9. Jasmine

I'm fantasizing about that special moment when your spoon taps the top of a crème br?lée. It makes the most satisfying cracking sound, the rich vanilla filling oozing around the jagged edges of the caramelized crust. I scoop up a spoonful, moaning as the creamy dessert comes in contact with my tongue. It's warm, sugary, and completely addicting. But as I go for a second helping, all that delicious sensation suddenly moves to the damp spot between my thighs.

"Ugh," I moan as pillow-soft lips nuzzle the sensitive skin behind my ear. I let myself melt into the bed a moment longer before forcing my eyes open. "Hello. You're not a crème br?lée."

Casper sucks my earlobe into his mouth, his hand gently cupping my chin. "I could be. But you'll have to tell me what it is first."

I gasp in mock-horror. "You've never had a crème br?lée?" When he shakes his head, I huff. "It's a French dessert. My favorite, actually."

"Mmm. Doubt it tastes as good as what I'm eating."

I open my mouth to contradict him, but he swoops in with his tongue, licking between my lips. He kisses me slowly but thoroughly, like he has all the time in the world and plans to explore every inch. And I shiver as I realize this was what I was tasting in my dream. Sweet warmth that I chased with my tongue, trying to lap the flavor from his mouth.

"How did you sleep?" he asks when he comes up for air, his lips dropping little pecking kisses along my jaw.

"Good, I think." The hand that was cupping my chin drifts down to my collarbone and I arch my back. As he strokes his way down my chest I squirm under his touch, and there's no mistaking the flare of heat in his face. It takes a bit of effort, but I manage to pant out, "No nightmares that I can recall."

"Me neither," he says, although there's the flicker of something on his face. But then he's dipping his head and taking my nipple into his mouth. There's no biting this time, just soft suction around the aching peak. I grab the back of his shirt and moan, more moisture trickling between my thighs. It's insane. No matter how many times I played with my purple vibrator, I never got as wet as I am right now. "I think we should tick another item off your list."

I gulp, my legs falling open as he positions himself between them. He's still sucking and rolling my nipples, and my back has formed a permanent arch off the bed. "Good plan," I pant, fisting his shirt tighter. "Um, what do you have in mind?"

His grin is almost devilish. "I thought I might treat my mouth to that slick trickling down your thighs."

I'm still trying to process his words when he rises up, taking his weight on his arms. His raven black hair falls across his flushed cheeks and I can't resist cupping his face, my thumb tracing his smiling lips. I try to tell myself I barely know him, that he's just a means to an end, but it doesn't sit right. I'm the last person to go hearts and flowers over a guy, but there's a warm bubble in my chest, and it only seems to grow the longer I stare at him.

But Casper must take my silence as second thoughts, because he slowly sits back on his heels. "But we don't have to. Like I said, we can go as slow as you like… Or just cuddle. I like cuddling."

Again, not something I've ever had much chance to indulge in. But right now I want to go with the other plan. "Cuddling sounds great, but I'd like to try your tongue first." His brows shoot up, and I wonder if that was too direct. Should I be cooler about this? Maybe try keeping my horny thoughts to myself? "Or… whatever works for you."

"Fuck, yeah," he murmurs, that devilish grin back as he lurches over me and kisses me hard. As his tongue works its way back inside, it's another crème br?lée explosion in my mouth and I almost whimper as he pulls away. But then he's moving down my body, a wicked tilt to his lips as he kisses all the bumps and hollows. "Silky soft and sweet as sugar. How did I get so lucky, huh?"

I shiver, tilting my hips as he reaches my thighs. My breath is strangled in my chest as he parts them with his long, cool fingers. It strikes me that I'm addicted to how they feel – the first to ever touch me in my deepest place – and I'd almost give up his tongue to have them inside me again. But then he's peeling me open and dropping hungry kisses along my slit. My skin is hypersensitive, tremors running down my thighs as he dips his tongue between my seam. I cry out, clutching his head, and he makes a deep humming sound as he pushes inside.

God. Help. Me.

His fingers are amazing, but his tongue is out of this world.

I don't know whether to squirm or scream as he nibbles, licks, and sucks, his mouth somehow devouring and savoring me at the same time. I've heard plenty of girls brag about getting eaten out, but under my jealousy was always the belief they were exaggerating. It sounded too raw, too messy. But nope. This is without doubt the most stomach-swooping pleasure I've ever felt.

And then he tilts his head, those beautiful eyes gleaming as he murmurs, "Your slick is the best thing I've ever tasted."

I explode. Doesn't matter that he's barely inside me, flutters turn to waves and then I'm jerking under his hands, a scream ripping from my lips. He groans as he quickly dives back in, driving me even higher as he licks up my release. I push on his head, panting and twisting, but he just presses deeper into my pussy.

"What are you doing?"

"I want another," he grunts, circling my throbbing clit. "Give it to me, beautiful. I want you to come on my tongue this time."

I gape at him, but he's hooking a finger in next to his tongue, and as pleasure zips up my spine, the room goes white. Something is flicking inside me, the perfect pressure winding me tighter, and I cry out as I gush into his mouth.

As I float back into my body, I drop a boneless arm across my eyes. My head is whirling, and as I fight to catch my breath, I realize I've literally just had my mind blown. Casper is still busy down there, but he's nuzzling and kissing now, and I manage to squeeze an eye open. "Is the plan to wake me like this every morning?"

He gives a throaty chuckle, propping his chin on my trembling thigh. "I promised you, didn't I? Although… it's a bit after dawn, if we're being specific."

I groan and reach for him, but he's already sliding up to lie next to me. The grin he gives me is both delicious and smug as hell.

"That one deserved a big tick," I admit, knowing my face is still bright red. Not that it matters. Even if Casper could see how much he just ruined me, I don't think he'd look any less pleased about it.

"Agreed," he purrs, dropping kisses on my heated cheeks. "Although practice makes perfect, so let's try it another couple of times before we move on."

"Whatever you say," I huff and stretch my sated muscles. "I think you've just proven you're in charge."

"Music to my ears," he grins, but then rolls off the bed. "You up for a visit with Erik? He said he has a surprise for us."

Not what I was expecting to hear two minutes after orgasming, but I kick off the tangled sheets and take Casper's hand, letting him pull me from the bed. Instead of letting go, he wraps his arms around me and drops a kiss on my neck. It's right over my small crescent scar and he makes a humming sound. "Why do you smell so good here? Have you been dabbing yourself with something delicious while I'm not looking?"

"Just crème br?lée," I deadpan back, even while my heart thuds in my chest. The little moon-shaped scar is from the hormone injections my dad forced on me. I'm not sure if it has some kind of lingering scent, but it reminds me how much is really at stake while I indulge in sweet kisses and mind-blowing orgasms.

I busy myself pulling on one of Casper's sweaters and a pair of sweats, glad I have his calming scent in my nose as I plaster a smile on my face. "What do you think Erik wants? He doesn't strike me as the surprising type."

Casper snorts as he takes my arm, steering me out of the room. "You're right. He's not a big fan of spontaneity. But I think you guys have that in common, right?"

I nudge him with my hip, wondering if he's referring to his sex plan for me. It's true that I prefer methodical action over rushing into things, but I'm hardly going to complain if Casper decides to mix things up in the bedroom. Especially if they result in toe-curling orgasms like the one – no, two – I just had. "So, what do you think he wants to see us about?"

Casper gives me a small smile as he holds the stairwell door open for me. "All he said was come and meet him in the gym, so I'm guessing a workout of some kind."

I just raise my brows and follow him up to the top floor. It opens into a glass-walled corridor with a breathtaking view of a rooftop terrace. There's a swimming pool, entertainment area, and what looks like a greenhouse in the corner. All against the soaring skyline of the city.

"In here," Casper tells me, as we step into a fully decked out gym. An array of workout equipment winks back at me from a mirrored wall and I swallow a groan. A sex plan I can get behind, but a fitness program is a hard no.

Not that it stops me from ogling the uber alpha currently bench-pressing his own body weight. He's wearing tight athletic gear, and I have to admit, the view is impressive.

I've seen a lot of big alphas before, but Erik is built on a whole different scale, his massive thighs planted on either side of the bench and his biceps bulging as he sets the bar back on the rack. He sits up, grabbing a towel to wipe his face, then rests his wrists on his thighs. His tank is damp with sweat, giving his skin a golden sheen. He's various shades of brown from his tightly cropped hair to his coffee-no-cream eyes, and I realize I'm staring. Because once I can see past the uber killing machine, he's actually kind of handsome.

Not in the way Xavier is, with his classic good looks and smooth confidence. And I'm not sure I've ever seen a guy as magnetic as Declan, but one glance in his deep green eyes and I knew he came with a hazard warning. Erik, on the other hand, looks like the kind of guy you want standing in your corner. He's not just big, but there's a sharp intelligence in his gaze that's hard to look away from.

But he's still an uber alpha, and I know I have to approach with caution.

"So, what's the story, Erik?" Casper chirps, sounding the exact opposite of wary. "If you want us to work up a sweat, you should know I've already taken care of that."

I shove him in the ribs, because I'm certain Erik's alpha senses have already given him the update.

Or maybe not, from the long slow blink he gives me with his dark lashes. I try not to squirm in my borrowed sweats, but he takes his time getting to his feet and tossing his towel in a hamper, and his eyes never leave mine. "I actually wanted to brief you on our security measures."

Casper gives a cute little huff, but I stand up straighter. If I want to get Violet to safety, I need to find out what's on offer. "Great. What do we need to know?"

Erik gives an approving nod, then gestures to a desk in the corner. I look at the array of gadgets he's set out in two piles. "Encrypted cells," he says, pointing to the new-model phones. "Just use it like you normally would, but let me know if you get any unusual texts or calls."

While we study our new phones, he points to a black unit about the size of my thumb. "This is both a personal tracker and a panic button. You can keep it in your pocket, or there's a chain if you want to wear it around your neck. Just press the button and our guys will trace your location and be with you in no time." He hands me the gadget, but gently loops the chain around Casper's neck. The omega rolls his eyes, but I notice he clutches the device against his chest as Erik moves on to a small silver cylinder. "Heard of Feral Moan? It's a version of mace, designed to work against an alpha's pheromones. There's no such thing as a guaranteed alpha repellant, but a few puffs of this will slow anything down."

I blink at him, but it's Casper who leans on the desk and asks, "Are you going to throw in a bulletproof jacket as well?"

Erik just gives another of his slow blinks. "If I think you need one, I will."

"Hmm." Casper accepts his can of mace but juggles the phone in his hand. "How am I meant to use this if I can't see the screen?"

"It's programed with our numbers." Erik covers Casper's hand, moving his thumb over the first three buttons. "It also has voice-to-text functionality and a braille keyboard if you ever want to go that way." He pulls his hand back and rubs it over his chin, looking frustrated. "I've talked to our IT team about creating some more accessibility apps, but you'll need to give me a few weeks."

"Thanks, Erik." Casper gives him a sweet smile this time, and the alpha straightens a little, his pupils dilating. He's clearly into the omega in a big way, and when he catches me watching, his cheeks darken a fraction, but he just turns his head towards the door.

"Are you done preppin' them for war?" Declan asks, strolling into the room with a caged carrier in his hand. "'Cos our other courting gift is getting' restless."

I open my mouth on a surprised gasp and ‘the gift' answers in kind, giving an excited yip as it claws at the cage. "This is Chewie," Declan says with a mixture of fondness and exasperation. "He's supposed to be a seein' eye puppy, but he's masqueradin' as a shoe shredder. He's already chomped his way through a pair of my Italian brogues."

I drop to my knees as he opens the carrier and a bundle of golden fur and gangly legs races out. "Oh, he's gorgeous!"

I grin as he pounces on Erik's trainers, harassing the neatly tied laces. He growls and snaps his tiny jaws as he tugs on the ends. I expect Erik to shake him off, but he toes off his shoe, letting the puppy drag his prize away a couple of inches. "You like dogs?" he asks me, his brown eyes steady on my face.

"I've always wanted one." The story of my life, wanting what my father refused me, but I push the thought away as I reach for the squirming puppy. "How old is he?"

"Eight weeks," Declan replies, dropping to his haunches. The puppy instantly pounces on him and Declan laughs as he nudges him onto his back. As soon as he digs a fingernail into its round little belly, the puppy starts to pant and kick in a spasm of bliss. "I got him through a vet friend at the Seein' Dog Association. Chewie's in trainin' right now, and if you guys are okay with it, we'll be his foster family until he's about a year old."

I blink as I run a hand over the squirming puppy. "Seriously? But what does he need to learn?"

"Just house manners and basic obedience." Declan gives me a slow, magnetic grin. "You never know. I might pick up some stuff along the way, too."

I roll my eyes at him, but when I tip my head back, Casper hasn't moved from the side of the desk. He's still clutching the gadgets Erik gave him, a lost look on his face. "Hey," I say, scrambling to my feet. "Everything okay?"

"I just… think this might be a mistake." He frowns as he turns away from the puppy, his voice almost angry. "I mean, I'm not always going to be like this. I'll get over the injury, and then I won't need an assistance dog. Who'll take him then?"

I exchange a quick glance with the alphas. Declan doesn't look surprised at the omega's change in mood, but Erik's expression is strained. I don't know what Casper's prognosis is – it's one of the many things we haven't got around to discussing yet – but it's clearly a touchy subject. "Well, he's only really little now. I'm guessing he just needs someone to get him started, then the professionals can take over."

I actually have no idea what goes into fostering a guide dog, but Declan gives me a quick nod. "That's spot on," he drawls, scooping the wriggling puppy up. "We're just here to build the little guy's confidence." He leans over me to grab the back of Casper's neck, pulling him in for a quick kiss to the forehead. When he's done, he shoots me a wink. "The more love he gets as a pup, the more he'll give back when he's grown."

Isn't that the truth? And the more it's withheld when you're young, the harder it is to recognize it when you see it. But I'm pretty sure that's love in Declan's eyes when he gazes at Casper.

Does he know?

I think of the omega between my thighs, giving me my first real taste of pleasure. It was beyond anything I'd ever imagined, and I know Casper's confidence had a lot to do with it. If he was attracted to these alphas, I can't imagine him being shy about showing it. But maybe he hasn't been receptive to it until now. Xavier said that Casper was traumatized by his injury, barely eating or talking for months. But now he's definitely perked up – if the way he's been feasting on my body is anything to go by.

Declan surprises me by pressing the puppy into my hands and I grunt at how heavy the little guy is. But he stops wriggling as soon as I clutch him to my chest, lifting his snout to lick my chin. "Oh, god, he's so cute."

Casper turns a little, peering down at me, and the caution in his expression makes my heart ache. "What does he look like?"

"Ah, I don't know much about breeds, but he's yellow and wriggly. A golden retriever maybe?"

Declan gives me an encouraging nod and Casper bites his lip. "They really want us to look after him?"

"We've got all the stuff he needs," Erik says quietly, his gaze jumping between me and Casper. "And we have the vet on speed dial in case we have any questions."

I rub my chin over the puppy's soft head. "We can do that, can't we? Just on a trial basis, to make sure he likes us."

Because it's pretty damn obvious I like Chewie. Is there such a thing as love at first sight with dogs? Because I'm pretty sure the puppy has already wriggled his way into my heart.

"I guess," Casper says slowly, extending a hand for the puppy to sniff. It licks him instead, and he gives a small smile. "I had a chocolate Lab when I was a kid. Called him Cookie, for obvious reasons."

I nudge him with a fat paw. "Chewy and Cookie. I think I'm seeing a theme here."

Casper runs his fingers back and forth over the puppy's soft head. "Is he as cute as he feels?"

"Cuter. He's wagging his tail so hard, and his heart is beating like a rabbit. And smell him." I press him under Casper's nose and he takes a big sniff. "What does he remind you of?"

"Cookie dough," Casper laughs, then raises his brows in Declan's direction. "You sure it's not too late to change the little guy's name?"

We play with Chewie–slash-Cookie a while longer, while Declan tells us everything he knows about the fostering program. I download the vet's contact details to my new phone while Casper lies on the ground and lets the puppy climb all over him. Erik finally relaxes an inch, even kicking off his other shoe and sacrificing it for the cause. When Chewie starts to make whining sounds, Declan suggests we take him out to the terrace.

I scoop him up, Casper holding my elbow as we step out into the brisk morning air. "You know," he muses, tilting his face towards the sun, "we now have a legit excuse to puppy pile."

I raise my brows at him. "You mean spend all day tangled up together in bed? Aren't we doing that already?"

"Well, to do it right, we should probably ask the guys to join us. Make it a proper pack event."

I pause, lowering the puppy to the square of neatly trimmed lawn. It runs from the glass wall to the greenhouse, with a stone path leading to the swimming pool. Chewie gives an excited yip as he bounces over the springy grass and I smile, but my thoughts are racing in another direction. Erik stayed back to finish his workout, but Declan has flopped onto one of the pool lounges and is fiddling with his phone. While he looks distracted, I get the sense he's aware of everything we're doing.

"Is that what you want?" I ask Casper in a low voice. "Us together as a pack?"

He scratches his cheek. "Well, they're courting me now. And I've already hooked up with Declan a couple of times." He tilts his head, his eyes scanning the terrace like he's looking for the alpha. "It's only casual so far, but you've probably guessed how addicting he can be." He pauses, swinging his attention back my way, and I can feel how hard he's trying to read me. "But if that makes you uncomfortable, just tell me. You come first, Jasmine."

The puppy is headed towards the greenhouse, and I use the excuse of following him to clear my head. But I can't escape the questions that are swarming there. Is being part of a pack something I could want? That means trust and intimacy, two things I don't ever associate with alphas. And would it even work, especially since Casper's the only reason we'd all be together?

I have to admit, the thought of seeing him with Declan makes me flush with arousal. In the many hours I've spent reading erotica and watching porn, I've always gravitated towards the group scenes, where everyone in the pack is into each other equally. And I'm not going to pretend the alphas aren't attractive once you look past the fact that two of them are ubers and the third is a heartbreak waiting to happen.

Chewie has reached the greenhouse door, which opens suddenly to a pretty beta in her late forties wearing jeans and an apron. She has a pair of gardening gloves tucked into a pocket and a metal trug over her arm, full of freshly harvested herbs and vegetables. "Oh, hello," she greets me. "I'm Kelly, the cook."

"Hi, I'm Jasmine."

I'm not sure how to best describe myself, but she gives me a sunny smile and then bends down to pat Chewie's head. "He looks like he's settling in well. Curtis will be so pleased." At my curious look, she explains, "He's a vet at the Seeing Dog Association and one of my packmates."

"It's how we jumped to the front of the line to get this little guy," Declan explains, sauntering up. He grabs a sprig of mint from the trug and starts munching on it, earning an exasperated look from Kelly. But there's no denying the affection in her gaze as Declan shoots her a wink. "Makes my kisses fresher."

Which has me staring at his lips and wondering if they're why Casper finds him so addicting. But then Kelly is looking my way and I blurt out, "I love your kitchen. I'm in my last year of a Culinary Arts degree, and I couldn't help poking through your refrigerator when Casper showed me around."

"Homemade sauces are Jasmine's jam," Casper says, raising his brows suggestively. "I'm pretty sure chocolate is her favorite. Especially the way I serve it."

Which of course reminds me of the way he swirled his finger in the bowl of chocolate before pressing it between my lips, and I'm pretty sure I'm red to my roots.

"Well, now I'm hungry," Declan says with a mock pout, although there's a sly gleam in his eyes as he looks down at me. "Next time I want an invitation."

"What about a crème br?lée?" Casper suggests, nudging me with a grin. "You promised you'd make it for me, right?"

Kelly chuckles at their teasing, but her smile is kind. "I've got room on tonight's menu if you're interested."

I don't even try to hide my enthusiastic reaction. It's been a couple of weeks since I did any real cooking, and my fingers are twitching. "I'd love that."

"Great. We can head down now and talk shop, if you like." I nod, but she glances at Declan. "Are you booked to sing in the club tonight?"

A faint shadow crosses the alpha's face before he gives a lazy shrug. "No rest for the wicked, right?"

I'm surprised by his answer, because according to what Casper told me, the club is only open four nights a week. Members also have to book ahead, because they can only access the building for five hours at a time. It gives new meaning to the term exclusive, and I would've thought the members would take their business elsewhere, but Casper said it's always booked out.

It must mean Declan is a star attraction, but Kelly is patting his arm, and I'm pretty sure there's sympathy in her eyes. "We'll eat early, then. And let's take Chewie with us. I've already got a nice warm spot picked out for him near the range."

I smile as I scoop the wriggling pup up. On the way to the door, Casper nudges Declan and says something about chocolate sauce under his breath. The alpha throws back his head and laughs, that shadow in his eyes chased away as he slings an arm around the omega's shoulders. Kelly falls into step beside me, a ripe tomato in hand as she tells me her secret to the perfect marinara sauce. I listen attentively, but I can't help wondering if this is how it feels to be part of a pack. Good company, the promise of great food, and a puppy that licks your nose every chance it gets. The only missing ingredient is Violet, and as we head down to the familiar warmth of the kitchen, I make a promise to myself. Tonight I'll set down my worries and just live in the moment, but I'm getting my sister back at the first opportunity. No matter what it takes.