24. Lachlan

Chapter 24

Lachlan

I couldn't sleep a wink, just thinking about my precious snowdrop and all the ways I'm going to make it up to her.

So, in the end, I get up and sneak to her room, and watch her sleep in the corner like a shadow.

She twists and turns on the mattress, a troubled look on her sweet, porcelain face, and I slink closer, hovering above her bed now.

I won't wake her; I just want to watch her sleep.

I'm romantic in that way…

Maybe I should go out into the woods and pick more snowdrops. So when she wakes, she will find them all over her bed.

Mila groans, turning onto her side, and now she gives me her back.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

The low growl comes from the door, and I turn my head slowly, finding Barret's face in the gap.

A small smile slithers across my face. "Why, hello, Barret… Have you come to watch the show with me?"

His eyes flash, and he bares his teeth. "What show? Get the fuck away from her, creep. You can't just watch women sleep!" he whisper-yells, making Mila stir.

We both hold our breath.

I'm pretty sure she mumbles something, but I don't quite hear the words. Just sleepless jabber and she truly is the most precious creature in the world.

She is going to be mine…

"Lachlan… come away from the sleeping Omega…" He speaks in a lower register now, and good thinking.

Women are programmed to be roused easily from sleep at the sound of a high-pitched sound, especially Omegas. It's so they can recognize a baby crying.

I saw it on TV once.

"Why? She looks so perfect… You can't deny that you're tempted too, Barret."

I angle my face, meeting his dark pissed-off eyes inside the gap of the door.

The look of pure denial.

Sooner or later, he will cave.

We all will. Even Gryphon won't be able to resist her lure.

Judging by Mila's sharp, sweet scent… she is nearing another heat. Fairly soon.

My mouth salivates, and I lean closer to breathe in her perfume.

Fuck. The universe explodes inside my eyes, and now I can feel colors.

She's like LSD.

"Don't you dare…" Barret warns, and I smirk, taking him up on his challenge.

"What's the matter, Barret? You're looking a little tense over there."

A growl from the door, but I urge him on.

He needs to let that beast out of its cage.

My eyes flash, and a small giggle sounds in my chest. I know what this is really about. He's just mad because I'm making him look bad.

I'm the king of groveling after all, and no one can beat me.

"I get it. You're angry because I'm a better groveller than you…"

He frowns. "What? No… I'm just here to make sure you don't do something stupid. Do you want to scare her off again? It took us long enough to get her back."

I shake my head. "I don't believe you… I know you're angry because you're holding back. What's stopping you, Barret? I promise you won't regret it…"

"Regret what? Prison ? You're a freak, do you know that? Women have nightmares about men like you…"

I snort. "Have you read any dark romance lately, Barret? Women like us dark and depraved…"

He looks at me as if I have just grown an extra head. I bet he has no idea what women read about.

I bet he doesn't even read.

Uncultured swine.

"Besides… I'm just watching her sleep. No harm—"

"Ah, for Pete's sake! What's a girl got to do to get some sleep around here."

Barret and I freeze, looking toward the bed where we find that pair of angry green eyes peering back at us, and guilt seizes me instantly.

"Snowdrop…"

She sighs, shaking her head. "You two are insufferable, did you know that?"

Barret growls, "Now look what you did, idiot! Sunshine… I was merely here to stop him. I wasn't—"

Mila props up on her elbows, yawning so prettily, my dick hardens. "It's fine. I heard enough."

My cheeks flush, and I bow my head. "How long were you awake?"

She tosses me a pointed look. "Long enough to hear you admit to reading romance novels…"

" Dark romance novels about fucked up guys who watch girls sleep…" Barret pipes up.

I try to deny it, but who am I kidding? I raise my chin high and nod proudly.

"You don't know the half of it, Barret, my dear friend…" A psychotic laugh breaks free from my throat, and at this point, I'm going to wake the whole house.

But I'm already so far over the edge. I have looked deep into the abyss, saw it looking back at me, and then made it my pet.

I called him Pickles.

Barret regards me with disgust. But Mila just looks mildly irritated and not as disturbed as she should be.

With a sigh, she tosses her blankets aside and looks up at me. "Well, you going to join me or what? That's what this was about, right?"

My laughing stops, and now Pickles scampers off with his tail between his legs.

Shit.

I didn't actually expect her to invite me into her bed…

This is… new … and unprecedented.

Now I hyperventilate.

Barret is loving every moment. "Depraved my ass, chicken shit."

Mila turns on him. "Oh, don't think you'll get off scot-free. You're here for the same thing, right?"

Barret falters, and now a nervous sweat takes over his face.

I savor every moment of his shame.

He's just as twisted as me.

"Just get in the bed, the pair of you..."

We don't move at first. Unsure what to do.

This really is unprecedented.

Women don't often ask men like us to join them in their beds.

"Now!"

We take the bait at last, fighting about who gets to spoon Mila and who gets to sleep at the foot of the bed.

Barret wins in the end, and now I have no choice but to watch as Barret wraps his arms around the perfect Omega, keeping her warm and comforted throughout the night.

Well, at least I can keep her feet warm.

Mila has nice feet after all. Adorable little toes that look good enough to eat.

I'm good here.

It doesn't take her long to fall back asleep, and I like to think it was my gentle strokes of her ankle that lulled her in the end.

I go to tease Barret, but to my surprise… he is fast asleep too. His nose is buried deep in her hair.

Yeah. He isn't fooling anyone.

This bed is far too small, and it's about time we moved her somewhere bigger.

But for now, I am happy to keep her feet warm.

Like a good Alpha should.