My best friend had returned home and found me in the middle of… Oh God. What was Mariska going to think of me? She wouldn’t even allow her Alphas to take a step inside Primrose House. Here I was practically living with two men in a place where no Alphas should ever be.
There was a growling from the hall and Mariska called my name again.
Ozzi was out there. Artemis could rip his throat out.
No, no, no!
“I’m here, I’m here!” I snatched the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around me as I rushed out of my room.
Ozzi stood about five feet away from me with his hands raised, showing he meant no harm. Mariska’s eyes were wide and wild as she gripped Artemis’ collar who was snarling at my Alpha.
Diffuse. I had to make this right. “Hi Mari. It’s okay.” Please call off your attack dog. “I know them. They’re safe.”
The look of horror on my bestie’s face, I nearly died. “Lyla, no.”
Mariska stepped back, taking Artemis with her. I couldn’t imagine life without my best friend in it. I had to assure her it was truly fine. “Mari, it happened so suddenly. Then we were snowed in and…” I glanced at Ozzi and then over my shoulder at Jason who had followed me, the towel wrapped around his waist again. It was funny in a way. Us all nearly naked. Maybeintroductions would help. “Mari, this is Jason.” I put a hand on his shoulder and then gestured to my other lover. “And this is Ozzi.”
“Hey. Nice to meet you.” Ozzi was his usual calm and patient self. That had to help. Please God, let it help.
“This is Primrose House. How could you bring Alphas into our house?” Mariska’s voice was tight and boarding on furious.
I swallowed hard and tried to laugh to lighten the mood. “It’s not like I planned it. It just happened.”
Then Mariska turned and ran with Artemis to her suite. It was like a hot knife had been rammed into my heart. If she was going to be with her pack or moving to California, Mariska was going to be gone from Primrose House, and I couldn’t let our friendship end this way.
“Stay here.” I told the guys and flew down the hall, skidding to stop in front of her door. Tears blurred my vision. “Mari! Please. This wasn’t planned. I went into heat. It happened so fast. You know how it is.” My heart thundered, and I was close to falling to my knees. “It’s like how it is with you and your pack.”
“They’re not my pack,” she snapped and sucked back a sob. “I’m done with them.”
Oh no. Here I was enjoying a playful moment with my Alphas, and she looked like her world had ended. She must have thought I was the shittiest best friend ever. I reached out a hand toward her. “What happened?”
Mariska slowly, almost robotically moved around her suite to put down some food and water for Artemis and then exited, shutting the door behind her. “I’m going to see Miss Eloise.”
Yes! We could go together, mend this misunderstanding, and everything would be all right. And that’s when a bolt of heatlightning hit me. Fuck. I wrapped my arms around my abdomen. “I want to go too, but… My heat’s bad. It hurts so much.”
Mariska’s face softened. “I know, at times, it’s horrible, but it’ll get better. Just let your Alphas take care of you. You’ll be okay.” She paused and then added with a soft smile, “I’ll tell Miss Eloise you’re not feeling well.”
There was the most awesome friend that I knew. She always had my back and I loved her so much for it. A few fat tears ran hotly down my cheeks. “Thank you. Could you bring her some fruitcake and cookies and tell her I’m thinking of her? There’s plenty in the kitchen. There’s some for you too.”
“Ew, fruitcake.” Mariska made a cute blech face, and I managed a weak giggle. That was enough to break the tension between us. She hugged me, and I squeezed her back. “I love you. Go take care of yourself. I might spend the night with Miss Eloise, so if you could let Artemis out a couple of times for me, I’d appreciate it.”
“Anything for my puppy love.” I would have to lock Ozzi and Jason up while I did, but Artemis and I were like siblings. But my greatest concern was for my bestie. “What happened, Mari?”
“Everything fell apart, but it doesn’t matter. I’m still on track to head to California.” She stepped back, head down, and headed to the stairs, glancing once more down the corridor at Jason and Ozzi before looking back at me. “I’ll text you with Miss Eloise news.”
“Okay.” That was going to be it? I needed several hours to sit down with Mariska and get all the details, and tell her all about the mess I was in. There was so much more I wanted to say, but pain twisted my guts and I leaned against the wall to support myself as Mariska went to the stairs.
I slowly started back towards my Alphas, but I didn’t know if I was going to make it without crumpling to the ground.Jason and Ozzi hurried down to me, and I thought for a second Jason was going to drop his towel in the rush, Ozzi picked me up and cradled me against his chest as the sheet started to slip. His scent filled me, calming me and driving me to crave his knot even more.
Jason took my hand and kissed the back of it. “It’s okay, baby. We’re here for you.”
“You have us as long as you want us.” Ozzi got me to my room just as the blanket fully came off, and I gave myself over to their hot kisses and tender caresses.
My bestie was having a life crisis, and I couldn’t even be there because I was a total mess. Was she right and I ruined the sanctity of Primrose House by letting my Alphas in? More so, not just let them in, but had them stay alone with me for days. Would Miss Eloise kick me out? Would she have to close the boardinghouse?
Yet, because of the extreme nature of my heat, I would have maybe been dead if it weren’t for Jason and Ozzi.
But without Mariska, Miss Eloise, and Primrose House, I don’t think I’d want to live.
