My jaw drops at her blatant confession, and she looks around us with fear like someone might have overheard her.When she realizes that everyone else is busy giving Nova shit, she relaxes.
“It’s okay, Pebbles,” I whisper to her. “Your secret is safe with me.”
She looks at me then, her eyes full of trust. The softness in it makes my heart beat faster, and I could have sworn that—if I could—I would have purred right then and there for her.
“We were just having some fun. Weren’t we, Red?” Nova asks, gathering our attention once more. Opal lets out a loud laugh, like she’s not exactly sure what he said, and Rory comes to her other side.
“Well, she seems too drunk to have any fun now, so how about you fuck off?” Sam grits through his teeth, all gristle and bite. I’m surprised by the vulgarity; he always likes to keep any confrontation professional and civil.
Nova puts his hands up. “Shit, sorry, man. I didn’t know she had a pack. She never mentioned anything,” he says, finally taking a step back.
“We’re not—” Sam starts to say, shaking his head. I can feel the curious stares from everyone, and I should probably be embarrassed, but there’s only pride at the idea of Opal joining our pack.
Like the last piece of the puzzle, completing us and mending our broken pieces.
“It certainly looks that way.” Nova arches his brow, looking at the way my arm wraps around Opal protectively. I sneer at him, holding her closely, as the other alphas start to move in front of us. Their bickering becomes muffled as Opal lets out a grunt.
The omega by my side leans over, clutching her stomach.
“Opal?” I ask, reaching down to see her face pinched and strained. “What’s going on?”
Her only reply is a whimper, and Rory moves to touch herforehead. “You’re burning up, Opal. Did you eat anything before you started drinking?”
I reach over and feel her face as well, realizing Rory is right. She is almost boiling to the touch. I take another look at her hand clutching her stomach, and the answer hits me like a freight train. I don’t think she’s had as much to drink as I originally thought. Something else is happening here, something that shouldnotbe happening in the middle of a crowded house party.
My omega is having a heat spike.
I lean over to Rory and speak quietly. “Rory… I need you to do me a favor.” She looks at me seriously, quirking her eyebrow. “I’m going to take Opal and go home, but my pack can’t know. And no—I can’t tell you why, but I need you to tell them that I took her to the bathroom to sober up, okay? I’ll text them later.”
“But—”
“No. Questions.” My words are firm. Despite the worry I can see on her face, she eventually agrees.
“I trust you to take care of her, Kit,” she responds, her gaze peering into me. “I’ll give you time to get out.”
After she agrees, she steps in front of us, blocking us from view so I can sweep an arm beneath Opal’s moaning frame and move her through the crowded room to escape.
When we get out into the cold winter air, she practically groans from the temporary relief. I clutch my phone, ordering a car as Opal sighs. “I’m sorry, Kit.”
“You don’t have any reason to be sorry. This isn’t your fault.”
“I thought I could… take care of it,” she adds, her head hanging low, and I realize that she might have intentionally sought out the playboy to help her with her needs. The thought absolutely kills me as I try to hold her up.
“You never have to seek out someone else. I willalwayshelp you.”
“But—” She grunts. “I can’t… I’m notready. But I don’t feel like I have a choice.”
I shake my head, knowing that she’s starting to let the fever have her as she spills her worries for the first time. “I’m going to take care of you, Opal.”
A whine comes up her throat, and the sound hits me down below, a reaction that’s completely foreign to me. My omega usually responds to alpha growls and purrs, but the whine sends an electric current through me, a new sensation that I am eager to explore.
However, right now isn't about my pleasure. It’s about taking care of my omega.
“Please,” she whispers just as our car comes around the corner.
“Soon, Pebble. I promise.”
When we get home,Opal’s temperature burns like lava. Her body practically sticks to mine as I give an extra tip to the driver and carry her to the door. They were surprisingly unaffected by the display they had to witness in the backseat of their car, especially when Opal climbed on top of me and sent me into a frenzy.
