Illicit (The Wrong Alpha 3)

He just wanted him, so much.

So much.

If it were just lust, it would have been easier to fight it.

But it was so much worse.

Liam wanted to be around Anthony, always. He was drawn to him, wanted to be close to him, wanted to look at him, wanted to share the same air with him. He craved his closeness even in situations where sex was impossible.

Like during their pack bonding nights.

The thing was, no matter how far their society had progressed, there were certain things that remained the same. Although packs didn’t exist officially anymore, all families still had some pack dynamics; some families took it seriously but for some of them it was just a casual tradition.

The Blake family had always been somewhere in the middle. They didn’t refer to their family as pack, but they still had pack bonding nights. Every few days, they gathered together in the evening, just to spend time in the same room, sometimes watching a movie together, casually scenting each other and allowing the family alpha to scent-mark them. Mother had been pretty strict about enforcing the pack bonding nights—she had been of the opinion that pack bonding was necessary for the family to be strong and for omegas to thrive, and she didn’t tolerate it if her children skipped them on occasion.

Anthony was different. He didn’t enforce the pack bonding, only casually letting them know that he’d be available that evening if they wanted. Liam always wanted. He had tried to stay away at first, knowing that spending time with Anthony while their brothers were present would just make him feel guilty, ashamed, and unsatisfied, but he couldn’t stay away.

He wanted Anthony close.

He wanted to see him. To look at him. Smell him.

At first he had tried to keep his distance from Anthony during pack nights, sitting the farthest from him as they all watched a movie together. But he hated seeing Eric curled up against Anthony’s shoulder. Hated it. He wanted to be the one there so badly he finally caved in on the third pack night and took that spot, curling up next to Anthony and putting his head on his shoulder.

He felt Anthony’s muscles stiffen, his scent becoming deliciously thick. Blue eyes stared at him for a moment, Anthony’s nostrils flaring. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, Li,” he murmured, glancing at the door their brothers were supposed to arrive through any moment now.

“Don’t care,” Liam said, wrapping an arm around Anthony’s waist and feeling his hard abdominal muscles flex. “I want cuddles too.”

Anthony looked almost pained before he brushed his lips against Liam’s cheek. “All right.”

Eric didn’t even blink when he saw Liam in his usual spot next to Anthony on the couch. He sat down on the floor and pulled out his phone. “What are we watching?” he said distractedly.

Jules was different. He looked at them with deep suspicion the moment he walked into the room, but strictly speaking, they weren’t doing anything wrong, so he didn’t say anything as he sat down on the floor next to Eric. The movie started, and soon Jules seemed immersed in the movie and stopped glancing their way.

It was a relief, because Liam couldn’t even pretend to be watching the movie. His head shifted lower, to Anthony’s chest, his eyelids becoming heavy as Anthony started running his fingers through his hair. It felt so nice, their pheromones mixing and the air starting to smell like them, together. It was a heady scent, incredibly comforting and so very right. Liam felt like he was floating on a cloud of pleasure, all but purring.

“Li, are you going to keep hogging Anthony all night?”

He opened his eyes.

Jules was looking at him very pointedly.

Liam didn’t move. “Pack bonding is important for omegas’ mental health,” he quoted their mother.

Jules gave him a flat look. “I think you’ve done plenty of bonding tonight,” he said dryly. “Give us a turn with our brother, too.”

Liam’s arm tightened around Anthony’s waist. No, he wanted to say. But he didn’t have a good reason to say no. All omegas were entitled to the family alpha’s attention equally—besides the alpha’s mate.

And he wasn’t one.

Biting his bottom lip hard, Liam moved, but Anthony’s hand on his nape stopped him. “Liam doesn’t need to move,” he said, dropping a kiss on top of his head. “Come here, Jules.”

Smiling a little, Liam snuggled back against Anthony. Jules perched on the arm of the couch and let Anthony brush his fingers against his scent gland, run his fingers through his hair. Liam watched, squirming closer to Anthony the longer he touched Jules.

Jules shot him an exasperated look and muttered something under his breath before walking back to his spot next to Eric.

Liam relaxed and made a pleased sound as Anthony returned his hands to him. Where they belonged.