Page 22 of Trick or Heat

I fight the urge to flick him when Brodie says, “More like who is Casey.”

Elsie looks at him with wide eyes and nods.

“Okay…” We all look at each other, unsure of what to do, and the longer it goes on the more upset Elsie looks. Her face twists, her eyes watering until a single tear spills over, and then she’s sobbing, inconsolable. We all put our hands up, not knowing if we’re supposed to touch her to comfort her or what.

“Omega, it’s okay,” DJ tries, reaching for her first, but she snaps her arm away and gets up from the bed. “Where are you going?”

She runs to the closet, her cries never subsiding as she closes herself inside.

“No!” Brodie gets up, going after her. He just barely stops the closet door from closing all the way. “It’s okay, baby, we’ll figure something out.”

I come behind him, looking over his shoulder to see a still-distraught omega sitting on the floor of her closet. I crouch down, putting myself at eye-level with her.

“Omega.”

She looks up through wet lashes, her blue eyes captivating even while sad and tear-rimmed.

“I will go get Casey,” I tell her, and a whine climbs up her throat. “But you have to get back in the bed with DJ and Brodie, okay? I will fix this.”

She looks hesitant, like she doesn’t want to be anywhere but the dark alcove of her closet, but then she nods.

“Be gentle,” I whisper to Brodie. “I’ll go find her phone. Maybe this person’s contact info is in there.”

I venture out of the bedroom once more, focused on finding the device that I saw in the omega’s hands earlier today. Things happened so fast, and my instincts were fully preoccupied by Elsie and the pain she was feeling. Did she drop the phone? Put it down? I can’t remember, but when I get to the kitchen, I quickly find it lying on the counter.

Her phone case is sparkly, the case shimmering with glitter. The pumpkin pop socket makes me smile as I pick it up, holding it delicately in my hand. When I go to unlock it, the lock screen appears, asking for a password. I curse.

I wrack my brain, but I don’t have any context clues to determine what her passcode might be. I could do all the usual numbers, but I’d probably get locked out quick doing that. Instead, I hold down the side button and wait for the voice command feature to respond.

A little icon flashes on the screen and I say, “Call Casey.”

They answer on the very first ring.

“Elsie? Is everything okay?” a male asks, his voice laced with concern.

I pull the phone from my ear and look at the screen, spotting the contact picture there. Elsie has her face up against the caller, their smiles huge and silly as they take the selfie. I faintly recognize him by his blond hair and bright-blue eyes. This is the guy from her profile.

I put the phone back to my ear and gulp. “Hey, this isn’t Elsie, actually.”

“Where is she?” he asks in distress. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, but she’s been asking for you.”

He’s quiet for a moment. “Is she in heat?”

I tense, not knowing who this person is or who he is to Elsie. I should be feeling extra protective of my scent match. She’s an omega having her very first heat, and his question should send my hackles up, but it doesn’t. If anything, I want to tell him everything I know.

“She is. It’s been about six hours, and now she’s refusing to let us touch her. She keeps asking for you.” I pause and then add, “She wants you.”

There’s a growl that comes through the phone that sounds more chihuahua than bulldog. My lip twitches.

“If I get over there and find that you guys have hurt her, I will fucking⁠—”

“Jeez,” I laugh, my smile breaking free. “It was smooth sailing until she started thinking about you. Maybe I should be accusing you of leaving your omega in her time of need.”

There’s another pause, and then the man sighs.

“I will be there right away. Stay by the door.”