Everyone gets to work. Memphis promises to come back when they’ve found the ideal place to settle in, and Camden tells me the right kind of tree to look for. I’ll tag them with the yellow rope, then he’ll take his ax to them.
While I search for trees with thick, low-hanging branches, I think about Brooklyn’s bond. I suspect we could speed things along significantly if we bonded with her ourselves. Our bonds would be strong and fresh, driven by true connection between souls and minds. They could be much more powerful, to the point that they’d override Grayson’s faded bond to the point that it vanished completely.
The idea of bonding Brooklyn right now makes my cock harden. I’m dying to sink my teeth into her gorgeous neck and mark her as mine, permanently.
But it’s not the right time.
Strong bursts of emotion travel through bonds. There’s a chance that the moment we claim her, Grayson will sense it. Then he’ll know exactly what we’re doing, and our whole plan is moot. It’s too big of a risk to take.
Brooklyn told us that she wanted to be a part of every conversation about what we do next, but I’m wary of even mentioning the idea to her. She had a bond forced on her once, and it practically destroyed her. I don’t want her to feel pressured to do it ever again, even if it’s for her own good.
No. When Brooklyn bonds with me, it’ll be because she wants me. Because she plans to be part of my pack forever.
I won’t let anything compromise that choice.
THIRTY
—
B R O O K L Y N
I wake up feeling warm and safe. I’ve got piles of blankets on top of me, comforting smells all around. The only thing that could make this better is one of the Alphas kissing me awake. Normally, I can count on at least one of them to be cuddling me by morning. Today, I’ve only got my own body heat warming me.
Reluctantly, I open my eyes, only to find that I’m the only one in the shelter. I slept in late, again. Memphis says I sleep so much because my body needs the rest. Camden just calls me lazybones whenever he’s out of bed before me.
With Camden’s help, we built a pretty cozy shelter. We would have done just fine staying in the tents, but frankly, Cam and I were too excited about the chance to build something with a fellow wilderness architecture nerd. Memphis and Denver were all too ready to go off and hunt while we scavenged for materials.
The end product isn’t the log cabin I imagined, but we don’t need walls that solid in the summer, anyway. It’s a wooden frame with pine branches tied into long panels. The ceiling is made of a white tarp that lets sunlight filter through during the day, and high enough that even Cam, the tallest, doesn’t have to duck.
We’ve been here for almost a week now. Denver occasionally radios my father, inventing some new reason why I managed to escape them. A grizzly bear got between us, or a mudslide took a path out. The version of me the Alphas can’t catch has survived a series of natural disasters, including a bridge going out from under her and getting caught swimming through some rapids. The last story had Memphis giving Denver a lecture on embellishing his stories too much.
I sprawl out, enjoying a few last lazy minutes in my nest. I put it together from everything soft that I could find, from blankets to sweatshirts to even some fluffy moss I took off a rock. If I were back in civilization, I’d have more sheets and blankets to work with, but I don’t mind. I’ll take any excuse to grab one of Denver’s huge hoodies, and if it’s for my nest, he has trouble saying no.
The scent of sizzling meat makes my nostrils flare, and suddenly I’ve got a reason to get out of bed. Breakfast.
I find Memphis stirring the frying pan over our fire pit. I come up behind him, wrapping my arms around his trim waist and burying my face in his back.
“Morning, sunshine,” he says, his voice low and throaty. “We’ve got wild turkey and berries for breakfast. Maybe some instant coffee if you ask nicely.”
“I always ask nicely. My manners are perfect,” I tease. I give him a final squeeze, then grab my plate and fork. Memphis serves me up some turkey slices, but as soon as he’s given me the last one, I feel the plate tugged from my hands.
“For me?” Camden says, grinning. “Thanks, baby.”
I roll my eyes, but I don’t bother trying to ask for it back. Camden regularly steals my breakfast as revenge for stealing his shirts, according to him. It’s pointless to remind him that he loves seeing me wear them anyway.
Taking Cam’s plate instead, I get more turkey from Memphis and berries from the bowl I filled while gathering yesterday. When I bite into my turkey, I can’t help my groan of satisfaction. It’s so juicy and fresh, seasoned with the salt and pepper Memphis was smart enough to bring.
Immediately, I realize Memphis is staring at me, lust burning in his dark eyes.
“I love that little noise of yours,” he murmurs. I feel my cheeks heating, and I press my thighs together as I feel slick gathering at my center. This man knows how to undo me with words alone. I love his dirty mouth, even though sometimes I wish he’d spend more time using his mouth on my body instead of just talking.
Since I told the Alphas the truth, they’ve kept a respectful distance. Too respectful. There’s cuddling and kissing, stolen moments with each of them. But whenever I’m ready to ask for more, they pull away.
I know they’re waiting for the right time. When they knotted me before, it was to relieve my heat symptoms, nothing more. The next time is going to be different. Now, they know I belong to them. It’s the first time they’ll take me knowing that I’m their Omega. I’m grateful that they want to make it special for me.
I’m also so horny I can barely think half the time.
The tension between us is so high that even a light hand on my back makes my heart pound. Sometimes, Memphis and Camden sneak off by themselves, and I know that Camden’s helping him keep his desire in check. The thought of Cam’s mouth on Memphis’s cock, their two hard bodies intertwined, makes me so wet that I’ve had to make myself come more than once. They’re each so masculine and beautiful. The image of them together is almost too much to take.