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I plastered on a grin and plopped down next to her, taking a deep pull on my beer as I turned to the TV. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her wince.
Dammit. I felt like shit for making her uncomfortable. This didn’t have to be torture.
I put down my plate on the coffee table in front of us and leaned back with my beer, my shoulder brushing hers.
She smelled like Jonah and Toby. Both those fuckers had managed to mark her with their scents, like they’d already decided she was the one. Maybe,maybeI caught something else, like a strawberry milkshake, but it wasn’t that compelling. The scent drifted around, and I found myself breathing deeper, chasing after it, to figure out if I was missing something.
Fuck this. Even if she was the best-smelling omega on the planet, I wasn’t ready. It was too fucking soon. Poetic bullshit about being unable to give someone a broken heart flitted through my mind. I seized on that word—broken. That’s what I was.
The other guys had moved on. I couldn’t stand to be near them most days, not when it seemed like they’d adjusted to life without Edward. It was getting harder and harder to distract myself from the pain, and I couldn’t do it at home.
My friends outside the pack had actually started to tell me that I was taking too many risks. I couldn’t stop. The adrenaline rush I got from pushing my limits was the only time I could forget and just live in the moment.
Now my fucking packmates were marking an omega and showing her the nest. The nesthedesigned and put together. I just couldn’t… How was I going to deal with it if they wanted to bond with her?
The show was on, but I wasn’t really watching it. There must have been a jump scare because everyone startled at the same time. Sylvie curled her hand around my upper arm and turned her head into my shoulder on a breathy gasp.
I didn’t think. I pulled my arm up and over her shoulders, tightening it around her and bringing her into my chest.
“Scared?”
“That was horrifying!” she hissed, her arm squeezing around my waist.
Some kind of basic instinctual shit was happening with me. I needed to protect her, reassure her, hold her. It made me feel good, so I didn’t examine it too closely.
The alien attack or whatever the hell it was ended, but neither of us moved apart. I was getting something from her touch, something soothing.
I stroked my hand down her arm, and she leaned into me even more, her head against my chest. It took me a minute to realize the low vibration I was feeling around my rib cage was a quiet purr.Shit.
That strawberry milkshake scent was getting stronger. I looked around and saw Jonah openly staring at her, while Toby and Will were stiff in their chairs, their nostrils flaring. The room started to fill up with alpha pheromones.
Sylvie moaned and put her hand to her lower stomach. She seemed heavier against me, probably swooning under all the scents from my pack. Maybe mine, too.
“You okay?” I whispered. My mouth was so close to her ear I could almost nibble it.
She shivered, her scent increasing until I couldn’t deny it anymore. Perfume. Not as strong as I would expect, but there. And fucking delicious. I wanted to rub myself all over her, get more of it, taste it on my tongue.
No one was watching the TV anymore, and Toby turned it off. All our eyes were on Sylvie. But her eyes were closed. It looked like she was in pain.
“I…um…” She was blushing and starting to feel like a furnace against me.
Crap, it couldn’t be…?
The words tumbled out of her mouth. “I’m starting a heat, I guess from being around so many alphas. I’d better get going before it gets bad. Sorry to leave so early.”
I held her still as she tried to pull away, her eyes downcast.
The idea of her leaving, running from me, made me want to howl. Vivid images arose in my mind. I’d chase her, and when I caught her, I’d have my tongue between her legs and her screams of ecstasy in my ears before she could catch her breath.
I shook the thoughts aside. My rational brain was offline.
Thankfully, Will still had some control. His alpha command helped clear my mind.
“Stay with us,” Will told her. “I know it’s a little rushed, but we want you to. Use the nest and stay.” He looked at the other guys for confirmation and got quick nods before his narrowed eyes landed on me.
It wasn’t a good idea. It was too intimate, too soon. But the thought of her walking out the door right now made me feel unhinged. I needed to have her, taste her. Could I do that without making a commitment?
More importantly, could I make myself leave if she said yes? I knew what that would mean, that my pack would be with this omega for the next few days. Experiencing her together, sharing her. It went against all my instincts not to be a part of that.
