Iwas burning from the inside out.
My limbs were hot, I was cramping, and… my underwear was soaked.Fuck. I knew I couldn’t avoid my heat forever, but knowing it was inevitable and experiencing it were different things.
“Are you awake?” a deep voice murmured.
My eyelids were still too heavy to open, but a restlessness ran through my body like a current. I whimpered, trying to fight my way to consciousness.
“You’re okay, love,” another voice said.Theo. His British accent sent a little shiver through me.
I vaguely remembered falling asleep on the couch with Ben, but his crisp fall scent was absent. My eyes flew open, and I realized I was lying on top of Cam.
“Morning,” he said, his arms banded around my waist. “Ben is making you some breakfast. You need lots of fuel for the next few days.”
I tried to push myself off him, still feeling confused and foggy. An intense cramp squeezed my uterus and I let out a strangled whimper.
“You want to sit up?” Cam asked, concerned.
I nodded, breathing through the pain. He helped me sit but arranged me so I was still in his lap. The gesture was possessive and tender at the same time. I didn’t know if I wanted to pull away, lean into him, cry, or all of the above. Theo took my hand and rubbed my palm as if he could sense I’d been about to dig my fingernails into my skin.
Suddenly, it hit me what a vulnerable position I was in—surrounded by alphas while in heat. They had been sweet and protective so far, but what if they started getting pushy? My heart rate picked up and I felt exposed. I pushed off Cam, needing space. His arms around me felt too good, too comforting.What if they’re hiding their true personalities so they can lure me in?
Cam reluctantly released me and I slipped onto the couch, momentarily distracted by the softness of the cushion. My omega was urging,beggingme to cover myself with a pile of blanketsand a pile of alphas. Stupid hormones.
“How are you feeling, angel?” Theo asked carefully. “Ben said your heat started in the middle of the night.”
I scrunched my nose in confusion when I saw Theo was wearing slacks and a button-down. Then my mind wandered to different places, and I wondered what it would be like to strip him of all his clothes and have another orgasm.
“Josie?” Theo spoke again.
I’d been running my eyes all over his body and hadn’t answered his question.What had he asked me?
A shy smile spread across his face. He shifted in his seat, adjusting the front of his pants. I quickly averted my eyes, my cheeks burning.
The burning.My skin flushed as the burning spread across my body.
“I feel really warm,” I said.
Yeah, stupid. It’s called heat for a reason. Tears pricked behind my eyes and there was a lump in my throat.
“Please don’t cry, love,” Theo pleaded, cupping my cheeks. “I did some research on heats. In the first phase, your temperature will rise, you’ll start cramping, and you’ll have mood swings.”
Well, check, check and check. I hated feeling trapped by my own biology.
“It also says that getting in a cool bath could help you feel calmer,” Theo continued.
“Do you want to get in the water, baby girl?” Cam asked.
“I… I don’t know,” I responded, overwhelmed. “I’m sorry I’m being such an inconvenience.”
Yesterday they said they wanted me, that I was their mate. Now, that felt impossible.
“You are not an inconvenience,” Theo said, squeezing my hand.
I opened my mouth to argue when another cramp hit, much stronger than the last one. Cam wrapped his arms around me, pressing a hand over my stomach while he murmured sweet words. I stayed slumped against him even after the cramp passed, no longer having the energy to move. Fuck, I needed suppressants immediately. This was just the beginning, and it already felt like my insides were being torn apart.
“I need my phone,” I said, my panic rising. “The doctor is supposed to call to get me the suppressants.”
“I’ll run and get it for you,” Theo said, kissing me on the forehead before heading up to my room.
