Chapter 26

Chapter

Twenty-Six

Isquirmed as I looked at him.

"Iwas just— Cal and I finished the movie and were going to go to bed. But I…"

"What do you need?"asked Marko.

I shook my head, not wanting to say.

From the flush I had in the mirror, I wasprettysure it was obvious what Ineededwhether or not I wanted to admit it aloud.

"It looks like you either need to either be fucked or fucked something up, little omega,"the largest of the pack said in all seriousness.

I almost wanted to laugh. Iwould'veif Ididn"tfeel so damn helpless.Leaveit to Marko to say it plain as day.Ikind ofappreciated that about him, even if it made me want to go up tointoflames right now.

"Which is it going to be?"He goaded.

"I…"I looked at him, unable to stop my eyes from the way they scanned his form up and down and then once more. There was just so much to take in.

And my omega surewasn'tgoing to deny herself this pleasure.

I was starting to worry that I was becoming more swayed than ever by myomega'slogic, trilling inside the back of my headconstantly.

She made some very good points.

Even if they were in monosyllables of mine and yes and please.

"I'llwarn you now, little omega. Once you make your choice, Iwon'tstop until I help you,"Marko said in that unintentionally raspy voice thattrulydid not help my issue of being distracted so easily."The moment you walked into the kitchen earlier, I could barely help myself with how much you already smelled like pack. All of us mixed with your sweet scent."

I blinked a few times.

He just…he just said that.

God, I want him.I wanted him so badly.

But Ididn'tthink I should. Notyeteven ifhimpinning me to the gym mats sent my body alight with fire.

I swallowed as I stepped towards him. I hesitated, needing to take a deep breath to calm my raging hormones back down before I spoke."You saidyou'dteach me. You saidyou'dteach me about how to keep myself safe."

Marko paused.

He nodded. "I did."

"Will you?"

Another nod.

And a whisper that sounded a bitlike,"Always."

Sparks went through my body at the word while the rest of me wanted to melt into the cushioned floor.

Always. As ifhecould always be there and we could alljuststay right here in this strange bubble in the house we somehow createdandno one would have to face the world that my story I told them all about took place. Forbetter or for worse.

Because from the moment I would eventually open up and tell them more about what happened to me and everything…

He hummed for a second, not saying anything."Make a fist."

I stared at him, confused until he demonstrated. Oh, right. We were supposed to be working out here. I did asI was told. I curled my fingers into the palm of my hand.

Marko clucked his tongue, unrolling and re-tucking my fingers until my thumb rested on the outside.

"Better." He grumbled. "You won't break now."

I narrowed my eyes and sat him as he studied me,as if unsure aboutwhy I came down here or asked him to fulfill his promise."Are you upset?"

He shook his head."Never."

"You're quiet though."

"Figuredyou'dbe used to that by now."

"Iam, but…"I drifted off, not sure what to say."Are you upset because Ididn'topen up at dinner tonight?"

He shook his head again.

"Are you sure?"

Marko chuckled. "I'm sure. You'll let us know when you're ready. I hope you will anyway."

I hoped that I wouldtooforsome reason. Ididn'twant to tell the story. All of it was too much.

"Until you dothough,"Marko said,"I'mleft to imagine what made you such a strong woman. Omega."

He thought I was strong?

"I can't imagine it was tea parties and dresses like most of the omegas I've known partook in."

I chuckled. "Definitely not."

"So instead I'll be angry for you. Wait to be even more angry for a little while likely," he said honestly. "And then we'll act. We'll move forward."

"You're angry."

"I'malways angry for…"He paused."For people I care about."

"And now I am one of those people."

He shrugged."Do you want to be?"

For somereasonwhen he looked at me with such grief and understanding in my eyes.I did.Markosomehow, justunderstood in a way that even wordscouldn'texplain.

"I'm angry too," I whispered.

"Good."

Good?

He lifted his chin towards the punching bag set up in the room. It looked well-used and faded in spots."We can use angry. Angry can be good. Go on. You said you needed to get some anger out now. Hit it. Itwon'thurt your hands."

I looked down at my small fists. I never hit anyone before.

The only things I've hit ever were the books, and even those were handled with care in the archives. The thought alone made me want to giggle.

But there was still venom in my chest brewing at the thoughtof thattoo.Everything was takenaway from me. My life. My job. My omega.

So much in no specific order.

"Hit it," Marko encouraged.

Before I could overthink it anymore, I swung back and hit the bag.

It was a rough felt and vinyl material.Itdidn'thurt, but Idid feel the impact against the flats of my knuckles.

"Good,"Marko said again. I almost swore I saw a corner of his mouth flinch into a smile. But I had to be imagining things after our heavy conversation just a second ago. Iwasn'tsureI'dever seen Marko smile."All right then. Whenyou'reready."

Ok. Again.

I grunted as I punched the bag.

Marko paused, fixing my thumb again soitwasn'ttuckedinwards before letting me go back at it, not stopping me. Hedidn'tstop me as I went at it.

Once I started, Icouldn'tstop. I let all my frustration and confusionthat hadbeenbottled upfor days finally come out with each swing. I had held it all together for too long.No matter what happened,foryearsI assured myself that it wasokay.

I was fine.

I was safe.

I could do this.

But Idon'tthink I ever was ableto fully believe myself. And that made something inside of my chest ache.

Now that I was here surrounded by peoplewhoeven if they werealphasseemedto genuinely care for me, a stranger they barely knew…

I wanted to believe my mantras now more than ever if I could manage it all with these men by my side who smelled like heaven and sin all at once and were soft and sexy in all the other ways that I never imagined anyone would ever be towards me.

There was no rhythmand absolutely noform to what I was doing, but it felt good.

It felt really good.

I bit the inside of my cheek as I continued under Marko's steady gaze.

He waited until I started to feel thesmallbeads of sweat on the back of my neck and the exertionstartingto make my hands turn heavy and slack.

By the time I slowed, a sheen of sweat covered my skin. Any energy I needed to expend was still coursing through my body but in the form of blood pumping through my unused muscles.

"You think I'll be able to protect myself this way?" I asked.

I'mpretty sure if I was punching someone this way, the closestI'dever get is beating up a stuffed animal or something– on a good day.

Marko shook his head. "No. You'll run first. I'll also teach you some other techniques to keep people from grabbing you. You're small. You'll make it work."

"Then what was this?"I asked.

"This was just for you," Marko replied, simply.

Now that he said it, heat rushed to my cheeks at how silly Imust'velooked, losing it.

Marko only watched with a similar light smile to my own as I shook my head.

"You're brave," said Marko.

"What?" My brow furrowed. "No. I'm not."

"Yes. Even if Idon'tknow your story yet…Half of uswouldn'thave the guts to do what you did.I'msure of it.Takingcare of yourself? Holding it all together through a heat and for the past seven years? Those are difficult things…"

The difficult things we do to stay alive.

I remembered our conversation from the kitchen the other night."Thank you."

"You must know,"said Marko."We'ddo anything for you already."

"You don't–"

"We want to. I want to,"he corrected.

I stared at him, seeing the genuine emotion in his eyes, even while his exterior remainedstiff and serious."Oh."

He cleared his throat."You can want us too, you know."

I think I was starting to.

I took a step closer to him until our bodies were nearly flush. Iwhispered,so quietly for a moment Iwasn'teven sure if I heard myself speak.

"You said you'd do anything?"

Marko didn't hesitate. "That's what I said."

"Anything,"I whispered again, swallowing.

Breathing heavily,Marko'shalf-lidded gaze waited for my next move. Only, I think I surprised us both.

I reached up and tugged on his loose shirt, yanking his mouth down to mine.

His lips hesitated, but only for a moment. If my kiss was awkward or sudden, his was just as shocking.

His kiss was pure power.

Marko'shands came up to twist into the hair at my nape. Hedidn'ttug. He used the angle to leverage my mouth against his, fitting us together as if kissing was what wewere madeto be doing with each other all this time.

Idon'tthink I would mind if thiswasall we ever did ever again.

His tongue swiped against the seam of my mouth.

When I gasped, he conquered– no, devoured with a hunger that growled deep in his chest, setting me alight with a renewed flame that burned.

I moaned at the sounds of this quiet alpha made as my body turned into liquid. I fell intoMarko'shands, arching to get closer to him. Ididn'tcare if this was a practice heat or a real one. All I cared about was how fast Marko could pull me down to the dark mats.

Marko kissed me until Icouldn'tbreathe. When he allowed that, he continued to lick and scrape the skin of my neck with his teeth. The sensation was so close to where he could biteme, bond me.

I whimpered, surely making incoherent pleas.

Marko'sbody paused as he hovered over me, his hips molding into mine. The weight was warm and heavy."You'regoing to turn me into a fool whocan'tkeep it together."

"You…"I let the words sink in.

Before I understood, Marko shifted his hips into mine. I cried out at the gentle friction. Marko was straining against his sweatpants. He was large andhardnow against me, yet there were too many layers.

I wanted to feel him.

I swallowed at how big he must be, and I couldn't even see him.

I wanted all of him right now.

Marko hummed, kissing under my jaw before taking another breath."Not like that. Not right now, omega."

"You don't want…"

Immediatelyheshook his head with a self-satisfied grin."More than anything. But not yet. Idon'twant to scare you yet."

How could he scare me?

"Just wait, little omega. Don't worry. It'll be worth it."