Ash’s blood heated in a way he’d rarely felt outside of his new heats, although his dick was too spent to even twitch. Okay, it was possible hedidwant to be covered it those things on the daily—and that was another thing to process later—but he reserved the right to bathe afterward.
Ash stepped out of the shower to find clean clothes on the counter, as well as a beautiful, blessed water bottle. Someone must have been in and out without him hearing the door open or close. He dressed quickly, stealing gulps of ridiculously satisfying water in between donning pieces of clothing.
He found Spencer and Ryder in the kitchen, deep in the process of making breakfast. Omelets, from the look of it. And bacon this time.
Neither seemed surprised to see Ash awake, which made sense considering the clothing delivery. From the scent of it, they’d both been up for a while, at least long enough to have taken showers of their own. No one reeked of sex, at the very least.
“What day is it?” Ash asked, the question coming out in a hoarse croak. Too much fucking moaning wasn’t good for the throat, apparently.
“Tuesday morning,” Ryder answered, stepping in quickly to run a hand over Ash’s neck, scent marking his fresh skin.
“That long?” It had been Saturday when his heat had started, hadn’t it?
“I told you, spitfire. Your heats have something against Monday classes.”
Ash cocked his head. Spencer was making his jokes, but there was none of the usual lightness in his voice. He wasn’t dancing around the kitchen, either, or making comments about macros. He was fully clothed and hunched over the stove, plating the last omelet without meeting Ash’s gaze directly.
Ryder glanced between the two of them, his expression unreadable. “Sit,” he said after a moment. “You need to eat.”
Ash didn’t bother arguing. His body felt heavy and light at the same time, like it couldn’t decide between crashing to the floor and floating up to the ceiling. Food was very, very necessary.
“I’m an omega now.” He didn’t know why he said it, other than that it seemed like the kind of thing to say out loud. And because maybe he wanted Spencer to turn around.
“We know,” Ryder told him, placing a plate piled high with bacon directly in front of Ash, because he was the best person in the whole fucking world. “You smell like it. Sweet, but without the char of your heat. We should make an appointment at the clinic for this afternoon.”
Ash shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth as Ryder sat down next to him. He turned back toward Spencer. “You’ll come?”
Spencer didn’t make a teasing comment about Ash talking with his mouth full. He only cleared his throat and brought the omelets to the table. “I don’t know. Noah?—”
Ash grunted in dismissal. “I’ll deal with him later.”
Spencer sat down at the table across from Ryder and Ash, but he still wouldn’t meet Ash’s eye. What was with him this morning? Had he had a bad time during the heat? The very thought sent Ash’s stomach plummeting.
But not as much as Spencer’s next words.
“Noah wants to talk to you as soon as your heat’s over. So, like, now.”
Ash swallowed his bacon, the edges jagged in his throat. “Then we won’t tell him it’s over yet.”
Now Spencer did look at Ash, and it was impossible to miss the flash of guilt that crossed his face. “He already knows.”
Ash slapped a hand on the table before he could stop himself. “What?”
Spencer winced. “I’m sorry. I had to.”
“It’s not your?—”
Spencer cut him off before he could finish. “Ash, it’s not your secret anymore, either, because he already knows. And he—he was really worried. What happened at the party freaked him the fuck out, and I don’t blame him. And he’s your brother, and he fucking loves you. Just talk to him. Please.”
So this was what it was like when Spencer stopped going with the flow and stood his ground. And he was doing it for Noah, because in the end, Spencer was sweet and he was loyal, and Ash had finally pushed him too fucking far.
Ash was almost proud of him, except for the big part of him that fucking hated it. This morning was supposed to be about the three of them, about how they could all fit together now that Ash’s mess was settled.
Except not all of Ash’s mess was settled, was it?
Ash let out a long breath. “Is he already on his way?”
Spencer nodded bleakly. Ryder didn’t look surprised at the news, meaning he’d already known. Sneaky asshole.
