Why isn’t this weird?
Why doesn’t this bother me?
“Can we all talk?” he asks.
We nod immediately.
He steps into the kitchen, leaning his hands on the counter for a second like he needs the support. “We need to be on the same page.”
“Yes,” I say. “We do.”
“It’s too late for all the remedies that Miss Thea was talking about, and I don’t know about you guys, but there’s no way I am calling the ER to have her transported when she’s in this state.” There’s a hint of possessiveness in his tone now. “She isn’t leaving this house.”
I nod in agreement. “She’s already in heat. Which means she was already in pre-heat this morning. I knew something was wrong with her, but she told me she was fine.”
Jude’s Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows thickly. “You fucked her?”
I shake my head. “No. I got stupidly drunk, and she let me spend the night with her. I… kind of figured out that something was already going on between you guys, so…” My words drift away.
“I think we need to deal with the bigger picture here,” Ryker chimes in, swallowing more of his drink before passing it to Jude. “She’s in heat. She wants us here. So, we stay… and we figure things out. Then we can handle the nitty-gritty afterward.”
“We get her through this,” Jude says. “Safely. Together.”
“And you need me,” I add. “I know what she needs. I can help you guys.”
Jude looks at me, eyes steady but raw. “Yes. We do.”
That settles it.
“We should make her something,” I say. “Protein. Something easy to digest. Maybe a sandwich. As long as it doesn’t have any eggs in it, she’ll be okay. Her body will only crave sex, so it’s up to at least one of us to make sure she stays fed and hydrated.”
The two men share a look and then smirk.
“Did I say something funny?” I ask, feeling a little self-conscious.
“No. It’s the eggs thing. She was just telling us this morning that she was feeling a little sick from the smell.” Jude snorts weakly. “Turns out it was a sign.”
Ryker grimaces. “That tracks.”
“It’s part of the cycle,” I explain. “Aversion spikes early. Sweet cravings come later. She’ll want sugar. Fruit. Honey. Bread.”
“So what do we do?” Jude asks.
“I’ll call Chase,” I say. “Tell him to handle demolition for the next few days.”
Ryker nods. “I’ll call Simon and his pack. I know Wren is pregnant, but she can maybe help a little and have someone cover the flower shop. I don’t want Norah’s flowers to all go to waste. Maybe they can put them in storage for her?”
Jude scratches his chest, a nervous habit. “I’ll call Amber. Check in.” Then he turns to me. “It’s my sister. She has myniece… and the dog. They’re driving in the snow, and I want to make sure they got there alright.”
There’s something tight in his voice, but I don’t press.
We move in parallel, phones out, making calls. I leave a brief message with the construction crew, keeping it professional. Ryker steps aside to speak quietly, his voice low but firm. Jude paces while his call goes unanswered.
When we regroup, Ryker says, “Wren’s taking over the shop. She has the spare keys. Simon wants Norah to call as soon as she wakes.”
“That’s good,” I say. “I’ll need to step out tomorrow morning. Just a few hours. I need to at least check in with my mom’s doctor.”
Jude looks up immediately. “Oh, what happened?”
