Page 133 of Knot Your Average Beta

I nod, my nose bumping against his. “I can do that.”

A moment later, I’m airborne, cradled against my prime alpha’s chest as he carries me down the stairs. I snuggle into him, draping my arm around his shoulders and huffing deep inhales of his scent. God, he smells so fucking good. I want to lick him. So I do, right over his pulse point. And then, because apparently it’s not enough, I scrape my teeth over the spot.

“Trouble,” his voice is a low warning rumble. “I’m trying to be a gentleman here.”

I trail my mouth up and nip the lobe of his ear, grinning when he sucks in a sharp inhale. “I didn’t ask you to be.”

He settles me on the island. The cool stone on my overheated skin makes me shiver as goosebumps erupt all over my skin. Stepping between my spread thighs, one of his hands grips my hip while the other laces into the tangled hair at the back of my neck, using his grip to tilt my head up toward him. If he’s meaning for this to be a turnoff, he’s really going in the wrong direction. “Sadie, baby, you’re still recovering.”

I drag his hand from my hip to the spot between my legs that’s been aching since I woke up this morning. His gorgeous dark green eyes widen when he feels how wet I am. “I’m pretty sure my body has decided I’m not still recovering. I think I’m at the beginning of a heat spike.” His fingers slide up and down my folds, teasing my clit, then my entrance with his thick fingers. “That wouldn’t happen if I wasn’t healthy enough for it, right?”

He leans in and buries his face in my neck, a hungry sound emerging from him. No doubt he’s noticing the richness in my scent, the increased butteriness of it. “No, it wouldn’t, omega,” he murmurs against my flesh. “But it’s all the more reason for me to make sure you eat. You’re going to need all the calories you can get in the coming days.”

I try not to pout as he moves away from me and begins pulling out ingredients for breakfast. My fingers curl around the edge of the counter and watch him as he starts making breakfast sandwiches. I can’t take my eyes off the flex and shift of his muscles with each movement, so I see how he tenses when I ask, “Any luck finding more information on Dr. Funkle or Apex?”

Jaw tight, he glances over his shoulder at me, probably trying to figure out if I’m actually ready for this conversation. While I’ve been holed up in the nest—the one that I came home from the hospital to find that they’d looked at all the inspiration photos and bought everything in the Nests, Heat and Beyond shopping cart and put together for me—they’ve taken turns sneaking away to handle the fallout from my kidnapping and the numerous bodies that popped up as a result.

I know they’ve been looking for anything they can on the asshole who used my body as a testing sight. And I know they’ve been looking into ways to take down Apex Pharmaceuticals. They’ve also increased the security on the building and the penthouse, and I think they’ve looked into buying a place outside of the city, if they don’t already own one.

“He’s not getting his hands on you again, trouble. They won’t. I promise.”

I shake my head and swing my feet a little. Dr. Funkle is dead. Logan told me he shot him through the head. But Apex is still very much alive and well. “I’m not worried about that. I know you guys will keep me safe. I’m more worried about Sylvie and Sorrel.” The hard edge in his eyes softens at my words, and he comes over to give me a quick kiss. He knows about the threats Dr. Funkle used against me, holding my friends over my head to get me to comply with their tests and experiments. I also know that my pack has men following both of them in order to keep them safe, at a distance of course. “I was just curious. I know you’re working on it.”

“Working on what?” Swift asks padding into the kitchen in nothing but dark red boxer briefs. He crawls up onto the island behind me and slides his legs on either side of mine before draping his body over me, nuzzling into my neck. “You’re not supposed to be out of bed yet, Cherrybomb.”

“Get off the counter,” Maddox demands.

“Nah, Cherry’s up here, I think I’ll stay.” He nuzzles deeper into my neck, tugging me back against his body. “You smell fucking divine this morning, baby.”

“Heat spike,” I inform him, and his arms tighten around me.

“Oh, fuck. We’re gonna have so much fun.”

Maddox hums his agreement. “But we’ll have to watch her carefully, make sure she doesn’t overdo it. She’s still recovering.”

I feel Swift pout against my skin. “Daddy Maddoximus Prime is no fun.”

I laugh and reach behind me to lace my fingers into Swift’s silky, soft hair. “He’s plenty fun.”

“Mmm,” Logan hums as he enters the kitchen and comes right over to me, wrapping his hand around my throat to take my mouth in a kiss too filthy for this early in the morning. “I love the sound of your laugh first thing, mo chuisle.” He presses another quick kiss to my lips and then pulls back. “How are you feeling? Your skin’s a little hot.”

I nod and grin at him. “Heat spike. So you guys are going to have to stop pussyfooting around my pussy.” All day yesterday, while lounging in my nest, I’d tried to get one or all of them to give me what I needed, but no freaking luck.

They all had the self control of frickin’ monks. Even Swift, who’d kissed me but murmured that he didn’t want to chance fucking up my healing.

I think Maddox nearly chokes on his tongue at my proclamation. Or maybe it’s just hearing me say the word pussy twice? Who knows?

Logan hums again, his concern for me clear as he scans over my body. “Don’t look at me like that, Logan. If I wasn’t healthy enough, my body wouldn’t be priming itself for three to five days of pure sex. You know that as well as I do.”

The corners of his eyes crinkle the slightest bit, and he uses his thumb to tilt my head back. “You’re right. But Maddox is right too. We’re going to have to be careful and keep a close eye on you. I don’t want you to overdo it, and as much as you hate to hear it, Sadie, you’re still recovering from blood loss. That takes time.”

I want to say something flippant like ‘I only lost the blood for like five minutes, before you put it back in me.’ I want to wave off the worry and the concern and the truth in his words because I hate feeling any sort of weakness. But I know I can’t do that.

They were all terrified that they’d lose me, so fucking scared that I would be gone from their world.

Leaning into him, I sigh. “I know.” I can only hope that when we’re in the middle of my heat, they won’t treat me as breakable and delicate. My omega won’t be able to handle that when what she really wants is to be railed into the mattress.

Logan gives me one more kiss, then moves over to the espresso machine. I know without asking he’s making a coffee for me, cause I’m just that lucky.

---