“Do the butterfly thing doc showed you,” he muttered, voice rougher than usual, like the purr embarrassed him even as it continued.
I lifted my hands to my chest, hooking my thumbs together, pressing my palms lightly against myself.
“Like this?” I asked, my voice small.
“Yeah,” Knox said gently. “Now alternate. Left, right. Slow.”
I started tapping. One side. Then the other.
Left. Right.
“Dr. Hampton said try to match your breathing to the rhythm,” Knox guided. “You’re doing so well.”
Left. Right.
In. Hold. Out.
The panic began to loosen, unraveling its grip piece by piece.
Silas’s low purr didn’t stop. It stayed steady, meant just for me.
My shoulders dropped, muscles loosening, and lungs expanding fully again.
I took one more deep, even breath, then let my hands fall back into my lap.
“Okay,” I said, on the exhale
Knox’s eyes softened.
“Good, Lena,” Knox said softly. “That was really good. You caught it early and pulled yourself back.”
Silas shifted beside me, broad shoulder nudging mine. “Yeah,” he muttered gruffly. “You’re fine, little mute.”
"Doctor Hampton will be pleased with your progress." Knox added with a tight smile, concern still etched into his face. "We are too."
He continued, "Now, the second thing… I know this is sensitive, so if you want to do more of your calming exercises, you can."
I shook my head, popping a grape into my mouth, focusing on the sweet burst as my teeth broke through the skin.
“Your heat.”
My body went still.
He held out his hand. An orange pill bottle rested in his palm, a red restricted label wrapped tightly around it.
My breath caught.
“Suppressants?”
The word barely made it out.
“Yeah,” Silas said with a scowl.
I shook my head immediately.
No.
Every omega knew what those were.
