Gabriel could tell this was going to be a hell of a heat, and Genesis was going to need all of them. There would be no taking shifts. That jackass Luke needed to get his shit together fast and come take care of her. And if he didn’t do it soon, Gabriel would drag his stubborn ass back here kicking and screaming if he had to.
Genesis whimpered, and Gabriel and Lando got back to work.
Chapter seventeen
Orlando
Genesis’s heat was more intense than even Orlando had imagined.
He’d thought it would come on much sooner, but the altercation with her fathers and her subsequent frenzied work on her new project seemed to have delayed things. Though she’d been showing all the signs—dwindling appetite, spiking temperature, mood swings—it was as though she’d postponed her heat by sheer force of will. The woman was an absolute marvel.
Orlando and Gabriel didn’t leave her side for the first two days of her heat. Even if their instincts had allowed it, her needs wouldn’t have. Genesis was insatiable, as though all the years of suppressed, untended heats had accumulated. Orlando was so focused on her, in fact, that he didn’t have time or energy to spare Luke a thought. However, on the third day, his patience began to wane.
He left Genesis and Gabriel fast asleep and padded silently downstairs with his cell phone in his hand, prepared to call Luke Wyatt and tell him in no uncertain terms to get his ass to the cottage, but he saw there was no need. When he reached the first floor, he found the offending packmate stretched out on the pullout sofa. He scowled at Lando and sat up, obviously wide awake.
“Do you actually enjoy being an asshole, or can you just not help yourself?” Lando asked, keeping his voice carefully level as he poured himself a glass of water. He regarded Luke shrewdly as he drank, trying to read his mood and gauge how best to approach the conversation. It was obvious his packmate was miserable and exhausted, but he was trying to hide it behind a churlish expression.
“I told you bastards to let me know when it was time for my shift, but you haven’t left that loft in days,” Luke grumbled. He stood and stretched before stalking over to sit at the island and glare at Orlando. “I’ve had my fucking cell phone on me and I’ve been sleeping down here just in case.”
Orlando pursed his lips disapprovingly. “You’ve been sleeping down here because you can’t stay away but you’re too stubborn to admit it. It must be torture hearing her moans and smelling her perfume, but you’d rather mope than give both of you what you need.”
Luke ran his hands through his salt-and-pepper hair and gave Orlando a dark look that would’ve cowed a lesser man. Of course, being pack leader and having dealt with Luke Wyatt’s bullshit for many years, Orlando wasn’t at all fazed. He simply held Luke’s gaze, finishing his water in a few long gulps before refilling the glass and grabbing a protein bar. He waited.
“This isn’t how we normally do things,” Luke said finally, sounding more tired than angry.
“It isn’t,” Orlando agreed. “This is different.Sheis different. Even if we weren’t courting her, as you agreed to do for the remainder of the contract, we wouldn’t be able to tend her in shifts. She’s suppressed her heats for far too long and needs constant tending. Gabriel and I haven’t had the time or inclination to coddle you into stepping up and giving the omega in our care the attention that she needs.”
Luke’s eyes flashed hotly, and Orlando knew he’d hit his mark. The damn idiot was shirking his duties, and it must be wearing on his instincts terribly. Of course, since he was determined to punish himself, resisting his natural urges probably gave him a perverse satisfaction.
“I’m doing the best I can, Lando,” Luke said quietly.
“No, you’re not,” Orlando replied, giving his packmate a cool glare. “You’re resisting with all your might, fighting yourself and us every step of the way. Is a decade of penance not enough for you?”
Luke’s scowl returned. “I deserve worse.”
“Do I?” Orlando demanded. “Does Gabriel? Because your pain hurts us too. You understand that, don’t you? That’s what it means to be pack. We share everything, Luke Wyatt, including the weight of your guilt.”
Luke looked stricken, his face going pale. Orlando felt sorry for him, but he tamped the emotion down. He’d given Luke plenty of sympathy over the years. Now he needed some tough love.
“Tell yourself whatever you have to in order to get through the next few days. After that, you can go back to dealing with your shit however you see fit, though I’d prefer it if you could be less of a dick.” Orlando turned away, tossing the protein bar wrapper into the trash can and placing his glass beside the sink. “Just get your ass upstairs and take care of Genesis.”
Orlando grabbed a vitamin water from the refrigerator and stalked toward the stairs without waiting for Luke’s response.He was halfway to the loft when he heard his packmate’s heavy tread behind him.
Genesis stirred as he entered, big brown eyes opening and immediately searching for him, making Orlando’s heart soar. He crossed to the bed and bent to kiss her forehead, breathing in the aroma of jasmine and honeyed oranges, now coated in his and Gabriel’s scents. It was almost perfect.
“Alpha,” she sighed, her eyes briefly fluttering shut. They popped back open as she clutched her stomach, her cramps apparently returning. She whined pitifully. “Please. I need you.”
“Hush, Tesoro, we’ve got you,” Orlando murmured, holding her water to her lips and making her take a few sips. He glanced over his shoulder to find Luke still hovering on the threshold. “Don’t we, Luke Wyatt?”
Luke hesitated, but then Genesis spotted him, and they locked eyes. She whined low in her throat, her big brown eyes wide and wet. As though that sound unleashed him, Luke launched himself across the room. He took her face roughly in his hands and kissed her hard, almost desperately. Genesis moaned into his mouth, reaching for his belt. She unbuckled it eagerly, before unbuttoning his jeans, tugging down his zipper, and squeezing his cock.
“Greedy little thing, isn’t she?” Gabriel said sleepily. He grinned at Orlando, then at Luke. “Glad you decided to join us. Welcome to the party, pal.”
Orlando laughed as Luke gave Gabriel the middle finger, before grabbing Genesis’s legs and yanking her to the edge of the bed. In one fluid movement, he pushed her knees up to her chest and shoved into her roughly. Genesis cried out, her back bowing off the bed as Luke set a frantic, relentless pace.
Orlando could feel Luke’s relief blaring through the bond. The damn fool. He’d been suffering for days when he could’ve been here with them the whole time, enjoying this precious treasureof a woman. Orlando caught Gabriel’s gaze and could tell his younger packmate was thinking the same thing. He rolled his eyes and Gabriel smirked, then turned his attention back to Genesis.
Orlando was happy to settle into an armchair and watch as his packmates pleasured their omega, coaxing her to yet another orgasm in record time. Gabriel licked and sucked her nipples while Luke continued his punishing thrusts. Genesis quaked and writhed on the bed, her hands tangled in Gabriel’s hair, slick pooling on the bed beneath her. The slapping of flesh and the delicious music of her juicy pussy filled the room, making Orlando’s dick throb in anticipation.
