She stood in the middle of the living room with the three of us around her, looking devastatingly unsure of herself.
“I need to tell you something. And I know I should have told you earlier. I was going to yesterday, but then I was so tired and scared, so I pushed it to today. Obviously, that didn’t go according to plan, and I’m just really sorry.”
Her eyes welled up, and my chest felt like it was splitting apart watching her.
“Sweetheart, whatever this is, it can wait. You’re in pain and—” Lars started, but Olive cut him off.
“No, please, we have to do it now.”
Lars looked like he wanted to argue, but instead, he picked Olive up and settled her on his lap on the couch. Finn and I quickly joined him, sitting on either side. I stroked my hand down her back.
“What’s going on, sunshine?”
Olive looked miserable and her lower lip trembled. Fuckingtrembled.
“I’m not on suppressants,” she blurted out. “I went on them before my first heat, but that’s when I developed the blood clot. The doctors said it’s not safe for me to ever take them again.”
My hand froze on Olive’s back. She wasn’t on suppressants? That meant this wasn’t a breakthrough heat caused by being around our scents. This was a real heat. Fuck, she must be in so much pain right now.
“But… what have you done for your heats?” Lars spluttered. Of all of us, he was the most familiar with omegas since he grew up in a pack.
“I signed up for a heat service.”
I scowled. Unbonded omegas used services where screened alphas would take care of them just for their heats. The thought of other hands on Olive, other alphas even having their eyes on her… no, I didn’t fucking like that at all.
“The first time didn’t go so well.” Her voice was a hoarse whisper now, and I didn’t miss how she flinched with pain at what I was assuming was another cramp. I resisted the urge to steal her onto my lap and do whatever I could to take the pain away.
“What happened?” Finn asked. His tone was even, but the look in his eyes was deadly.
“There were two alphas, and afterward, they said I was just… a lot.”
“A lot?” Lars asked.
Olive’s eyes were fixed on her hands. “My omega was too much for them. They said I was demanding and whiny and that I made the heat really difficult for them.”
“Difficult forthem?” Finn gritted out.
Olive nodded. “And then the second time, they could only find one alpha on short notice, which was my fault. I’d been nervous to call the agency and tell them I was going into heat after my first experience, so I left it too long. That alpha said the same thing about my omega… when he left halfway through.”
No. No. No.
He left Olive? My Olive? All alone? I was going to end him.
Finn was clearly on the same wavelength because he was off the couch and pacing, hands formed into tight fists. “The bastard fucking left?” he shouted. “I’m going to fucking kill him!”
Something clicked in my mind. “The alpha at the apple orchard? Is he the one who left you?”
Olive nodded miserably. “He’s an asshole for sure, but it’s not really his fault. I think there’s something wrong with my omega. When I go into heat, I just turn kind of”—She waved her hands around like she was trying to catch the right word in the air—“feral. It’s too much for anyone to handle. So after that second failed attempt with the heat services, the doctor there gave me sedatives to take during my future heats.”
“Sedatives?” Finn hissed. “They gave you fucking sedatives so you can, what, be unconscious fordays?”
Olive whimpered and tilted her head to show Finn her neck. His face immediately softened and he crashed back onto the couch, pulling Olive onto his lap. “Shit, I’m sorry, sweet girl. I’m not mad at you.”
“Baby, please, we can help—” I started, but Olive cut me off.
“I’m not totally unconscious. The sedatives keep theedge off when the pain gets to be too much.” She chewed on her lip, and I leaned over to free it with my thumb. “But I lied about it when I took this job.”
Now her tears were falling steadily, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Finn cursed and tightened his hold on her, a purr starting up in his chest.
