Chapter 293

After an hour of sex and ten minutes of holding each other and then cleaning up, I roll over to look morosely at my ‘clean’ laundry now spread across the floor.

“Am I going to have to wash this again?” I ask.

“How dirty is your floor?” Beau asks.

The floor, at this point, is much cleaner than the bed. The thought makes me laugh for a second.

Beau looks at me with something like fondness. “I think they are fine.” He tilts his head. “In fact… why don’t you let me pick out your outfit for today?”

Gods know what he’ll actually pick, but I know the clothes that are in that pile. Nothing he picks could be too egregious.

And with all that fond softness in his eyes, it’s too much effort not to just give him.

“Fine,” I say with a sigh.

“Yes!” he laughs as he bounces off the bed. Naked, he crouches down and peruses through the pile of clothes. He ends up selecting a simple sundress that goes to the knee and a fresh pair of panties. I notice he doesn’t select a bra, but the dress doesn’t really need one. It has some padding in the front.

It also has pockets. Bless.

“Come on,” he says, and holds his hand out for me. I take it and he helps me stand.

Before I can ask what he’s doing, he grabs the clean panties and crouches down. He holds the legs open for me to step into. Then, once I’ve done so, he slowly drags the panties up my legs, tenderly caressing my skin with the backs of his hands as he goes. It’s so gentle yet seductive, my heart jumps into my throat.

As I’m standing there in just my panties, he reaches for the dress and bunches it up in his hands.

“Raise your arms,” he says.

When I do, he drapes the dress over them and then slowly guides it down. The backs of his palms press seductively against my sides, teasing me. He brushes across my breasts and down my abdomen. He tickles my hipbone before letting the fabric fall and pulling away.

He’s still naked. His dick is twitching with renewed interest.

I have half a mind to pull him back into the bed and say fuck it.

“Beau,” I start, ready to say just that.

Suddenly, an alarm blares, loud and piercing.

My eyes go wide. Beau dives to grab his pants and a shirt. He forgets his boxers and socks, but to hell with it, we have to get to the others!

Has something happened? Is the Alpha King on his way back? Have his goons tried to break into the house?

I have too many questions and no answers. It’s also impossible to think with the alarm blaring like this.

Neil grabs my hand and together we rush out of the room. He clop down the stairs two at a time.

The front door is sealed shut, so we veer toward the living room. There, we find everyone else. None of them look particularly alarmed. Mia even has ear protection on, some kind of headset. Mom is holding her. She has rolled up cotton balls in her own ears.

Steven, Isaac, Wyatt, and Neil are gathered around Steven’s tablet. Archer stands nearby with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

Neil looks up from the tablet first and catches our alarmed expressions.

At the same time, Steven presses something on the screen and the alarm abruptly ceases. It takes a minute for my ears to chill out. I swear I can still hear the phantom sound of an alarm roaring on and off.

“What’s going on?” I demand, when I can think straight again.

Steven glances up confused. “We were just testing the alarm.”

Neil’s brow pulls together as he takes in our appearances – my change of clothes from before, Beau’s dishevelment. “Archer was supposed to let you know…”

Everyone’s attention turns to Archer. He shrugs. “They were busy.”

Beau laughs. “That’s one way of putting it.”

My face burns hot. I only nearly resist the urge to smack Beau upside the head. My Mom is right there.

I hope my glare tells him enough.

He has the decency to stop laughing at least. He keeps smiling though. It’s like he can’t help himself.

Returning my attention to the others, I spot Archer right away. He’s staring at me like he wants to eat me. Admittedly, when he looks at me like that, it kind of makes me want to be eaten.

Not for the first time, I curse my body’s reaction to the brothers. All it takes is one glance, or one flirty comment, or one hug from behind, and I turn into a wanton slut. But it’s only for them. It’s only ever been for them.

I’ve never felt this way for anyone in my past, and frankly, to hell with the mating bond, I don’t see myself ever feeling this way with anyone else again.

It’s all so confusing. I swear I am a legitimate student who wants for things outside of sex. I want to be a warrior. I want to graduate the academy. I eventually want a family of my own.

It’s just whenever I’m around the brothers, I turn all sex-crazed. They make me so hot, constantly, and my healing factor makes sure I’m always ready.

It would be exhausting if it wasn’t so fucking wonderful.

It is embarrassing though, especially around my mom. I don’t want her to know how down bad I have it. I don’t know how to explain that I can still be career focused while simultaneously giving into my body’s more primal urges.

My worst fears take shape when Mom hands Mia off to Isaac. Mom takes the cotton from her ears. Any hopes I have that those flimsy pieces of cotton have kept her from hearing what just transpired between Archer and Beau vanish the moment she looks at me.

She has that disapproving Mom look. I’ve seen it before. I’m really in for it this time.

I hold up my hands. “Mom. I can explain.”

She shakes her head as she approaches me. “You don’t have to explain anything to me.” That she doesn’t call me dear or sweetheart worries me. She’s not softening the blow of what’s coming. She wants to hit me with a complete, head-on strike.

I brace myself, preparing for the worst.

I’m still not ready when she asks me, “Are you on birth control?”

My mouth goes dry. She staring at me, her face stern. She’s dead serious about this. I really don’t want to have this conversation right here right now, Mom!

“Chloe,” she says firmly. Gods, there’s no getting out of this, is there? “Answer me.”

I feel like a little kid again, after getting caught doing something I’m not supposed to be doing. Only, it’s twenty times worse because I’m an adult and that thing I’ve been doing is sex with three different guys.

“I… uhh…”

Isaac and Wyatt take one look at each other and hastily exit the room. Isaac takes Mia with him, thank the Gods. She’s not old enough to understand, I hope, but it’s still embarrassing having to look at her.

The others, the brothers, stay.

“It’s… I mean…”

“Out with it, Chloe.”

My face burns so hot I’m sure it will catch fire at any moment. “We’ve been using condoms?”

Mom’s disapproval intensifies.