Page 23 of Puck Your Neighbor

Their marks...

My omega wants to rush things. That's not going to happen tonight, and if it does, I know I can't trust them to stay to their word. If they respect it, then... perhaps I'll be able to learn to trust them and this isn't the same old story of the past coming back to haunt me.

Maverick rubs the back of his neck as the fingers of his other hand flex. "Do you want to lead this, and we'll follow you? Or we could lead slowly with check-ins, and you let us know if we're crossing a line."

Tears well in my eyes, and I'm not sure if they're from fear or the fact that them willing to talk it out beforehand shows me that they're a thousand times more caring than the alphas of my past. I've never had anyone let me have the lead.

Omegas are expected to be submissive to alphas. We don't have a ton of legal rights once we bond with alphas, but the fact they aren't being a typical alpha with wanting full control and taking what they want means a lot.

Jenson goes to close the door, but I notice he doesn't lock it, giving me an out if I decide to run as Leo steps forward and leans down a little so that he can be eye level with me. "Hey, we didn't mean to make you cry. If you want us to leave, we will."

I shake my head. "It's not that." I try to find the words. "No one has ever offered control."

Leo's Adam's apple bobs as he gulps and turns his gaze away from mine for a second as tears well in the corners of his blue eyes. "I'm so sorry you had to deal with alphas like that in your past. Everyone deserves respect and consent. It's just human decency."

Before I can think about it, I reach out and pull him into a hug. He hesitates for only a second before wrapping his arms around me and holding me close. The pressure from the hug seems to ease some of my nervousness, and the best way I can describe it is it feels as if I'm home for the first time in my life.

His cedar and spicy cinnamon and clove scent wrap around me, and I take a deep breath in. More slick pools at my center, and my clit tightens with the need to be touched. Part of me wants to rub my thighs together to relieve some of the pressure, but I resist.

I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to not be wanton in front of them. My inner omega pushes me to strip and present myself to them, and there's no way I have enough confidence to do something like that.

A low purr comes deep in his chest, vibrating against my ear.

Our alpha is happy with us.

I swallow hard as I continue to hold on to him, wanting the embrace to go longer. It feels so good, and I'm scared at how happy this is making me in such a short amount of time. I can't fall for them, not yet. Because if they decide I'm too broken to want to pursue, then I'll be left alone again with only a series of unfortunate events to show for my life.

Forcing the negative thoughts down, I try to focus on the moment. We're not going to get anywhere with me in my head, and I'm certain I'm going to have a cramp soon because his scent all around me will only satisfy my instincts for so long. If we want them to calm down, the only way to go about this is to have intercourse.

Then it hits me. Pulling back from him, I sign, "I don't have any kind of birth control. I never thought compatible alphas would literally move in above me."

Leo translates the last half for me to the others.

At once, they all stiffen, and then Jenson snaps his fingers. "Not an issue. I just got some of those new Alpha contraceptive pills for PR on my Insta. It's a full bottle, so between the three of us, it will last the week. And if it doesn't, then we'll have time to get some more delivered, but it has a lot of reviews already and is ninety-nine percent effective in preventing pregnancy."

Maverick laughs. "Thank God you're an amateur model on Insta. For once, I can't be mad at all the PR packages you bring home when you go to your PO Box."

Jenson winks at them and then at me. "I'll be right back, Princess." He leaves through the door.

I nod as the sweat returns. Even the little clothes I have on make me feel as if I have five thick sweaters on. I'm seconds away from stripping down to nothing, and though this outfit leaves nothing to the imagination, I haven't been naked in front of anyone for a decade.

Leo turns from me and goes to my kitchen. He opens up cabinets until he finds the cups and then fills one at the sink before bringing it back to me. "Drink. I don't want you getting dehydrated. It can be super dangerous, and it happens often to omegas during their heat."

I take it from him. "Thank you," I sign and take a large drink from it. He's right. I've cut it really close in the past by becoming dehydrated during a heat. Luckily I turned it around before I needed the Omega Hospital.

The door opens again, and Jenson comes back in with a headshot-winning grin. He holds up the bottle and gives it a rattle. "Found it, and they're not expired."

Leo laughs and shakes his head. "I guess that's always a plus. How do these work anyway? I've heard about them, but how can a little pill keep us from having kids? Don't we have to be taking them daily for a while before they're fully effective?"

Jenson reads the back of the label as he closes the door and shakes his head. "It says take ten minutes before coitus, and it's effective for up to a full day. So maybe we won't need as many of these as I thought."

Maverick frowns. "Are they safe? I don't know if kids are in my future, but I don't want to become sterile, just in case."

Jenson tosses him the bottle. "I'm sure they are. We could always take them for today and then order condoms to get delivered. But based on how delicious she's smelling right now, we're not going to make it that far, and I'd rather be safe than sorry. We should get to know each other way better before we bring children into the mix."

Even as the haze of my heat sets in, I'm thankful they're conscious of that. I haven't given children much thought. I didn't think they would be an option, but I do know I don't want them after my first heat with these compatible Alphas.

But our alphas will want kids.

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