Riot’s cock throbbed. He was still hard—he had been hard since the stairwell, since before that, since the moment Cass had run and every predator instinct in his body had screamedchase. His balls ached with the need for release, heavy and tight, and every breath he took filled his lungs withOmega in heatand made the pressure worse.
Cass’s eyes found Riot’s, and something in them made Riot’s chest tighten—confusion and want and a wounded quality that saidwhy did you stop?
He thinks I rejected him,Riot realized.He thinks stopping was a bad thing.
Cass took a step toward him. Then another. His movements were dreamy, unfocused—like he wasn’t entirely aware he was doing it. His eyes had gone slightly glassy, fixed on Riot with single-minded intensity.
Every step closer made Riot’s skin prickle and the wanting louder, harder to ignore—yes, come here, come to me, let me finish what I started—
“Ah-ah.” Lilac moved between them, one hand coming up to catch Cass’s shoulder. “That’s close enough,mijo. Come sit down over here.”
Cass blinked, seeming to come back to himself. He looked down at his feet like he wasn’t sure how they’d carried him halfway across the room.
“I didn’t mean to—” His voice was confused, distant. “I just...”
“I know.” Lilac’s voice was gentle but firm. She guided him toward the bed on the far side of the room—away from Riot, away from the door. “Your body’s running the show right now. That’s normal. But we need to keep some distance, okay?”
She pointed at Riot without looking at him. “You. Chair by the door.”
“Lilac—”
“Did I stutter?”
Riot sat. The chair wasn’t far enough. Nothing would be far enough short of leaving the building entirely, and even then Riot wasn’t sure he could make himself go.
Cass settled on the edge of the bed, and immediately curled forward with a small, pained sound. “It hurts,” Cass whimpered,sounding bewildered. His arms wrapped around his stomach. “It didn’t hurt this much before. Why does it hurt more now?”
Because I was inside you. Because your body opened up for me and then I left it empty. Because you need me to fill you again and I’m sitting in this fucking chair instead—
Lilac shot Riot a look that promised violence. Her nostrils flared—she could smell everything, the arousal and the need and the frustrated desperation pouring off both of them. “Because—”
“Don’t,” Riot snapped.
“He deserves to understand what’s happening to him.”
“Not like this. He’s scared enough.”
Lilac studied him for a moment—reading something in his face that made her expression soften—then turned back to Cass. “Short version: your body’s confused about why it’s not getting what it was asking for. The pain is temporary. It’ll ease.”
“When?” Cass’s voice cracked. He was rocking slightly now, small unconscious movements, and his eyes kept drifting back toward Riot. Every time they did, he’d catch himself and look away, but a few seconds later they’d drift back again. Like he couldn’t help it.
“Soon,” Lilac said. “Ish.”
“Please, I don’t like this…” Cass pressed his hand low on his belly, fingers splayed over the place where the cramps were clearly worst, and Riot had to close his eyes.
I could fix that. I could fill that emptiness. Could bend him over the bed right now and give him exactly what his body’s screaming for. He’d thank me. He’d cry and shake and come apart on my cock and thank me for it—
Riot bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to taste blood. The pain helped. Not enough, but some.
“I know,cariño.” Lilac’s voice softened. “We’ll get you through it. I’m Lilac, by the way.”
Cass was quiet for a moment. Then, very softly, still not quite looking at anyone: “My name is Cass…it’s short for Cassiopeia—” He trailed off, flushing darker, and Riot watched the color spread down his neck and disappear under the collar of his robes. He managed a weak smile. “Lilac is a pretty name. I’ve never seen one in real life, but I’ve seen drawings.”
“There are some where I live. Maybe I can show you—”
Cass didn’t seem to hear her, curling in on himself. “Can I go sit with Riot? He makes me feel better.”
“That’s the heat talking,” Lilac said carefully. “Your body picks someone it thinks can protect you, and then it does everything it can to make you want them. Doesn’t mean—”
