His arms tightened around me. "I do see you, baby. In ways you don’t even know."
There was something in his tone weighted with meaning I didn't understand. But before I could ask, another wave of heat started building.
"Again?" I managed weakly.
"Heats come in cycles," he explained. "Especially breakthrough heats. We might be doing this every few hours for the next few days."
"Days?"
"At least. Maybe longer." His hand stroked down my spine. "But we're not going anywhere. Kellan and I will take turns. Make sure you're never alone. Never in pain."
The casual way he said it—like it was a given, like there was no question they'd stay—made my chest tighten.
"Why are you doing this? You barely know me. This is more than just helping someone through a heat." I couldn't finish.
"This is taking care of our Omega," he said simply. "That's what Alphas are supposed to do."
Our Omega. There it was again. That possessive phrasing that should have terrified me but instead made me feel wanted.
"I'm not yours," I said, but it came out weaker than I intended.
"Not yet," he agreed. "But you could be. If you wanted. Because we do."
"I don't do bonding."
"No, you don't do Alphas. You don't do vulnerability. You don't do anything that might make you like your mother." His voice was gentle but firm. "But Naomi? You're not her. You're stronger. Braver. And you're not alone this time."
Tears burned behind my eyes. "You don't know that."
"Yes, I do. Because you're here. You made the choice to accept help even though it terrified you. That takes courage."
"It wasn't courage. It was desperation."
"It was both." He tilted my chin up, making me meet his eyes. "And when this heat is over, you get to decide what happens next. No pressure. No expectations. Just choices."
"And if I choose to walk away?"
Something flickered in his expression. Pain, maybe. But when he spoke, his voice was steady.
"Then we let you go. Because your choice matters more than what we want."
The sincerity in his voice broke something inside me. I kissed him, desperate, grateful, and terrified all at once. And when the next wave of heat hit, when my body demanded more, he gave it to me without hesitation.
This time, he was raw, took what he wanted while giving me what I needed. This time, he let me see exactly how much control he'd been exerting. And god help me, I loved every second of it.
KELLAN
Iwoke to the sound of her whimpering. Rowan was beside me in the chair we'd dragged into the room, passed out from exhaustion. We'd been trading off for the past eighteen hours—one of us with her, one of us resting. Trying to maintain enough stamina to get her through this. Kira even came up to feed us and sat with Naomi while we showered. Now we were just waiting for the next wave.
But the sound she was making now wasn't the desperate, pained whimpers from before. This was different. Softer. I moved to the edge of the nest and looked in. She was awake. Lucid. Her eyes clear despite the flush still staining her golden brown skin. Kira had helped her to shower so she smelled fresh though, our scent mingled with hers since we’d been inside her so many times. And she was staring at me with an intensity that made my breath catch.
"How long have I been here in heat?" she asked, her voice rough from overuse.
"Almost two days."
She closed her eyes. "Feels like longer."
"I know." I climbed into the nest slowly, giving her time to object. She didn't. "How are you feeling?"
