A couple of days later, Nikos sat in a booth with Cotton and Ari, sharing a lunch. Cotton had begun warming more and more to them, becoming comfortable. He truly was a kind and warm man, one they would be proud to call their own.
Too bad he wasn’t their mate.
Each day that passed, Cotton’s own scent grew stronger, overpowering Dillon’s. Ari couldn’t sense it as much as he could and still held on to hope that Cotton was theirs. Nikos quietly watched the two of them laughing at a joke Ari had said, his heart breaking for what they’d inadvertently done to Cotton.
They’d given him hope… how could they take it away now?
He clenched his jaw, struggling to understand how this could’ve happened.
There had to be a way to make things right.
Bear law, what little he knew of it, only allowed for a triad.
He sighed, staring at his plate of half-eaten food.
“Not hungry?” Cotton asked from beside him.
“Not really,” he murmured. “You’re welcome to whatever you want.”
Cotton leaned closer, concern on his face. “What’s wrong?”
Nikos swallowed the lump in is throat. Here he was, poised to break this man’s heart, and Cotton was sitting there, wanting to console him.
It wasn’t fair.
It wasn’t right.
He struggled to force a smile to his face. “I’ll be alright,” he said, his voice low. It had been hard to spit out the lie. After this, none of them would be alright.
And he wasn’t sure they would survive it.
If Dillon loved this bear as much as Cotton loved him back, he and Ari were doomed.
Maybe they deserved to be.
A light suddenly went off in his head. He tossed his napkin onto his plate and rose to his feet. “I have somewhere to go.”
Ari looked up, frowning.
“Stay here, finish your lunch,” he said to Ari before turning to Cotton and placing a kiss to the omega’s forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”
Nikos rushed from the diner and moved through the shifters on the sidewalk, down toward town hall. Once there, he entered the lobby and made his way to the alpha’s offices.
He came to a stop before a desk.
Tyler lifted his head, a curious look to his face.
“You know bear law backwards and forwards, right?”
“I do,” Tyler said.
Nikos leaned over the desk, putting both hands on the surface to be eye to eye with the shifter. “I need your help.”
* * * *
Dillon jumped off the helicopter, tossed his bag over one shoulder, and left without saying goodbye to Rhett. It felt odd returning without Colm, but the Cotton situation made that sensation take a backseat. All he could think about was getting home and surveying the damage.
The summer sun was waning by the time he climbed the stairs to their apartments, his heart thudding in his chest with every step. He reached Cotton’s place. Standing before the door, he hesitated. Dillon stood there for what felt like an eternity, scared to knock, scared to learn the truth—scared to see Cotton in the arms of his mates.
Finally, he lifted his hand and knocked, the noise thick and heavy sounding.
His heart was in his throat as he heard footfalls approaching. The door swung open.
“Hi, Dillon—you’re back so soon?” Cotton’s father asked.
“Where is he?” was all Dillon could force from his lips.
The male frowned. “He went to lunch with some friends… and isn’t back yet.”
“Friends? You don’t have to sugarcoat things for me. You mean his mates.”
Cotton’s father’s eyes grew wide. “Mates? What are you talking about?”
It was Dillon’s turn to frown. “You don’t know?”
The male shook his head. “Mates?”
“I need to find him. Where did they go?”
“Lunch is all I know. There’s only so many places they could have a meal.”
“Thanks,” Dillon said before the male nodded and shut the door. Lunch had been hours before. They could be anywhere at that stage. He turned to go to his apartment and drop off his bag before he went in search.
“Dillon?”
At the sound of Cotton’s voice, Dillon spun to face behind him. Standing at the top of the stairs was Cotton.
Two males mounted the top steps behind Cotton and came to a rest, eyeing him.
Dillon felt sick to his stomach…
But then the summer breeze brought their scents to him and his entire body exploded with need.
The sweet, sultry scent filled his nose, washing over him. Immediately, his dick was hard, the need to claim screaming in his head.
He trembled all over, as he forced air into his lungs.
Dillon heard a low growl and realized it was coming from him.
Cotton ran into his arms, wrapping Dillon in a bear hug. “I’m so glad you’re home. I’ve missed you.”
He squeezed Cotton tightly to him as the pair of shifters moved closer. Both of their eyes glowed brightly, showing they were affected as well.
Dillon eyed them as he held onto the bear he loved, his mind racing.
Cotton was his… he wouldn’t let the omega go. He wouldn’t succumb… he wouldn’t yield.
Not even for these males—no matter how much his body urged him to have them.
“You’re trembling,” Cotton said, looking up into his face. The omega frowned, cupping his cheeks. “Your eyes… did you miss me so much?”
“I did,” Dillon whispered before lowering his head to capture a kiss. Cotton’s lips were sweet against his. The need he felt for his mates made his hunger stronger. He deepened the kiss, needing release from the desire.
As they broke away, Cotton smiled up at him. “You really did miss me.”
Cotton turned and looked at the other two before turning back to Dillon sheepishly. “This is Ari, and Nikos…”
His voice trailed off. Cotton looked confused, staring between Dillon and the pair.
“Your mates?” Dillon asked, somehow knowing the truth.
Dillon held Ari’s gaze for a moment, and then Nikos’… and then down to Cotton.
Cotton’s eyes were large and shining. “No… they’re your mates. Aren’t they?”
Dillon didn’t answer. His animal spirit roared within, demanding he claim what was his… yet he knew what was his was the male in his arms.
Cotton pulled away, but Dillon grabbed him and dragged him back. “I love you, Cotton. You’re mine.” The last word came out more growl than human word.
The omega looked up at him, questions in his eyes.
Ari and Nikos took a step closer, and Dillon lifted a hand. “No. You need to go.”
“Dillon,” Ari said.
“No!” Dillon cried. “Please leave.”
He tore his stare away, haunted by the looks on their faces and rocked by the need he felt to go to them. He’d always heard that the mating need could be intense, but he’d never expected it to be all-encompassing.
As they backed away and headed for the stairs, he was finally able to breathe.
Cotton looked up at him. “I can’t stand in the way of your happiness, Dillon. I won’t be so selfish.”
He watched as his mates walked down the steps, leaving them alone. Dillon turned away and looked down at his omega. He brushed his thumb over Cotton’s bottom lip, smiling. “I love you… I made you a promise, and I plan to keep it.”
“At whose expense? Yours? Theirs?” A tear slipped from Cotton’s eye. “I can’t take your fate away from you.”
Dillon’s heart thumped hard in his chest. Cotton was worth the sacrifice. “Come home with me. I need you.”
Cotton took his hand and led him to his apartment door. He fished his keys from his pocket, and when his hands shook too much to get the key in, Cotton took them from his hands and opened the door.
Once they were alone behind it, their clothes came off in a flurry. Even with the weight of his need laying heavy on him, Dillon took the time to kiss every inch of Cotton’s body. He worshipped the omega, reverent with every touch, every kiss, every lick across the male’s silky skin.
When he reached Cotton’s cock, he slowly took the length in, ignoring the aching throb between his own thighs to focus on the omega’s pleasure. He sucked, licked, and drew on the length, massaging Cotton’s balls, needing a taste of the male’s pleasure. Not long after, he got it.
As soon as Cotton had found his release, Dillon sought his own. He slid into the omega’s body, making them one once again. Driving deep, over and over again, he lost himself within Cotton’s body. They writhed together in the sheets, seeking absolution. Again Cotton came, Dillon’s hand urging him on—and then Dillon came, shattering into a million pieces as he erupted within his omega.
Later, after they’d emptied themselves into one another, Dillon lay staring at the ceiling… confused as to what happened next. He tugged Cotton closer, adamant he wouldn’t let go…
No matter what.
* * * *
Hours later, Nikos stared up at the ceiling, breathing hard. He and Ari had returned to the cabin, both of them insatiable. They’d fucked over and over again, finding release—yet finding no true satisfaction.
Now, they lay breathing hard after their third attempt to push Dillon from their minds. Ari lay on his side, one leg thrown over one of Nikos’, their bodies a tangle of limbs.
“He’ll come to us,” Ari said as he drew little circles on Nikos’ abdomen.
“How can you be so sure?” Nikos asked. “You saw the look of disgust on his face when he looked at us.”
“He’ll come to us,” Ari said firmly.
Nikos sighed. “And then what?”
“I don’t know,” Ari admitted before growing silent. “I meant to ask you. Where did you go yesterday?”
Nikos turned to look at his brother bear, afraid to get Ari’s hopes up. “I just had a minor question for Tyler.”
“What was it?”
Nikos searched his mind for a quick answer. “He’d said something about a permanent housing solution, and I asked what our options were.”
“Who knows how long we’re staying at this point.”
“We said we’d help Declan,” Nikos said. “We need to hold to that agreement.”
Ari groaned. “Where we’ll have to work with Dillon.”
“It could be a good thing,” Nikos said. “We would have a reason to be close… to get to know him. It could change things.”
“Or it could be torment.”
Nikos laid his head down on Ari’s chest, listening to the steady beat of his lover’s heart. “Whatever happens, we’ve still got each other.”
Ari squeezed him tight. “I love you.”
“I love you,” Nikos whispered against the bear’s chest.