Jackson snorted, but his smile was weak as his eyes trailed back down to his plate.
“I’ve got to admit romantically, I’m only drawn to omegas,” James said. “But there’s no reason why every relationship in…whatever this is, has to be a love match. Would I like having someone to have a beer with? Yeah, I would. Some betas have strong caretaker instincts, and I think that’s you.” Jackson nodded slowly in response. “Anyone who’s willing to treat Kit and Tristan with love and respect has a place at the table, I think.”
So everyone’s focus turned to me and Len.
I spent my time inspecting Jackson. I’d felt strongly that he should be a part of things, but was that for him or for Len? I decided the only way to find out was to test that. I got to my feet, wiping my hands on a napkin before tossing it down on the table, everyone’s eyes on me as I sauntered over, Jackson tracking me like some kind of predator, but this time, the prey walked straight into the wolf’s jaws. I bent down, closer and closer, liking the way his eyes followed my every move, getting to the point where his lips and mine hovered over each other’s. Then strong hands wrapped themselves around my waist, pulling me down onto his lap, forcing a laugh out of me.
But it was no laughing matter when he had me where he wanted me. I wondered how this would go. Would he want me as an extension of Len or…? Right now, I knew I need not have any concerns. Those eyes, his gaze, they were entirely focussed on me as he leant in slowly, pressing two fingers to my bottom lip.
“You’re too damn perfect, you know that? So fucking beautiful.”
I smiled, then leant in and pressed an almost chaste kiss to his lips.
“Most people are all too willing to point out my flaws.”
“Not in front of me, princess.”
The taunting name came out in a low growl now. Yeah, that was hot. I went in for another kiss now, deeper, tasting his coffee, the bacon he’d been snacking on, and him.
“So, it’s decided,” I said when we finally pulled away. “We’re keeping him.”
James snorted at that and picked up his coffee mug, but Len just stared at the two of us, eyes unblinking.
“How?” was all he would say—a statement, not a question.
“Well, when an omega and a beta find each other very hot, they get naked and—” I started to say.
“How will this work?” Len clarified, his voice dangerously low.
“I don’t know.” I turned back to Jackson, stroking my hand through his beard, his hair, somehow unable to get enough of touching him. I grinned when I felt him shift underneath me, showing me exactly how he felt about what I was doing. “If we get to a place where we’re thinking of considering a relationship, I imagine there’ll be a lot of negotiation. I’ll have to be prepared to watch you alphas or Jackson with Tristan. Perhaps all three.” I let out a happy little sigh at that thought. “He would have to do the same for me.”
“I’ll probably need to be there with you,” Tristan said. “I don’t want to stop you from doing anything, but…” He smiled that crooked little smile of his. “You’re my girl. I don’t know if I’ve got it in me to just watch.”
“So Tristan needs to be consulted when anyone engages with Kit. That’s good,” James said. “We need to be honest here. I don’t have any restrictions to place on any of you, other than, at the moment, all my sexual and emotional feelings, they’re centred on Tris and Kit. It’s not that…” He snorted. “How does one say it without it sounding like ‘I like you as people, but you don’t make me feel all tingly in my secret place’?”
I felt Jackson’s laughter before I heard it.
“Fair enough. No creeping on the alpha unless he gives the go ahead,” he said. “I can live with that.” He turned us so we faced Len, and I snuggled down into his side as moral support. “There’s only one alpha I really want, but if that’s off the table, I get it.”
And here we were, back to the Len-Jackson question.
Len rubbed one of those massive hands, that looked like they could hold you entirely within his palm, over his chin, the rasp of his stubble audible, before he shook his head.
“We need to do this properly. Just because we’re compatible sexually doesn’t mean everything else will work. We keep trying to go on dates that don’t eventuate. We need to spend more time getting to know each other.”
“Yes, alpha,” Tris and I said.
“That includes you, Jacks.”
I swear to god, my heart stopped in that moment, and if I reached around, I very much doubt I would’ve heard Jackson’s either, because Len, he fixed the beta in his sights.
“You’re right. I’ve only known you as a mate and a fuck buddy, but if you want to try and take shit to the next level, then I need to take you out too. You know how I do shit.”
“Yeah,” Jackson breathed. “I do.”
“The omegas will be off with James a lot, particularly Kit, so we’ll use some of that time to go out, see how things work. You ready for that?”
Len asked the question in all seriousness, but a light, bubbling laughter filled me, having to be viciously stamped down to stop it from coming out right now. Instead, I leaned in, kissed Jackson’s ear, and whispered, “Congratulations.” His grip on me tightened almost to the point of hurting.