16. Nia

Ijump off Lyath without thinking. Thankfully, he’s just as concerned as I am about the storms starting and Beren not being here.

I don’t bother getting dressed. The house is furnished but now feels completely empty. I try to ignore the hollow feeling in my chest as I stand on the front porch, staring across the field. I know if he could, Beren would be back with us. So I don’t know why I can’t force myself not to get my hopes up that he’ll show up on the treeline on his way back to our home.

Lyath stands next to me, just as naked and just as worried. Apparently, neither of us cared much about getting dressed in our hurry to see if Beren was coming back.

Lyath wipes himself off with a tunic before handing it to me to do the same. When I finish, Lyath wraps an arm around my waist and holds me tight against him.

We stand right outside the doorway, watching as the rain starts to fall harder. Our porch is covered, but we both know it isn’t safe to be out in the storms. We’re both too worried about Beren to care about the danger.

“He will be back,” Lyath says, sounding more like he’s trying to reassure both of us instead of actually being sure.

“He will.” I nod in response, even though we both know I don’t believe it any more than he does.

As the storm grows, the wind picks up and cools my body. Lyath starts to shiver at some point. Instead of going back into the house to grab something to wrap himself in, he kneels down behind me and pulls me closer to him. The rain falls so hard that we can’t see the tree line of our little farm, and it’s then that we realize our mate won’t be back today.

Lyath and I spend the next seven days trying our hardest to keep the other’s mind off of how worried we are about Beren. Best-case scenario, he made it to the great hall, took too long to get food, and has been trapped there while he waits for a break in the storm to come back to us. Worst-case scenario, he was on his way back to the house from the tribe when the storm started and was struck by lightning. I try not to think about the worst-case scenario.

“I think I am going to go to bed now,” Lyath says, standing against the wall nearest to where I’ve curled up to sew.

Thankfully, before the storms started, Beren brought plenty of dried food, and I stocked up on fabric. I’ve been working on shorts and tunics for the future women, so they’re not stuck here with no clothes. I’ve been making them in a variety of sizes and already have ten decent sets made. I’m almost out of fabric, though, and then I don’t know what I’ll do with my time. Lyath’s been passing the time by telling me stories about himself, about Beren, and listening to my own stories.

“I should probably head that way,” I sigh, grabbing the torch from the wall and handing it to Lyath to help him set up the fire in our room. He smothers it without a second thought, and I let out a huff of laughter as he leaves me in the dark.

“Oh, sorry,” he says, reaching down to grab my forearm. Beren and Lyath have much better eyesight than I do, and so he thinks nothing of plunging the house into darkness. “I will guide you, yes?”

I pat his hand with mine until I find his fingers and tangle us together. “Of course.”

Lyath helps me to my feet and walks me the short distance to the bedroom. There’s a soft glow underneath the door, showing me he’s already made the fire. When he opens the door, I’m surprised to see a look of helplessness cover his face before he manages to mask it and give me a small smile. He tries to usher me inside, but I stand firm and place a hand on his cheek.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, hoping he’s not losing hope about Beren being okay.

We can’t think about worst-case scenarios—not until the rain slows and we have a chance to check for ourselves. Beren always takes the same exact path to the great hall and back, so we’ll find him no matter what.

Lyath looks away from me. “I do not wish to speak of it, Nia.”

I inhale sharply, not liking how he says my name in the same breath as dismissing me. A soft flush grows underneath his scales, darkening them like he’s both embarrassed and aroused. The straining in his pants is something that we both ignore.

“He’s coming back,” I snap at him. I don’t like how his desperation is obviously affecting him more than me.

Lyath doesn’t answer me, doesn’t look back down at me. No, he pulls his tunic from his body, his chest heaving in deep breaths as the flush moves lower down his scales. His eyes flicker red for a moment, but I don’t see them for long before he turns me around and pushes me toward the bed.

“Lyath, if you don’t tell me what’s wrong, I’m going to tell Beren you were a bad mate when he comes back,” I say, trying to add sass in my voice, but it comes out more worried than anything else. I don’t even feel any fire in my chest or in my words. I only feel a deep worry that grows as Lyath pushes me toward the bed. He tugs my tunic off my body and pushes me under the blankets.

“Do not say my name right now, Nia,” Lyath hisses, not seeming to notice that he’s said my name twice so far tonight. He makes a big deal about not saying it unless Beren is around.

I’m about to tell him as much when I feel his hand on my waist, his fingers wrapping around me in a loving caress that fills my lower abdomen with warmth and sends butterflies fluttering through my stomach. We haven’t been intimate since the day the storms started, but it hasn’t been for my lack of trying.

“What are you doing?” I suck in a breath before turning around, lying on my side facing Lyath so our faces are close. He places his hand back on my hip, his fingers traveling lower until he’s cupping the outside of my ass. I moan and arch my body into his.

“It has been many days,” Lyath murmurs. His fingers release me before running down my thigh, only stopping to grab me and pull me close to him. “Many, many days.” He sounds more like he’s talking to himself than to me.

I wonder if he’s having to work out what he wants with how he thinks he should act to avoid disrespecting our shared mate. Me? I don’t have the same problems as Lyath because I know Beren wouldn’t want us to make ourselves miserable.

“We can enjoy one another,” I say.

He keeps his gaze on my chest. He enjoys watching my chest heave as hard as his. We’re both trying to keep our bodies calm enough to make sure we both want this.

“We can be with one another and still be his,” I murmur, cupping his face and drawing his attention to my face.

“Yes, I think so,” Lyath says, his words sounding more sure. The fear in his eyes softens as our breathing begins to mingle and our heartbeats start to sync. “We need to discuss what happens if Beren is not safe.”

Lyath’s words are like a bucket of ice water on my arousal. His eyes go wide when he sees my reaction, and then he’s throwing himself onto his back, tossing an arm over his eyes. “That was not how I meant for that to come out.”

“He’s coming back,” I snap, anger taking the place of arousal. Lyath makes a groaning sound in the back of his throat but doesn’t look at me.

“I know this, but he told me I was to take care of you if anything ever happens to him. I feel like we need to discuss that before I make love to you. I have been thinking about it all day. It is only making my cock harden, even though I am more than worried enough. I do not wish to take on the responsibility of taking care of you because it is Beren’s job. I am not making love to you while it is the only thing on my mind, though. It makes me feel as though I am betraying him.”

“Shut up,” I roll my eyes, lie on my back, and mimic Lyath’s position by throwing my arm over my eyes. “Did he seriously tell you to watch over me if something happened to him?”

“Yes, of course he did. You are small and need much protecting, I imagine.”

I snort and then try my hardest to silence it because this should be a serious conversation since neither of us knows where Beren is or what’s happened to him. “He told me the same thing. You realize that, right?”

Lyath rolls onto his side, his eyes boring a hole into me, but I don’t move my arm to see the look he’s giving me. “No, you are much too weak to protect me. He most definitely would not have asked this of you.”

“Maybe I’m meant to make sure you don’t come too often,” I counter. Lyath sucks in a quick breath, a hiss rattling out of him as he exhales. “Yeah, so now that we both know Beren asked us to keep the other safe, what do you want to do about it?”

“Well, I just wanted you to know I was thinking about it all day, and my lack of lovemaking has made me think of protecting and having you in all ways.” Lyath’s voice gets small the longer he talks, but he doesn’t stop until he’s said everything he needs to say. “I do not wish to take Beren’s mate from him, and I most definitely do not want to take you if he is safe and sound in the great hall. Still, I needed to tell you all of this before I tried to woo you tonight. I did not want you to lay with me if you were unaware of what I was thinking. It feels wrong to me.”

“We’re not making any serious decisions until the storms slow, and we can go look for Beren.” I move my arm enough to see if he’s looking at me, which, of course, he is. I can feel his breath on me and his tongue lash against my neck in soft caresses. He swallows thickly when I look at him, and then he moves closer, wrapping his arms back around me and pulling me tight to him again like I am his lifeline in the confusing feelings he’s having.

“I understand that, and I agree.” Lyath nuzzles his head against the top of my curls, and his hands splay wide on my back to keep me close. “May I hold you close while we sleep?”

“You only want to sleep?” I ask. “After all of that, you don’t want to do anything else?”

“I think it is for the best if we just sleep tonight,” Lyath says, his arms tightening around me. “Maybe in the morning, we can think about lovemaking again. Tonight, I need to be close to you.”

I make a soft humming sound in the back of my throat and nuzzle closer to Lyath’s cool scales. I stick one of my feet between his thighs, and he squeezes it softly before speaking again. “Will you sleep well, or do you need me to take care of your female needs?”

I choke on a laugh, “No, no, my female needs are fine.”

“Okay,” Lyath says with a single nod. “You will tell me if they are not met.”

“I will.” I keep the laugh locked deep inside because I know Lyath’s being serious right now. He wraps the blanket tighter around his shoulders, making sure my head isn’t covered before he lets his body relax. Our heartbeats slow, and so do our breaths, until we’re both falling into a deep sleep with the storm raging outside.

Something cool traces a line from my forehead down my cheek to my jaw. I swat it away and bury my face back toward Lyath. I make a sound of protest when whatever I swatted away begins to trace down the side of my neck and over my shoulder.

Whatever is touching me doesn’t seem to care about my attempts to shoo it away. The blanket is dragged off my body, leaving my torso exposed to the warm night air. Lyath’s hands are still wrapped around me, but I can feel whatever it is moving lower down my back, over my sides, and around my waist.

I’m not awake enough to understand what or who it is immediately. In fact, he manages to wrap an arm around my waist before I finally wake up enough to let out a squeal that has Lyath startling awake and his eyes flashing red.

“Beren!” I twist in Lyath’s hold, which is now extra tight since he woke in the worst possible way. Thankfully, Lyath is a bit quicker about waking up, and he releases me so I can throw myself into Beren’s arms.

“My mates,” Beren says with a smile that lights his face up in joy. His scales are wet. His tunic and pants are soaked through. Not that it’s stopped him from crawling into the bed with us and soaking our blankets as well.

“You are here?” Lyath says, not believing that our mate is back and safe.

“I am here,” Beren says, reaching over and grabbing one of Lyath’s horns and pulling his head close to his own. He nuzzles against him until their horns lock. I keep myself pressed tight against Beren’s chest as he comforts Lyath, who’s still blinking wildly like he can’t believe it.

“I am sure I told you not to stop making love to my mate until I told you to,” Beren says, his tongue flicking at Lyath’s lips. That’s what finally has a smile falling across Lyath’s face.

“Yes, well, seven days of lovemaking is a lot,” Lyath stumbles over the words, emotion making his words thick and tight.

“He got tired after six,” I nudge Beren’s side with my hand, getting his attention on me for a moment so I can see the look of adoration focused on me and know that everything’s going to be okay. Beren lowers his face to mine, a hand cupping my cheek as he rubs it softly with his thumb

“I missed you both more than anything,” Beren says, his eyes flashing up to look at Lyath and then settling back on me.

As if to prove his point, a rumble of thunder shakes the room. I forgot about the storms in my excitement to have Beren back with us. Lyath looks to be in the same boat because his eyes narrow and his body tenses as we sit in silence. The only sound is the harsh drumming of raindrops as they hit our home.

“You went out in this?” Lyath asks through gritted teeth, his words more of a hiss. I’ve never heard Lyath mad at Beren, and it doesn’t seem like Beren’s used to it either, considering he’s lowering his gaze and looking almost apologetic. “Beren, did you go out in the storm? You could have died? You would have left us both without our mate!”

Beren hisses. His eyes flash red, and he lunges for Lyath. I scramble out of his way, sitting to the side as he wrestles Lyath down to the mattress on his back, nudging his legs open as he locks their horns and wraps a hand around his neck.

“I came back to you.” Beren cuts me a look. “Both of you.”

“You could have been hurt,” Lyath seethes, refusing to give up his anger even though Beren has him submitting to him. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re both hard against each other.

“The storm let up for a short while during the night,” Beren says, much more coolly than I think he’s capable of since his body is so tense. “The brother meant to keep me from leaving until it was safe fell asleep, and I managed to sneak away before the others could stop me. I was tired of being kept from the two of you. So, yes. It might have been dangerous, but it was worth it.”

I keep the sound of amusement from leaving my throat but leave the smile on my face. It’s not like Lyath and Beren are looking at me right now anyway. If they do end up looking over, maybe it’ll help them to get over the fits they’re both throwing.

I understand why Lyath is upset. He hates that Beren put himself in any danger. Beren is upset because only one person in this relationship gets to worry, and he’s always going to want it to be him. I crawl up to the headboard and sit with my back against it so I can watch as my mate and his other mate begin to soften the bristly edges of their anger with soft touches and knowing looks.

“I thought you might have been hurt when the storms started when you did not come back,” Lyath says, his voice barely a whisper.

“I will always come back for you,” Beren says, his hold on Lyath’s throat softening until he’s dragging his hand down his bare chest toward his groin. Lyath lets out a long hiss when Beren finds what he’s looking for. “I will always find both of you.” He reaches up with his other hand, asking for mine, and I hand it to him without question. “You two are my sole reason for being. If I had it my way, I would have been in this home the day the storms started, but the brothers said it was too dangerous and imprisoned me in one of the spare rooms.”

“You would have come to us when the storms were raging?” Lyath asks with a bite in his words, hating the idea of Beren risking his life more than he already has.

I reach down and stroke his cheek gently, his eyes flashing up to meet mine, and Beren does the same.

“How is it that I’ve only been his mate for a handful of days, and I already know he’d do anything in his power to be with us always,” I say, adding a teasing lilt to my voice that has Beren’s eyes sparkling. “You’ve been with him for years. How come you don’t know this?”

Lyath narrows his eyes at me, a look of uncertainty crossing his features. We’ve never pitted ourselves against each other in terms of our mating to the same male, but what I’ve said can be seen as a jab if he doesn’t take it how I mean it. Thankfully, Lyath knows me better than to assume I mean malice with my teasing. His face relaxes until he has a lazy smile tugging at his lips.

“Maybe I need to be reminded often,” Lyath says, his eyes drifting back up to meet Beren’s. “It has been many days since I have felt my mate’s touch, and I am not a male who is used to going so long without.”

“I will need to make up for missed time then, yes?” Beren smiles at us both wickedly before pulling me to lie next to Lyath. His hips are already pressing into Lyath’s, but he shifts his body so his tongue can find my mouth. “I will want you both many times. In fact, I think you have slept enough of the night away. Who is to have me first? I think it should be Nia and me, and we can make Lyath play with himself in the chair while I bring you pleasure many times.”

Lyath makes a desperate whining sound in the back of his throat as Beren pushes off of him and maneuvers their bodies. He pushes me toward the end of the bed until I’m exactly where he wants me. My head falls off the side so I can stare at where Lyath will be sitting. Beren crawls between my legs, arms wrapping around my thighs to keep me close.

He doesn’t bring his mouth down to me just yet, instead he raises a narrowed gaze at Lyath. “In the chair, hand on your cock. I do not want you to release until I am inside of you, though.”

“This is cruel,” Lyath mutters as he rolls from the bed and sits in the chair in the corner, hand already working his stiff length as Beren lowers his mouth between my legs.

I can’t tell where Beren’s looking, but I’m sure it’s at Lyath, who’s fixated on my face as it contorts in pleasure. When Beren’s tongue hits my core for the first time, I keep my eyes on Lyath and cry out his name. Beren hisses a displeased sound as Lyath makes a similar sound and stills his hand. I smile and give Lyath a wink to make sure he knows I know I’m getting under their scales.

When the waves of pleasure wash over me, Beren’s name leaves my lips as my hands fist his horns and hold him close to me. His fingers bruise my thighs as he holds me to him, letting me ride out my orgasm on his tongue. Lyath clenches his jaw, forcing himself not to come too early.

“Such good mates,” Beren’s voice sounds warm and loving as he raises his mouth from my core. “Both of my mates, so wonderfully perfect for me.” He nods to himself and then returns to pleasuring me, not giving Lyath or me a break until he’s sure we’ve both been punished for being away from him for so long in the most amazing ways.

Then, he makes sure we both understand how precious we are to him. It doesn’t end until Beren is sure we’ve all fully made up for being away from each other. When it’s over, he holds us both and promises to make sure we know how much he cares for us every day for the rest of our lives.