Page 24 of Golden Omega

“Do you need more time?” Altan offered, and I wanted to smack him in the back of the head. Yes, he was right to offer but I wanted no more distance from our mate.

“No. I don’t. Karissa and Tawny said something about courting? I think it’s like dating. And then there’s something else.”

My mind put all the pieces together in one split second.

“Tell us, omega.” Altan walked over and took her hand. She leaned over, rubbing her cheek on his shoulder, and before she spoke, I knew. That new, stronger scent wasn’t new flowers. It was her.

“You’re in heat,” I said. “Or you’re about to be.”

She nodded. “I am. It started last night. I felt overheated and there was some cramping in my belly. I called Karissa this morning. She confirmed it. She said that once you meet your scent-matches, your pack, it comes on pretty quick.”

We let the knowledge sit. No one spoke for a while.

“I would very much like you three to take care of me through it. You’re my pack, aren’t you?”

Tears streamed down her face. This sweet omega. So strong and smart and capable needed us to confirm what we had known since the second we laid eyes on her. Smelled her. Heard her voice.

“Baby, look at me.” Altan said, and I was glad. Our alpha would be the best at making things clear. Not that I couldn’t, but his alpha power would drive the point home. Hema lifted eyes shining with unshed tears. This relenting must’ve been tough for her. She’d relied on herself and steeled herself for so damned long. Trusting in others after that had to be hard to do. “You are our omega. Our scent-match. Our fated mate, and I think I speak for all of us when I say we love you already and would be honored to see you through your heat.”

Her body relaxed. Her overpowering perfume filled the air, penetrated every molecule.

“Before this really happens, we need consent, baby,” Altan continued.

“I thought I just did?”

Altan squeezed her hand and not being able to be away from her another second, I walked over and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “Before you go into the heat haze, we want full consent. We need to hear the words so that we don’t do anything you don’t want.”

“Be more specific, please.”

My turn. “You want us to help you through your heat with sex? You need to decide on knotting. Marking. I’d rather die than to do anything to hurt you during the most vulnerable part of your life.”

Every cheek in the place went red. But we had to talk about this.

She cleared her throat. “I want all of that.”

“No, baby.” Altan took her chin in his hand, forcing eye contact. “Get specific. It’s just us. There’s nothing about this that is embarrassing or weird. Trust me. We will give you anything you want.”

“I want the three of you to get me through my heat with sex. I want each of you to fuck me.”

“All three of us? One at a time?”

“All of it,” she squeaked.

“Good girl. What else? Tell us everything.” Altan’s voice dipped low. It made her shiver.

“I want all of your knots and if you don’t mark me and make me yours, I’ll be a very upset omega.”

Altan kissed her temple. “Well, we can’t have that.”

“Oh…” She pressed her hand to her belly. “I…the first wave is coming. It’s coming on hard. I…the closed sign. I need…my nest. In my apartment. Now, please, alphas.”

Chapter Twenty

Hema

I don’t know how I got home. Did they drive me in a car? Did I walk under my own power? Did they carry me like a sack of potatoes?

It didn’t matter because from the moment I asked them to get me home, everything blurred until I opened my eyes and found myself on my bed, naked and splayed out. Slick and perfuming and a ball of need.