“Not right now,” I say, cutting off his question. “I need to think.”
After I slide out of him and we both clean up, I redress and slink back to my own quarters, thoughts of Auryn on my mind.
She said “no.” An omega in the throes of heat, whose body was giving off every signal possible that she wanted it. Wanted me. And she said “no.”
Something fishy’s going on. The duality of her actions suggests some kind of deep-set trauma, something so heinous that she’d rather suffer through her heat alone than give in to her needs and desires.
One week. I bought us one week to help Auryn and find out what’s going on with the Orions, but will that week be enough?
Chapter 11
Olly
I stare at the ceiling, focusing on my breathing as the whir of the machines in my lab settle on me while I wait for Auryn’s blood to stop processing in the spinner.
I was lucky to get three tubes out of her, so I need to make every test count.
Upon initial inspection, under the microscope, I could tell something was off, but I won’t be certain what it is until I can get a clear readout.
“Olivander, we need you down here. Bring another dose,” Gage commands through the comms, his voice rough and full of an edge that tells me he doesn’t care if the apocalypse is happening, I need to get my ass down to holding.
To Auryn.
I sit up straighter, lunging for the intercom to respond, but the second I do, all I hear is static. He must be gone, and there’s no way Auryn’s even close enough to the thing to answer me, either.
I hope he’s okay…
My instinct is to find him, but he ordered me to bring another dose of suppressant for Auryn, so that takes precedence over anything else.
I rush around my lab, feeling strangely on the spot. I don’t know what to do first, though I do know what I want to do: grab some pills and haul ass down there. I also know the shot of suppressant works faster because it hits her bloodstream quicker.
But I just gave her a dose last night.It shouldn’t wear off that fast.
I look at the processor, that whir loud and taunting. When I look at the results, will the proteins be metabolized? Will they be non-existent? The suppressant had worked, I saw it with my own eyes. But how long did it take to wane?
I look at the clock. It’s barely been twenty-four hours yet since we’ve had Auryn in our custody. I grab some suppressant from the fridge, a clean needle, and a bottle of pills. I’ll assess her when I arrive, and we can go from there.
It doesn’t take long for me to put my case together and get down to holding, as my lab is closer than any of our rooms. When I walk through the door, the first thing I notice is that intoxicating cinnamon and peppercorn scent. It’s thick.
The second thing I notice is Auryn pacing.She chuffs out irritated sighs, bordering on low growls, and her pace quickens until she just stops.And turns.
Those dark eyes meet mine, and her shoulders loosen.
“Olly,” she says, her voice bordering feral. I’ve never seen an omega look so…
Menacing?
My blood rushes at the sight of her heaving chest, of the fire in her dark gaze. It’s…
Terrifying.
But also, strangely beautiful.
No wonder Gage wanted me down here.
As I approach her cell, I wonder just what happened to get her so worked up. I have a theory, but…
I also know Gage isn’t the type to just rile an omega up for no reason.
