“I brought someone to say hello,” he says with forced cheer. “Guess who it is.”
I snort. “I already heard Ozzie cracking seeds from a mile away.”
Rickon laughs. “Fair call. He’s a noisy fellow.”
Holding back a groan, I lever myself upright, and Rickon fluffs pillows at my back to support me. My body tingles, and I’m unsure if my limbs will work properly, but at least my heat isn’t overpowering my senses. I lift my hands and discover a drip line taped to my arm.
Rickon follows my gaze and tenses. “Feeling okay?” he asks, and I know he means from seeing the needle-tip dug into my vein.
I stare at my arm for a minute before answering, “Well, I think I’ve had worse. At least this one’s feeding me.”
Rickon’s gorgeous face softens with a radiant smile. “You’re so brave, my love,” he whispers, leaning in for a kiss. “I’m so proud of you.”
I cling to his shoulders for a moment, gathering my thoughts. Wild Red simmers in the background, fading with every passing moment. I really made it through another heat. “We did it,” I mutter into his collar, gripping his shirt tight.
“Hello!” Ozzie calls brightly. “Shut up! Fuck off. Hello.”
We both laugh, and then Rickon goes and gets Ozzie from his smaller travel cage on the coffee table and brings him over. The bird fluffs out the brilliant green feathers on his wings and shoulders and bobs his orange head. “Hurry up.”
Rickon clicks his tongue as he opens the cage door, and I stick my arm inside. “Hi, ornery little guy,” I say as the parrot’s tiny claws wrap around my finger.
He bobs his head and struts up my arm. “Red, Red, Red,” he chirps by my ear before disappearing under my hair.
I clench my teeth against a rush of emotion. Even if he swears like a trooper, this little bird is a piece of my new life, and for whatever reason, he really likes me. I stroke his smooth feathers,and he nibbles his beak along my hairline in return as I trace back my memory of what happened.
I went into heat; Rickon fucked me while Callisto bound my hands and held me in place. And then Samantha sedated me. With a needle. A quick glance around shows only Rickon in the room with me. Did he find my note? Did he accept my apology? The questions stick in my throat.
Rickon sits down on the bed, one knee up on the covers. “I should ask if you feel in control, but I think I can tell.” He rests one hand on his belly, smiling. “You really are the bravest person in the world, to go through that and stay sane.”
I cock a doubtful gaze in his direction. “Sane is doubtful.”
He chuckles and takes my hand. “Well, I think you did marvelously.” His thumb caresses the back of my hand, massaging away the tension in my soul.
“You’re not mad at me?” I ask. “I think I said some pretty dumb shit.”
Rickon shakes his head. “Of course I never want you to hate me, but—” He pulls out a crinkled sheet of paper and holds it high in the air like a trophy while making trumpet noises. “I gottheletter.”
I snort. “You’re an idiot.”
Rickon grins. “An idiot in love.” He lifts my hand and places a kiss on the back.
I swallow around a lump in my throat. “Thank you, alpha.”
“Anything for my omega.” His smile falters, and worry lines press into his brow. “I’m glad you’re okay, but I need to let you know something happened.”
My heart constricts. “What?”
“Callisto heard from the prison that Zack lost his shit and attacked some inmates. He’s been put in solitary confinement for a few days.”
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath. “Is he okay?”
Rickon holds his hand up helplessly. “Callisto is trying to see him, but they’re preventing it until his isolation punishment is over. Considering the timeline, we think he felt you . . . well, the heat, and flipped out.”
I slump back against the pillows, careful not to squish Ozzie.
“I’m sorry, Red. Callisto did ask the prison to pass a message to him that the heat was coming, but we don’t think he got it.”
I nod slowly. I’m sure Callisto did everything he could. My first instinct is to berate myself for failure, but then another thought strikes me, and I close my eyes. “I made the right call then. Imagine what he might’ve done if the heat went on for three whole days. At least he can’t hurt himself in solitary.”
