Page 45 of Power Shift

“Jasper,” she whispers, pressing her front closer to my side as if pushed by an invisible hand.

Her scent is trapped in the apartment, subdued but not invisible. The ballooning of her pupils comes a second before a fresh wave of shortbread cookies hits me. It’s somehow more decadent, sweeter. Strong enough to completely cut through the scent blockers that I want to stop blowing into this apartment immediately. My alpha snarls at her scent, knowing without a doubt what it is.

Our omega is perfuming for us.

15

BRIAR

It didn’t take smellingJasper to recognize who he was. Just like the first time I saw Ronan across the yard outside the building, I knew he was mine. Call it intuition or omega instincts, but there was no mistaking that ruthless yank in my belly that seemed to connect us.

Jasper, with his mossy green eyes, blond hair thick with streaks of brown throughout that make it appear a shade darker than it actually is, and a warm, comforting aura to him that immediately makes me feel at ease, is perfect. His soft voice, which I have no doubt could comfort even the most terrified omega, strokes delicate fingers down my spine, urging me closer.

It’s our close proximity that short-circuits my brain. I reach for him on instinct, too busy contemplating the quickest and easiest way to turn around and present for him in this tiny walkway to think properly. Feeling the strong muscles in his back makes everythingsomuch worse. Yes, he’s tall and broad, but I didn’t expect him to feel so . . . hard.

I release a weak breath and whisper his name, feeling my head cloud, thoughts scattering. My scent grows thicker in the small space as I shiver, drawn closer to him. I’d give anything to smell him right now. To turn him around until we’re chest to chest and pull myself up his body, bringing my nose to his throat.

A tight, gruff puff of air escapes him before he’s twisting, a hand moving to grip the countertop directly beside me. His pinky brushes my hip, sending a wave of arousal pulsing through me. I blink up at him lazily.

I need him. I need both of them.

A dull ache grows low in my belly as slick fills my panties. The scent of warm, clean laundry manages to swirl around us before a sharper bite of leather appears. I whimper without thinking, my first whiff of his scent sending me into a tailspin.

It’s Jasper.MyJasper.

A purr rattles in my chest as I breathe him in, leaning away from the counter to smush us together. He groans when I wrap my arms around him, dipping his head to bury his nose in my hair.

Everything feels stronger today than it did when I was in this position with Ronan. I’ve been alone without him too soon after we met. Everything is more intense now, a storm of desire trapped for days with no escape.

Jasper brings a hand to my spine, stroking a hot line up to palm the back of my neck. “You smell so good. You’re perfect for us. We’re pack.”

I moan at his words, rubbing my cheek against his sternum, marking him. He doesn’t so much as sway when I press against him, searching for more of his scent and growing frustrated when it’s not as strong as I need it to be. The blockers in the air are wrong. They make my skin itch where it should be buzzing.

“I want more,” I demand, pushing up on my toes to chase the tease of his scent. “Please.”

“Want more what, love? Tell me what you need.”

My chest tightens, a swell of emotion suffocating me as I paw at him. “I need more of you. All of it.Please.”

I can’t smell Ronan, but I know he’s joined us. His energy is dark, but I welcome it with open arms, knowing I’m safe, protected. It should be mortifying to be having such a visceral reaction so quickly to these men and to be able to trust them the way I do, but that’s what biology does. It takes control when our mind flounders, second-guessing the good things we’ve been handed.

And these two alphas are thebestthings.

“It’s the de-scenter,” Ronan grunts, his voice tight. “She can’t smell you properly.”

My eyes burn as I whine, “You either.”

Ronan starts smoothing his hand down my hair. Through heavy-lidded eyes, I examine the strain pulling at his features. His eyes are so dark they’re nearly black as he watches me.

“The balcony is in the bedroom, right, Petal? Can we take you there?”

I nod, gripping Jasper tighter. He must have heard what I said to Jasper earlier.

“Yes.”

There’s a moment of silence while the two men stare at one another, a silent conversation happening that I can’t listen to. I trap a moan in my throat when Jasper shifts and a thick bulge brushes my belly.

“Hold on, love,” he murmurs before I’m being lifted into his arms.

---