he resented me for uniting them. If he feared the devotion that came with a mating bond.
I drifted off to the rumbling sound of my four alphas’ voices, soothed into the core of my soul.
Kisses along my jawline brought me back from the depths of sleep. I hovered on the edge of consciousness for a long while, my mind fighting to dip back into oblivion, but the lips against my skin were unyielding.
“Mmph,” I protested, but it was quickly swallowed in a deep kiss.
I groaned another protest into the mouth gently teasing my lips apart, but despite my desire to go back to sleep, I lifted my arms and wound them around my mate’s shoulders.
Saga. I felt him in our bond, his happiness and desire, and recognized his scent as I breathed him in.
When he pulled back from our kiss, I cracked my eyelids open. Despite the darkness in the room, I saw the outline of his long hair and wide shoulders clear enough thanks to the moonlight streaming through the window.
“D’you mind? I’m trying to sleep here.”
“Shh,” Saga whispered, giving my lips a peck when I opened them to admonish him for shushing me. “You’ll wake them.”
I dared a glance to my side, noticing several big lumps in the darkness, some on the other beds, some on the floor.
“What time is it?”
“Late,” he said, delving back to trail kisses along my jawline. Despite my still-exhausted state, heat bloomed everywhere his mouth touched. “But I couldn’t wait any longer, sweetling. I’ve missed you too much. Missed your scent. Your taste. The way you feel underneath my palms.”
He followed the last sentence up by stroking one large hand down the length of my body and up between my thigh, squeezing my vulva. It was then I realized they’d undressed me.
Without waiting for further permission, Saga pressed in against my clit, sending a zing of pleasure up my spine.
“I’ve missed you too,” I murmured, breathier than I’d meant to. “But we can’t just… Not while everyone’s here. And I’m exhausted…”
“Sure we can.” Saga sounded completely unfazed, save for the smoldering heat deep in his throat. He kept his hand pressed right up against my clit, working it slowly while his kisses turned to light nips down my throat. “So long as you’re quiet while I make you milk my cock. I don’t mind sharing your little cunt like I did on Freya’s altar, but if you’re too tired to take four knots tonight, I suggest you keep any noises to a minimum.”
“You’re incorrigible,” I grumbled—but his fingers between my thighs were working. I spread my legs a little, allowing him better access, and breathed deeply at the intensifying pleasure.
“Just worried for my mate. Bjarni told us how there’s only one way to help you get your energy back. My only desire is to serve my omega.”
His words, his tone of voice… it was such a Saga thing to say, I couldn’t hold back an amused snort. “How very selfless of you.”
“Shh.” Saga covered my mouth with his hand and looked to the floor. One of the guys—Bjarni—had stopped breathing quite as deeply, probably disturbed by my giggle. Saga kept his hand in place until my blond giant rolled over, his breathing deepening once more.
“We agreed to let you rest until morning,” Saga whispered as he eased his palm off my mouth. I could feel his smirk in the darkness. “And we drew straws on who’d get to keep you in their bed. I may have cheated.”
“Why am I not surprised?” I slipped my hands from his shoulders down his torso until I could wrap my arms around his sides, pressing myself close to him. My heart thrummed, partly with awakened desire, but mostly with relief at his nearness.
“Don’t cry, sweetling.” His voice, silky soft and reverberating with tenderness, was followed by gentle kisses to my cheeks. Only then did I realize tears were trickling down them.
“I was so broken without you,” I whispered.
He bumped my forehead gently with his, pressing his weight down on top of me until my heartbeat slowed, comforted by his nearness. For the longest time, all he did was breathe with me, his hand on my hip rather than between my legs.
“Bjarni and Modi told us of your bravery,” he finally said. “How fiercely you fought. How powerful your magic is. How strong your spirit. I hated every minute we were apart, but I am proud of you for withstanding our separation. I am not sure I could