I absentmindedly rub the wrapping around my ankle while watching a movie with Max in the living room after our morning shower. My pussy is still throbbing from his attentions, and my ass is filled with the plug he put inside me.
Gunnar has gone to nap, and Damon is preparing snacks for us. It all feels so domestic, and my heart aches at the realization that this is what life could be like with them if I weren’t in so much danger.
I know Zorin won’t stop until he finds me. I have too much baggage to drag Damon, Max, or Gunnar into my life.
Tears well in my eyes as I contemplate my plan to leave the pack. I sniff, trying to wipe my eyes discreetly, but Max notices and pulls me to his side.
“You okay?” he asks, rubbing my shoulder.
“Yes,” I whisper. “Just scared and overwhelmed.”
It’s not technically a lie, but I can’t reveal the full truth of wanting to leave them. I need to be smarter about it this time.
“Hey, it’s all right, sweetheart,” he soothes. “We’ll never let Zorin get near you again. He’s not going to hurt you again, babe.”
“I wish I could believe that,” I sigh as Damon approaches with a steaming mug of tea and a bowl of granola, fruit, and yogurt. “No thanks, Damon. Just looking at that makes me feel queasy.”
“Yesterday was a long day, and you didn’t eat much. You need to keep your strength up for our pup.”
“It looks gross,” I say, my stomach turning at the smell of green tea. Suddenly, I rush to the kitchen trash can and vomit whatever little I have left in me.
“Oh fuck,” Damon says worriedly, rubbing my back as Max hands me paper towels.
“Sorry,” I groan, rinsing my mouth in the sink. “I was feeling fine this morning…”
“Don’t apologize ever. You’re carrying our babe,” Damon says, watching me with a concerned look as if I might break at any moment. “Why don’t we take you out tonight? Everything at home doesn’t seem to be sitting well with you.”
“I can try,” I mumble, leaning against his chest to calm my racing heart.
“There’s a beautiful French restaurant across town that I think you’ll love,” Damon offers.
“What do you say, Lena? Are you up for it?” Max asks while caressing my waist.
“Sure,” I reply, hoping I can keep everything down. “We can try it out.”
“Consider it your first date with us,” Damon adds, rubbing my cold arms.
“It’s not a date,” I protest, pulling away from him.
“So, are we just friends with benefits? Is that what we’re telling our baby?”
My cheeks flush under his gaze of possessiveness and passion.
“I don’t know, okay? But this isn’t a date.”
“I’ll reserve a table for us,” Damon says without another word, kissing me on the forehead before leaving the kitchen.
Max senses my distress when he places a hand over my rapidly beating heart.
“Hey, this doesn’t mean anything,” he whispers, hugging me as panicked thoughts race through my mind.
I don’t want to lead the alphas on, and every day it’ll get harder to leave them. Each passing second would encourage them to mark and claim me forever.
Later that afternoon, I got dressed in the only dress I had in my suitcase.
It’s an off-the-shoulder, sparkly black evening dress with a sweetheart neckline. There’s a long slit in the skirt, showcasing my legs. My sprained ankle feels much better, so I pair my outfit with black heels, knowing I’ll be sitting for most of the evening anyway.
I do a smoky eye and bold red lips for my makeup, and when I look at the final ensemble in the mirror, I can’t deny that I’m glowing tonight despite my fears of being marked. I plan to enjoy my last moments with these wonderful alphas I met at the library.
The anal plug tugs at my ass, and the naughtiness of that, combined with my sexy attire, makes my lower belly clench and my pussy slick with arousal. Now I’m craving the alphas badly. Maybe one more night with them, and then it’ll be over. My nausea always seems to disappear when I think about intimacy with the alphas.
Damon whistles lowly when I walk into the living room.
His eyes rake over my body, growing darker with desire the longer he looks. I squirm under his smoldering gaze. The plug Max left inside me was feeling heavier by the moment.
“You look good enough to eat, baby doll,” he growls, and I blush.
Gunnar smiles at me, his eyes glowing with pure affection for me.
“You look beautiful, love,” he murmurs, taking my hand and kissing the back of it. “Are you excited?”
“Yes, let’s go,” I reply, despite the anxiety churning in my stomach.
Max sits with me in the back of the car, holding my hand, while Damon and Gunnar sit up front. Damon is driving, and I watch the city lights fly by as we travel across town. If I know anything about the alphas, it’s that they have some elaborate plan in place to spoil me tonight.
My heart aches at the thought of leaving the pack forever.
I don’t understand my reaction to them, but I know I can’t stay. They’ve been nothing but kind, watching out for me when I least expect it, but my past makes it difficult to move on.
They will never meet their baby.
A tear drips down my nose and onto my dress, sparkling under the light of a streetlamp we pass. I dab it away quickly, acting as if nothing is wrong.
I don’t want them to see me cry.
Max notices and squeezes my hand despite my best efforts, prompting me to look up at him. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Why are you crying?”
I shrug, embarrassed to have been caught mourning the loss of these alphas.
“It’s nothing,” I murmur, grabbing a tissue from my purse to wipe my cheeks. “I’m just being silly.”
“You can tell us,” Gunnar growls, meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror, and I quickly look down.
My mind whirls as I think of an explanation, finally settling on something as close to the truth as possible.
“I’m so grateful to you all for your care and protection,” I say quietly to everyone. “I’ve never experienced this before. It feels so…nice.”
“Lena, honey,” Damon replies, his eyes glinting. “You’re precious to us, and we will do anything to make sure you know it.”
I nod, trying my best not to cry at his sweet words. Leaving will be much harder than I anticipated.
I haven’t allowed any of them close enough to mark me or kiss me on the lips, even though I almost caved the night before. When Damon and Max were making love to me, I desperately wanted to turn and kiss Damon, but self-preservation held me back. That urge scares me, so I know it’s time to leave now.
Ten minutes later, we finally arrived at the restaurant.
Damon parks in front and gets out, rounding the car to open my door. He hands the keys to the valet, and the four of us make our way inside.
“Welcome to La Belle Époque,” the hostess greets us warmly. “Do you have a reservation?”
“Yes, it’s under Lovel,” Damon replies, and the hostess leads us to our table.
The restaurant is beautiful, with tall, arched windows framed by soft gold accents and gauzy curtains. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, casting a warm light across the room. Soft classical music plays from hidden speakers, and the hushed conversations of well-dressed patrons fill the space. The thick carpet mutes our footsteps as we walk to the table, and my eyes widen at the elegant yet welcoming décor—plush velvet banquettes in jewel tones and crisp white linens draped over the tables.
“This place is beautiful. I’ve never been here,” I whisper, still in awe of the sheer luxury and elegance surrounding me. I don’t think I’ve ever visited a restaurant this fancy.
“Just wait until you try the food,” Damon says with a chuckle, winking at me as he caresses my knee under the table.
The waiter comes to take our order, and the alphas engage in easy banter that reflects their long-standing friendship. I smile as I watch them over dinner, wishing I didn’t have to leave. Despite my reservations, being with these alphas feels effortless.
The food is delicious, featuring chicken alfredo and several fancy dishes whose names I don’t know, but they taste scrumptious.
Once I finish eating, Gunnar orders dessert. “Could you please bring a Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée for the lovely lady?”
“Of course, sir,” the waiter replies, nodding as he hurries off.
“Aren’t you going to order something for yourself, too?” I ask in surprise, and he shakes his head.
“No, babe, I already know what I want for dessert,” he says with a devilish grin.
I feel his hand on my leg under the table, caressing my thigh, and my skin prickles with pleasure as that familiar tingle grows in my belly. He growls softly.
“Not here, Gunnar,” I whisper.
“I can smell your slick, baby. You’re an eager thing, aren’t you?” His hand begins to creep higher up my thigh, pushing the fabric of my dress up and exposing my skin.
Max and Damon glance at Gunnar and then at me, a knowing smile on their faces. I press my lips together, trying to act normal and remain silent. The restaurant has too many people, and I don’t want to embarrass myself by moaning.
Gunnar cups my mound between my legs, stroking it slowly. Slick begins to drip down my inner thighs as I struggle to keep my legs closed, but Damon grips my knee tighter, holding me open.
“Do you still have that pretty plug that Max put in your ass this morning?” Gunnar whispers in my ear, slipping a finger between my folds and over my clit.
He twirls his finger around my sensitive nub of flesh. My face heats with embarrassment at his question, and I’m sure I’m bright red.
“How do you know about that?” I gasp, trying to speak without moaning.
“He told us all. Max never keeps anything to himself,” chuckles Gunnar. “But it’s not time to take it out yet. Your tight ass needs time to stretch.”
The waiter brings my dessert, and I blush, hoping he doesn’t notice me squirming, as he sets it before me. “For you, beautiful lady.”
“Thank you,” I say breathlessly, trying not to focus on Gunnar’s fingers playing with my pussy under the table while Damon holds my other thigh apart for him.
As I pick up the fork, I attempt to mask my arousal by taking bites of the sweet dessert.
Gunnar’s hand rests on my inner thigh while I eat. He’s alternating between long, slow sweeps and light caresses. He teases my entrance, brushing his fingers softly along my labia, up my slit, and across my clit.
I shovel food into my mouth, hoping it will stop me from making noise. His touch electrifies me, and when he suddenly pushes a finger inside my tight channel, I let out a soft squeak of surprise through my mouthful of dessert.
“Oh!”
He grins at me, a feral gleam in his eyes. His finger begins to move, dragging across the soft, spongy tissue of my G-spot and back out again. I can feel my orgasm building slowly, in sync with the unhurried movements of his hand.
Clamping my legs together doesn’t help; it only heightens the sensation, and Damon isn’t releasing my thigh. The more I struggle, the deeper Gunnar’s finger pushes into my pussy.
I notice Damon’s cock poking against his black slacks.
I try to focus on the dessert in front of me, determined to enjoy it while Gunnar wrings pleasure from my body. The last bite of my crème brûlée is so good that I inadvertently let out a little moan of delight, causing all three of them to stiffen in their seats. Gunnar’s hand stops moving, and I notice the bulge in the front of his suit pants.
“You’re hard,” I say, smiling at his frustration. All three alphas are scowling at me now.
“You won’t be laughing for long,” Damon warns playfully as he hands his credit card to the waiter to settle the bill.
Once outside, the valet brings the car around, and Max helps me inside again. Instead of turning in the direction that will take us home, Damon eases onto the road and heads toward another part of the city.
“Where are we going?” I ask as my pussy clenches with need. Gunnar hadn’t finished the job, and I need release—especially now that the anal plug is still teasing at my ass.
Damon winks at me in the rearview mirror. “You’ll see.”
We drive for about ten minutes before pulling up to what looks like a hotel twinkling under the night sky. I gasp when Damon helps me out of the car.
“This is the Elysian Crown!” I exclaim, awed by the grand building before me. “How did you even get a reservation here?”
All I know is that it’s the most exclusive five-star hotel in the city. Damon chuckles at my excitement. “Only the best for our omega.”
We check in at the front desk and are then escorted to the fifth floor.
“Enjoy your stay,” the bellboy says with a smile, pushing open the room door for us.
The door shuts behind us as we enter the room. I’ve barely taken ten steps when I stop in my tracks, staring at the sight before me.
Romantic music plays softly from the stereo in the living area, and dozens of lit candles cover the floor, leading to what I assume is the bedroom. Rose petals are scattered across the furniture, and when I follow the candlelit trail to the bedroom, I see more rose petals covering the floor and the bed.
My stomach sinks.
Something is going on. This isn’t just a fancy night for sex. The alphas didn’t wine and dine me to bring me here for our usual fun. No, this might be the night when the alphas want to mark me.
“Lena.”
I turn around at the sound of Damon’s voice. He’s staring at me intently, an uncharacteristic nervousness about him that wasn’t there a moment ago. I stand rooted to the spot, panicked thoughts racing through my mind.
He clears his throat, swallowing hard.
“Yes?” I respond softly.
“Lena, I know I’ve promised you that I’ll always keep you safe, and I want you to know that I mean that,” he says, taking a deep breath. “I want to protect you forever and always. Will you accept our mark tonight?”
