by J. L. Wilder
“I don’t like this,” Ryker said.
“But you said that I had the right to decide,” Sophie said.
Marco nodded. “You did say that. And I think that’s right.”
Ryker looked down at Dina. “Run north,” he said. “Take the others with you, if you’d like, or go your separate ways. But I don’t want to see any of you anywhere near our cave again. If we cross paths again, we’ll kill you next time.”
Dina scowled, but she nodded. Ryker untied her bonds and watched her disappear into the woods.
Marco helped Burton and Sophie to their feet. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go home.”
Chapter Nineteen
SOPHIE
It seemed surreal, months later, that they had managed to stay in their cave at all.
There had been weeks of fear and worry after they had returned home from their encounter with the bears. They had mounted a watch by the cave entrance, sitting in twos and waiting to see if the bears would return to try to recapture Sophie or to take revenge for what had happened.
Days had passed.
Weeks had passed.
No bears had come.
Eventually, around the fifth month of Sophie’s pregnancy, the alphas had decided that the only thing that would allow them to feel safe was a comprehensive examination of the territory around the cave.
By then, winter had set in. This wasn’t necessarily a problem—they could go out in wolf form and not worry about the cold—but Sophie hadn’t liked the idea of her alphas going out and leaving the rest of them alone. She wanted to be brave, but she couldn’t shake the memory of what had happened the last time she’d been in the cave with no alphas to protect her.
“We won’t all go,” Ryker had said.
“No,” Burton agreed. “Robby and Chrissy can go out with one of us. That’s a strong team. And the remaining two alphas can stay behind with Sophie and Cam and Petra.”
There had been a debate about who ought to be allowed to go—everyone was getting a little stir crazy, confined to the cave as they were—but eventually, it was decided that Ryker would be the one to lead the exploratory party since he knew the terrain best. Marco and Burton would stay behind.
The farewell had been painful because there had been no way of knowing how long they would be gone. Sophie had clung to Ryker and cried, aware that her pregnancy was throwing her emotions into turmoil but unable to stop feeling like a mess. Chrissy had taken Cam aside and sat with him, giving him quiet instructions to follow while she was gone.
And then they had left.
They had been gone for a solid month. Sophie had felt upset and on edge the entire time, unable to relax, and it wasn’t until they had returned that she had been fully able to breathe again.
They’d built up the fire and sat around eating dinner while Ryker had reported on what he had seen outside the cave—no bears. They were all gone. It was clear that they had done what had been asked of them. They had gone north, despite the fact that it was the coldest part of the year.
“Maybe they’re hibernating,” Burton had snickered.
Sophie had swatted him. “Shifters don’t hibernate.”
But from that day on, everyone had breathed a little bit easier, knowing that the biggest threat to their way of life was gone. The cave had begun to feel like a safe place to call home again.
And now more months had gone by. Sophie had been ordered to remain on bed rest, a fact she pretended to be frustrated by. In fact, it was sort of enjoyable to lie around and be catered to by her alphas. She liked being so heavily pregnant. It was a strange feeling, but a good one.
Burton came over and sat beside her. “The others have gone out fishing,” he said.
“The river must be frozen over,” Sophie said, yawning and stretching her way out of a nap.
“Rivers don’t freeze,” Burton said. “Or, they can, I guess, but it’s rare. The water keeps moving. Anyway, fish for dinner tonight. Your favorite.”
“My favorite,” she agreed, rolling carefully over to face him. Instead of the hard cave floor, she had been sleeping on a nest of blankets that Robby had stolen from a camping store several miles south. She was deeply grateful for his having done so. She had no idea what it would have been like to be pregnant without that little bit of luxury.
“We’ve got the cave to ourselves until then,” Burton said quietly.
Sophie smiled. She knew exactly what he was thinking.
Everyone had been particularly careful to take themselves out of the cave as much as they realistically could during this last stage of Sophie’s pregnancy, knowing how her hormones were affecting her. She felt as if her body was constantly on the verge of overheating. She had trouble focusing on anything from minute to minute.
She hadn’t known that it was possible to be this aroused this consistently.
Fortunately, her alphas seemed to have responded to her altered state and were taking pains to give her what she needed. Just yesterday, while everyone had been out making and laying snares, Marco had lain down beside her and fucked her slowly, rocking in and out of her body for hours. In his arms, Sophie had almost forgotten what it felt like not to be fucking. She had begun to feel as if this primal, natural rhythm was the ordinary state of things, as if this was what her life consisted of and would always consist of. She would do this, and nothing else, forever.
She had cried when it was over. Not because she hadn’t come—she had, several times—but because the loss of him felt so tragic. It had felt like the end of the world. He had held her and comforted her, but she had still felt empty.
It had seemed, then, like she might have to wait forever to feel that sense of gratifying fullness again.
But now here was Burton, ready to take care of her the way she needed so badly.
“I’m not going to lie,” she said, reaching up and pulling him down to her, her hand slipping into the front of his shorts to cup him and feel his hardness. “I’m damn glad there are three of you.”
He laughed, throbbing against her palm. “It takes three of us to keep you satisfied.”
“I could ride you forever,” she said. “I mean, literally forever. It’s all I want to do.”
“Insatiable,” he murmured. “It’s so hot, Sophie. You have no idea.”
“It’s not annoying?”
“It’s amazing. You can’t imagine. Being wanted as badly as you want me right now—God, I can see it all over your body.” He ran his fingers across her collarbone, making her shiver, then unwrapped the blanket she had draped over herself.
She was naked beneath it. She used the blankets for modesty when the betas were around, but none of her clothes fit anymore, so there was no point in trying to dress. Her body was too swollen, too big. And it felt like her sexual appetite had grown to fit this new body.
He eyed her hungrily, his gaze lingering on her breasts. She looked down. They were barely recognizable, so different from the breasts she had had all her adult life. They were massive, grown big enough to provide sustenance for a litter of children, and her nipples were big enough to be latched onto.
“You’re ready,” he murmured, his fingertips skating down her body. “You’re ready for these babies.”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She bit her lip. She couldn’t pretend that she wasn’t nervous about it, even though her constant state of arousal tended to distract her from her nerves.
He bent and kissed her belly. “We can do this,” he said. “We can handle it together.”
Just the touch of his lips on her skin was enough to drive her wild. She arched her back, pressing up against him, and he chuckled and eased her onto her side.
“What do you want today?” he asked.
“You know what I want.”
He fit his body to hers, every inch of them aligned, her ass cupped against his hips and thighs. He could slide into her at any moment, and the thought of that made her shiver with anticipation. She wanted him so badly, and she was goin
g to get what she wanted. It was only seconds away now.
But he held himself still. “Do you think we can last until the others get back?” he asked, his breath hot against her neck.
“I can,” she murmured. “I could go all day and all night.”
“I bet you could,” he agreed. “You want it so bad. You want me so bad.”
“Burton, I swear to God,” she said. “If you don’t stop teasing me—”
“You’ll what?” he asked, kissing her shoulder. “You’re not going to do anything. You can’t even move.”
“I’ll lose my mind, that’s what,” she said. “Do you have any idea how insane you’re making me? How easy it would be to give me relief?” She shuddered. “You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to hold out on me to whet my appetite, to make me want you more. I’m at fever pitch all the time. Every hour of every day.”
“I like to watch it, though,” he said, trailing his fingers lightly down the length of her arm.
She felt like crying. “Please,” she said. “Burton, please. I need you.”
He kissed her shoulder again.
“Okay,” he whispered and entered his throbbing cock into her slowly, deeply.
She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, wave after wave of pleasure washing over her, sending her to heights of ecstasy she had never imagined. “Thank you,” she moaned, rocking her into his massive shaft. “Thank you. Thank you.”
Her orgasm was slow and rolling these days. Instead of the brief flare it had been before her pregnancy, it was a tide coming in, washing over her body and lasting hours.
It was this feeling that she craved when her alphas weren’t with her. When they were taking care of the needs of the pack, when they were out hunting or setting traps or gathering firewood and Sophie was left to her own devices, this was what she ached for. She felt bereft without it.
But now, Burton was here. And he might have teased her for a while—it was in his personality to do that kind of thing—but he would never leave her unsatisfied. She knew that. He, just like her other two alphas, would always care for her.
It was strange to realize how well she knew his body. Even in the throes of passion, as she was now, she never lost track of who was inside her. She knew him so intimately, every inch of him, and the way he felt was so distinct in her mind from the way Ryker or Marco felt.
Ryker was the one with the big hands that could play her masterfully, like an instrument. Ryker was the one with the powerful muscles that made Sophie feel tiny and fragile, even though she knew intrinsically that he would never harm her.
Marco was the one with the slow and gentle touch, the one with the soft, careful kisses. He explored her body delicately but powerfully, the way the wind explores the treetops. Surrendering herself to him made her feel free.
And Burton—
Everything Burton did felt like a laugh. Every touch was a game. There were joy and delight in everything. Even as her orgasm carried her away, she laughed, overwhelmed with happiness.
“I love you,” she gasped. “God, Burton, I love you so much.”
She felt his teeth on her shoulder, his bite gentle but firm, his lips forming a smile, and knew that he loved her too.
They went on like that for hours, their bodies linked together, Burton’s hands exploring the new and fleeting dimensions of Sophie’s pregnant form. A few times, through the haze of her pleasure, it occurred to Sophie that this part of her life would be behind her soon. The babies would be born. Her pregnancy would be over. She would go back to having a normal body, and every day would no longer consist of hours of lovemaking.
That is, until I get pregnant again.
Growing up, as a member of her pack of origin, the fact that she had been born an omega had always felt like a curse. She had hated it.
Now, though, it seemed like the best thing that could have happened to her. I’m so lucky, she thought. I’m so lucky to have my alphas. I’m so lucky to be their omega. I’m so glad I’m a member of this pack, and that this is my life. She couldn’t imagine anything better.
Hours later, when the rest of the pack returned from their fishing expedition with their catch slung over their shoulders, Burton and Sophie were curled up under the blankets, keeping one another warm, their bodies thoroughly exhausted.
“Get out of bed and come help scale these fish, Burt,” Ryker called.
“Can’t,” Burton said, his expression just slightly smug. “Sophie needs me here.”
“I don’t need him,” Sophie said with a laugh. “He can go help.”
Burton put on a look of mock outrage. “You don’t think I’ve done enough work on behalf of the pack today? I’m wounded.”
“As if you didn’t enjoy yourself,” Marco said. “Come on, help us with the fish. The sooner we get this done, the sooner everyone can eat.”
Petra came and helped her prop herself up, positioning the blankets carefully around her so that her back was supported, draping one of the blankets back over her so that she was concealed from the others. “Did you have a nice day?” she asked.
Sophie grinned. “You could say that. How was fishing?”
“Not bad, actually,” Petra said. “You see that big salmon over there?”
It was at least as long as Ryker’s forearm. “That’s a beast,” Sophie said.
Petra nodded, grinning. “Cam and I caught it,” she said. “We were trying out a new kind of net we’ve been working on, woven together out of cattails. Nobody thought it was going to work, but in the end, we got the last laugh.”
“And we’re all going to eat well because of it,” Sophie said. “Good for you guys.” She paused for a moment, then added, “It seems like you and Cam work really well together.”
Petra blushed faintly. “We get along,” she admitted.
“Maybe you do more than get along?”
“I don’t know,” Petra said. “It’s been a strange year.”
“You should be open to it,” Sophie advised. “The two of you would make a good couple. And I’d really like to see you as happy as I’ve been lately, Petra.”
Petra sat down, a soft smile on her face. She looked embarrassed but pleased as well. “Maybe,” she said quietly. “Maybe there is something there. I guess I’ll have to wait and see.”
“No rush,” Sophie said. “We’re a pack. We have our whole lives together. And now that the bears are gone, we’re safe here in our cave. Nothing can hurt us again.”
She looked around at her assembled family, confident for the first time in her life that she truly was safe. Everything was going to be all right now.
Chapter Twenty
MARCO
“Marco, hey, wake up.”
He had only been half asleep, and at the sound of Ryker’s voice, he lifted out of the haze and looked up at his packmate.
Ryker looked as exhausted as Marco felt. He was pale, and he had dark circles under his eyes. “Everything okay?” Marco murmured, doing his best to shake off sleep.
“It’s fine,” Ryker said. “But we think she’s close to delivering now, and we thought you might want to be awake for it.”
Marco nodded and pushed himself upright. Of course he wanted to be awake—more than anything he wanted that—but it was hard. Sophie had been in labor for a day and a half now.
The good news was that it hadn’t been too painful for her. As an omega, her body was made to give birth. The only problem was the exhaustion.
She was bright-eyed, panting with it, but she reached out to Marco as he approached. “They’re saying it’s almost time,” she said, her voice ragged. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I wouldn’t have missed this.” He knelt beside her and took her hand. “I’m sorry I went to sleep at all.”
“Don’t,” she said. “You had to sleep.”
It had been the primary debate of the last twelve hours. None of the alphas had wanted to go to sleep—they hadn’t wanted to miss a minute of Sophie’s labor—but
she had insisted that there was no reason for all three of them to be flocked around her and exhaust themselves before the babies were born. In the end, it had been Chrissy who had convinced everybody. “It’s stupid for all seven of us to just sit here and watch her while nothing happens,” she’d said, in her usual brusque manner. “We’ll do it in shifts, just like we do everything else.”
Sophie had agreed, and everyone had quickly gotten on board after that. They had established shifts, taking turns to sit with her and keep her company as she’d struggled through her labor.
“I don’t understand why it’s taking so long,” Burton had admitted when they’d entered the fourteenth hour. “She’s an omega. Shouldn’t it be easy?”
“This is easy,” Marco had said. “She’s probably giving birth to a pretty big litter, considering she’s carrying the babies of three alphas at once. Imagine a beta wolf trying to do that. Or worse, a human woman. It’s a hell of a lot easier on Sophie than it would be on either of them.”
Burton had grumbled something that had made it clear he still wasn’t enjoying the proceedings and wandered off to bed.
Marco understood. It was hard for him to see Sophie struggling too. In a way, he wished that he could do this for her somehow. He wished he could make it easier on her.
But watching her get through the last several hours had been one of the most inspiring things he had ever seen.
Marco knew that the southern packs believed omegas were weak, easy to control and manipulate. But knowing Sophie had proven to him that the exact opposite was true. She was one of the strongest people he had ever met. Not only was she dealing with the rigors of childbirth like a champion, but she was also the one who had brought their pack together in the first place.
“The babies are coming now,” Petra said.
Ryker positioned himself behind Sophie, propping her up against his chest. Marco and Burton knelt on either side of her, holding her hands.
