Page 74 of Welcome to Bone Town

“If an omega goes into heat and it’s never satisfied with knots, even synthetic ones, it can be very dangerous for them,” Archer explains. “That’s why there are so many free heat clinics. If this truly was a refuge for omegas—like Cora’s research suggests—and someone put that thing on without alphas around… oh, goddess, those poor omegas.”

Archer’s distraught expression has my knot instantly deflating, though I keep my cock wrapped in my omega’s warmth. It’s a small comfort after the morbid thought.

“Holy fuck.” Bear sounds as horrified as I feel. “They literally fucked to death. What the hell?”

“You’ve seen how hard it is to get Cora to eat or drink anything,” Roman adds.

“Not that you all are much better when you sink into a rut,” the beta mumbles under his breath.

The poor male has been taking care of all of us when he isn’t balls deep in our omega. Or stuffed full of Bear’s or my cock. Each alpha has fallen into some kind of rut over the duration of Cora’s mega-heat, but now our bodies are too tired to keep up that level of horniness. Which explains why we’re all havin’ a casual conversation likewe’re out for brunch, and not buck naked, passing an omega from one cock to the next like a merry-go-round.

“But Cora’s had knots this whole time, and the heat has barely slowed except for a few brief moments of semi-lucidity. Why is it still going strong?” Roman muses, staring vacantly at the pools in thought.

We’re all silent for a few minutes, either resting or pondering the professor’s question.

“Bonds.” Archer says quietly from the rock he’s sitting on. He has the book we found in his lap, open to a page I can’t see. He looks up, gaze meeting ours. “Mating bonds. I think she needs an alpha to claim her. To…” Archer swallows nervously. “To bite her.”

“Mmm, Bite!” My little mate cries out, even in her sleep.

“That’s all she needs? Fuck, why didn’t you say so? I’ll bite her right now!” I open my mouth and lower it to the juncture of her neck and shoulder, but strong fingers weave through my hair and yank my head back.The tug on my scalp has my dick pulsing in my omega and my knot swelling again.

“No. Bites.” Roman growls as he looks down at me.

“Yes! Bite!” Cora’s stirring awake now, her arousal beginning to bloom yet again.

“Listen, professor. She’s my scent match. My mate. There is no one else for me out there, and I sure as hell am not givin’ her up for some other schmuck to pack up with her. Unless it’s you, of course.” Roman’s grimace just makes me smile. “If the scientist over there thinks my mating bite will help, I’m doing it. End the mega-heat and have my little mate for life? It’s a no-brainer.”

Done with my speech, I sit up, rolling Cora onto her back so I can get a better angle. Her movements are sluggish. She’s running out of steam. She needs this heat to end as much as the rest of us do, and I’ll do whatever it takes to take care of her.

Hitching her left leg over my arm, I push it to her chest, canting my hips to make sure I’m hitting her g-spot on each thrust. I know when I find the right position because she screams in pleasure, her back arching off the sad, makeshift nest we managed to compile out of textiles from the treasure room. My little mate deserves more than this. And I’m gonna give it to her. I’ll make her mine, then I’ll build her a nest fit for a queen.

I lower myself closer to her body, trailing my tongue up the valley of her breasts and along her neck. Once I’m face to face with her, I kiss her soundly.

“Cora.” She’s too lost to her heat to respond. I want her lucid for this—as lucid as she can be. I’ll settle for her looking at me. But the only way to get that from her right now is something I really don’t want to do. Fuck, okay, yeah, I can do this. I need her attention, need her to understand. I stop thrusting, and she mewls.

“Omega. Look at your alpha.”My bark does its job, even if it makes me uncomfortable to use it. “Omega. Gonna bite you now. Make you mine. Okay?” I ask her, hoping she understands.

Instead of the usual begging she’s been doing, she doesn’t break my gaze for several seconds. My teeth ache, longing for what I’ve wanted since the first moment I saw her. But I wait.

“Yes, alpha.” The most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen graces her swollen lips. “Bite me, please. Please, Jax.”

Fuck, that’s all I need. I start pounding into her with newfound determination. This is it. This will be the best moment of my life, I just know it. My intuition is tingling as my instincts take over. I bury my face into her neck and sink my teeth into her skin, tasting her copper-rich blood on my tongue. It feels as if a rope is pulling my heart and tethering it directly to hers. But it’s not until her little teeth sink into my bicep that the full bond snaps into place.

Emotion slams into me like a tidal wave, nearly drowning me. Hers. Mine. Ours together. I canfeelthat she’s happy. And horny. But mostly just happy. Her contentment flows through the bond like sunshine, warming my cursed soul. She’s too good for me, and I know it. But I’m a determined mother fucker, and I silently promise her I’ll do everything I can to deserve her, to keep her this happy all our days. Grabbing for the tether, I push my promises down the bond. Strength, resilience, joy, and…love. Fuck, I love her.

Her gorgeous eyes open, locking on mine with a clarity I haven’t seen from her in days. She reaches up to cup my cheek. “Jax. My alpha. Mine.”

Tears burn behind my eyes because she’s here with me, clear of the heat haze, even if only for a moment. I kiss her palm, then look at her again, my heart flayed bare for her to see, and nod. “Yours.”

Her core spasms and slick gushes from her tight pussy as I slam my knot home with a guttural cry.

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Aworld of emotion explodes inside me, mine and not mine. A rainbow of color and sound and sensation. Jax. My sweet, devoted Jax. I can feel him. All of his longing and obsession. He’s a meteor burning bright and hot, the impact of him changing the landscape inside of me and making me new.

I gasp and come again as he fills me.

“Oh, fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck,” Jax chants above me. He throws his head back in pleasure, looking like a god sent to earth to ruin me. Mine. All mine.

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