“It’s normal, she’s nesting,” Liam says for the tenth time. More like he’s trying to convince himself. “Once she feels the nest is good, she’ll invite us in. From the temp I got this morning and what happened last night, I believe today has to be the start of her actual heat,” he explains, fists clenching.
She feels anxious in the bond, similar to earlier this week when she was nesting, but this seems more dire. Micah and Eli are closest to nest door. I brush past them as I open the door slightly. “Thea,” I say tentatively, “what do you need?”
It’s darker in here than usual. I glance up. The skylight she usually leaves open a quarter of the way is now completely shut, blocking out all light. Her eyes find me and she looks like she wants to cry. “Jake,” she says lowly, fingers digging into the pillow she’s holding.
I close the door softly behind me, turning and seeing my packs expectant faces. Like I’ll have all the answers. Pulling out my phone, I call Jake, putting it on speaker so everyone can hear.
He picks up after a few rings, “Park?—”
“Thea needs you,” I cut him off. The rest of the pack stiffen at that, more so because that means there’s literally nothing we can do to ease her mind right now if she’s fixated on needing Jake.
“I’m still over two hours away. Tell her I’ll be there soon,” he says.
Before I can respond, Eli is grabbing the phone and opening the door. “Sunshine, Jake’s on the phone,” he says in the most placating tone I’ve ever heard. She’s not a child. I’m not sure why I’m so annoyed.
Checking in with myself, a habit I am used to since I was young, I realize it might be her annoyance filtering into me. Interesting. I thought it was only really strong emotions to have that effect on a bonded. Maybe it’s because of her heat?
I don’t hear what she says, if anything in response to Eli, but he ends up tossing my phone to her and shutting the door. He turns with a satisfied smile on his face. “There. That will help her until he gets here.” Many of the guys visibly relax, leaning against the walls they were perched at.
“We have just over two hours until he gets here and her heat starts, so we should get everything settled before that happens.” Ben crosses his arms. Then it’s like a stampede to the stairs that I burst out laughing. I look over to see Keelan moving to sit on the floor next to the nest door. Well, he does work for himself and hasn’t been doing commissions lately, so he really doesn’t need to leave. He gives me an expectant look that screams to explain why I’m still here.
I sit down on the floor on the opposite side of the door. Smiling to myself, I realize we’re like her posted guards. “Itold my work earlier this week my omega will be having a heat soon and I’d let them know when it starts. I emailed last night after you told us what happened that her heat was starting.” Glad I listened to my gut on that. I’m officially on heat leave. Never thought that would ever happen. Keelan nods in acknowledgment.
“You ready for this?” he asks, not looking at me, just staring off in the distance, his arm resting on his knee. There’s something in his hand, a wooden figure. It’s hard to tell what it is, with his big hand encompassing most of it.
Thinking on his question, I find I am. I still have moments, many moments of insecurity and negative self-talk. But ever since bonding with Thea, I’ve been working harder with my therapist on all that. They—and Thea—say it won’t be fixed overnight but I want to be better for Thea but also myself. The heat will probably be a big test of that. Because of Thea’s mini heats and the risk associated with them we haven’t had sex since we bonded. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to it during her heat. Even knowing the guys will be there, I’m not anxious like I might have been before.
I finally answer Keelan, saying confidently, “Yeah I am.”
He looks at me, a slight smile stretching across his face. He knows I mean it. I don’t need to ask him. It’s been obvious the last few weeks since he and Thea talked that he’s lighter about everything. Less weighed down with the Amber baggage. It’s clear Thea’s had that effect on most of the pack. Maybe it’s being scent matches or just who she is, but it’s impossible to not feel at ease with her. Micah should be studied for how hard he worked to keep his guard up. We are so lucky she came into our lives.
The guys slowly trickled into the small hallway as they finished whatever needed to be done before the heat started. Liam brought up two big tote bags of supplies. I have no idea where that’s going to go since he already stocked the mini fridge and small storage area in the nest. The last one up here was Micah. Thea told all of us that they had talked and agreed there would be no bonding and nothing sexual between them. She clarified that she was okay if something sexual happened but she respects Micah’s boundaries. So unless he makes the first move, she asked us to make sure if she’s lost in the heat of the moment, literally, that she upholds that boundary.
When she told us, I’m sure everyone’s respect for her grew. Not that we thought she wouldn’t, but it just shows how considerate she is for Micah, who by all accounts has been an ass most of the time. He’s coming around so slowly.
It’s been almost three hours. Suddenly, a half-naked Jake runs up the stairs. His hair is dripping wet like he just got out of the shower. His chest is heaving as he tries to catch his breath.
“What the hell happened to you?” Micah bursts out.
Jake holds his finger out, telling us to hold on. He’s bent over braced on his knees, catching his breath still. Taking one last deep breath, he straightens to standing. “I have been on the phone with our omega for over two hours. She told me I had to shower before coming in the nest because I was traveling and couldn’t get the outside scents in it. So I just took the quickest shower of my life and ran up here.” He pauses, still a little out of breath. He looks like he’s been through the wringer for some reason. “You have no idea how hard it was to drive while talking to her in that state.” He doesn’t elaborate more, though I’mdefinitely curious what the hell they talked about that has him so flustered.
He moves to the nest door, opening it. Before it’s even fully open, Thea throws herself onto Jake and he nearly falls back. Keelan braces him. Thea’s eyes are shining with tears. She’s also completely naked. Her scent and the scent of her nest is so thick we all let out a collective groan when it hits us. She’s definitely in heat now.
“Get her in the nest,” Micah shouts as if someone else is going to scent her heat. Wait. Harrison is working downstairs. Suddenly I’m pushing Jake into the room, Thea clinging to him tightly.
Everyone else must have the same idea as they push in quickly behind me, Micah the last in, shutting the door with a definitive click. Liam goes to put the supplies away quickly and Micah remains standing by the door. I wonder if it’s because of his reluctance to be here or the need to guard her knowing other alphas are around. The others spread out in a circle, close by but not crowding Thea and Jake in the center. I move to sit in a similar fashion, parallel to where they are lying. Well, Thea is lying down, and Jake is braced on top of her. She’s kissing his neck and upper chest frantically.
“Jake, under the pillow to your left is a thermometer. Take her temp quickly,” Liam instructs. Barely moving from his spot, he stretches his arm to grab it, his eyes never leaving Thea. He sticks the thermometer in her ear, removing it when it beeps. His eyes only move from her to check the number.
“105.7 degrees,” Jake says.
“Fuck,” Liam says solemnly. “I was hoping it’d be further into the heat before a spike. You’re going to have to bond with her this round.”
Jake laughs humorlessly. “Of course she’s spiking. She had me edge her for over two hours.”
My eyes widen at the realization before I try to stifle my laugh. Of course that was a “hard” drive for him. Eli doesn’t even try to hide his laugh. Poor Jake, our omega unintentionally tortured him. When her heat is over, I’m sure she’ll get a good laugh out of it. So will Jake once some time passes. I look over to Micah, who’s smirking by the door. Honestly that was probably the best way to start this heat with something funny and ridiculous happening. There’s plenty of time for the sex and bonding.
14
