Page 8 of Seven is Swell

She turns back to pour some soup base into the pot and stir it, talking while she works. “We need to keep an eye on his sister, Shelly— Wilford was saying to be careful around her because the headmaster is like really protective over her or something. Shelly complained to the headmaster that August and Jackson couldn’t live in the dorms, not realizing we were mated now, but really just wanted them gone because goddess forbid, I have something she doesn’t. She’s on a power trip.

“Even though Mr. Aspis gave me special dispensation for August and Jackson to live here when I applied, he felt like he was being pressured to retract that. I let him know that it’s all above board since we’re mated now.

“Guys, I felt lust pour off of him, but it wasn’t the kind I normally sense. It recharged me a bit. So, there’s something going on there that we’ll have to face at some point, when he’s ready to address it. I don’t know. Maybe not.

“He was perfectly respectful, didn’t make me uncomfortable, I promise. We had our talk and I left, but I only took a few steps away from his office before I realized I left my sweater in his office. I spun around and opened the door without thinking, and he was…”

“You better continue that sentence,” I growl when she pauses.

“Can you pass me the pepper over there, Cory? Thanks.” She kisses them on the cheek, and I watch Cory’s cheeks flush. Adorable. “He said he was just yelling at his body to calm the fuck down; he must have been squeezing himself to wrangle himself under control or something.”

“So, when you say you felt lust, you mean you feltlust, right? Like the kind you feel from us?” Jackson asks as he pops a tortilla chip in his mouth.

“I could tell he didn’t want to be in the position he was in, but whatever. I tripped on his rug as I stepped towards the chair where my sweater was, and I somehow fell perfectly on top of him. My face landed in his crotch because of course I’m an idiot and fell hard enough to knock us both over, and while moving, his hand that was in his pants shifted so that his entire double dick delight was exposed, right where my mouth was.

“We both were shocked and frozen for a sec because what the hell do you do in a situation like that? Then we scrambled apart, and he started profusely apologizing. Honestly, I didn’t hate it.”

“That’s because you’re obsessed with dick,” Jackson says as he pops another chip in his mouth.

But I’m seeing red. “How the hell are you two okay with her touching another man? Like, how is that okay? Why aren’t you pissed? Why aren’t you ready to storm across campus and pound his face in and put him on blast?”

“You’re being a dumbass again,” Delaney warns.

“Let’s get one thing clear,” August says as he steps into the kitchen. He carefully pries the spoon out of Delaney’s hands and puts it in Cory’s and then carries her to the corner so he can put her on the counter and step between her legs.

“We’re in her life because we’re fucking hers. She doesn’t get off on the overprotective bullshit. She’s an adult and a fucking conduit and gets to touch whoever the hell she wants to touch.” He’s talking to me, but he’s facing Delaney, making sure she knows the truth in his words.

They’re difficult words to agree with, though.

“I can’t even say it’s the bond that we’ve solidified that makes this easy to accept because even before we fully claimed each other, I felt the same way. I think Jackson is on the same page.”

Jackson nods as he keeps munching on his snack like we’re just talking about what to watch on tv later.

“We trust her judgement. We understand that what we have with Delaney is separate from whatever she has with anyone else. This is where you keep fucking up,” he says as he turns to look at me.

“You don’t get to own or control her. If you want to be in her life, that’s how it’s going to be. If you’re going to be in her life, then you have to understand that means you’re fitting yourself around her.

“That’s why she’s the planet and we’re the moons. She’s our fucking mate, and we know the goddess gave her a lot of mates because she needs them. She’s the only one for us, so we need to support any decision she makes. Otherwise, we lose her. So yeah, we’re not pissed because she said it was an accident and we believe her.

“If she wants to kiss or fool around with you and Cory, she can absolutely do that and we’re not going to feel betrayed, even though you’re not even officially courting.” He turns back to Delaney, running his hands up and down her legs until he gets to her waist and wraps them around her lower back and pulls her into his chest, cradling her. “Whatever affection she chooses to share with others is her business, because we know she won’t give it freely. She’s only going to give it willingly to people she feels comfortable with, those she feels deserve it, or have earned it. We know she’s a conduit and we’re just two of the many mates she’ll take. We don’t know what it’s like to balance multiple relationships, we haven’t been raised to do that, have never wanted to do that, so we leave those decisions up to her.

“Even if she had felt a moment with the headmaster and they decided to fool around on purpose, and she told us, we wouldn’tbe upset, because she has to feel free to explore things with people so she can make informed decisions on who to invite into her life permanently. We know she’s always coming back home with us.”

He helps her off the counter and kisses her on the forehead before striding right up to me and getting in my face. “Remember that. If you make her feel like she has to check in with you and ask for permission on everything, she’s not going to want to come to you when she needs affection. She’s going to feel nervous and wary and like she has to hide things from you if you teach her you’re going to react badly.

“She’s a conduit. You said you were okay with having that in your life, and this is a big part of it. You don’t get to be mad when she touches other people because the goddess told her she was allowed to. Pretty sure the goddess trumps your whiny ass. Now you’re going to help Cory finish dinner so my brother can eat her out. You stressed her out and I need to hear her scream.”

Chips abandoned, Jackson carries Delaney out of the kitchen, shoulder checking me as he leaves. Her bedroom door closes, and I’m left standing there, feeling empty.

“We’re going to figure this out,” Cory promises as they wrap their arms around me. I feel their soft curls brush against my neck and smell the lingering scent of pear from Cory’s favorite soap on their skin, and I soak up the moment.

It takes me a minute to muster up the bravery to admit what I’m really thinking out loud but at some point, I need to just fucking bite the bullet and stop trying to keep everything about her to myself. “I don’t know if I can learn to share her.”

Cory grabs my face, and then full-on licks me from chin to hairline. “That sucks. You’re going to do it anyway.”

And then Cory turns around and starts barking orders at me, jarring me out of my own head so I can try and keep up with whatever they decided we’re having for dinner.

It takes a bit for me to understand Cory’s genius, how perfect they are for me that they’re able to just snap me out of my spiral before it gained any momentum, and I find myself smiling as we finish throwing things together and start on dishes while everything cooks.

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