Chapter Fifty Two. 🌶🌶

The house is quiet, the scent of coffee drifting from the kitchen as I stretch beneath the covers.

My body is pleasantly sore, a reminder of last night—the way Theo had taken me, the way he needed to ground himself in us after everything he’d done. His mark throbs slightly, a dull ache tugging, letting me know he's gone, out. Probably for the day.

I shift, reaching across the nest, but the space is empty, just me.

With a sigh, I slip out of bed, tugging on one of Micahs shirts before padding barefoot down the hallway. The warm glow of early morning filters through the curtains, casting long shadows against the walls.

I find Micah curled up in the living room, tucked into the corner of the couch, a mug of coffee cradled between his hands. Callum sits beside him, legs crossed, his fingers lazily tracing patterns into Micah’s thigh. They both look up when I step into the room.

“Morning,” Micah hums, setting his coffee down and reaching for me.

I let him pull me into his lap, tucking myself against his warmth as his fingers find my hips. His scent is comforting, familiar, but beneath it, there’s something else—something deeper.

I tilt my head, watching him. “You’re thinking about something.”

Micah huffs a quiet laugh. “A lot of things.” His hands skim up my back, fingertips ghosting over the fabric of his shirt. “But mostly you.”

Callum makes a noise of amusement, leaning his chin on Micah’s shoulder. “You gonna ask her, or just keep staring at her like a lovesick pup?”

I raise a brow. “Ask me what?”

Micah glares halfheartedly at Callum before shaking his head, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. “I was just thinking… I want to mark you.”

A slow warmth spreads through my chest.

Micah’s voice is quiet, almost hesitant. “I know it’s not the same as Theo and Elias, but—”

I cut him off before he can finish, cupping his face between my hands. “I want that.”

His breath hitches.

Callum watches us, his blue eyes steady, knowing.

Micah swallows, searching my face. “You do?”

I nod. “You and I, we’ve always been connected. I asked first remember? You don’t need to ask, Micah. I’m yours. And you’re mine.”

Something shifts in his expression—relief, longing, something possessive and sweet all at once.

“I don’t want to wait,” he murmurs, tilting his head so his nose brushes against my throat. “Let me do it now.”

My pulse stutters.

Now?

Callum slides off the couch, giving us space, but his gaze lingers on Micah, something protective in the way he watches him.

Though it turns warm as he looks at me, understanding.

Micah shifts me in his lap, angling my neck just so, his breath warm against my skin. He presses a lingering kiss over Theo’s mark before moving lower, to the untouched space where his own claim will go.

“I’ll be gentle,” he promises.

I nod, knowing there would never be a time he wouldn't be.

threading my fingers through his hair.

The first scrape of his teeth sends a shiver down my spine.

The second, a soft press of pressure.

And then, finally, he bites.

A sharp sting blooms into warmth, and I gasp, gripping onto him as my body trembles. His scent flares around me, thick and intoxicating, and I feel it—the bond, solidifying, deepening, something primal and right.

A bonding of Omegas.

Micah lets out a low, satisfied hum as he licks over the mark, soothing the ache.

I exhale shakily, leaning into him, into the safety of his arms.

“Perfect,” he murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to my jaw.

I smile against his skin, my heart thudding steady and sure.

“Yeah,” I whisper. “You are.”

I take his lips in a searing kiss, feeling the undeniable hardness beneath me. Our mouths remain locked as I shift us, teasingly pulling him out of his sweatpants before I sink down on top of him, with nothing between us.

He breaks the kiss with a soft whimper, eyes twisted shut, and I can feel the surge of his pleasure mingling with my own—a silent language of need and affection.

I capture his lips again, then trail gentle kisses over his sweet face as I rock back and forth, our rhythms syncing perfectly.

When our mouths meet once more, a quick, fiery passion ignites within him.

Suddenly, he flips me onto my back, reclaiming me with a determined urgency. His tongue plunges into my mouth, taking me as he never has before—claiming me in his own unmistakable way.

I surrender to the sensation with a breathless giggle and a moan, letting the intensity of our union carry us both into our shared, undeniable ecstasy.

~~~

The afternoon drifts by in a haze of warmth and laughter, the three of us tangled together on the couch, giggling over nothing and everything. It feels light—easy like it has before.

When Callum steps into the kitchen to make dinner, we exchange quiet glances, trying not to make a big deal out of it. But we feel it. The weight of the moment. The relief. He’s cooking. He’s here. And even though we’re all emotional, we pretend we aren’t, savoring every bite of the meal only Callum can make.

Theo returns home just as we’re finishing, stepping through the door with that sharp, assessing gaze—like he’s scanning the room, making sure we’re all safe before he relaxes. Elias joins us not long after, descending the stairs with eyes dark and hungry, though I can’t tell if it’s for food or something more.

None of us make it upstairs that night. Instead, we pull down blankets and pillows, stacking them into a soft, haphazard nest in the middle of the lounge room. It’s instinct, comfort, love—all of it.

Curled up together, surrounded by warmth and steady heartbeats, the tension of the past few weeks melts away. We rest, wrapped in each other, content.

~~~

Hi! Hello! Hey!

Bit of a shorter one after a long wait. My apologies, I have been finishing up my studies so my brain power has been going elsewhere as of the moment. Plus illness and well here we are.

More to come soon!

As always thank you for reading, voting and adding Ivy to your reading lists. I appreciate you all 🥲

Lots of love! 💗