Riley hands me Abel’s phone as we walk past. We don’t get very far when he says he’s marking Abel down for Heat leave for the next several days. Abel cringes in my hold, and I squeeze him closer.
We getto my house and I start him a bath. Abel acts dead on his feet.
“Are you feeling better?” I ask.
“No,” he whispers. “But at least I’m not publicly freaking out anymore. I just couldn’t contain myself. I canfeelPerry. Something isn’t right. I got all hot and uncomfortable, then mydick got hard and I panicked and ran to the utility closet because I didn’t know if I’d randomly start spewing pheromones too or not.”
I pull him into a hug. “I’m so sorry you’re going through that.”
“You’re not going through it?”
I shake my head. “I don’t feel him. Or you,” I whisper. Why can’t I feel them when they can obviously feel each other? “But I know I will soon enough. It’s Fate telling me I need to be a better Alpha to you both.” I give him another squeeze and usher him to the bathroom. I leave him in peace to do whatever he needs.
He’s not in the bath for long when he comes out wearing the t-shirt I laid out for him. It’s entirely too big, but he looks adorable in it.
“Feeling better?”
He shakes his head and drops beside me on the couch. His nose wrinkles. “Maybe you should shower.”
“That sounds divine.” I hand him the remote. “Find us something fun to watch.”
I hate leaving him. There is a twinge in my chest, akin to feeling sad. Is that Perry? Or even Abel?
I don’t take a long shower, not wanting to leave Abel for long. I find him curled up on the couch and wrapped in the knitted blanket I always keep on the back. He’s so peaceful. I have to wonder if the connection to Perry broke or something.
The annoying floorboard that always creaks behind the couch cracks like usual and Abel shoots up. His hair is every which way, and I want to smooth it all down.
“Sorry for waking you,” I say.
“‘so kay,” he mumbles and wraps his arms around his knees.
“Can I hold you?”
He nods. When I’m settled on the couch, he climbs right into my lap and sighs.
“Sorry,” he whispers.
“Please, don’t be.” He’s light and smells like me from using my soap. His hair’s still a bit damp. He feels like mine. But?—
“There’s something missing,” Abel says.
“Perry.”
Another nod. “When we’re not all together, it’s like my heart isn’t settled in my chest and knowing he’s not satisfied makes it hurt worse.”
“He told us to stay away.” And I’ll honor that until he requests us.
“Feels wrong.” Abel picks at the collar of my t-shirt.
It does. It really does, but I’m an Alpha that doesn’t force himself on Omegas.
I nuzzle my face in Abel’s throat, breathing deeply. Betas don’t have pheromones like Alphas and Omegas do, but I don’t care because he smells like mine.
Instead of watching something, we both pass out. I know this because the blaring of my phone wakes us both.
“It’s Perry,” Abel whispers when I swipe to accept the FaceTime.
“Are you?—”
