She tucked her towel around her and headed to the wardrobe. She found some underwear and slid it on then went in search of that super-soft outfit. She found it and something else. That would help with her next task.

  She was dressed and wearing the jewellery again when Grigory joined her, and he saw the outfit she had put aside. “What are you doing with that?”

  “Delun said he wanted me to ask for his bite, so I thought a bit of cosplay might not be amiss.”

  Grigory smirked. “Will you do it where we can see it?”

  “Yeah. Probably after dinner. Wait, did we miss dinner?”

  He kissed her forehead. “The others may have eaten, but Yorgi will bring us something.”

  “Okay.” She pulled on her soft velvet boots and straightened the panels of the skirt so that the slits lined up over her thighs.

  Grigory looked and smiled. “I really like that outfit. You look all soft and sleepy.”

  She glared at him. “I am hungry, mate.”

  He chuckled. “Yes, my treasure.”

  He lifted her and hugged her happily. The sparkling joy that came through their link was unmistakable. He was positively giddy. She hugged him back, and they shared that emotion.

  She kicked her feet. “Put me down.”

  He grinned. “What will you do to get me to put you down?”

  “Nothing. You hold me long enough, one of the others will come and get me. You can’t wrestle them and me at the same time.”

  “I could wrestle them if I put you up in a tree. We could wrestle naked.”

  “I would rather see you guys in a swimsuit competition or some kind of lumberjack event...” Her eyes brightened. “Ohh. A dance-off.”

  He looked at her in shock. “You have strange taste, treasure.”

  “That’s why I am here, Grigory.” She patted his cheek.

  He laughed and set her on her feet. She beamed up at him. “Good boy.”

  His outrage flared, and he reached out to swat her, and she was already on her way out of her room. She waited for him in the hall and took his hand. He snorted, kissed her hand, and they walked down to dinner.

  She tried to tell what the meal was, but it was just meat-related. Her nose was filled with cinnamon and mint. It was going to make for a weird meal.

  The entire household was staring at the door when they came through, and she turned around and would have escaped if Grigory hadn’t caught her and guided her to the table. She sat at the head of the table, and everyone was staring. Grigory pushed some of her damp hair away from the mark, and his family started grinning and elbowing each other in amusement.

  Grigory murmured. “They aren’t amused; they are happy. Since my mother joined the family, they gained a lot of station for having an omega in the family, and now, there is you. So, heads will be higher, and they will draw more alphas who want to see if you have daughters.”

  She blinked and looked at Hailey. “So, they are going to target her?”

  “They might, but she has dozens of cousins who will put themselves between her and danger.” He smiled. “She will get to go on adventures, and they will get to smash heads. Illyana has already been sharing her scent so that the family knows who she is.”

  “Why?”

  “So that they can watch out for her and take care as she can’t play as rough as they can. The teens are on high alert. They will watch for anyone who tries to mess with her and gain assistance immediately.”

  She smiled. “Very nice how you pinpoint my issue.”

  He smiled.

  Delun said, “Introducing her that way with a mix of your and Grigory’s scents will have her seen as family immediately. It should squash any issues if she does manifest as an omega. With two in your family, it is more likely that she will be as well. The chance is still slim, but it is fifteen percent instead of five.”

  Rya nodded. “Our family alphas have been getting scent packs for you, Delun, and Hailey as well. We all know you.”

  She blinked, and she blushed. “Right, so what is for dinner?”

  The occupants of the table laughed while Hailey was staring at Lexa. It was roast beef with potatoes and all the fixings. Lexa’s sense of taste came back when she was working on the roasted potatoes. She sighed with relief and ate faster.

  Delun laughed. “I told you.”

  “Fine, there will be a rule like for swimming. No frolicking for an hour before dinner.”

  Arthur was looking at her, and there was a wistfulness in his expression. She looked at him and shrugged. “There is a time for everything. Your time will come again.”

  He smiled softly. “You look lovely, Lexa.”

  Her inner self preened, but she just nodded slightly and kept eating.

  Hailey piped up. “Mom, can you come to my school for show and tell next week?”

  “Um, I might have an issue next week. Can it be the week after?”

  Illyana said, “That is an excellent compromise.”

  Hailey asked, “Can you bring Grigory for your show and tell project, Mom?”

  Lexa laughed, and Grigory paused mid-chew. “I think that is only fair. He intends to show me off, so I can return the favour. Grigory, you can spare a few hours in the day, can’t you?”

  “For you, my treasure, all time is yours.”

  She smiled and reached out to stroke his cheek. “Yeah, it is.”

  The inhabitants of the table laughed, and then, Yorgi brought out a trifle, and she was fed to bursting when she stopped feeding herself. Family time in the living room had Hailey’s day. Hailey was cuddled against Lexa’s arm, and she said, “You smell like Grigory.”

  Lexa stroked her daughter’s cheek. “That is going to happen a lot. Grigory, Delun, and Arthur are my mates, and they will spend a lot of time with me. In two days, I will be in heat, and you might not see me for a few days. Illyana and Rya will take care of you. I will be in the house, and I will see you when I can, but the scents will probably be worse. Sorry.”

  “I know all that, Mom. They explained that in grade one.”

  “Oh. Right. Sorry, Hailey. Is your homework done?”

  Illyana nodded. “She does it first thing when she gets home. That way, there is always time for you in the evenings.”

  Lexa smiled and nodded her thanks.

  Illyana asked Delun, “So, Uncle, how long do you think it will last?”

  “Four days from the actual start. I have left all my contact information in the kitchen if it starts when I am not here. I am hoping she holds out until tomorrow night.”

  Grigory nodded. “Nikolai and Rayd are watching over the clubs, so I have the time off.”

  Delun laughed. “If I knew I was going to get a mate, I would never have become a judge.”

  The other two turned to Arthur. He smiled. “I will be there. My calendar is clear for a week starting noon tomorrow.”

  Grigory’s marks started getting hot, and he moved to her side and licked the marks. Lexa sat there in surprise. “Oh, that’s what’s supposed to happen.”

  He nuzzled her neck and kissed her shoulder. “Yes, treasure, that is what is supposed to happen.”

  Arthur just smiled, and she realized he could feel a trickle of what she was feeling through their thread of a connection. She was far more bubbly and delighted than she let on. It wasn’t a secret that she and Grigory shared; Arthur was in on it as well.

  Delun smiled. “So, a good mark?”

  Grigory nodded. “She’s a little melancholy, but she rallies quickly.”

  Hailey asked, “What is melancholy? She doesn’t like melons?”

  Delun explained, “It means she is a little bit sad, in little waves.”

  “Oh. Yeah. She is. Then, she hugs me hard and says she feels better. She should hug you. You look like a good hugger.”

  Lexa sighed. “Stop pimping me out, short stack.”

  Illyana laughed, and Hailey frowned.

  Lexa got up, sat in Delun’s lap, and hugged him. He hugged her back, and she felt immediately at ease and relaxed. He leaned down and licked the marks at the back of her neck and then Grigory’s marks. The heat on her neck suddenly faded, and there was a deep, happy throb in the marks. She muttered, “How did you do that?”

  “I didn’t want Grigory jumping in to tend your marks with me tonight.”

  Illyana grinned and looked at Hailey, who was watching Lexa with fascination. “Time to go to bed, Hailey.”

  Lexa got to her feet and stood. “I will be right back, guys.”

  Hailey reached up and took her hand, and she and Illyana walked her up to Hailey’s bedroom. Another hug, and they parted ways. There was less pain than the split the day before.

  Lexa smiled and sprinted for her room. She had about four minutes to get ready before they suspected something. She just needed to find a few more things.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Delun asked Grigory, “What is she up to?”

  Grigory grinned. “She said something about some people deserving a bit of cosplay.”

  Delun rolled his eyes. “I will take her as she comes.”

  There was a soft rustle at the door, and he sat up. “Or dressed up. Dressed up is really good.”

  Lexa walked toward him in the formal robes that his family had sent for her presentation to them. Her hair was piled on her head in a soft twist, and he could smell honey.

  She walked up to where he was seated on the couch, knelt gracefully on the floor, and his side of her neck was glistening with honey.

  “Delun Hall, would you do me the honour of your mark?” She bowed forward, so all he could focus on was the curve of her neck and the glow of the honey. Her scent of roses filled the room, and he bet if he sniffed her hand, he would find traces of it.

  He stared at the picture she made and saw both Grigory and Arthur taking photos.

  She remained motionless, and she soon started to fidget and whine. He realized that he had not replied.

  “Oh, petal. Come here.” He lifted her head to face him, and she got to her feet and hid against his chest. She had arranged the robe, so her shoulders were completely exposed, and it was a lovely picture. Heavy silk wrapped her arms and flared around them as he nuzzled at her neck. His mother would be proud that her gift was being used for the binding. His father was going to be amused; it was also being used for the mating. If Delun’s senses were keen, they were a poor imitation of his father’s.

  He slowly started licking at the honey, and his eyes got wide. She had used six different kinds in a striped pattern. “Aw, Lexa. You do like me.”

  She stifled a laugh, and her hand pressed against his chest, the new nails pushing against him. He wanted those nails clawing at his back as she begged him to cum. He wanted to feel those stripes all day tomorrow. Well, if he wanted to get her there, he had better get started. “I accept.”

  He heard her inhale a moment before he bit down on her skin, and their connection started to form the golden threads in her mind, and his own side of the mark crackled with excitement. She liked the bite and loved the connection. She had outward calm, but the rest of her was excited and aroused. He held the bite and watched the connection thicken as his venom and DNA got under her skin to make the link permanent. He wanted the bite deep. He wanted it to last.

  His cock throbbed, and the knot already ached. Going slow was not completely part of the plan. Part of him wanted to be inside her, but the other part wanted to make it last. This was his mate, his omega. If he were lucky, the mother of his children. This moment was his future.

  He raised his head and purred, licking her slowly. He met Arthur’s eyes over Lexa’s shoulder, and Arthur’s expression showed a reflection of Lexa’s arousal. She had a powerful draw if she could still resonate with Arthur after five years without contact. Lexa had a lot of life, and she was willing to share.

  Arthur had risked a lot to involve him and Grigory. Both of them could shut him out of the link if they tried. He had done it for Lexa, and Lexa had done it for Hailey. Delun and Grigory were the only ones who were in it for themselves first and family second. Lexa knew why they wanted an omega, and she was fine with it. She had led a transactional life until this point, and it was something she understood.

  She was against him with a hand curled trustingly against his chest. He slowly licked at her shoulder until he felt the curls of heat coming through the link. He continued the slow passes with his tongue until she whimpered and bit at his shirt. The flare of pleasure and sudden bomb of scent that ran through her came to him via their link, and he put his lips against her ear. “Did you cum?”

  She shuddered and nodded.

  He chuckled. “Then, we shall seek some privacy.”

  He got to his feet and carried her to her nest. It still strongly bore the scent of Grigory and roses, but this was her place, and this was where they would be for her heat. The crescent mattress was covered in pillows and super-soft throws.

  He set her down on the mattress and unbuckled his trousers, she held the sleeve to her mouth, and she whined softly. He knelt, opened the robe, and parted her thighs, taking in the shine of slick and the heady scent of roses. She was shining and pink with pearls of fluid rising and rolling on her open petals. He bent and ran his tongue over her. The hot taste of her settled something in him. He lapped at the sweet musk and slick, swirling his tongue around her clit, feeling and hearing her moan.

  He stroked his cock as he lapped at her, and when his self-control was wearing out, he thrust into her. And she mewled, and her legs lifted around his hips. The robe shifted, and her breasts were free of the confining fabric. He wished he had a picture of that for his desk. She pushed her hips up toward him and took him deeper. He felt the short waves of discomfort that followed him pushing deeper. Pleasure rolled in immediately after every lunge, and he grinned. Their mate really could take it all.

  She reached up to hold him, and he drove into her until his knot demanded to be buried in her, and he thrust hard to jam in to the hilt. Lexa screamed, and the fluttering around him combined with the shock of pleasure through their shared link. The hard squeezing around his cock caused him to jet inside her. The rush out of his cock left him lightheaded. He lowered down and kissed her flushed and dazed face, rubbing his cheek along hers. She held his head, and the silk rubbed against his skin.

  “We will have to get that robe cleaned before the formal introduction to my mother.” He chuckled.

  “Is that what it was for?”

  “Yeah.”

  He felt the conflicted emotions run through her, and then, she shrugged. “No regrets.”

  He grinned. “None?”

  “No. Well, maybe letting Grigory go first. He got to feel everything I just did, or rather, you just did.”

  Delun pressed his forehead to hers. “I can block him out in the future.”

  “It’s fine. Part of a group is still part of a group.” She sighed. “Arthur is next.”

  “You are worried.”

  She snorted softly. “I have a lot of emotions wrapped up in his bite.”

  “Understandable. You are amazing, Lexa.”

  “You are just saying that because you are stuck.”

  He laughed. “No, I could remain here forever, but I would have a hard time explaining you on the bench.” The image of her wrapped around him while hearing a case was one he was going to have to shake... eventually.

  He followed his instinct and rubbed his head along hers, his chest against hers, and he licked her neck again, though the wounds were closed and glossy.

  She shivered and closed her eyes as she breathed him in. It was a lovely sight, and he needed images of her all over his desk. She wanted them. She genuinely wanted them. It was statistically unlikely that they would all find a mate, let alone an omega. There was something about ursas that upset people. Women especially. Sure, they teased and flirted, but when Delun made physical advances, they reconsidered. He was just too much. He was too much for anyone who wasn’t Lexa. She took him and politely requested more.

  He grinned as his knot eased. He backed out, and she made an upset sound. He untied the sash holding her robe in place, unbuttoned his cuffs, and felt the moment she realized that playtime wasn’t over. He took off his shirt, eased her robe off, and got the rest of him down to skin.

  He lay on his back, and he murmured, “Rub yourself all over me.”

  She smiled, and she did as he asked.

  He didn’t know what was being broadcast through the link, but he was pretty sure it was going to be peculiar. Lexa had a mischievous look in her eyes as she started at his knees and rubbed her body against him.

  * * * *

  Lexa was laughing as she rubbed herself against Delun, including wrapping her legs against a thick thigh and rocking her hips. If he wanted to be scent-marked, he would smell like he was fucked by a flower market.

  She wiggled against him, rolled, and he laughed and caught her. “Good enough?”

  He snorted. “I am going to be smelling you on me for hours, days if I am lucky.”

  She slid a hand between her thighs and then ran her fingers through the hair at the back of his head. “There. I missed a spot.”

  “Having fun?”

  She nodded. “Pretty sure I am.”

  He laughed. “Good.”

  He rolled them to their sides and pulled her leg high on his hip, sliding into her. Her efforts to tease him had worked on her as well. Something about Delun got her into high gear very quickly.

  She rocked with him and muttered, “So, this isn’t heat yet?”

  “No, petal. This is mate sex. I can feel you, you can feel me, and we want to play a little. During heat, you just want to fuck.”

  They were moving with each other slowly, and she was smoothing her hands over the thick muscle slabs that made up his body. It was like being fucked slowly by a warm wall.

  She purred her light purr, and he rumbled his, and their kiss kept them busy while they reached for satisfaction. He rubbed his mark with his thumb, and her pulse spiked and her hips jerked against his. She growled and stroked her fingers across the base of his knot. He growled and set it, rubbing inside her and lodging in place.