Her stomach twisted when she arrived.
She had almost convinced herself to turn back, but the knock at her door earlier had completely ruined all her plans. Minty had stood flushed from the uphill climb, dressed in deep purple silk, her curls pinned back for once. Makeup had her lips painted crimson and her cheeks a glowing satin. Four other girls flanked her, grinning like fellow conspirators.
Quinn blinked. "You look good."
"You're coming," Minty declared, stepping in without an invitation. She reached into a cloth bag, pulling out a dress. She did not comment on the state of Quinn's home, a mess begging for a cleaning. "You're pack Alpha. You don't get to skip this. It's a pack event, for all packs."
"But—"
"Bitch, no," Minty snarled. "You're going to drink and have fun."
She snapped her fingers.
The girls moved immediately, ushering Quinn to sit. There was no mirror in the room, but hands were already in her hair, brushing, pinning, taming the mess. Her cheeks were dusted with powder. Where they'd gotten makeup, she'd never know.
"I made it," one of the girls told her with a great big grin. "Just needed some flowers and oils." She'd gawked at her then.
The dress was lighter than she expected. A gentle blue silk with subtle stitching, simple and form-fitting. It fit her perfectly: silk kissing her thighs, cinched at her waist, almost too tight at her chest. The others grew quiet when she emerged from the bathroom, their eyes wide.
"Do I look stupid?"
"Nonsense—" Minty snapped. "Girls?"
"Hold still," one of the girls murmured, dabbing something faintly scented along her collarbone. A cream that sparkled. "It enhances your scent," she told her. Quinn blinked. That did not sound normal.
"Where did you get it—"
"Fairies." Minty shrugged. "Stop asking questions," she snapped. "I brought the best artists up here for a reason; let them work!" It felt strangely intimate, being handled and cared for. The women laughing and chatting quietly as they adjusted a strap, smoothed a wrinkle, and stepped back to finally assess their work.
Minty circled her once. "There."
Quinn stood staring at the team.
Without a mirror, she had to rely on their reactions. The room had gone momentarily quiet again.
"Well?" she asked dryly.
"You look beautiful," one of the girls declared.
"No, she looks stunning."
Minty's expression softened. "You look like yourself. Your true self."
That struck harder than any compliment about beauty. She'd only known Minty for a mere month, but she found herself appreciating the girl more than ever. Without the boys in her life, Minty had been her only lifeline for the past week.
Now, as Quinn lingered at the doors of the hall, she could hear the roar of conversation. Shoes rubbing against the floor. Someone shouted for more drinks. A singer crooned, voice rumbling like honey. Her stomach twisted. From the outside, the pack house did not look like the same weathered structure she had lived in a week ago, and she took a step back to appreciate it all.
Lanterns had been strung along the roof, casting a gorgeous amber light over the metal walls and wooden beams. Someone had hung garlands of dried wildflowers along the entrance, softening the hard edges of the place. Music pulsed from within. A gentle jazz, drums layered with guitar strings, laughter rising and falling in waves.
The scent of roasted meat, spiced wine, and fresh bread drifted into the air.
Gorgeous.
She inhaled sharply and pushed open the double doors.
For a moment, she stood at the threshold and simply stared, jaw dropping at the sight. The hall had been transformed. Long wooden tables were lined with platters of food. More lanterns hung low from rafters, light drenching the crowd in golden dust. Shadows moved in rhythm across the walls as people danced in the cleared central space. Singers belted at the head of the hall. The crowd swayed to the beat of the drum.
Her pulse quickened.
She spotted Minty and the girls near the long tables with their mates, already half-drunk and arguing about something trivial. Laughter bursting free. They looked happy, Minty turned to kiss her mate. She diverted her gaze, noticing now the heads that turned her way. She felt a swell of awareness rushing up her spine then at the eyes that drilled into her. But the music continued and the people did not comment, some nodding as she passed, respect in their eyes.
Respect.
Quinn had come to become a member of this town, and sometimes she forgot that she was pack Alpha. She held a position that was arguably equal to her Omegas, and that…That made her a leader of sorts. She made her way deeper then, going towards the food and drink, eyes already on the alcohol.
She'd drink herself to sleep that night.
Then she felt it.
The bond tightened faintly in her chest like a low, aching pull beneath her ribs. Her Alpha rose within her like a second heartbeat. It snapped awake and she lifted her eyes. And suddenly emotions flared up from within her like wildfire and smoke.
Her pulse soared.
They were clustered together near the far end of the hall, half-turned towards one another in conversation, dressed simply in buttoned up silk long sleeves and jeans.
Rowan stood slightly angled, dark curls falling into his eyes, the soft glow of the fire turning tanned skin honey-warm. There was something almost unfairly beautiful about his face. The generously full lips, sculpted features. An expression that hovered between distant turmoil and devastating danger. But when his gaze lifted and found her, it sharpened instantly. Focused. Softened from tiger to kitten, melting immediately like goo.
She could almost hear him purr.
Her heart trembled.
Behind him, Zen leaned back against a pillar, broad shoulders relaxed but coiled with restraint. His sleeves were rolled to his forearms, buttons popped open, veins faintly visible beneath golden skin. His jaw tightened the moment he saw her, dark eyes widening just slightly. But he stared, eyes boring into her skin, lips parting as if surprised.
He gawked at her, gawked at her like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. His drink spilled from his hands, and he didn't care, continued staring like an idiot. She flushed hotter, felt her cheeks redden.
Fool.
She looked away.
Helios stood closer to the dance floor, light on his feet even at rest, clearly back after a dance. His features were always delicate in a way that contrasted vibrantly with the steel in his gaze. The light traced the elegant line of his throat, the curve of his mouth as it parted when he noticed her. He was always gorgeously androgynous, achingly so. And now his eyes seemed to light up as if on fire when he caught her in his gaze. His wings spreading with his excitement.
Eager.
Solar's laughter had been mid-motion when he turned to look. But it died quickly. His presence was always magnetic, but now it flickered as his eyes swept over her. His expression falling from its sunny disposition to something darker. He smiled knowingly, drinking from his cup with a smirk on his lips. His wings spread, seemed to cast an ethereal glow upon his face, a halo in his hair.
She tried her best to distract herself, moved to scoop a cup of spiced punch for herself, but her eyes drifted back to the seven.
Elysian stood at the edge of the group, always impossibly symmetrical in looks, shoulders broad in fitted black. The swell of his pregnant belly concealed beneath frothy silk. The light caught in his hair, framing features in a sweet gold that made him almost seem unreal. But it was his expression that destroyed her. Open. Unshielded and pure.
Longing.
He looked at her with a devastating longing.
She looked away, heart leaping to her throat. And now she spotted Icarus who was half-shadowed. He sat on the couch by the fire, his favourite spot as always. Pale skin, sharp eyes, delicate feline like angular features. He didn't move when he saw her. He simply watched, expression barely changing, but his eyes seemed to glow, crimson turned obsidian. And the unwavering attention made her pulse stutter.
And finally, Klaus.
He stood tall at the very centre, manspreading on a seat, shoulders broad, posture lazy as he spoke to his Omegas. Intelligence sharp in the lines of his face. It was a party but he was clearly working, commanding, talking about things they had to do. Yet when he saw her, that composure cracked just a little. His chest rising and falling as if he'd just taken a shuddering breath. His gaze darkening with an emotion he did not attempt to hide.
She didn't want to think about what that emotion was.
All seven of them were looking at her now.
The room seemed to grow quiet.
They were devastating together.
Seven men, seven different kinds of beauty. Tall frames, broad shoulders, tons of rippling muscles. But it was the desire that radiated from them that unearthed her, had her unable to look for too long. Her Alpha surged, rooting her to the spot.
Her Omegas.
Hers.
The pull was no longer subtle. It was burning her alive. It was pure gut-wrenching longing. Not fear. Not obligation. But a deep yearning that ached from within her. It sparked a craving, and a deep need to cross the space between them began to grow within her chest. To press against familiar warm bodies. To breathe in layered scent. To feel hands at her waist, on her back. To hear their voices close instead of across a hall.
The bond hummed.
It reached desperately.
Her pulse quickened. Her throat felt tight. Her Alpha did not hesitate in declaring her needs. She wanted them. All of them. And for the first time in years, she wondered if she had been the idiot all along.
*
Quinn did not go to them.
How could she? There was anticipation within her, and with it a strange fear of the unknown.
She stayed at the edge of the hall, at the bowl of punch laced with alcohol, fingers curled loosely around a half-forgotten cup. She'd downed two. Maybe three. The lanterns burned low and gold above her, heat pressing against her skin. Music pounded through the floorboards, vibrating up her legs.
They seemed untouchable from here.
But Helios was on the dance floor now, looking like sin. He moved as if he were built for dancing. His hips rolling, body singing to each beat. He almost seemed to fly as he spun, body filled with grace and elegance. His shirt rode up when he was dancing, exposing a flash of skin, a curve of a hip that made her pulse race. He was flushed, glowing, eyes half-lidded with heat and drink. And she couldn't help but notice the way his gaze snapped to hers every other minute.
Drawn.
Her Alpha roared under her skin.
It wanted him.
It ached for him.
It yearned for him.
"You're staring."
Rowan's voice was low, close enough that she felt it rumble across her skin before she realised his proximity. She could barely look at him. Dark hair falling into his eyes, collar open at his throat. Light clung to his cheekbones. His body tensed with rippling muscle. The ink on his throat seemed to trace his beauty.
"He's beautiful," she murmured.
His mouth curved slightly, but his eyes did not leave hers. They dragged down her body slowly. Intentionally. Meandering over the curves, the dips, and finally settling on her face. "You're beautiful," he said. His voice echoed his reverence.
"The girls," she explained quickly, as if that did anything. "They experimented on me."
"They did a good job," he said.
"You like my new look?" She twirled for him, watched as his eyes dragged over her body, hot like fire. "It's not going to last."
"You're always beautiful," he answered without hesitation, the honesty sharp in his voice. And she felt her heart pound as she dropped her hands, suddenly his eyes seemed to almost tear at her clothes. "I missed you." He was not teasing, not being dramatic. He was being honest and she could hear it in his voice, smell it in the honey of his scent, feel it in her heart.
The bond pulsed.
She swallowed.
"You saw me every other day. I waved to you this morning in town."
"That's not the same," he answered.
On the dance floor, Helios moved like fire. There were others who swayed with him, but he kept his distance. And she could see that despite the giggles and laughter in his eyes, his gaze snapped hot and heavy towards her whenever he turned their way. Rowan continued staring. She could feel her body burning from his eyes, tension roaring.
"It's been quiet without you," he said, fingers tapping his own glass. "Too quiet."
"I don't even talk that much," she barked out a nervous laugh.
"I miss my Alpha," he answered without hesitation.
Her throat tightened then. Before she could respond, Helios's eyes snapped toward her again. The electricity was immediate. He stopped mid-movement, chest rising hard and fast. Even across the room, she could see it. The goddamn shift in his expression. The way the drunken haze sharpened into something hungry. His lips parted, throat bobbed. He pulled away from whoever he was dancing with and strode toward her, beaming.
Rowan stepped aside without a word, a smirk on his lips.
Helios stopped in front of her, close enough that she could feel the heat of him. His hair was damp. His lips slightly swollen from drink. His pupils blown too wide. He looked her up and down, and the smirk that followed was devilishly sexy. He stole her drink without a word, swallowed it all down in one gulp.
"Hey!" she cried.
Helios giggled.
"You've had three," Rowan reminded. "That's enough."
"You were watching me?" she hissed.
"Can't have our Alpha pissed on the ground," Rowan answered with a laugh. "You're only capable of three."
"How do you know that?" she snapped.
Helios purred, hands on her wrist, pulled to his nose. "Can smell it."
Rowan grinned. "You're a little drunk."
"Slightly," Helios pointed out.
She hissed, a pout forming on her lips, there was warmth in her belly and a light buzz in her head. But it wasn't bad. "Not as drunk as you are!" He grinned then, not giving a fuck about her comment, leaned in closer to her, sniffing her hair. She batted him away. "Gross." He ignored her, continued sniffing like she was the best sort of drug.
"You came," Helios breathed, nose on the inner corner of her wrist. He inhaled as if desperate, lips brushing her palm. Tingles roared down her spine, heat between her thighs. She swatted him away.
She lifted her chin. "I live just down the road, of course I'm coming for the food."
He huffed out a soft laugh, but his gaze did not tear away from her. "You stayed away," he said. "Why didn't you visit?" There was no accusation in his voice, or the heat of true anger. Just hurt and questions. Her Alpha reared painfully.
"I was busy with work," she said as if that explained everything.
Her hands trembled, her mind darted to the nights at work. The way she found it easier to overwork herself to the bone than to think about her own problems. She was an idiot. Her expression fell at the thought. One week spent away from them and she was still just as confused. They seemed to exchange glances and Helios reached for her without hesitation. His hand wrapped around her wrist, sliding down to lace their fingers together.
"Dance with me," he demanded.
"But I—" Her excuses flowed. "I'm a shit dancer."
Rowan snorted. "Do you think anyone on the dance floor can actually dance?" He gestured at the crowd. "Look at them."
She made a face. "I'm not interested in falling on my ass."
"I'll catch you," Helios replied. "Just one dance," he promised as a song began to play. "It'll be fun." He batted his eyes. "Please." She pursed her lips together. The air around him seemed to glow, drenching him in stardust and moonbeam, highlighting the juicy gloss of his lips. And there was heat in her belly, fire in her veins, a cotton candy cloud in her head.
Before she knew it, the alcohol had her nodding, mesmerised. She allowed him to pull her close and then the music swallowed them whole. She was waltzed away onto the dance floor, music in her ears. His hands were on her waist, firm and hot. The beat had her spinning, she was laughing then, heat on her skin, alcohol in her head. She felt alive, skin tingling from his touch, chest a glowing warmth. His wings seemed to spread and suddenly it appeared as if he were a god, shimmering in the sky. She collapsed into his arms and he grinned.
"You're so drunk," he said, tease on plump lips.
"I'm not!" she yelled back, a giggle on her tongue. Her head felt clear, too clear.
He dragged her closer than necessary, chest brushing hers as they moved in slower circles now. She could smell the sweetness of alcohol in his breath, taste the heat in the air. But his eyes were too clear. The music swayed.
"You smell the same," he murmured against her ear. She didn't know what he was saying. "I kept thinking I'd forget the details, but how could I forget your scent?" His eyes seemed to roll back into a shudder. Orgasmic. Her mind supplied and her body pulsed with longing. "You're always in my dreams."
Her breath stuttered then.
He moved slower now, hips guiding her every move. The contact was constant. Thigh brushing thigh, chest to chest, his fingers flexing at her waist, gentle taps. Palms on the back of her neck, then her shoulder. She could still feel the burn of eyes on her, but it was not the eyes of the crowd, but the eyes of her soulmates. And she found herself glowing at the thought, oddly proud to have her Omegas staring at her.
She preened.
"So?" Helios offered finally, golden eyes glowing like stars.
"So what?"
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
She licked her lips. "I think I did."
"I..." His jaw tightened. "I don't know if I could have lasted any longer, truly. Two weeks would have killed me." The confession slurred from his tongue was honest. "I tried to give you space, we all did," he continued, voice lower now. "I told myself I was strong enough. That if you needed distance, I could handle it. Counted down the days." A rough exhale. "But it felt like something inside me was burning alive, slowly."
"You—" Her breath caught. "You could have come to me. I would not have turned you away."
"I know," he replied. "It wasn't crucial. I was just…Selfishly wanting you."
Her hands tightened on his shoulders.
He looked at her then and she found that his pupils were dilated, lips parted as if starving. "Did you miss us?" he asked and this time he was not slurring. This time there was no tease. He was desperate.
She did not speak. She did not need to. It was clearly written across her face. She fucking missed him. She missed him and pack. Buried within all that resentment, all those memories, emotions and bonds, was the truth. She fucking wanted them. She wanted them so much. Her brows furrowed.
Agony.
Something in him seemed to break.
His hand slid up her spine, tangling briefly in her hair. His wings snapped open, burying her in his embrace, shielding her from view.
In a tangle of feathers, he kissed her.
Helios's mouth crashed against hers, teeth grazing hers, breath hot with wine and need. He kissed her as if he were trying to prove that she was still real. Hands grabbing at her ass, fingers in her hair, on her cheeks, cupping her chin. He kissed her as if he's been holding it all in for days, weeks, years. He kissed her with a ferocity she'd never known in him. He kissed her as if they were in love.
The music kept playing.
People kept moving.
But the bond seemed to ignite into a shower of golden sparks.
His grip tightened at her waist, and he pulled her flush against him, hard cock throbbing against her belly. The kiss deepened, messy and hungry, his tongue with hers, saliva melting, sweet spiced punch mixing. All restraint seemed to shatter. In her chest, she felt the connection soar.
This time, she did not hold back.
In this world, Helios was always her first.
The clock struck then, twelve bells for midnight, she reared back.
"Quinn—"
She ran.
A/N - Read 9 chapters ahead on
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