I could leave it there, but the pressure of trying to help Gideon find closure is too great. I need to help him for my own peace of mind too.
“I don’t want to pry.” Which sounds like exactly what it is: a precursor to prying. “But do you recall anything happening while you were in heat. Anything… out of the ordinary?”
“No.” She shrugs. “Lauren checked in on me like I requested. Patrick said that security stopped by. Routine check apparently. I don’t remember, but I was pretty preoccupied at the time.”
“Did you take any medication?”
“No. Not during my heat. Nurse Hollis gave me pain relief in the infirmary. Oh, and I used your chamomile tea.” She smiles.
I’m trying to remember the patterns Gideon spoke about. “This is going to sound insensitive, and you don’t have to answer, but did Patrick stay with you?”
She swallows hard. “Yes.” Pause. “I heard that your alphas waited outside the suite. You were brave.”
It’s my turn to smile. “You were braver.”
Lunchtime approaches, and the greenhouse calls like it always does. The path there is familiar: across the quad, past the academic buildings, through the small woods.
Tyler lingers near the door as though waiting for me. He takes my hand, pulls me inside, and closes the door behind me with his foot.
“You’re happy.” It isn’t a question.
I smile and hold his gaze. “I am.”
His warm hazel eyes hold mine. "You know what that means."
"It means you can kiss me." No hesitation.
He grins, folds his arms around my waist. Then he leans in and kisses me, slowly, his tongue parting my lips. I breathe in his summer grass and honey scent and kiss him back.
When we finally part, we're both smiling.
"Worth the wait?" I ask.
"So worth it." He's grinning. "You taste like happiness." Then, "Your scent just changed again."
"I know." I sensed it when he was kissing me.
"Does it bother you?"
"No. It feels right."
And, just for a moment, I can forget about Gideon Stockwell and his investigation. Because perhaps he is wrong after all.
16
JULIAN
I sleep fitfully.
I told her I wasn’t ready, but it wasn’t entirely the truth.
I don’t think I’ve ever been more ready, and that frightens me because I don’t know what to do with it.
So, I call my sister Pen.
“Hey.” She waves at the screen, and her familiar smile melts my heart. Then it fades. “What’s wrong?”
She knows me too well, no point denying it. “I met someone. An omega.”
