31. CAMILA

Chapter thirty-one

CAMILA

Sasha's heat continued for another two days; our Omega coherent during some moments more than others. However, by early Sunday morning, I'm spent. I can barely feel my body as I lay on my side, a mass of limbs tangling around me so that I can't move. Amiri's bite helped me keep sane over the last 48 hours but I'm starting to lose my sanity just lying here, letting my thoughts run wild.

"Come on, love. I got you." I don't protest as Kolsen scoops me up into his arms and stalks across the hall into Sasha's other nest. The lack of scents and sex relax me, a mild breather that I didn't know I needed. "How are you feeling?" He lays down and then pulls me on top of him. The heat from his body is like a warm hug as I press my cheek against his chest. His hands start running up and down my back, soothing me back to sleep before I jolt awake.

"Why didn't you bite me?" My words are slurred but there's no doubt that he heard me .

"Wasn't sure if you wanted both of us. Amiri will always be that anchor in your mind. My brand is a little more chaotic and rough. There are downsides to being my mate, love."

I scrunch up my face and prop my head up on his chest to look at him. He's not wearing his patch, as he hasn't for most of the heat, showing off the entirety of his scar. If Kolsen is only talking about what happened with Sasha, I don't understand why he's worried.

Kolsen lets out a heavy sigh as he continues to massage my back. "I am very protective of my mates, Camila. Maybe too protective. I react faster than I can think but I won't apologize for it. Not with that incident regarding Teo and definitely not the one where I rescued Sasha. That chaotic, animalistic version of me will always be present. If we're bonded, you'll feel it. You might even channel it at times. I want you to have that choice."

"I don't get it. I saw you with Teo and had it been anywhere else, I would have wanted you to dig your fingers in a little deeper. Sasha told me that you love hard and you protect harder. I can't be mad at that, Kol. No one else has done that for me." I'm definitely a little twisted with wanting Kolsen or Amiri to deliver on one of their threats to Teo but that's a later issue. "You can't possibly think I don't want you."

"Those aren't the only times, Camila. I-"

I sit up, straddling his waist to catch his attention. His hands fall to my hips as I stare into that expressive blue eye. "Do you want me? Even though I dick-punched and throat-punched my ex-Alpha? I also slapped him. I've been disrespectful to Alphas, yelling at my father and-"

"What the fuck? No. You stood up for yourself, Camila. You were perfect."

I raise an eyebrow, laughing as Kolsen's expression morphs into anger that I would think such things about myself. "Kol, it's the same for you. I was standing up for myself. You were protecting the things you loved. Maybe we can find a less violent way for you to release that anger but I can't fault you for it. I'll never fault you for keeping me safe. Ever. " I lean down and kiss him, wanting him to truly understand that I'm not going anywhere.

I'm strung out and tired but I need his bite and I want it now. I don't want to wait any longer because forever isn't guaranteed. We both have our doubts and our anxieties but they aren't with each other or this pack. "Bite me, Alpha. Make me yours."

"I'm not fucking you right now, love. We're both too tired and I don't want to hurt you." I'm about to argue when he slips a hand into my hair to keep me within inches of his lips. "But I will make you mine. Sasha is right. I think we've been waiting for you without knowing just who you were. Well, I think Ames knew but no more waiting." He angles my neck to the side, lips grazing over my shoulder before his teeth sink into my skin.

A whimper pulls from my lips as the pain turns to euphoria and I relax against his chest, content to let my Alpha cement the bond. It's a strange feeling at first, this chaotic darkness barreling toward me before it mixes with Amiri's calm control. Sasha is a little more distant than the other two because we can't be truly bonded but the sensation is perfect. "I can feel you, Kol."

"You as well, love. You are definitely sunshine to my darkness. Goddess, you're going to be addicting." He wraps an arm around my back and pulls me to rest against his side before flipping me over so that my back is against his chest. Then his lips dip to his bite, nursing it the same way Amiri did the past few days. I don't remember much of it, lost to Sasha's heat nearly the same way he was but the warmth filling my body as Kolsen sucks on his bite has my lids closing. "We have a few hours before we have to get up. "

"For what?"

"That lovely luncheon you set up. Besides Ethan deserves to see your mother too."

I groan, wanting to cancel. There's no way I will have the energy to walk anywhere. Fortunately, I'm too tired to fight as I fall asleep in my Alpha's arms.

I didn't sleep nearly long enough but my stomach is rumbling and if I don't scarf down something, I'll scream. Untangling myself from Kolsen's arms was an absolute chore but I managed before fleeing to the kitchen. There are several options from the takeout over the last few days so I settle on Sprite and a few egg rolls. I wander into the guest bedroom with my canvas, staring at the finished portrait. Those few hours had brought the creativity back and I can't wait to delve into more once things aren't as crazy.

I dig through my bags that were dropped in here just before Sasha's heat and find something to slip on. As much as I love waltzing around the house naked, we have to get ready to leave the house. My mind wanders as I snatch my phone off the floor in the living room where I had dropped it and return to the room to plug it in. Surprisingly, it's hanging on by 1% and when the screen lights up with a new text, I see that there are several missed messages and calls.

All from the same damn number.

Teo's name runs across the screen and I sigh, taking a seat on the bed and picking up. For him to be calling at 6 am on a Sunday, things have to be serious. "What?"

"Finally, one of you pick up. You'd think you were avoiding the situation. Settle the damn case, Camila. You can't ruin my life just because you didn't take up my offer to be my pack Beta. What's it going to take to close the case?" Teo isn't just angry. He's furious and I can hear the growl in his voice. Fortunately for me, after hearing what Kolsen sounds like angry, Teo doesn't really bother me.

"Money is such an easy way to close it, Teo and I don't want to do that. You need to understand that it's more than I just didn't accept your proposal. You've harassed and threatened not only me but Violet. I was hoping you would spend at least one night in jail." I mentally run through the list of things I need to get done, not caring in the slightest about the rage happening on the other side of the phone.

"Take the damn money."

"I would rather not." I look up when Amiri steps into the room and holds out his hand for the phone. I wiggle it to show that it's charging, my Alpha moving closer before he bends down in front of me, his gaze locked on mine. His next words are for Teo alone but they give me confidence.

"Teo, I think I warned you about trying to settle this with Camila directly. We were a little tied up in our Omega's heat so we couldn't come to the phone. However, I have an opening this afternoon at Temple to entertain your idea of a settlement. Just you. This needs to be just between the parties involved."

My ex grunts and hangs up as I place the phone back on the dresser. "Sorry. I know I shouldn't have picked up but he called before church and that's-"

"You have nothing to apologize about, sweetheart. However, I would love to show him what he's lost and how to truly pleasure a woman." My face flames and I remember that I'm naked, again. "Oh, you like that idea. I even know where we can do it. Just beside the cage, to the left of the stage. I want your painting right above us too. Goddess, tell me yes. "

Kolsen fucked me on the second level looking down at everyone. This would be entirely different. I would be where everyone could see but my attention would be on showing Teo that I'm finally happy with someone who isn't him.

Amiri reaches forward to brush his fingers along his bite on my chest, grinning when I shudder. "How about it, sweetheart?"

"Tell Kolsen to get me another dress like the last one and yes."