#alpha!rhysand

❤️🤍💜🤍💙

You knew exactly what you were doing, even if you wouldn’t admit to it.

There was a reason you were wandering the halls in nothing but a tiny nightgown, the one that Cassian had complimented you on when he’d barged into your room without knocking one morning before you’d dressed.

You were waiting.

Waiting for your best friends’ ruts to overpower their better judgement when they scented you. They’d warned you to stay locked in your room as often as you could over the next week, not wanting to take advantage of you.

Not that they would be, but you still weren’t ready to confess that they were the only alphas you thought of during your heats, a knotting toy between your thighs as you held their stolen clothing to your nose.

You were tempted to go to the shared bathing chambers deeper in the House of Wind, but decided against it. It would be far more fun for you if you had a chance to run from them before they pinned you to the stone and knotted you-

Your thighs squeezed together for a moment, heat pooling low in your belly just at the thought of being taken by them. Currently you were heading in the direction of the High Lord’s personal library, much smaller than the one the priestesses lived in, but close enough to the alphas’ rooms that they would be able to find you if they opened their doors. It only took a minute or two to reach the large double doors, one of them already cracked. You peeked inside, the overwhelming scent of alphas in rut hitting you, slick beginning to drip down your thighs. You couldn’t see them, but you heard low moans coming from further back in the room.

Slipping inside, you shut the door behind you softly before padding towards the back of the room where the sitting area was. The quiet sound of skin on skin and low groans had you clenching on nothing, anticipation building in your blood. You made it to the bookshelf before the couches before the noises stopped suddenly, two cold shadows wrapping around your ankles.

Oh no, you thought to yourself, heart racing in excitement as you peeked around the corner, coming face to face with Rhys, violet eyes and hulking wings waiting for you right around the bookshelf.

“Pretty ‘mega, what are you doing here?” he crooned, both of his hands grabbing your waist firmly, face diving to your neck a moment later.

“Ah- I just went out for a- a walk,” you stuttered, thoroughly enjoying hit tongue and lips and teeth on your neck, getting dangerously close to your scent gland.

“Should’ve thought better, omega,” Cassian warned, rising from the couch he’d been on with Azriel, the other Illyrian following a second behind.

“Too late now,” Azriel growled as the three of them encircled you, hands pawing at whatever skin they could reach.

Rhys’s hands lifted you off the ground, spinning you away from the other males and towards the couches, and you took the opportunity that a slip of one of his hands gave you, darting off into the library and away from them. Not that you expected, or wanted, to get far, not with the speed and skills the three of them possessed.

However you’d expected to get further than the first bookshelf, Azriel’s shadows clamping around your ankles and sending you sprawling towards the ground, more shadows cushioning your fall and preventing any damage, but stopping you with your face on the ground and ass high in the air, exposed when your nightgown slipped up your torso.

“Silly omega,” Azriel tutted behind you, already teasing your folds with the head of his cock. “Rhys said you felt my shadows, I think you want this,” he said, pushing into you in one thrust, stretching you wide. A shadow slipped over your clit in quick circles, easing the pain as he began to fuck you without letting you adjust, setting a quick pace. Just as you’d wanted, his rut had taken away his gentleness and let him take without babying you, your cunt already quivering when the other alphas joined you.

Rhys didn’t ask before lifting your head up and pushing his cock against your lips, and you opened eagerly, moaning at the taste of him, and again when Azriel brushed your cervix, pain mixing with pleasure deliciously. You tried pressing your hips back as Az thrusted into you but Rhys growled, holding you by your chin to keep you in place for him.

Your eyes were pouty when you looked up at him through your lashes, watering when Rhys hit the back of your throat, gagging slightly around him and clenching around Azriel’s length.

You felt hands on your chest, large fingers slipping below your nightgown to pinch your nipples and squeeze your breasts.

It was perfect, being touched by the three of them at once. All you wished for was a way to take all of them at once, but you felt Azriel’s knot threatening to pop each time he buried himself in you, the squeeze of your cunt only tempting it further. He felt just right in you now, brushing every sensitive spot in you with each snap of his hips, sending you closer to the edge.

Rhys was getting close too, enjoying going as deep into your throat as he could and staying there until you needed to breathe, and you loved the way he gagged you as you brought your fingers to cup his balls, tears spilling from your eyes while he emptied himself in your throat, knot inflating against your lips. He hissed, pulling out of your mouth, cum still leaking from his tip. You chased his cock, licking up the rest of his seed and giving him a cock-drunk smile before your lips parted to moan, Azriel’s shadows sucking on your clit, his own cock spilling inside of you a second later, knot popping inside of you and you tumbled over the edge, milking him as you shook beneath him.

Cassian pushed Rhys out of the way, pressing his cock to your lips and you parted them greedily, though you weren’t certain that he would fit- he was thicker than Rhys, and a little bit longer.

But that didn’t mean you wouldn’t try, and he didn’t seem dissuaded either.

You slid your tongue along the underside of his cock as he slowly pressed into your mouth, and you felt Azriel twitch in your cunt. He probably enjoyed the sight, especially with him having the honor of knotting you. You gagged far faster on Cassian, the sheer size of him making it harder to breathe, and you felt Rhys slip into your mind, far more overpowering than usual with his rut, but you hardly minded as he forced your jaw to relax, letting Cass slide to the back of your throat, his throaty moan more than worth it.

He fucked your mouth slowly, savoring the tightness and trying to buy himself, not wanting the same fate as Rhys, with no sweet omega cunt to bury his knot inside. If you’d been looking, you would have seen Rhys roll his eyes. Instead you felt Azriel’s shadows start again, rubbing your clit quickly, easily sending you over the edge with how stimulated you were. Your moans around Cassian’s cock had him spilling down your throat, knot inflating as he did, and he cursed, a hand knotted in your hair keeping your lips flush to his knot until he was spent. You popped off his cock gasping for air, chest heaving in your nightgown.

You felt wonderful as Azriel tipped the both of you onto your sides, his chest pressing tightly to your back and arms curling around you assertively, the other two alphas kneeling in front of you.

Waiting to claim you next.

You sighed and nuzzled into Azriel’s hold, delighting when he curled a wing around you. You knew it was only a matter of time before his knot went down and you were being fucked by one of his brothers, and you were determined to enjoy your down time with each of them. After all, the end of their ruts could mean the end of your friendship with them.

Or, your mind whispered traitorously, it could end with you claimed by all three.

You clenched at the thought, mentally crossing your fingers that the boys would lose control with you entirely. You’d like nothing more than to be claimed by all of your best friends, and you had a sneaking suspicion that they’d always wanted it too.

You supposed you’d find out over the next week, tied to their knots.

❤️🤍💜🤍💙

Rhys had thrown open the windows sometime earlier, letting in a harsh winter breeze that has done nothing to offset the heavy sheen of sweat clinging to his bronze skin. He’s always slept naked, that’s exactly how you’d left him this morning, but the sheets tangle around his legs and waist now, like he’s been thrashing around for hours. The heavy scent in the air, clawing its way up your nose and into your lungs--musky and salty with the underlying hint of citrus and jasmine that always pulls you in like a moth to flame--tells you he has been doing just that for hours. Because he hasn’t been in a mood because we woke to find you gone, but because he woke to an early rut.

You shut the door gently behind you as you step slowly towards the bed. His eyes open slowly, a groan tearing its way out his throat. 

“‘Mega,” he whimpers.

Damn you, but that always hits you low in your stomach; makes a little shiver run up your spine as your base instincts flare to life. ‘Cause for all your fire, you are still his omega. And those instincts will win out 9 out of 10 times. 

“You should have told me, I would have come home earlier,” you chastise.

His eyes are so dark there’s only the thinnest ring of violet. “‘M sorry,” his voice is a deep rumble in his chest, deliciously smooth as it floats past his lips. “We needed this mission to work out, I wasn’t trying to distract you.”

You get one knee on the edge of the bed before he pounces, strong arms wrapping around your waist, pulling you down on top of his chest as he crashes his lips against yours. It's all tongue and teeth, hours worth of desperation making it by far the messiest kiss you’ve ever shared. His heartbeat is a statico against your palm as you catch yourself on his heaving chest, a whimper crawling its way out his throat.

He usually syncs up with your heat, but you still have a couple weeks until then, whatever triggered it hit him hard and fast.

“I was so close, Rhys,” you say, trying to pull away to catch your breath. His reasoning is understandable, you know he couldn’t help it, but that doesn’t change your disappointment in the situation. 

His hands tangle in your hair, pulling you back with a growl you know isn’t intentional. The fire beneath his skin can only be quelled with your touch, your kiss; it’s always a heady understanding to know that only your body can get him like this, only yours can provide him the relief he needs. 

Plump lips drag over yours, damp and hungry and every kiss feels like he’s trying to meld himself into your body. The sheats, tangled around him as they are, aren’t enough to hide just how hard he is as he rocks his hips into yours. Violet eyes squeeze shut, trying to not lose himself to even the faintest shred of relief he gets from the friction. 

“Need you,” he groans. “Make it up to you later, I promise.”

He might say just about anything to be inside you right now and you know it, but you’ll hold him to it once he comes out of this, once his head is clear.

“Yes, you will.”

He rocks his hips upward, hands leaving your hair to hold your hips and drag you down the hard length of him. The heat of his body seeps through your leathers, core tightening against the added stimulation. 

“Please,” the words tear out of him in a hoarse whisper. “Feel so good. Need you, please, ‘mega.”

You plant your palm in the center of his tattooed chest, pushing his sweat slicked body back into the mattress, intentionally giving your hips a roll. His eyes nearly roll back into his head at your movements and you take the opportunity to use your other hand to work on the ties of your chestpiece. 

The leathers get tossed somewhere behind you as you lean over him, brushing your chest against his on the way to place a gentle kiss on his plush, pink lips. Gods he’s already so flushed and you haven’t even done anything to him, lips kiss swollen, cheeks dusted pink from the heat. 

“Don’t tease,” he begs. 

You laugh against his mouth, “I’ll remember this during my heat, Rhysand.”

“It was one time,” he protests. “Just needed a little taste of you first.”

You trail your nose over his chin, taking in his scent on the way to the claiming mark you’d left on his throat, the skin no longer pink and swollen like it had been in the early days, because as soon as you’d had permission to claim him, you’d made sure to sink your teeth in over and over again, so everyone would know that this Alpha was yours. You lave your tongue over the scar and the bond ripples with such desperate need you think you might be able to make him cum just like this. 

The next roll of your hips has his hands jumping off your body to fist the sheets, nearly tearing through the mattress pad as his whole body arches into you with a groan that rattles the windows. 

“Poor, Alpha,” you coo into his neck, teeth lightly scraping against the scar and his full body shudders beneath you. “Left all alone all day, nothing to fuck into.”

With a growl, he flips you over onto your back, teeth clashing as he goes in for another desperate kiss.

You laugh despite the heat building between your legs. Your body preens under the attention, under his heady scent that now covers you. “Tell me,” you whisper in his ear, hands trailing down his shoulders and back. 

One of his hands desperately fumbles with the ties on your pants, the other keeps him balanced against the headboard. His chest heaves like he can’t get enough air, maybe he could if he didn’t keep diving in for kiss after deeper kiss. 

“Did you touch yourself to thoughts of me, while I was gone?”

He literally rips your pants trying to get them off you in a rush. “No.”

You shift your hips and spread your legs with a grin; there are few greater gifts than watching a male this feral get absolutely enraptured with the sight of your dripping core. He runs his tongue over his lips, debating if he has the resolve to taste you first. 

You know he doesn’t. His hard and aching against his abdomen, tip absolutely dripping with pre-cum. He’ll be lucky if he doesn’t knot you on the first thrust. 

“Didn’t-” he shakes his head, trying to clear his thoughts, but you know he’s already so far gone he’s going to struggle to even form a sentence. 

You didn’t agree to not tease him, which very well could mean you’ll find yourself in the opposite position come your heat, but you can’t help it. You love it when he’s this wild; when there’s absolutely nothing that can hold him back. You drag a finger between your legs, parting yourself further for him to see. All trace of violet disappears completely from his eyes. 

“Didn’t want anything but you,” he rasps.

“You have me,” you promise and the words are barely out before he pounces. 

It’s your turn to groan, to gasp and whimper as he slides himself into the hilt in one hard thrust. Your nails card down the sharp contours of his spine hard enough to leave marks, but it only makes him nip at the scar on your own throat in earnest. 

He’s everywhere, kissing and nipping and whimpering how good you feel in your ear until the heat of his skin seeps into yours. It becomes impossible to tell where you end and he begins as he rocks impossibly deeper into you, stars swirling across your vision. 

“Love you so much,” he murmurs into your throat. “Take me so well. So perfect. Made just for me.” 

The swell of his knot comes as quickly as you anticipated it would, but even knowing it would be quick doesn’t prepare you for the feeling of it catching inside you. Doesn’t matter how many times he’s filled you, nothing feels like the white hot pleasure that shoots so hard and fast up our spine your vision blurs, body arching off the bed. Nonsense and noises you have no control over slip past your lips, whispered into his claiming mark as you bury your head in his shoulder and whisper his name amid the white noise bouncing around your skull. This only spurs him further, rocking his hips harder, teeth scratching against your shoulder as he ensures his knot fully takes.

His breath is as hot as his body as he pants and murmurs into your skin. “Just like that, love. Gonna fill you up nice and full, yeah?”

The bed creaks and groans as the headboard strikes the wall over and over again. You’re grateful you don’t have neighbors. Or a landlord to complain about the paint the movement is chipping off the wall. 

“Take me so well,” he praises, fingers trailing down your body to find that perfect spot between your legs. He knows, like he always does, that you’re not as close to the edge as you should be, that he’s going to finish first and you’re too nice to mention it, too focused on letting him find the relief he needs in your body.

Rhys grunts, teeth clamping down harder on your shoulder as his thrusts get sloppier, harder. “Come with me,” he begs, voice desperate, holding back best he can.

You roll your hips instead, clenching tighter around his knot as it fully locks in place, sending him careening over the edge with a shout, body jerking forward so fast the headboard slams into the wall and cracks. He shudders as he spills over and over again, body trembling atop yours and you make the same soothing noises he makes to you in your heat as your card your fingers through his damp hair. 

“Fuck,” he whimpers into your skin.

Your body feels like a livewire beneath him, every nerve still on edge from your own lack of release. It will cool eventually, you’re content knowing that you’d taken care of your Alpha. It’s enough, at least, for you.

“You didn’t finish,” he growls, lips still pressed into your throat, trying to calm himself with your scent. His temperature has only gone down a little, cock still semi-hard where he’s locked inside your dripping core. There will be plenty of time to rectify the situation. One missed orgasm won’t kill you.

It might just kill him though.

With a grunt, he rolls you both back over, so you’re now on top. The new angle has the swell of his knot brushing up against your cervix, his release dripping down your thighs and over his waist. 

Your eyes roll back into your skull, nails digging into the hard muscle of his pectorals to try and ground yourself. “‘M fine. Wanted…” shit you’re so close, that glorious edge rising back up to meet you in a rush. “Wanted to take care of you.”

Deft fingers slide through the mess between your legs, circling your clit with skilled precision. “Unacceptable,” he snarls. “I’m your Alpha, I’m supposed to take care of you.”

Your hips roll on their own accord, chasing the friction, even as it draws a hiss of pain from him. He’s hardening again by the second, knot spasming inside your tight heat. You wonder, distantly, if you can make him cum a second time just from the stimulation alone. 

The hand not between your legs grabs your chin and tilts your head down to look at him. 

“It’s ok, really, Rhys-”

“I’ve waited all day to hear you make those pretty sounds for me,” he interjects. “To watch the way your eyes roll back when I hit that spot you like.” Despite the over-stimulation he feels, despite the way his teeth clench with the movement, he plants himself firmly against the mattress and shifts his hips so he can do just that. 

Your nails scratch down his chest inadvertently, the coil in your stomach tight as a bowstring. There’s no stopping the moan that tears itself out your throat. 

“I have tried to keep myself occupied all morning, imagining all the ways I could please you, all the ways I want to fill you up. It has been agony, waiting, but do you know what has been the worst torture?” The hand gripping your chin drags down your body to give your nipple a squeeze. 

It’s too much stimulation at once, his knot, so swollen and hot trying to bully it’s way deeper inside you, fingers swirling and tugging in motions that make stars blur across your vision, and the faintest flash of pain before he leans over to cool the sting with his tongue around your nipple. You’re not totally sure how you lost your control here, how, despite the rut taking over, he’s still managed to focus on you and your pleasure. Cauldron knows you’ve never had that clear a mind during your heats. 

“Not having the satisfaction of feeling you fall apart all over my cock.”

That does you in, release tearing through you like water tearing through a damn. 

The bastard chuckles as he releases your nipple with a pop and you fall against his damp chest to catch your breath. “That’s better.” His hands soothe down your back, once again the attentive, gentle Alpha only you get to know. 

The day’s disappointment falls away as you cling to each other, the bond humming with approval. 

“Feel better now?” You ask as the aftershocks subside. The answer is pretty obvious, considering how hard he is inside you again, but you ask anyway.

He'd sold you, like you were a piece of furniture or a bushel of grain. He had mentioned on occasion the price an omega would fetch, but you'd never actually thought he would stoop so low as to sell you. You didn't know the price your soul was sold for, and frankly, you didn't care to. Your father would piss it away in months, leaving him in the same sorry state he'd been in before, only with one less mouth to feed.

And you... You were married. To alphas. Feyre and Rhys, as you'd learned at the altar, your father not even kind enough to tell you their names before walking you down the aisle. The only comfort you'd been able to take was your attraction to them- their scents and their looks were like nothing you'd ever known, your heart stuttering whenever you looked at them.

Currently you were seated between the both of them in the reception hall, attempting not to fuss too much about the pain you were in, lest the two of them have a bad temper.

Though really... They'd been rather gentle with you all night, feeding you each and every bite of food on your plate and switching you to water after two glasses of wine. Their hands had also stayed mostly to themselves, once you'd flinched at the contact a few times.

Your father was at the right end of the table, drinking himself into a stupor on your new husband and wife's dime. He guffawed at something, though judging by the face of the woman who was sitting next to him, it hadn't been as funny as he made it seem. You glowered at him, angry that he could be so cheerful and carefree when he'd sold his only remaining family to complete strangers.

"Is everything alright, sweet wife?" Rhys asked when he noticed your ire, and who it was directed at.

Your fiery gaze turned to him, softening for a moment before your anger renewed. It was also their fault, for buying you in first place!

"What is it, Y/N? Do you not like the cake?" Feyre asked sadly, setting her fork down, a bite already loaded onto it. "This is why I wanted to meet you before the ceremony, so we could make sure you'd love everything as much as we would..." she sighed, pretty lips turning down in a frown.

"It's not the cake I don't like..." you grumbled, crossing your arms over your chest, annoyed when you saw blue and violet dart to your breasts before returning to your face.

Rhys was frowning now, eyes glancing at your father. "Did your father do something...?"

You rolled your eyes and scoffed. Playing dumb? Really?

"Y/N, please tell us what's wrong," Feyre insisted, her soft hand gripping yours. "We belong to you, as much as you belong to us, and we do not want to do anything to upset you. I thought the letter we sent with our scents explained that."

You raised your brow, confused. "What letter?"

"What...?" Feyre's eyes narrowed as she looked to your father. "Just a moment," she growled, chair screeching as she stood. Feyre stalked over to him, lifting him out of his chair by the back of his suit jacket, then threw him to the ground. "You didn't let your daughter choose us?!" she screamed at him, kicking him down when he tried to get up. "It is illegal to sell an omega without her meeting or scenting the alphas first, you disgusting pig! Get out!"

It took an embarrassingly long time for your father to scramble to his feet, sending a glare of his own to you before stumbling out of the hall.

"I'm so sorry about that, darling," Feyre sighed as she sat back down, your eyes wide as you stared at her. "Are- was that too much?" Her cheeks turned red, and it was hard to hold in your giggles, so you stopped trying.

"No," you laughed. "That was fine, the bastard deserved it."

"If you truly don't want to be married to us..." Rhys started, and you shook your head.

"No, no. It's... fine..." After all, where would you go now? You had no home to go back to. "I'd like to get to know both of you, though, before you-" your voice dropped to a whisper, "claim me."

Their scents strengthened instantly at your mention of claiming, and you pressed your back into your chair.

"Of course, darling. We won't do anything until you're ready," Rhys reassured you, and Feyre nodded.

"And we mean nothing," Feyre whispered, patting the back of your hand.

Their words set your heart at ease, and you almost felt like you could breathe again- expect for that damned corset.

An hour or so later you began to yawn, your new husband and wife agreeing silently that it was time to retire for the evening. You didn't fight as Rhys scooped you into his arms, tucking your nose against his neck and breathing in deeply- citrus and sea, so refreshing it almost woke you up again, but your sleepy eyes won out.

You were fast asleep by the time Feyre opened the front door of your new home and Rhys carried you past the threshold, only waking once you were gently laid on the bed to the feeling of fingers on your ankles, undoing the straps of your heels.

"What happened?" you asked sleepily, complying when Feyre slid a hand under you to get you to sit.

"You fell asleep on the ride home, love," she said sweetly. "You make the cutest little whimpers when you're sleeping, were you thinking of anything fun?" Feyre teased, eyes sparkling when your cheeks turned pink.

"No," you mumbled, but couldn't help your thighs rubbing together at the reminder. You'd had a very nice dream about her and her pretty lips between your thighs-

"Oh, don't lie to us," Rhys murmured as he brought you to your feet, turning you slowly before his fingers began unlacing your dress. Feyre slid it down your body and hung it up in the closet while Rhys started on your corset, each move of his fingers bringing more and more air into your lungs and relieving the pressure you'd dealt with all night.

You sighed when he pulled it off of you, leaving you in just your chemise- more naked than you'd ever been in front of an alpha, let alone two.

That was quickly forgotten when Rhys's hands began massaging where the corset had been pressing tightest, and you let out another sigh, leaning into his touch.

"Did they lace you too tight, 'mega?" Feyre's soft voice paired with Rhys's gentle hands made your eyes tear up and you nodded, prompting Feyre to rush back to your side. "Don't worry, love, that will never happen again, not with us. How about we get dressed for bed, hm?"

"For bed?" you asked, confused once more. Do they not... want you?

"We don't have to go to bed, if you don't want. But you seemed so tired earlier..." Rhys said, hands still soothing away the pain on your chest and back. "Unless you'd like something else?"

His whisper in your ear sent heat to your core and you melted against him, a soft chuckle sounding against your neck.

"Do you want..." Feyre paused for a second with a cheeky smile, "Us?"

You nodded, teeth finding your lip and biting gently.

"It would only be appropriate that we give our pretty little wife everything she wants on our wedding night," Rhys said, beginning a trail of kisses from the shell of your ear, down your neck and over your shoulder, hands tugging the sleeve of your chemise down as he went.

"Do you want us to take off the rest of your clothes?" Feyre whispered, lips inches from yours. You'd tasted them earlier, the sweetness of her lingering on your tongue even after you'd kissed Rhys as well. You nodded, and together they slid your chemise off, followed by your lacy underwear and sheer stockings, leaving you bare in front of them and cheeks scarlet. "You are breathtaking," Feyre breathed, a tenderness in her eyes that sent your heart flying.

"You're beautiful, darling," Rhys murmured, pulling you against him, bare skin brushing against the fine silk of his clothes, brushing against something hard-

"Do you want us to take off our clothes?" Feyre asked, waiting for you to nod before turning around, lifting her hair away from the laces of her dress. "Would you help me out, pretty girl?" Rhys's arms released you in favor of shedding his own clothing, while you stumbled forward, hands reaching for her back. You undid the laces with little issue, helping Feyre pushing the fabric of her dress to the floor before undoing her own corset as well, hands freezing in place once you'd done so.

Rhys was bare when he stepped forward, tugging Feyre's chemise off, then her underwear, placing a passionate kiss on her lips once she was naked.

"My stunning wives," he said softly, tugging you closer by your hand. Feyre's hands pulled you further, onto the bed with her.

Gently, she laid you down, settling over you and brushing a hand over your hair. "Feeling good?"

"Mhm," you hummed, eyes closing when her lips pressed to yours, as sweet as you remembered. You felt Rhys climb onto the bed behind you, a large hand falling on your waist. When your lips parted from Feyre's he gently pulled you onto your back, his own lips tasting of desire when he kissed you slowly, taking his time to explore your mouth until an impatient Feyre poked his hip.

"Yes, darling?" He only parted from your lips for a moment, earning him two of Feyre's fingers, pinching his skin. His violet eyes narrowed playfully, though he let Feyre descend upon you again. Between her lips and his fingers rubbing circles on the sensitive skin of your hip, you were lost in your desire for them, yours hands coming up to clutch at both of them, tangling in their hair and tugging them in as close as you could manage.

Rhys's fingers drifted in, brushing over your mound lightly a few times before sliding one finger between your folds, groaning at the slick leaking from you. You moaned into Feyre's mouth, hips lifting to silently ask for more.

"Can I taste our pretty omega?" Feyre asked when she parted from your lips, a hungry look in her eyes, one you were sure was shining in your own. You nodded, biting your lip as you watched Feyre crawl down the bed and part your legs, settling her shoulders beneath them. All that pretty hair and her pretty face was enough to make you clench around nothing, watching intently as she lowered her mouth to your sex, eyes fluttering shut the moment her tongue swiped over you. Her tongue was perfect, so warm and wet as it passed over your clit, then again before going lower, dipping inside of you. "You taste delicious, 'mega," she groaned, only leaving you for a moment before suckling on your clit.

Your head tilted back, not able to hold it up with how good she was making you feel. Two fingers turned you by your jaw, plush lips meeting yours. The fingers drifted lower, coming to cup one of your breasts and roll your nipple between his thumb and forefinger, sparks of pleasure jolting through you.

One finger pushed inside of you slowly, and you gasped, lips parting from Rhys before you surged forward and reclaimed them, needing both of your alphas-

You tipped over the edge at the thought, Rhys swallowing your moans and Feyre lapping up your slick, another finger pressed inside of you as you slowly came down.

"You're so pretty when you cum," Rhys whispered, peppering your cheek with kisses. You nuzzled into him, a hand moving down to run through Feyre's golden-brown hair. "Do you want more of us tonight? Or we could take a bath together, if you'd prefer," he offered, giving you an easy out, even if Feyre's fingers were still slowly pumping in and out of you.

"And if you want, even more of this," Feyre curled her fingers, "in the bath." Your toes curled at the sensation and you nodded.

"The bath and-" you whimpered when Feyre did it again, grinning from her place beneath your legs. "That. Please," you added as an afterthought, your alphas giggling.

"I'll go start the tap," Rhys said, kissing you slowly before tearing himself from your side and entering the attached bathroom.

"You know we'll never force you to take our knots, right?" Feyre asked, pulling her fingers from you and licking them clean, the sight so perfect you wish Rhys had been in here to witness it.

"I know," you answered quietly, letting Feyre help you off the bed and onto your shaky legs.

"And as for 'consummating,' as long as Rhys also gets to help you finish, we'll both be more than happy," she said, tone light but you knew she was telling you to put you at ease. "You're our omega, but we're your alphas, even if we aren't marked yet."

"My alphas," you whispered. You pulled Feyre in, nuzzling into her neck and breathing in her lilac and pear scent. "My alphas."

"That's right, omega. Your alphas." Rhys curled his arms around both of you, chest pressed to your back, and...

"Bed," you demanded, heat surging through you again-

Rhys chuckled and scooped you into his arms, Feyre padding into the bathroom to turn off the faucet, returning just when Rhys had you laid on the bed, legs spread and two of his fingers buried in your cunt. It wasn't long before a third pushed in, stretching you to an almost uncomfortable point before he curled his fingers, working them in and out until you relaxed.

"Do you think you can take me now, darling?" Rhys asked softly, fingers stilling. You bit your lip, eyes trying to dart between his legs and see-

But you wanted your alpha, surely he'd fit. So you nodded, whimpering when his fingers slipped out of you and left you aching empty. Rhys positioned himself between your thighs, and dragged the tip of his cock through your folds for only a moment then pushed in slowly, one inch at a time.

He paused when you winced, pain overtaking any pleasure and you waited to adjust, waited for it to feel better but it wasn't-

Feyre's fingers brushed over your clit, circling firmly until your pain melted away, and Rhys started moving his hips again, each inch more overwhelming than the last before he was buried inside of you, the base of his cock already beginning to swell.

"So pretty like this, 'mega," he murmured, pressing his lips to yours sweetly. "Do you want to taste Feyre?" He asked with a devilish smile, widening when he saw the spark of interest in your eyes.

"Yes," you whispered, heart soaring at Feyre's delighted giggle.

"You're so sweet for us, Y/N," she praised, crawling up the bed to straddle your face, her pretty pink cunt hovering over your face. Rhys was still while you tasted her for the first time, so sweet and perfect, and the noise she made- you brushed your tongue over her clit again to see if she would moan again, and to your delight she did.

Slowly, Rhys started moving, the delicious grind of his hips almost distracting you from Feyre's. You did your best to focus on her, but Rhys seemed determined to make you lose it. Feyre didn't seem to mind, enjoying the moans you were letting out and playing with your nipples.

The pleasure inside of you was building, spurred further when Rhys moved faster, cock rocking into you at an angle that was driving you wild. Your lips found Feyre's clit, sucking on it gently before flicking your tongue over it, drawing the prettiest moans from your alpha as she shuddered over you, tipping over the edge when your hands pulled her down against your face and you licked at her cunt, drunk on the taste of her and the press of Rhys's cock, your two alphas taking such good care of you.

Rhys hit just the right spot, pleasure sweeping through you in waves as you clenched around him, renewed when his knot popped, locking him inside of you as he finished. Feyre climbed off of you, pressing a kiss to your lips and letting out a pleased hum at the taste of herself on your mouth.

"I'll go get a warm rag and be right back, omega," she said softly, returning in under a minute as she'd promised, and wiping your face clean, a dopey smile on your face the entire time.

"How are you feeling?" Rhys asked, his hand carding through your hair soothingly, making it increasingly harder to stay awake, especially when Feyre started peeling the covers down the bed, careful not to jostle the two of you much.

"Good," you sighed, smiling when he turned you onto your sides, Feyre sliding behind you and pulling the sheets over all of you. Warm and safe, here with your alphas.

"Sleep well, omega."

"We'll see you in the morning, darling."

🩵💜🤍💜🩵

🩵⛓️‍💥🤍⛓️‍💥💜

Blood soaked your nightgown, terror coursing through your veins as you watched blood pour from the stumps where your parents' heads once were. You couldn't draw your eyes from them, couldn't force yourself to look over and see their faces where they shouldn't be, couldn't tear your eyes from the ground to look at the two terrifying figures in front of you, each with a bloodied sword in hand.

Time passed in a blur as you stood there, the sun rising on the corpses of your family, and you were vaguely aware of people shifting around you. You didn't fight as you were lead out of the throne room that you'd been dragged to mere hours ago and back to your rooms.

Your bed was still unmade, likely to remain that way. Silk was pulled off your skin and you were dunked in a tub of freezing water and scrubbed raw by uncaring hands, though you hardly felt it.

Not when you knew a systematic elimination of your people was happening in the castle around you, only young children and omegas spared as the Kingdom of Night finally had its revenge. You had only been saved by your presentation, you were sure, though time would tell if the continued beating of your heart would be more a curse than a blessing. Slaughtering two omegas in one day, even if it was to eliminate the royal blood of Spring, was against the laws binding all kingdoms in Prythian.

You were pulled from the tub roughly, patted dry and pushed out of the bathing room by a firm hand. Cotton was forced down your arms, over your head and falling over your body. The lack of underthings provided should have sent fear through you, but you felt nothing.

A hand gripped your upper arm tightly, dragging you towards the door before stopping abruptly.

"What are you doing?" A voice hissed, the grip on your arm vanishing in an instant. "We told you to treat her gently, you brute! Get out!"

You heard the door shut loudly, and felt a hand, far gentler than the last one, guide you to your wardrobe.

"What would you like to wear, darling? I'm afraid that idiot I let take care of you is unable to follow orders, you were supposed to be dressed as the lovely princess that you are." The words passed through your useless ears, your eyes continuing to stare ahead blankly. "Omega?"

The title snapped your out of your trance, eyes flicking upwards to take in golden-brown hair and blue-grey eyes, the pink lips that had been curved into a wicked smile as her sword sliced through your mother's neck-

Your knees buckled and you fell to the floor, fat tears rolling down your cheeks as you trembled, grief and fear finally overtaking you.

The woman sighed above you, kneeling down in front of you and lifting your chin. "I know today was a shock, love, but you'll come to see that it was for the best. You deserve to be somewhere that can appreciate an omega like you, with alphas who will treasure you. My husband and I will take wonderful care of you, you'll see." Her words were chilling, so unlike the warmth in her eyes, though you wish they were filled with hatred. "I can see we're not going to get much of anywhere with you in this state. But, we planned ahead. Here you go, open up," she said as she pulled out a vial filled with a shimmering purple liquid, uncorking it and tilting your head back before pouring the contents into your mouth. It tasted of lavender, chamomile and lemon balm, and you swallowed without hesitation, growing drowsy in an instant.

The woman gently pulled the cotton dress off of you and replacing it with a soft set of underthings, then lacing you into a pale lavender gown. She even pulled stockings and a pair of boots onto your feet before pulling you up to stand. Her arms caught you as you swayed, knees threatening to give out as you began falling asleep on your feet.

A warm chuckle was the only warning before you were swept into her arms, your nose instinctively seeking her neck, breathing in the overpowering, calming scent of an alpha. It took only a minute of her walking at an even pace for you to fall asleep, not waking as you were passed into another alpha's arms, or even as the carriage began moving, carrying you away from the only home you've ever known.

🩵⛓️‍💥🤍⛓️‍💥💜

🩵⛓️‍💥🤍⛓️‍💥💜

Your eyes took in the room greedily, now that you were alone. Each wall was painted with such precision that you could almost believe you were in a forest when you stared at them intently. And when you sunk down on the bed, a weary sigh left your lips.

It was more comfortable than you'd hoped, having the perfect level of support you prefer. You fell back, arms splaying above you.

The tears came easily with no one to watch them fall, reality crashing down further with every second you spent here. Your beautiful prison, for the rest of your life. No hope of one of your brothers coming to get you, seeing as they'd been slaughtered along with your parents.

And the King and Queen... they seem far too interested in you for your comfort, eyes and hands lingering where they shouldn't.

A groan left you before you sat up. A bath before dinner would be nice- though perhaps you could stay in your room all night, ignore their call to dine with them. Your stomach, while grumbling, could survive until morning or later without eating, if it would save you from their company.

You went to the door that Feyre had pointed out, turning the handle and gasping as you took in the room. A large tub was carved into the floor, a faucet waiting to be turned to fill it to the brim. A window took up all of the wall to your left, curtains hung so that you could have more privacy, if you wished, though with the sun inching towards the horizon, you weren't sure that you did. A toilet and a large counter took up all of the wall to your right, different bath products scattered across the countertop.

It was... annoying how much you liked the rooms they had given you, though you'd never admit that to them. Not with how prideful they'd been about picking out the "perfect" room for you...

You turned the tap to the tub, pleased when warm water started flowing almost immediately, and set to removing your boots and stockings as it filled. A grumble worked its way out of you as you unlaced your dress with some difficulty, lavender silk pooling around your ankles before you stepped out of it and pulled it up, folding it carefully. As far as you knew, these were your only items from home, all the rest of your things left back in Spring.

Your dress and stockings were laid upon the counter, boots on the floor below, and your underthings followed soon after. Randomly, you picked a bottle of soap to use, pouring some of it beneath the stream of water and setting the bottle next the edge of the tub.

The water was wonderful as you slipped in, easing the aches that you hadn't known were lingering from your long journey, and the bubbles forming smelled so comforting, lilac and pear wrapping around you and putting you at ease.

You'd nearly dozed off by the time the sun began to set, and had to force your arms to wash yourself before you climbed from the tub and dried off. The bed was looking so inviting now that you almost didn't drag yourself to the closet, but the thought of anyone barging into your room and finding you sleeping so vulnerably...

So you pulled on the nearest nightgown, made of a powder blue silk, then crawled underneath the covers, pulling pillows around you on either side. One, shaped like a tulip, you clutched to your chest before nuzzling against it, allowing your omega to take over and find what comfort you could in your new surroundings.

It didn't take long for tears to flow, thoughts of your family and your people filling your head. How you wished this was all a bad dream, just a nightmare that felt too real. Sleep claimed you quickly, tugging you gently into a world that was how it should be, your brothers bickering and parents looking at each other lovingly.

🩵⛓️‍💥🤍⛓️‍💥💜

"Please, you must choose one, Princess!" the beta in front of you, Lady Nuala, insisted again. You shook your head, crossing your arms defiantly as you stared at her.

For the past fifteen minutes, she had been trying to coax you out of your makeshift nest, with little success. You were sitting up now, but refusing to leave the safety that the bed provided in your determination to stay in your room for the rest of the night. Though the dresses she pulled from the closet were beautiful, they weren't enough to erase the fears in your mind.

Lady Nuala sighed and placed the dresses back in their place before approaching the bed slowly. "I know that your life has changed entirely, and you've had little time to grieve and adjust," she said softly as she perched on the very edge of the mattress. "But you really must go to dinner." You scoffed and turned your eyes away from her. "If I am not able to help you dress, the King and Queen told me to inform you that they will help you dress." The Lady's voice was stern as she spoke, though a glint in her eyes seemed regretful, that she had to threaten you.

And as much as you hated it, the threat of their help was too great a possibility for you to risk. With a sour look on your face you stood and padded over to the closet, going inside to pick a gown, not missing the relieved breath that Lady Nuala let out as you did. Your fingers flitted over fabrics before resting on a sage green silk, pulling it out to look at the cut of the gown. It was more revealing than you would have liked, what with the slit that would run up your left thigh, but the neckline was modest enough- nothing like the gowns the beta had shown you, with deep v necklines and sheer fabric past your upper thighs. No, this dress was far more Spring, and much more you.

You allowed Lady Nuala to dress you, once you'd slipped on a pair of panties, and not for the first time did you wish for clothing that you were able to put on entirely by yourself. It had been an annoyance up until now, but with your new circumstances you had a feeling you'll begin to loathe dressing entirely.

"I'll let the King and Queen know that you're ready, Princess," she said while curtsying, and you almost spoke to stop her from leaving, so you might have her take you to the dining room instead, but you thought better of it. The lock turned as she left, and you tapped your foot on the ground.

Best to interact with them as little as possible, you thought to yourself as you walked around the room, running your fingers over the empty bookshelf, opening drawers only to find them empty. How odd, that they would give you a closet that's bursting and a bathroom filled with soaps, perfumes, and lotions, but leave you without anything interesting.

A knock sounded on the door, the lock clicking a moment later, and the King and Queen strode in, looking as regal as ever. Your eyes narrowed at the sight of them, hating that they looked so... so normal, not like the vicious killers that they are.

"Good evening, darling," Rhysand said with a charming smile, only increasing your ire. "Come, let's go to dinner." He extended a hand to you, but you remained stationary. A sigh left the alpha as he looked to his wife, who smiled and approached you.

"You need to eat, Y/N," the alpha insisted, her blue eyes soft as she held a hand out to you, her scent washing over you, smelling so familiar. "We don't want to force you to come with us, but we do have the responsibility to take care of you now. You can come on your own two feet, or I'm sure that Rhys would love to carry you downstairs..." she trailed off, curling her fingers at you.

Your nose wrinkled at the suggestion, and instead you breezed past her entirely, unwilling to touch them. Rhysand attempted to hold your arm, but you tugged yourself free of his grip and moved into the hallway. You couldn't remember what path they'd taken to bring you here, hadn't even remembered coming up a set of stairs, but you didn't care that you had no idea what way would lead you to freedom. All that you cared about was distance between you and the alphas as you sprinted down the halls, taking whatever turns presented themselves to you. The heels you'd been put in didn't slow you much, after all, your entire life you had run around the castle after your brothers in them, but the hem of your dress kept threatening to slip underfoot and trip you.

The turn you'd just taken was a mistake- the path in front of you ended with a door, one that you prayed was open as the footsteps behind you grew closer. The handle turned and you slid inside, shutting it softly before looking around in a panic. A wardrobe! You snuck inside, just closing it when the door you'd entered through opened, light spilling inside from the hallway.

You clamped your hands over your mouth, willing your breathing to slow as you listened intently, hoping, hoping, hoping you wouldn't be found-

The wardrobe swung open and you panicked, attempting to dart through the two sets of arms waiting to grab you, but they were too fast, clamping down around your waist and pinning you tightly between them. You struggled in their hold, even going as far as to scratch the chest of the alpha in front of you, nails slicing into his skin where his shirt was unbuttoned.

"That's enough," the alpha behind you hissed, clamping her teeth onto your neck tightly, the alpha in front of you following suit. A whimper left you at the feeling, their teeth not breaking skin but pressing hard enough to activate the glands they were on, your damned biology sending wave after wave of calming sensations through your body until you stilled, tears leaking from your eyes. Still, they held on a minute longer, their hands rubbing soothingly over your waist instead of holding you fast.

"Feeling better?" Rhysand murmured in your ear after releasing your skin, laving over it until you jerked, hissing when Feyre bit harder. "Now, now, darling. You did bring this upon yourself, running off like that, and then not conceding once you were caught. All we wanted was to walk you to dinner." You stayed silent aside from your quiet whimpers. "Will you behave if Feyre lets go?"

You nodded as much as you could without hurting yourself further, sighing in relief when her teeth unlatched from your skin, legs wobbling beneath you. Feyre's lips brushed over the hurt and you pulled your shoulder up to break the contact.

"You know, if we were as evil as you think..." Feyre whispered in your ear, fingers playing over your stomach. "We would have claimed you right now. But we want you to want us, Y/N."

A shiver ran down your spine at that reminder- that they could have bound you to them forever, and still could, really. But then Feyre's scent washed over you again, lilac and pears...

Just like the soap you'd used, you realized with a spark of anger, attempting to turn around and, and-

You weren't sure what, but when their hands held you still, you slapped your hand down on Rhysand's chest until he grabbed your wrist, a humored look in his violet eyes.

"And just why are you hitting me, darling?" He asked before placing a kiss on the back of your hand, and you opened your mouth to yell at him that they'd tried to manipulate you with their scents-

Before you snapped your lips closed, remembering that you wanted to stay silent.

"Oh, come now, you won't tell me what I did to deserve such a beating?" Rhysand asked in an amused tone, waiting a few moments for you to respond. "Ah, I guess I'll never know what I did," he sighed as he locked his fingers with yours, Feyre doing the same with your other hand.

"Nothing that you won't repeat, I'm sure," Feyre giggled as they led you out of the room you'd accidentally trapped yourself in, and down to the dining hall.

"Finally, I was beginning to think the little lady had already decided to love the two of you!" A male's voice chuckled as the three of you walked through the doors, the table already laden with food. "Oh, or maybe she did!" He said when you sat down, your chair pulled out for you by the King and pushed in by the Queen.

You gave him a questioning look before realizing where his eyes were darting between, heat rushing to your cheeks when you realize that of course their bites had left marks, and dark ones by the gleeful grins on Rhysand and the loud male's faces. You'd have liked nothing more than to sink into the ground as the male wiggled his eyebrows at you before pouring wine into his glass, though you settled for glaring daggers at him instead.

"No, she just decided to take an unplanned tour that came to an abrupt halt," Feyre said, the mystery male chuckling again. "I'm sure you're hungry, Y/N, is there anything that you'd like to try first?"

While the food looked appetizing, the company you were in was the opposite. Aside from the King and Queen, there were four other people seated at the table, all of them alphas. Their combined scents alone were giving you a headache, along with the loud chatter between the chatty male and a blonde female, bound to increase in volume as they drank more.

You stayed silent, trying your best to stare ahead as Feyre plated a bit of each dish for you to try. She tried making conversation with you at first, tried coaxing you into eating, but you were feeling queasy at this point.

Was this what you life was going to be now? Dressed up and paraded around as their little plaything, until you eventually slip up during a heat or they claim you after being tired of waiting? Made to dine with the people who likely helped orchestrate your family's murder?

You picked at your plate, waiting for them to take you back to your rooms. At least in there, you could be alone. You wouldn't have to listen to the boisterous laughter that made you jump each time, wouldn't have to acclimate your nose to so many new scents.

Eventually, they did just that. Your hands were held firmly on the way back up, neither of them willing to risk another escape tonight.

They bade you goodnight, though you weren't listening as you slammed the door behind you, leaning against it until you heard the lock slide into place.

Your heels were kicked off before you made your way into the bathroom, lighting a candle and lifting it up. A gasp left you at the sight of your neck, two marks so dark they might as well have been black on either side over your scent glands. If this was what a non-claiming mark looked like, what in the hells did a claiming mark look like?

Tears welled in your eyes at the sight of them, at how close you'd been to such a danger as being claimed by the alphas. You grabbed a cloth and wet it in the sink, rubbing gently over the sensitive skin, sore to even the softest touch now. But you needed to get their scent off of you, it was clinging to you and taking over your senses, your headache still lingering. The cloth did little to help, so you stripped out of your dress after working the laces open, then turned on the faucet to the tub.

You didn't wait for it to be full before climbing in, cupping handful after handful of water to pour it over your neck and shoulders.

Anything to get their scents off of you.

🩵⛓️‍💥🤍⛓️‍💥💜

🩵⛓️‍💥🤍⛓️‍💥💜

When you woke the next morning, the differences in your surroundings shocked you. While you'd expected the soft pinks of your room at home, you were instead met with greens and browns, your mind unable to understand what was happening.

Until it sunk in.

Your family is dead, and you're all alone.

Tears had just filled your eyes when a knock rang on bedroom door. It swung open a moment later, Lady Nuala and another woman who looked extremely similar to her walking in. They both carried a tray in their arms, one laden with fabric swatches, the other with a large silver cloche, a pot of what you assumed to be tea, and a matching tea cup.

"Good morning, Princess," they greeted with a curtsy, moving in sync to the wall to your right. Lady Nuala pressed one of the wooden panels, and you watched in fascination as it swung inward, revealing a room brightly lit with sunlight.

How had you not noticed the door there?

"Would you like to bathe before dressing?" The unknown woman asked- also a beta, her scent mild as she drew back your covers slowly, leaving no doubt that you were expected to rise from bed, and now.

You nodded your head, still feeling as though Rhysand and Feyre's scents were embedded in your skin, and it was unlikely to change. You'd spent ten minutes sniffing each and every soap they'd provided for you, all of them smelling of either lilac and pears or sea spray and citrus, matching the alphas that had stolen you from your home and destroyed your life.

And worst of all, each sniff had made your knees weak and the twin bites on your neck throb pleasantly.

The moss-like carpet was soft underfoot as you followed her into your bathing chambers, and your mouth opened, closed, then opened again. They haven't done anything to me, you told yourself. "What's your name, if I may ask?" you asked her softly, her head turning to look at you as she crouched to start the faucet.

"Cerridwen, Princess." She turned back to her task, waiting for the water to heat before plugging the drain.

"It's nice to meet you, Lady Cerridwen. Are you... Are you and Lady Nuala related?" Now that you were talking, it was hard to stop, and you were too curious to not know.

Lady Cerridwen smiled at you when she stood, nodding her head. "We're twins, actually. Do you have a soap you've preferred so far?"

Your nose wrinkled. "Actually... I don't care for any of them, they-" you stopped yourself mid-sentence. She needn't know why you didn't like them, just that you don't. "Would it be possible for me to be given other options?"

Her black eyes glinted knowingly, but she nodded. "I'd be happy to bring other choices for you tonight, Princess."

Tonight... Meaning for now you'd be forced to choose one of the alphas' scents to be covered in for the day. You walked to the counter and grabbed a bottle randomly, and would have poured it into the flowing water yourself had Lady Cerridwen not plucked it from your fingers.

You undressed yourself, cheeks heating at being bare in front of someone you'd just met, but it was a more comfortable choice than letting her help you. You even insisted upon bathing yourself, telling her that you'd be out in a few minutes for them to dress you.

The bright notes of orange and lemon in the soap you'd chosen were invigorating, waking up your senses as you scrubbed your skin with a cloth, extra attention paid to the base of your neck.

You examined the marks in the mirror as you dried off, a scowl on your face. Why couldn't they have just put a knife to your neck instead?

The twins were waiting for you as you left the bathroom, clad only in a towel. There was a shy smile on your face as you passed by them, delving into the dresser for a pair of underthings before shimmying them on under the towel.

"The King and Queen would like to take you for a promenade in an hour, and asked us to help you dress accordingly," Lady Nuala said gently, likely noticing the grimace that flitted over your face. "The weather in the North is cooler, and I'd recommend a pair of tights under your dress, long sleeves... perhaps gloves and a scarf as well?"

That earned a smile from you, a perfect way to hide the hideous marks that those beasts had left on you that they couldn't protest.

Lady Cerridwen moved into the closet, returning with a beautiful midnight blue gown and a powder blue chemise, holding them out for you to inspect.

You were already sold as you took in the stitching on both, and the slip of the fabrics over your fingers was heavenly. "Oh, they're gorgeous," you sighed, running your fingers over the seamless stitches of the gown. How long had it taken their seamstresses to make this work of art?

The ladies shared a grin before setting to work on dressing you, first pulling the chemise over your head, followed by cashmere tights and the stunning gown. The dress felt wonderful on your skin, made from silks of the highest quality, and the chemise clung to you like a second skin, not a wrinkle showing through.

You admired yourself in the mirror for a moment as the twins pulled out pair of gloves, a scarf, and boots for you to wear once you were pulled from your room.

"There's breakfast for you in the sitting room, if you'd like, Princess," Lady Nuala said after laying out a shimmering silver scarf and matching gloves on the dresser. "There's also a selection of fabrics for you to choose from, to start building your collection for your nests." Heat rushed to your cheeks at the mention of nests, not having considered going through your heats here... "The King and Queen will fetch you in a little while, we'll take our leave unless there's anything else you need from us."

"No, I... Thank you," you said quietly, watching as they curtsied before leaving the room, hands nervously running over the fabric covering your stomach.

The sitting room was beautiful, decorated like a wooden clearing, with the floor made of sturdy stained glass and mimicking a clear blue pond. One of the walls was made entirely of glass just as in your bathroom, the light shimmering across the flooring and lighting up the room.

Your nose finally registered the delicious smell filling the room, and followed it to the small dining table, settling into one of the three chairs surrounding it. The trays that had been brought in when you first woke were on top, promised fabric swatches and food, kept warm under the shining cloche. Upon lifting it, steam billowed out, bringing with it the wonderful smell of bacon, eggs, and fresh fruit.

You tucked in, staring out at the bay as you ate. A few ships were arriving and leaving, and you could just see the mass of people milling about, probably out shopping for groceries, clothing, fabrics, books...

A sigh left you. Even here in the sitting room, there was nothing to occupy your time with. A large bookshelf did line one of the walls, but there were only small knickknacks decorating the shelves.

Just what were you supposed to pass your time with? Baths and endless napping?

You heard a faint knock a while later, followed by soft footsteps. "Y/N?" A warm voice asked, your head twitching as you tried to stare straight ahead, even as lilac and pears enveloped your senses. "Are you ready to go?" When you didn't answer, Feyre left her spot in the doorway and padded over to you, a hand landing gently on your shoulder. "Come on, love, let's go for a walk."

Your eyes narrowed, but you let her lead you out of the sitting room and into your bedroom, as uncomfortable as it made you for the alpha to be in your personal space. You beelined to the dresser and wrapped the scarf around your neck, catching yourself just before you nuzzled into the fabric. Just as you reached for the gloves, elegant fingers snatched them away, Feyre's other hand grasping one of yours. You looked everywhere but at her as she slid the glove over your fingers and up your forearm, repeating the process with your other hand.

"Oh, you don't have your boots on yet, either," she tutted, leading you over to your bed and gently pushing you to sit. Feyre grabbed the black leather boots that Cerridwen had set out for you and lifted the skirts of your dress slightly, pink rushing to your cheeks at the intimacy of it. Her hands were so gentle as they guided your feet into each boot and tied the laces just tight enough, cute bows now hanging at the top of your boots. "There we go, pretty omega," she praised, only sending more blood to your cheeks. "All dressed and ready to tour the gardens, hm? Are you gonna be good for us and not try to run today?" She asked with raised brows, her blue eyes wandering down to where she'd marked your neck last night.

You glowered but didn't answer, only following as she opened the door to the hallway, citrus and sea greeting you as you stepped outside.

"You look ravishing, my darling," Rhysand said, pressing a kiss to your cheek before you could move away, though you did manage to push him by the chest- not that it was likely to deter him much, given the grin on his face. "How about a promenade, my dear? Stretching those legs could be good for you- though maybe you had enough of it last night, hm?"

If looks could kill, your eyes would have taken his life, with how hard you glared at him. His eyes had drifted down to your covered neck as well, the tiniest flash of annoyance entering them before disappearing.

"Come, Y/N, we can leave him behind," Feyre giggled as she took your arm in hers, coaxing you down the hallway. "You'll love the gardens, I think, even with the minimal autumnal growth. My sister has spent years making sure there are blooms in every season. Maybe we can introduce you to her..." she chattered on, but you were only half listening.

Her scent was even stronger now, with the way she was clutching you to her side, which was entirely unhelpful as your head went fuzzy from the proximity. It was only because of her arm linked with yours that you kept moving, your legs weakening the longer you were drenched in their scents, and you hoped that whatever they had planned, it was over soon.

🩵⛓️‍💥🤍⛓️‍💥💜

🤍🩵💔💜🤍

You woke with a start, noting the absence of arms around you immediately. A loud whine built in your chest, a shiver going down your spine. You were burning up, but so, so cold without your alphas around you, their skin pressing to yours.

Everything was dim around you, the beautiful silks of your nest void of color as you looked for your alphas, needing them with you, their body heat keeping you warm, Rhys’s wings blocking out any light.

When you couldn't find them, you keened softly before standing, repeating the noise when you nervously left the bedroom you shared with them.

Grey walls and an absence of life greeted you in the living area, and confusion gnawed at you.

Where did they go?

Quietly, you peeked through each door that you hadn't passed through yet, empty rooms with neither your alphas or the men you'd seen earlier inside of them.

You bit your lip as you considered your options, looking at the door that led outside of the only safe space you'd known here. Leaving would be dangerous, filled with unknowns. But staying...

A cramp ripped through you, taking your breath away as you doubled over, clutching at your stomach.

You needed to find your alphas, they would know how to help you, you thought desperately as you turned the handle, stepping into the never ending hallways once more. Surely they hadn’t gone far?

Cramps ripped through you, stopping you in your tracks every few minutes as you bent over in pain. You leaned against cool walls, trying to abate the heat that accompanied the pains, your skin slicked with sweat. Clear thinking was a thing of the past by now, your only thoughts being of your alphas, the pained desire coursing through you.

Corridor after corridor passed you by, and at each you were left with only one safe path forward. The other choices would be filled with thick grey smoke, or black flames that blocked your path, covering the way you’d come as well - it tugged at your brain, something not entirely right with what you were seeing.

But you shook those worries off, mind confused by the cramps and the desperate need to see your alphas, to breathe in their delicious, soothing scents. All that mattered was getting to them, no matter how long it took.

The walls started to widen as you began to lose your strength, stopping every few steps to catch your breath, press your bare skin against the cold, grey walls. Two columns of pillars that stretched to nearly meet the ceiling lined the wide hallway you were now in, going on for what looked like forever to your exhausted muscles. The ceiling sloped upwards as you walked further into the room, clutching at each pillar as you passed it, taking a few breaths before pushing your tired, aching, needy body to the next. Ahead of you, the room opened up further, vaulted ceilings so high you couldn’t make out where they ended, smoke pouring down to cover the room in a thick, grey haze.

You held onto the last pillar as you looked around, trying to see where the walls of the room were, with no luck. It was vast, and paired with the smoke clouding your vision, you were only able to see where the floor in front of you was, unable to make out anything else in the room.

A deep breath in and-

There!

You could smell lilac and citrus and pears and the salty sea - your alphas!

The promise of your alphas spurred your body on, and you were able to run forward into the darkness, a happy sigh leaving you when your arms wrapped around one alpha- warm and solid and oh so-

Wrong.

Wrong, your omega hissed as an awful scent poured into your nose, replacing the perfect scent of your alphas with smoke and blood and bitter chocolate, making you gag as you tried to pull back, tried to free yourself from this fake alpha.

A low chuckle rumbled through the chest you were pressed to, long fingernails scraping against your scalp and tangling in your hair as the woman pulled you onto her lap. "Hello, little omega. Welcome home," a cruel voice said, a cackle that made your blood curdle sounding when you attempted to scramble away, head turning to look at who dared to hold you.

Shiny, red-gold hair and ruby lips and matching eyes were the only features you could focus on, so off putting and so not. Your. Alpha.

Smoke cleared from the room around you, some of confused haze lifting off of your mind as color poured back into the room, walls changing from dull grey to faded, pale yellow, swathes of red and black fabrics pinned over the majority of them.

You noticed with a pounding heart that behind you, scores and scores of creatures similarly horrifying to the Attor were lined against the walls, leering eyes trained on you-

Your muscles ached as you scrambled against her hold, trying to hide yourself-

"Stop," the alpha commanded, one hand gripping your hair tightly to keep your eyes locked on her, and your body stilled despite your mind still screaming in protest. "You are my omega now. And you'll lure those idiots who thought they could claim you here, so my people can slaughter them," she cooed in your ear, fear lancing through you at the thought of your alphas being hurt. "Don't worry, pretty omega, you'll be given my knot whenever I decide you deserve it," she shushed you, swiping your tears away with a thumb, sharp nail too close to your eyes for comfort.

You shook your head, everything was wrong-

"You there," the woman snapped, a green-skinned woman stepping forward from the crowd. "Go prepare my omega, I want the reek of those disgusting wretches off of her. And if you so much as touch her cunt, I'll take your hands," she hissed, finally releasing her arms from around your waist, and you jumped up before swooning slightly, dizziness and a sharp, lingering cramp hitting you in the same moment.

Ruby eyes roved over your naked form, lingering between your legs as you tried to cover yourself with your hands, failing miserably.

The green skinned woman approached you, taking you by your upper arm into a door you hadn't noticed, behind the throne the red-haired alpha was seated in. Her hands were cold, an almost welcome feeling against the heat still running through you, but it felt off.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

The room you entered was far too moist, dank from humidity. Arms wrapped around you, lifting you into the air and dunking you into a large pool unceremoniously. You gasped for air when you resurfaced, feet slipping on the smooth floor of the pool as you glared at the woman. "What the fuck?!" You asked angrily, flinching away from her hands when she tried to reach for you.

"The Queen said to prepare you for her. You need to be washed, omega. Now, come here," the alpha demanded, her voice leaving no room to argue, and your body complied. "Tilt your head back."

You tried to focus on the water, how the cool temperature was soothing the fire in your core slightly, but you couldn’t ignore her hands as they washed you, the detestable way her fingernails lightly scratched at your scalp - what would normally be a kind gesture, but you wanted to vomit.

Anger bubbled within you, and paired with the fiery heat and pain blazing inside of you, you were ready to hurt someone.

You were able to dry yourself off, at least, but the woman dressed you in skimpy bands of silk, held together by smooth rings of silver. It hardly passed as clothing in your opinion, and would certainly do nothing to keep you warm like the fur dresses your alphas had given you-

A keen broke from your lips at the thought of them, heat pulsing in your core when you remembered what they had promised to give you. The alpha brushed a hand against your cheek and you flinched away, broken from your daydream containing violet and blue, back to smelling these awful alphas.

She sighed and tugged you by the hand, your feet struggling to keep up with her brisk pace as she led you back into the massive room you’d stumbled into, the red-haired alpha grinning at you, an evil glint in her eyes.

“Come here, omega,” she demanded, a push from the green skinned woman setting the order into motion, legs moving of their own accord to the throne she was seated upon.

Or, you supposed it was a throne, you were sure that they were not supposed to be made of bones- so many skulls, you thought with a shiver as you stopped in front of her, unwilling to move closer unless made to by an outside force.

“Here, now,” she hissed, one sharply nailed hand patting her lap. Your muscles moved without you willing them to do so, climbing onto her, grimacing when you felt bare skin brush against bone. “Good omega,” she purred, a spark of heat adding to the flames already raging inside of you. “Now just turn around-“ she repositioned you so your back was pressed to her chest, knees hooked over the sides of hers, leaving you bared to the creatures lurking at the edges of the room. “-And you can watch the show.”

Show?

You flinched when two fingers dipped into your core without warning, squirming against the arm that was now holding you in place. “Let me go,” you whined, wiggling harder.

A pair of sharp teeth on your neck put a stop to that.

“Stay still and be patient,” the woman said, nipping your ear. Her fingers trailed up, circling over your clit slowly, drawing a gasp from you-

You clamped your lips shut, you didn’t want her, you wanted your alphas. They would be here soon, take you back to your perfect nest-

Two fingers pinched your nipple and you came back into the room, grey walls blurring around you as you squinted, harsh lighting hurting your eyes.

“Look who is it, omega. Look who came to see you, being a whore for another alpha.” The words were whispered in your ear, getting you to focus on the far end of the room, where you thought you’d entered from.

Blue and violet glinted in the dark, your alphas revealing themselves a moment later as they stepped further into the room, their combined scent washing over you, even from this distance.

“Alphas!” you exclaimed, attempting to push yourself up and run to them- but you were held tight by the red-haired alpha’s arm, her fingers still resting over your core. A high pitched whine built in your throat, getting louder the longer that your alphas just stood there.

“That’s right, omega. They came to see you, spread for another alpha before they die,” she cackled, raising her hand from your center, giving a signal to her army with glistening fingers. Shame would have overtaken you, if not for the sight of your alphas being swarmed, their might being easily overpowered by the vast numbers the enemy had, a keen slipping from you as you watched in horror.

Claws shredded through Rhys’s wings, blood spurting from the gaping wounds as he was pushed to the ground, weapons forced from his hands. Feyre was forced to her knees, head held up by her hair and you could see the grimace on her lips, imagine the pain in her eyes.

Your alph-

A sword swung through Feyre’s neck, her head still suspended by her hair and you let out a horrified scream, terror coursing through you as her body slumped to the ground, blood pooling around her body. You tried to turn your head, look away as you saw Rhys’s neck being bared, but a slick hand gripped your chin, keeping your face looking forward.

“This is all for you, omega,” she sneered at you, nails biting into your skin. “Now.”

A scream tore at your throat, your heart shredding at the loss of your second alpha, the sight of their heads, dangling next to each other made you gag, your brain shutting off from the sheer horror of it all. The scent of blood overpowered all else, drowning out the scents of your-

With a heartbroken keen vibrating through your chest, you wrenched your chin from the fingers grasping it, turning your body away from the tragedy you’d borne witness to, clutching to the warm body beneath you. The scent of blood was still strong as you tucked your nose against her neck, but mixed with something else that wasn’t quite as horrible. Your body cringed against the contact, needing your-

A sob ripped through you at the thought of them, your body shaking weakly, and a pair of arms encircled you, one hand patting your back soothingly.

“Hush now, little omega, they won’t bother you ever again,” she cooed in your ear, but the words only renewed your tears as you thought of them, bleeding and-

You nuzzled into her skin, tears sliding down your cheeks and soaking the fabric of her dress.

Whatever she did now, you didn’t care.

The two good things you’d found down here were gone.

You could go as well.

🤍🩵🤬💜🤍

A pounding headache greeted Rhys as he woke, his arms immediately seeking the warmth of his omega, his darling Feyre-

Only to be met with just one. Violet eyes flew open, met with the sight of Feyre, her forehead scrunched in pain and hands rubbing at her eyes.

“Where is Y/N?” he grunted, sitting up to look around more.

Surely, with her being so close to her heat and being so comfortable with them earlier, she wouldn’t have run?

It was a thought echoed in Feyre’s own mind as she too sat up in your nest, panic striking both of them when you weren’t found immediately.

Without wasting another second, Rhys was up and barging into the living room, nakedness be damned. His brothers- rage boiled in his blood as he saw them sleeping upon the couches, startling awake when Rhys yelled, “Where is our omega?!”

Feyre wasn’t far behind, already on Cassian and choking him, teeth bared. “Why did you fall asleep?!” she shrieked, shaking him. He was trying to respond, claw her hands off his neck, but she continued her assault. “We left you in charge of watching the door, and you fell asleep?!”

“Darling,” Rhys sighed, pulling his mate off of his brother, who gasped for breath as soon as her hands had left his throat. “Well?”

“I swear, I don’t know how I fell asleep,” Cassian begged in a raspy voice, holding his hands out to keep Feyre’s hands a good distance away when she pounced on him again. “Seriously, Az and I were awake, Amren had just left after popping in to see how things were going with the new omega and all, and then…” he trailed off, brows scrunching together.

“I don’t remember anything after that either,” Azriel added. “Meaning-”

“Someone must have knocked you out,” Feyre breathed, pouting as she removed herself from Cassian, folding herself into Rhys’s side instead. “But that could only mean-”

“The twins,” she and Rhys came to the realization at the same time, night mist already swirling around them, ready to take them straight to where their omega must be, before Azriel held up a hand.

“We need to approach this more carefully than the two of you want to,” he said, raising an eyebrow when Rhys opened his mouth to counter him. “We cannot simply go in, without a plan, or knowing that your omega is actually with Amarantha.”

“So what do you suggest?” Feyre asked, blue eyes narrowed at the other alpha.

“Try contacting Y/N,” Azriel replied, his matter-of-fact tone earning a glare from Feyre.

Rhys attempted, reaching down the golden bond that had tethered him to Y/N from the moment he saw her, wandering drunkenly through the halls of the complex, those strappy, heeled shoes dangling from her fingers. But he was met with an impenetrable wall, no matter how hard he pressed against it, it wouldn’t budge to let him in, give him access. It didn’t feel like Y/N blocking him, not when her mind had always been open to him.

“Azriel will scout ahead, confirm that Y/N is with that bitch,” Rhys decided, his heart aching at the thought of you, terrified and in the vile alpha’s grasp. “If she is, Feyre and I will winnow in, just close enough to catch Amarantha’s attention. I’ll talk to Y/N through the bond, tell her to do anything she can to not be touching anyone, then Az can get her out of there.”

Feyre nodded, satisfied with the plan. “Cassian, you’ll be with us, glamoured so you won’t be seen. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get her out without spilling any blood, although…” she sighed.

“We all want to see the stone run red with her blood, Fey,” Rhys reassured her, pressing a kiss to her temple. “And we will, but not when Y/N is in danger.” Feyre let out a low growl in response, and raised an eyebrow at Azriel, the demand clear enough as he vanished in a wisp of shadows a moment later.

“Now, while I love looking at the two of you naked, especially you Fey,” Cassian winked at her, dodging a burst of wind half a second later. “The two of you really should get ready, just in case Azriel sets off some kind of alarm.”

Feyre was still glaring at him when Rhys tugged her back into the room, slamming the door shut in his own rage.

“You know I might not be able to resist, right?” Feyre asked him as he began helping her into her leathers. “I’m… Not as used to the… I’ve never had an omega, before Y/N and it’s…”

“Overwhelming? Consuming? Maddening?” Rhys asked as he finished with her pants, moving to her top, grinning when she nodded. “It’s been… A long while since I’ve had an omega, let along smelled one- and never one as delicious as Y/N. And being another part of our souls, it’s much more intense than with just any omega, darling.” He began pulling on his own leathers, smiling appreciatively when Feyre helped him, slender hands pulling straps tight. “Plus, with everything that bitch has done, I wouldn’t blame you if you decide to slaughter her then and there-”

“It would be a better idea to kill off the twins,” Azriel called from the living room, and both Rhys and Feyre burst through the door, gazes demanding answers. “She used them to lure Y/N in and could do so again, and is using them now to torture Y/N somehow. She… It’s bad,” Azriel whispered, and Feyre scented the air- fear.

If her omega was that afraid, that the scent would cling to Azriel? She could only imagine what was being done to her. Her blood boiled even further, shadowy talons extending from her fingers as her control on her magic waned.

“What area of the cavern were they in?” Cassian asked, sensing that they didn’t have much time before Feyre hit her breaking point.

“The twins were in the back right, surrounded by five Attor. And Y/N… was on Amarantha’s lap,” Azriel informed them, sighing when Feyre bolted through the door at that little tidbit. Rhys merely furrowed his brow, grabbing two swords and dashing off in her wake, wisps of night trailing after him.

Cassian and Azriel exchanged a worried glance before setting off themselves, Azriel vanishing once more and Cassian taking off in a sprint, two swords of his own strapped to his back.

They all knew the way to Amarantha’s lair, the large section of the complex that she’d had hollowed out for her own amusement, cackling whenever a piece of stone fell, unexpectedly crushing someone to death.

It had been a sacred place, before her. She’d come from some distant area of the complex, promising that she brought only intentions of peace. Omegas had been protected, living in the vast room from when they presented to when they claimed their alpha, the one area of the complex filled with swaths of bright colors. It had felt safe, comfortable for the rarest members of their species. The room had been cheery, unlike the vast majority of the complex. The outdoor areas had a bit less gloom, though it was mainly due to the greenery and the sky, lit so beautifully at all hours of day and night.

But now, after she’d slaughtered all of their omegas? It was cursed, the walls draining themselves of color over the years, turning to that dull, depressing yellow that coated everywhere else indoors.

Their only hope to defeat her now rested with their omega, Rhys and Feyre’s precious Y/N.

Who, as they got closer, could feel the pure terror and grief coursing through you. Your mind was still barred to them, but the bond was clearing up, a soul connection only possible to block at a close distance if one is aware of it.

And Y/N wasn’t, and as much as it broke their hearts that you weren’t aware, it meant they had an advantage.

Feyre, we said winnow, not sprint, Rhys spoke into her mind, lips twitching when she stopped suddenly, allowing him to catch up. He passed a sword to her, and Cassian rounded the last corner a second later, meeting them where they stood.

“Sorry,” she whispered, a faint blush to her cheeks. A moment later, she waved her hand over Cassian, his form disappearing as she did so. “Let’s go.” Cassian gripped her forearm, and Rhys winnowed them to the edge of the pillared hallway that would lead them to their omega-

Panic. Dread. Hopeless.

That was all they could scent of their omega, her sweet honey, vanilla, and strawberry scent absent entirely.

Cassian fell behind them, a move that would hopefully keep him hidden from Amarantha’s keen eye for glamours.

Feyre tried her best to not just rush in, not when Rhys still needed to contact her through the bond. But seeing her… Seeing their omega, arms clutching Amarantha of all people… Rage boiled in her blood as she saw fingernails scrape down the exposed skin of your back, eliciting a shiver from you.

Her pace increased, standing in the mouth of the hallway when Amarantha’s ruby eyes flicked up, a smirk playing on her lips.

“Look who it is, omega. Your alphas,” she said, stroking a hand through your hair before gripping it, turning your head around roughly. Your eyes were puffy, tears already tracking down your cheeks but the moment you saw both of them, your sobs grew louder, ragged, heart-wrenching keens that nearly had both of them losing their composure entirely, leaning forward before correcting themselves.

“Amarantha. Give us our omega,” Rhys demanded, stroking along Feyre’s mental walls to let her know he was contacting Y/N.

“Your omega, you say?” Amarantha buried her nose in your neck and taking a deep breath before biting your skin harshly, if your whine of pain was anything to go by. “I don’t think so, the poor thing is in heat and you hadn’t even knotted her yet,” the alpha tittered, her crowd of beasts joining in. “Besides, the two of you will be dead any moment now.” Your keening grew in volume again and you attempted to jerk your head back into Amarantha’s neck, held fast by her grip on your hair. “No, this will be the final time, omega. You’re going to watch, and then I’m going to knot you while you watch their bodies get eaten by my very hungry army,” she said in a sweet voice, and they could feel your stomach turn, even with the arousal of your heat passing through the bond as well.

She knows what to do, Fey. Take them out, I’ll watch your rear, Rhys whispered into her mind, and that was all it took for Feyre to fly forward, her eyes having already sought out the bastards that had tricked and tortured their omega, their entourage clustered closely around them.

Misting would take too much magic, but a sword of flames paired with her Illyrian steel dispatched the first two Attor in a second, the mutated creatures’ heads flying from their bodies before Feyre moved to the one on her right, it’s deadly talons swiping at her stomach. It evaporated into nothing along with the one behind it, a gift from her mate and leaving only one more, plus the actual targets. Her blade swung through the last Attor’s chest cleanly, Amarantha’s shocked order for her army to advance rang in her ears, but all she could focus on was the two let in front of her.

The twins, Brannagh and Dagdan.

Soon to be rotting on the floor of this unholy place, Feyre thought gleefully as she pinned them into a corner, her flaming sword dissipating in favor of a much more painful death.

Fey, omega is safe. Hurry, Rhys whispered, his voice sounding slightly fatigued, the information only heard because of two key words: Omega. Safe.

She raised her left hand, using her powers of fire and water in tandem, boiling the two alphas’ blood. Just as the Mother would have wanted, for their role in defiling her sacred space. Once it was done, there was no joy. No happiness in Feyre as she watched their bodies slump to the floor, felt creatures of all manner closing in on her from behind.

Rhys, she whispered across the bond.

Her mate understood, the shadow of his wings spreading across the cavern as he took to the air, swooping across the mass of enemies swarming towards her before dipping low, grabbing her raised arm and pulling up sharply, yanking her off the ground and into the air.

Feyre could see Cassian still fighting at the entrance, dual blades working in tandem to fell enemy after enemy as they approached. Her eyes flitted to Amarantha’s throne, the witch already beginning an incantation, likely a spell that would destroy them, if they didn’t reach Cass in time.

But Y/N was nowhere in sight, likely tucked safely back in their Court with Azriel standing guard.

Quick, Feyre said, relaying her sight to Rhys, his wings beating at a faster pace as he dropped lower to meet Cassian, the male slashing through one last foe before pushing into the air himself, his hand wrapping around Rhys’s free wrist before they were tugged through the fabric of the world, landing just outside of their quarters in a tumble of limbs.

Feyre was the first to free herself, pushing off of Cassian who grunted in surprise and throwing the door open, eyes searching for her- for Y/N, omega.

🤍🩵❤️‍🩹💜🤍

Amarantha tugged your hair, hard, yanking your face to look at the hallway.

Again.

You couldn’t bear to see your alphas die again. For the seventh- no, the eighth time. You just couldn’t.

Rhys and Feyre- god they looked so beautiful, standing there, but you knew what was coming, what you’d witnessed so many times.

You tried your best to tune out any conversation, not wanting to hear the taunting Amarantha did every time, not wanting to hear the sickening sound of their blood dripping on the floor.

Y/N, Rhys’s voice whispered into her mind, and she jerked her head, trying to turn away from him- whatever tricks they were trying to play, you couldn’t take it. Y/N, it’s me. It’s alpha, he begged as you tried to shut him out, make his voice stop, because soon he was going to die, just like he had-

I haven’t died, darling. They’re using magic against you, to hurt you. You shook in Amarantha’s hold, the idea enraging you- but sharp teeth bit down on your neck, a pained whimper leaving your lips instead of the sharp keens previously pouring from your throat.

Amarantha’s voice crooned through the haze in your mind, through Rhys’s voice, attempting to explain. “No, this will be the final time, omega. You’re going to watch, and then I’m going to knot you while you watch their bodies get eaten by my very hungry army.”

The threat had your cries renewed, the very idea of your alphas being dead in front of you and this fake raping you-

Y/N, omega- Rhys said sharply, catching your attention. Just be ready to run when I say so, one of the males you met earlier will grab you and we’ll all be together in a few minutes. Do that for alpha, please, omega, he begged you, the command tugging on your bones.

Okay, alpha, you whispered back, hoping that it wasn’t just another trick, one last cruelty to be played on you.

You waited, fighting the heat and the fear in your blood while the wrong alpha held your hair, touched your waist.

It didn’t take long before Rhys whispered into your mind again, setting you in motion. Now.

Screaming sounded around you, and you moved quickly, left hand reaching up quickly and letting your fingernails dig into Amarantha’s right eye, tearing the disgusting ruby orb to bits, jumping away when Amarantha briefly released your hair to claw at your hand. Slicked with blood, it was easy to pull out of her grasp while she was distracted by the pain, taking a few shaky steps back.

“Now, you fools!” Amarantha bellowed to her army, distracted for just enough seconds for a flurry of shadows to form into one of the males you’d met with Feyre and Rhys. One strong hand wrapped around your bicep, and you were whisked away in a swarm of shadows, landing on unsteady legs in the living room you’d begun to grow accustomed to.

“They’ll be here in a few minutes, Y/N,” the male reassured you as he removed his hand from you, grabbing a fur off the couch to drape over your shoulders. “My name is Azriel. Are you hurt anywhere?”

You blinked at him, the words barely registering.

All you could think about was your alphas, still with that wicked woman and her army of horrific creatures-

Still able to die.

Tears continued to pour down your cheeks as Azriel led you to one of the couches, pushing you gently onto it before pulling another fur over your lap and legs. The covering did little to soothe any of your discomfort, though the heat-addled part of you appreciated the alpha’s gesture, the softness of the furs against your sensitive skin.

A soft whine was constant in your chest as you waited with a tired, grief stricken heart, clutching at the fur over your lap.

But it was only when Feyre stumbled through the door, soaked in grey blood and looking around frantically that your fear started to abate, the furs flung off of you as you ran to her, throwing your arms around her shoulders. You didn’t care that you were being covered in the foul smelling substance, all that mattered was her and-

“Alpha,” you whined pitifully, eyes watering as you peered over her shoulder to find him.

“Right here, darling. I’m right here,” Rhys reassured you as he stood up, extending a hand to someone- the other male you’d met, you noticed when he was pulled from the ground, both of them also coated in grey sludge. “I’m right here, omega,” he murmured as he closed in on your other side, caging you between his and Feyre’s arms.

“Safe,” you whispered as you pressed your nose to Feyre’s neck, breathing in what little of her scent you could smell.

“Safe. That’s right, omega. We’re never letting you go, ever again,” Feyre promised, her lips pressing to the crown of your head.

But even with her promise, it was all. Too. Much.

You collapsed in their arms, their bodies falling to the floor gracefully as they kept you cradled safely between them, sobs wracking your body once more as the terror of the situation washed over you again.

“I thought you we- we-” you sobbed, sniffling loudly before finishing your thought, “were dead.”

“We know ‘mega, we’re so sorry we let you be taken,” Feyre cried, burying her face in your hair. “We came to get you as soon as we realized.”

“We’re all here now, omega. We’re all safe,” Rhys said soothingly, repeating the phrases a few times until your shaking began to slow, your tears drying. “Let’s go take a bath, then we’ll crawl back into your perfect, pretty nest. Does that sound good?” Rhys asked in a gentle tone, lifting your chin to look at him with two fingers. You nodded, pleased when Rhys stood, you already in his arms.

The less time you weren’t touching them, the better.

He carried you through a door you’d been through earlier, though instead of an empty room like you’d seen, it was filled with a large bathing pool, and even had two spouts with water pouring from them, the water draining into the floor, just like a normal shower.

He set you on your feet by the spouts, his hands removing your top and Feyre’s removing your skirt, both of the items thrown to the floor and lit on fire, burning to ash a moment later.

Good.

They removed their own clothing after positioning you under one of the spouts, water washing away any of the blood that had gotten on you, along with the disgusting scent of that alpha. The cold water was soothing on your heated skin, the fire in your core reignited now that you were feeling more safe, your alphas alive and in front of you. They joined you quickly, their hands rinsing your hair thoroughly before moving lower, careful to go over every inch of skin, remind your body of who you were with, that they were your alphas as much as you were their omega.

When it was time for them to rinse off, you did as much as you could, massaging their scalp while the other cleaned their body. By the time they helped walk you over to the bath and into the warm water, you were like jello, barely able to move unless they told you to.

You wanted to stay awake, help clean them and get your scent over as much of them as possible but… You were so tired.

They washed you with a nice smelling soap, a light, sugary scent to it, and when Feyre’s hands massaged your scalp while she was shampooing your hair, you let out a tiny purr, melting into her touch.

You didn’t pay attention to much, only whining when one of them wasn’t touching you, or you felt the other was away for too long. Rhys pulled you from the pool, Feyre already waiting with a towel to wrap around you and another slung over her shoulder. Rhys grabbed it to scrunch and wrap your hair in while Feyre dried your body down, their soft touch only making you sleepier. Rhys dried himself off quickly as Feyre slipped your arms through the sleeves of a robe, tying it shut around you. They switched places once Rhys was done, his arms slipping around your waist, his nose at the base of your neck, scenting you deeply.

Soon, Feyre had scooped you into her arms and followed Rhys out of the bathing room, through the main room and finally, finally into the bedroom, your perfect nest-

You let out a squawk at the sight of it, how the bottom edge was ruined!

“Rhys,” Feyre scolded, giggling when he sent a lighthearted glare her way. “Can you fix the layers for her?”

“Of course, anything for my darling omega,” Rhys said softly, pressing a kiss to your forehead before kneeling at the base of your nest, carefully rearranging the pillows, the silk layers between them smoothed out.

Only when you let out a pleased hum did Rhys stand, carefully over the wall of your nest and pulling the covers back before sitting on the left side. Feyre entered your nest, gently setting you next to Rhys and removing your robe before sitting down herself, going straight onto her back and opening her arms wide for you.

You sighed once you’d settled in, face snuggled against Feyre’s chest, one leg hitched over hers and Rhys’s body pressed to your back. He pulled the furs up all the way, and swept a wing over you and Feyre, blocking out the light and keeping the air on your face warm.

Exhaling breath of relief, a tear slipped from each of your eyes, dripping down onto Feyre’s skin. “I’m so glad you both found me,” you whispered.

“We are too, omega.”

“Nothing makes us happier than you, safe and sound, here between us, omega,” Feyre whispered. “Now get some sleep, you’ll need it before your body lets your heat take over.”

Rhys purred softly at a steady pace for you, Feyre following suit, hers sounding directly into your ear. It soothed you to sleep, and they watched as your body went lax.

But they stayed awake.

They wouldn’t sleep, not yet. Not until they felt you were safe, or your heat drained them to exhaustion.

🤍🩵❤️‍🩹💜🤍

General Taglist: @daughterofthemoons-stuff @lilah-asteria @meritxellao @twismare @wrenisrad @icey--stars @le-nottibianche

The past month and a half had passed so swiftly, you could hardly believe it. Your days were filled with overseeing a few details of construction, and picking out every last piece of furniture that would be in your bakery, apartment, and garden. You and Mor went on lunch dates every Thursday, and most your other lunches were spent with Rella and sometimes Arana after shopping, or with Marcus between stints of supervising the construction.

Your dinners you spent alone most of the time, dedicating yourself to cooking every last recipe in your Night Court Favorites cookbook, enjoying your love for cooking as well.

The time you spent in your hotel room was either passed by reading the Healer of Time series that Gina had recommended to you, or creating your menu pamphlet for when you are finally prepped and ready to open your bakery.

It was completed already, and sent off to the printers for a custom metal press to be made. You had decorated it with a drawing of your bakery on the front, and the name Sparaiya Bakery. The rest of the pages were filled with drawings of your pastries, with the ingredients and, in some cases, added benefits next to them.

Construction had gone by quickly, and you could hardly believe it when finally, your large custom pink marble tub was flown onto the second floor of your bakery by three very strong Illyrians. It was a foot wider than your wingspan, and deep enough that you could float in it, and it also had pretty good veining done on it at your request. It was by far the most expensive piece of furniture on your second floor, coming in at 1,175 gold marks. But you didn’t care, you wanted your dream tub.

The most expensive thing in your bakery by far were your ovens, each one coming in at 2,000 gold marks with a lifetime warranty, and in a soft, pale blue. You have ten stoves in total, seven of them were against the wall separating the kitchen from the front room, taking up the expanse of it. Each are on an elevated platform so that you could see inside of them without needing to bend over. The other three were against the back wall of the building, slightly smaller oven sizes but with a stovetop on each of them, so that you were able to make the filling that some of your pastries require.

The kitchen was completely done at this point, as was the front room of the bakery. Your kitchen was decorated with the pale blue stoves as well as matching cabinetry with silver handles, and white marble countertops with silver veining. The wide window you had took up half of the wall in the center of it, allowing for more cabinets, as you would likely need them for all of your bakeware and ingredients.

The kitchen was exactly how you’d imagined it when you had envisioned it a month ago, as was the front room.

You had the cedar logs of bakery and it’s furniture stained slightly darker, wanting it to have the cozy feeling of a darkened cabin in winter. The log chairs and benches all had different shades of pastel cushions attached to the seats, and the backs of the chairs. The tables were beautiful as well, the carpenter, a kind beta named Oren, had done a fantastic job on all of the wooden furniture you had.

And the display cases Arana had made for you were lovely, two on each side of the wooden counter Oren had also made for you. Arana had made them of matching wood, with a glass dome on one side, and sliding glass doors on the back facing where you would be standing. The shelves were also made of glass, and you’d had Rella enchant them to be unbreakable, just in case.

There was also a counter running along the back wall of the front room, matching the counters in your kitchen, as well as having the same cabinets below.

Your fireplace- it was exactly what you had wanted, made of different shades of grey stone, and positioned on the left wall, even with the midpoint of the dining area.

Your front door had yet to arrive, but the artist working on it was bringing it by in the next week.

The upstairs was nearly finished as well, your bathroom, personal kitchen and bedroom were all fully decorated. Your bathroom and kitchen were both done in a soft, baby pink color, matching the marble of your tub perfectly. You had a small round dining table, perfect for four, made by Oren in the same stained wood as everything else. In front of your fireplace on the right hand wall, you had a matching couch placed parallel to it, and two chairs placed of to the sides and slightly in front of it, with end tables on either side of the couch.

And your bedroom was absolutely perfect, your nest filled with blues of nearly every shade, with white and silk thrown in every now and then. So many pillows, you have so many pillows. Back in Winter, you had been so focused on your grandmother that you hadn’t even truly settled back in, and your nest was one of the things you had consistently neglected.

But not anymore. From now on, you would honor your omega’s wishes, perhaps even find an alpha who would treat you right in the next few years.

You had a few bookshelves lining a wall of your room as well, and you were determined to fill them all in the next three years with books you’ve read while living in Velaris.

Everything about your apartment upstairs was perfect, you couldn’t have been happier with any other turn out.

And truly, the main thing left for you to do before you could declare your bakery’s construction complete is your garden. The enchantments are complete, including ones to keep the planters waterproof to avoid any possible leakage, as well as keeping the air crisp and humid for your soon-to-be plant babies. You have yet to fill the planters already in place with dirt, or pick up the plants from Winter though.

But that was your main goal for the next week.

You had finally moved in the night before, after Marcus had given you the all clear. Your bill with him came out to be 120,000 gold marks, and every single one of them was well spent, as you had your perfect bakery and perfect apartment.

You had woken up this morning and made tea for yourself in your kitchen, and stared out at the lovely view you had from your massive window. There were a few younger fae out already, skating along the Sidra. It had yet to unfreeze, the temperatures had stayed low ever since you had arrived in town.

You almost felt like winter was holding on a bit tighter, just for you.

You finished your tea and breakfast around nine, then got ready for the day, dressing in one of your new winter dresses, this one in a soft pink, with delicate silver flowers embroidered along the hems of your sleeves. You threw on a white scarf, hat, and mitten set, then made your way down the stairs, and out the of what will soon be your front doors.

You were planning to find a florist this morning, as well as find a garden supply store so that you would be able to visit Viviane later in the week.

Rella had told you of a nice florist who was on the south side of the Sidra, just west of the Palace of Thread and Jewels, so you were making your way there.

The streets were rather slick this morning, so you took your time in getting to the florist’s shop, as Mor had said, there was nothing quite like eating shit before a meeting or going somewhere- which you’d had more than your fair share of in the past month and a half, running around town so often.

Finally you reached the shop, painted a sage green on the outside, and there was a garden along the side of it that you could see wrapped around to the back as well.

You walked inside, making sure to stomp the snow from your boots before you entered. At the counter was a beautiful high fae, with lovely light golden brown hair in a messy bun atop her head, a few strands escaping it and framing her gorgeous face.

“Hello,” you said with a wave as you made your way to the counter. “My name is Y/N, Rella told me that you’re a florist?” You asked hesitantly.

“Rella sent you? That was so sweet of her, make sure to tell her thank you for me, Y/N! My name is Elain, it’s lovely to meet you.” She stuck out her hand, and you got a lovely breeze of her scent, jasmine and honey- another omega. You took her hand, surprised at the grip that the delicate looking fae had. “Did you need a florist for something?”

You nodded your head, answering “Yes, I’m opening a bakery in the next couple of weeks, and I was hoping you would be able to supply seasonal flowers every week.”

“Yes, I should be able to do that. Do you have a color scheme in mind at all, or just the seasonal aspect?”

“Jus the seasonal flowers, any color combination will be lovely, I’m sure.”

Elain smiles at you, her soft chocolate eyes crinkling at the edges slightly. “Very well, Y/N. Do you know how many bouquets you’d like weekly, and a price range?”

“I suppose I’d need…” you thought on how many tables you had inside of your bakery, as well at the mantle of the fireplace. “A dozen bouquets every week, I believe. And price wise… I’m not really sure, do you have a set type of plan?” You asked, feeling unsure.

“Yes, for a dozen bouquets my base price would be around 25 gold marks a week, and for slightly larger bouquets or more rare types of flowers, it could get up to double that.”

You thought about it for a moment. “I think that I’ll let you choose whichever flowers look best together, but I don’t need very large bouquets.”

Elain pulled a contract from beneath her counter, along with a quill and pot of ink. She wrote in the details of your request, then slid the paper over to you.

You read it over, then signed it and slid the page back to Elain. You handed your bank card to her, and she pressed it to her ledger before passing it back to you. “Alright, you’re all set up to start your deliveries, when you know the exact date just come back and let me know, okay?”

You nodded your head, then finally looked around the rest of her shop. There were large bags filled with dirt, gardening tools, large displays of seeds, and even a few types of planters on display. “Oh, you sell gardening supplies too? That’s perfect!” You said, happy to have likely found everything you needed to complete your garden.

“Yes, we even have carts that you can borrow or purchase to take everything home,” Elain said, already moving from behind the counter. “Are you starting a garden, as well?” She asked.

“Yes, just a small one for a few plants and herbs I need for my baked goods,” you replied, already moving to look at the types of dirt she had on offer.

Perfect. Elain already carried dirt from the Winter Court, exactly what you needed for your plants.

“I’ll take- oh, I think ten bags of the Winter dirt, please,” you said, hoping that it would be enough to fill up your planters. “And I’ll purchase a cart as well, that will probably be handy for just about all of my shopping for the bakery,” you said with a chuckle. Elain brought a cart over, and the two of you loaded ten large bags of dirt into it.

You also grabbed a few different sizes of hand shovels and a couple of watering cans, putting them into your cart.

“Is that everything you’re needing today?” Elain asked as you approached the counter once more.

“Yes, Elain.” You handed your bank card over, and tucked it back into the collar of your dress once she gave it back. “Thank you so much, I’ll see you in a couple of weeks,” you said, moving to push your cart through the front door.

“Did you need any help with your garden at all?” Elain asked before you left.

“Not at the moment, I just need to fill my planters with dirt today. But in the next week I’ll be transplanting some things from the Winter Court,” you replied, and her brown eyes lit up.

“Would you like some help?” Elain asked brightly. “I’ve been so bored during the winter, there’s not much to tend to, I’d love to help you out,” she said, with so much hope in her voice you couldn’t refuse.

“That would be lovely, Elain. I’ll come and get you once I have the plants back here, alright?”

Elain beamed at you. “Sounds like a plan, Y/N. I’m free all of this Wednesday, if that would end up working for you. If not, I’m sure I’ll be able to slip away for a little bit,” Elain suggested.

“I’ll try and get the plants here by Wednesday, Elain. Thank you again!” You said as you pushed your cart into the outdoors.

Luckily, the cart seemed to be enchanted to have the snow speared from its path, and you made it back to your home without much trouble.

Now the hard part: getting all of the dirt upstairs and into the planters.

🤍🩵🤍💜🤍

It took you a few hours to finish the planters off, and you were more than ready to wash the dirt from your skin by the time three in the afternoon rolled around, but you forced yourself to write a letter to Viviane, asking to come and grab the plants Wednesday morning before you did so.

You ran hot water in the tub, then let it fill up while you stripped your clothes from your skin and placed them in your laundry bin. You slipped into the tub, loving how your wings were able to sink beneath the water comfortably as well.

It was the first time they would have a proper wash in over a month, and you were looking forward to how soft and fluffy your feather would feel afterwards.

Taking your time, you spent over an hour in the bath carefully washing the first and debris from your wings, refilling the tub once so you could rinse clean. Afterwards, you wrapped yourself in a fluffy towel, one that was so soft that you had bought all of your towels from the same vendor, even for the bakery, in varying shades of blues, pinks, and purples.

A reply from Viviane had landed on your desk while you were bathing, confirming that she would pick you up in front of Mor’s townhome at eight on Wednesday morning.

You’d considered buying baking supplies and bakeware today, but after the hauling of dirt you were too tired, and nothing sounded better than getting a takeout from Sevenda’s and curling up on the couch in front of your fireplace with the third Healer of Time book.

But getting Sevenda’s would require going outside again, and going across the Sidra…

You had the ingredients for the chicken curry you had made on your second night in Velaris, and that, you supposed, would be less daunting of a task than leaving your home.

You got dressed in a soft sweater dress, another recent purchase of yours, and let yourself read for a half an hour on the couch, until your stomach was growling at you to loudly to continue ignoring. Fine. I will make the damn curry.

You stood up from your couch and went into the kitchen, chopping and stirring and waiting until finally you had your dinner. Your cooking skills had improved in the month and a half since you’d made this recipe, and you could tell in the taste of the curry.

Seated at the table, you read while you ate, so lost in the gripping story that you hadn’t realized you were done with your food until you ate a spoonful of nothing.

“Oh,” you said to yourself, then got up and rinsed your bowl out. You were so tired already, and it was barely six in the evening.

Today would be a good day to start getting back into a baking sleep schedule, if you were so tired already… And then you would be able to get up bright and early in the morning, make yourself some breakfast, then head to the Palace of Bone and Salt to buy enough baking supplies to make each of your recipes three times, to make sure you still have all of the techniques you need down pat before your grand opening.

Grand opening. You could hardly believe it, you’re so close to your dream becoming a reality, and it’s been almost nothing but fun the entire journey.

That was definitely in part to the wonderful fae you’d met in Velaris, each one that you worked with you helpful and friendly. You truly couldn’t have asked for a better start to your new life here.

You allowed yourself to read until seven thirty, then forced yourself to get into bed.

It took a little while for you to fall asleep, even with being tired, but soon enough you drifted off, thoughts filled with bags of flour and the pastries you would make tomorrow.

🤍🩵🤍💜🤍

Picking out your bakeware took you longer than expected.

Did you want glass or metal bowls? Pink or blue ceramic? Wooden utensils or metal utensils? You were so indecisive, trying to choose between whatever you liked most and trying to have a color scheme- but then you realized it doesn’t matter, all of them will be used for the same purpose.

And if you love all of your bakeware, then who cares if they don’t match?

So you’d gotten possibly double of everything that you needed, but that would just make it easier for you to do more batches or different things at once in the future. And you’re fine with that.

You’d carefully made your way home, trying your best not to break any of your new dishes.

Your only casualty was a cute mixing bowl you’d picked up for your personal kitchen, it was pink with little duckies all around it. You would get another at some point.

It took you two hours to have everything arranged the way you wanted, and immediately after getting your kitchen set up you went out again pushing your cart back to the Palace of Bone and Salt to get your baking ingredients. That shopping trip took you a bit over an hour, and by the time you got home you were tired once more, but more than ready to start baking again.

You had never gone much over a week without baking, ever since you were six years old. You felt like apart of you had been ripped away, until your hands finally sank into dough once more.

It was magical, how happy baking makes you. You baked for the rest of the night, probably eating far too many pastries for dinner, but you don’t care, because they’re pastries you baked, in your bakery.

🤍🩵🤍💜🤍

Two days later, it was Wednesday, and Viviane had picked you up as promised.

“So, how’s Velaris treating you so far?” She asked as the two of you were on your knees in the greenhouse, working to free the last of three hornberry bushes you needed.

“It’s been amazing so far, the change of pace as been absolutely wonderful, and getting closer to the grand opening of the bakery I’m getting more and more excited! And everyone has been so kind so far, I feel so welcome.”

Your four combined hands finally pulled the bush out of the ground, and you carefully placed it in the cart holding the rest of your plants.

“That’s so great to hear, Y/N. I’m glad you’re settling in well, you deserve it after all you’ve been through,” Viviane said, placing a kiss on the top of your head. “Did you need any other plants, dear?”

You looked over the cart thoroughly. “Nope, that’s all I need Viv. Thank you so much!”

“Of course, Y/N! You know this section of the garden practically belongs to you, right? You and your grandmother are the reason our birth rates and overall health as a court have gone up. If you need anything else from here, just write me again, okay?”

You nodded, smiling gratefully at her. “Oh, by the way, the money you gave me was far too much,” you said, and Viviane opened her mouth to speak. “But it is very much appreciated, Viv. It’s made getting the bakery perfect so easy.”

Viviane grinned at you. “I knew it was the right choice, telling you once you were already in Velaris,” she said with a laugh.

“That’s true, I would never have accepted it,” you agreed, chuckling along with her.

The two of you stood from where you were kneeling, dusting the dirt from your dresses. “Are you ready to see my bakery?” You asked, holding your arm out for Viviane to take.

“I have been since before it was built, Y/N,” Viviane replied, taking your arm and winnowing the both of you back to Mor’s townhouse. “Lead the way, dear.”

The two of you trekked back to your bakery, taking longer than usual with the cart’s wheels snagging on the snow.

“Oh, Y/N, it’s perfect!”

Your front doors had been delivered yesterday, perfectly depicting the change from dawn to day to night while snow falls over the Sidra, more beautiful than you had thought it could be.

“Isn’t it?” You asked dreamily, still slightly disbelieving that it was real, even when you’d been living here for the past five days. “Come on, let me show you the inside,” you said, unlocking the doors and dragging the cart inside after Viviane had entered.

“This is so cute! I wish you were open right now, I’ve been dying for one of your hornberry tarts. Leo does a good job, but I don’t think he’ll ever get them perfectly like yours, Y/N,” Viviane said, referencing the pasty chef you’d trained before moving.

“Well, if you come back for the opening or any time after, I’ll make sure you get a few to take home with you. I’m sure Kallias would like some as well,” you remarked with a smile, recalling how fond the High Lord was of your pastries.

“He’ll probably join me once you’re open, he won’t say it but I know he misses your baking. He does this cute little pouty face whenever something doesn’t taste perfect,” Viviane said, always ready to talk about her alpha. “Well, I’d better get going Y/N, I have a few meetings I need to get to, but let me know when your opening is and I’ll do my best to stop by.”

“I will, Viv. Winnow safe, okay?” You said as the two of you hugged, taking in one last breath of her calming snow and cranberry scent.

“I will, dear. Have fun planting!” Viviane said, winnowing away after giving a little wave goodbye.

You immediately set to taking the plants upstairs as quickly as you could, wanting to get Elain over at a reasonable hour.

It was eleven thirty when you finished, each and every last plant taken up the spiral staircase and placed next to the planter it would be replanted in.

You washed your hands, then put your winter wear on and headed into the city, going straight for Elain’s shop. When you arrived, the door was locked, so you knocked loudly on it. Elain came to the door a moment later, already dressed to leave the indoors.

“Lovely, Y/N, I’m so glad you could make it today!” Elain said excitedly, locking her shop up behind her. “And I get to see your bakery, I’m excited for that too!”

The two of you made your way to your bakery slowly, the two of you appreciating the people milling about as you walked.

“This is a gorgeous bakery you’ve got, Y/N,” Elain said once the two of you were standing in front of it, you unlocking the door.

“Thank you, Elain,” you said, swinging the door open and letting Elain inside.

“Oh, the inside is so adorable! Now I have such good ideas for your bouquets, after seeing the space. I’m thinking a blue flower in every weeks bunches, keep the winter theme going a bit.”

“I love that idea, Elain, that’s perfect!” You led her to the kitchen and up the stairs, and she rushed towards the garden.

“This is amazing! Who did your enchantments?” Elain asked once she was in the garden, the air even colder than it was outside.

“Gabrella, in the Palace of Flame and Steel,” you replied, joining her in the garden. “And this is my little garden,I’m excited to get everything planted. And please, don’t feel obligated to stay at any point, though I do truly appreciate your help.”

“I love to see new plants, and I’ve never seen any of these before. I’m guessing they’re native to the Winter Court, with the dirt you bought and the climate you’ve got here,” Elain said, hitting the nail on the head.

“You would be right, Elain. I use all of them in my pastries. All of them are pretty easy to plant, just make sure their roots are covered and then water them until the soil is completely soaked,” you informed Elain, already kneeling in front of one of the planters.

The two of you got to work, Elain watched you plant one of the bushes before moving to her own, planting it with expert hands.

As you worked, the two of you spoke of your lives, mainly your hopes for the near future. You spoke of your bakery, how excited you were to see it finally in action, and how the people of Velaris would react to your business. Elain talked about her mate and alpha, Lucien, and how they were hoping to have children soon.

“We’ve been trying rather vigorously,” Elain tittered, and you blushed along with her.

“Well, I cannot promise that it will work for sure, but I do make a fertility pastry with these berries,” you say, pointing to the spiky berries on the hornberry bush that you were currently planting. “We have seen a significant increase in births the Winter Court over the past five years, though that could be due to the end of everyone being imprisoned.”

“Anything at all that will help, we’ve been trying for the past five years with no luck so far. As long as it tastes decent, I am willing to try anything, I’ve wanted to be a mother for so long,” Elain said, sighing after she did.

“I believe they’re rather delicious, but you’ll just have to see for yourself,” you laughed.

Within two hours, you and Elain were sitting back on your hands, looking at your now completed garden. “Thank you for your help, Elain. Would you like to go to lunch with me?” You asked, wanting to thank her in some way other than words, and you had a feeling she would turn down any monetary payment you would offer.

“I would love to, Y/N. Did you have a specific place in mind?” She asked, already getting to her feet. You followed her up, then lead her over to the kitchen sink to wash the dirt from your hands.

“There’s this great noodle place on the west end of the Palace of Hoof and Leaf, if you’re interested? Or we can go someplace else, if you’d prefer,” you offered.

“Noodles sound great,” Elain said, smiling softly at you.

“Noodles it is, then.”

🤍🩵🤍💜🤍

Lunch with Elain was nice, and you walked her back over to her shop before heading home. The two of you had gotten to know each other better, and you were happy to know that you might already have three omega friends in your new city, very different compared to your sold one in Winter- Viviane.

When you got back to your home, slightly surprised to see Marcus outside of your doors.

“Ah, Y/N, there you are!” He said, walking over to meet you. “I was… I was hoping that I could ask you something.” For the first time since you had met him, Marcus sounded nervous.

“Go ahead.”

“Well, I was wondering if you would like to go out to dinner with me- on a date?” He asked.

You hadn’t seen it coming. You’d enjoyed his company, yes, he was fun to talk to and nice to be around.

“I… uhm…” you started, unsure of what to say.

“Look, there’s no strings attached, if you hate it halfway through, or even right when I pick you up, we can act like it never happened, hmm?”

You considered it for a moment. Would it really be so bad to go on a date with a handsome, friendly alpha?

“Okay, yes, I’ll go out with you. What night were you thinking?” You asked, looking up at Marcus nervously.

“Would tomorrow night at six work for you?”

You nodded your head. “Yes, tomorrow would be fine,” you respond. “I’ll see you then.”

“Good, I’ll see you tomorrow night at six, Y/N,” Marcus said before departing from you with a wave, leaving you to slink inside of your bakery and contemplate what had just happened.

🤍🩵🤍💜🤍

“You’re going on a date with Marcus? Oo, tell me what you’re going to wear!” Mor said excitedly, clapping her hands together.

“Just a dress and some tights, Mor, nothing fancy,” you said after swallowing your bite of salad.

“Well, at least tell me you’re excited for the date?”

“I guess so.” Mor stared at you, disbelief in her eyes as she chewed the last bite of her sandwich. “What? Marcus is nice, really nice, I just don’t feel any kind of spark towards him, that’s all.”

“At least give the male an honest chance, alright?” Mor asked of you before paying for the tab. “I’ve got to run, but next week you will tell me all about the date, yes?” You nodded your head. “Good. I’ll see you next Thursday, have a good date today doll,” Mor said, pressing a kiss to your cheek before leaving the restaurant.

You finished your salad, then walked the short distance home from the restaurant in the Palace of Hoof and Leaf.

Perhaps you should be getting ready excitedly at this point already, but you knew in your heart that you wouldn’t find that spark with Marcus. After all, you’d known each other nearly two months at that point, and you’d never looked at him as anything other than a friend.

But you supposed that going on a date, even one that you know you won’t go out with again, could be fun.

So you baked for a few hours, then took a long bath to make sure their was no flour left on your body. Getting dressed was easy, you simply slipped on one of your old favorites, a cute pink wool sweater dress that goes to your knees and some warm tights. You put on a little bit of eyeliner and a tiny bit of lipstick, but it only took you ten minutes to get ready. It was only five thirty.

You picked up your book and read, already on the fourth book of the series. By five fifty five, you had on your winter wear and boots and were downstairs.

Marcus knocked on the door exactly at six, looking handsome as usual.

“Shall we go?” He asked, extending an arm to you.

You took it, then said “Yes, lead the way Marcus,” with a gentle smile.

🤍🩵🤍💜🤍

The date was fun, that was true. But you felt no kind of connection with Marcus besides that of a friend. He seemed to sense as much when he dropped you off at your door later that night.

“I had a wonderful time tonight, Y/N.”

“I did too, Marcus, but…” you trailed off, unsure of how to say it.

“But you don’t feel the connection?” Marcus asked, and you nodded in confirmation. “It’s alright, I had to take my chance, right? An omega as amazing and wonderful as you, well, you’re a catch to any alpha with eyes and ears, Y/N.”

“Thank you, Marcus. And I’m so sorry, I wish it could have worked out. You truly are a magnificent person, and I’ve loved getting to know you over the past two months. Friends?”

“Friends,” Marcus confirmed, giving you a brief hug before pulling away. “I’ll see you at your bakery’s opening, when was it again?”

“It will be next Friday, I’ve decided,” you declared brightly, glad that things with Marcus could still be pleasant.

“I’ll see you next Friday, Y/N,” Marcus said before walking away, leaving you on your doorstep once again.

You sighed and headed inside, going straight up to your bedroom to get undressed and wash your face. After you had, you flopped into bed, wishing that you’d been attracted to such a kind, helpful alpha.

But you’d find someone, at some point. You would meet at the right time, the perfect time, and everything would fall into place from there, you were sure of it.

🤍🩵🤍💜🤍

“It didn’t go well, did it?” Mor asked as you sat down across from her in the noodle restaurant.

You sighed. “No, it was a fine outing, just not a good date,” you said. “I did have fun with him, there just isn’t that connection there, you know?”

The two of you ordered quickly when the server came over, then went back to your conversation.

“Are you sure you don’t want to give it one more date?"

You nodded your head. “I’m sure, Mor. There’s no point to it, if I haven’t felt any kind of attraction in the two months we’ve known each other.”

It was Mor’s turn to sigh. “Okay, okay. Do you have any other alphas that you might like to date?” Mor asked, wiggling her brows at you.

“None that I can think of Mor, you can tell Viv that I’m happily single at the moment.”

Your food arrived then, and the two of you tucked into your food, both of you humming happily at the taste.

“So, my bakery opens tomorrow,” you said after a few minutes of comfortable silence while eating, and Mor quickly swallowed her current bite.

“Tomorrow? Oh, that’s so exciting Y/N! What time do you open? I’ll try to get there near then, but no promises, I might be sleeping in.l

“That’s fine, Mor, I’m opening at seven so I don’t really expect you to be awake at that time,” you laughed, knowing that the alpha was the opposite of a morning person.

“Mother no, I would never be up that early for anyone,” Mor giggled. “Have you sent out flyers or anything yet?”

“Yes, I had some pamphlets printed up with the menu, they’re being distributed around town as we speak!” You said brightly.

“That’s good, that’s good. I hope everything runs smoothly, Y/N, you deserve it after all of the hard work your put in.”

“Thank you, Mor. I just hope that people like my pastries.”

“Y/N, just based on that little sampler basket you brought me at the beginning of the week, the people here will go nuts over your bakery,” Mor reassured you.

You had brought a basket of pastries to every person that had helped you in starting your bakery: Mor, Marcus, Rella, Arana, Oren, and the stained glass artist, Wren. You’d actually brought five baskets to Marcus’s office, enough so that he could have a basket of his own, and plenty left for the crew that had worked so hard to bring your dream together.

“Thank you, I’m glad to hear that. I hope that you can make it tomorrow, I believe that Kallias and Viviane will be stopping in later in the day, so long as nothing pressing comes up.”

“I’ll look forward to seeing you and them tomorrow, then, Y/N,” Mor said as she gave you a quick goodbye hug, her citrus and cinnamon scent washing over you again.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mor,” you said with a smile, managing to get your bank card down on the bill first.

You walked home alone, knowing that you needed to make sure everything was in order for the next morning as you went, taking a little longer to savor the warmth of the sun. It had started to warm a little bit, and most of the snow was cleared from the streets at this point.

You used your three hours before your self imposed bed time to check everything twice and make sure you had enough ingredients for everything you needed to bake in the morning, as well as plenty of tea and coffee for people to drink.

Your time to sleep went by too quickly, and soon enough it was four in the morning. You took a quick bath, then donned a comfortable lilac dress with a back scooped low enough for your wings to be free, something you’ll want as you will most likely be spending the next fifteen hours working in the kitchens and the front of house.

Finally, you thought, so happy that your grand opening is finally here.

You rushed downstairs, turning on the fae lights so that you could see your work.

Most of the pastries were done proving, and ready to go in the oven. You had plenty of your winter berry jams ready to go, all you need to do is make more dough and get it proving.

You spend the next two and a half hours working quickly and efficiently, the rush that baking on a large scale gave you fueling you on, faster than ever before.

You had just finished stocking up the pastry display cases, medicinal on the left and typical pastries on the right, when Elain showed up at the front door, bright eyes and perfect hair even at the early hour, You rushed over to unlock the door, opening it to let the sweet fae inside, and you flipped the open sign over as you shut the door.

“It smells absolutely wonderful in here Y/N. Lucien is bringing the rest of our family around, I made them all promise to show up after they devoured that basket of pastries you delivered to my house,” Elain said, shaking her head lightly at them. “I was able to try that hornberry pastry thought, it was divine. Tell me you’ve got plenty ready to go?” Elain asked.

“Oh yes, I’m already thinking it will be my most popular pastry, I’ve got two dozen ready already and another five dozen in the process of being made,” you reassured her, already going behind the counter to grab her a pastry and place it on a plate. “Here you go, and if you ever want to take some extras home, just let me know,” you said with a smile, loving that she immediately took a bite of the pastry.

“Seriously, these are so good,” Elain said, right as a crowd of people pushed through the front doors.

In first was a red headed male, who made his way straight to Elain, placing a kiss on her cheek and swiping the pastry from her fingers. Lucien, presumably.

Next in was a tall, bulky Illyrian with hazel eyes, holding hands with a beautiful fae- Nesta?

“Y/N?” Nesta asked, making her way over to your counter after she met your eyes. “I didn’t know you were the one Elain was working with, what a small world.”

You nodded your head, meeting her strong steel grey eyes. “Yes it is, I didn’t know that you were related to Elain, either. It’s nice to see you again, I’m hoping I can make it to that book club of yours in the next couple of weeks,” you said.

“That would be nice, Y/N."

“Introduce me,” the large Illyrian said after gently nudging Nesta, having followed her over.

Nesta rolled her eyes, a small but affectionate smile on her lips as she said “This is Cassian, my mate.”

Cassian stuck his large hand out for you to take, and when you did his hand practically swallowed yours. “It’s nice to meet you, Y/N. Now, am I allowed to order right away or should I wait a little bit?” The alpha asked, eyes already turned to the pastry cases.

“You can order right now, if you’d like,” you responded, letting him look over the options for a moment.

“Oh, Nes, we are so getting the hornberry pastries, remember that little promise that you made to me?” Cassian asked, turning his mouth to Nesta’s ear, whispering something that made the fae’s face turn beet red before she nodded. “We will take two of those, plus three croissants.”

You handed them their pastries on a large plate, telling them “Bring it up here when you’re done, or if you need a to go bag.” They left the counter, Nesta still blushing profusely, even when they sat down.

You looked back to the door, seeing Mor and another Illyrian next to her, this one with shadows swirling around him, occasionally dipping into his ears. They moved over to the right side pastry case, peering through the glass at what you had on offered. You glanced away from them and back to the door, and that’s when you saw them-

The most devastatingly beautiful male and female you had ever seen, power thrumming off of them in gentle, soothing waves, and their combined scents washed over you- citrus, sea, jasmine and lilacs. A perfect, heart stopping blend of two alpha scents that set your mind and body on fire in the best possible way. You felt so awake now, so present as you stared at them both, trying to memorize their faces as quickly as you could.

This. This is the feeling you wanted to feel when you went on a date with someone.

The couple moved closer to you, and Mor introduced them.

“Y/N, this is Rhys and Feyre, our High Lord and Lady.”

Oh, Mother, you are so fucked.

“It’s nice to meet you, Y/N,” Feyre said, extending two beautifully tattooed hands to grasp yours. “Mor has told us so much about you, it’s nice to finally put a face to her kind words.”

Your heart nearly stopped, you were sure of it. “It’s lovely to meet you as well, High Lady-”

“Oh none of that, please call us Feyre and Rhys,” Rhys said, his strong voice pulling your eyes away from Feyre’s hypnotic ocean eyes. His were just as mesmerizing, violet with flecks are stars in them, just as beautiful as his mate’s.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Rhys and Feyre,” you corrected, your hands still captive in Feyre’s.

“Alright you two, stop hogging my friend, I’d like to have one of her delicious pastries for breakfast,” Mor said, breaking the spell the two alphas had over you, and you finally looked away from Rhys’s eyes to lock onto Mor’s.

“Did you know what you wanted, Mor?”

“Yes, I’ll have one of those cute little cheese danishes, and a cup of coffee with some cream please.”

You nodded your head, then set to grabbing Mor’s order. With your head turned from the group, though, you couldn’t help but close your eyes.

You are so fucked. They are mates, they are a couple, you will never have them. Remember that, you thought to yourself, before turning around, Mor’s coffee and danish in hand

Mor tapped her bank card to your ledger before you could stop her, sticking her tongue out at you. “You can’t make me not pay, Y/N, I just won’t do it,” she said while smiling at you, then left the counter to take a seat in front of the fireplace, where Elain and Lucien were now sitting.

You turned your head back to the couple that you knew would stay in your thoughts for days, maybe even weeks to come. “Did you two know what you wanted?”