I guess the beta in her last pack dressedher…I assume.
“Okay,” I say, and Knox gives me an approving nod. Then he turns and presses a kiss to Skyla’s mouth.
Her lips part just enough when he touches her, and her cheeks turn a darker shade of pink—but she doesn’t pull away.
I look down again, heat crawling up my neck.
It’s weird watching my pack alpha kiss a woman I don’t know.
Everyone did warn me about this—especially Tadeo. Knox and Alex said that omegas need touch to seal our pack bond. Then Tadeo pulled me aside and said that our touch will comfort and soothe her, so we’ll need to do it often.
But it’s still weird.
Knox tucks a strand of Skyla’s hair behind her ear and cups her cheek. “You okay?” He looks deep into her eyes.
She nods slightly, then whispers, “Yes.”
Knox pinches her chin between his thumb and forefingers. He smiles slowly, before turning to me. “She needs to be warm,” he says, eyeing my T-shirt. “Make her wearallthe layers, and don’t take too long—we’ve gotta break down camp.”
Then he stands, ducks out of the tent, and zips it closed behind him, leaving me alone with her.
When I turn back to the omega, she’s still sitting in the same place, watching me with those soft, stormy eyes.
I sit back on my heels and swallow hard. “Um… okay.” I set the clothes down in front of me. “Let’s get you dressed, I guess.”
Skyla doesn’t say anything. She shifts her weight a little on the crumpled blankets and lifts her arms.
Okay.
Okay.
I can do this.
I grab the T-shirt from the pile—soft cotton and a little oversized—then I carefully slide it over Skyla’s wrists first. I keep my eyes trained on theceilingof the tent, like that patch of canvas is the most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen.
I don’t breathe until the shirt is over her head.
She wriggles a little as she gets her arms through the sleeves, and I help guide the hem down, careful not to brush her skin more than I have to.
“You’re, uh… doing great,” I mutter.
She doesn’t laugh, but I catch a tiny smile on her lips. I don’t know if she’s amused or just trying to be kind. Either way, it makes my chest feel tight.
Then she stands, her knees wobbling, and I see her thighs.
My stomach flips.
They’re streaked in dried…stuff. Thick and crusty, smeared from her inner thighs down to her knees. Alpha scent. Omega slick. And maybe even a little blood.
It’s not exactly graphic, but it’sobviouswhat she and Knox did last night.
My face heats so fast it feels like my ears are on fire. Hell, my whole chest burns. I wrench my gaze away, staring at literally anything else.
Come on, Dakota. Suck it up. This is your job. Dress her. Feed her. Take care of the omega. That’s what pack betas do. That’s what I’m supposed to do.
We’re the helpers of the pack. The steady ones. The ones who don’t freak out over?—
Oh, shit.
