even as mindless as I was right now, those words all stayed inside as he fucked me so good my head spun. And then I was coming, my face buried in the comforter as I cried out and my ass squeezed his dick.

Ainsley growled at my ear as he buried himself so deep, I could feel it against my diaphragm. No, I didn’t care that it’s not possible nor that it wasn’t how a body is put together. I said I could feel it there and I could. Like violent hiccups.

In this moment as he filled my ass with his seed, his knot pushed against the tight ring of my hole. Stretching it a little more. Begging to be let in. To be strangled by my smaller body. His hips pulled back slightly before shoving himself deeper still and again, his knot was right there.

I bit my lips so I didn’t tell him to slip inside. To make his way into me. All of him. I wasn’t sure that he would be able to stop himself when he was this gone so I bit the blanket beneath me so I’d keep the words in. Even as tears stung my eyes because I wanted it in the worst way. Fear held me back.

My body wasn’t made for that. I knew that. But then again, my body was made a little differently. Maybe I could take it. Maybe I’d like it.

Only the sound of panting filled the room as the thoughts that swam in my head cleared. His purrs were quiet, like a cat who was happy to have their belly rubbed.

After many long minutes in which we didn’t move but caught our breath, Ainsley slowly pulled out of me. He kissed between my shoulders and left the bed, to return moments later as he cleaned me up with the gentle hands of an alpha.

He murmured quietly to me, saying all the sweet things an alpha would say to his omega. But he was saying them to me. And my heart swelled with emotions. He joined me in bed, turning the light off, and pulled me snugly to his chest.

The covers surrounded us, and my heart still beat a little wildly inside. Ainsley sighed. “Love you, Emerald.”

I smiled and turned my face to his skin so that all I smelled was him. “Love you,” I whispered. Maybe tomorrow I’d tell him that I was ready to be in his pack. And then we could discuss his knot in my ass.

A shiver of nervous excitement skittered across my skin and his arms tightened. But a smile remained on my lips as I fell asleep.