Nolan's expression shifted, becoming more serious, more careful, his jaw tightening slightly.
"Rut is intense." His voice was measured, clinical, his green eyes watching my face for any sign of fear, his hands folding together on the desk. "During the cycle, the Alpha experiences an overwhelming need to mate, to protect, to claim. His instincts take over — the civilized part of his brain takes a backseat to something older, more primal. He becomes more possessive, more territorial, more... driven."
"That's why he growled at Kol." Understanding dawned, pieces falling into place, my eyes widening with realization.
"Exactly." Nolan nodded, his expression softening slightly, his voice gentling. "His Alpha sees Kol as a threat, even though his rational mind knows better. During rut, any other Alpha near his chosen Omega triggers those territorial instincts. It's not personal. It's biology."
"How long does it last?" My fingers curled into the fabric of my jeans, my heart pounding against my ribs, my voice tight with concern.
"Usually two to three days." Nolan's voice was soft, his brow furrowing with concern, his green eyes holding mine steadily. "The first day is the most intense. The need hits hard and fast, and it takes everything the Alpha has to maintain any semblance of control. By the second day, if the rut has been... satisfied, things start to ease. The third day is usually just residual need, more manageable."
"And if it's not satisfied?" I asked, even though part of me didn't want to know the answer, my voice dropping lower, my hands clenching in my lap. Nolan's expression darkened, something heavy settling in his green eyes, his jaw tightening.
"Without an Omega partner to help him through it, rut can be brutal." His voice was quiet, serious, carrying the weight of medical knowledge and personal concern, his hands claspingtogether tightly. "Painful. Even dangerous — for the Alpha himself."
"Dangerous how?" My voice was small, my throat tight with worry, my eyes searching his face.
"Rut fever." Nolan leaned forward, his hands clasped together, his green eyes intense, his voice dropping to something grave. "Without release, without an Omega's presence to soothe the cycle, an Alpha's body starts to turn on itself. His temperature spikes — dangerously high. He can become delirious, aggressive, unable to distinguish friend from threat. In extreme cases, his organs can start to shut down."
The blood drained from my face, cold dread pooling in my gut, my hands going cold.
"That can happen to Reid?" My voice cracked on his name, fear clawing at my chest, my eyes wide with horror.
"It's rare for it to get that bad." Nolan reached across the desk, his hand covering mine, warm and reassuring, his thumb stroking across my knuckles, his green eyes softening. "Most Alphas can ride out a rut alone — it's miserable, but survivable. But Reid..." He paused, his jaw tightening, his expression troubled. "Reid is a strong Alpha. A Head Alpha. His ruts have always been more intense than average. Without you, without an Omega to help him through this... I'm worried."
"What happens if I do help him?" I met his eyes, something shifting in my chest — fear giving way to determination, uncertainty giving way to something fiercer, my spine straightening. "What would it mean? What would happen to me?"
Nolan's expression softened, something like hope flickering in his green eyes, his hand tightening on mine.
"If you help him through his rut, his body gets what it needs." His voice was warm, gentle, his thumb continuing its soothing strokes across my knuckles. "The fever breaks. The need issatisfied." His green eyes met mine, soft with reassurance. "And you... you would be taken care of. Protected. Cherished. Every instinct in Reid's body during rut is focused on his Omega — pleasuring her, satisfying her, keeping her safe. He would never hurt you, Aster. Not even in the grip of the most intense rut."
"How can you be sure?" The question came out smaller than I intended, vulnerability bleeding through despite my best efforts, my eyes dropping to our joined hands. "If he's not himself, if his instincts are in control?—"
"Because I know him." Nolan squeezed my hand, his green eyes fierce with certainty, his voice strong and sure. "Because I've seen him at his worst and his best. Because even when every instinct is screaming at him to take, to claim, Reid's deepest drive is to protect. To care for. He would die before he hurt you, Aster. Rut or no rut."
I sat with that for a long moment, letting it sink in, letting myself believe it.
"What about the others?" I looked up, meeting Nolan's eyes, my brow furrowing with a new concern. "Kol and Sawyer? Will Reid's rut... will it affect them too?"
"Not in the same way." Nolan shook his head, his expression thoughtful, his hand still holding mine. "They'll give Reid space during the worst of it — being around another Alpha in rut can trigger competitive instincts, make things more volatile. But once the peak passes, having pack nearby can actually help. The other Alphas can provide support, bring food and water, make sure both of you are okay."
"And you?" I tilted my head, studying him, my voice soft with curiosity. "You're an Alpha too." Something warm flickered in his green eyes, something like affection and longing carefully contained, his expression going soft.
"My rut isn't triggered yet." His voice was soft, honest, his thumb tracing patterns on my hand. "Being around you, beingpack... it's building. But I have more time than Reid does. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
The implication hung in the air — that all of them, eventually, would go through this. That being their Omega meant helping all of them through their ruts, one by one. The thought should have terrified me. Instead, it sparked something warm in my chest.
"Where is he now?" I stood, my decision crystallizing, my spine straightening with determination, my eyes meeting Nolan's.
"He locked himself in his room about an hour ago." Nolan rose with me, his expression worried but hopeful, his hand releasing mine reluctantly. "He's trying to fight it off. Trying to protect you from himself." A pause, his green eyes searching my face. "He doesn't want to pressure you, Aster. Doesn't want you to feel obligated. He'd rather suffer through it alone than make you feel like you have to?—"
"I don't feel obligated." The words came out fierce, certain, surprising us both, my hands curling into fists at my sides. "I feel... I feel like I need to be there. Like the thought of him suffering alone when I could help is unbearable."
Nolan's smile was soft, proud, his eyes bright with unshed tears, his expression full of warmth.
"That's the bond." His voice was gentle, filled with wonder, his hand reaching out to squeeze my shoulder. "Even without a formal claiming, you're already connected to him. Your Omega recognizes him just like his Alpha recognizes you."
He walked me to the clinic door, his hand warm on my shoulder, his presence steady and reassuring.
