Chapter 34
By this time in any other omega's heat, we would slip into our regular rotation. One knot in service, one ready to go, one resting, one cleaning, one feeding or getting drinks or otherwise caring. It's been part of our heat playbook for years. It's a coping strategy—nobody drops from exhaustion, nobody's stuck doing all the cleaning, nobody gets friction burns. We switch between completely shutting down our alphas and getting into carer mode, and letting them peek out just enough to give the omega the knot they so desperately need.
It's the time when omegas are so lost in their heat, a few perfunctory words and a stiff knot were all we needed to worry about to keep them happy enough.
It works. Or it used to, anyway. Right now, none of us want to be anywhere but with her. We're all practically twanging with lust—for her, for each other. My alpha is demanding to take the wheel.
There isnothingperfunctory about this. It wouldn't be possible with a scent like the one that radiates from her, the one that I thought was just freesias but seems to have deeper layers that I could never get enough of. The scent that started when she went into heat and immediately locked itself into my centre. But even without the scent, I don't think anything could ever be perfunctory withher.
Dellie's dozing against James' chest, still stretched around his knot. Her mouth is resting in a gentle grin. She's sated and happy.
I'm trying not to betoofucking jealous. My alpha's having a hard time of it, though.
Ralph and Allen have emerged from the bathroom. I could feel his pleasure down the bond before. I know what he has with Allen is special—he was Allen's before he was any of ours, and I know my bond still matters to him, but—
No
I pull out the mental rolled-up newspaper I keep on hand for times like these, and whack my jealous, petty, selfish prick of an alpha over the nose with it.
Behave.
Everyone else is caught up in her scent or passed out. She needs my nursing brain engaged right now, not another mindless cock fighting for her attention.
She's stirring against James' chest, her hand resting just below the fresh bite mark. I squeeze Zeke's hand, and nip into the bathroom.Thank god Zeke remembered to leave out washcloths.I run some under warm water, squeeze them out so they aren't too drippy, and after giving myself a once-over with one of them, take the rest back into the nest.
I pass one to Zeke, who flashes me a grateful look, and run another across James' thighs, cleaning up the worst of the spilled slick. He opens one eye, throws a lazy smile at me, and collapses back into the nest.
I can't recall seeing James like that after sex. Ever. Not fussing. Not worried. Just… content.
I chuck the used washcloth into the corner with the other dirty laundry and, after checking it hasn't cooled too much, use a clean one to gently wipe Dellie's thighs. She wriggles with sleepypleasure, popping off James' knot, my washcloth catching the spill.
She needs to pee soon, or she'll have the UTI from hell after her heat finishes. And I can tell from the faint cracking of the skin around her lips that she's getting dehydrated.
"You need to use the bathroom, Dellie, and have something to drink," I murmur in her ear. "Think you can manage getting up on your own?"
Her head twitches into the pillow. A slight shake ofno. She whines sleepily as I scoop her up into my arms.
I carry her into the bathroom, keeping my gaze on the floor as I place her gently on the toilet. I turn to leave, but her hand catches mine. She lets out a little whimper.
"Do you need me to stay?" I'm staring at the door, but let my eyes flash across her face.
She nods, embarrassed. I turn my gaze back to the sink and squeeze her hand. "That's okay, Dellie. Whatever you need. I'm here."
I keep my eyes fixed firmly on the sink while she cleans herself up, humming softly to myself until her hand finds mine again, giving my fingers a small squeeze, tugging my gaze back to her face. Her eyes radiate a mix of gratitude and embarrassment and worry.
"Nah. You're fine, Dels. Heats areroughon omegas. Nothing wrong with wanting your pack close." She leans into my chest. "It's just what we do," I mutter into her hair.
I scoop her up and carry her back to the nest. She's purring softly in my arms. James and Ralph are dozing together, Ralph leaning contentedly on James' chest. Zeke seems to have stripped off the crusty nest over-blanket and replaced it with a fresh one. Zeke's now gathering the dirty laundry, while Allenkeeps disappearing and reappearing with energy gels, high-protein yoghurt sachets, and bottles of sports drinks and water.
One of the piles of blankets makes a perfect backrest. She snuggles on my lap, purring up a storm. I lean over and grab a couple of yoghurt sachets and twist off the lids, lobbing them towards the bathroom.
"You gotta eat something, Dels." I wave one of the open sachets at her.
She sits up, glaring at me, like I've broken a moment that matters with unnecessary mucking around. I raise an eyebrow at her. She isn't the first omega in heat who had priorities other than eating enough to avoid passing out, but I'm not having a bar of it. I shake the sachet again. "Go on."
She huffs, her purr cutting off, and snatches one of the sachets out of my hand, and scoots away from me, her displeasure clear. I down the other one in a couple of gulps, and watch her out of the corner of my eye. Yoghurt in the nest doesnotage well, and I really don't want to think about how I had to learn that lesson the hard way.
Most of it seems to get swallowed, at least. I catch the nearly empty sachet as she lobs it at me, poking out her tongue, and throw it over her head. It lands on the bathroom tiles with a small smack. She jumps, launching herself into my arms.
