Page 19
My belly swoops. He rises to standing and busies himself packing up our stuff, shaking out my clothes the best he can, then balling them into his bag with a wistful look like he wants to stop and sniff them. “Can you stand?”
“Yeah.” But my knees wobble and dizzying nausea makes me nearly faint.
He launches toward me as I sway and eases me back down. “Okay. Scratch that.”
Another cramp builds, too soon, too strong, even for me. I’m basically weeping slick like a faucet at this point, and I hate sitting in wet panties. I need to be naked, but there’s sand everywhere and Tyler isn’t my alpha. Flames lick at my skin. I’m so hot. Everything hurts.
“Do you want me to take you home?”
“Home? No,” I mewl. “Not there.”
“Understood. You’re in charge here. Tell me where you want to go.”
He cups my cheek, and I lean into his hand, but that’s not enough so I nuzzle against his palm, petting myself for him. He takes it one step farther, anticipating my needs, and strokes up and down my neck before pressing firmly against my scent gland, grounding me. The pain in my stomach starts to fade.
“Do you have a nest?” he asks.
“No.” I clutch my stomach as a new cramp stacks right on top of the last one with no break in between, with a very unsexy groan.
“That’s okay. I don’t need a nest,” he clarifies because he’s perfect. “We can make one later.”
Pain peaks as the cramp tears through my middle slowly, like I’m being ripped in half. I moan in abject agony as every muscle in my body clenches. Tears spill over. I curl in on myself and hide my face against my knees.
Panic ripples through me. My heats are always painful, but I’ve never had a heat like this, and it’s terrifying, especially after last heat. I need to be somewhere safe.
“Why is this happening?” I whine. “It hurts.”
“I don’t know.” He frowns.
Wait, why is he frowning? Maybe he doesn’t want me, and that’s why he’s stalling.
I roll onto my side and ball into the fetal position. Everything else fades away except for searing pain. Distantly, Tyler’s muffled voice assures me it’s okay, that he’ll take care of me. He’s touching me, but I’m in so much pain his soft touch barely registers; I just know he’s touching me. Or maybe I’m hallucinating.
Slowly the pain recedes. Not completely, but enough for my muscles to relax and my eyes to open. I close them again. The sun is too bright. I’m queasy and exhausted, and I know the next cramp will be even worse until I take a knot. I roll onto my back and pull uselessly at my panties, and sand grazes my foot. I mewl again.
“Please,” I whine. “It hurts.”
“Do I have your consent?” Tyler asks, voice rough.
“Do whatever you want to me. Just make it stop.” At this point, I’m going to play with my hole myself if I have to, but what if the pain is too strong and I can’t even make myself come?
He exhales a long breath. “Okay. But after I get you off, I’m taking you upstairs.” His hand leaves me, which is the opposite of what I want.
“Where are you going?”
“Nowhere.” He wedges his board into the sand on its side like a very short wall, hiding me from immediate view if someone descends the steps. Then he grabs his backpack and gently drapes his wet suit over it and the board, just enough to cast a shadow over my face.
The reprieve from the sun is everything. He’s a good alpha. He’ll take care of me. “Thank you.”
He smiles wanly. “It’s not much.” He hooks his fingers in the waistband of my panties, raising goosebumps across my skin, then pauses. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Oh my god, yes,” I snap. I appreciate the focus on consent, but we did that already.
He nods gravely, then drags my panties down and off. The relief is immediate. My cock no longer constrained, no longer sitting in my juices.
He inhales sharply, gaze turning feral, muscles quivering as he lifts my panties to his lips and inhales. “Christ, you smell so fucking good.”
I mewl my gratitude, and let my instincts guide me, pushing through the pain and exhaustion, trying to roll onto my stomach to present, but I’m too weak and the next cramp gathers.
