believe I’ve had sex with another alpha.”
“It wasn’t sex,” Haydn said. His scent was tinged with embarrassment—embarrassment and something else. “You were still affected by the full moon. We just got off together.”
Royce snorted. “I hate to break it to you, but sex is an act of people getting off together.”
“You know what I mean.”
He did, of course. Except yesterday wasn’t the only time they’d had sex. “What about the blowjob?”
“It wasn’t a blowjob!” Haydn sounded a little strangled. “It was—it was just the tip.”
Royce laughed, and after a moment of stubborn silence, Haydn laughed, too, tugging at Royce’s hair a little. “Shut up, that’s what you said,” he said defensively, still chuckling.
“Right,” Royce said, thumbing Haydn’s hipbone. He paused, unsure when his hand had sneaked under Haydn’s belt. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that an alpha in rut would say the stupidest shit to stick his dick where he wants it. And it doesn’t change the fact that I had my cock in another alpha’s mouth. Your mouth.”
Silence descended between them, heavy and charged.
Royce was already starting to regret reminding them both of what they’d done. It was bad enough that he’d been up all night, thinking about Haydn—Haydn’s flushed body under him, Haydn’s thick pecs covered with his come, Haydn’s pretty lips stretched around his cockhead.
But maybe they did need to talk about it. They were adults, and more importantly, they were partners in this. If they hoped for their marriage—and peace between their countries—to last, honesty and open communication were necessary. And they still hadn’t really talked about his rut besides him impersonally thanking Haydn for his assistance. He did want to talk about it. He wanted to know where they stood. What happened yesterday had only muddled everything even more. He would like to blame everything on the full moon, except it wasn’t the full moon anymore and yet he still felt like crawling out of his skin—and into Haydn’s.
He wanted to know if it was just him. Maybe it was different for Haydn: he had gotten off yesterday, too, but maybe it was just the friction and sex deprivation. Royce couldn’t read too much into it. The fact that he wanted to read too much into it was the disturbing part. Or maybe the disturbing part was that it wasn’t a full moon, but he still wanted to stick his cock into his very alpha husband.
“You really didn’t mind helping me with my rut?” Royce said quietly, breaking the silence.
Haydn shifted a little under him, making a small sound that wasn’t quite a sigh. “I… I really didn’t mind.” His voice sounded hesitant, uncharacteristically unsure for him, his fingers still playing with Royce’s hair. “I wouldn’t mind helping you out with your next rut—if you want it.”
Royce exhaled, some of the tension leaving him. Haydn would be there for him for his ruts. It was… good. It was.
But there’s still a month and a half until Torryn’s next full moon, a voice said at the back of his mind. You want to stick your cock into him now, you sick fuck.
Royce grimaced. Haydn was being extremely generous. Allowing another alpha such liberties during a rut was a huge favor as it was. Wanting more was just greedy. Greedy and messed-up. Seriously, what was wrong with him? Since when had he started wanting to fuck other alphas?
“Thanks,” he said into Haydn’s neck, trying to inject as much sincerity into his voice as possible. He didn’t want to sound ungrateful. He was grateful, regardless of the buzzing craving under his skin that made him want to demand more. “I appreciate it.”
The helicopter landed, saving him from saying anything else. Pulling back, Royce opened the door and hopped to the ground. He gave Haydn his hand to help him out of it.
Haydn chuckled but accepted his hand. “You do realize that I’m not a dainty omega who can’t get out of the helicopter on their own, right?”
“I’m just being nice to my husband,” Royce said.
Haydn’s smile softened. “You are,” he said, almost thoughtfully.
They stared at each other, and then averted their gazes when a foreign scent made it obvious that they weren’t alone.
Turning, Royce found Devlin scowling at them.
“I need to talk to you,” Devlin said, looking at his cousin. “Alone.”
Haydn frowned. “Now?”
“Yes.”
Royce pulled out his phone. “I need to make a few calls anyway.” He walked away from the cousins, but not too far. He didn’t… he didn’t really feel like being parted from