Page 26 of Their Alpha

“Of course,” Artemis echoed, radiating welcome.

I leaned down, splaying my exhausted body over his, enjoying the touch of his skin against mine wherever there were no straps.

Fletcher leaned forward with me, and together, we were a Gideon sandwich. I liked it so much I almost laughed as I closed my eyes and sank into the sweat and hay scent of Artemis’s body. I could have stayed there forever, enjoying the comfort and protection all around me.

I hadn’t known it would be like that. I’d never had a breeding orgasm before, but I’d heard of them. I’d resigned myself to never having one, since only an alpha could give an omega that much pleasure. I felt smug and giddy, knowing I’d had one and remembering how good it had felt. Call me greedy, but I wanted another one. I wanted them all the time, in every position. I wanted more of Artemis.

It was strange, really, I thought to myself as sleep began to overtake me. I was happy right where I was, with Artemis and Fletcher’s bodies touching mine. I’d always had post-heat aversion to touch, even when it had just been Fletcher and the Heat Lightning system servicing me. My heat was over now, and I felt deeply contented, particularly with Artemis touching me. That wasn’t supposed?—

I caught my breath as my eyes snapped open, but I stayed frozen where I was, careful not to alert or upset either man with me. My heat was over. It had ended suddenly and miraculously. I didn’t feel sad or like I was a failure either. There was only one reason that happened when an omega finished heat.

I was pregnant.

CHAPTER NINE

Artemis

Taking an omega through heat was exhausting. Taking two simultaneously was a feat I didn’t think was possible. Alphas were designed to have an extra burst of stamina for the days of their omegas’ heats, but even that genetic advantage wore off after Gideon’s astounding, brave heat wave.

I passed out. I couldn’t even call it falling asleep, really. The tenderness of the way Gideon had lay down on me, my knot still in him, had soothed my soul and had my inner alpha purring. The contentment was so great that I gave in to it and fell into heavy sleep.

I wasn’t sure how long I was out. When I woke up, the restraints gripping me to the milking chair had all been removed, but I was still sprawled there. A quick twist to look first into the bedroom, then into the bathroom told me that Gideon was sleeping peacefully in the bed, whichappeared to have been remade, and Fletcher was in the bathroom with the water running.

I decided to let Gideon sleep. I got up and headed to the bathroom.

Fletcher stood at the sink with a deep frown, washing the Heat Lightning dildo. His scent was still elevated with his heat, but it wasn’t as strong as it had been before.

“Did Gideon have another wave while I was asleep?” I asked as I moved to use the toilet. I was surprised my kidneys were even functioning anymore, since it felt like every spare bit of liquid in my body had come out as cum.

Instead of answering, Fletcher dropped the clean dildo on a towel beside the sink, and when I finished and flushed the toilet, he surged towards me.

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” he said, panting and tight.

He didn’t have to tell me what he didn’t want to do. He jumped into my arms, wrapping himself around me and kissing me ravenously.

I reacted on instinct, finding another surge of energy, and backed him towards the sink. It was brutal and utilitarian, but I sat him on the edge of the counter and balanced him there until I could find his dripping hole and push in.

All things considered, it was a quick and simple heat wave. We both grunted and clawed at each other as I thrust deeper, satisfying the unending need driving Fletcher to cling to me. I could feel through the fledgling bond that had sprung up between us that his heart was hurting and he just wanted it to be over, so I didn’t hold back or draw the wave out.

I came with a satisfied grunt, still liking the feeling of filling my omega with my seed, even though we didn’t have a breeding orgasm or anything close to it. Fletcher came aswell, but he fought hard to hold it in and not to make a sound louder than a strangled moan. My knot swelled, locking us together, but the sense of closeness I felt with Fletcher didn’t come from anything physical.

He let out a breath, and I felt somewhere deep in my soul the depth of his relief that the wave had ended. He still managed to grip my neck, but his arms went limp. I leaned forward a bit so his position would be more comfortable, and I experimented with the new connection between us by sending reassuring emotion through to him.

“Don’t,” Fletcher said, turning his pinched face to the side.

“Don’t what?” I asked, even though I knew.

Fletcher shook his head and closed his eyes. “This can’t be happening. I love Gideon.”

His angst was palpable, which hurt something in my soul.

“Hey, I know you love him,” I said, shifting to balance us with one hand so I could caress the side of his face with the other. “Bonding with me?—”

“Don’t say it,” Fletcher whispered, cutting me off.

I was miserable for him. I didn’t have to imagine what it must have felt like for him to spend so many years loving Gideon passionately and turning his life upside down in order to provide something for his husband that he would never be able to, I could feel it. I could feel every ounce of sadness and fear, all the guilt and worry.

I didn’t know much about bonds. They were common, but not necessarily ordinary, and they usually formed between an alpha and omega who had been together a long time. The only cases I knew of where they formed suddenly or instantly, like with my friend Victor and his mate, Simon,was when there was some sort of extraordinary compatibility between the people involved.

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