20. NEPHELINE

20

NEPHELINE

The living room is a mess of limbs and warmth and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than I am right now—sprawled across my mates like I belong to them, like they belong to me. Because they do .

I’m draped over Remi, my head resting on his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my ear keeping me grounded. His hand is on my hip, tracing small, lazy circles through the thin fabric of my shirt. He’s humming something faintly, his voice soft and deep, like he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it.

My other hand curls tightly around Maverick’s, who’s tucked against Asani’s chest like he’s trying to hide from the world. Asani’s arm drapes protectively over him, his long fingers trailing up and down Maverick’s spine, grounding him in a way only Asani knows how. There’s something about seeing Maverick so small, so vulnerable, that makes my heart ache with love.

On my other side, Darius is tangled in the nest with us, his fingers stroking through my hair. It’s rhythmic, hypnotic, and I hum softly in response, too content to move, too tired to care about anything else.

I’ve been more tired lately— bone-deep tired. I know what it probably means, though I haven’t said the words out loud. I’m not ready to think about that yet, not with everything else hanging over us. Not with the whispers clawing at the edges of my mind and Locke still out there.

But here, surrounded by my mates, none of that matters.

Especially when my first love, my Alpha, my first mate returns.

It’s like my body knows the moment Mateo steps into the house. There’s no sound, no announcement, no door creaking open—just the familiar hum of him vibrating through the bond, sparking something deep and primal in me. My body responds to him before my mind does. I shift, sitting up slowly even as Darius huffs a little, his hand pausing in my hair.

“Where are you going?” he asks, his voice soft, tinged with curiosity.

“Mateo’s back,” I murmur, stretching as I slip out of the nest. My legs feel a little unsteady at first, my exhaustion lingering, but it doesn’t stop me from moving. “I’ll be right back.”

No one stops me. They don’t have to. They know.

I pad out of the living room and through the house, the quiet of the space feeling alive somehow, humming with something I can’t name. I don’t even have to wait by the front door—it opens just as I reach it, and there he is.

Mateo.

The sight of him makes my heart stutter and I grin, feeling that pull between us—the one that makes me forget about everything else, the one that makes me feel whole . His dark hair is windswept, a little messy from a much-needed run, his jaw set in that serious, brooding way of his. But the moment his eyes meet mine, his expression softens.

“Mateo,” I whisper, already stepping into him.

His arms open and I fall into them like I’ve been waiting for him all day—because I have. He wraps me up, his arms strong and sure, holding me tightly against his chest. I melt into him, inhaling the familiar scent of the forest and something darker, something him .

“Miss me?” he asks, a chuckle following his words.

“Always,” I reply, tilting my head back to look up at him.

He cups my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing along my jaw, and for a moment, he just stares at me, like he’s memorizing every inch of me. Then, without another word, he kisses me.

It’s not gentle. It’s not soft. It’s Mateo —commanding, consuming, full of need and possession and everything that makes my heart race. I kiss him back just as fiercely, curling my fingers into his shirt to keep him close, to let him know I’m his.

When he finally pulls back, we’re both breathing hard, his lips curling into a faint smirk as his eyes trace my face. “Come with me,” he says softly.

I blink up at him, a little dazed. “Where?”

He shakes his head, his fingers still trailing down my jaw, softening me with every touch. “Somewhere quiet. Just the two of us.”

My heart skips a beat at that, and I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face. “Now?”

He nods. “Now.”

I hesitate, glancing back toward the living room. The two of us just disappearing into the night feels weird but Mateo just grins, a rare, crooked grin that’s just for me, and he presses another kiss to my lips before pulling me out the door, his fingers tangling with mine as he leads me into the cool, evening air.

“There is nothing more we can do than right now, princess. We can sit and worry or we can enjoy the little peace that Mother Nature has given us until shit hits the fan. And yes, they all know I’ve got you.” His laidback attitude has me relaxing a little further as he squeezes my hand, his eyes dancing beneath the fading colors in the afternoon sky. “Run with me, princess.”

And then he shifts into his wolf, heading straight for the crystal forest. I take off after him, feeling the power of my wolf and Omega tangle together as my paws hit the ground.

The forest stretches out before me. I feel alive here. The wind in my fur, the earth beneath my paws, the faint hum of magic weaving through the air—it’s intoxicating, freeing in a way I can’t put into words.

Mateo runs just ahead of me, his massive dark wolf weaving effortlessly between the trees, the sleekness of his coat a stark contrast to the burst of colors in mine. My coat has changed again since everything started—white as snow but streaked with red, sapphire, and black, the colors catching in the light like living magic.

Mateo’s voice drifts through the mindlink, wrapping around me like a caress.

You’re gorgeous like this, you know that?

I huff a playful growl, my paws digging into the soft dirt as I push myself to catch up to him.

Gorgeous? I’m not some dainty thing, Mateo. You already call me princess.

His rich laughter echoes through the link.

No, you’re not dainty and would it help if I called you my queen?

I snort and leap over a fallen branch, snapping at his tail when I get close enough. He whips around to face me, his wolf’s crimson eyes glinting with amusement as he bares his teeth in a playful snarl. I dart around him, my own wolf grinning internally as I dodge his swipe.

You’re slow, Alpha. I taunt, slipping into my voice through the link, my wolf practically preening at outpacing him.

Oh, really? His voice hums with mischief before he surges forward.

He’s on me in seconds, barreling into my side until I stumble, laughing as I twist to recover. He growls softly in triumph, his massive frame towering over me for a moment before he nudges me with his muzzle and bounds off ahead again. I chase him without thinking, my laughter mixing with the whisper of the wind.

We keep running, the bond between us thrumming with warmth, until Mateo suddenly slows near the edge of a clearing. I pad up beside him, my breathing steadying as I take in the sight before us. A brook cuts through the center, water bubbling softly over smooth, glowing stones. The water looks almost ethereal, shimmering faintly in the light like it holds a secret.

Mateo shifts first, his human form emerging effortlessly as he steps toward the brook, his bare feet sinking into the soft moss at its edge. He turns to look at me, his hand outstretched as he smiles. “Come on,” he murmurs, his voice low but inviting. “We found this a few days ago when the others and I were running. It’s warm—like a little piece of paradise just for us.”

I hesitate for only a second before I shift, the cool air brushing against my skin as I return to my human form. I stand there for a moment, admiring the scene as Mateo steps into the water. He disappears beneath the surface, his broad shoulders sinking out of sight before he bursts back up with a gasp, water streaming down his dark hair and the sharp lines of his jaw.

And just like that, I’m staring at him—the Alpha I first fell in love with.

He looks unreal like this, the water catching on his muscles, droplets tracing down the scars he wears so proudly. My chest tightens at the sight, my heart thrumming as I remember how far we’ve come.

My fingers drift to the necklace hanging against my collarbone—a gift he gave me before I even truly knew him. I twist it idly between my fingers, the memories flooding me. I’m not that same girl anymore—the one who thought she had to carry the weight of the world alone. The one who didn’t know what it meant to belong to someone, to let someone belong to her.

“Are you just going to stand there, or are you getting in?” Mateo teases, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I smile faintly as I step closer to the edge of the brook, dipping my toe into the water. He wasn’t lying—it’s warm, almost impossibly so, like the earth itself is cradling this place. I take a step in, the water lapping gently around my ankles as I watch Mateo.

His arms open as he smiles at me. “Come here, Luna.”

The name sends a shiver through me as I wade in fully, the water rising to my waist. He’s watching me like I’m the only thing in the world worth looking at, his eyes filled with warmth and something deeper, something that wraps around my heart and squeezes.

When I reach him, he pulls me against his chest. The water presses softly against us, but all I feel is him—his heat, his strength, the solid reassurance of his presence. We stand there in the quiet for a long moment before I finally speak. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

He tilts his head slightly, his brows drawing together with concern. “What is it?”

I hesitate, my fingers curling against his chest as I try to find the words. “The whispers,” I say finally, my voice trembling just slightly. “The ones in my head… they’re getting worse. I hear them clearer now. They’re telling me to listen, to obey, to come to them. ”

Mateo’s arms tighten around me, his jaw clenching as he processes my words. “Princess,” he murmurs, his voice rough with worry. “It doesn’t matter how hard he tries, he’ll never take you from us. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. You also have mates and an entire pack standing behind you. If he thinks it’s going to be that easy to take you, he doesn’t know you at all.” Mateo swallows my next protest in a kiss, reminding me yet again that I don’t have to do this alone. The darkness might have found a way into my head but that doesn’t mean it owns me.

I let myself fall into Mateo, let him drown out my worries with soft kisses and touches, one of his arms wrapped firmly around my waist, his first hand disappearing into my hair. “You are so fucking beautiful, princess. I wish we could show you each and every day just how much.”

A laugh bubbles up from my throat as Mateo bends me backward, his lips moving down to my jaw. “We’d never get anything done with the six of you always whisking me off somewhere.” And yet, it’s not a fantasy I hate. I’d get bored of my nest eventually but spending forever with my mates where nothing else mattered, where my brother was safe and my pack was well again?

Yes, please.

“I’m going to worship you tonight, princess.” He pulls away, meeting my gaze, something tortured beneath the surface. “You have no idea how many times I thought you were gone for good. Some part of me wanted to believe that you were still out there even after I buried you. Because I knew that my Omega, my Nepheline couldn’t be so easily killed.”

His words send a thrill through my body, Mateo’s adoration as his lips continue their path south making me feel like a goddess, worthy of his devotion. He guides me into shallow water, the coolness of the air contrasting with the heat of the water and the fire building between us.

He takes his time as his hands begin to roam, first at my shoulders before cupping my breasts in his palms. He squeezes, the pressure making my thighs tremble, slick gathering between them. My scent sweetens just slightly, a possessive growl tearing from Mateo’s throat. I hold onto his shoulders as he continues, feather-light touches that leave a fire in its wake.

My back arches as I offer myself to him, a silent plea on my lips as a gasp follows. Each of my mates take care of me in their own way but Mateo was my first and he will always hold a special place in my heart. One of his hands is replaced by his lips, his tongue circling my nipple as he demands my pleasure. “Mateo, please,” I whine, digging my fingers into his shoulders.

“Patience, princess.”

He suckles and nibbles, his breath against my sensitive flesh, driving me wild with desire. It feels like the night I ran to him just before the ceremony—the ceremony that never happened, the ceremony—

“Stay with me, baby. Right here with me. In this moment.”

He gives the same attention to the other breast, worshipping me every flick of his tongue. My magic responds to his touch as does my Omega. I can feel the change slowly overtake me, the power lingering around us, pulsating as if alive. Mateo hums his appreciation as he continues to explore my body before returning to my lips.

I writhe against him, needing more, Mateo chuckling as he drags two fingers down my stomach before they disappear into the water and plunge inside of me. A yelp tears from my throat as he fucks me with his fingers, my head falling back as I shatter. Before I can even demand more, Mateo is guiding me toward the bank and laying me down at the edge.

My lower half is still covered by water, Mateo hovering over me as his cock runs through my folds. I weakly grab for him, my first orgasm still barreling through me, my Alpha gladly giving me what I’m so desperate for. Had anyone told me years ago that I would be finding my pleasure with more than one man, I would have thought they were crazy.

Now, I can’t imagine a life without my six men.

Mateo surges forward, filling me with one thrust, the water lapping around us. I cling to him as he kisses my neck before sucking his bond mark between his lips. A cry tears from my lips as he picks up a rhythm, his piercing hitting just the right spot to bring me to the edge again.

He’s not being gentle but I don’t want him to. We both need this moment more than we probably knew. Mateo buries his face in my shoulder as I meet his thrusts, needing him deeper, faster, just… more . “Knot me, Alpha. I need your knot.”

Mateo doesn’t respond, just his possessive growls and the brook responding to our movements. And then I feel it, his knot starting to swell against the edge of my pussy before pushing inside. Magic bursts around us as I push against his chest, needing better leverage. Mateo rolls us over until I’m straddling his thighs, roughly riding his knot to find my completion.

“Come for me, princess,” Mateo growls, his eyes that deep crimson red of his wolf. He’s half-shifted, his claws grazing my hips as I fuck myself on his knot. I’m so fucking close, digging my nails into his chest before the animalistic cry that comes from me throws me over the edge.

Mateo howls right along with me and I wonder if every time our emotions go awry, if it’s going to be like this. I felt the power when Mateo and Asani took Remi and River here. I feel it now, pouring into the packlands in a way that doesn’t make sense. The moment heightens as Mateo floods my pussy, another orgasm washing over me. This one is softer, almost nonexistent as I lean down for another kiss.

“Is it selfish to say that I want to start a family with you one day?” Mateo breathes against my lips in between kisses. “That after everything is all said and done, that I would love to see little pups running around the packlands?”

I chuckle as I relax against his chest. “It’s not selfish, Mateo.” Mostly because I’m pretty sure what he wants—what we all want—is already here. I’m not ready but I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready and I have mates to be there every step of the way.