"For what?"
"For caring. For asking and being kind." Her voice cracked. "For not being him."
Him. The monster who'd taught her that Alphas only took, whomever he was. My chest tightened.
"Never," I said fiercely. "We will never be him."
She nodded, then curled back into her nest, clutching our shirts. And Rowan and I settled outside it, close enough to help if she needed us, far enough to give her space. We had to talk. Had to figure out what to do. Because this wasn't just any Omega in heat. This was our mate. Our missing piece. The one who would make us whole.
And she didn't even know.
ROWAN
Naomi passed out twenty minutes later, her body finally surrendering to exhaustion. We stayed just outside her nest, watching her breathe, making sure she was stable. The scent was overwhelming now. Not just heat. Not just Omega. But her. The specific combination of honey and warmth and something indefinable that we'd been chasing.
Our mate. Stolen as a baby. Raised by god knows who.
And now here, in our home, suffering through a breakthrough heat she clearly hadn't been prepared for.
"This is wrong," I said quietly.
Kellan looked at me. "What is?"
"All of it. She didn't choose this. Didn't choose us. Her friend dragged her here because she was dying, and now," I gestured helplessly, "we're waiting for permission to help our own mate through a heat that could kill her."
"What's the alternative? Force ourselves on her?"
"No."
His voice was hard. "You heard her. She's terrified of needing Alphas. If we push now, we confirm every fear she has and we don’t even know them."
He was right. I knew he was right. But it didn't make this any easier. The front door opened downstairs then on the stairs. Kira appeared in the doorway, her arms full of bags.
"How is she?" she asked immediately.
"Passed out. Exhausted." I stood, facing her. "I need you to answer a question."
"Okay."
"Why did you bring her to us if she didn't want our help?"
Kira's expression shuttered. "I…"
"The truth," Kellan said, standing beside me. "We need to understand what's happening here."
She set down the bags slowly, her gaze darting to where Naomi lay unconscious in the nest. "Can I see her first?"
"Why?"
"Because I need to make sure she's okay. That you haven't…" She stopped.
"Haven't what? Hurt her? Claimed her without consent?" My voice came out harder than I intended. "We would never do such a thing."
"I know." Kira held up her hands. "I know. That's why I brought her here. But I still need to see her."
Kellan gestured toward the nest. "Go ahead."
Kira approached carefully, kneeling at the edge and looking in. Naomi was curled in the center, clutching one of our shirts, her face peaceful in sleep despite the fever still burning through her.
