Chapter 22 Listening at keyholes

I spend the next few days recovering from my father. The Calloway pack barely lets me lift a finger for myself. Before I can even think to do something—grab a bag of Funyuns, get a glass of water, track down the book I started when I was here last, add an extra blanket to my already hefty pile—one of them is there, anticipating my needs.

It’s a little freaky if I’m honest, but I’m an omega, so I fucking love the care and attention. I’ve been sleeping better than I ever have before. That might have to do with the complete lack of my father in my life, the pressure of being in his presence gone. I’ve cut all ties with him, know won’t be going back to his house, won’t be the shining example of a supportive daughter he wants me to be. I’m pretty sure I’ll never see him again.

I hope I’ll never see him again.

Even if the Calloway pack doesn’t want to keep me, I know they’ll help me get as far from him as they can.

They’ve already made sure I blocked him on my phone. But he seems to have figured it out and has been calling from random numbers. The first few times I listened to the messages, he told me he’s sorry and I need to come back to him. He tried to guilt me, tell me it was my fault he had to be so harsh with me. That I needed the punishment, the correction. When that failed to work, he switched to angrily demanding that I come back, to support him. That it’s the least I can do when I’ve been such a disappointment to him.

Hale had plucked the phone out of my hand and deleted every single one of his messages, kissed me gently on the forehead, and then tucked my phone away from me. I don’t even miss it. The only people I want to talk to are my pack and Ren, so I just use one of their phones to talk to her.

It’s liberating.

I might also sleep better because there’s always at least two alphas in bed with me. Usually more. Snuggled up between their hard, hot bodies, I sleep like a damn baby and the dark circles under my eyes I’ve struggled with my entire life are fading. I have more energy. I feel lighter.

Even with my father’s commands still weighing me down.

It’s only a matter of time before they fade. Without him there to reinforce them, eventually I’ll be totally free. I just need to avoid situations where he can bark at me again.

My voice hasn’t returned yet. Not for the Calloway pack.

I can, and have, talked to Florence. The alphas gathered around me, listening to every word out of my mouth. I couldn’t tell her much. The shackles are still in place, still tangling my tongue. I can’t work around the one that prohibits me from talking about him barking at me.

But they’re smart enough to figure it out.

I mean, we’re living with the effects of it right now. My voice stolen from those who need to hear it the most.

I think they’re tired of it though, almost as much as I am.

This morning I walk in on a hissed argument between Hale and Creed, kept low, I suspect, so that I won’t hear it. “We’re not doing that to her,” Creed says in a warning tone. His hand jerks toward the stairs and my room at the top of them. “She’s been through enough. We don’t have to make it worse, Hale.”

Hale stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. “I know. We won’t. She doesn’t need to know.”

Creed had been gearing up for a fight. I can tell by the tense set of his shoulders and the clench of his fists. But at Hale’s agreement, he pauses, looks at him for a long moment. “You mean it?”

Hale runs a hand over his face wearily and everything in me wants to go to him, to help ease whatever he’s worried about. Probably my father did something assholish and they don’t want to let me know.

“Yeah, I fucking mean it. I’m not a monster, Creed. I know she’s been through too much, that she doesn’t deserve worse.”

Creed lunges at Hale and wraps him in a tight hug, slapping a hand on his back in the way men do when they get too emotional and need to temper it with something manly. “Thank you,” Creed murmurs.

“But,” Hale says gruffly as the other alpha pulls back. “I still think we should bark at her.”

That makes the blood drain from my face, and Creed is back to bristling with anger. Hale holds up a hand to stall the tirade I know is about to come. “Think about it, Creed. If I barked at her to talk to us, it would likely override her father’s command.”

“Or it could fuck her up by giving her contradictory commands.” Creed gives a sharp shake of his head. “Didn’t we just say she’s been through e-fucking-nough? We can’t add to her trauma, Hale. The commands from her father will fade, eventually. The longer we keep her away from him, the better the chances.”

Hale lets out another weary breath. “I know. I just… I miss her fucking voice.”

My chest warms up, blood returns to my face as his admission. Creed claps a hand on his shoulder. “We all do, brother, but she’ll come back to us, all of her. Even her voice.”

The fight over and the tension dissipated, I move away from Hale’s office door, only for the floorboard to creak. Both of their heads whip in my direction, even as I duck out of the way. Ridiculous, since they know I’m there.

“Listening at keyholes, little mouse?”

Sighing, I push through the door and glare at the prime, who just chuckles and holds a hand out to me in invitation. I go to him all too willingly, tucking myself against his chest as he wraps me in his arms, his cheek rubbing over the top of my hair, leaving his scent on me.

“Did you need something?” he asks.

I shake my head and press closer to him, dropping a kiss on his chest.

It’s a lie. I do need something. I need them . But they’ve been careful with me since taking me from my father’s house, tucked me up in the guest room. They sleep with me, but it’s always very PG cuddling. No wandering hands. No stroking. No petting. No kissing with tongue. At first I understood it was to allow me time to heal, but my bruises have faded, the welts on my back are gone. Nothing hurts anymore, but they haven’t touched me beyond gentle hugs and cuddling on the couch.

Both of which are nice, but I want more.

I’m just not sure how to ask for it.

Hale coils my hair around his hand and tugs gently, tipping my head back. I rest my chin on his chest and peer up at him. “Tell me.”

My lips purse and I arch a brow at him.

He laughs and twists, looking down at his desk. But Creed is already there, scooping up a pad of paper and a pen to hand to me. Thank god we can communicate like this at least.

I take the items offered and slap the pad of paper to Hale’s chest before scribbling out a message. They both wait patiently, the sound of pen on paper the only noise in the room.

I appreciate that you’ve all been giving me time to heal, both mentally and physically, but I miss the way we were.

Hale reads it out loud for Creed to hear as well, then looks at me. “The way we were?”

I huff a frustrated breath. In true Hale fashion, he’s going to make me say it. None of you touch me anymore. Not like you used to.

A cocky little smirk pulls at his mouth. “How should we be touching you, mouse? Hmm?”

My face flares bright red. I shove the notebook and the pen against his chest and back up, flipping him the bird. I don’t need this. He knows what I’m saying, what I’m asking for. They both do, but they’re assholes and like to see me squirm and beg.

“Wait, Haven.” The smirk on Hale’s face falls as I keep backing toward the door. Only to run into Creed instead. His hands brace my hips, hold me in place as Hale tosses the notebook on the desk and stalks toward me. Lips press into the back of my head as the prime strokes a knuckle down my cheek gently. “You sure you’re ready for it, mouse?”

“We don’t want to push you if you aren’t.”

I give a nod, holding Hale’s gaze the whole time, letting him see I mean it. He grins. And it’s that gorgeous smile he gave me on my birthday. So pretty. Painfully pretty.

“What do you want then, omega? You want us to make you come? Play with your pretty little pussy until you’re gushing slick?”

My face flushes again, but this time from arousal. I open my lips to agree, to shout ‘fucking yes!’ but nothing comes out. Hale’s smile softens, and he bends to kiss my parted lips, tongue slipping between them immediately, tasting me.

Creed’s fingers slide up the hem of my shirt and then dip into the elastic of my panties, toying with it, stroking the sensitive skin there.

They move me between them, ushering me over to the desk where Hale pushes things out of the way and Creed helps me hop up on the hard surface. In moments, I’m stripped bare, completely naked in front of them, stretched out on the rich wood.

It’s not fair, so I reach out and fist their shirts, tugging on them and they both whip them off over their heads, letting me see their tattooed bodies. So fucking sexy. All of them. I can’t get enough of looking at them, running my hands over the dips and valleys of muscle and sinew.

I do that now, running one palm over each of their chests. They both watch the descent of my hand, the play of my fingers over their ridges, through the soft hair that peppers their chests and the trail that leads down, down, down.

Creed catches my hand before I can reach his belt, pressing a kiss to my palm before he sets it carefully on my stomach. I hook my fingers in Hale’s belt loop and pull him closer as Creed rounds the desk until he’s standing between my spread knees dangling over the edge of the wood.

His hands stroke up and down my thighs and my mouth opens on a soundless whimper. Apparently, I can’t even do that for them. Tears of frustration build behind my eyes. “Shh.” Hale strokes a finger down my nose. “It’s okay, mouse. It’s okay. Everything’s fine.”

Creed makes a noise of agreement then drops to his knees, hooking his hands under my ass to pull me closer to the edge, until he’s right there, up close and personal with my most intimate parts. He slides his hands to the juncture of my thighs, palms pressing the slightest bit to hold me open farther and his thumbs spread my lower lips.

“How are you so fucking pretty everywhere, baby girl? Little pink pussy just begging to be kissed.” He leans forward and does just that, placing a soft kiss against my clit. My hips buck up, trying to get more, but he pulls away before I can make any firm contact. “Come look at her, Hale,” he urges. “You ever seen anything so fucking pretty before?”

Hale joins Creed between my legs, and this might be the most erotic moment of my life. Not the alley on my knees with Creed. Not the park where I orgasmed too many times to count before they marked me with their cum. But this. Just two men staring straight at my pussy, studying it, appreciating it, worshiping it with their eyes.

A trickle of slick pours out of me and Hale sucks in a sharp breath. “I can’t say that I have, brother. Our girl has the prettiest, most eager little cunt there is. Look at all that wet, hot slick just for us.” He looks up at me with a brow arched. “It is for us, isn’t it, mouse?”

I nod my answer since I can’t moan it.

“Well, fuck,” Creed sighs. “We shouldn’t waste it then, should we?”

Hale’s hand on Creed's head urges him forward. “No, we definitely shouldn’t. Lick up all that slick. Get her nice and clean.”

Creed stubble brushes against the inside of my thighs. His nose nudges against my folds, but he doesn’t lick me. He groans, and it takes me a moment to realize he’s licking the desk , the puddle of slick there, moaning like he fucking loves it, loves the taste. That realization only has more gushing out of me. He laps that up too, before he drags his tongue up and over me. Finally.

“Fuck,” I gasp out and then my mouth snaps closed in surprise. I haven’t been able to say anything to any of them for almost a week. But this is when the commands break? I guess technically I’m not saying that to either of them. I’m just saying it as an exclamation to the room in general.

Between my thighs, Creed stops his licking, arching a brow as he lifts his head. “Say that again.”

I meet his gaze. My lips part and… nothing comes out. I make a sound of disappointment, my fist slamming into the desk in frustration. Creed rubs his lips over my inner thigh, his stubble scraping beautifully against my tender skin. “It’s okay, baby girl. It’ll come, don’t force it.”

“You talking about her orgasm or her ability to talk?” Hale asks, idly plucking at my nipples.

“Both.”

I moan when Creed’s tongue circles my clit, then flicks it. His fingers grip the insides of my thighs, spreading me wider, making my muscles tremble. “Such a good girl for us,” Hale praises. “Look at you, dripping slick all over my desk like the needy little slut you are.”

“Fuck,” I say again and this time we just go with it. Let it happen. Creed doesn’t stop eating my pussy like a man starved, and Hale doesn’t stop lavishing attention on my nipples, my breasts.

My fingers clutch at the back of Creed’s head, lacing through his hair and holding him against me. My other hand does the same to Hale, when he bends and sucks as much of my tit into his mouth as he can, tongue flicking over the hard peak. “Please,” I mutter mindlessly. “Please. Please. Oh god. Yes, Creed. Right there.” He snarls in pleasure against my dripping folds and I vaguely realize I said his name, spoke to him directly.

Hale hums and releases my breast with a pop, nuzzles his way up to my mouth to kiss me. “I’m so fucking tempted to make you swallow my cock, mouse.” His hand loops around the front of my neck. “Come down this pretty little throat of yours.” He pecks at my lips again. “But If I did, we wouldn’t be able to hear the husky voice crying out for more, screaming for us. And fuck do we need that right now.”

He leans back and stares down at me. “You need more, mouse?”

I nod frantically, barely noticing the move makes my head throb, my free hand moving to pluck at my nipple. “Yes. More, Hale, please. More.”

His lips curve into a smile and his eyes close, like he’s savoring hearing his name from me. When his icy blue eyes open, they’re heated, full of lust. “You heard her, Creed. Give her more.”

I scream when the man between my thighs shoves two thick fingers inside me all at once. My orgasm strikes almost out of nowhere, taking me high, high, higher, and then tossing me off the cliff.

I’m sure I cry out, sure I scream their names. My hips buck up, grinding against Creed’s mouth, thighs clamping around his ears. He sticks with me through the whole thing, fingers fucking into me at a rapid clip, not allowing me to come down.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I moan, tossing my head in ecstasy.

“That’s it, omega. Grind your pussy all over your alpha’s face. Take what you need from him. Tell him what you need.”

“More,” I groan out, sweat slicked body quivering. “More, Creed. Give me more. Fuck me, please, fuck me.” I moan when he lurches up, cock already bare and throbbing and dripping pre-cum.

He doesn’t hesitate to slam into me, his way eased by my slick, until he’s fully seated, his swollen knot pressing against my clit. “Fuck, baby girl,” he moans. “Fuck, you feel so good.”

I clutch at him frantically, hips rolling up to take him deeper, but he’s already so fucking deep. “Please, alpha,” I whimper. “Please move.”

Creed’s jaw tightens, the vein in his forehead throbs in time with his cock inside me and the tendons in his neck pop. He’s holding himself back and I don’t know why. “Wanted our first time to be special, baby girl,” he mutters, pressing his forehead to mine. “Not a quick fuck on Hale’s fucking desk.”

My heart melts at his words. It’s so fucking sweet. I know he regrets the blowjob in the alley, too. But the longer he goes without moving, without giving me some kind of pleasure, the worse the thundering in my head gets.

“Make it special next time,” I say, tipping my chin to kiss him. “Now fuck me, please. I need it. I need you, Creed.”

His eyes flare and with one more kiss, he stands upright, lifting my legs until my heels rest on the edge of the desk. “You have me, baby girl,” he snarls, slamming out and then back in. “All of me.” Thrust. “Every fucking inch.”

I moan, watching him watch where he’s fucking into me. “You’re fucking mine now, Haven. There’s no escaping.”

“I was already yours,” I agree, tits bouncing with every thrust. There’s a steady slapping sound to my side and I turn my head to find Hale with his gaze focused on us, watching as Creed rails me on his desk. His cock is out, and he’s stroking it in time to Creed’s thrusts. It looks red and angry, his knot swollen and full.

My mouth waters at the sight, and I part my lips in offer. His eyes flare, but he doesn’t make a move to slide his dick into my mouth, to fuck my throat like he said he wanted to. “Don’t tempt me, little mouse. Wanna hear you scream after not hearing your voice for so long.” He leans over the tip of his cock, pressing against my nipple. “But maybe…”

I watch as he climbs over top of me, straddling my waist. “Push your tits together for me, baby.” I do mindlessly, moaning when I feel his fingers between my legs, right at the place where Creed and I are joined. The other alpha grunts and hisses, then Hale’s stroking his hand along his cock, spreading the slick he just gathered.

He grins down at me as Creed’s pace picks up. “Gonna fuck your tits. Gonna come all over them. Mark them up with my scent. Make sure everyone knows who you belong to.”

I nod again, ignoring the way my brain sloshes with pain. “Yes. Yes alpha, please.”

He braces his hand next to my head and then slides his cock into the tight space between my plumped up tits. “Fuck,” he hisses, head thrown back as he thrusts. “Fuck. I’m not gonna last long, mouse. Every part of you feels too fucking good.”

“Fuck yeah,” Creed agrees. “Tight little pussy. Tight little throat. Tight little tits. All of it so good on our little slut.” He slides a hand down around my thigh until his blunt finger circles my back entrance. “Bet this is fucking tight too, isn’t it, baby girl? Your gonna lets us fuck you here?”

“Yes,” I gasp out. The tip of Hale’s cock brushing against my mouth as he thrusts forward. “Yes, Creed. Anything you want. I’ll give you anything.”

Hale laughs. “Spoken like a true, eager little whore. Letting us do whatever we want to you. That desperate for our cocks, are you?”

Maybe it should bother me when they call me whore and slut and mock me for letting them fuck me like this, but all it does is rachet up my pleasure, make my slick pour out of me faster. The sound of Creed’s cock moving out of me is wet and sloppy, obscene, but it makes my toes curl and my release coil tighter, closer.

“Please,” I whine. “Please. I need it.”

I’m not sure what I need. They’re already giving me so much. But Creed knows, he understands, and so does Hale. Creed’s thumb slips inside the tight ring of muscle at my ass while Hale collars my neck and squeezes, just barely cutting off my air. Spots appear in front of my eyes, blocking out my view of the alpha on top of me, but I can’t stop moaning.

“Gonna come, omega. Tongue out for me.”

My mouth is already open, heavy pants making my chest jerk. My tongue slips out and Hale groans at the sight. “So good. Such a good fucking girl. Fuck Haven!”

Hot white ropes of cum splatter on my tongue, my lips, my chin, across my chest and the tops of my breasts. Hale stares down at me for a moment, taking me in, breathing heavy. Then he bends and murmurs in my ear. “Come for us, omega. Scream for us.”

And I do. On both counts.

The pleasure snaps. My whole body tightens up, squeezes down on Creed’s cock and thumb. I’m aware of him grunting, calling out my name, spilling inside me, but I’m too fucking inundated with pleasure.

My orgasm goes on and on and on, draining me of all of my energy, until I’m a boneless husk on the desk. Creed’s hips move languidly inside me, drawing it out, while Hale strokes his fingers over my skin, rubbing his cum into me. Both of them rain down praise on me, helping me come down from such an unbearable high as gently as possible.

Hale climbs off of me, and Creed carefully slips from inside me, a gush of slick and cum splattering against the wood of the desk. I can’t move away from it, though. I can do nothing but lie here and soak it in, aftershocks of pleasure shooting through me.

I was able to talk to them, force my way through my father’s command to use my voice, to let them hear me.

The pain is inevitable.

Fingers brush over my forehead, drawing my attention to the headache building behind my eyes. “Look at me, baby girl.”

I want to. Fuck, do I want to. But I can’t. I whimper instead. “Haven,” he tries again, this time a little more urgently. “Haven, baby, open your eyes. Look at me.”

I crack my lids to find them both leaning over me, concern on their faces. But it’s too fucking bright.

The pleasure fades entirely and the thudding in my head intensifies, nearly blinding me. My eyes close, squeezed tight against the harsh light. I flinch when Hale speaks, his voice worried. “Haven, mouse, what’s wrong?”

I try to lift my hand to pinch the bridge of my nose, but the motion sends my stomach roiling and my hand flops back down. Strong hands wrestle my limp body into a sitting position. Someone slips behind me, propping me against their chest. Creed’s voice rumbles through me. “Fuck. Did we hurt her? Baby girl. Please. Please say something, tell us what’s wrong.” God, he sounds like he’s falling apart. I don’t want him to worry. It’ll pass, it will just take a bit.

“Migraine,” I grit out through the pain and the nausea. “Happens when I test the limits of a command.”

Hale’s hands cup my face and his lips press into my forehead, so gently, so softly. “You didn’t just test those limits, mouse, you broke them. So fucking good to hear your voice.”

Creed squeezes me tighter against his chest. “What do you need, omega?”

“Dark. Painkillers. Sleep.”

“We can do that,” Hale says, slipping away from me. “Take her upstairs. I’ll see what Tic has on hand.”

The motion of Creed lifting me into the air, his steady gait, makes my stomach lurch and my mouth water unpleasantly. I swallow it back as he climbs the stairs, lips and eyes clamped shut, taking deep breaths through my nose, but as soon as he steps into my bedroom, it’s like my body knows it’s near a toilet.

“I’m gonna be sick,” I gasp out and his footsteps speed up.

“It’s okay, baby girl. I got you. I‘ve always got you.”

Creed positions my weak, trembling body in front of the toilet, holding my hair back with one hand and stroking soothing circles between my naked shoulder blades with the other.

He murmurs words of encouragement and praise the whole time. Which, let me tell you, is weird to have someone say you’re doing a good job vomiting your guts out. But I don’t think he really comprehends what he’s muttering. He probably thinks I don’t really comprehend it, either.

He sticks with me through it until I’m spitting just saliva into the toilet. Then he flushes it down, scoops me up and carries me to the bed. I make a weak protest, something about brushing my teeth, but he doesn’t listen. Just slides me between cool sheets, stroking my hair back from my face, wiping the tears from my still closed eyes.

The sound of approaching footsteps, the clink of a glass against the bedside table. “Is she okay?” Tic asks in a whisper, and even that is almost too loud.

Creed hums, his fingers pressing into my temples in a gentle circle. “She’ll be okay. This is the aftereffects of her breaking a command.”

I can’t see him, but I imagine Tic’s eyebrows jump in surprise at that. “She broke it? I didn’t think that was possible.”

I lick my lips and make my raspy voice work. “Anything is possible, Atticus.”

He blows out a relieved breath. “Love hearing you say my name, angel. Love hearing say anything.”

I crack open one eye and find the room dark. Very dark. The blackout curtains pulled shut, all the lights off. Creed and Tic are just more splotches of black in the shadows.

Tic’s fingers brush over my forehead. “Can you sit up for us? Just to take some pain meds?”

“It hurts,” I mutter, without even trying to do as he asked.

“I know, angel. This is going to help, though. It’ll make the pain go away. Okay?”

I take a deep breath and brace myself against the agony in my head. Both of them reach to help drag me up against the headboard. Creed braces me while Tic holds out two white pills I can just barely make out in the dark. “Open.”

“What is it?” I ask.

He strokes a knuckle down my cheek. “Just some pain meds of my own making. It’s stronger than aspirin. You won’t have any side effects. I promise.”

I nod, wince, and then open my mouth, letting him slip the pills onto my tongue. “Good girl,” he praises, holding the water to my lips. I swallow what I can, then turn my head to the side.

“I also brought something to help you sleep through the worst of it.”

I tip my head back against the headboard, the small amount of water I drank down sloshing uncomfortably in my stomach. My eyes are already drooping, my energy sapped from the sex and the pain.

“I don’t think I’ll have a problem sleeping. Thank you, though.”

He strokes my cheek again. “I’ll leave them here in case you change your mind, okay, angel?”

“Okay,” I breathe out, eyes already drifting closed. It’ll take some time for the meds to work, I know that, but just the act of taking those pills seems to have helped somewhat, my body already sinking into the mattress, head lolling against the pillow.

Creed’s fingers return to my temples, rubbing gentle circles. “Feels nice,” I murmur, eyes already drifting shut.

Lips press against my forehead. “Good. I’ll keep doing it until you’re all better, baby girl.”

I want to protest. He doesn’t need to do that. It’ll be hours, but exhaustion is already pulling me under, burying me in the soft, smothering embrace of sleep.