Happiness is Earned (Second Chances Book 3), page 4
I can feel Orson losing it underneath me, his own orgasm happening within the waves of my own, but it’s barely able to be felt. My brain shatters, every sensation amplified and intensified until I’m soaring high above the world, lost in a sea of pure sensation.
The release is incredible, overwhelming, and I feel like I could just keep flying forever. It’s the most freeing thing I’ve ever felt, the most serene experience.
“Shh,” Orson soothes, his citrusy scent of lemon and lime tickling my nose as he cuddles me into him. I can feel something cold and wet running over my thighs, wiping away some of the wetness, but it feels refreshing, like cool water on a hot day. A soft blanket is wrapped around me, cocooning me in warmth and safety, as a gentle kiss is pressed to my forehead.
“Here,” Cevon murmurs, a gentleness to his usually hoarse voice. “Drink up, little darkling.
I turn my head away, not wanting to leave this land of bliss, but they’re determined to bring me back to reality.
“Come on,” Cevon urges, pressing the straw between my lips. “Drink up, Nora.”
I take a small sip, my intention to push it away once I’ve appeased him. But the cool water is refreshing, and I eagerly start to gulp it down.
“Easy,” Orson soothes, his voice a low rumble in my ear. But I don’t listen. I drain the bottle in a few gulps, my thirst insatiable after the intense experience.
As I blink slowly, coming back to myself, Orson asks softly, “You good?”
I nod, still feeling the echoes from that transcendent experience. It’s like I’m floating on a cloud, slowly being returned to real life.
The tenderness and care from my mates as I went through something so intense makes me feel like the luckiest person in the world. It’s crazy how much I’ve come to rely on them, how safe they make me feel. It’s a testament to the depth of our bond.
I look around the room, in a daze, and I’m filled with an overwhelming gratitude for these men who have become my pillars of support, who know me better than I know myself.
I can always trust them to catch me when I fall—even if it’s just after a super intense orgasm.
“That was just intense,” I murmur, my words slow and slurred as I bask in the afterglow.
“That’s because I’m amazing,” Devoss teases, despite not actually being involved in that last explosive orgasm. “Come snuggle me, little mouse.”
“Here?” Orson asks, looking around with disdain in his tone.
“We can change the sheets,” Micah offers, and Orson sighs, but clearly that’s enough to sway him. As the final parts of the intense pleasure ebb away, I’m left feeling disorientated and drained. The world around me becomes a blur as my mates move around, tending to me and preparing the bed. Despite feeling exhausted, I manage to stay awake, taking comfort in the warmth of Orson’s embrace.
Once the bed is ready, I'm transferred into Voss's arms. His solid presence anchors me as I'm gently settled into the soft sheets, surrounded by the comforting weight of my mates settling in beside me. The sense of safety and belonging is overwhelming, and I drift off to sleep, content in the knowledge that I’m loved and cared for.
“You know,” Voss murmurs huskily, from where his face is buried in my neck, startling me from the half-awake, half-asleep dream state I was in. “If I knew that you were going to be so possessive of my cock, I might’ve made you bite me somewhere else.”
I snort, exhaustion completely overtaking me as I cuddle in between him and Orson properly. I know he’s a liar, he loves how possessive I am of his dick.
Micah’s head is on my stomach, his hand gripping his mark on my hip, and Malachi’s in his shifted form at the bottom of the bed. I’m surprised Orson has not complained about fur. Oh, well, there’s always morning.
Fin is on Voss’s other side, his even breathing showing he’s already asleep. I’m not sure if he’s dressed, but Voss isn’t complaining.
I am complaining, though, that the lion brothers aren’t in the cuddle pile.
Cevon’s on the armchair, passed out if his slow breathing is anything to go by, and Atticus isn’t here.
A little insulting, but after the mind-blowing sex, I can forgive it.
Especially if it means we’ll get to do that again.
And next time? It better be on our wedding night.
PART I
1
NORA
“Hi,” David says, and I grin at him. “How are you feeling?”
“How are you feeling?” I counter.
He groans and passes me a bottle of water that he’s brought outside with him. “Does that answer your question?”
“It does,” I say, nodding. “Not a fan of the upcoming family reunion?”
“What part am I meant to be enjoying? The part where my in-laws are so anxious they’re going to get kicked out of the pack that they’re barely sleeping to accommodate everything Kennedy and Neve are demanding? The part where mum is trying so hard to figure out a way to crawl up Alpha Phoenix’s ass—”
“Ew,” I groan, hiding my face as I imagine that. He laughs and takes a swig of his beer as he leans on the railings.
David’s mating ceremony is tomorrow, and he’s a little on edge about it. It’s understandable, considering the massive amount of pressure Kennedy’s putting on him and his in-laws to make it perfect.
It doesn’t help that Atticus and Orson were a big part of the planning of the new date and all the security measures involved. Their original plan was for David and Crystal to wait until after I had the baby for this to happen.
You know, the baby we’re not even sure exists right now.
But I was adamant we’re not waiting that long. I know for a fact that as soon as the baby becomes a confirmed entity versus a fleeting thought, I’d not be permitted to go until it was safe.
Which I completely agree with.
So, we negotiated, and, just like me, David wanted it over sooner rather than later. My heat ended on Friday of last week, and it’s Friday today. One whole week of bliss before I’m being thrust into the hell that is a family reunion.
Not that I’ll admit my feelings to my mates. They’ve all reiterated on numerous occasions that we can leave. I love them for it, but I need to do this, for me. It’s time I deal with my past.
Even if I’m scared. My nerves are nowhere near as bad as David’s.
I get to leave as soon as this is over, but he’s stuck dealing with the repercussions. If Atticus reacts poorly, if I get upset, if anything goes even the slightest bit wrong, David and Crystal will pay the price.
And I fucking hate it.
I’m really pleased that we figured out a way for nearly all of my mates to come with me for this. Atticus didn’t even try to fight about it just being him, but I didn’t have much faith that Orson and Griffin would be able to come. The former because he’s the one who runs the pack when Atty isn’t around, and the latter due to his mythical status.
But Orson came up with some really smart solutions. The pride is being watched by two different teams of people, and both Atticus and Orson have satellite phones to keep in contact with them. Whilst I don’t fully know what they do, one is part of the enforcers, and they’re in charge of security and monitoring any hunter threats, the other is a group of people that normally work in HR at Legal Pride under Mal. They’re there for any issues that can’t wait whilst we’re gone.
We don’t expect anything to happen, considering it’s only a long weekend that we’re here, but it’s best to cover our bases.
Now, Griffin had to be covered in scent neutraliser the whole way here, and will again the whole way home, as well as altering his look slightly to disguise himself. Kennedy has assured us that his pack will keep things on the down-low, and Cevon’s also working hard on his end to protect the griffin’s status.
It’s still scary, but I truly doubt anyone would be able to attack my men and walk away with Griffin as the prize.
Which might be hubris in its ultimate form.
But this does lead into the fact that Cevon is the only one of my guys who is not here. It’s a little disappointing, and my wolf really doesn’t like it. My lion mate needs to keep a low profile around here, considering the attack a few weeks ago. He’s still got hunters monitoring the area, due to us being here, and it’s a little strange to be in the middle of. For once, I’m glad that there is a big divide between pride and relationship because this is not a burden me or my mental health can handle.
And that’s even without acknowledging there’s a supposed connection between Seb and Kennedy, and my mates suspect Seb is involved with the hunters. It’s not hard to guess that maybe Kennedy might have some kind of involvement with the hunters, too. I don’t know much about this situation, but it’s something I’m worrying about.
Cevon is at his home, not far from here, and I know if we need him, he’ll be here in an instant. I hope it doesn’t come to that. We don’t want to blow up his connection to the hunters, not now that he’s finally working with Atticus, and they’re planning some kind of blow-up.
It’s weird. Last time we came here, it hurt so badly being separated from my men, but now, being apart from Cevon, I’m not actually too upset. I can feel him through the bond and know that he’s okay. I can feel his anger slowly simmering as he no doubt sits in his bare bones office. It just doesn’t hurt anywhere near as badly as it did because we’ll see each other in a few days.
And the sex we’re going to have will be intense, and hot, and so fucking worth the separation.
The rest of my men are inside our cabin—well, the cabin that Kennedy has let us stay in for our duration at Riverstone. There are eighteen cabins exactly like the one we’re in, and they’re always set up for visitors. Thankfully, we’re the only ones right now. I don’t think any of my guys would be happy otherwise. Another thing I’m grateful for is that the cabins are situated close enough to where the pack resides that we’re not worried about being attacked.
Shifters would never cross pack lines, or risk Atty’s wrath, but hunters aren’t as smart, and they’re our current enemy. Cevon might be watching them, and would absolutely alert us if something was planned, but he’s not all seeing, and he can’t help if someone goes rogue.
But I’m putting that out of my mind for now. I’ve got enough worries, and that’s a burden my mates are dealing with.
Speaking of my men, they’re inside finishing up on breakfast, whilst bickering about who gets to come to my family brunch with me. I’m the only one who was shocked when Orson plated up food, and then I absolutely refused to eat anything. I’m not sure how their stomachs can handle them eating now and then again in less than an hour, but mine most definitely can’t.
Especially not with how anxious I’m feeling.
Then again, I’m pleased Orson made something, since they’re not all going to be coming with me, and it means they get to eat. I’m not inviting all six of them, instead, it’s most definitely going to be Griffin, Micah, and Atticus. They’re more than capable of conducting themselves properly, and, by that, I mean, if someone insults me, they’re going to be allowed to leave alive. Voss is too much of a wild card, Malachi has a permanent scowl on his face, and Orson’s too obsessed with our potential baby that I don’t want him spilling the beans.
“That’s exactly how I feel. Now imagine sitting there and hearing how desperate she is for him to like her,” David says, sounding amused, but then he sighs, rubbing his cheeks. “Crystal is due to go into heat in about a month, but she’s debating on getting some blockers for it to give herself some time to recover from this shit.”
“Fuck,” I say softly, drawing out the u sound. I turn to him, and I see a vulnerability on his face that makes my wolf and I want to fix everything for him. He’s a grown man with his own home, a mate, and a job that comes with a lot of responsibilities. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still sort of see him as the thirteen-year-old boy I left behind.
It doesn’t help that I am full of guilt over this whole thing in the first place. Kennedy is only forcing them into it because he thinks Atticus’s help relies on this event. He’s made it a massive deal, one that nobody really wants to happen, but we’re going through with it anyway.
Atticus feels just as guilty as me because he never realised how low Kennedy would stoop in his efforts to please Atticus.
I squeeze his arm, and he meets my eyes with a small grimace. “I’m sorry, David. What can I do?”
He shakes his head, giving me a small smile. “Nothing. I’m whining when you’ve got a lot more shit on your plate. You’re too easy to talk to.”
“Like what?” I ask, laughing. “I quit my job, I’ve bonded with all of my mates, and I legit have nothing but time on my hands to do... nothing. What do I have on my plate?”
“And what about that?” he asks, motioning to my stomach.
“Still unconfirmed,” I say, shrugging. Orson needs to keep his mouth shut and his hands to himself. I love how excited my bear mate is, I truly do, but all I can think about is how disappointed he’s going to be if there’s no baby.
For the last week, he’s been non-stop obsessed. He’ll rub my stomach, he’s adjusted my diet to safe foods for pregnant women, and I’ve caught him talking to my stomach three times when he thought I was asleep. He’s genuinely obsessed with the idea of fatherhood.
And it’s really weighing on me. It’s something George and I have talked about briefly, and he’s reassured me numerous times that my worth doesn’t rely on my womb, but it’s hard to believe that when I can feel how passionate Orson is about this. I can feel the depth of his love for our baby.
The bond is amazing in so many ways. It gives me insight into their feelings, and when I’m struggling, the ability to feel their truths, their support, their light, is a beacon within the darkness. But it’s also so hard in instances like this, when I can feel his want, an echo inside of me that sways me, too.
We’re going to be so disappointed if there’s no baby. If I failed.
I know I need to talk these feelings out and stop letting the negative thoughts win, to just wait it out for another week or so until I can take a test, and we’ll know for sure.
But it’s ridiculously hard to get out of my own mind and just enjoy the new life I’ve got.
I barely made it out of the last depressive episode, and I’m still teetering on the edge, ready to fall back off the cliff at any given moment. I don’t know what will set me off, what will cause it, but I’m scared I’ll be right back there, and the lifeboats I used last time won’t be enough.
I’m still in therapy, I’m still working hard on dealing with my shit.
I just wish I didn’t have shit that still needed to be worked through.
“I’d say the bear—”
“Orson,” I correct.
David hisses through his teeth, his russet brown eyes darting to the door in a panic. “Don’t summon him!”
“Nora,” Orson calls, and I burst out laughing as David pales.
David accidentally grabbed my bacon sandwich off the counter yesterday evening when we first got here, instead of one of the other fifteen, and Orson’s been giving him the cold shoulder ever since. David had no way of knowing that was the one Orson specifically set aside for me, but that doesn’t mean Orson’s forgiving him any time soon. It’s amusing because my brother is actively avoiding my mate, and my mate is doing everything in his power to make David feel awkward.
But Orson was standing in the bedroom, just waiting for his moment to come and interrupt, and he timed it perfectly. David didn’t realise, not able to feel him through the mate bond like me and not actively assessing the area, which just makes it even funnier.
“Out here,” I say, and David looks around as if trying to find somewhere to hide. His only choice is to jump over the railing and hope he can run fast enough.
He can’t. Orson would never let him get away.
The cabin doors open, and Orson stands there, looking hot and dangerous. He’s got a tight-fitting shirt on, the pink colour making his tanned skin tone look even more vibrant. His blond hair is in its usual hairstyle—a knot in the back of his head, with a pretty plait down the middle of his head meeting it.
His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, highlighting his forearms, and, I’ve learnt that, apparently, that fraction of bare skin is a turn on for me. At least, on him it is because it means I can see my mark on his right wrist. My gums ache, my wolf begging to be let out so she can play with it.
But that’s not happening. We’re too busy.
Orson strides over to where I’m standing, his thick thighs drawing my attention. He’s got a pair of trousers on that aren’t super tight fitting, but still show off the pure muscle he carries. As a bear shifter, Orson’s pre-determined to be big. Bears just are.
But he definitely takes that to the next level. At 6’7”, he’s the tallest of my guys, and I guarantee he outweighs at least two of them combined together. He’s stocky, and, yet, his hands, the ones that have a palm the size of my face, are super soft, his touch extremely gentle.
Out of all my mates, Orson’s the one who is on top of my care, making sure I’m happy and have eaten—and that was before my heat and the potential pregnancy.
He’s perfect.
If just a little bit obsessive.
“Hi,” Orson says, grinning at me as he takes my hand in his. He kisses my engagement ring softly before turning to give David a dirty look, dismissing my brother as he turns back to me with a smile on his face. He’s so dazzling when he looks at me this way, it genuinely takes my breath away. Based on the glint in his bright hazel eyes, I think he knows that. “We’ve got to get ready to head out.”
“Not we,” I say, and he frowns at me.
“Do you not feel like going?” he asks gently. David wisely hides his smirk because, unlike my oblivious mate, David understands that I’m not the one who isn’t being uninvited to my family brunch.
