Edric

Resistant Omegas 3

Edric Tristan and Carson’s Omega Network has gone into effect. Numbers of suffering omegas are being found all over the United States—like Edric. Edric Sawyer has endured the death of his parents and a powerhungry uncle. Despite all of this, he has remained hopeful and willing to open his heart to love. Blaine Ogden is the strong and caring Alpha of the Cheyenne, Wyoming pack who is always concerned about the well-being of those around him. Colin Davies is a kind and affectionate Beta to Blaine who is eager to put the needs of others, like Edric, above his own. Rowan Grant is one of Blaine’s Betas and acts as the protector of the inner circle in which he longs to include this hurting Omega. As these werewolves get to know Edric, they discover a dark secret from his past. Will this secret be the permanent undoing of their relationship? Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves Length: 36,400 words

EDRIC Resistant Omegas 3

Joyee Flynn

MENAGE AMOUR MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Amour ManLove

EDRIC Copyright © 2011 by Joyee Flynn E-book ISBN: 1-61034-976-8 First E-book Publication: October 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Edric by Joyee Flynn from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Joyee Flynn’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Flynn’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION To everyone who supported my twist on the normal werewolf pack and cheered for the little guys.

EDRIC Resistant Omegas 3 JOYEE FLYNN Copyright © 2011

Tristan’s Prologue Three Months Ago Two weeks after the meeting with the High Council where Carson told his story, we had the Omega Network up. It was basic to start off with, nothing more than a secured website that had decrypted message boards. The High Council had informed every Alpha that their Omegas must log in and have access to it at all times. Granted, that didn’t stop someone from watching over the Omega’s shoulder or forcing them to type messages. But we were just starting, so one step at a time, and we would figure out the rest later. The dickhead, Councilman Johnson, ended up not being a jerk at all. He suggested we set up teams to investigate Omegas that sounded too overly happy as if they weren’t the ones typing what we saw. Smart. I told Carson about the idea, and he had the same reaction about Johnson as I did. He was coming around. The notices went out, and the Omegas were required to call into the main High Council office to get their log-in and passwords. That was last week. This week the site went live, and I was excited, scared, worried, petrified, hopeful, and about a billion other emotions as I logged in to see what was posted.

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After reading the first few messages, I realized one very important thing… It was so much worse than we could ever have imagined. “Hey! I’m glad you guys started this! It’s nice to have someone to talk to since I seem to annoy my inner circle each time I open my mouth. I was just wondering if anyone else had problems getting it up for the cameras? I mean I know that’s part of the pack’s income to sell the movies to gay porn sites, but I see the lights in the filming room and I just can’t get hard or get off. Also, does anyone else get sex besides in the filming rooms? I mean that’s the only time anyone touches me. My first time was in front of fifty strangers, and every time since has been filmed for the internet. There’s gotta be something more than this, right? Thanks for letting me vent, and any advice would be appreciated!! -Gideon” My heart broke for the guy, it truly did. Yeah, he’d be on the list of Omegas that needed to be rescued. And who the fuck told him the pack’s main income was using their gift, their Omega, for porn. Those fuckers should be castrated. I prayed the next one was better. It wasn’t. “Hey, my Omega bros! I was just wondering how to get my inner circle’s mates to leave me alone? I mean my inner circle barely touches me, but their female mates are always in my face! I had no idea women could be so mean. It’s not just teasing, oh no! They put shit in my food constantly, like poison. I swear at first I thought they were like hazing pranks, but now I think they might really be trying to kill me. There have been a several ‘accidents’ lately, one of which left me with a bullet hole in my arm. I don’t mean to whine, but it’s bad enough that none of my inner circle wants me and all have mates when I can’t, but then they’re gunning for me? Literally! I just want them to leave me alone if I’m

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stuck in this pathetic existence. Let me live out my life in solitude then, you know what I mean? -Kiefer” Sweet mother of mercy! So not only did the inner circle seem to be turning a blind eye and ignoring their Omega, who they paid a good deal of money for, their wives were on him. Oh hell no! I flagged his message as well. The ones I flagged and sent to the High Council would be listed as needing to be removed from their current packs for sanctuary. They couldn’t all be like that, could they? Not every Omega had to be suffering. “I just wanted to know if you guys had to have sex with every person in your pack? My Alpha says that I’m supposed to make them all stronger and not just the inner circle. So I’m having sex with every werewolf of legal age at least once a week. They never even give me a day off. I swear my life consists of getting fucked and soaking my sore ass. I don’t mean to bitch, but there are thirty men in my pack. And to think I was looking forward to having sex when I turned old enough. Stupid me, right? -Vencentio” How could I not have tears in my eyes for poor Vencentio and call myself a person? I don’t give a flying fuck if I was six-eight and massive, I had a heart! Thirty men at least once a week? That was four or five men a day, minimum. I flagged message and knew I’d push him to the top. Jesus, no one deserved to be treated like that. There was so much more to life! I kept going though everything inside of me was screaming not to read anymore.

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“My parents just died, and the Alpha of my current pack, who is my uncle, said he’d just keep me as their Omega. Eww, ew, ewwie! I said no way that I’m not into incest, thanks and I’d run away. He said he’d kill me if I tried to take off and that it’s not incest because there’s no chance of getting me pregnant. That can’t be the real rules right? Please? Someone get me out of here! My uncle is a mean man, and while his Betas are hot, they’re pussies and wouldn’t protect me. I’ll go anywhere but here! God, I hope someone’s really going to check these and get me the fuck out of here. -Edric” Did we have any normal inner circles? Fuck! Was this really what our kind was reduced to? And these were coming in from all over the world. Maybe we need to just wipe out our kind. Or it was time for some serious changes in leadership. I sighed and rubbed my eyes as I leaned back in my desk chair. No, it wasn’t every werewolf that was like this. My pack were good people. I knew Carson’s pack was as well now that they’d gotten rid of the jerks. My phone rang, and I didn’t even have to look at the caller ID to know who it was. “You seeing this shit?” Carson asked as I answered, and I could tell he’d been crying. “Yeah, I’ve read four, and I’ve got them all flagged to be removed from their packs. We’ll help them, Carson.” “Did you read Lennox’s yet?” “No. How bad is it?” “I’m going to have nightmares, Tristan,” he whispered. After everything my friend had been through, I knew it had to be really, really bad for him to have that kind of reaction. “Let me find it.” I scrolled down and found the name. “I can’t keep living like this. I know that makes me weak, but I’ve put up with this hell for five years. I don’t know what else to do. They

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beat me constantly. My Alpha says I’m a demon and I have to possess him to want me. I swear I don’t even flirt. I learned long ago to hide as much as I can because they all hate me. But yet they find me and fuck me raw. And I know they enjoy it. They just don’t want to admit it. I have nowhere to go. They keep me locked in the attic and don’t even let me run with the pack. I worry my wolf has died from being cooped up for this long. I don’t even have a shower up here. Once a week they let me go downstairs to bathe, and they feed me only once a day. I’m so weak that it takes me forever to heal, and I’m surprised I’m still alive. I know I’m ugly and too thin with scars all over my body now, but still they come. The only reason I’m able to post this is the mandate came in while they were out of town and the housekeeper helped me post this. Please someone help me or just kill me. Please, I’m begging whoever is reading these. -Lennox” “Fuck,” I sobbed as I reached out to touch the monitor. I couldn’t help him through the computer, but it was as if I needed some connection to the guy. “We’ve got to help him, Tristan,” Carson whispered. “You’re sending the messages special notice to the High Council today, right? I talked to my men, and they’re setting up a way to get the worst ones out immediately. We can give them sanctuary here. Our pack knows and is ready to pitch in.” “Our pack as well,” I replied as I mopped up my eyes. “I’m going to finish reading these and send the message. Whatever the High Council says, we’re going in. I don’t care if we have to kidnap each abused Omega.” “I feel better knowing we feel the same way.” “Yeah, buddy. We won’t abandon them.” We said our good-byes, and I went back to reading some of the most horrid shit imaginable.

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There was a guy named Aubrey whose Beta liked to cut his groin during sex. He’d already lost one nut from it, and no one in his inner circle or pack cared to do anything besides call him a freak. And then my heart sank even further when I read the next one. “Does everyone’s pack have a hunt once a month with them as the prize? Every full moon, all the wolves gather and my Alpha sets me on the other side of the pack grounds, and whoever gets to me first, gets me for the week. Any way they want me, as often as they want me, with no limitations. I didn’t even know we could scar, but I have them. I have one guy who tries to win and then spends the week taking care of me if he does. But he doesn’t always win. Why can’t he just be my mate? I’ve fallen in love with him, and he keeps trying to get me to run away with him, but they’d kill him if they found us, right? I couldn’t do that to him. I don’t know what to do. Anyone have any advice? -Dewey” It made me wonder if the man Dewey was talking about was strong enough to become Alpha or maybe a Beta if we could get another new Alpha in their pack. Or another pack. He needed to be removed from the situation, but he found someone he loves and shouldn’t be separated from. I plowed through the last three, already knowing deep in my stomach that they would all need to be flagged. “I’m tired of being their slave in and out of bed. I’m housekeeper, maid, cook, and everything along with fuck toy to my inner circle and their mates. Seriously, Cinderella’s story sounds like a dream compared to my life. Can I get out of this, or is this how we’re all treated? -Baptista”

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“What’s it liked to be kissed? I’ve been with my inner circle for seven years, and you know, none of them have ever kissed me or done anything besides bend me over and fuck me. Oh, except when I’m on my knees blowing them. They’ve never even touched me and couldn’t give a care if I get off. I know it’s probably sad of me to admit this, but I think I could deal with the rest if I just got one kiss, just once. I want to know what it feels like. If I had that memory, I could hold on to it and remember that feeling when the rest of the shit happens. That’s all I want. -Wesley” “I wish I wasn’t an Omega. Actually, I wish I wasn’t even born. I feel like a pampered pet on the really good days and like their dog they can kick most days. I haven’t seen anyone besides my inner circle or the cook in over six years. I’m not allowed to leave my small room unless I have permission. Hell, it’s locked from the outside! I’m like their dirty little secret in a small bedroom off the Alpha’s room that I swear is supposed to be used as a walk-in closet. If he’s happy with me, I can play in his room for the day and watch movies. Otherwise I have twelve books with me in this room. Do you know how many times you can read twelve books in six years? But what else is there for me to do? Watch my hair grow? I read some of the other comments, and I don’t have it that bad, I know this. I’m just worried I’m losing my mind from having no one else to talk to besides myself or the wall. -Sampson” I e-mailed the stories of those ten Omegas to everyone on the High Council priority status with a little note of my own. “I say this with as much respect as I can feel inside of me after having read all of these. It’s difficult not to feel each member of our society is to blame for letting this happen. Give me the resources to

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get them all out and help them or just stay out of our way. Either way, this is happening. I will not let this outrage continue, and neither should you. Laws will need to be changed, and something has to stop this cycle. But for now, we need to get them out and help them heal. They could be great assets to any pack if they were treated right. Our pack, along with Carson’s, has become strong and thriving because we function as a family. These messages are not the type of legacy we should want to leave, and I don’t care what it takes… I’m getting them all out. -Tristan” I sent the email as the tears ran down my cheeks. I’d give them until tomorrow to reply and offer the help they promised. Otherwise, we were going to handle this ourselves. I wished I could just wave my magic wand and save them all immediately, but I knew I’d have to pick which ones were the worst off and needed to be rescued immediately. “That bad, baby?” Jared asked as I walked into our bedroom. Cameron sat up and put his book on the nightstand as Rhyce stepped out of the bathroom and wrapped his arms around me. “Thank you for saving me from the hell I could have endured with some other inner circle. You can’t imagine how many there are and what they’re going through,” I blubbered out. Rhyce helped me into bed, and my men curled around me, all making sure that they were touching me. “We have to save them. I don’t even know how some of them have been surviving it, but we can’t leave them there.” “We’ll get them all, Tristan,” Cameron said firmly as he rubbed my chest. “We’ll get every last one of them someplace safe where they can be loved and cherished.” I knew my men well enough to know that when they promised me something, hell itself couldn’t have stopped them. I nodded that I understood and believed them. I cried myself to sleep as the three men

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I loved held me, hoping that the Omegas who posted could feel this type of support and tenderness one day.

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Chapter 1 I was standing in Carson Evans’s living room in Chicago ready to piss my pants. I’d been saved two months ago from my birth pack in South Carolina when my parents died and my uncle wanted to make me his Omega and bitch. Yuck. Double yuck. But that was then, and the now was I couldn’t think of the last time I’d been this scared. Well, I hadn’t been since I moved in with Carson and his inner circle. I was supposed to be interviewing potential Alphas and Betas who wanted an Omega because unfortunately I had to go to someone. “Now that we’re alone, I can check you out how I want,” the nasty Alpha Marcus drawled as he circled me like a shark. “Take off your clothes.” “What?” I squeaked. The man had about a foot on my five-four and a good hundred pounds on me. If he wanted me naked, I would be. And I wasn’t happy that Dorothy let them in the front sitting room before Carson was ready. They promised me I wouldn’t be going through these interviews alone. For reasons like this. “I want to see what I might be buying,” he whispered in my ear and then grabbed my groin. I whimpered, not the happy “fuck me now” kind of whimper. Oh no, it was more the “get me the fuck out of here please” whimper. “Very nice. I like the way you respond to me. You’ll be a good boy to add to my collection. Daddy likes you.” “M–My parents are dead,” I stuttered. I saw the Betas exchange a look of shock. I had a feeling they didn’t have a clue that sicko Alpha had a hidden harem. Fuck, I was so screwed.

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“I’m your daddy now, boy,” he snarled in my ear and squeezed my bits tighter than I would ever have liked. “And you will learn to mind me and please me. Now, I said get naked.” “No,” I whispered as tears formed in my eyes. “You can’t boss me around.” The fist I got to the back of my head said he felt otherwise. He let go of my groin as I fell to the floor, grabbing my head. “Alpha, I don’t think our hosts will be happy if he’s hurt,” one of the Betas said as he stepped in front of me. “I’m in charge here,” the Alpha snarled. “I understand that, but they get a say in who buys the Omega,” he replied. I realized something. He was saying the right words to appease the Alpha, but I could see his profile, and I thought he was going to vomit when he said buys. “And we don’t want them running their mouths to the High Council.” “Too late,” Carson said from the doorway. There were others behind him, but I couldn’t see from the floor. I was trying to move slowly away from the crazy Alpha and not be seen. “This doesn’t concern you, Omega whore,” Alpha Marcus said firmly as he pushed his Beta aside. “I want this one.” “No!” I screamed and scurried around the couch and toward Carson. I felt a hand pick me up by my hair and then froze. “You come into my house and talk to me that way!” Carson shouted as two strange men came to my aid. “You okay, baby?” one whispered as he released my hair from the Alpha and pulled me up into his arms. I wasn’t normally all about touching strangers, but given my two choices here, I clung to the new guy and wrapped my body around him. “He wants to add me to his harem of boys and call him daddy,” I whimpered as the tears started to fall. That really didn’t sound any better than the crap with my uncle I’d been rescued from.

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“Not going to happen,” the nice man said kindly as he rubbed my back. “They weren’t even scheduled to meet with you right now. We were.” “Okay,” I replied and realized I was nuzzling his neck. He was hot, he smelled amazing, and he’d just rescued me. So sue me. Wait, they were here for me, too? Fuck, this was all so confusing. “Release me from your spell, witch,” the Alpha snarled. “You have no power over me.” “It would seem otherwise.” Carson snickered and used his gifts to wave the guy back and forth like a rag doll. “You will be brought to the High Council for accosting an Omega in sanctuary. I also would like to know more about this harem.” “So would we,” one of the Alpha’s Betas growled. “It’s bad enough we got assigned to this asshole, but he’s got a harem? I want the fuck out of here.” “You’re not in this with him?” Carson asked, and I realized he was freezing all three of them. “Fuck no! Percy and I were brought in by the High Council because the old Betas disappeared. Yeah, I’d disappear after working with this douche, too. We’ve only been on with him for a couple of weeks.” “How’s the pack? Is it him or all of them?” “The pack is scared. He rules them like a tyrant with an iron fist.” “Would you be willing to go on record saying that?” Carson asked as he released the two Betas. “Yes we would,” the other one, Percy, answered, who had jumped in front of me earlier and did something that shocked the shit out of me. He pulled back his arm and decked the Alpha in the face. Alpha Marcus passed out but was still being held up by Carson’s powers. Nice. “I hate the fucker. And now he’s got some hidden collection of boys that call him daddy? That’s just sick.” He turned to me then with kind eyes. “Are you okay?”

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“Just shaken up, thanks,” I answered and went to let go of my other rescuer. He held me tighter, and I glanced at him. “I like the way you feel in my arms,” he said with a soft smile as his cheeks heated up. “I’m Colin Davies, Beta of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, pack.” “You’ve come a long way to meet me,” I whispered as I found myself getting lost in his bright blue eyes. “Tristan’s right in Denver and has other Omegas staying with him.” “But you’re the one who we couldn’t stop looking at,” another man said as he stepped closer. “When Jared said you were turning twenty-one soon and would be taken off the market, we called Carson and got on a plane.” “And you are?” I asked, practically batting my eyelashes at the other tall drink of hotness. “Alpha Blaine Ogden,” he answered as he reached out to cup my cheek. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” “He punched me in the back of my head,” I moaned as he ran his fingers through my light blond hair. “It hurts, and I’m a little dizzy but otherwise okay.” “Forgive me,” Blaine said and instantly pulled his hand away. “And here I’m being callous, touching you like that.” “I liked it though.” I stuck out my bottom lip in a pout, and I saw the hot Alpha’s eyes glaze over with lust. “You can touch me anywhere you want.” “No, he can’t,” Carson said firmly and pulled me out of the Beta’s arms. “Let’s deal with one issue at a time before you try and get in Edric’s pants. Shall we?” “I–I didn’t mean it like that,” Blaine stuttered and glanced from me to Carson. “I said I was sorry. I was just trying to comfort him.” “I’m just teasing, Blaine. Tristan was right. You are easy to screw with,” Carson said with a laugh and a wide smile. Then my friend looked up at the doorway and his smile got even brighter. “Just in time.”

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“Are you okay?” Alpha Declan asked as he raced over to his mate. The other two, Ian and Taylor, were right behind him as they touched Carson everywhere to check. “Jared and them know Blaine. They didn’t hurt you, did they?” “I’m fine, my loves.” Carson giggled. “I was picking Blaine, Colin, and Rowan Grant here up from the airport.” So that was the name of the other man standing off to the side. I glanced at him and saw the heated look he was giving me. I hadn’t realized I was doing it, hadn’t meant to, but suddenly I was standing right in front of him. “Rowan?” I asked as I glanced up his body until I got to his eyes. Bright green and sparkling with desire. Yeah, he was yummy. And he was huge. I mean he had to be at least six-seven and three hundred pounds of muscle. “Yes, little one?” His smile was kind, and I found it endearing. “What do you need?” I wanted to shout you, but I thought that wasn’t wise. “Will you take me to the kitchen to get some ice for my head?” “Oh shit, sorry, Edric,” Carson said after he got his men to stop checking him for injuries and kissing him. “I wasn’t the one who got hurt. It seems Alpha Douche Bag here came in and Dorothy thought they were who we had on the schedule, but they weren’t and yeah, all hell broke loose.” “I can fill them in while you get your Omega tended to,” the other nice Beta with the mean Alpha said. This was getting confusing. As if knowing what I wanted to ask he answered. “My name is Azyle.” “Nice to meet you,” I said with a wave. I could tell they were okay, but they were with the asshole, so I wasn’t taking any chances. I turned to look back at Rowan and must have moved too quickly, or now that the adrenaline had worn off, I realized my head was bad. I got really dizzy and saw spots. “I got you, little one,” Rowan whispered as he caught me before I hit the floor.

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“Do you really?” I asked, staring into his gorgeous green eyes as he lifted me into his arms. “If you’ll have us.” I couldn’t help it. I shivered against his body like a damsel in distress. “Let me tend to you.” “Okay,” I squeaked, embarrassed that my jeans were tenting right in front of him. His whole face lit up at my agreeing, and he carried me out of the room. I pointed in the direction of the kitchen. “This wasn’t how we planned on meeting you, but I’m glad we interrupted in time,” Blaine said gently as Rowan sat me on the counter. “I’m so sorry, Edric,” Dorothy said with tears in her eyes as she grabbed a towel to fill with ice. “It wasn’t your fault. I was just confused why you let them in since Carson said I wasn’t to interview with any of the inner circles alone.” “I thought they were the ones Tristan knew, and we didn’t have to worry.” Colin took the towel, now full of ice, from her shaking hands. “It’s okay, nothing major, and now we found out some bad shit about that Alpha. If we can help those other men, then it’s worth a knock to my head for,” I said gently, trying to appease her guilt. “Very noble of you.” Colin brought the ice to the back of my head with a proud look on his face. “Not really,” I replied sheepishly. I didn’t want them to get the wrong idea of me. “I’m scared of my shadow most of the time, and I’m not comfortable around people.” “You seem to be with us,” Blaine said with a soft smile. He ran his hand up my thigh in a comforting motion that set my desire on overdrive. “You’re different though,” I whispered, covering his hand and moving it higher on my leg. “Are you always this forward?” he asked with a raised brow. Blaine looked from our hands to my face.

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“No, sorry,” I replied, embarrassed and crushed. I pushed his hand away and moved off the counter and around them. “I thought you wanted me. Forget it.” “Edric, we do,” he said, but I couldn’t look at them. I was too mortified. I shook my head, which was stupid considering I was dizzy, and bolted from the kitchen. “Edric! Wait!” I got as far as the stairs before Carson saw me and called out my name as well. I turned to face him and saw Blaine and them running towards me and looked at them. It must have been too much movement, and maybe I had a concussion. Whatever the reason, the spots came back and my vision swam before I blacked out. Great. Even more embarrassing. **** “I said something stupid and hurt his feelings, Carson,” Blaine said with a sigh. “That was all—I swear we didn’t hurt him or touch him inappropriately.” “Edric’s had a rough time. You have to be gentle with him. There’s a lot you don’t know unless Tristan filled you in.” “No, he didn’t feel it was his place. I was trying to crack a joke, and I stuck my foot in my mouth. I’m sorry.” “Don’t apologize to me,” Carson said firmly. “It’s Edric’s decision who he chooses.” “It is?” I asked as my eyes fluttered opened. I groaned at the light and shielded my face. “I thought I just got to sit in on the interviews and you guys would decide.” “No, Edric,” my friend replied gently as he shut off the lamp on the table. We were back in the front sitting room, and I was draped over the couch. “It’s your choice. We just want to be in on the meetings to make sure no one pulls any shit. We’ll support your decision. If we have concerns, I know you’ll listen.”

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“I’m so sorry, Edric.” I could see the misery swimming in Blaine’s eyes. “I’m still pure. I’m a virgin,” I blurted out after a minute of staring at him. “I’ve never had a man touch me or been in anyone’s arms until Colin saved me. I’ve not even been kissed. I swear it. I’m not a slut.” “I know you’re not, baby,” he said gently as he leaned over and cupped my cheek. “I was just surprised at your instant response to us, and I tried to make a joke. I don’t think you’re a slut. I liked that you wanted me to touch you.” “I thought you were responding the same way to me though.” I tried to sit up but didn’t quite make it until Colin helped me. “We are,” he whispered in my ear as he interlocked his fingers with mine. “I want you so badly it hurts, Edric. I wasn’t kidding when I said I liked the way you felt in my arms. I want so much more with you.” “But Blaine doesn’t?” I asked, my brain feeling scrambled. The bump was throbbing, and I was grateful when Rowan handed me the towel with ice. I put it to the back of my head and glanced between them slowly. “I do, Edric,” the Alpha answered. “I was just shocked that I was trying to comfort you and you were flirting with me. I blurted out something stupid and hurt your feelings. I didn’t mean to do that.” “It was my first time trying to flirt,” I admitted as my cheeks heated up even worse. “I thought I screwed it up and turned you off.” “No, I was very, very turned on,” he purred. Blaine lifted me up, sat down on the couch, and placed me on his lap. I gasped when I felt just how turned on he was. “See? I was just trying not to get any more turned on before I stripped you naked on the counter when you were injured.” “It might have made me feel better,” I whispered and buried my face in his neck. “I like the way you guys smell.”

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“Fuck,” Blaine groaned as he ran his hands down my back. “You’re going to kill us, aren’t you?” “I hope not. I have other plans for you three.” “Do tell,” Blaine replied, his voice getting deep and husky. “Okay, guys, tone it back a little,” Carson said gently but firmly. “You are supposed to talk and get to know each other to see if you’re all a good fit. Not rip each other’s clothes off and fuck like rabbits.” “Can’t we do both?” I asked as I squirmed on Blaine’s lap. “I’m almost twenty-one.” “We can’t until the ceremony if you agree to be with us,” Rowan answered, and I felt better seeing that he was disappointed. “When do you turn twenty-one?” “Two days,” Blaine and I said together. I glanced at him, and he didn’t even try to hide the lust in his eyes. “I made sure to doublecheck how long we’d have to wait.” “Yes, and today’s almost over really, so the day after tomorrow I’m of age. How long are you guys staying to interview?” “You have another one tomorrow, Edric. You committed to it before Blaine called me.” I could hear the confliction in my friend’s voice. But he was right, I did have one. “We can stay as long as you need to make an informed decision, baby.” Colin smiled at me and raised my hand to his lips. “We don’t want to rush you. You deserve to be happy with the right inner circle even if it’s not us.” Yeah right, like I didn’t already know I wanted them. But I did owe it to the others coming all this way to meet me to be fair and give them a shot. “Maybe we could go out tomorrow night for dinner and just spend some time together?” “That sounds wonderful,” Blaine answered with a smile. “I don’t think you’re up for it tonight with the size of the bump on your head. I can’t believe you got that just from the guy’s fist.”

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“I guess I’m fragile.” Jesus, I was a fucking idiot. Who admits that? “No, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant you took quite a shot and need rest.” “Okay, yeah that’s probably smart.” “We’re right down the hall from you if you need us for anything,” Rowan said as we all stood up. “No, he won’t,” Carson groaned as Ian and Taylor chuckled. “Don’t tempt the virgin please?” “Right, sorry,” he replied, but I could tell that Rowan wasn’t sorry in the slightest. I had a feeling if I showed up at his door, he really would do anything and everything I wanted. And hot damn if that didn’t get my blood pumping. Think anyone would notice if I was in his bed bouncing around on his cock all night? Probably. Damn.

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Chapter 2 The next morning I was already healed. One of the great things about being a werewolf is our injuries don’t take the same time to get better as they did for humans. I felt around the back of my head just to make sure. There was no bump. And I had a date tonight. Things were looking up! I quickly showered, put on nice clothes, and ran downstairs to eat. The sooner I got done with the morning interview, the sooner I could play with the three men I wanted. Which was a horrible and unfair attitude to take given it wasn’t the inner circle coming over’s fault that I was attracted to Blaine and his Betas. But, on the other hand, I couldn’t help the way I felt. “How did you sleep?” Rowan asked as I walked into the kitchen. Right, they were staying here. Duh. I wouldn’t have to wait until tonight to see them. I had a slew of dirty answers that flew through my head, but suddenly I felt really shy. “Fine, thanks.” I quickly fixed myself a mug of coffee and sat down in the empty chair next to Declan, far away from the other inner circle. “Why are you all the way over there?” Colin asked, not judging but with simple curiosity. “I think the bump on my head overrode my normal personality and made me so forward,” I blurted out after a few moments of everyone staring at me. I groaned mentally at how stupid that sounded and quickly stuffed one of the blueberry muffins on the table in my mouth.

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“Nothing wrong with being shy.” Blaine shrugged. It made me feel a little less like a dork, and I focused on my breakfast. “I can get you more,” Rowan said when I finished my coffee. I blushed at the attention and then shivered when he touched my shoulder as he leaned over to take my mug. Fuck I wanted them. “Thank you,” I replied as I had an insane urge to giggle like some schoolgirl with her first crush. But it really was my first crush, so I had no clue what to do. I decided to give him a quick kiss on the cheek when he set it back down, except he’d turned towards me to say something and our lips touched. We both flinched in shock, but Rowan recovered first. Suddenly I was up in his arms, and his mouth was on mine. I kissed him back, opening up when he licked my lips. He moaned in delight and slid his tongue over mine and into my mouth. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I sucked on it, and it seemed to have been the right thing because his hands moved to my ass and squeezed it. “My turn,” someone growled next to me. I broke the kiss and turned my head. I had a second to realize it was Colin before he kissed me, too. He pulled me into his arms, and I wrapped myself around him, thrusting my hips because my cock was so hard and needed a release. “I swear we’re going to need a bucket of ice for you guys,” Carson said with a groan. “They’re not breaking any rules.” His mate, Jared, chuckled. I lifted my head and gasped for air, and one gulp was all I got before I was in Blaine’s arms with his lips on mine. I moaned as he slipped his hand down the back of my jeans. “Okay, now that’s taking it too far. He can’t be breached. You know that.” “Right, sorry,” Blaine panted after he pulled away from me. “But can you blame me? He’s gorgeous and so responsive to my touch.” “I want more,” I whimpered, not caring about the rules. “You have an interview, Edric,” Carson said gently, and it was like throwing that bucket of ice on me. Fuck. I nodded as I slid down

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Blaine and onto my feet. My erection wilted, and I hung my head in shame. “None of that,” Blaine whispered as he moved his hand under my chin and lifted my face to see him. “We started it. There’s nothing wrong in making sure there’s chemistry between us.” He paused, swallowing loudly as if he was about to say something I wouldn’t like. “It would make sense if you tested the chemistry with your interview today.” “B–But that was my first kiss,” I gasped and pulled away from him as if he’d burned me. “You want me to kiss other men?” “No, but I’d understand if you felt the need to test the waters with them. I can’t expect you to not try if you feel drawn to them. It might be the only way you know who’s right for you.” “I–I have to g–go,” I muttered and turned toward Carson. I could see the indecision on my friend’s face. “If it helps, it will kill me to know you could be in there kissing the other inner circle,” Blaine said as I reached the kitchen door. I took a deep breath and thought about that. Then I replied the only way I knew how…honestly. “It does actually.” Carson gave me a weak smile and opened the door. “Does he have to kiss the other inner circle?” Rowan asked right before I got out of earshot. I touched my lips, which still tingled, and smiled at the pissed off tone of his voice. Yeah, I felt much better now. “It’s okay, Edric. Just be glad you got a choice. I lucked out my second time around, but I went through hell with my first inner circle.” I knew Carson’s history, and it made me feel bad that I was acting childish after what he’d been through. “Sorry.” “Nope, no reason to apologize. None of this is easy, but I just want you to appreciate that while making a choice this big can be hard, you have the choice. And that’s all that matters.”

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“Right,” I said with a firm nod. I took a deep breath and then entered the front sitting room. Carson was right there with me and our guests, my interviewees, were waiting for us. “Thank you for seeing us,” Alpha Jacob said as we all shook hands. I’d read their file and recognized him from the pictures I’d been given. “I appreciate you coming all this way,” I replied as I greeted his Betas. See, I could be polite. The Betas were just as polite, but I could instantly tell they didn’t want to be here. And then one of them dropped the bomb. “My mate wasn’t too happy about it but understands the pack’s need for an Omega. We’ll figure it out.” The Alpha didn’t seem to have any clue how badly he’d just stuck his foot in his mouth. “Figure what out?” I asked as Carson shook his head. My friend could read their minds, and I knew that it wasn’t good. “None of us are gay,” Jacob answered with a shrug. “Maybe our mates could get us wound up and hard so we can be with you.” “You know I can’t have a mate as an Omega,” I said slowly, wondering if he was as dumb as he sounded. “I know, none of them do.” Yeah, he was. “My inner circle are my mates, and I do know other Omegas who are in the same position.” Carson stood, and I did the same. “I’m sorry you came all this way, gentlemen, but you should have disclosed you had mates.” “We thought it might take us out of the running,” the Alpha admitted sheepishly. “But then when we got here, we realized we couldn’t just lie about it.” “It would have, but I’m glad you chose not to lie. We would have found out about it later. There are other inner circles that want Edric for more than a side course and could get it up just for him.” “I’m sorry if that’s how it came out,” Jacob said as they all stood. He eyed me over and gave me a sad smile. “You’re an attractive man, but I’m just not into guys.”

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“I understand,” I replied with more lightheartedness than I felt. “I simply think I deserve more than you’re offering and a chance to be someone’s whole world instead of a duty.” “But that’s punishing me for being a straight Alpha.” “Maybe, but why should I be the one who has to deal with that either?” I countered, getting pissy that I should be their counter prize or some shit. “Fair enough. Thank you for fitting us into your schedule.” We said good-bye, and I could see the Betas looking relieved. Yeah, they were nice, but they didn’t want me. While that was still much better than my uncle or the asshole yesterday, I wanted more from my life. “I’m sorry, Edric,” Carson said gently as we got back to the kitchen. “I should have screened them better.” “Not your fault they left shit out.” And it wasn’t. He was helping me the best that he could along with a few other Omegas plus his own family and his pack needed him. I was just glad to have the chance to even interview potential inner circles. “That was short,” Blaine said with a raised eyebrow, still sitting at the table with the others. But I ignored it and moved to stand in front of him, holding up my hand as they moved toward me. They all sat back down and realized there was something serious going on. What just happened made me realize I needed to know more about them and that there was more than lust needed here. “Do any of you have mates?” “No,” Rowan answered immediately, his eyes going wide. “Plans to have mates if I say yes to you?” “No,” Colin replied, glancing at his friends. They all nodded their agreement. “We only want you.” “What about each other like Carson’s inner circle?” I needed to know that as well. I’d prefer us all be together instead of me just bed hopping. “We’re lovers, but we’ve never really talked about mating,” Blaine said, but I could see it in his eyes that he liked the idea. “We’re

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not against being together if we had the right glue to bind us like Carson for his group.” “Is that true?” I asked the other two, and they both nodded. “Will you tell us what happened in there that brought this all on?” Colin’s words were gentle, but I backed away and rubbed my arms, feeling cold inside from the interview. I didn’t want that type of loveless life. I wanted lots and lots of love and desire. “They were straight and all mated,” Carson answered for me. “I could hear their thoughts, and the Betas were praying they didn’t ever have to touch Edric.” “That bad, huh?” I snickered and felt my heart drop even further. I wanted the men in front of me, I did, but this was a huge choice. And what if they decided they wanted other mates later and left me in the dark, so to speak? “Yeah, sorry.” My friend winced as he realized what he’d said. “We would put in your contract that we’d take no other mates but each other if that would make you feel more secure,” Blaine offered, and the other two readily agreed. “What happens if someone breaks the contract? Do they just get a slap on the wrist?” I had no clue, so I genuinely wanted to know when I asked Carson. “You’d get the option to renegotiate your contract with them if that’s what you wanted, or you’d be sent to the High Council until another inner circle could be found for you.” He didn’t look happy about it either. “But would the High Council choose for me?” I heard the panic in my tone, but I didn’t really care because the idea did scare the shit out of me. “The way the current laws are set up, yes.” I could hear the sympathy in his tone. “Then what do I do?” I asked as I started to hyperventilate. “They could decide later that they’d gotten enough power from me and

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wanted mates of their own. Then I could end up with some asshole Alpha like yesterday. They can’t promise to mate me.” “Yes we can,” Rowan said firmly as I shook my head. “No, you mate when you love someone, and you barely know me. We could all end up miserable if you agree to that. I won’t do that to any of us, but I don’t want to end up being shipped off for the High Council to choose another inner circle for me either.” “What if we make a clause in the contract?” Taylor asked as he glanced from each of them. “You have four months to decide if you want to mate with each other otherwise Edric comes back here and chooses on his own again. You’re not paying for the contract like if his parents were alive, so none of you are out anything.” “Except another inner circle might not want an Omega that isn’t a virgin,” I whispered. I felt as if I was standing on the edge of a cliff and given the options of jumping or being pushed. Either way I was going over. Because this was the same issue I would deal with no matter which inner circle I chose. So it really wasn’t Blaine, Colin, and Rowan but the realization that I could be totally screwed no matter who I chose. “Edric, breathe, baby,” Blaine said firmly as he knelt in front of me. He took my face in his hands and lifted it so I had to look at him. “Focus on me, okay? Just breathe and we can fix this.” “How?” I whined in a particularly high-pitched tone. I’d never heard myself make that sound before. “How is this okay?” “Do you want us?” “That’s not the point—” “It is the point, Edric,” he whispered as he brushed his lips over mine. “Do you want us?” “Yes, so much,” I hissed and licked his mouth. “Then that’s all that matters. There are no guarantees in life about anything, okay? We’ll do Taylor’s suggestion of the contract, and that way you have an escape plan if you need it. Nothing is certain in this life, Edric. I’ve seen mates break up, too. This is big, and no one’s

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undermining that, but you can’t control everything, or you’ll lose your mind and never enjoy life.” I searched his deep brown eyes that looked almost black for several moments as I controlled my heart rate again. I saw the truth in what he was saying shining back at me…and my future. “Yes, I’ll sign.” “You’ll be ours?” His smile was a killer million-watt one that made my own appear. “Yes.” “Really?” “Really.” I giggled as he almost crushed me with a hug. Suddenly Colin and Rowan were there kissing my face as Blaine kissed my neck. “Thank you, little one,” Rowan whispered as I moaned and rubbed myself against them. “I’m on fire,” I whimpered as I grabbed one of their hands and moved it to my groin. “I’m tired of waiting.” “One more day, Edric,” Colin said gently as they all pulled back slightly. “Thirty-six hours and we will never deny you again.” “Fine, but then you’re distracting me all day with something fun.” I was totally pouting, and I didn’t care, but the good part was they were eating it up. I guess it worked for us. “What would you like to do your last day in Chicago?” Blaine’s smile promised anything I wanted I could have. “Can we go to the Shedd Aquarium and the Planetarium?” I asked as excited as a kid in a candy store. “That sounds like lots of fun,” Rowan replied as he lifted me into his arms when he stood. “I like fish.” “You like to eat fish,” Colin corrected with a chuckle. “I like looking at them, too.” Rowan snickered. “There are so many different colors of them, and I think they’re pretty.” “Fish first then,” I said and then let out a very unmanly squeal as he spun us around. This is what I wanted, what I’d hoped for. This

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fun-loving attitude and ease with each other. I wanted to make them happy and obviously they felt the same way for me. Was there anything better than that? Oh yeah, I planned on getting hot sex starting tomorrow.

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Chapter 3 Half an hour later, we were pulling up to the Shedd Aquarium with big smiles on our faces. It seemed my older, midthirties, more mature men could act like little boys at times. I was also learning a lot about them. Blaine was the leader, which made sense since he was the Alpha. But it was more than that. He didn’t just want to boss people around. He was always making sure everyone was okay or didn’t need anything. He was the caretaker of the group. I thought it was sweet and completely endearing that such a big bad Alpha was part softy. Colin was incredibly affectionate and a cuddler. I liked that. He was always touching me in some way, holding my hand, wrapping his arm around my shoulder, or rubbing my back. It made me feel loved and treasured, but even more, I saw he needed it. We left Carson to handle drawing up the contracts, but I had a feeling Colin wouldn’t relax about the whole thing until I was with them in Cheyenne and officially theirs. Rowan was the protector. He watched out constantly for any danger at every turn. He was quick, too, I mean amazingly fast. I tripped going into the Aquarium and he caught me in time, but I swear he hadn’t even been by me. He made me feel safe and that nothing could hurt me while he was around. But it wasn’t like he was hard. Oh no, he had a soft side, too. It was obvious the way he watched the fish move with a look of awe. “Come on,” I said with an evil grin after we looked at the first few tanks. I was already holding Colin’s hand, but I grabbed Blaine’s as well.

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“Oh no.” Rowan chuckled when he saw where I wanted to go. “Oh yes.” I giggled and then froze when both men holding my hands stopped. I stuck out my bottom lip as I gazed between the three of them. “But it will commemorate my first date ever. Our first time hanging out and getting to know each other. Don’t you want a picture of that to always remember?” “You’re good,” Blaine sighed and then rolled his eyes. “Fine, we can get our picture taken with the big fish.” “Thank you,” I exclaimed. I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek as I dragged them along again. There was a man wearing a dolphin costume, some Shedd Aquarium character for the kids to take their picture with. Imagine his surprise when four grown men asked to be next. I thought the guy’s mouth was going to hit the ground. But it was totally worth the embarrassment. The picture turned out great and Blaine ended up ordering a copy for each of us. “That was a great idea, baby,” he whispered as we waited for the other photos to print out. “Thank you for thinking of it.” “It’s why you keep me around.” I winked at him. We ended up spending a few hours there, and then eating a delicious lunch at one of the little deli shops in the area. Next was the Adler Planetarium. “Please say you want to see the star show,” Rowan whispered to me as Colin and Blaine were paying for our tickets. “They’ll tease me if I admit I’m dying to see it. I’ve read about it, and it sounds so intriguing.” “Your secret is safe with me,” I said back just as quietly. I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and went over to Blaine. “You got tickets for the star show, right? I’ve always wanted to see it.” “You have, have you?” He snickered, and I knew I was busted. “Well, good thing I got them, knowing you always wanted to see it.” Blaine looked directly at Rowan when he said it, and I could see the love between Alpha and Beta.

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“Whatever you guys want to do,” Rowan replied with a shrug. Men! Sometimes it was amazing the things they were unable to admit or thought it was wrong to want. People came from all around the country to visit the Adler Planetarium. It didn’t make Rowan any less of a man’s man that he wanted to go. We made the show just in time and took our seats. I had Colin and Rowan on either side of me as Blaine sat on the other side of Rowan. I bit back a groan when they snuck a quick kiss as the lights went down. Yeah, I wanted to see lots more of that. “I love watching them make out and have sex, too,” Colin whispered in my ear. “They put on quite a show of dominance.” “Like wrestling around for who’s on top?” “Exactly.” He chuckled as he slid his hand into mine. Oh, I so wanted to see that and then get to join in. I was feeling better and better about my decision as the day went on. A few hours later, we were back at Carson’s house in the kitchen, and I was sitting in front of the prepared contracts. I stared at them on the table, ignoring everyone else because my whole life was sitting there planned out for me in black and white. “Excuse me,” I mumbled as I bolted from the chair. I made it to the bathroom off the kitchen just in time to toss my cookies. “It’s okay, little one,” Rowan said gently as he rubbed my back. He had a cold wash cloth ready when I sat back on my feet. “Everything’s going to be okay.” “You don’t know that,” I sniffled as I slumped back against the wall, holding the cool cloth against my forehead. I pulled up my knees to my chest and plastered my face in them. “I understand this is big, but is there one part of it that scares you the most?” I thought about that as I calmed back down, and staring into his shining green eyes helped me do that. “Do you know today I’ve made the most decisions I ever have in my life. Even before the contracts. I got to say no to the other inner circle that interviewed, then pick

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where we went, and even decide what I had for lunch. I never had choices like that before. I’m new to all of this, and what if I don’t know enough to make the right choice? What if I screw up my life and I can’t fix it?” “Your parents were that controlling?” I could see the shock written all over his face. “They didn’t want me to blow the investment they had in me. They said I was too stupid to decide anything for myself. They always said they would handle my life until they turned me over to the Alpha of their choosing, and then he would. That was one of the reasons my uncle said I had to stay with him and his Betas.” “What do you mean?” “That I’d been too sheltered and was too dumb to know how to run my own life and choose for myself. What if he’s right?” “Sheltered you may have been, but you are not stupid, Edric. You’re sharp and kind and caring and so sweet I feel like I could get a sugar high from you sometimes.” “Really?” I wanted it to be true. I wished I could read minds like Carson right then and know he was being straight with me. The wonderful man in front of me seemed to have faith in me, and I’d never had that before. “Really, little one,” he said with a soft smile as he cupped my cheek. “I’m not trying to pressure you into signing because it’s what I want, but I need to ask you one thing.” I nodded for him to go ahead. “What is your heart telling you?” “That today was the best day of my life,” I answered without hesitation. “Then I think you know the right decision for you. Don’t you?” “I know, but it’s just such a huge decision.” “That’s true, but I don’t think any of your friends here would let you make that decision yourself if they weren’t confident you could handle it.”

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“That’s a good point,” I agreed readily. Carson had been there guiding me and helping me since I came to live here, but he never told me I was wrong or pushed too hard. He had faith in me, too. Rowan helped me stand, and I rinsed my mouth out and splashed some cold water on my face. I took a deep breath as I stared at myself in the mirror. “I can do this.” Rowan had given me a little space for my pep talk but took my hand as soon as I stepped back out of the bathroom. We joined everyone in the kitchen, and I saw looks of concern. No judgment or disapproving looks. It made me feel that much stronger about my choice to know they understood. “You don’t have to—” Blaine started to say, but I cut him off. “No, I’m ready, and I want this.” “Okay, baby,” he said with a warm grin as he handed me the pen. I signed my name at all the right places and then found myself holding my breath as they each took their turn. “It feels right,” I whispered as I looked at each of them when they were done. “Then you made the right choice,” Rowan replied. He lifted me out of the chair, and I wrapped myself around his massive body. “I can’t tell you how happy I am right now.” “Me, too.” And I was. Call me crazy, but I was thrilled that I’d just signed myself over to the three of them. We all hugged and exchanged soft, innocent kisses before heading out for dinner. Colin had chosen a fancy place called Shaw’s, which was known for great seafood. I found that ironic since we spent the morning looking at lots of live seafood, but it was tasty. After the meal was done and all our stomachs were full, I was ready for something else. Sex. They’d spent most of the meal eyeing me over as if I was dessert, and my body was on fire. I didn’t even wait for us to get into Carson’s SUV before I jumped one of them. Colin was the closest, and he grunted under my whole hundred and thirty pounds.

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“We have to behave—” But my mouth on his shut him up. I moaned and opened up for him. He was instantly into it, giving me everything he had as he pushed me up against the vehicle. “My turn,” Blaine growled, and the sound thrilled me down to my toes. Colin set me down on my feet, and my new Alpha inserted his six-four, two-eighty frame between my legs. But Colin didn’t stop touching me. I angled my neck to give him better access as he licked and nibbled on it. Blaine moved me a step forward and Rowan inserted himself behind me, giving wonderful attention to the nape of my neck. I was having trouble telling which hands belonged to who as six of them touched me everywhere. Rowan moved to nibbling on my ear as he asked the question I was ready to answer. “Do you belong to us, Edric?” “Yes,” I cried out as he groped my butt. “I’m all of yours. Please, fuck me. Claim me.” And then they all froze. “We can’t,” Colin said gently, but it was sooo not what I wanted to hear. “You know we can’t.” “I don’t want my first time to be during some cold ceremony where a bunch of strangers watch,” I begged, not caring that I was being unfair to them. “It’s not that we don’t want to, Edric,” Blaine whispered as they all backed away from me. “But we can’t breach you. You have to be untouched and a virgin.” He paused and glanced at his Betas. “We can do other things though. The rules just say that you have to be a virgin.” “I don’t want a consolation hand job,” I growled and pushed away from them. I took a few steps away before spinning around to face them. “You really want my first time to be on my hands and knees in front of strangers?” “It’s not about what we want, Edric,” Colin answered. “Bullshit.” I yelled and threw my hands up in the air. “Who would know if we didn’t wait until tomorrow night?”

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“We would know. We won’t dishonor you and have you lie in front of everyone.” “Dishonor me,” I repeated, trying to see things from their perspective. “You call showing me love and tenderness when I lose my virginity dishonoring me? See, and I think it’s dishonoring me, and what we could have, to use me like an object in front of strangers.” “Edric,” Blaine sighed as I started to walk away from them. “Don’t do this.” “Nothing changes except how I get home tonight,” I called over my shoulder. There was a main street close to the restaurant, and I was able to immediately hail a cab. I don’t think any of them thought I would do that because they didn’t say or do anything until the vehicle pulled up to the curb. Then suddenly they were racing after me and shouting my name. I got in the cab anyway and gave the driver Carson’s address. “You okay, kid?” he asked with a gentle tone in a very fatherlike manner. “Yeah, I just needed to think, and I couldn’t do that around them.” “They seemed upset you left. Will you be safe with them back at home?” “Oh yeah.” I chuckled and then got sad. “I’m worth too much to ever risk hurting.” And damn if it wasn’t the truth. I was worth a lot as an Omega, and while that might not have stopped some Alphas, with the way the High Council was cracking down, an inner circle would have to be stupid to abuse me. Especially since they knew Tristan well. The driver nodded and took me home. I paid him and ran to the front door when I saw Carson’s SUV whip into the drive. I had my own money, something rare for an Omega, but since my parents died, I inherited their estate. Thankfully my parents had at least set up their will so everything went to me and our Alpha, my uncle, couldn’t even contest it.

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“What’s going on?” Carson asked as I raced up the stairs past him. “I just need to think. I took a cab home, and I’m sure they’re not happy about it.” “Do not let them up to his room,” Carson ordered his men who were still up on the second floor and then ushered me to the room I’d been staying in. “Talk to me, Edric. If they did something wrong, there’s still time to get out of this.” “No, nothing bad,” I whispered as I collapsed on the bed. I curled into a ball on my side and let the tears fall. “I think I was a jerk for pushing them. I just don’t want my first time having sex to be at the ceremony in front of all those strangers. It’s so cold.” “It is, and it sucks you’ll go through it, but it’s one night, Edric. I’m sure they’ll make it good for you, and then later that night, you can have the loving sex you always thought of. We can’t change the rules overnight, but hopefully, one day this won’t be how the Omegas have to join their new packs.” “It’s just not fair,” I whimpered, not caring anymore that I was being a baby. It wasn’t, damnit! No one dreamed of having their first time in a cold ceremony in front of a bunch of strangers with three men. “Neither is asking them to take your virginity before the ceremony.” He paused as if trying to figure out how to phrase what he wanted to say. “Do you know the penalty if someone found out that they had?” “There’s a penalty?” I asked, shocked that no one told me that detail. “Yeah, umm, death.” “One more time?” I gasped as I sat up and looked at him. “The penalty of deflowering an Omega, even if the contract is signed, in an unofficial ceremony, is death, Edric. Would you risk that for sex with them? No matter how much the ceremony would suck.” “No, no I wouldn’t,” I whispered, feeling like a complete asshole. “Can you tell them I didn’t know that, and I just want to think

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tonight? I know I’m being a coward, but my brain hurts from all of this, and I just need to calm down and let it settle.” “Okay, Edric,” he said gently and kissed my forehead. “I’m glad you understand why they said no at least.” “Yeah, I just wished they had told me that there was even a penalty before I threw myself at them begging.” “Ouch.” He winced for my rejection. “Yeah, that would have been smart.” And with that he left. I slowly pulled off my clothes as a massive migraine formed at my temples. All this drama could have been avoided if someone had just told me. But then again, how could they have known I would desperately beg them to break the rules? I didn’t know, and my head was pounding as I crawled into bed. Mostly I just felt like a fool. I was just finally starting to doze off when the bed moved. “What?” I gasped as I felt a tall, built, warm body mold against me. Naked. “I don’t want you to lose your virginity like that either,” Colin whispered in my ear as he ran his hands down my lithe body. “It kills me that our first time together will be like that. I can’t let that happen to you, baby. It’s bad enough you have to go through it at all.” “No, Carson told me the penalty,” I moaned and tried to push away. I ended up pushing my ass back against the hard cock rubbing on me, but I had had the intention of moving. “No one will ever find out. I promise.” He reached down and one hand moved along my dick as his other one rubbed my hole. “You want me, right?” “Yes, so much,” I groaned. “But we’ll know, and is that something you want to keep from Blaine and Rowan?” He froze, and I knew the answer because it was the same one I had. No. It would be wrong to keep this from them and neither of us wanted that. “Shit.”

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“Yeah,” I whispered as I turned around in his arms so we were facing each other. “I can’t believe you were willing to risk death to give me what I wanted.” “I wanted it, too, baby. I don’t want you to go through this tomorrow, especially without knowing real passion.” “I’ve felt real passion every time any of you kisses me,” I said with a smile against his lips. “Good to know.” He chuckled as he ran his hand up my thigh and brought my leg over his. “Let me give you a taste of how real lovemaking can be. You can hold on to that tomorrow during the ceremony and know there’s more to come.” “Yes,” I hissed as his hand started working my cock again. “I want to experience everything with you, Colin. There’s so much I want to do.” “We will, baby. I promise we will.” I bit my lip to keep from screaming as his thumb grazed that sensitive part under the head of my dick. Then he leaned forward and took my mouth as he rolled us so he was on top. “Tell me if I get too rough.” “Mm-hm,” I mumbled as his cock slid against mine. I wrapped my legs around him, thinking that if just rubbing off on each other felt this good, I couldn’t wait to see what it felt like to have him inside of me. And damn did he know how to draw out the pleasure. He’d go hard and fast until I was right on the cusp and then slow it back down. Colin kept us on edge like that for at least twenty minutes while I begged, whimpered, and clawed at his back. “Please, Colin,” I gasped as he backed off once again. “Please, I need to come. Please!” “Okay, baby,” he panted, and I was glad at least I wasn’t the only one affected. He thrust faster, our combined pre-cum slicking us up so there wasn’t any dry chafing going on. I gasped as I felt the tingling start up my spine again, whimpering as I pleaded with my body to

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hurry up. Colin kept moving as he took my face in his hands. “You belong to us, Edric. No one else, right?” “No one,” I said, and then my orgasm slammed into me. I started to cry out, but Colin swallowed it down with his mouth on mine. I felt wet heat all over our abs as I came, and then Colin grunted as he followed me right over. I moaned as I felt his seed mark my body, totally turned on that I’d made him peak. He rolled us over so I was sprawled on top of him as we gasped for air. I nuzzled his neck as he pulled the covers up over us. Then he hugged me as if he was never going to let me go, which I hoped he didn’t. “Can we do that again?” I asked a few minutes later when our hearts had settled again. “We can do so much more than that anytime you want after the ceremony,” he answered with a chuckle. “You’re going to have three strong, virile men to satisfy.” I thought about that for a minute and couldn’t help the smile on my face. “I’m going to spend most of my time on my back with my legs up in the air. Aren’t I?” “Probably, but I’m also partial to the idea of bending you over every surface of our house and taking your firm ass hard and fast.” “Oh fuck,” I groaned at the visual he was giving me. “That sounds good, too.” “Yes it does, baby. Yes it does,” he sighed, and we fell asleep that way without even getting cleaned up. I didn’t care about the sticky mess because it was Colin’s, and it was on me. And we’d made it together.

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Chapter 4 The next morning I woke alone, but I knew I would. It was tradition that I not see the inner circle the day of the ceremony until the actual festivities. Like the bride not seeing the groom, or grooms in my case. But that would make me the bride…so fuck that analogy. My flight wasn’t for a few hours even though my men were already gone. They had details to prepare for tonight’s full moon and the ceremony. It was kind of lucky that my birthday fell on a full moon this year, so I didn’t have to wait any longer than necessary now that I found who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. “How are you feeling?” Declan asked as I entered the kitchen. He was so great to me, almost a surrogate older brother. I loved him as one, too. “Scared,” I answered as I made my coffee. “Excited. Ready for this to be over and the fun to begin. I’m starting to get nervous about if the pack will like me. At first I was just worried about the inner circle but now…” “It’s like you’re focused on the next three steps,” he finished for me. “Yeah,” I sighed and plopped down in one of the chairs. “What if I don’t like Wyoming? I mean, what’s even there?” “Not much.” He chuckled. “But you’re only about an hour and a half away from Denver, which has everything. Tristan’s there, and his pack, who you’ve met. You can always go visit if you need a breather or a friend. We’ll come out to see you in a few months and make sure you’re settling in.”

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“Thank you.” I know they were all busy with their own packs, but if I needed them, they’d be on the first plane out. “You’re welcome.” He paused, and I knew there was something he needed to say, so I gave him the time to spit it out. “I need you to be honest with me. Why did I see Colin leaving your room this morning?” “He came to have sex with me because he didn’t want me to lose my virginity at the ceremony any more than I did.” His eyes went wide, and I quickly blurted out, “But we didn’t. I couldn’t let him take that risk so we um, rubbed off on each other. Then he held me, and we feel asleep. That’s all, I swear.” “Okay good,” he replied with a satisfied nod. “He treated you right? You liked it?” “Oh yeah.” I giggled. “He knows what he’s doing, too.” “Always a plus.” “Isn’t it though?” We shared a laugh, and then I took a few muffins on a plate for breakfast. “I think he’s a good man to risk so much to give you what you wanted.” “I thought the same thing,” I said quietly. “But I couldn’t let him.” “Nor should you have.” That one sentence spoke volumes, and I beamed with pride. Slowly, but surely, I was starting to feel better in my ability to make the right decisions for myself. After breakfast I packed my stuff, and Carson came to help. There wasn’t much since I’d mostly kept everything I’d brought in the boxes. It hurt to even think of opening that all up in the hotel, as if it meant my life really was for shit. Until the boxes were opened in my head, there was a chance I could wake up and this was all a dream. It was a teary-eyed good-bye and lots of promises to call and email. Jared slipped me a prepaid cell phone to hide in case I ended up needing it if something went wrong. I hugged Taylor and Ian who were both trying to pretend they didn’t care.

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“Behave, squirt,” Ian said and kissed my light blond hair. I chuckled. I knew their secrets. They were big softies who would have painted their toes or permed their hair if Carson wanted it. But that didn’t make them any less badass or manly Betas. It just made them special. The flight wasn’t as big of a deal as I had thought. I changed planes once and finally landed in Cheyenne right before dinnertime. The rest of my stuff had been sent ahead the day before by one of Jared’s pack, including my car, so I only had my carry-on bag. I stood at the pick-up area for arrivals at the smallest airport I’d ever been to. “Edric Sawyer?” a grumpy-looking older lady asked me. I nodded and saw she had others with her, the men I smelled of wolf and screamed that they were pack enforcers. “That’s such a stupid name. Edric. It’s not Edward, and it’s not Richard or Rick.” “Thanks, but I didn’t pick it,” I quipped right back complete with eye roll. The guy who took my bag snickered and shook his head, which gave me hope that not everyone here today were jerks. She didn’t even seem to catch my comment as we got in the SUV, and she started ordering me around. “We will shower you and then prepare you—” “I’ll be doing that myself, thanks.” “It says in the rules—” “Actually it doesn’t,” I sighed and rubbed my temples. “It’s tradition in some packs to do so, but since your pack hasn’t had an Omega in over three centuries, you probably borrowed the Denver pack’s traditions. No one will know or care besides me that we didn’t do it that way.” “No, I read my job from—” “Lady! You’re not sticking your fingers in my ass or giving me a shower!” I shouted, done with this. “Now simmer down and adapt to the change.” “You rude boy!”

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“Me?” I growled and turned to get right in her face. On top of everything, we were sitting side by side. “You insult my name and don’t even bother to give me yours. You quote the rules to me like some high and mighty Councilwoman when I’m the Omega and have been schooled in this for almost a decade. You may be part of the pack, but you’re not a wolf. For one second, stop and think about what I’m about to go through. Would you lighten up?” She narrowed her eyes at me, trying to intimidate me. But it wasn’t going to work, I wasn’t backing down. Finally she smiled. “Good. You’re worthy of my boys. When I heard they wanted an Omega, I said I would kick their asses if they brought home some whining, sniveling, and submissive boy toy. You’ve got a backbone and will stand up for yourself.” I know most people would have laughed off the little test. They would have shared a chuckle with the crazy bitch and become that much closer like in happily-ever-after douche-bag stories that never seem real. I had two words for those people… Fuck. That. “Who the fuck died and made you Judge Judy, lady?” I asked, completely pissed off and not even caring that I might want to play nice with this lunatic. “I don’t give a rat’s fucking ass what you think or what you want. You don’t like me or the way I act? Fucking leave because I’m not. Hell, we signed a contract that I can’t take off. But either way? Stay the fuck away from me because you’re playing without a full deck.” “Edric,” she gasped as if I offended her. I held up a hand and turned away to look out the window. “Crazy bitch,” I muttered under my breath. “Like this isn’t all traumatic enough? Now I got a crazy old broad who is inconsequential to the whole thing giving me tests and freaking me out. Fuck this shit.” As far as I was concerned, this was strike one. And I didn’t know if there were going to be three strikes like in baseball. We pulled up to a large house that I wasn’t even paying attention to, and I got out of

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the car faster than a jackrabbit. I grabbed my carry-on bag out of the back and met the gaze of one of the guys that came with us. “Can you please show me to my room so I can get ready?” “Of course,” he answered and opened the front door for me. “Go easy on Dolly, she doesn’t always think before she speaks, and she’s getting up there in age. She just has their best interests at heart.” “Do you have any idea what I’m about to go through?” I stopped and looked away from him when I started to tear up, staring at a pretty painting of some ranch that was in the foyer. “You guys were supposed to be my welcoming party. Welcoming being the key word there. “I’m in a strange state, strange city, new pack, and everyone’s going to meet me for the first time on my hands and knees. Most wolves don’t respect Omegas, and I think I have enough fucking shit on my plate without having to jump through other hoops.” I turned to face him then and saw the pity on his face. “Would you want to do what I have to tonight?” “Not in a million years,” he answered with a soft smile. “Me either,” I sighed. “Now can we just move past this before I have a nervous breakdown? I wanted to run the other way even as I got off the plane. None of this has helped.” “I’m sorry—” Dolly said from the doorway, and I shook my head. The guy got the idea and led me up the stairs and to the room across from Blaine’s. We had agreed until we knew for sure we were all going to be mates, separate rooms would be best. Everything was pretty much a blur from the moment I stepped into that room. Hell, I couldn’t even say what color the bedding was. I raced to shower, primped, and made sure I looked as good as I could naked. I went back and forth between trimming my pubic hair to shaving it off and finally went with trimming. Holy shit I could never be a porn star! I was freaking out with people seeing me naked, and I was a shifter! We were totally

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comfortable with it…except when people would be watching me take a cock up the ass it seemed. Then came the part where I had to stretch myself out. I’d played with my ass before, as any curious gay guy did at a certain age, but this time wasn’t fun like before because I knew what I was doing it for. I put the plug in, put on my ceremonial robe, threw up from nerves, brushed my teeth again, and went downstairs. The drive to the pack lands was way too short, and I seriously considered asking that they drive around for a while so I could get my shit together. But the sun had gone down a while ago, and the moon was up. Whether I was ready or not, it was time. I got out of the SUV on shaky legs and immediately looked to my men for comfort. And got none. I instantly realized something was wrong. They all looked pissed and wouldn’t meet my gaze. Un-fucking-real. What was the issue now? “Alpha Blaine, your Omega has been prepared,” Dolly announced loudly as we stopped in front of him. He still wouldn’t look at me, and I could see the tension in his stance. Fuck! “I thank the ladies of the pack for their care and guidance of our Omega,” Blaine said, the words scripted for the official ceremony. I knew the ritual inside and out along with every single tradition and role we would play. But I still felt like I had stage fright and might freeze when the time came. He bowed to each of the women who’d come with us and whose names I didn’t know past Dolly, as they moved away from me and knelt by the other members of the pack who surrounded the circle. If I had to guess, I would say there were about forty people present. At least this was smaller than the Chicago pack, right? “Disrobe my Omega,” the Alpha said to the men who still stood on either side of me. I undid the belt of my robe, and they gently took it off of me, careful not to touch my skin. It was a grave offense for anyone other than the inner circle to touch an Omega.

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I stood there naked as Blaine’s eyes ran over my body, careful never to meet my gaze. I had already wanted to run, but with the way they were acting, I was twenty seconds from calling the whole thing off! “He meets my physical approval,” Blaine announced as he walked around me. He moved back in front of me and started to take off his shorts. Next would come the part of the ceremony where I proved that I would be able to be subservient to him and put his needs above my own. What I needed to do was racing through my brain so as long as I could get my body to work, I wouldn’t screw this up. “I’m ready for my preparation,” Blaine declared when he was naked. I knelt down in front of him and opened my mouth. He held his semi-hard cock up to my mouth, and part of the ceremony was for me to lean forward and accept him. Which I did immediately. His dick immediately grew to a full nine or more inches, which was more than someone with my lack of experience could take. I wanted to get into it and try my best to please him, but the tension pouring off of him and the people watching had me frozen like a deer in headlights. He sighed and started pushing into my mouth forcefully but not enough to choke me. I stared up at him with questions in my eyes, begging him mentally to look at me and let me know what was going on. But he didn’t. He acted like I was some bar hookup or stranger he didn’t care about, and it made me want to cry. “He meets my obsequious approval,” Blaine said loudly as he pulled out of my mouth. Then Colin and Rowan stepped forward and while Rowan looked as pissed as Blaine, Colin looked like he might break down into tears. What was going on? Why were we doing this if something was so wrong that everyone was this upset? As soon as Blaine knelt behind me, I leaned over so that I was on all fours. Colin knelt down in front of me as Blaine pulled out the plug in my ass. Still Colin wouldn’t look at me.

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“Colin?” I whispered, but instead of answering, he put his dick in my mouth. I obviously couldn’t talk then, and I was distracted by Blaine’s cock being pushed into my ass. Holy hell! Yeah, I knew there would be pain and some burning my first time, but shit this hurt! “You may receive, Colin.” “As my Alpha wishes,” he replied as he started moving in and out of my mouth as Blaine took my ass. I whimpered as Blaine picked up the pace. It wasn’t like I could announce that it hurt, and I hadn’t adjusted to his size yet. But it was more than that. I think he was pissed at me and taking it out on my ass! He was being too forceful for my first time, or at least I thought he was. But what did I know? “I’m so glad you’re a virgin,” Blaine said under his breath. But the way he said it sounded more like I’d use the word “whore.” And my ass hurt already. This was worse than I’d imagined. I wasn’t even fully erect because of the sting. Blaine leaned over and licked my neck as his sweaty, muscular chest rubbed over my back. Colin quickly pulled out of my mouth, and I felt I could breathe better “He meets my primal approval,” he announced and then sank his elongated canines into the nape of my neck. It meant that he was feeling the need to mark me as his. Blaine would mark me there while each Beta would bite one of my shoulders. I cried out at the pain of the bite, but seconds later, it radiated out into intense pleasure. Blaine lifted his head and howled out his release as he shot his seed deep into my ass. He pumped into me a few more times before most of his weight collapsed on my back. We both panted as he moved his hands to either side of me as he bent over me to hold himself up. “He meets my sexual approval,” Blaine announced loudly after a few more moments of catching his breath. I whimpered as he moved, and his cock slipped out of my ass. Blaine knelt to the right of me as Colin took his spot. Then Rowan took Colin’s place as I never moved.

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Fuck, Rowan was even bigger than Colin and Blaine’s nine inches. He had to be ten or more. I groaned inside, dreading how that thing would split my already sore ass in two. “You may receive, Rowan,” Blaine said to the man in front of me. I glanced up, and Rowan actually met my gaze. He was looking down at me with disgust. They were pissed at me. What did I do? He held his cock out to me, and I had a second to decide not to call it off when we were almost done. I took it into my mouth, neither of us moving just yet. “As my Alpha wishes,” Rowan replied. “You may partake, Colin,” the Alpha declared, and then I felt Colin’s cock slam into my hole. What the fuck? “As my Alpha wishes,” Colin said with a groan. Then he mumbled something under his breath that I swore sounded like, “I was stupid enough to trust you.” How had I broken their trust? They found a fast rhythm together, and I thought Rowan might choke me with that monster cock, especially since he wasn’t looking at me anymore to see how I was handling it. After a few minutes, Rowan pulled out of my mouth before Colin came. He didn’t move from his position, and I could see that his balls had drawn up against his body, signaling that he was close to his climax. His eyes came back to mine, and I couldn’t keep the tears at bay. What had I done wrong? I wanted to go back to Chicago. Why had they changed on me like this? Where were those sweet guys from yesterday and the man who had been in my bed last night? Colin licked the side of my neck, and I shivered in response. He scraped his canines along my neck to give me warning before sinking them into the left side of me. Just like last time, I cried out from the pain that then turned into pleasure, but not enough for me to get fully hard or find my own release. Cameron came with a loud grunt as he filled my hole with his cum. I started to get incredibly tired as he pulled out and moved to my left as Rowan went to take his place. Then I just wanted it over with

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so I could go back to my room and lick my wounds…or soak my ass, whatever. “You may partake, Rowan,” Blaine said once Rowan was in place. “As my Alpha wishes,” he replied as he grabbed my hips roughly and thrust into me. He started a punishing pace, and I couldn’t help my reaction. I dropped my head in shame and silently cried. This was some type of punishment for whatever I’d done. They were making my horrid first time in front of the pack even worse by being cold and inconsiderate. “I was willing to sacrifice everything to make you happy,” he growled in my ear so only I could hear. “What did I do? Why are you all mad at me?” I asked as quietly as I could. “You know what you kept from us.” “I didn’t keep anything from you,” I hissed, but he didn’t reply. I racked my brain trying to think of anything he could be talking about and came up empty. I had no idea. Suddenly he struck hard, not even giving me the warning lick before sinking his teeth into the right side of my neck. I screamed in pain and wondered why they were doing this if I’d done something so horrible? Why keep me then instead of shipping me right back to Chicago. Did they think they were going to spend the next four months punishing me? Oh hell no! Rowan went tense behind me before lifting his head and yelling out his orgasm. He thrust into me several more times, drawing out his pleasure and adding to the pain in my sore ass as he filled me with his seed. The second he was done, he pulled out of me, and I collapsed onto the hard ground in a used heap. “He meets my inner circle’s needs,” Blaine announced. I couldn’t move besides tilting my neck, and I saw all three of them staring down at me with such anger I was worried they were going to kick

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me. I was scared of them and the rage they were feeling for whatever reason. This was never going to work, and I was an idiot for having signed that contract. All three of them howled loudly before shifting into wolves. All the other men of the pack joined in, and they ran off to hunt. It signaled the end of the ceremony and officially made me the Omega of the pack. And all I wanted was to go call Carson. “Are you okay?” Dolly asked gently as she glanced between me and the inner circle who were running away after leaving me crumbled on the ground. “No,” I whispered and looked right at her. “Still think it’s test the Omega time?” “No,” she answered, shaking her head. “I have a very different thought than that right now.” Yeah, so did I. It was simple, one word actually. Run.

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Chapter 5 Dolly and the other two women, whose names I didn’t even care to know anymore, drove me home. I called Carson and cried to him about what happened as I soaked in the tub. He calmed me down after the floodgates opened and made me promise two things. One, I’d confront my inner circle when they got home. And two, I’d get everything packed in my car and bolt if I didn’t like their answer. So I did. I waited in the kitchen for them, dressed with my car packed and had already gotten the keys for it from Dolly. I didn’t let her in on why I wanted them or let anyone see me stow my carry-on bag in it instead of unpacking the rest. I glanced at the clock, saw it was already two in the morning, and was about to give up and go to bed. At this point, I was so exhausted it would have been stupid to drive to Chicago anyway if I needed to. I had run out and withdrawn my daily maximum from my bank accounts, and it was a miracle no one caught me. I was pretty sure, after what happened tonight, Dolly and the house staff were giving me a wide berth. Most likely because they didn’t know what to say to me. Either way it worked to my advantage. I heard the door from the garage slam and jumped to my feet. Moments later, my three very pissed off men stormed into the room. “What the fuck was that ceremony all about?” I asked with more bravado than I felt. They were just staring at me as if waiting for me to admit god knows what, but I needed answers. “You lying sack of shit,” Blaine sneered and tossed a file folder onto the table. I flinched at his words, and the venom in his tone, as if

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he’d hit me. I picked up the folder, opened it, and immediately dropped it when I saw the contents. “That’s what this is all about?” I asked in disbelief. “We got those from an Alpha who heard we’d taken your contract and wanted to warn us what we were getting,” Rowan informed me as he shook with anger. “How could you lie to us like this, Edric?” “Lie?” I asked, still completely confused. “How did I lie?” “He had naked pictures of you!” Blaine roared and took a menacing step towards me. In a flash, I was scared for my safety again and darted around the table so it was between us. “You cower in fear because you know you deserve our anger.” “I should never be afraid of you no matter what I’ve done,” I whispered in a shaky voice. “There are probably dozens of Alphas that have those pictures since—” “You fucked them all?” Colin asked, and I could tell he was halfangry but also sad. “Is that what you think?” My eyes went wide at the accusation and suddenly all the pieces fell into place. Well fuck them! I was done. “He said you were a great lay,” Blaine sneered with complete contempt. “And you believed him, just like that,” I said sadly as my dreams of being with them in a loving relationship shattered right before my eyes. “You don’t ask me if there’s another explanation, you just believed him.” “Is there another explanation?” Colin replied, his eyes shining with hope. “Yes, but if you think I’m going to give it to you now, you can go fuck yourselves.” The truth was my parents had forced me to take naked photos with a professional photographer as my “headshots” to give to potential Alphas who might want an Omega. It was all legal since I’d been of age when the pictures were taken, but I never forgave my parents for making me do it.

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“You’re not going to deny you fucked that Alpha and probably all the others?” Blaine asked, and I could tell he would never believe there was any other explanation if I begged and pleaded with them until I was blue in the face. “You don’t deserve for me to waste my time when we both know you won’t believe me,” I answered, shaking my head. “If you really want to know, call Carson and let him explain the damage you’ve done.” I paused and stared at them each in turn. “I will never, ever forgive you for how you treated me tonight. I just need to know one thing. Why go through with the ceremony if this is what you thought of me?” “Because we figured what was three more men to add to your list if we couldn’t work this out.” Blaine looked like he’d won something with that comment. If only he knew the damage he’d done with it instead. “Fuck you,” I whispered and went out the back door to the terrace as if I was going for a walk. The tears fell freely the second I was outside. I walked until I was out of sight from them since I knew they didn’t follow and then I ran to my waiting car. I quickly started it up and gunned it. Just as I got to the front gate, I saw the three of them come out the front door in my rearview mirror. I took one look and realized it was the last time I’d ever see the men who took my virginity…no matter what they believed. I got on I-80 and started toward Chicago, but then realized that’s exactly where they’d look for me if they were going to follow. I pulled over and pulled up a map on my phone. Florida. I’d never been there and always wanted to go. And right then I didn’t want to deal with Carson and his loving inner circle consoling me. I wanted to be alone. Maybe forever. I texted Carson that I had left and I was taking a vacation out west before shutting off my phone and heading to somewhere tropical. If I was going to run away for a while, I deserved to do it right. At least I

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felt I did after what I’d just been through. Fuck Cheyenne and its stupid inner circle. Fuck being an Omega and what that meant, including the responsibilities that had brought me nothing but pain. And fuck being a werewolf even. My childhood had been shit and my parents control freaks that treated me like their retirement plan. Then they died, and that was all I’d really know, and my creepy uncle decided to make me his bitch. And when I just felt free from all of that, I’d been tricked into another kind of hell. I was done. I wanted to be on my own and live my own life for once. I knew if I was gone too long, I’d be considered rogue and hunted down. But right then…I didn’t give a fuck. All I wanted was some peace. **** Blaine “He just fucking left!” I shouted into the phone after watching the taillights of the lying Omega I’d started to give my heart to pull out of our estate. “What the fuck, Carson?” “I would have left, too,” he growled back. “Why did you guys treat him like that?” I quickly told him about the pictures, the Alpha who told us, and the fight we’d just had. Carson didn’t answer for a few moments and when he did, it was cold and pissed off. “You’re all fucking morons. You don’t deserve him, and you have no idea the damage you’ve done. He just texted me he’s not coming back to Chicago.” “Call me a moron again and your gifts won’t even protect you,” I snarled as Rowan gestured to put the phone on speaker. I did as we all stomped back to the kitchen. I wasn’t surprised when Colin went to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. If there was ever a time to drink, it was now.

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“Don’t be a moron, and he won’t call you that,” Jared shouted into the phone. Good, they put us on speaker now, too. “He was a virgin, you fuck nuts. Those pictures are professionally done, or are you too stupid to have noticed that?” “So?” Colin asked, his eyebrows drawn together as he poured three glasses. “So the Alpha took him to a professional photographer to get pictures made of his lover. I want to know why Edric said dozens of other Alphas could have these as well.” “Because his parents made him take those photos, not some Alpha,” Carson answered. “I told you that you had to be careful with Edric. I warned you he’d had a lot of shit in his past. That includes asshole parents that treated him like the golden goose and had no problem exploiting him.” “No parent would make their son take pictures like that,” I scoffed, not buying what they were selling. “Of course you’d cover for him.” “You think I could just pull that explanation out of my ass like that?” Carson asked with a snort. “What? I just had it ready in case you decided to stick your heads up your asses and treat him like dirt? And then we all just conferred about it while you were on the phone with us?” “We have copies of the same pictures,” Ian said quietly. “Edric showed them to us when he got here thinking we wouldn’t let him live here after he’d let them be taken. He was so ashamed of them it broke my heart. He’d throw up every time he saw them. It was one of the main reasons the High Council sent him here instead of to their place in Boston for sanctuary. He knew we could spend more time keeping away the crazies who might want him after seeing the pictures.” “Fuck,” Colin hissed and then threw back his four fingers of whiskey. “We have to go get him.” “We’ll find him,” Carson growled. “You’ve done enough. I’m revoking your contract.”

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“You can’t do that,” I whispered as the enormity of the situation started to sink in. Yeah, they really could since they were the legal guardians that had signed Edric over to us, even though he was now of age. “We never even wished him happy birthday.” “Fuck you and your self-pity!” Jared roared through the phone. “He’s not coming to Chicago. He texted Carson that he needed time alone and was taking a vacation out west. Do you think that’s where he’s really going? We have no idea where he’s heading, and you know the laws for a runaway Omega.” “No!” Colin gasped, his eyes going wide as my heart sank. “The High Council could kill him.” “What do you care?” Carson sneered, and we deserved no less. “You stay out of this and keep a lid on it. We’ll find him and protect him. I should never have trusted you assholes.” And with that, he hung up. “What have we done?” Rowan asked aloud before taking his own drink. “We never even asked him. I was so hurt and betrayed that I just reacted. He’ll never forgive us.” “We still can’t let him run and risk getting in trouble with the High Council,” Colin said firmly. I had another thought that broke my heart even more. “He’s no longer a virgin,” I whispered and they both stared at me with confused looks on their faces. “Taking his virginity will set off his powers as an Omega. Every werewolf around him will be drawn to him and that power. We just lit off a ticking bomb inside of him and pushed him out the door.” “Jesus,” Rowan hissed and wiped his hands over his face. “This is so bad. I never thought he’d run. I guess I didn’t think at all. I thought we’d fight and maybe there would be some explanation and we’d fix this otherwise I wouldn’t have gone through with the ceremony.” “Me, too,” I whispered as silent tears fell. “But I was so angry I said those horrid things to him. We’ve got to get him back and before the High Council finds him.”

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“How?” Colin asked, and I didn’t have an answer. We were so fucked, and I wouldn’t blame Edric if he never spoke to us again. **** Edric I drove like a bat out of hell down I-80 since it was the main way in or out of Cheyenne besides I-25. Once I hit I-29 in Nebraska, I slowed down to normal speeds so I didn’t end up getting pulled over. According to my directions, I took that until I-70 then used that to jog over to I-24 which then turned into I-75 somewhere in Nashville. I drove along that until I hit the Florida turnpike and that would take me to Orlando. Why Orlando? Because I doubted anyone in their wildest dreams would think I’d go to Disney World. And even if they did, that place was huge with tons of tourists and would be a joke to track me through. At least that was my current theory. It was a twenty-nine-hour drive if I went straight through, but no one could do that without even stopping. Not safely at least. I opted for driving when I felt like, pulling over when I was hungry or needed to stretch my legs, and snoozing in my car at a rest stop when I got tired. It was hard pretending as if this was some road trip vacation when I was crying all the time. And I swear even the radio was in on it. Every station I turned to had some sad love song, and that started the waterworks all over again. Then around five in the afternoon the second day, I pulled into Disney’s Beach Resort since I’d called ahead, and they had room for me. I’d also driven way out of my way that first morning and stopped into one of the branches of my bank and pulled out a sizable amount of money to live off of. I wasn’t sure they could track me that way using my debit card, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I sighed as I pulled in, parked, and

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got out of my car. Then I went up to the front desk ready to crash. Understandably, I hadn’t been able to sleep much, and it was catching up to me. “Hi, I called a little while ago to check if you had any vacancies,” I said as I gave the lady a tired smile. “Name?” she asked and went to the keyboard of her computer. “I didn’t give you one, and I can’t have the room under my real name.” Her eyebrows shot to her forehead at that comment, but I’d already worked out a story on the drive over. “I’m hiding from my agent a couple of weeks so I can get some real rest without media frenzy.” “You’re famous?” she asked as she eyed me over. “In some circles,” I answered, which kind of wasn’t a lie. “But I use a stage name, and only my agent knows my real one. But he’s who I don’t want to find me, or next thing I know, he’ll have me doing some photo shoot down here.” “You look like a model.” She giggled and gave me a wink. “We can keep you safe from adoring fans and evil agents here.” “Thank you so much,” I sighed, letting my genuine relief show. “I just need some me time, you know?” “Yeah, I can see you need a vacation.” She seemed to realize how that sounded and started scrambling for something to say. “I do though.” I chuckled and waved off her apology. “And I heard you have a nice spa.” “I can set you up with a list of our services.” “Thank you.” I gave her my best smile, and it seemed to work because she booked the room under Harry Henderson. Which I thought was a weird name, but she assured me that it was one of the ones the staff had set up for people who needed privacy. They would know to basically leave me alone, which was what I wanted. She set me up with a deluxe suite for a week, which I paid for in cash. When she asked about my bags I felt kind of bad and offered to get them myself.

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“We have bellhops for that.” “It’s just I brought a lot because I didn’t know how long I’d be running away for.” “Not a problem,” she replied with a smile. She called a young guy about my age over, and I gave him the keys to my car, letting him know what kind it was and where it was parked. Then she gave me a map, my key cards, and explained how to get to my room. It took me about ten minutes to find it since I kept thinking there was a mistake when I got off on a plush floor that seemed like one only movie stars would stay on. But it was right. My key went right in the slot and opened the door for me. The room was amazing. There was a full living room, huge balcony, kitchenette, attached bedroom with king bed, and a bathroom that was as big as my room back at my parents’ house. Nice! The first thing I did was grab the menu for room service and order. It was my first time ever doing this, and I was so excited that I was practically bouncing. I ordered a club sandwich, fries, and milkshake. I’d probably never eat all of that, but it sounded great, and I was starving. It ended up taking two bellhops to bring all my stuff on their cute carts, and after they unloaded it, I tipped them generously. They offered to unpack for me, but that was pushing my pamper limit into just weird. I didn’t want strangers going through my clothes. Room service showed up then, and after tipping the lady as well, I practically shoved it all in my face. It seemed I was able to eat that much food. And damn was it good. I wanted to go for a swim when I was done, but the bed was calling to me. I put the “do not disturb” sign on the door, shucked my clothes, and crawled into bed with my phone. I stared at it for a while as if it was a wild snake. Finally I turned it on. I’d seen in movies that you could track phones if they were on and in others if you had the battery in, but I thought both of those took a spy satellite or something. I felt confident that normal police could

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only track it if you were on it talking for a while and found you based on which cell tower you had to go through. Either way, I knew I wasn’t going to be calling or texting, I just was curious as to the messages I’d gotten over the past two days. I pushed the button for voice mail and laughed. Fifty messages, the max I could get. The first was Blaine, then Carson, then Colin, then Carson, then Blaine, then Rowan, then Carson again, then on and on and on. I got through the first twenty and deleted the rest. There were only so many ways they could say “I’m sorry,” or from Carson I got, “Call me immediately and let me know you’re safe at least.” But I knew if I did that he’d talk me into coming back to Chicago. Maybe in a few days, but for right now, I wanted to be on my own. I didn’t even bother with the texts since it would probably be more of the same. I turned the phone back off and snuggled into the comfy bed. I’d never been on my own before, and just once I wanted to try it. My life was turned all upside down right then anyway. My brain and heart had been fucked with, and I honestly didn’t know who I could trust or who my friends were. I just wanted to figure things out on my own and get a tan. I didn’t think that was too much to ask.

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Chapter 6 The next seven days were the best ones of my life. I wasn’t Edric Sawyer, wanted werewolf Omega and possession. I was John Doe, regular human tourist that no one knew or hounded. I ate by the pool every morning, went for a swim, played at Disney World or one of the other parks, had a nice dinner and a few drinks, and relaxed. I went to the spa a few times. Everything was perfect. Except I kept accidentally setting things on fire. And I’m not talking like when kids say it was an accident because they were playing with matches. Oh no, I didn’t have a lighter or matches. I kept setting things on fire. It seemed that was my new power now that I wasn’t a virgin and jump-started my Omega-ness. Greeeat. Tristan grew ginormous and could read minds. Carson could read minds and move stuff with his gifts. I set shit on fire. Un-fucking-real. And housekeeping was nice enough to buy my story about knocking over a candle when I gave them burnt sheets. I was able to hide the lounge chair I set ablaze by the pool, and it had been at night so no one witnessed it. But I was starting to freak out. What if I set myself on fire in my sleep? Though the fire didn’t seem to hurt me. Why couldn’t I just be fireproof? That would be a cool gift. I was lounging by the pool the eighth morning of my stay when someone sat on the chair next to me. I froze, knowing their scent. I was able to play it off that I was much calmer than I really was and didn’t even look at him. “How did you find me?” “It wasn’t easy,” Colin answered quietly as if trying to keep me from fleeing, but I knew he wouldn’t be alone, and I was busted.

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“You were really smart about hiding. But I’m quite the hacker. Your car got flagged in one of those expressway pass states as not having their gadget, so it was just a matter of trying to track you down along all the possible destinations on that route. A day later I got into the Florida turnpike cameras and saw you were here. “We figured Orlando then because you could easily get lost in the crowds here. It took twenty people five days to find your car and then today we’ve just been watching the hotel.” “So what now?” I asked after a few moments. If I didn’t hate him, I’d be impressed at his detective skills. “That’s up to you, but leaving you alone isn’t an option.” He paused as if trying to figure out what to say. “I know we’d like you to come back home, Edric.” “That wasn’t my home,” I whispered as I wiped away a random tear. “That was the biggest mistake of my life.” “We’re so sorry, baby,” he said with a sniffle and reached from me. I pulled away before he touched me. “Don’t call me that. I’m not your baby,” I hissed under my breath, not wanting to cause a scene. “Yes you are,” Colin replied firmly as he sat up and pulled his chair closer. “We fucked up, big time. And I don’t know if you listened to our messages or texts, but we’re sorrier than you can ever imagine. We were complete assholes. We should never have acted like that, and there’s no excuse for it. I know I was just so hurt that—” “That you didn’t bother asking me about it before condemning me?” I sat up and gathered my things, unable to look at him. “I’ll go back to Chicago or Denver with Tristan, but I’m done with you guys.” “Please, Edric, don’t say that,” he whispered, and I made the mistake of glancing at him. His beautiful blue eyes were full of tears that made me want to change my answer, but I couldn’t. “Those pictures were the worst thing I’d ever had to do and endure until the ceremony.” I looked away from him and saw I was even surrounded. Blaine, Rowan, Jared, Tristan, Declan, Ian, and

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Carson were all around the pool, bar, and every possible exit. “No matter if I’d slept with that Alpha or a hundred men, you never should have treated me like that. We shouldn’t have done the ceremony without talking first. “I tried to get you to tell me what was going on, but none of you would barely even look at me, and then when you did, it was with hate. Instead you punished me by making my first time with the three of you angry sex. What you did was unforgiveable, and I don’t want to hear any bullshit apologies. Some things can’t be fixed with ‘I’m sorry,’ Colin.” “Then let us make it up to you,” he said as he knelt at my feet and took my hands in his. I tried to pull away, and he held on at first but then let go. He lowered his dark blond head to my knees, touching my bare skin since my swim trunks barely came mid-thigh. “Tristan and Carson think we should road trip it home, and if we can’t convince you that we are truly sorry, then we’ll drop you off in Denver.” I glanced over at the two Omegas, knowing full well that they could hear what was going on. They both nodded with sympathetic smiles, and I had a feeling I’d be doing it whether I wanted to or not. “Fine,” I sighed but quickly continued when Colin’s head snapped up. He reached for me, and I shoved him hard. “But there will be rules. One of which is no touching. The idea of any of you touching me makes me want to vomit.” “Okay,” he whispered as he sat back on his feet, looking as if someone shot his puppy. Fuck him. He did this, not me! “I get my own room alone when we stop for the night.” “Deal.” “I’m driving my car, and you can rotate who rides with me but only one of you at a time. I won’t feel as if you’re all ganging up on me.” “That’s fair.” He nodded his agreement, but for this last one I looked straight at Blaine.

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“Blaine never rides with me and doesn’t even fucking talk to me. He touches me once and I’m so gone.” He flinched at my words from across the pool, and I saw the tears trail down his cheeks. “I don’t trust that he won’t hit me after I saw his rage at me over the pictures. So you need to understand that this will end with me going to Denver. But if you just want to waste a few days trying to convince me otherwise, I have a feeling I don’t have a choice.” “Nope,” I heard Carson say from a good forty feet away. Gotta love that werewolf hearing. I stood and went over to my friend, careful not to touch Colin as I moved away from him. “Why?” I asked him, genuinely confused. “Why make me go with them after what they did to me? You want me with this type of men?” “They handled it badly, but they were hurt and confused and upset at what they thought was your lying to them, Edric,” he answered gently. “I’m not saying just snap your fingers and forgive them, but I’d give them another chance.” He looked at Declan with love shining in his eyes. “I gave them another chance after they fucked up royally after we first met, and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made.” “I love you, too, baby,” Declan said from around the bar as if we were standing right next to him. “There’s no rule book for any of this, Edric. We’re wolves. We tend to bite first and ask questions later. Again, I’m not excusing how they handled it, but you’ve not seen them the past week since they found out the truth and you’ve left. They’ve been a mess.” He turned me so I saw Blaine. “Look at him. How much weight do you think he’s lost? Ten? Twenty pounds in eight days?” “I noticed that,” I whispered and turned away from Blaine who normally was around two eighty but looked closer to two hundred forty-five now. I was starting to get angry that I was feeling bad for any of them. “But that’s not my fault! They did this.” “Yes and running was what I suggested,” Carson replied, and I could see his own irritation swimming in his eyes. “But I said back to Chicago, not hiding from all of us. You’re lucky we got to you first

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because if the High Council had, you might have ended up dead. We were able to keep it from them that you ran. And you’re damn fortunate your powers haven’t—” I must have winced because he threw his hands up in the air. “This is why you shouldn’t have just run. What power did you get?” “I keep setting things on fire,” I mumbled as I stared down at my suddenly fascinating feet. Before Carson could even reply, Rowan and Colin were at my side. “Oh my god, are you okay?” Rowan asked as he turned me toward him. “No touching,” I snarled and backed away. He held his hands up in surrender, and I glanced at Carson. “Two minutes. They listened to what I said for two fucking minutes and you want me to ride all the way back to Denver with them?” “That’s not fair, little one,” Rowan said quietly. “I thought you might have been hurt.” “Fine,” I exclaimed as I threw my hands up in the air. I was done talking about this in public when I was wearing little short swim trunks that molded to my body. I spun to the direction of my room and started to storm off. “He’s so beautiful,” Colin whispered. “I didn’t think he could get any more handsome, but I like the tan,” Rowan added. I felt my cheeks heat up at the compliment, but instead of letting them know it affected me, I flipped them off over my shoulder. “I’d like to.” “I’m pretty sure he wasn’t offering with how pissed he is at us,” Colin mumbled. No it wasn’t a “fuck you” as in I wanted them naked right now. It was more a “fuck you” and leave me alone. Either way, for the next couple of days, I was stuck with them. I think I startled them with not fighting, so when I got to the elevators, I was alone. I hit the number for my floor, and at the last second, Blaine slid inside with me. I couldn’t help my reaction. I immediately moved to the far corner away from him, and I saw how it

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affected him. It was about as close to kicking him in the nuts as I could get. He didn’t say anything or touch me, he simply handed me a note. I didn’t take it, but I saw what it said in big writing. “How am I supposed to explain and apologize if I can’t talk to you?” “I don’t know, and I don’t care,” I said quietly and looked away. “This week, all alone and without the pressure of being an Omega, was the happiest week of my life, Blaine. Part of me wants to thank you for giving me that because I’d never have experienced it if you hadn’t scared me and I hadn’t run.” The elevator dinged and he let me step off first. I paused after stepping over the threshold. “But mostly I hate you so much that seeing you makes me want to cry.” He didn’t get off the elevator with me. I can’t say I blamed him since it wasn’t like I was going to let him in my room anyway. When I was safely behind the door, I went and started packing. I got about two minutes into it before I broke down crying. Why did seeing them make everything so much worse? I figured I’d call Carson next week, drive up to Chicago, and start the process all over again. The entire week I’d been healing and thinking about what came next in life it never crossed my mind that I’d have to see them. And fuck, it was like they were ripping my heart out all over again. There was a knock at the door. I went to answer it as I mopped up my tears. Carson and his men were on the other side, so I stepped back and let them in without a word. “You scared us,” Carson said gently as he pulled me into his arms. “I’m sorry,” I sobbed, letting the floodgates open again. And then he screamed. “Shit! I’m sorry!” “Put it out,” Declan roared, and luckily I still had my towel in my hand from the pool. I quickly slapped it against Carson’s shirt, and the fire died.

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“I–I didn’t m–mean to,” I cried as I crumbled to the floor. God! Everything was so fucked up. “Your gifts will flare up when you’re upset, Edric,” Carson said gently. He knelt in front of me but didn’t touch me, and I felt like a freak. “We’ll just have to strap a fire extinguisher to you until you learn to control it.” “How can you make jokes right now?” I wailed as I glanced at his smiling face and gestured to his shirt. “I set you on fire, Carson. I’m a freak!” “No, you are not,” he growled and grabbed my face in his hands. “I thought for a long time I was a freak, mentally ill because I heard voices. When Declan, Ian, and Taylor took over, they grounded me and explained what was happening. That’s why you need an inner circle, Edric. It’s not just the power you will give them but the support they should give you.” “They thought I was a whore,” I whimpered, letting the pain out that I thought I’d been dealing with this past week. “I thought Blaine was going to hurt me. You weren’t there, Carson. The ceremony was the worst thing I’d ever had to go through. I was alone and scared, but at least I thought they’d be there for me, but they were cold and angry.” “I know, Edric,” he whispered and pulled me close. I was shaking in fear I’d burn him again, but it seemed when I paid attention to that possibility, it didn’t happen. “We’ll figure this out, okay? All we want is for you to give them a chance to make it up to you. I’m not saying take them back, but everyone fucks up. Yes, theirs was pretty damn big, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good men and don’t regret it.” “I won’t be alone with Blaine.” I rubbed my eyes and finally started to calm down again. “And that’s okay. There’s no rule book here, and you need to go with your gut on most of this. But I will say you do need to talk to him if he’s going to fix this.” He paused, and I could practically hear the wheels spinning in his head. “What if it’s only on the phone when

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he’s in the other car? You can’t be scared of him doing something stupid if he’s not in the same vicinity of you.” “Okay, I can do that,” I agreed after a moment. I looked into my friend’s eyes. “I’m afraid if I take this trip with them, they’ll get to me even more and I’ll forgive them. I don’t want to forgive them, Carson. You have no idea how badly what they did hurt.” “No I don’t, but I do know about being hurt. The best thing for you is to forgive them whether you take them back or not. This anger and fear hurts you, and I don’t want that for you. That’s why I want you to ride back with them. If you don’t choose to stay with them, that’s fine. But free yourself of this pain over the next couple of days and forgive them.” I thought about that and nodded. It made sense. I had a feeling the reality of it would be much harder than it sounded, but I understood the logic. They started packing my things while I showered and changed. An hour later they carried my stuff out to my car and Blaine’s rental as I checked out. “I see they found you,” the same lady I had when I’d gotten to the hotel said sadly. “It was time,” I replied, giving her a smile I didn’t feel. “I can’t stay on vacation forever.” “Wouldn’t it be great if you could though?” She chuckled as she handed me the slip to sign as I settled my tab. “You look rested though.” “I think I’m going to need it with what they have planned for me,” I mumbled. She probably thought I meant some imaginary photo shoot, but the reality was much harsher. But wasn’t that just always the case? I hugged my friends good-bye and promised to call them if I needed them and text that everything was okay during the drive. I knew after the way I’d acted, running off and all, that they’d be

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mothering me for a long time and checking up on me. That was okay, I had a feeling I’d need it. Colin took the first leg of the trip in the car with me, but I ended up letting him drive. I was tired from my emotional breakdown and my almost setting Carson on fire, and it wasn’t even noon. We drove for a while before he spoke. “I keep wanting to apologize and explain, but I have a feeling you still don’t want to hear that. So I find myself at a loss for what to say.” “Then this is going to be a long trip,” I said with a sigh. “Will you tell me about your stay at Disney? I’ve always wanted to go, and it seems to have agreed with you. I mean, you look fantastic.” It seemed like a safe enough topic, so I told him what I’d been up to. I explained the spa treatments I’d tried and the rides at the parks. I told him about all the swimming I did and the alcoholic drinks I tried. I was just wrapping up when my phone rang. Carson had turned it back on and made me promise to put it in the car charger since the battery had died when I wasn’t using it. “Hello?” “Hey,” Blaine said on the other line. “Carson said I could talk to you if it was over the phone and I wasn’t by you.” “Yeah, I agreed to that.” “I missed you, Edric.” I snorted in disbelief. “I did, Edric. I know we didn’t spend that much time with you, but you fit so well with us. When you were gone, it was like a hole inside of me.” “Pretty words, Blaine. But they don’t take away from what happened.” “I know,” he whispered. “I know that, I do, but I thought you should know that’s how I felt.” “How can I trust anything you say? You promised to be good to me when you signed the contract, and the next day you were horrible to me. One problem pops up and you turn on me.”

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“I know, and I’m sorry, Edric. I saw those pictures and just lost it. I was pissed because I thought you’d let him take them and slept with that slimeball. I was furious that you had ever been involved with someone like that and he’d sent out pictures of you after you’d broken up. I was upset that he’d had you when I hadn’t—” “But he hadn’t and you would have known that if you’d simply asked me. Or, hell, trusted me at all. I told you my parents were control freaks. Do you think they’d let some Alpha ruin me and their investment before I turned twenty-one?” “I figured it was after they passed,” he said, and I could hear the distress in his tone. “I was living with my even-worse uncle until Carson grabbed me out of there. If you couldn’t believe in me, do you think he’d let me or some Alpha break the rules?” “No, but I didn’t realize that until later when Carson explained everything. I was so mad that I couldn’t think past the hurt and pain that you’d lied to me.” “But I didn’t,” I cried. Colin glanced at me and held his hand over the center console for me to hold if I wanted it. I shook my head. I couldn’t turn to one of the perpetrators for comfort. “And then you were so angry that I was scared you were going to kick my ass. I’m afraid of you, Blaine.” “I know,” he whispered, and I could tell he was crying, too. “I would never have hit you, Edric. If you believe nothing else I’ve ever said, I need you to believe that. Yes, I have a temper, and I might have thrown shit or broken a chair, but I would never, ever have hurt you.” “How can I know that for sure? I can’t ask Colin or Rowan because I don’t trust them either, and they would know you best. Dolly was a bitch to me and—” “Wait, what?” he asked, and I groaned. They didn’t even know the shit Dolly had pulled with her “quiz the Omega” moment. I explained it to him as quickly as possible, trying not to let my

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personal feelings leak into my story. Blaine was quiet as I filled him in. “I’m sorry, Edric.” “That seems to be the theme lately,” I mumbled, starting to feel as if the word had the same meaning as “hi.” “You’re going to desensitize the word ‘sorry’ for me.” He ignored the comment and went on. “Dolly’s a little strange, but she’s a nice person. We’ve known her since we were kids, and she kind of has taken on the role of momma bear for our inner circle.” “Where are your parents?” I wracked my brain but realized we’d not even gotten to simple topics like family yet. “My dad took off before I was even born, and back then, a human woman didn’t live alone with a pack even if she was carrying a shifter baby. They tossed her out on her ass, and I guess it was a bad pregnancy. She died giving birth to me, and I ended up in a human orphanage. It was a nice boy’s home, no one abused me or anything, but I didn’t know what I was. So when puberty hit, our old Alpha had heard of a boy who had a strange illness and found me.” So much for that being a simple topic. Fuck. That might explain a lot why, at the first time I lied or betrayed him, Blaine blew up the worst of all of them. It put some things into perspective. He wasn’t just abandoned by his dad, he never even knew his mom either. Fuck.

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Chapter 7 “That’s horrible. I’m so sorry,” I said gently. No matter how upset I was, I couldn’t help but feel for the boy who’d gone through that. “I knew I was a wolf, and I guess my parents suspected I was an Omega because of my being blond, but there wasn’t any way to know for sure until I shifted the first time.” “And was a white wolf.” “Yup. They weren’t the greatest parents before that, but once they realized they practically hit the lottery with me, they became insufferable.” I laughed at the memories of what they put me through. “You should have seen the workout schedule and meal plans they had for me. They were so worried I’d get fat or couldn’t keep up with bending over for three men when they wanted me. And the kicker was, I didn’t get any of it.” “They didn’t explain what being an Omega meant?” “In a way,” I sighed and realized Colin was trying to not listen as he hummed softly to himself, but he kept glancing at me as if he wanted to. I gave him a smile and a nod that it was okay and got a sweet grin in return. “They basically prepared me to be a mistress. When most kids were having sex education in school, they were giving me Kama Sutra books and every instruction manual to sex made.” “I know that sucked, but is it wrong I kind of want to laugh, too?” he asked, and I could hear the wariness in his voice. “No, it’s okay. I get how it’s amusing, and I laugh at it now because it was just so absurd. But at the time it wasn’t funny and a shitty way to grow up.”

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“I know how that goes,” he said quietly, and there was one of those pensive pauses. “Who knew we actually had so much in common?” I asked, breaking the silence. I wasn’t just saying it to fill the space in conversation, I truly found it fascinating. I would never have thought someone who became Alpha would have grown up that way. “What happened after your old Alpha found you?” “They adopted me,” he answered, and I could hear the love in his voice. “His mate couldn’t have kids, so they were thrilled to have me even when I was already a teenager. When he died several years ago, I took over the pack, and my adopted mom lives in Georgia with her sister. I see her once a year at Christmas, but we talk all the time. She chewed my ass six ways from Sunday about what I did to you.” “I like her already.” I snickered and was relieved he chuckled. “What about everyone else?” “Well, Colin’s right there to tell you.” Blaine chuckled, and I shook my head. Yeah, duh. “But Rowan was the youngest of three, and there’s a huge age gap. It’s amazing he was even conceived since his parents were already over two centuries old.” “I know we can live twice as long as humans, but that can’t be normal to have a kid that late in life.” “No, it’s really not. But they died about a decade ago after he got out of college. They were really nice people, and I know Rowan misses them.” “That’s good that he had a loving family.” I paused, deciding to try and have a small amount of faith in Blaine and tell him a secret. “I always thought it would be so cool to go to college. I was homeschooled, and I know my parents didn’t teach me the normal curriculum. I used to dream about sitting in a class with real kids who wanted to learn.” “We can sign you up for some classes at the community college, if you want. I think that would be best if you didn’t take entrance exams and didn’t ever go to high school. Do you have your GED?”

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“Yes,” I gasped and glanced over at Colin who I knew was hearing every word. “You’d really let me take some classes?” “Of course, Edric,” he said softly. “We’re not your wardens. As long as it’s something we discuss as a family, and you want to do it, I don’t see any reason you can’t. I do think until you know Cheyenne better and get your gift under control one of us should go with you and wait while you’re in class.” “You’d sit there and wait an hour or two while I took some classes just so I got to go?” I wasn’t sure I was buying that idea as much as him letting me take the classes in the first place. “If we scheduled it out properly, sure. Or depending on what subject it is, maybe one of us could take the class with you if you wanted.” “You’re just saying this to trick me so I’ll go back with you,” I bit out when my heart started softening at his words. “Or you’re trying to bribe me.” “Edric, right now I’d give you my dick on a silver platter if you’d forgive me and it would make this right. But that’s not why I’m saying this, I swear it. We would have agreed to you taking classes before if we’d known you wanted to.” He paused, and since I didn’t know what to say to that, I let him take his time. “Is there something we could do so that you would forgive us?” “Yeah,” I snorted sarcastically. “Each of you getting down on your knees and giving me blow jobs before I fuck each of you. I want you to feel how it was for me to have such cold, angry sex and not even enjoy it. That would be a good start.” It wasn’t really what I wanted, but on the other hand, I did want them to know what it had felt like. I was so lost in my angry demands I didn’t realize Colin had pulled the car over to the side of the expressway until he touched me. “What are you doing?” I asked as he undid my seat belt.

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“Giving you what you asked for.” He moved lightning-fast and reclined my seat before unzipping my fly. I gasped and dropped the phone as he pulled out my dick and swallowed me down. “Oh fuck,” I moaned and squirmed in my seat. I’d never had someone touch me this way, and I now knew why people liked blow jobs so much. His mouth was fantastic, wet, warm, and welcoming. I had a lot of pent-up sexual tension from the last weeks since jacking off was the last thing I’d had on my mind. It didn’t take long for that wonderful tingling feeling at the base of my spine to start. And when Colin rolled my sac in his hand as his teeth gently scraped the underside of my cock, I cried out and shot down his throat. He drank me down, and then when I was finished, he licked my sensitive dick clean. “So much for not touching,” I panted. He smiled at me, knowing full well how much I’d enjoyed it. Then he pulled me out of my seat, dragging me to him, and got out of the car. He carried me to the other side of the car that wasn’t in view from the road and set me on my feet. When he started undressing I knew he was thinking and couldn’t do it. “Stop. Just stop, okay? I wasn’t serious.” “But it makes sense,” he said sadly as his hands froze at the fly of his jeans. “You should get to do what we did to you.” “And what would that accomplish, Colin? You’d hurt as much as I did then and do now? Besides it would still punish me, too, since I’ve never topped, and I don’t want my first time doing it to be like this.” “Then what do you want?” “I want for us to never have laid eyes on each other,” I shouted. “I want to not have felt that I was going to be loved and wanted to only have it ripped away. You guys were the dream I’d wanted, and you became the nightmare I’ve always dreaded.” I paused when I realized he was staring out past me into space with a distant look on his face. “Are you even listening to me?”

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He didn’t answer, and I stepped closer, waving my hand in front of his face. Still he didn’t even flinch. Was he having a brain fart or a seizure? Just as fast as he went into the trance he snapped out of it. “Hi.” “Where did you go, Colin?” I asked, starting to get a little scared. “Do I know you?” He looked confused as he eyed me over, as if trying to place me. “Why are we on the side of the road?” “Ha, ha, very funny,” I snapped at him, groaning when I realized Blaine and Rowan had stopped behind us and were getting out of their car. “Look, we don’t have time for games, Colin. That won’t make me forgive you.” “What games?” He started to look as if he was panicking, and I realized he wasn’t playing. “Why are we on the side of the road? Where are Blaine and Rowan?” “What’s going on?” Rowan asked as he glanced from me to Colin. When Colin saw them, he immediately went to stand between them as if at least having them there made things better. “I don’t know,” I whispered and shook my head. “He doesn’t know who I am suddenly.” “That’s insane.” He turned to Colin. “You know Edric. He’s our Omega.” “Edric? Yeah the guy Tristan said needed an inner circle. We’re going to get his file and picture faxed to us.” “Yeah, that was like three weeks ago, Colin,” Blaine said as his eyebrows drew together. “I’ve never seen this man before,” Colin replied firmly as he gestured to me. And that triggered something in my mind. “Oh sweet fucking hell,” I whispered as I stared at Colin with wide eyes. “I think I have another gift.” “What?” Rowan asked in a hard tone. “You made him forget the past three weeks? That’s not possible.” “I was pissed and we were arguing, and I told him I wished we’d never laid eyes on each other. Now he doesn’t remember me, and says

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he’s never seen me. I was pissed and Carson said my gifts will be unpredictable when I’m upset. If you’ve got another explanation, I’m all ears.” “What’s today’s date?” Rowan asked Colin. Sure enough he gave us a date three weeks ago…before he ever saw my picture and laid eyes on me. Shit. All eyes were on me now. “Can you undo it?” “I don’t know,” I whispered as I felt a pit in my stomach form. “I don’t even know what I did. I would never do this intentionally, I swear it. I was pissed, but I wasn’t trying to hurt him or control his mind. I just was angry and—” “Okay, baby,” Blaine said quietly as he pulled me into his arms. “We’ll figure this out. We know you’d never do it on purpose.” “I’m so sorry.” I buried my face in his chest, needing the comfort and willing to put all our other shit aside. “First I set Carson on fire, and now I’m wiping Colin’s mind. I’m a fucking freak.” “No you are not,” Blaine replied firmly as he raised my chin so I had to look at him. “You are not a freak. You’re powerful, and this is all new, okay? This is what is supposed to happen after you are claimed. It’s why you need an inner circle instead of just one mate.” “I don’t know what to do,” I said, feeling massive panic start to build inside of me. “How do I fix this? I broke Colin!” “Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on?” Colin roared finally, seeming to have snapped out of his confused mood directly to pissed. “We need to change the plan,” Blaine said to me gently. “We can’t have a road trip with him like this. Please, please trust me to do what’s best. I’m begging you, Edric. If you want to leave after we help Colin, I won’t stop you.” I searched his dark brown eyes for a moment and then Rowan’s green ones. All I saw was concern, mostly, from what I could tell, directed at Colin. And I realized I did trust them. They had acted like assholes and hurt me, but they weren’t bad men. “I trust you. We play this your way.”

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“Thank you, baby.” Blaine kissed my cheek and took my hand. “Rowan, you drive the other car with Colin to the airport and explain what’s going on. I’m going with Edric, and we’ll call Tristan.” “Got it.” “Explain what to me?” Colin asked as he threw his arms in the air in exasperation. “Everything,” Rowan replied tenderly and led him to the other car. Blaine quickly got me back in the front seat before racing around the front of the car and getting in. We got back on the road and called Tristan. “What’s wrong?” our friend asked on speakerphone. “We just landed in Denver. You guys haven’t been on the road long enough for a problem.” “I’m always a problem,” I whispered, horrified at what I’d done. “That’s not true,” Blaine chastised gently. He went on to explain everything that had happened to their friend, who really had become my friend since moving in with Carson. I thought about that as they talked about how bad I’d fucked up…again. Carson was awesome, the kindest man I’d ever met. He was best friends with Tristan who I also adored. And Tristan and his men were friends with my inner circle. Shouldn’t that tell me that Blaine, Colin, and Rowan were good men as well? Plus, Carson and Tristan could read minds, so if my inner circle had some evil plan brewing, my friends would know. It made sense, but it didn’t break past the hurt I felt at what they’d done. “Edric?” Blaine asked, shaking me out of my musings. I could tell from the worried look on his face it wasn’t the first time someone called my name. “Sorry, I was just thinking,” I whispered and rubbed my hands over my face. “What’s the question?” “I need you to tell me what happened exactly,” Tristan answered gently. I explained everything that happened, blushing when I mentioned the blow job but thankful no one made a big deal about it.

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When I was done, I heard Jared talking in Tristan’s phone as if they put it on speaker. “They’re heading back to Tallahassee?” “Yeah, we were about a half hour past it, but now we’re less than ten minutes away,” Blaine answered. “I don’t want to leave Edric’s car and stuff here.” “I’ve got someone still in the area. He’s going to catch a ride to Tallahassee and drive the car back. I’ll set up a charter flight for you guys since there are no direct flights from there to Denver.” “Roger that. Thanks, Jared.” I could see the relief on Blaine’s face that we had a plan. “We’ll figure this out, buddy.” “Of course we will,” he replied confidently, but I could see the slight worry etched in his features. “I’ve talked with an Omega who can affect people’s memories,” Tristan said, and I wanted to cry in relief. “I’ll call him and try and have some answers for you by the time you get to Denver. Even if he doesn’t know what to do, a gift is a gift. Carson and I had to work on how to control them, and I can’t think it will be all that different with yours, Edric. We’ll get Colin back.” “Thank you so much,” I whispered as I started shaking at the enormity of the situation. “I’m so sorry.” “No worries, twerp.” He chuckled lightly. “Carson kept freezing people when he first got that gift. We all have bumps in the road when something new pops up.” That did make me feel slightly better, though freezing someone in place wasn’t quite as bad as wiping three weeks of someone’s memories from their mind. We said our good-byes, and ten minutes later, we reached the airport. Then we had to park the car, hide as much of my stuff in the trunk as we could and cover up the rest so no one tried to break in. Blaine grabbed my carry-on as Rowan and Colin returned the rental car. When we got to the charter flight desk some of the details

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were still being worked out, so Blaine suggested we get some lunch. I nodded even though I wasn’t hungry, feeling numb and distant. I guess on the bright side I didn’t have enough energy to be pissed at all of them anymore. The thought made me break out into hysterical giggles. Blaine went for food as I grabbed a table. “What’s up, little one?” Rowan asked gently as he and Colin joined me at the table in the restaurant courtyard. It was set up like a smaller version of those in the mall, with five or so fast-food options. “I’m too tired to be upset with you guys. There’s just always so much shit going on that I have a feeling this will be how my life is always.” I gasped for air as I talked in between bursts of laughter. In a flash I was out of the chair and in Rowan’s arms as he sat down. “No, it won’t always be like this,” he whispered softly as he rubbed my back. “We’ve got a few issues but nothing that can’t be fixed. There’s always something going on, that’s just how life is, but it won’t always be this chaotic.” “How can you know that?” He didn’t answer right away, which I took as a good thing because that meant he was really thinking about it instead of just feeding me some line. “Benefits of being slightly older. I’ve seen and experienced more in the world. I know what we did was big, and we’ll make up for that, I swear it to you. But this thing with Colin? It’s really a small hiccup in the grand scheme of things.” “I hope you’re right,” I replied as I snuggled against him. I wasn’t going to say anything to his comment about making up for what they’d done. I honestly didn’t know if that was possible but denying it right then just seemed childish. “I’ve got lots of choices here,” Blaine announced as he walked up with two huge trays full of Panda Express. He looked straight at me. “We’ve not gotten a chance to learn your favorites yet. If there’s something I’m missing just let me know.” “No, this is great,” I said with a smile, touched at how hard he was trying to make me feel better. I reached for the lo mein and orange

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chicken, now starving after smelling the food. We all quickly dug in, and it seemed I wasn’t the only one who’d been hungry. Just as we were finishing up, some guy from the charter service came running over and talked with Blaine. I wasn’t listening as they worked out the details for the flight and my car. I was too busy wallowing in remorse for what I’d done to Colin. Hell, I couldn’t even look at the man. When lunch was cleaned away, I let Blaine lead me to our flight. I’d never been on a small jet before, and normally I would have been tickled to experience something new. The reason why we had to kept me down. And then I cringed when Colin sat next to me on the plane. “I’m not mad at you, Edric,” he said tenderly as he took my hand in his. “I want my memories back, but you didn’t do this on purpose. Accidents happen, and if worse comes to worst and I don’t get them back, then we’ll just have to repeat the process of getting to know each other.” “But we don’t know each other, not really,” I whispered as I pulled away from him. “We were fighting when this happened.” “I know and I’m sorry for what we did, what I did. I wish I could say more than that, but I have no clue what was going on in my head or why it happened. I mean Rowan filled me in but that’s way different than knowing myself.” “Yeah, sorry about that.” “Nothing to be sorry for,” he said lightly and waved off my concern. Yeah, I didn’t feel the same way. All of us had a lot to be sorry for, and I was tired of the drama. I wanted to go back to my easygoing, relaxing vacation alone. And that didn’t seem to bode well for what was to come if all I wanted was to run again.

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Chapter 8 I dozed during the flight and didn’t wake up until we were on the ground in Denver. Blaine gave me a soft kiss, and I whimpered and wrapped my arms around his neck. This was what I was talking about! I wanted more fun and less drama. Next thing I knew he had me pressed against the wall of the plane as I rode his thigh, rubbing my swollen cock against him. “Wait,” I gasped and tried to scramble away from him when I realized what I was doing. “What? Why?” he asked as he nibbled on my ear. “You need this, baby. Use my body for what you want, and let me take care of you.” “I’m not your baby,” I growled, and my desire instantly deflated. “I wasn’t thinking when you woke me up that way.” “I know, but that doesn’t mean giving you a nice release won’t help clear your head and take your mind off everything for a bit.” I shoved at his chest, and he saw I wasn’t backing down. He set me on my feet with a sigh and then ran his hands through his dark hair in frustration. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to start this, but when you responded like that, I figured you needed a distraction.” “Okay, but I don’t want that,” I said before brushing past him and reaching for my carry-on. He grabbed my arm, and I turned to the side so I could see his face. “You don’t want me?” he asked, hurt written all over his face. “Your body did though, right? I didn’t imagine the erection you had.” “Physically I do,” I sighed as I felt a major headache starting to form. “Mentally and emotionally I don’t want to let you back in. You hurt me when I did, and I can’t go through that again.” I held up a

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hand to stop him when he opened his mouth. “You can’t promise that you’ll never hurt me again, so don’t even waste your breath. You can’t see the future any more than I can. Let’s just focus on Colin.” “You’re right, of course.” He let me go even though I could see in his eyes that there was more he wanted to say. I’m not sure if it would have helped, but we had bigger fish to fry, and we needed to get help for Colin. I just prayed to whoever was listening that what I’d done wasn’t permanent. Tristan and Jared were the ones to pick us up from the airport. I guess when I’d run away, my inner circle had driven to Denver anyway so they had a way to get back to Cheyenne when this was all over. Where I’d be going though… I cut off that train of thought. One thing at a time. “So I talked to that other Omega, and he said you have to re-create the circumstances where you accidentally wiped his memory,” Tristan explained once we were in the car and driving to their house. “What?” I squeaked and glanced at him as if he’d grown another head. “We were fighting when it happened, right?” Colin asked. “Not exactly,” I answered when Tristan gave me a nod to go ahead. “You gave me head, and were trying to get me to have sex, and I blew up and said I wished you’d never laid eyes on me.” “So Colin needs to be in that same mind state.” Tristan grimaced and gave me a sympathetic smile. “Sorry, but it’s the only way it will work. You both need to be feeling what you were and then you try to reverse it.” “Well then I was turned on but were you?” I looked at Colin, and he wasn’t trying to trick me into sex, it was genuine curiosity on his face. “Yes, but I was also feeling confused and desperate,” I whispered and looked away from his now heated gaze. “I didn’t want to hurt anymore, and I lashed out at you. I’m not sure I can re-create that.”

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“You’re desperate to fix him though,” Blaine said gently, and he had a point. “What else was Colin feeling?” “Remorse for what he did. At least I think he was.” “I can feel that again.” Colin already looked like that’s what he was feeling when I glanced at him. “You seem like a great guy, Edric. I don’t remember what I did, but I still feel bad that my actions hurt you. I like you.” “Okay, we’ll try it when we get to Tristan’s.” We were silent the rest of the ride. When we pulled into the driveway and parked, Blaine and Rowan announced that they had some pack-related calls to make. I knew they didn’t have to make them right that second and they were using the calls as an excuse to give me some space with Colin. I appreciated it. The last thing I needed was an audience. Jared helped bring our bags up to one of the guest rooms and then left me alone with Colin. I was ready to shit bricks. I wasn’t feeling very sexy or wanting to be intimate with him and freaking out at the severity of the situation. “Hey, relax,” Colin said gently as he walked over toward me. “In a way, this is our first time having sex since I don’t remember the last time. We’ll just go with the flow and then you can try to give me back my memories.” “What if it doesn’t work?” I asked, voicing my worst fear. “Then we keep having sex until it does,” he purred as he ran his hands down my back. I moaned at the sensations and leaned into him. I could do this. It wasn’t that I didn’t find Colin attractive. My hardon screamed how much I wanted him. I just didn’t feel it in my heart. “You are so fucking gorgeous. I can’t believe I ever mistreated you or hurt you.” “Saying that is like throwing a bucket of cold water on me,” I whispered and tried to push him away. “I’m sorry. I won’t bring it up again.” He kissed my neck, and I tilted it back to give him better access. I yelped when he lifted me up into his arms. Colin smiled down at me as he laid me down on the bed

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and yanked off his shirt. Then he pulled a small tube of slick out of his jeans pocket. “Blaine slipped me this and said we’d need it.” “You’ve never stretched me before.” I panted with desire as he tossed it on the bed next to me and went to work on his jeans. “Then I’ll just have to figure out how you like to be touched.” “Okay,” I squeaked as he toed off his shoes while he undid mine. I helped him with the rest of my clothes, and moments later, we were completely naked with Colin between my spread legs. “Stunning,” he whispered in awe as he drank in my body with his eyes. “You are breathtaking, baby.” “Thank you. I think you’re hot, too.” I moaned when our cocks came into contact as he leaned over and licked my bottom lip. In wolf culture, even werewolf, it was a sign of submission and asked for forgiveness. I accepted and kissed him instead of rejecting the offer by biting his lip. I wasn’t sure if it was the right move based on how I was feeling, but since biting him would have stopped the sex… It’s what I needed to do. He reached for the lube and slicked up his hands as he sucked on my left nipple. I went wild, thrashing beneath him. “I guess you like that.” “I guess I do,” I whimpered, wanting more. Colin smiled widely at me and moved my leg up around his hip. Then he reached down and ran his fingers over my hole. I groaned in bliss and arched my body to him. “This was how I wanted my first time to be.” “It is our first time,” he whispered against my lips. “Nothing else matters right now besides this moment. We’re together, and I want nothing more than to worship your fine little body. If I do something you don’t like, let me know, but otherwise I want you to just enjoy the ride.” “I can do that,” I gasped as he pushed in a finger. There was the slightest burn that radiated into pleasure as he started moving his hand. “More. I need more!”

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“Whatever my baby wants.” Colin slipped in another finger and started wiggling them back and forth as I rode his digits. He went back to sucking and biting my nipples, and the next thing I knew, I came. I screamed out his name loudly as he pushed in a third finger. I thrust my hips, riding him as the waves of my orgasm slammed into me. “Beautiful.” “Oh fuck,” I cried out when he rubbed my prostate just as I was coming back down. “I came too soon, and you’re going to make me do it again.” “There’s no such thing as coming too soon.” He chuckled as he stared down at me with those gorgeous blue eyes. He hurried up the movements of his fingers, and I could tell he was as ready to slip his cock into me as I was. “I want you to enjoy this, and I’m planning on you climaxing again. Maybe even twice more.” “I’m okay with that.” I gave him a smile and then moaned when he pulled out his fingers. Colin threw my legs over his arms and lined up his dick. He glanced up at me, silently asking for permission. “Fuck me, Colin.” He groaned and pushed inside of me, slowly working his dick further into me. I hissed at the burn but moved my hips in time with him to help hurry the process. When he was finally all the way in me, he moved his arms under my shoulders and buried his face in my neck. “This is heaven. I have no other words to describe what it feels like, baby. Please tell me that this isn’t the only time I’ll experience this with you.” “I can’t promise that.” I wasn’t willing to lie, and I had no idea what the future held. “But I can’t say for sure it won’t be either.” “That’s a start at least.” He slowly pulled out of me before thrusting back in. I held on to him as I moaned in bliss. When he started picking up speed, I dug my short nails in his back. Then he slowed back down, and I started to feel desperate, wanting to finish. I quickly flipped us over so I was riding him, and he stared up at me in shock.

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“I wish you’d remember me,” I begged as I pulled his shoulders so he’d sit up. He grabbed my hips, squeezing them gently as he licked the lines of my neck. I let him help me find a rhythm since it was my first time being on top and the angle was just right that his cock nailed my sweet spot. “I want you to remember me, Colin!” “After sex,” he groaned and sank his teeth into my neck over his mating mark. I cried out as my orgasm slammed into me, shooting streams of cum all over his chest and abs. “I wish you’d remember me and how much I care for you,” I whimpered in his ear as I held on to him for dear life. What I experienced wasn’t just an orgasm, it was fucking insane. I was floating on the waves over it when Colin went stiff, and I thought he was peaking as well. When I was done and he didn’t finish, I realized he was shaking. “Colin?” “I remember.” Colin sniffled as he licked my bite closed. “I remember before and what happened since you accidently wiped my memory.” “Thank—” I started to say but then gasped when he rolled us over again. He stared down at me with tears in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Edric,” he cried as he thrust into me. “I’m so fucking sorry. Please forgive me! You are so perfect, and I’m falling for you. I want to love you, baby.” He picked up the pace, and I moaned in sheer bliss as he folded me practically in half. “I’ll do whatever it takes, I swear it. You didn’t even want me to touch you, but you still had sex with me so you could give me back my memories. You’re so wonderful, and I’m sorry I hurt you.” “Harder!” I shouted, needing more but still trying to focus on what he was saying. He slammed his dick into me and fucked me within an inch of my life. “Claim me,” he whimpered as he tilted his neck submissively. My wolf liked that. We wanted Colin to be ours and could work out the rest later. In a flash my canines came down, and I lifted my head. He cried out and filled my hole with his seed when I sank my teeth into

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his neck. Colin pumped his very essence into me as I drank down his sweet life force. When he slumped against me, I licked the bite closed and started rubbing my hard dick against him like a bitch in heat. He got the idea and reached down between our bodies and furiously stroked me. “Come for me, my mate,” he ordered, and just like that, I did. I screamed out his name, arching my back as I filled the space between us with my release. “So perfect.” I rode my orgasm and then fell back to the bed like a wet noodle when I was spent. “Wow.” I gasped for air, trying to get my heart rate to go back to normal. “Yeah,” he panted as he rolled us so I was spread out over him. We were quiet for several minutes as I lay there listening to his heart. “I am sorry, baby.” “I know you are, but I don’t know how to get past it,” I admitted honestly. “I think this was a good start though. You can’t fake emotions and desire like that.” “No you can’t,” Colin whispered and then kissed my collarbone. “I love Rowan and Blaine, I do, and I think, if I let myself, I could fall in love with them fully. But you…you I can’t live without. You’re like my heart, baby. I need you to survive. I won’t push you to forgive me because I hope it will come with time, but if you ever think of something that will help, just tell me, and I’ll do it.” What was I supposed to say to that? I wasn’t sure, but all I could think of was a simple, “Okay.” “Okay,” he replied and hugged me. He got off the bed and carried my limp body into the adjoining bathroom. Then he lovingly cleaned me, and after he dried me off, we got dressed. I was finally able to use my legs again, and we walked hand in hand downstairs to the kitchen, assuming that’s where everyone would be. “It worked,” Tristan said as we entered, probably already having read that fact from one of our minds. “Nice job.”

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“Thanks.” I felt my cheeks heat up at the praise and the fact that everyone’s eyes were on me. “Do you have the number for that Omega who can wipe memories? I’d like to talk to him and learn how to control this so I don’t accidently do this again.” “Yup.” My friend smiled brightly as he handed me a slip of paper. “He’s expecting your call tomorrow morning. His name is Reggie and he’s a great guy, much older and experienced with all sorts of gifts and how to control them.” “How come you forgave him?” Blaine asked, interrupting our conversation. I glanced over at him and realized he was staring at my hand in Colin’s. “I know you guys had to have sex to re-create the same emotions, but why forgive him and not us? He did the exact same thing we did.” “Actually he didn’t,” I growled and stepped toward my Alpha as I let go of Colin’s hand. “I was never afraid he’d hurt me. Rowan and Colin didn’t spew the same horrible shit out of their mouths as you did. And I’m trying here, Blaine. Why be pissed at me for forgiving one of you?” “I’m not,” he stuttered and then shook his head. “I am, but I shouldn’t be, but I can’t help it. I want you to forgive me. I want to be able to hold your hand and be with you, too.” “I’d think you’d be happy that I’m trying to forgive Colin because that gives me hope I can forgive you, too.” I yelled in frustration when he just stared at me and lost control of my “gift.” I threw my hands in the air and fire shot out of them…and landed right on Blaine. “No! Fuck!” He screamed as his shirt burned. Everyone started shouting and trying to help. I glanced around and quickly saw a gallon of milk on the counter. I grabbed it, opened it, and raced to him as Rowan tackled Blaine to the ground and patted out the fire. I dumped it on them as well, getting Rowan wet in the process, but I figured he could have caught on fire as well by trying to help.

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Between the two of us, we put it out, and I dropped to my knees next to Blaine as Rowan got off of him. “I didn’t mean to.” “I know, Edric,” he whispered as his body shook from the pain. “It’s okay.” “It’s so not okay,” I cried and backed away from everyone when they just kept staring at me. “How can I be mad at you for how you treated me when I keep fucking you guys up?” “Because you do it on accident, little one,” Rowan said gently. “That doesn’t make him any less burnt from what I did!” “Edric, you have to calm down,” Tristan said gently, trying to push past his men to get at me. But they all stared at me as if I was the threat in the room… And I was. I got to my feet, shaking my head, as tears ran down my cheeks. I heard someone or someones trying to talk to me, but I was too lost in my thoughts. I kept backing away until I bumped into the doors to the terrace. I quickly opened them and shifted as I turned to go outside, shredding my clothes in the process. I knew I was being an ass for burning Blaine and then running, even if I’d done it accidentally. But Tristan was right I did have to chill out. And all of them staring at me wouldn’t have helped. I needed to run. I took off, ignoring the shouts behind me. All I focused on was the feeling of my wolf being free, the ground under my paws, and how much he’d needed this. It wasn’t like I could have taken a run in Orlando at the resort, and I’d missed the last full moon run. I was way overdue. It felt like hours that I simply enjoyed the dozens of acres on the Alpha estate, but I knew it had to be about a half an hour before I was exhausted. I plopped down on my butt and shifted back, my wolf grateful for the time I’d given him. But then I was back to facing reality, and that was the last thing I wanted. I had to get past my anger and forgive them. They fucked up, Blaine especially, but they’d showed they genuinely cared about me. They dropped everything and searched for me for a week so I didn’t

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get in trouble with the High Council. Neither Colin nor Blaine were pissed at me for what I’d done to them, and Rowan was always so gentle whenever he spoke to me. I could see how he felt about me in his eyes. As if I’d conjured him up simply by thinking of him, a large wolf padded over to me with Rowan’s light brown hair and green eyes. He sat down next to me and shifted back, wrapping his arm around me. And then he started singing, “Made a wrong turn, once or twice. Dug my way out…” and he kept going until I recognized the song. Seriously? My huge, manly mate was singing P!nk’s “F**kin’ Perfect.” And the kicker? He had a sweet voice! “Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever, ever feel like you’re less than perfect,” he sang softer as he nuzzled my neck. “I can’t believe you even know that song,” I whispered as tears gathered in my eyes. I moved so I was straddling his lap, and he held my face tenderly in his hands and kept right on singing. It was then I also realized he was hard and his massive cock was right between the cheeks of my ass as if begging to be let in. “Take me.” “Wait, what?” he asked, my words throwing him off track. I answered him by mashing my mouth to his and wiggling my ass against his groin. “I didn’t come for this, little one.” “I know,” I moaned as I nipped at the cords of his neck. “That’s why I want to. You came out here to comfort me, and you did. But listening to you sing may be the hottest thing ever. I want you inside of me more than I want air.” “I can’t,” he whispered, and I could hear the pain in his voice. I leaned back enough to see his face as he stood with me in his arms. He was shaking his head, “I can’t enjoy being with you knowing you still hate me.” “I never hated you, Rowan. I was hurt, but I’ve decided I’m done with that. We all make mistakes, and you put up with a lot when I ran and now my uncontrolled powers. It means more to me than you will ever know that you came out here to comfort me, but I need more. I

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need you. I have to know you still desire me and that I haven’t scared you all off.” He stumbled a step when I said that last part. Rowan leaned in until our noses touched and growled. “Never. You will never scare me off.” And then he took off with me wrapped around the front of him. It ended up I’d circled back around the property so we weren’t very far from the house. I sucked marks up on his skin as he ran, bolting through the back door. “Lube,” he growled as he dropped to his knees and placed me on the floor. Instantly he swallowed my cock down, and I cried out. “Do we get to watch?” Jared asked, and I realized everyone was still there in the kitchen. “I don’t fucking care. Just get my man some damn slick!” I answered with a snarl. Let them watch. I just wanted Rowan inside of me. Fuck being in private. Right then someone could have filmed it and posted it to the web, and I would have still moaned in pleasure. Did I mention he had a beautiful voice that turned me on?

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Chapter 9 Someone must have gotten Rowan lube because I felt his slickedup fingers push in my ass. I was still stretched from being with Colin earlier, and I took two of them right away. “I’m ready! Fuck me already.” “As you wish, my mate.” I felt a thrill go through me. He wanted to mate me! Suddenly he flipped me over on my hands and knees as he pulled his fingers out of me. I yelped in surprise, and then my dick started to deflate as my eyes landed on Blaine…who had tears trailing down his cheeks. The pain on his face was so heart wrenching I did the only thing I could think of. “I have an opening for you, too,” I purred and then opened my mouth wide for him so there was no doubt as to what I was referring to. “Really?” He gasped. I nodded and then moaned as Rowan slammed his cock into me. Blaine didn’t waste any time. He got naked and lay down under my face so I could kiss him. I instantly took the invitation. He thrust his tongue into my mouth as Rowan pounded into my ass. I felt his hands in my hair and another set on my hips. But then I realized there were two more… Colin. He was pinching my nipples and playing with my cock. Holy shit! “I missed this,” Blaine moaned as he kissed along my neck. “It was never like this, Blaine.” I didn’t mean to sound like a dick, but this wasn’t how we’d been before they fucked up. “Amen to that. This is way better than last time,” Rowan grunted. He was taking me so hard and fast I could barely hold myself up.

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Finally I gave up and collapsed my upper body on Blaine who seemed more than thrilled to have more contact with me. “I meant that we want each other again,” he mumbled, and I got what he was saying then. “Yeah, I missed that, too,” I whispered and was rewarded with a bright smile. He moved under me enough so that he could get naked, and then Rowan lifted me to sprawl all over our Alpha. “Much better than the floor.” “Glad I could be of service.” Blaine gave me a wink and then rubbed his dick against mine now that Colin had moved his hand. I gasped as my orgasm slammed into me with the force of a train. And then it started again, harder this time when Rowan bit me. He roared out his release, thrusting deep inside of me as he filled me. “So fucking hot.” I couldn’t give him more than a grunt in reply as my cum landed all over him. Rowan pulled me up against his chest when he was done, licking his bite closed. “Thank you, baby.” “Thank you,” I panted and turned my head enough to get a kiss. “Promise you’ll sing for me again?” “Now that I know it turns you on like this. Fuck yeah.” He chuckled and then slanted his mouth over mine. He pulled out of me as we kissed, but then I was filled right back up I realized they had moved me onto Blaine’s cock, and I was about to go for another ride. Nice! “How do you want it?” Blaine asked me hesitantly when I was focused back on him. “On the table, legs spread in the air, begging for everything you got.” His eyes went wide at my answer, but then a feral grin spread on his lips. Yeah, he liked it. “Anything our mate wants,” he purred as he got to his feet, me still attached to his cock. “You, too?” I whispered as my heart soared. “You want to be my mate as well?”

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“I think I have since the moment I met you,” he whispered against my lips as he laid me on the table. I spread my legs wide and he moved them over his shoulders. “Make love to me.” I changed my mind after his declaration. I didn’t want hard and kinky anymore, I wanted him to show me how he felt. “Music to my ears.” He stood up straight, changing the angle as he held my ankles in his hands. I wasn’t sure I understood how we could make love in that position, but when he stared intently at where our bodies were joined I got it. Blaine moved in long, slower thrusts that pushed him deep inside of me. Every movement rubbed against my prostate and my eyes practically rolled back into my head. It was fan-fucking-tastic. Then when we were both getting close he lowered my legs and leaned back over me. I growled in approval when he tilted his neck so I could bite him. My canines grew into my wolf teeth as I licked his neck. “Make me yours, baby.” And I did. I bit him, and he went wild. He thrust into me hard enough to move me up the table as he roared out his release. I moaned as his seed mixed in with Rowan’s inside of me. They filled me up until I was overflowing. I could only imagine how I looked on the table with excess cum leaking out of my ass. The next thing I knew he was on the table and I was on top of him, but his cock was being removed from me. “Got the strength for one more round?” “Always.” I giggled and gave Colin a wink. He moaned as he leaned me over Blaine and pushed inside of me. I cried out at the slight sting in my ass after how it had already been used. “You okay?” Blaine asked gently as he held my face in his hands. I nodded and placed my hands on either side of his head. The angle I was at made my sac and cock rub against his even though it was Colin fucking me. “You’re so gorgeous.”

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“Really?” I couldn’t help but blush at the compliment since they’d all said it now. Part of me wanted to puff out my chest and preen at their praise, but that wasn’t my style. “Absolutely,” Colin answered as he kissed my shoulder. “Blaine and Rowan are hot, sexy, built men. I’d never deny that, but you’re breathtaking. I love your slim hips, tight ass, lean abs and chest, perfect nipples, and plush lips. You’re beautiful.” “Thank you,” I said over my shoulder and then ducked my head. I couldn’t believe they were saying all this about little ol’ me. “I agree fully,” Rowan said as he moved closer to us, reaching out and tracing my hip bone. “I think you should always run around in those little swim trunks you had on in Orlando. I’ve never been so turned on as when I saw your hip bones poking out and the tops of your firm ass peeking out of those shorts.” “Oh yeah,” Colin moaned and started thrusting even faster. “So just put those on any time I want sex.” I grunted out each word, unable to talk normally with the way my mate was taking me. “Fuck,” all three of them groaned and Blaine got hard under me again. “I take that as yes.” I saw Rowan and Blaine both nod as Colin nipped my ear. “We’ll come a-runnin’ for you then, baby,” he said. “Now come for me.” My eyes went wide as my body instantly listened to my mate. Holy shit! I’d been kind of close but then my climax sideswiped me. I screamed until I was hoarse as I rode the waves of bliss. I heard Colin give a guttural moan right before he filled my overflowing hole. I flopped down on Blaine without any grace or care besides being completely, utterly, and totally spent. I blinked several times as I gasped for air when I realized what I was looking at. Jared. Jared bent over the other side of the table with a spent Tristan slumped over his back. Rowan must have followed my gaze and started laughing. “Yeah, they enjoyed the show, too.”

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“Fuck yeah,” Jared groaned as Tristan sat down on one of the chairs and pulled his mate with him. “I love it when my little Omega goes wild.” “I’ll give you little,” Tristan growled. It was a common joke they made considering Tristan had started out at my size and one of his gifts ended up being super strength even for a werewolf. But with that he grew massive, bigger than anyone in his inner circle. “Besides, we weren’t the only ones.” He nodded to the other side of the table where Rhyce and Cameron were slumped over the table as well, Rhyce on top and Cameron on his back. “He started it,” Cameron mumbled. “Yeah, you’re so abused.” Rhyce snickered. “Pervs, all of you.” I giggled. “Absolute perverts.” “Oh yeah, we weren’t the ones who fell through our back door yelling for lube and to be fucked,” Tristan threw back with a raised brow. “Fair enough.” I gave him a shit-eating grin, happy with my performance. “But I did take on all three of them while you guys paired up.” “Umm, you missed our first round.” Jared laughed. “I started with Cameron and we switched.” “I still took on three,” I replied with a shrug. “You up for one more, honey?” Tristan asked Cameron. “I could use your cock.” “Whatever my love wants,” he answered. We all burst into peals of laughter. I’d laid down the challenge…pun intended. And they lived up to it. Nice we could all be pervs together. Not really, but it was fun to tease each other about it. **** “We need to leave now,” Blaine said as he shook me awake the next morning.

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“What? Why?” I asked as I rubbed my eyes. “Your uncle Ken just invaded our pack.” I could see the anger in his eyes, but it wasn’t directed at me. Either way I felt horrible because I knew why my uncle would do that and what he wanted. Me. “That mother fucker needs to die,” I snarled as I leapt out of bed. “What?” Colin gasped, already dressed. “I’m tired of his shit, and while I wasn’t close to my parents, it’s his fault they’re dead.” “Back up and repeat that one?” Rowan asked as he froze in the middle of packing our bags. “My parents were killed in wolf form by some hunters,” I explained as I pulled on my jeans. “Technically he wasn’t responsible, but he sent just the two of them to investigate hunters on pack grounds. There were way more than he’d told them, and the right move would have been to remove them in human form. Not send two wolves to deal with the threat. The hunters had no clue my parents were shifters, and they weren’t able to get away before shifting and dying.” “But you think your uncle set them up?” Blaine asked as he glanced at his Betas. “Don’t you?” He nodded as I pulled on my shirt and slipped on my shoes. “Can you prove it?” “Nope, but my parents weren’t Betas or enforcers. Why send them? My dad, for all of his faults, was loyal as could be to his brother and our pack. But this all went down months before I came of age. I think it was perfect timing for my uncle to try and get what he wanted.” “Is that why your parents set up their will so you’d get everything instead of your uncle who should have been your guardian?” Colin asked, and I stumbled, looking over at him.

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“I never thought of that. But now that you mentioned it, that does make sense. I never noticed my uncle ever acting weird around me, but my parents kept me from him. Then again, they sheltered me from everyone, but they’d always send me to my room if my uncle came over. Maybe they knew?” I don’t know, baby,” Blaine said gently as he pulled me into his arms. “Is your uncle even gay?” “No,” I snorted and shook my head. “He fucking hates gays. He doesn’t want me; he wants access to more power. I was just easy since I didn’t have parents anymore. He couldn’t have known I’d turn to Tristan and the Omega Network. Uncle Ken always thought me to be that passive, go-with-the-flow type of Omega.” “Has he met you?” Rowan laughed as he picked up a few of the bags while Colin got the others. “I honestly hadn’t seen him in years before I had to go live with him.” They all gaped at me with their mouths hanging open. “I know it’s strange since he was our Alpha, but I think we just filled in the why of that. My parents were trying to protect me for once.” “Well, let’s go avenge them and save our pack,” Blaine said firmly. I couldn’t agree more. We quickly loaded up Colin’s SUV and started to say our good-byes. “You think we’re letting you go in alone?” Tristan growled and eyed us over. “Idiots. We’re coming, too. We’ll follow you.” “Thank you,” Blaine replied with a smile. “I had a feeling you’d say that.” We got in the vehicles and took off. It was a tense inside, and no one even bothered trying to make small talk. Blaine drove our car and Jared the other. I found my mind wandering and wondering if driving was an Alpha thing… Like the remote control of the TV women always joked men needed to control. Either way, it was something to think about besides what we’d be walking into. I was amazed and grateful how quickly the drive went,

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and we didn’t get pulled over since I knew we were going over a hundred miles an hour. “We’ve got problems,” Colin growled as we pulled up to their Alpha house. I looked over his shoulder from the back seat and saw we had a welcoming party waiting. Shit! There were at least twentyfive big werewolves waiting. Uncle Ken was standing there as well. What, did we send up a flare that we’d be there soon? How had they known? “Stay behind me,” Rowan told me as we got out of the SUV. His tone brooked no argument, and I wasn’t about to go racing into a fight when I was the twerp of the group. “Sign Edric’s contract over to me and no one has to get hurt,” my uncle announced. So much for the niceties. He was never a patient man. “I have two words to that,” Blaine growled, and Ken raised an eyebrow. “Fuck. You.” “They can’t sign over the contract even if they wanted to,” Tristan said calmly. “They’ve mated your nephew.” “Fucking fags,” my uncle sneered in disgust. “Then why do you want me?” I asked, needing to know. “You thought it was ever about sex?” He laughed. “You were always stupid. I don’t have to fuck you, just someone in the inner circle has to, and we can all gain your power. And you’re not just an Omega, dumbass.” “Then what is he?” Blaine shot right back. “His gifts started after we activated them by the claiming ceremony.” “No they didn’t.” My uncle shook his head as he chuckled as if this was the funniest joke ever. “His parents hired a witch to bind his power until after he turned twenty-one because he was too powerful and dangerous.” He looked straight at me. “Think back. You know what I’m talking about, Edric.” I felt my knees give out as I realized what he meant. Rowan caught me before I hit the ground. “No. It can’t be.”

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“Yes, my little fire starter.” He snickered. “They said that fire was because of faulty wiring in the house,” I whispered as my eyes filled up with tears. “My mom almost died in that fire. I didn’t know.” “Ahh but your mother wasn’t really your mother, now was she?” Well fuck me sideways! “Which of your parents actually ever seemed to care about you?” “My dad,” I answered, not even having to think about it. “Mom couldn’t stand me and didn’t even try to hide it.” “Because you were not her son,” Ken said with glee and rubbed his hands together. “You were born from a witch and your father. The witch died giving birth to you, which means you absorbed her power plus what you were born with. And then when you turned out to be an Omega…” He spread his hands out as if to say “ta-da!” “I’m part witch,” I parroted, trying to take this all in. “Yes, dear, sweet, dumb boy.” He tsked as if I’d answered some basic math question wrong. “You always had the best toys, but your parents never bought you them. How did you think you got them?” “I was just a kid,” I yelled back, tired of him making me feel dumb. “And that laptop last year?” He raised an eyebrow and several pieces fell into place. “I thought they gave it to me but didn’t want to admit they were being nice to me,” I whispered and patted Rowan’s arm that I was fine. He let me go, and I took a step toward my uncle. “So the plan was to have your Betas fuck me and you’d get strong. So what? Any Omega could give you that.” “Ahh but being part witch would have us gain those powers and gifts as well.” He turned agitated then. “Enough talk. You’re coming with us. The only question is whether your men need to die in the process.” “Don’t, Edric,” Tristan said quickly, and I knew he’d read Ken’s mind. “We’re dead either way along with this whole pack. We’re all

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witnesses that could go to the High Council. He already has some bullshit story ready to tell them.” “Guess you can read minds,” Ken growled as his hands balled into fists. “Fine, you’re all dead. Give me Edric, and I promise to make it quick and painless. You fight and he could die in the process.” They all started shouting, and I felt something snap inside of me, a rage that I couldn’t control if I’d wanted to. My hands burst into flames like that guy in the movie Fantastic Four, and just like that, I knew how to control it. I also realized something else I could do. This was going to be fun! “Edric, don’t even try it,” my uncle said gently as if I was a scared animal. He went pale along with some of his gang. “You don’t know how to control it and could kill everyone here.” “You already said the men I love and my friends were going to die. So what do I have to lose besides taking you with us?” I gave an evil laugh when his mouth dropped open. In a flash, I threw enough fire to cut off his men from Ken and us. Then I walked forward and imagined my uncle’s heart in my palm. I watched as he clutched his chest and fell to his knees as I squeezed my hand. “You shouldn’t have told me I had all these neat tricks and then pissed me off. It was like lighting the dynamite, pun intended.” “I’m your family,” he gasped. “No!” I screamed and struck his face from thirty feet away. I hadn’t even meant to do that, but the huge gash on his cheek said otherwise. “These people are my family. They love me and are the best friends anyone could ever have. You are nothing compared to them and whether she was my birth mother or not, you took away the only parents I knew.” “I–I—” “Admit it!” “Fine, yes, I sent them in knowing they could die,” he cried out. That was all I needed to hear. I pulled at the imaginary heart I had in

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my hand and watched as my Uncle Ken’s real one ripped out of his chest and landed about ten feet away from him. His eyes went wide, and he collapsed to the ground. “You have two choices,” I said to the other men who’d come with him. “You can end up like my uncle or give it up and go home.” “We want no part of this,” one man at the front said, and I realized he was human. “We were hired and told this was a rescue mission. Ken said you were taken against your will and being held prisoner. I don’t know what he thought we’d do when we found out otherwise, but we’re hired security and ex-special ops. Not assassins and thugs.” “Fine, then leave and forget you were ever here,” I said firmly as I put out the flames, setting them free. “Wait,” Blaine called out and stepped forward. “Are any of my people hurt?” “No, sir,” the same man answered. “The house staff we rounded up and locked in the entertainment room that has the bathroom and kitchenette. No one else has approached the house, and they were all unharmed.” “Then you may leave.” He had a point. If they had hurt little old Dolly, then these weren’t good guys either. “They’re telling the truth,” Tristan said quietly to us. Blaine nodded, and I started to hyperventilate. “Baby, calm down,” Rowan said gently as Colin tried to hug me. I pushed them away, suddenly feeling closed in. “I’m a witch. I killed Kenny. I’m part witch. My mom wasn’t my mom. I set that house fire.” I gasped in between each statement, my world swirling. Black spots formed in front of my eyes and then my world went black. Well that was one way to deal with the news. Fainting always helped. Sure it did.

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Chapter 10 Over the next week, a lot of things changed in my life, all for the better. Tristan had contacted the High Council and asked for my birth records since there were none in my parents’ belongings. It was required of all werewolves to submit the paperwork to them when they fathered a child. Sure enough, my real mother was a witch. Blaine contacted someone from her coven, a very nice woman named Helen. While only men could be werewolves, the same could not be said for witches. So it turned out I was half witch but still a full werewolf. Strange, I know, but I don’t write the rules. Helen came out to Cheyenne to stay with us a while, and I found out that she’d been best friends with my mother. I started training with her and talking with the Omega, Reggie, because my ability to remove people’s memories is a werewolf thing. Hard to keep all of it straight. My men were crazy supportive and seriously were there every time I turned around. I think they thought I was suppressing what I’d done to my uncle and would eventually freak out or something. I wasn’t going to. I was shocked I did it so easily and without a single thought in my head that I shouldn’t. But I don’t regret it. The man sent his own brother, my father, to his death for power. Yeah, that fucker so had to die, and I was fine with being the one to do it. “Whatcha thinkin’ about?” Colin asked gently as he walked into the kitchen. I’d been staring out the back windows into the yard, lost in thought. I smiled at him over my shoulder, letting him know I wasn’t practicing my gifts.

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We’d learned early on that when I was focusing was not the time to distract me. There might have been a slight incident where I accidentally burned Rowan’s jeans off when he’d run his hand up my thigh while I was working on my powers. Luckily I hadn’t hurt him, not a single singe on him…only the jeans were burnt to ash. Who knew my powers could be kinky, too? “I don’t regret killing Ken,” I answered honestly. Colin’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline, and I knew I’d shocked him. “He was a bad man who was going to kill you guys, the pack, and our friends. Yeah, maybe I should have let him live and had someone take him to jail, but that never ends well. The bad guy always escapes somehow, and the threat is always there, and blah, blah, blah. He was bad and probably would have been sentenced to death by the High Council.” “Smart and sexy,” Rowan purred as he walked in the kitchen with Blaine. “I was hungry and thought it was time for lunch, but now I want something else.” “Me to bite you again?” I asked as I let my canines drop down. He might have been the last one I claimed, but we’d all found out that Rowan was really, really into biting. He fucking loved it! And yes, they all had claimed each other. We hadn’t all said the three little words yet, but it was coming, and I knew we all felt it. We just had to stop being stupid men and realize it ourselves. “Depends if you have that plug in like you promised.” He moved in a flash and had his hands down the back of my jeans. “Oh, such a good mate.” He wiggled it around, and I moaned as I leaned into him. “Time for all of us to fill you at once.” “Yes, please,” I whimpered. Rowan swooped me up into his arms, and we all headed up to Blaine’s room. Which was now our room. Sure I had my own room really for storage and whatnot but we all slept in this room every night with the oversized bed that could fit four adults.

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“Are you sure you want to try this?” Colin asked as they undressed me after sitting on the bed. “We were all hard as nails after watching that dirty video where the guy got double stuffed,” I answered. “We’ll try it, and if I don’t like it or it hurts, we’ll do something else. But I want two of you in my ass and one in my mouth. I just think Rowan should be in my mouth because I don’t think anyone else could fit in me with his dick in there.” I winced when I realized I was saying Blaine and Colin were small enough to do it though. “No worries.” Blaine chuckled as he pulled his shirt off over his head. “We all know Rowan’s a freak with his third leg.” “Yeah, but you love it in your ass,” Rowan growled and then gave me a wink. “You know I do, my mate,” Blaine purred. He launched himself on the bed next to me when he was naked. “I call bottom.” I moved quickly and straddled his hips. “Then hold that gorgeous cock out for me.” He nodded, licking his lips as I reached back and pulled out the extra-large butt plug I’d been wearing all day. I lowered myself onto him, and we both groaned. “My turn,” Colin said fiercely, and I could hear the need in his voice. I leaned over Blaine, giving him as much access to my ass as I could without Blaine’s dick sliding out of me. I gasped when Colin slide in three fingers along with Blaine’s cock to see if I was ready. “Okay?” “Yes, shit yes!” I cried out, wanting more. It was the craziest, fullest, most wonderful feeling and I wanted more. “Fuck me, please!” “I do love it when he begs.” He chuckled as he pulled his fingers out. I gasped in pleasure as he slowly worked his dick into my ass. When he was seated all the way, Blaine and Colin both held my hips. I wanted to move, but I knew I needed to adjust to their dicks stretching me.

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Joyee Flynn

“Gimmie,” I said to Rowan and opened my mouth wide. He smiled, cupping my cheek as he moved his knees on either side of Blaine’s head. I took the head of his massive cock in my mouth and sucked on him hard, knowing he loved it. “You join us all together, baby,” he whispered, and I knew he didn’t just mean with my body right at that moment. “We love you, Edric.” I stared at him with wide eyes, as Colin leaned over me and whispered in my ear, “It’s true. We love you so much. And maybe this isn’t the most romantic time to tell you, but we thought the symbolisms spoke volumes.” I grunted my agreement and started moving my body to get across the idea I was ready. Blaine chuckled, and I looked down at him, barely able to see him with Rowan straddling his face. “We do love you. I think we’ve always loved you.” “Me, too,” I said, but it so didn’t come out that way with the cock I had in my mouth. Rowan got the idea and pulled out of my mouth. “I love you guys, too. All three of you so much. I want this, us, always.” “Anything our baby wants.” Rowan chuckled as I opened my mouth back up. And they gave me exactly what I wanted. Amazing kinky sex with all three of them filling me and even better…their hearts. Hell, I even came twice before any of them finished once. They all seemed to be thrilled with it and that I made them promise we’d do it again. As soon as possible. Because like every second since I’d met them, all of them filling me up was one hell of a ride. I was one lucky Omega.

THE END WWW.JOYEEFLYNN.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joyee Flynn grew up in Chicago living in the same house all her life until she went left for college. Though she has a great life, she loves to get lost in fantasy that only books could bring. Her wide interest in reading was reflected in her writings. Currently Joyee lives with her dog, Marius, named after a vampire from Ann Rice’s Interview with the Vampire series. She dreams of one day living out in Montana, enough land to have a few horses, and find a couple of cowboys of her own. A lover of men, Joyee’s all about them in any form in her books. Vampire, werewolf, military, doesn’t matter at all as long as they are hot, hard, and sex fiends!

Also by Joyee Flynn Ménage Amour ManLove: Resistant Omegas 1: Tristan Ménage Amour ManLove: Resistant Omegas 2: Carson

For all other titles, please visit www.bookstrand.com/joyee-flynn

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