Quinn
She woke the next day to muscles that ached differently, stretched to a sun that had long risen in the sky. And the memories were cascading into her brain like water. She shot up then, horrified. It seemed impossible, considering Float, but she'd slammed through three alarms. Helios had fucked her so good, she'd been completely and utterly destroyed. She stayed in her bed, blinking at the ceiling to memories that had her screaming into a pillow. And now it was almost lunch—
She shot to her feet then, pulling open the curtains — blackout and shielding her view from the kitchen. She stumbled out to the sight of Helios on her couch, legs crossed. Rowan with a duster and Elysian at the stove. The company had her horrified, body squirming as she glanced down at her bare ass, pulling her t-shirt lower. She didn't sleep with a bra on (the extra laundry wasn't worth it) and her nipples were hard in the oddly colder air.
"Fuck," she hissed. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck."
"Good morning!" Helios beamed, approaching with itchy fingers that idled down the sides of her hips, a kiss to her cheek. And holy fucking shit had they really gone all the way? She felt herself warm at the stares from Elysian and Rowan. Their eyes burned, almost seeming a little bloodshot. There was a strange look in them, like a predator hungry for prey. They turned away. "Sorry," Helios distracted her quickly with a peck on the cheek. He seemed insanely bubbly today. "We let ourselves in when we realised you were missing at work."
"Right," she said, just as Helios popped her toothbrush to her lips. She brushed her teeth, the froth bubbling. Mint and apples. "Today's—"
"Recon," Rowan reminded, manspreading on her couch. A smile swept across his face, eyes turning to slits. A godly sort of beauty with his face kissed by the light of the sun. "Zen and Klaus flipped the fuck out when you weren't there. Zen mostly. But it's alright, the boys are just a bit impatient."
"Shit," she groaned, tried to ignore her pounding heart and the way Rowan's smile seemed to grow. "It's not like me. I'm usually awake at the slightest sound." Helios grinned, his lips spreading into a wide smile. She shoved him gently, glaring. "Don't look so smug."
"I'm just smiling," Helios whined, pouting with unfairly full lips. "Is it wrong to smile?"
"You needed your rest," Elysian interrupted sagely. "And we've called in sick for you, so there is no need for work today. The team will survive without you." He told her, spoon tapping on a pot. The smell of rich umami wafting in the air, stew bubbling. "We cannot always depend on Float. There will be days when bedrest is necessary for you." His eyes slid to hers, then darted back quickly to his stew.
Her cheeks burned. She knew that they knew. She must be stinking of Helios, and she was pretty damn sure they'd done a number on him, judging from the new hickies that ran up his neck. And the way his lips seemed twice as swollen. In her exhaustion, she'd sworn she'd felt a tendril of pleasure seeping through the bond. But they were quick to slam the link shut. He winked at her then, whispering as scenarios of depravity darted into her mind.
"They like the taste of you on me," he explained softly. She shivered then and he grinned, hands dropping lower to her hips, fingers bunching up her shirt. His eyes widened then, feeling a little harder over her waist, ghosting lower as he searched for elastic. "You don't even have panties on?" She slapped his hand away, inching back on her toes.
"I didn't know I'd have company," she hissed. "You're not supposed to barge into a lady's room." But the flush on the three faces was pleasant to look at. She tried to pretend she was fine, chest lifted as she strode to her wardrobe as if she did not care for such things. But the fucking wardrobe stood right next to Rowan.
She was starting to regret the studio unit.
"I'll get it!" Helios chirped, bouncing over with spread wings.
Rowan stood, crossed his arms, a snarl rippled from his throat. One that had a tingle darting up her spine. "I'm next to it, I'll get it." They pulled open the drawer together, then paused, eyes growing wide. Quinn gasped. Fucking Minty and her lace—She kicked the drawer shut with a flush on her cheek, reaching instead for her old sweats.
"It's the Alphas," she explained, pulling it up her ass before she flashed them with an eye full of her pussy. "The girls have hobbies. One of those hobbies is sewing." The trio stared at her then, lips parted. There was a look in their eyes that told her of the things they were imagining. She glared. "Stop it."
Elysian clapped his hands together. "Enough ogling, give our mate her privacy." The duo looked away like good puppies. The vampire turned to glare at her, hands on his hips, a spatula raised. His nose wrinkled, but his cheeks were still flushed. "Minty tells me that you haven't been eating well!" He snapped. "I had the impression you'd be cooking at home, but you've barely used my spices and your pantry is empty." He shook his head. "I've taught you better than this."
She gulped. Elysian could be fucking scary when it came to nutrition and health. "I've been busy."
"Excuses!" he snapped. The fire in his eyes frightened her, had her almost leaping from her skin. But she hated that she found the fury attractive, chest raised. Perfect face poised into a look of hot, dangerous rage. "You must come over for food." He glared at her, turned to stir the pot with a few muttered curses.
"Or?"
He raised a brow at her question, tilted his head. She bit her tongue. What the fuck was she doing? But his eyes had grown hooded, lashes fluttering, a seductive look flashed across his face. A purr rumbled from his throat, his eyes turning into burning voids. "Or I'll have to bend you over and feed you myself." His voice fell an octave, vibrating pleasantly against her skin. Her heart raced then, a nasty heat making itself known in her belly. Her lips parted, breath escaping her in a whoosh.
Holy fuck.
Helios continued lingering, just as sticky as ever, head pressed to the crook of her neck. She noticed the staring from Rowan then, the sharp burn of something dark in his eyes. Something that made her feel…awful. She gently shoved Helios, and he croaked out a wail, clinging on with sticky fingers.
"Shit," she started. "Rowan, are you okay?" The wolf blinked then, seemed to collect himself, lips parting.
"They don't mind!" Helios insisted before he could speak. "And look!" He pulled at his collar, beaming brightly. "My ink's receding." And it was, she realised, with the way the thorns seemed to fade at his collarbone. He grinned, showing pearly whites, eyes curving into slitted moons. "It worked."
"Yes, we don't mind," Rowan grumbled in agreement, but his words did not seem to reach his eyes. "You're free to do anything you want."
She frowned. "Are you sure—"
"Quinn," Elysian interrupted sharply with a sweetened smile. "There is no need to worry."
"But—"
"We're a well-established pack," Elysian tutted, giving a pointed look to Rowan who sunk into his seat with a huff. "Some envy is to be expected, but we know what to do." His tone softened quickly into a gentle hum. "Icarus's experienced the same recovery with his ink, but his healing is not as immense as Helios's. I should imagine that your ink will be receding as well."
Quinn reached for the hem of her shirt, turning to Helios. "Can you check for me?" She tugged at the collar, turning her head to a side. But her eyes caught the sharpness in Elysian's and Rowan's gaze. The way they flickered with a strange heat and a touch of something dark. Something that made a ghost of a shiver run up her spine. But before she could address it, Helios squealed, joy bursting free.
"It worked!" He grasped her hands, eyes crinkling, the heat of his palm radiating into her skin. His happiness was almost palpable. "Soon we'll all be freed from this curse." He pressed a smooth kiss to her cheek before she could speak, moving to settle into a seat. He patted the chair.
She sat down at the table, unease in her heart. She couldn't help noticing the shift of their eyes, and she swallowed hard, lifting her head to meet their gaze. Elysian and Rowan were staring. "Is Icarus really okay?"
"Of course," Elysian said with a haughty sniff. Rowan nodded, but there was a sombre to his expression. She did not have time to think about that, for Elysian was already dishing out plates. "Now, breakfast?"
*
Breakfast had been far too good.
Hours later, the tomato stew remained, lingering on her tongue, vibrant in flavour and rich in cream. Her mouth was still flavoured with the crisp of Elysian's good bread and butter when she walked down the streets, having escaped the claws of three mother hens.
The only reason why they'd allowed her the trip was because she'd insisted she needed the fresh air, claiming that a stop at the markets would do her good. If their colleagues had not rapped their knuckles on the door, declaring that the trio would be late for work. The trio would never have left, glued to her side, and preening like birds eager to please.
Makeshift market stalls spilled into the roads beneath newly tangled wires and stretched tarp, vendors hollering over each other. Handmade carts rattled past over mud-slicked roads from rain. And the humid air carried the odour of old oil, coffee, spice, and the unmistakable petrichor of an approaching storm. The market's creation was impressive as hell considering everything they had gone through, and she marvelled at the jugs of coffee beans. Coffee beans of all things. It seemed the hauls were pretty damn good. Quinn dodged as laundry whipped sharply between short tents. Overhead, dark clouds gathered, swollen with moisture above the skyline, bruising the afternoon light into purple tones. She had only just managed two steps of freedom before someone called her name.
"Quinn!"
She turned mid-step to find Minty cutting through the market with the unstoppable confidence of someone determined to tease. Wind dragged in her braids as she crossed the newly formed street in large strides, bags swinging from her elbows, eyes already glittering with amusement before she'd even reached her.
"There you are," Minty crowed. "I was beginning to think they'd chained you to the house." Her brows waggled. God. Quinn swatted her, and the girl laughed.
"Close enough," Quinn muttered, earning an immediate grin. And now there was a slap on her shoulder. "Ow!"
"You go, girl!" Minty squealed. "I didn't expect it from you. Toilet sex, who would have known?"
Quinn raised a brow, but her cheeks were red. "Is it that novel?"
"We're a prissy bunch," Minty replied, pulling her along. "Heats only in the nest and all that. So how was it?"
"How was what?" Quinn feigned ignorance, continued walking on.
"Sex?"
"Shh!" she hissed, but there were eyes swivelling her way. Minty giggled.
"Come on spill!"
"My ink's receding," Quinn told her, tugging at her collar. Minty grinned. "So, it's been great."
"And we were just talking about how much of a prude you are!" Minty laughed. "You know the girls are highly inspired by what you've done. We're thinking about more exciting approaches to our sex life. Things to spice it all up, y'know?"
"Right," Quinn said, walking quickly as her friend prattled on.
"Bathrooms are fun. But back home, we've only got outhouses. We were considering the bushes. It'd be nice with the wolves, back to nature and everything. Or perhaps one of the abandoned tents out in the fields. Maybe one of the walls at midnight—"
"I chose the bathroom because it can be locked and because the bedroom wasn't really an option," Quinn reminded quickly. Damn, she did not mean to start a trend of exhibitionism. She gave Minty a pointed look. "Plus, the party was in my pack house," she said. "I technically have the right to monopolise the bathroom."
"Of course, of course, it's really just me and two other girls," Minty explained, waving her hand. "A controlled environment always. We have more than one mate after all. There can always be scouts, watching as we fuck—" Quinn's expression fell at the thought, breaking just a little. And suddenly her thoughts were a mess. Was that what it all was that morning? Jealousy? Were Rowan and Elysian jealous of Helios?
Minty's expression sharpened suddenly. "Oh no," she breathed dramatically, leaning closer. "You've got the look."
Quinn blinked. "The look?"
"Pack trouble."
Before Quinn could protest, Minty had already hooked her arm through hers and dragged her deeper into the swell of bodies. The crowd swallowed them almost immediately. Thunder murmured low overhead, distant enough to ignore but close enough to feel the distinct change in the atmosphere.
It took Quinn longer than she had expected to explain everything that had transpired that morning. Somehow Minty managed to shop through the entire conversation, stopping to inspect vegetables and barter for goods while Quinn recounted the complicated disaster of the trio.
"Do you think I've fucked up somehow?" Quinn said, panic laced in her tone. "Should I have gotten permission first?"
"Nope, it happens to the best of us," Minty assured her finally, slowing beside a stall piled high with cans. "But you've got to manage it carefully. Helios looks like the type to play psychological warfare." She cleared her throat. "For fun, of course."
Quinn laughed despite herself. "That's ridiculous."
"It absolutely is not." Minty lowered her voice into a whisper. "Last month, one of the packs almost collapsed." She pointed then to the redhead in a corner. "See that girl? They were this close to breaking up because she started playing favourites. Favourites! The older girls had to give her a good scolding."
Alarm bells rung in her head. "What?"
"One of her Omegas disappeared for six hours because apparently," Minty rolled her eyes, "avoidance is his goddamn coping mechanism. But he decided to do it outside of our community. The fucker went out into the wastelands. A search team was sent out." Minty paused gravely. "That pack survived. Barely."
"Are they crazy—"
"They are." Minty shrugged. "Everyone knows that a little pack trouble happens. But the priority is family. Oh, honey." Minty squeezed her arm affectionately. "You'll be fine. That pack was irresponsible; yours know to be careful." She made a face. "They're kings. They'll work it out. They love you too much."
The words should have sounded like teasing, but there was something beneath them that caught Quinn unexpectedly off guard. Without meaning to, she found herself glancing instinctively back towards the packhouse. Towards them. And immediately her chest tightened.
Minty noticed immediately. "I know that face," she sang triumphantly. "You're thinking about them." Quinn flushed hard. "Oh, you are so fucked."
"I am not fucked."
"You have six mates orbiting you like emotionally constipated clouds." Minty barked out another laugh. Quinn groaned, dragging both hands down her face while Minty cackled beside her. They drifted toward the edge of the market where the crowds thinned enough for louder conversation. Thunder rolled softly above the village while the wind carried the sharp scent of incoming rain.
"Look," Minty said after a moment, her tone gentler now, "jealousy in packs isn't always a bad thing."
Quinn glanced sideways at her.
Minty continued thoughtfully. "Everyone's constantly aware of where they stand with each other, especially once bonds start forming properly." She paused briefly. "If one person gets reassurance, the others notice. If one gets affection, the others start craving it too. I mean all you've got to do is to be nice and stop playing favourites. Packs work like ecosystems. And besides, we're human. Of course we'll have human feelings!"
The words settled heavily somewhere beneath Quinn's ribs because suddenly she could picture it too clearly. Helios glowing smug beneath all the attention. The way Rowan watched with narrowed eyes despite pretending not to care when he hugged her and she did not break away. Elysian cooking elaborate meals because caring for her was easier than admitting he needed comfort himself.
And she could picture the others, and the ways they displayed their upset. Icarus hovering silently instead of asking outright to be included. Zen growing quieter instead of louder whenever something upset him. Icarus talking in circles whenever anxiety overtook him. Klaus always watching, expression darkening. Tiny fractures in their pack.
"So what am I supposed to do?" Quinn asked quietly. "Walk on eggshells forever? Do I really have to document everything? Tally the scores?"
Minty laughed softly. "God, no. That would be miserable for everyone involved." Then she tilted her head slightly and said, "Balance. And you don't need to solve every emotional crisis yourself either. Hey, they've lived as seven for years. They know you're new to it. Half the time they'll compensate for each other without you even realizing it."
Quinn sighed. "Is there a better way?"
The girl hummed. "Pack Omega."
"Pack Omega?"
"You could figure it out with the pack Omega," Minty replied. "There's a hierarchy and they're supposed to fall in line behind the head. He's usually the one to intercept and control the situation." Quinn blinked at that. The pack Omega…That was Klaus. Before Quinn could respond, Minty suddenly stopped walking and looked toward the gates ahead. "Oh," she said. "Your boys are back."
Quinn followed her gaze and immediately froze.
Horses.
Actual goddamn horses.
The sight still felt bizarre enough to rattle something loose in her chest. Weeks ago, they'd all been scavenging canned soup from abandoned convenience stores and sleeping outside with guns pressed to their chests. The wolves had to transform just to complete the recon and the others had to walk or fly. Now vegetables climbed greenhouses, solar lights glowed faintly between rooftops at night, and her boys apparently rode patrol around the outskirts like some kind of post-apocalyptic cowboy.
When the hell had they found horses? It must have been a week ago when she was stuck in maintenance. The horses thundered through the gates slick with sweat, nostrils flaring steam, kicking up dust into the air, leather reins creaking while guards moved quickly to help steady them. Quinn's breath caught in her throat, heart lurching at the sight of her boys.
Klaus rode at the front, as broad and as commanding as always. His tall form towering, a petulant sourness on his cheeks, a cloud of pheromones following him as he moved. His cloak snapped behind him like a flag in the wind. Behind him, Zen rode along, handsome as always and she found the clench of his jaw incredibly attractive, danger sharp in obsidian eyes, boyish curls rustling. The sight of them together, sent a dizzying rush of heat through her chest, so violent it almost weakened her knees.
For a heartbeat, she could only hear the frantic pounding of her pulse and the certainty that she missed them far more than she allowed herself to admit. Klaus spotted her first, eyes finding hers. He swung down before the horse settled, boots striking dirt sharply, and the second his eyes landed on Quinn his entire expression changed.
"You should be in bed." He was clearly biting down his frustration.
"I'm not dying," Quinn replied flatly, heart quickening at the sight of him. A bite of shame laced in her throat. Minty had quietly inched away leaving her behind. She sighed turning back to them. "How was the scout?"
"Fine," Zen's voice trailed in then. He dismounted beside him a moment later, landing hard enough to kick dust into the dampening air. His dark hair clung damply against his forehead from the ride, cheeks flushed. The horses stamped restlessly behind them. "You look pale," he muttered immediately. Damn. Her brows furrowed at the strange tone. Were they both in a bad mood? She could practically see the storm clouds hanging over their heads.
"Thank you," she bit back.
"That wasn't a compliment," Zen said, eyes darting to Klaus. The pack Omega nodded.
The fuck?
Read 9 chapters ahead on
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tinyeyecat
Inkitt Subscription: https://www.inkitt.com/tinyeyecat