Page 22 of All Packed Up

“If you keep helping me, they are going to come after you too,” she warned, looking down at her lap. She swiped her fingers over the condensation on the glass of water, watching the beads collect before sliding down the surface. “So I understand if you don’t—”

“Good,” Nic answered.

Wendy jerked her head up. “What?”

Nic finally crossed the room and sat on the bed, gaze level with hers. What she saw was a strength not often reserved for betas.

“Good. I hope they try to come after me. They’ll find out really quick how hard it is to pick on someone their own size.”

Wendy didn’t know if she wanted him to get more involved. She was endangering him just by being there.

Yet she didn’t move.

“You couldn’t take all of them,” she scoffed.

Nic just stared at her, and her throat went dry. Surely he couldn’t take four alphas? No. There was no way.

“I could. No one said I had to play fair.”

“Nic,” she warned, narrowing her gaze. “You cannot fight them, I don’t care how long you’ve owned a fighting gym.”

A grin tugged at his mouth, and his lips parted before closing again. “Oh…” He dragged out the word in surprise. “You meant fighting.”

It took three seconds for Wendy to catch on. “Nic!” she yelled, mouth dropping open in shock. A laugh bubbled out at his ridiculousness. “You’re impossible!”

He chuckled, and seeing his smile again made her feel at ease. Maybe she was easy.

Or he knew just how to make her feel better. Damned all-knowing beta. Rolling her eyes at him, she sipped her water again and eyed him over the rim of the glass.

“Thanks for letting me freak out,” she said, cheeks heating. She’d really lost it on him, hadn’t she?

“Don’t apologize, and don’t thank me,” Nic said, running a hand through his hair. His brows furrowed. “I only did what your alphas should have been doing all this time—taking care of you.”

Wendy wanted to cry all over again, but she swallowed it down and sat the glass on the bedside table, ice clinking. Warmth began to rekindle in her core, and while her heat could have better timing… nothing had made her want Nic less.

But just as she shifted to crawl across the bed for the world’s sexiest seduction… her stomach growled.

Chapter 6

NIC

Nic was furious. He wanted to hunt down those alphas, and he didn’t even know the full details of what had happened to Wendy. But just seeing her break down was enough.

Nic would be seeing Wendy through this heat, whatever that meant to her. He would be content watching the door like a goddamned guard dog if that was what she needed.

But right now…

“I should feed you. You need food,” Nic stated.

Cheeks red, she nodded, and Nic watched as she pulled the blanket tighter around her. She looked tired as she blinked up at him, her smile slipping away in the shape of a yawn. “I’m tired. A shower would be nice.”

“And food?” he urged. He couldn’t have the omega in his care going hungry. He’d gotten so many snacks for her, basically everything on her list but—

“You’re going to think I’m crazy but… I really want some cheese.”

Nic blinked at the omega. “Cheese? Are you a mouse?” His lips twitched.

“Yes… cheese. Mousetrap not required,” Wendy drawled.