He walks briskly, and I keep up. I stare at his wide back and hold my breath the best I can. I don’t want to see their judgmental faces or hungry eyes as Cole leads me to safety.
I have to endure the different scents, but then I just try to remember his honeysuckle sweetness and let the rest fall away.
Before I know it, we’re at the front of the plane moving around a flight attendant. Cole inputs a code making a call, and it takes a moment as the door opens.
He’s fast, switching places with the flight attendant who was inside, and ushers me into the small space and shutting the door. His relief is palpable as the door locks and a throat clears behind us.
“No, Cole. No fucking way,” the older man says. “Do you want Lauren to kill me?”
I swallow thickly, trying to gather all my thoughts. The cockpit is small, a mix of Cole’s scent along with this other Alpha’s. No offense to his Omega, Lauren, but his scent doesn’t hold a candle next to Cole’s.
“We’re not doing an emergency landing. She took her meds. It will be fine,” Cole suggests.
The older man glances at me, giving me a gentle smile. “No offense, sweetheart, but that’s complete fucking bullshit. She’s a moment away from a high fever and begging someone on this plane to fuck her.”
My mouth gapes open and Cole glares at him.
“I said no offense.”
“You can’t just say no offense and then say offensive shit, Brock.”
“Is it offensive if I’m right? You’re going to lose your fucking job over this, Cole,” Brock says, and I bite my lip.
Fuck, I don’t want to be the reason he loses his job.
“Just do the landing, it’s alright,” I say in a soft voice, knowing that for me it won’t be alright.
We’re still on the West Coast. There will be no way for me to get home. I’ll have to go to a facility with a random pack—which I guess isn’t too far off with what Cole and I talked about—or I’ll have to be heat sedated.
“You and I both know I don’t need this job,” Cole says to Brock, and the man glances back at me. “What if it was Lauren?”
“My Omega wouldn’t be on a commercial airplane by her fucking self. Again, no offense.”
Cole takes his seat. The cockpit is small and all the buttons, nozzles, and levers look intimidating.
“I can just hang out right here,” I say, with nowhere to move.
“Shiloh, come here. Ignore him,” Cole says, his seat is moved back to the furthest position, but he can still touch the controls. I wonder if they build these things with Alpha pilots in mind.
I clear my throat, really wanting to sit on his lap, mostly because I feel like I’m about to faint if I don’t sit down. Also, his lap looks especially cozy.
I do my best not to touch anything; I think I’ve caused enough issues on this flight as Cole holds out his hands and puts me on his lap.
For a moment, all I can do is look out of the panoramic window in awe of the clouds and sky and how unreal it is that we figured out how to travel this way.
Then Cole adjusts me on his thighs and I realize how majestically large and perfect the pilot who is driving the plane is.
“Ground rules,” Brock says and I glance over at him. “I have an Omega at home. I’ve gotta explain all this shit too, so keep your scent as far away from me. Two, don’t touch anything… Including the captain’s dick.”
“Brock,” Cole snaps his name and the pilot rolls his eyes.
“Hold her close and pet her hair and shit. Lauren loves that. Mark her up with your scent, too. Did you give her a fever reducer already? What about water?”
I have to rest my head against the crook of Cole’s neck to suppress a smile. His crotchety first officer might not be so bad afterall.
“Suppressants,” I whisper and Brock nods his head.
“Is someone picking you up at the airport? I’m sure we can discuss ground pick up,” Brock says and I swallow and glance up at Cole.
