Page 102 of The Bright Omega

I light up immediately. “Absolutely! Poker is my jam.”

Beck’s grin turns wicked. “Strip poker.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “Do you remember what I just said?”

He laughs, then taps his finger to his temple. “Locked in tight. I remember everything, sugar.”

Piers huffs from his spot at the counter. “The problem is you only hear what you want to.”

We end up playing regular Texas Hold’em. Beck loses the first hand and takes off his shirt. I raise one brow, and he grins back at me, completely unrepentant. “Just seeing if you changed your mind.”

We play for hours. I take everyone’s money with ruthless efficiency, stacking chips and grinning like a shark. Finn eventually leans back with a defeated laugh. “It’s not fair playing with her. She’s too good at this.”

Beck leans forward, eyes sparkling. “It’s the tits. They’re distracting.”

I chuckle and lean back in my chair. “I think I’m out, though. I’m so tired today.”

Finn reaches over to press the back of his hand to my forehead. “You’re a little warm.”

Beck shifts, the flirt disappearing instantly. He gets up, walks around the table, and touches my forehead himself. His expression shifts. “It’s go-time. Your heat will be here soon. Why don’t you go upstairs and sleep a while?”

I sigh dramatically. “Ugh. That means I have to climb stairs.”

Leith stands without a word, gently moving Beck out of the way. “Not this time.”

In one smooth motion, he scoops me up bridal-style, like I weigh nothing. I let out a surprised laugh and wrap my arms around his neck as he carries me toward the stairs.

Behind me, I hear Piers giving orders. “Beck, check the refrigerator and call in for anything we’ll need. Finn, make sure the nest has fresh water, extra blankets, and the cooling pads ready. I’ll double-check the security system and make sure the house is fully locked down.”

Leith carries me up the stairs without a word, his arms steady and strong beneath me. I rest my cheek against his shoulder.

“What are you thinking?” he asks, voice low.

I snuggle closer against his solid chest. “I was thinking that Old AF Doug could never have carried me up these stairs.”

“Woman,” he growls, taking the final step.

I laugh softly into his shirt. “Don’t ‘woman’ me. I’m sick.”

He huffs. “You’re not sick. You’re going into heat.”

“Same thing.”

“Definitely not,” he says, carefully lowering me into the middle of my nest. “If you were sick, I wouldn’t be thinking about fucking you. I’d be feeding you soup.”

I prop myself up on my elbows. “So, you want to fuck me?”

“Always,” he growls. He leans down and kisses me deeply until I’m thoroughly wrecked. When he pulls back, his eyes are dark. “But not now. You need sleep. You’ll get plenty of my cock over the next week.”

I plop back down with a contented sigh. He’s right. This will be my first proper heat in years. My omega is going to be a force. But right now, all I want is sleep.

“Love you,” I murmur, already drifting.

“Love you too,” he says quietly. The door clicks shut behind him.

forty-seven

The Pack