“Hey, don’t say that,” Nero interrupted. “It’s not true.”
I raised a brow at him. “You don’t even know me.”
“Sure. I’ll admit, we’re practically strangers. But I know you as the stranger who saved me when I was trapped in my shark formandreunited me with my long-lost Mom. That’s not exactly nothing.”
I met Nero’s steady gaze. I didn’t detect any lies or false niceties coming from him. Everything he said was genuine.
“Well, thanks,” I mumbled, not knowing what else to say.
A slight blush warmed my cheeks and I turned around so he wouldn’t see me. My whole situation was embarrassing enough as it was, especially since my heat was getting gradually stronger. I knew from experience that it wouldn’t be long before it took over my mind and body. I needed to find a private place to deal with it.
“Uh, sorry if this is a rude question,” Nero began. “I’m new to all this alpha, omega stuff. And being a shifter, too. But Remington… Are you in heat right now?”
The question startled me. Alphas usually didn’t have to ask—they just knew. To an alpha, an omega’s heat scent was natural. It was like knowing the sky was blue without having to look up. But then I recalled Nero’s alpha awakening was only recent. He’d lived his whole life as a human. It made sense that he didn’t know these things, or at least not with certainty.
“Yeah, I am,” I said.
“Oh.” An awkward pause. “Cool.”
I snorted a laugh, turning to him. “Cool? That’s all you have to say?”
“Am I supposed to say something else?”
“Well, no. That’s just not what I expected. Usually alphas get very… excited around an omega in heat,” I said, trailing off into a mumble near the end.
The color in Nero’s cheeks deepened. “In that case, can I be honest?” When I nodded, he said, “Excuse my French, but you smell fucking amazing right now.”
A smile crept onto my face and I couldn’t hold it back. Something about Nero’s blunt honesty was really endearing. After my horrible run-in with Klimt, it was nice to know somebody had my back—even if it was the last person I expected.
But Nero wasn’t acting like an oversexed, uncontrollable alpha. My heat wasn’t on full blast yet—it only just started and would deepen within the next few hours and days. Still, as Klimt demonstrated, it was definitely noticeable. Yet Nero wasn’t jumping on me, which I deeply appreciated.
“I told you about me, but why areyouhere?” I asked. “I thought you’d want to be with your family after being reunited.”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m super glad about that. But a man can only be around his Mom and brother 24/7 for so long before his brain starts melting out of his ears.”
I smirked. “Fair.”
“But that’s not the only reason I left,” Nero said, gazing out into the wilderness. “I’m trying to find out why I’m suddenly a shifter now. I think it has something to do with my deadbeat dad.”
I nodded. Dr. Pine, Nero’s mother, had always been interested in shifter culture, but she was human, which meant Nero and Nishiki’s shifter genes must have come from the other party.
“So you think your father’s a shifter?” I asked.
Nero shrugged. “Don’t know. Kind of don’t care since he’s a jerk. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit curious. As much as I hate my dad, I want to know the truth.”
I didn’t know the details of Nero’s relationship with his dead, but I could tell it was a sore spot for him. That was something we had in common, albeit for different reasons.
“Seriously, though, you smellreallygood,” Nero said, blushing again. “That’s normal, right?”
I blinked at him. “Yes. Generally, an omega’s heat scent is irresistible to alphas. As in, I’m surprised you’re standing two feet away from me andnottackling me to the ground.”
The idea seemed to repulse Nero. “Why the hell would I do that?”
I didn’t know whether to be offended or not. Was I really that undesirable?
“Tomate?” I said.
But I’d misunderstood where Nero’s aversion stemmed from. He frowned and shook his head. “Like that Klimt asshole? No thanks. I’ll get sex the old-fashioned way. By asking.” I let out a snort of laughter, which confused Nero. “What’s so funny?”
