"Liar," he said, but there was warmth in his voice, and he was already guiding me back toward the others, back toward the tangle of bodies that had become my new normal. They arranged themselves around me again. Riven on one side, Thane on the other. Vale at my feet, his tail curled around mine. Kaelan at my back, solid and warm and steady.
Then they scented me. It had become routine now—as natural as breathing. Wrists pressed to my throat, my hair, my pulse points. Faces buried in the crook of my neck. Inhaling deeply, exhaling slowly, layering their scent over every inch of my skin.
I used to resist it. Used to feel embarrassed by how much I needed it. Now I just tilted my head back and let them work, let them mark me as theirs in the most primal way possible.
"Good omega," Kaelan rumbled against my throat, his lips brushing my pulse point, and the praise washed through me like warm water, making my whole body relax into their hold.
I fell asleep surrounded by them, their scent in my lungs and their bodies wrapped around mine. The guilt was still there, lurking at the edges of my mind. The knowledge that they'd paid something precious to give me this time.
For now, in this moment, I let myself forget.
For now, I let myself be theirs.
Chapter Nineteen
LILY
Something was wrong. I'd felt it all day on the ship—a strange restlessness under my skin, a warmth that wouldn't fade no matter how many times I splashed cold water on my face. My clothes felt too rough against my body. Every sound seemed too loud, every smell too strong.
I'd taken my suppressant that morning, same as always. But something was different. Now, floating in the water with them, the feeling was worse. So much worse.
"Lily?" Thane's voice drifted toward me, his golden-brown eyes soft with concern, honey-colored hair swirling around his face. "You seem distracted tonight."
"I'm fine," I said automatically, but my voice came out strange. Rougher than usual. "Just tired."
The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. I wasn't tired. I was the opposite of tired—every nerve ending felt like it was on fire, and their proximity was making it worse. Kaelan's hand rested on my lower back, and where his skin touched mine, I felt heat. Toomuch heat. Like his touch was branding me through the thin fabric of my shirt.
"Fine," Riven repeated flatly, his scarred face skeptical. He drifted closer, nostrils flaring, and something in his expression shifted. Sharpened. "You don't smell fine."
"Riven," Vale said softly, a warning in his silver eyes. Riven ignored him, swimming closer still. His golden eyes were fixed on me with an intensity that made my stomach flip.
"What do I smell like?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. He didn't answer. Instead, he looked at Kaelan, something unspoken passing between them.
"What?" I demanded, frustration bleeding into my voice. "What's going on?"
Kaelan's hand tightened on my back. "When did you last take your suppressant?"
"This morning," I said, frowning at him. "Same as every morning. Why?"
Silence. Heavy, loaded silence.
"Lily," Kaelan said carefully, his voice strained like he was holding something back by sheer force of will. "What else do you feel tonight? Besides tired?" I thought about it. Really thought, past the strange fog that seemed to have settled over my mind.
"Warm," I admitted, my fingers twisting together. "And restless. Like I can't get comfortable. And my skin feels..." I trailed off, heat flooding my cheeks.
"Sensitive," Vale finished quietly, appearing at my side. His silver eyes were dark, pupils blown wide. "Your skin feels sensitive."
"Yes," I whispered, embarrassment making my voice small. "And I keep wanting to touch you. All of you. More than usual. I don't know why it's so much worse tonight."
Riven made a sound low in his throat—not quite a growl, not quite a groan. Something in between that made my stomach clench.
"She doesn't know," Thane said softly, his golden-brown eyes wide with something that looked almost like wonder. "She really doesn't know."
"Know what?" I asked, looking between them, frustration building in my chest. "What's happening to me?"
Kaelan's thumb stroked across my hip, achingly gentle. "You're going into pre-heat, Lily. Your body is preparing." The words didn't make sense. Couldn't make sense.
"That's impossible," I said, shaking my head. "I took my suppressant this morning. I haven't missed a dose in years."
