Page 22 of Puck Your Bunny

We sit cross-legged on the bare mattress, passing foil wrappers and fries. The fever backs off just enough to give us a quiet break. Vayda holds a cheeseburger in both hands, taking slow, mechanical bites. She stares at the floorboards, keeping her gaze blank to block us out.

I bump my knee against hers to bring her back. "You doing okay, sweetheart?"

Vayda blinks, her shoulders stiffening before she nods. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Her scent tells a different story. The sweet lavender carries a bitter edge of guilt. She chews her food, eyes locked on the floorboards.

Simon leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "We want to help. Whatever is going on in that head of yours, you can tell us."

Vayda sets her half-eaten burger on a foil wrapper. She pulls her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around her shins, shrinking into herself. "There's nothing to tell."

She shuts down, burying her face against her knees. I catch Kel's eye over her head. His jaw ticks with frustration. He keeps quiet. We finish our meal, letting her keep her secrets.

During her quiet moments, I keep her hydrated. I grab one of the plastic water bottles Kristy left by the door and hold it out to her.

She stares at the clear plastic, her gaze remaining vacant.

I nudge her hand with the cold bottle. "Drink some water, sweetheart. You need to stay hydrated."

She blinks, focusing on the bottle before taking it from my grip. She gulps it down, letting drops spill over her chin and collarbone. I wipe the moisture away with my thumb. She rests her head against the wall, her eyes closing as the fever spikes again, dragging her back under.

The heat burns through us for three days. We stay confined to the carpenter's shed, the air thick with the smell of sex and sweat. The hockey season, the playoffs, and our buzzing phones fade into the background. My entire universe narrows down to the four walls of this workshop and the Omega on the mattress.

I take my turn on the afternoon of the third day, her skin flushed as her body works through the final push.

Crawling over her, I spread her thighs wide. I align my tip with her slick entrance and bury myself deep inside her with a single thrust. Vayda screams, her nails digging into my shoulders. I lean down and claim her mouth, swallowing her cries in a bruising kiss. The fast pace pushes her over the edge, breaking the rejection sickness for now.

An intense pressure builds at the base of my shaft. I drive my hips forward, forcing my thick knot past her opening. It locks us together, stretching her inner walls. I groan against her lips, pumping deep inside her.

I lift my head to watch her face. Her eyes roll back, the tension draining from her limbs until she goes boneless beneath me. Her sweet lavender and honeysuckle scent blooms in the small space, settling in my chest.

By the end of the third day, the frantic energy in the shed evaporates. Vayda falls into a deep sleep against my chest. I sit with my back against the wall, my legs stretched out on the mattress while she curls into my side, her head resting in the crook of my neck. Her breathing turns slow and steady.

I wrap my arm around her bare shoulders, pulling her closer. Reaching up, I brush the damp red hair away from her forehead and trace the silver-gray roots with my thumb.

She survived a condition that kills most Omegas, fighting a war inside her own body. The thought of walking away from her makes my chest tight.

Kel and Simon sleep on the other side of the mattress, sprawling across the space. The silence in the shed is peaceful for the first time in days.

She shifts against my chest, her blue eyes fluttering open. She blinks a few times, staring at the wood paneling across from us.

Her breath catches. She scrambles backward, pushing out of my grip. Spotting her oversized t-shirt and yoga pants crumpled near the metal cabinet, she lunges across the mattress and snatches them with shaking hands.

She turns her back to us, shoving the shirt over her head and pulling the pants up her legs, struggling with the fabric in her rush to cover up.

The sudden movement wakes Kel and Simon. Kel sits up, rubbing a hand down his face, while Simon blinks the sleep out of his green eyes.

Vayda turns to face us near the door of the shed. Clutching the hem of her oversized shirt, she stares at us with wide, terrified eyes. "I'm thankful for your help. You saved my life. I know that. But this can't happen again."

The words hit me like a puck to the chest. I stand up and step off the mattress, keeping my hands open and visible to show I'm giving her space.

I take a slow step forward. "We're a match, sweetheart. We spent the last three days pulling you out of bond rejection. Whatever your situation is, whatever is going on inside that house, we can figure out a plan together. We can fix it."

Vayda shakes her head, backing up until her shoulders hit the wooden door. "You can't fix this. You are all still so young. If there was a second match for me, there's another Omega out there for you. One who fits your lives."

Kel stands up, his dark eyes flashing with frustration. "You're the only Omega we want. We found you."

Vayda points a shaking finger at us. "I'll ruin you. You are star players in your prime. You're the faces of a massive franchise. The second the tabloids get wind you found a broken, older Omega with my kind of baggage, they'll tear you apart. The media will ruin your careers. I won't be the reason you lose everything you worked for."