Christmas Morning

Faedra

J ude's scent is so comforting that I nearly roll over and go back to sleep when my alarm pings. Instead, I reach out a hand and blindly mess with the screen of my phone. Jude hums and pulls me closer, tucking his nose into the crook of my shoulder. I crack one eye open, double checking that my alarm is actually off and then swallow a groan at the early time.

Why did I decide this was the best option for today?

Jude's purr rumbles through his chest. I relax as his arm tightens around my waist, his hand spreading over my breast. Heat rushes through me, and I swallow back a moan. My jasmine scent surrounds us, fresher than the smells left over from our sex late last night. Or early this morning, technically. Christmas with twin toddlers meant pretty much no sleep for any of us today.

I trace his hand as I wait for him to relax back into sleep, his beard scratching at my skin, soaking in the moment and breathing in his musk scent. It's so comforting, it loosens the anxiety that sits like a stone in my belly. The moment he rolls onto his back, I grab my phone and slide out of bed, scooping up the slip he'd thrown toward the bathroom. The door is harder to navigate without waking him. He's the lightest sleeper of my Alphas. I probably should have considered that when sleeping in his room last night.

But he murmurs Latin in my ear, and I'm a lost cause. Any Omega would be if they heard his gruff voice call them Beloved in a different language, I'm sure. I know Violet's a swooning mess every time Dominic starts throwing Italian around.

Once I'm in my own room, I slide into a new set of pajamas and then go about getting cleaned up. I'm adjusting the claw clip in my hair as I walk into my closet, double checking that my door is still closed. The present is tucked where I left it yesterday, the bow still perfect and the wrapping paper unmarred.

I'm setting it under the tree when I hear the latch of a door click upstairs. Just as one of my Alpha's footsteps start down the stairs, I cross the living room, focusing on pulling the cold brew coffee from the fridge and my favorite mug from the cupboard. I swallow the first sip and let it soothe away my nerves.

"Good morning, Red," Logan murmurs a moment before his sandalwood scent envelops me. It eases away the anxious pit in my stomach that refuses to settle. I lean back against him and hum, letting my eyes flutter shut.

I'm so tired . I'd forgotten about the exhaustion. At least I'm not sick. Yet. I'm sure it's coming.

"Good morning," I whisper, turning until I can press my forehead into his sternum. His stomach tenses as the cold mug touches his skin.

"What are you doing awake so early? And on Christmas, no less?" He presses his lips into my temple. "Really expected to have to get you up after the girls."

"Couldn't sleep," I say.

Not entirely a lie. It's why Jude ended up giving me four orgasms instead of two and why my pussy is more tender than normal. It's something I've learned is typical when I'm coming out of my heats. The first several weeks afterward, I'm a mess, trying to reorient my days and nights.

It's been almost four weeks since I came out of my last one, so it should be getting better soon. Hopefully. I stifle a yawn and nuzzle deeper into his hold.

He must feel my exhaustion through the bond because he pulls the mug from my hand and sets it on the counter. Before I can brace for it, he has me in his arms and is walking toward the sofa in the living room. The sky is still dark, the city lights bright against the midnight backdrop.

My eyes flutter closed as Logan starts purring, running his hand down my thigh and tracing circles around my knee. I lose track of time as the sky slowly lightens, breathing in his scent and feeling his warmth around me. He doesn't pressure me to start getting ready for Christmas morning or even see if I'm interested in something more than cuddling.

"We need more quiet mornings like this," I say, dropping my head onto his shoulder. "It feels like I don't see you often enough."

It's not actually true. All three of my Alphas are so incredibly intentional about carving out time between us, making sure I'm cared for and loved and given every intimacy I'd ever dreamed of having. It's probably just the post-heat drop talking again. Or my brain speeding ahead way too fast and already clinging to the little moments that'll be hard to find again for a while.

He kisses his bond mark, his love a warm balm in my chest.

The fridge closes behind me, and I glance over my shoulder, surprise lighting through me when I realize both Carter and Jude are awake, too.

"Good morning, little Omega," Carter says as Jude hands him a steaming mug. "Merry Christmas."

My cheeks heat as I offer the same greeting to him.

Logan chuckles. "All right. Definitely something in the air today. We're never all awake before the girls."

"Maybe it's because it's Christmas," I offer with a smile.

Carter crosses the room, setting his coffee and the baby monitor on the small table beside the sofa before moving my legs so he can sit beside Logan. His hands are softer than Logan's, and they don't catch on my skin as he traces shapes along my shins.

Jude's slower to join us, enjoying his coffee at the island and putting his empty mug in the dishwasher before crossing the large open space. The first rays of sunshine are just crossing over the city when I lace my hand with his and breathe deeply. There's a small noise from the monitor, and I sit up so I can double check if one of the girls is awake yet.

When I see they're both still asleep, their blankets sprawled across their toddler beds, I force a deep breath.

"I'm glad we woke up before the girls," I say, running my hand down Logan's sternum.

His grin is wicked and shoots a bolt of warmth straight to my pussy, my jasmine scent exploding around us. His lips are soft but unrelenting, and I have to pull away to catch my breath. My body already sings for him. The desire to get lost in all three of their scents and bodies is so strong it takes all my willpower to pull away.

"I have something for the three of you," I whisper as Carter kisses his bond mark, palming the nape of my neck as I try to slide off Logan's legs. "I'd thought I'd give it to you after the girls were finished this morning, but I think this will be better."

They release me, their curiosity blending together in the bonds.

My steps are a bit unsteady as I cross to the tree and pull the present from where I'd tucked it behind all the others. While I'm there, I press the switch and turn on the tree's lights, basking in the warm glow it gives the room. I ignore how my hands tremble on my way back to them, their eyes boring into me.

They're magnificent.

Jude's hair is gray, all traces of the brown he had when we met gone, and his beard is, too. Logan's eyes have crows feet and his mouth has laugh lines that he didn't have when I first saw him at the gala. Carter's reading glasses have upgraded to full-time use, the black rims blending in with the wavy hair he still keeps longer than the other two men.

I'm caught with overwhelming gratitude that we're together, that of the hundreds of packs the Council could have selected for me, they selected this pack. They're mine . I've had them for nearly four years, but no amount of time will ever be enough. I will always want them, will always desire more time, more touch, more intimacies.

Possessiveness rushes through me, and Carter cocks an eyebrow.

"Come here, pretty Omega," he says, the command wrapping around me and spurring me on. He holds out his hand. "Let's see what you have for us."

I perch on the coffee table once I hand the package to Logan, gripping its edge tight enough my knuckles are white. Logan's hands are steady as he pulls the paper off and slides the lid off the plain white box.

" Meus amor , this is beautiful," Jude says, awe weaving through his voice.

Logan pulls the quilt from the box, and Carter's quick to set the packaging on the floor where it's out of the way. Jude traces one of the appliquéd flowers set before running his hand along the edge of the simple vase they're set in.

"One for each of us," I say. "I thought it would be fun to reprise the quilt I made when we were first matched."

Logan nods, a smile spreading across his face. "And they're in the colors we chose originally. That's brilliant."

Carter's eyes furrow as he traces the seventh flower. A lump settles in the back of my throat.

Here we go .

"Why are there seven, little Omega?" he asks, his voice low, an edge of wonder to it that has my belly tightening.

I reach forward and grab the small slip of paper I'd hidden between the folds of the quilt.

"Because there's seven of us," I say.

I set the thin, glossy paper on the quilt.

All three men freeze, their eyes locked on the small sonogram print and the barely visible bean that is our next baby. Just one, this time.

Thank goodness.

Carter's the first to look up, his eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"Little Omega," he whispers. "Already?"

We decided to start trying with my last heat. We weren't really sure how many it would take. Or if it would even happen during my heat. Omegas getting pregnant outside of their heats is rare but not impossible. We were examples of that, after all.

When I nod, Carter pulls me into his arms, his shout of excitement echoing off the windows. He cups my cheeks as he kisses me, his pine scent growing until it drowns us. Even my own jasmine scent doesn't overpower it. The scents of the others twist around us, the sounds of their moving cutting through the building desire in my body.

Logan has the buttons of my pajama top undone by the time Carter has me straddling his hips, his hands firm where they grip my thighs. Jude runs his hands over my shoulder even as he plays with my nipples, coaxing them into hard buds that send goosebumps across my chest. I tilt my head back and let my eyes flutter closed.

"Red," Logan whispers against his bond scar.

Their own arousal weaves through the bonds, coalescing into a tsunami of need I'm unable to resist. Logan eases the waistband of my pajamas down my hips, pulling the simple panties with them, until I'm just barely exposed—and held motionless by the pants.

A ripple of satisfaction through the bond is my only warning before Logan's fingers are circling my clit, the touch featherlight. I try to push into his touch, try to urge him harder and faster, as my scent doubles in strength, overwhelming those of my Alphas.

Jude smiles and nips at my shoulder.

"Look at me, little Omega," Carter says, that bark of command cutting through me. I'm unable to resist.

My breath saws out of me, my legs shaking under the onslaught of sensation they're wringing out of my body.

Carter's brown eyes are bright, his cheekbones sharp. He cups my cheeks. Runs his thumbs across my skin. Brushes his lips against mine. The others speed up, so in sync without speaking that it's a bit terrifying. I moan, lost to the moment.

"You're perfect," Carter says just as I'm about to reach that peak and fall over it. His eyes sharpen as he smirks. "Let me hear it. Let me hear just how perfect of a little Omega you are."

My legs lock as a wave of pleasure rushes through me, my toes curling and my fingers digging into Carter's stomach. I gasp as the climax renders me thoughtless, a mewling whimper filling the quiet morning around us.

Logan eases his touch away from me as the pleasure slowly ebbs and my thoughts return to me. Jude's slower to stop, his skilled fingers wringing another bit of pleasure from me before his hands drop to my belly.

It's still flat, no outward sign of this new change to our life. Happiness rushes through me, wholly my own, as I think about what this baby might look like. I hope they have Carter's eyes.

Logan eases my panties back into place, adjusting the waistband of my pajamas so they lay smooth. I can't help but whine. Jude chuckles as he kisses my shoulder and runs his tongue over where he bit me. I suck in a breath.

Another sound comes through the monitor, followed by a little girl saying, "Mamma, Christmas. Daddy, Christmas. Rose, Christmas. Wake up."

Each sentence gets louder, Iris's excitement building.

Logan kisses my temple, his lips tilted into a wide smile.

Another small voice crackles over the monitor, softer and more stoic than her sister's. "‘Ris, good morning."

"Rose, Christmas. Christmas. Let's go!"

The last word is just a shriek that causes the monitor to crackle out.

The handle to their door wiggles, and Logan sighs.

Carter drops his hands and fixes my top, working through the buttons with a precision I will never manage. Points to people who wear suits all day for work and are prone to having people randomly swing by their offices. They're fucking pros at getting cleaned up in three minutes flat.

Just as Jude pulls away, Carter palms my thighs and kisses me once, softer than before.

"Merry Christmas, little Omega."