“Fuck, you taste…”
Unreal. Mind-bending. Like something I’ve been craving my entire life, without even knowing it.
A gasp, the sound of something dropping to the floor and scattering, and a curse, snap our attention toward the door to Archer’s nest. He grimaces as he stoops down to try to pick up the bottle of pills that he’s spilled.
“Shit, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt.” He whines when some of the pills slip stubbornly across the floor when he tries to pick them up, and I’m by his side in a rush, needing to help.
“Here, why don’t you let me take care of this?” This close, I can see how sweat-damp and feverish he is.
“They’re not going to work. I looked it up.” His eyes meet mine, panicked. “O-once it starts, they lose efficacy. Can’t stop a heat in progress. God, I’m so stupid.”
Ruby is by his side in an instant, helping him up with an arm around his waist. “Hey, no, you’re not stupid. People miss doses, and it’s infinitesimal odds that you ran into your scent matches while your suppressant wasn’t at full strength in your system.”
“I don’t want to go to the clinic. Please don’t make me go there, I can’t stand the idea of my first heat being with someone who doesn’t even…who’s not…”
“We won’t make you do something you don’t want to,” Ruby soothes, guiding Archer over to the couch and stroking his back with soft purrs.
I finish scooping up the pills and put the cap back on the bottle. Seeing Archer in distress dispels the last remnants of my worries.
He’s scared and he needs help. I doubt he’ll want me actively involved with his heat, but I can still help. My scent match needs me, and I’d be a fool to let my past keep me from giving him anything he needs.
I find a clean washcloth in the kitchen and dampen it, and grab a banana and an electrolyte packet I see resting on the counter.
Ruby looks up as I approach while mixing the powder into Archer’s glass of water.
“Here. This will help cool you off a bit,” I murmur, draping the washcloth across the back of Archer’s neck.
He looks up at me with big, watery eyes and sniffs. “Th-thank you.”
“Do you think you can eat this?” I ask, kneeling down beside the couch and offering him the banana.
Archer blinks at me, a line forming between his brows.
“You said you haven’t eaten much of anything today. Getting something in your stomach will help ease your nausea. Drinking this should help with the lightheadedness.” I do my best to give him my calm, serious alpha face.
“Y-you’ve done this before?” It surprises me that there’s a hint of jealousy in his voice.
Ruby chuckles. “Yeah, sweetheart, but that’s a good thing. Makes him better at taking care of you.”
A flush spreads down Archer’s neck, his perfume thickening. “O-okay.” He takes the banana, and I have serious regrets about my choice of food when he puts the end of it in his mouth.
“Not to be crude, but there’s something else he could feed you that would help even more,” Ruby says matter-of-factly.
I sputter, almost spilling the water glass in my hand. “I…That’s…”
She winks at Archer, who laughs at her flustering me, the worry in his eyes lessening. “Speaking of which, once you finish that banana and your drink, we need to discuss how you want to handle your heat.”
Archer swallows his bite so fast he almost chokes. “I can’t go…”
Ruby strokes his back soothingly and meets my eye, giving me a questioning look. Silently asking me if I’m on the same page as her.
I nod, pulse hammering and mind racing.
How the hell did I go from dreading a blind date with one scent match to helpinganotherscent match with his heat?
“It’s okay, omega,” she purrs. “If you want us to, we’ll help you.”
chapter 11
