I smiled at the flurry of text message notifications lighting up the new burner phone Theo had gotten me. Yesterday I’d texted Poppy, Clementine, and Westin about joining the Alliance’s efforts. They had been all-in on the plan, which I had expected, but what surprised me was their outpouring of love for me. When I’d been trapped in my numbed darkness, I had forgotten there was a world outside my suffering—a world where my friends cared about me.
I blushed as Poppy sent an incredibly explicit text about her and her alphas’ activities the night before. Ben materialized over my shoulder to see what I was reading, and I rushed to close the text.
“Wait, that looked very interesting,” he said, trying to take the phone out of my hand.
“We’re just plotting to take down the government. Nothing to see here,” I said in a high-pitched voice, holding the phone out of his reach.
“You can plan my take down anytime you want,” he murmured, wrapping his hand in my hair and giving it a slight tug.
“That doesn’t even make sense,” I said breathlessly.
Ben just grinned as he put a plate of a dozen muffins in front of me with a flourish.
My heart lurched happily as Theo and Cam walked into the kitchen, and a wave of relief washed over me that I had all my alphas together. They had all been in bed with me when I woke up this morning, but the moment had been too fleeting. I found myself getting stressed if we were apart, even if just for a few minutes.
Needy omega.
They’re only here for breakfast, not you.
I tried to stuff the dark voice into a little box, smiling at Cam as he came over and kissed me. Things still felt off with the two of them, but I felt more settled after spending most of the day yesterday together, watching movies and cuddling.
My smile almost faltered when Theo stayed in the doorway, his head buried in his phone. He was dressed in a suit and tie, his wild hair the only outward sign of his anxiety. I had the urge to undo his tie and mess up his outfit.
I forced myself to take a breath when he didn’t move into the kitchen, trying to convince myself he wasn’t rejecting me.
“Is everything okay?” I asked hesitantly.
Theo looked up from the phone, blinking as if he hadn’t realized where he was.
“Huh? Oh yeah, everything is fine,” he said, not quite meeting my gaze.
I wasn’t sure what to say to that.
Yesterday he had been so tender, and now he couldn’t even look at me. I curled in on myself.
“Fuck,” he said, placing his phone on the counter before coming over and wrapping me up in his arms. “Sorry,” he whispered. “I’m just nervous about us leaving the house today.”
I nodded into his chest because I felt the same, but we all agreed that meeting at Jewel’s was the best option. It was centrally located, had a ton of security measures in place, and it would be easy to explain away a group of alphas accompanying their omegas on a shopping trip.
“Maybe we should stay here,” Cam growled, putting his cup of coffee down beside me.
“We have to go,” I said, looking between them, trying to sound more sure than I was.
“Maybe Amirah had the right idea,” Theo muttered.
“You think we need to go into hiding?” I asked, biting my lip.
He sighed, running his hand down my face before pulling away.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “They already got what they wanted from us.”
I couldn’t stop myself from gripping my arm, but then Ben was by my side, tugging my hand away.
“We’re going,” Ben said, his voice carrying an authority I wasn’t used to hearing from him. “Everything is set. We’re going to do this together.”
“Alright, that’s it. We’re postponing this meeting. You’re too tired,” Cam growled as I yawned. We had just finished going over the game plan for Jewel’s for the third time.
“What? No!” I responded. “I just need another cup of coffee.”
“You already drank your cup and mine,” he said, scooping me up in his arms.
“I just yawned,” I said, pouting as I looked over Cam’s shoulder at Ben, who was stifling a laugh, and Theo, who had a look of… longing? Before I could decipher his expression, Cam carried me out of the kitchen.
“Yawning means you need a nap,” he grumbled.
I didn’t want to tell him I had yawned from the sheer boredom of having to listen to him go over all the security risks of leaving the house over and over. I knew Cam was on edge, and I wanted to be understanding and supportive, but frustration welled within me as he placed me down on our bed.
“I don’t need a nap.” I cringed as my voice came out in a whine.
“Why are you yawning, then?” he asked, crossing his arms and giving me a stern look.
“No reason,” I said, mirroring his posture and crossing my arms. “I’m going to Jewel’s.” I tried to make my voice as fierce as possible.
“You’re not,” he responded. His voice was calm, but he held his body rigidly. “I can’t guarantee your safety out there.”
“But we can’t have everyone over to the house,” I said. “It would look too suspicious. Taking your omega on a shopping trip is totally normal. And you said you wanted to get me more presents.” I was being a bit manipulative after how jealous he had been of Donovan’s gift, but I wasn’t about to let him keep me from attending the meeting I had planned.
“You’ve never been interested in shopping before,” he said, furrowing his brow. “I can buy you shit online. Or go out and get it for you. Is there something you need? Want?”
I bit my lip, knowing I had set off his alpha instincts. I softened my voice, reaching out to grab his hand before he could start pacing around the room.
“I don’t need you to get me anything. But I want to be a part of the Alliance’s plans.”
“You don’t need to be doing any of this in the first place! We can take care of you.” Cam’s eyes were wild as he loomed over me. Sitting on the bed made me feel small, so I stood up, balancing on the mattress. Now I was taller than him, my added height giving me confidence.
“I know you can take care of me, but I also want to fight. I’m the one Glen and this government has harmed, and I want to end this.” My voice got louder and I forced myself to maintain eye contact with my alpha. I knew I was pushing him, but we needed to have this conversation. My guys did such a good job caring for me, but they didn’t seem to believe I was capable. I wasn’t sure I was, either, but I needed to prove to myself that I could do this. I could fight back. Donovan had reminded me of that.
Cam’s eyes grew heated. “Don’t push me, little omega.”
I took a few steps forward until we were mere inches apart. “Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it?”
“I should spank you for trying to disobey your alpha,” Cam bit out.
A thrill went through me. I hadn’t realized why I was needling him, but now I understood. I wanted Cam to take control. No, I needed it. Part of me said it was wrong to want my alpha to dominate me after my control had been taken away. But that was exactly why I needed it. I chose Cam’s dominance. I needed to sink into that space where nothing else mattered except obeying my alpha.
“Fuck,” Cam said, running his hand through his long hair. I couldn’t help but notice how delicious his arms looked, his biceps flexing with the movement. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“I think you should spank me,” I blurted out.
The second the words were out, it felt right. We both needed this. Cam needed to feel in control again. I needed to let go, to sink into his safety.
“What?” Cam’s eyes widened.
I tried to wrap my arms around him, but he backed away. My omega was indignant that he would move away from us, but I reveled in the power of it. I was in charge of this moment, and it felt fucking good.
I hopped off the bed and moved towards him until his back was against the wall. His eyes shifted from side to side as if to find an escape route.
“I need you, alpha,” I said, injecting a whine into my voice. “I need… I need to not be in charge, for you to make me feel safe.”
Cam was stock-still. I cringed internally, wondering if I had made a mistake. Just as I was about to back away, his arms flew out and caught me by the waist. In an instant, he had flipped our positions and had me pinned to the wall.
“You acting up to get your alpha’s attention, baby girl?” he growled.
A delicious wave of pleasure rocked through my body. His cinnamon roll scent thickened with arousal, making me whimper.
“I would never do that, alpha. That would be naughty,” I said breathlessly.
Cam’s lips quirked into a smile before he schooled his features.
“I think my baby girl is being very naughty right now. Teasing your alpha, disobeying me, acting out to get attention. You’ve earned yourself a serious punishment.”
His teeth grazed my neck and I moaned, arching against his hard, muscular body.
“You sure you want this, sweetheart?” he murmured.
“Yes,” I said with confidence. “Please, Cam. I need this. And I think you do, too.”
Cam groaned and pulled me in for a tender hug. My body relaxed against his until I was pliant in his arms.
“I love you. You’re so fucking perfect for me. Can’t believe how lucky I am.”
I squirmed happily at his words and gripped the back of his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. Suddenly, Cam picked me up, his hands gripping my ass tightly.
“Ah ah, looks like someone has forgotten how this goes. I’m in charge, little omega,” Cam said sternly.
“Whatever you say, alpha,” I responded cheekily. I wasn’t sure where my rebelliousness was coming from, but I wanted to act out, to push Cam. Maybe it’s because you know he would never hurt you.
“It’s a good thing I know exactly what to do with omega brats,” he said, tossing me on the bed.
Cam quickly stripped me of my clothes, placing a tender kiss on my arm. I tugged at his shirt, needing to feel his skin on mine. He pulled it off and I gazed up at him, tracing my hands down the ridges of his abdomen. His skin was beautifully golden, contrasted only by his dark tattoos.
Cam leaned down and kissed me, nipping my lip and pressing his tongue into my mouth. I groaned as he lowered his body until his skin was flush against mine, his hardness trapped against my core.
“Fucking gorgeous,” he gasped between deep, drugging kisses. “So sexy. Too bad I have to punish you instead of giving you orgasms.”
I pulled away from his kiss with a gasp, and my lip jutted out in a pout. “You’re not going to let me come?”
“Naughty omegas don’t get rewards. So you better take your punishment like a good girl if you want the chance to come. Now, present for your alpha.”
He moved off me so I could get into position, but I stayed on my back, leisurely running my hand along the soft bedspread.
“Hmm, I don’t know if I feel like it,” I said teasingly.
Cam growled. Before I knew what was happening, he flipped me over and peppered my butt with stinging swats. I moaned at the sensation, and the scent of my arousal filled the room.
“Fuck, you smell so good,” he said, pressing his face to my hair and breathing deeply. He sucked a tender spot on my neck, grazing his teeth against my skin. I wished I could beg him to bite me, mark me, make me his. I had never felt as sure as I did at this moment that I wanted to belong to him forever.
“I’m not going to bind you,” Cam said, softly trailing his hand down my spine. “But that just means you have to be extra good and stay where I put you.”
I felt a mixture of relief and sadness that he wouldn’t use restraints. I didn’t think I could be tied up right now, but I didn’t want Glen to steal that away from me forever.
I turned around and grasped Cam by the wrist. “Not today, but sometime in the future?” I asked, my eyes pleading.
His expression softened, and he gathered me up in his arms. “When you’re ready, sweetheart. I want to tie you up with rope. I’ll wrap it around here,” he said, circling my breasts. “Then I’ll wrap it around your waist and even put a rope here.” He ran his hand down my slit, gathering my slick with his finger before popping it into his mouth. “I’ll tie a knot in the rope so it rubs right against your cute little clit, but you won’t get to come until I give you permission.”
I whimpered as more slick gushed from me. My skin was on fire, my cheeks flushed. I wanted all of that.
“But not today. Today you’re going to be my good girl and submit to your punishment, aren’t you?”
I nodded and he placed me back on the bed. The second he released me, I leapt off the bed with a giggle. I wasn’t done being bratty and wanted my alpha to chase me. Cam’s eyes gleamed with delight as I backed away from him.
“Baby girl, you’re just adding to your punishment.”
“Only if you catch me,” I said, breaking into a run.
I managed three steps before I felt Cam’s iron grip around my hips. He pressed me against the wall face first before gathering both wrists behind my back.
“Gotcha,” he growled, pressing his cock against my backside. He lifted me easily as he made his way back to the bed, depositing me on top of the blankets.
“Unless you don’t want to come for the rest of the week, I suggest you present for your alpha.”
My eyes widened. A week? We locked eyes and he raised a brow as if daring me to test him. Knowing I was beaten, I made my way to my knees and lowered my face and shoulders to the bed, extending my hands out in front of me.
“Good girl,” he said, making me shudder. “Now, I was just going to give you a spanking, but you’ve shown you need more punishment.”
I whimpered, a thrill working its way through my body. I heard a rustling noise as Cam unzipped something. I turned to see what he was doing. My pleasure morphed into fear when I didn’t see him.
“Cam?” I called out with a whimper.
Instantly he was by my side, crouched down so I could see his face, his hand on my back.
I sighed, relief washing through me at his touch.
“What color?” he asked.
“Yellow,” I said.
His eyes filled with concern.
“I’m okay. I just need you to stay close,” I whispered. “Didn’t know where you were.”
He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek, cupping the back of my neck with his hand. The weight of it was grounding, and I melted back into the bed.
“Of course, baby girl. I was just getting something from the closet. Proud of you for telling me what you need.”
My cheeks flushed at his praise, and my body softened further.
“You want to stop?” he asked, stroking down my spine.
I shook my head.
He looked me over carefully and then nodded. “My brave girl. You ready for the first part of your punishment?”
“I don’t need punishment, alpha,” I whined, hiding my smile in the blanket.
“That’s what all the naughty omegas say. But it’s my job to ensure my girl listens to her alphas. And you definitely need some reminding.”
I heard the click of a cap and realized Cam must have gotten a butt plug. My suspicion was confirmed when his finger probed my asshole, the cold lube making me squeak.
“Relax for me, sweetheart,” he said, pressing two thick fingers inside me. I moaned, his touch alighting every nerve ending. “That feel okay?”
“Yes, alpha,” I breathed, pressing myself back onto his fingers. After a few moments, he withdrew them and smacked my ass.
I whimpered at the empty feeling, but it didn’t last long. I felt the tip of the plug against my hole and groaned as he pushed it in. It felt different from the one Ben had used.
“Now, this is a very special butt plug,” Cam said, amusement in his tone.
I heard a whoosh of air and squealed as the plug inflated.
Slick gushed down my thighs as he gave it another pump. I trembled from the fullness. It was pressing against every nerve ending and I thought I might come just from this. Cam pushed on the plug’s base and I cried out, arching my back.
“No coming until I give permission.”
“That’s a stupid rule,” I whined, my breaths coming faster.
Cam smacked me on the butt for my sass before leaning over my body and trailing soft kisses down my back. “How’re you doing, baby girl?”
“Good. Green,” I said, trying to gain some friction by rubbing against Cam’s body.
He chuckled as he moved away, denying me the pleasure I so desperately needed.
“Time for your next punishment,” he said. “Use your safe word if you need to.”
He waited until I nodded and then he started to spank me, his hand hot and stinging against my backside. I breathed through the discomfort, surrendering to the sensation. Cam kept one hand on my low back, steadying me, reminding me of his presence.
My ass felt hot all over as the swats morphed into something more pleasurable. He paused for a moment and gave the plug another pump. I squealed, trying to get used to the new fullness.
He started spanking me again, but this time the smacks were harder.
“You’re not to put yourself in danger,” he said, hitting my tender sit spot. “You will let me protect you.”
A lump formed in my throat at the desperation in his voice. He was spanking my upper thighs now and I groaned. Tears started gathering in my eyes, but I knew it was more about emotional release than the physical pain. I didn’t know how many minutes passed. My body felt like it was floating and my mind was quiet, giving me a blissful break from the anxious storm of my thoughts.
Cam’s hand moved back to my butt, but the swats were gentle now, barely leaving a sting.
“I love you.” He punctuated each word with a swat. “I can’t lose you,” he choked out with a sob. With that, I couldn’t hold back the floodgates. I felt something break off inside me as all the anguish from the past few days released, and I burst into tears.
Cam immediately stopped and lay on the bed, pulling me on top of his chest. We both shook with our cries, clinging to each other. I pressed my face into his neck, his scent grounding me.
“Every time I close my eyes, I see them leading you away from us. I see them dragging you back to us after hurting you, and we stood by and did nothing.” Cam’s voice was heavy with grief.
I tried to respond, but my throat was too tight and all that came out was a strangled whimper.
“Shh, it’s okay, baby girl, just breathe,” he urged, soothing his hand up and down my spine.
“I made it back to you,” I finally choked out. “When I was in that room, I knew I couldn’t give up, knew you were waiting for me.”
“Fuck, sweetheart. Fuck. It never should have happened. Never.”
Cam gripped me tighter as if he could somehow pull my body into his.
“Not your fault,” I murmured, wanting to remove the weight of this guilt from him. He made a sound in the back of his throat as if he disagreed with me. I popped my head off his chest. “I don’t need you to take on the guilt from something you couldn’t control. I need you to be here with me and help me figure out how to end this once and for all.”
“You shouldn’t have to risk yourself. Our job as alphas is to protect you,” he said.
Indignation rose within me, and I had to gather my thoughts for a moment before responding. I knew Cam was being ridden hard by his alpha instincts and past trauma.
“I’m grateful that you want to protect me. That you do protect me,” I started.
Cam sighed, running his hand down the side of my face. “But?” he prompted.
I could have sworn I saw the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. I raised my eyebrows at him questioningly.
“This is when you tell me off for being an overbearing alpha, right?” There was a lightness in his tone that eased the tense knot in my chest.
“Pretty much,” I responded, snuggling into him.
“Alright, let me have it.”
I snorted, nipping at his neck. “Nothing about being an omega has ever been risk-free. I had to accept that a long time ago.”
Cam said nothing for so long that I wasn’t sure he would respond.
“Intellectually, I know that. But I don’t want to accept it. I feel like if I’m strong enough, good enough, I can protect you.”
I tapped my fingers on his chest. “Even if you could protect me from this, even if the Alliance could take them down without my help, I’d still want to be in this fight. I know I’m pretty pathetic, but I want…”
My words were cut off by Cam’s growl. “What the fuck?”
My lips parted in surprise at the rage burning behind Cam’s eyes.
“Never want to hear you say that about yourself again, understand? You are not pathetic. You are so fucking strong, such a fighter. I have no doubts you could take these fuckers down single-handedly.”
I bit my lip, unsure of how to respond.
“Baby girl,” Cam said, a hint of reproach in his voice. “I don’t want to protect you because I think you’re not capable. Fuck, is that what you think?” When I didn’t respond, he practically vibrated with agitation. He pulled me up his body so he could look me in my eyes.
“I want to make sure you hear what I’m saying. I don’t want to protect you because I think you’re weak. It’s not even some biological instinct, although that’s a bit of it. It’s because you deserve protection. You deserve to have people in your corner, standing between you and anyone who tries to hurt you.”
His reaction eased an insecurity I hadn’t known I was carrying. Warmth bloomed in my chest as it sank in—Cam believed in me.
“You know you’re the best alpha I could ever dream of having? Well, one of three,” I said, kissing him on the chest.
“Love you,” he said, his voice gruff.
A calm settled in my chest. I knew we hadn’t fully solved everything with just one conversation, but I thought we understood each other better now.
“Need to get some lotion for you,” Cam said, running his hand down my still-hot ass. “Did I hurt you? Was it too hard?” he asked, a vulnerability in his voice.
“No, alpha. It was perfect,” I said, kissing his neck.
His hand trailed down to the cleft in my cheeks. “Fuck, forgot I left this in. You should have said something,” he said sternly as his fingers grazed the base of the plug. He deflated it and gently pulled it out.
“Didn’t want to ruin the moment,” I said, rubbing my face against his chest. I couldn’t get enough of his scent.
Cam moved as if to get up, but I pressed him back down to the bed and straddled him, unable to resist rubbing my core along the hard line of his cock.
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to…”
“Shh,” I responded, taking him firmly in my hand and positioning him at my entrance. I groaned as I lowered myself, his cock filling and stretching me.
Cam’s eyes were as heated as I’d ever seen. This was the first time I’d been on top with him. I knew this wasn’t normal for him to let me take control, and it filled me with a tingling sense of my own power.
I leaned forward, grinding my clit against his skin but not giving him the friction I could tell he was desperate for. His knot was already inflating and his hands gripped my hips so hard I knew I would have little bruises.
“Baby girl, please move,” he groaned, thrusting into me from below. But I didn’t give him what he wanted. Not yet.
“I want to make sure I have your attention,” I said, trying to sound fierce but knowing the smile tugging at my lips betrayed me.
“Nothing could take my attention away from you,” he said, a bead of sweat trailing down his chest with the effort it took him to stay still. I ground against his knot for good measure and he groaned.
I leaned forward, cupping his face with my hands.
“You are my protector. I trust you, Ben, and Theo, more than anything. I have never felt as safe as I do with you, never felt so loved and cherished.”
Cam’s gaze softened and he squeezed my hips reassuringly.
“But the reality is that the world isn’t safe for me or any other omega. I’ve spent so long feeling like I have nothing to offer, that there’s nothing I can do to change things. So I just hid away. Sam was right about that.” I squirmed, a tendril of shame working its way into my chest.
Now it was Cam’s turn to grip my chin and force me to look at him.
“You did what you needed to survive, and I’m so fucking proud of you. Never be ashamed of that.” His voice was a fierce growl that caused more slick to gush out. God, his dominance really did it for me.
“But I don’t want to just survive anymore,” I said, pressing a kiss to his chest. “I have you three and know I’m going to be okay, even with this horrible thing inside me. But most omegas don’t have that. We have to end this.”
Cam held me tightly and took a few deep breaths.
“I hear you, I promise, and I’m going to do better to support you. I love you so much, sweetheart.”
“Thank you,” I murmured, sitting up so I could run my hands through his hair, loving how he leaned into my touch.
Cam groaned as my change in position shifted his cock inside me. A spark of pleasure shot through my core and I rolled my hips. I’d teased him long enough. Now I wanted to see him fall apart.
I balanced my hands on his chest, moving my hips until I found a rhythm. He reached up and lightly pinched my nipples and I groaned as the pain sent a shock of electric pleasure through my body.
“You’re so fucking stunning,” Cam murmured. He gifted me with the world’s most radiant smile as he thrust into me from below, each movement a reminder of his love.
My lips parted as he hit a new spot inside me, my legs trembling with the force of my pleasure. Cam looked deep into my eyes as he brushed my hair out of my face. We stayed like that, eyes locked, until we both fell apart.
