Too Late To Regret, My Alphas

Eiden:

Her fingers stopped mine just as I expected they would.

She turned around so quickly that a few strands of her hair slipped over her shoulder, framing her cheeks that had turned an absolutely adorable shade of pink. Her wide eyes met mine with equal parts embarrassment and suspicion.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

I didn’t even try to hide my smile. "I need your blouse off."

Her lips parted, and for one long heartbeat, she simply stared at me. The blush that had already colored her cheeks spread all the way to the tips of her ears, and I watched a dozen different emotions race across her face. Surprise. Panic. Disbelief. And then... something that made my wolf preen proudly because it told me exactly where her thoughts had gone.

She was thinking of something entirely different.

My lips twitched. Before she could stumble over an explanation that would only make her blush harder, I chuckled softly. "I want you wearing my shirt."

Understanding dawned on her face so suddenly that I almost laughed.

"Oh..."

That single syllable was barely louder than a whisper.

The embarrassment lingering in her expression was so unbelievably endearing that before I could talk myself out of it, I leaned forward and caught her lips with mine once again.

Unlike the brief kiss from moments ago, this one lingered. Not rushed, nor teasing. But simply... heartfelt.

Every time I kissed Rosalie, I discovered something new I loved about her. The way she hesitated for the briefest second before melting into the kiss. The way her hands instinctively searched for something to hold onto whenever she became flustered. The faint scent of vanilla that always clung to her hair. The warmth of the mate bond humming quietly between us until it became impossible to tell where my emotions ended and hers began.

I never seemed able to get enough. Not of her smile. Not of her laugh. Not of the stubborn little glare she always sent Zaiden during training before forgiving him five minutes later. Not of any part of her.

Somewhere during the kiss, I gently guided her around until she naturally turned in my arms. A second later, her back rested comfortably against Zaiden’s chest instead.

My wolf gave a quiet, satisfied rumble inside me.

Our mate.

Exactly where she belonged.

Rosalie’s fingers curled into the front of my shirt, wrinkling the fabric as she looked up at me with slightly dazed eyes that made every protective instinct inside me swell.

Slowly and carefully, I reached for the hem of her blouse again. Her fingers tightened around my shirt, but she didn’t stop me this time.

I took my time, giving her every opportunity to change her mind. When she only nodded almost imperceptibly, I gently helped her slip the blouse over her head before placing it neatly on one of the nearby stools instead of carelessly tossing it aside.

My breath caught the moment my eyes landed on the silk, black bra she’s wearing. She stood there looking impossibly beautiful, and for a moment I completely forgot the very practical reason I’d wanted her to wear my shirt in the first place.

I should have looked away. I knew that. Instead, I found myself stepping closer almost without thinking.

I pressed a lingering kiss near the top of her shoulder before trailing another along the side of her neck, smiling when a tiny gasp escaped her.

She leaned back instinctively against Zaiden’s shoulder, who only tightened his hold around her waist with quiet reassurance.

I continued upward until my lips brushed her jaw. Only then did her soft, slightly husky voice break through my dazed thoughts.

"Weren’t... weren’t you going to give me your shirt?"

I smiled against her skin. "I was." Reluctantly pulling back, I met her eyes again.

She always looked at me like this after we kissed. Her gaze became soft and dreamy, almost as though the entire world had faded away except for the two of us.

It drove me absolutely crazy.

Before I could forget my original intention again, I quickly began undoing the buttons of my own shirt. Within moments, I slipped it off and held it out toward her.

She didn’t take it. Instead... she was staring. Not at my face, but at my bare chest. I followed her gaze for half a second before looking back at her with growing amusement.

She hadn’t even realized she was doing it. Her eyes wandered curiously to my navel before widening ever so slightly.

I couldn’t stop the grin spreading across my face. Reaching out, I gently caught her chin between my fingers and tilted her face upward until she looked into my eyes again.

"Rosalie."

She blinked. Then realization struck.

"Oh!"

She immediately looked away, somehow managing to become even redder than before.

Without another word, she hurriedly slipped into my white shirt. It completely dwarfed her. The hem reached almost to the middle of her thighs, while the sleeves extended well past her hands.

She looked... perfect.

I stepped closer again, carefully folding each sleeve until her hands peeked free before straightening the collar around her neck. A loose strand of hair had become trapped beneath the fabric, so I gently tucked it behind her ear.

"There," I said quietly. "Much better."

She glanced down at herself before giving the oversized shirt an experimental tug. "It smells like you."

"I certainly hope so," I replied with a laugh. "Considering it belongs to me."

"I was beginning to think you’d both forgotten I was standing here." Zaiden’s voice finally cut through the quiet.

Rosalie let out the tiniest squeak before hiding her face behind the shirt collar.

I looked over at my best friend. He was watching us with an expression somewhere between fond amusement and theatrical offense. I couldn’t resist and gave him a shameless wink, while he just rolled his eyes.

Rosalie finally finished buttoning the shirt. The second she did, Zaiden’s arms slid comfortably around her waist once more, drawing her back against his chest. He rested his chin lightly atop her head and began rocking the two of them ever so slightly, the motion slow enough to feel almost absentminded.

Then, wearing the sweetest expression imaginable, he looked at me and announced in a tone that suggested he was the true victim in this situation, "I think we have neglected one very important thing."

"What?"

"Breakfast."

I laughed. "Only you would start thinking about food after all that."

"I’m hungry. And so is our mate."

Rosalie gave the smallest nod against his shoulder. "Actually... I am."

Shaking my head, I walked around the kitchen island toward the refrigerator. I had barely taken out the eggs and bread when Rosalie spoke again. This time, her voice carried none of the earlier embarrassment. Instead, it held quiet uncertainty.

She looked between the two of us before asking softly, "Can I ask you both something?"

Zaiden and I answered together.

"Always."

She hesitated. Then, almost carefully, she spoke, "You both seem really comfortable about sharing a mate."

The knife in my hand stopped halfway across the cutting board. And across the kitchen, Zaiden’s gentle rocking came to an immediate halt.

Our eyes met over Rosalie’s head.

We had known this conversation would come eventually. We’d simply hoped we’d have a little more time before facing it.

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