Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Saint Cage, Haven
I awake with a gasp.
Heat washes over me in waves.
Fevered, I roll around on the soft bed. My skin is itching, but it’s soothed by the iridescent blue silk sheets on the four-poster bed.
Sheets that smell deliciously of sugar cookie martini.
“Alpha!” I whine, burrowing my face on Thomas’ pillow.
Wait, I’m lying on Thomas’ bed.
How did that happen?
Dazed, I struggle to sit up and stare down at myself.
I’m only dressed in a single, long white shirt. It’s male and large, skimming past my thighs.
I’m bare beneath it.
I sniff at the collar.
It’s Thomas’ shirt from last night at the bar.
My inner Omega purrs in delight to be dressed in my Alpha’s clothes.
But Thomas isn’t mine. He’s only mine for this heat.
If I only get to hold him for twenty-four hours, then I’ll make the most of every touch and kiss.
But why has my heat hit so early and hard?
I squeeze my thighs together, as slick gushes from my pussy.
Is it because I finally met my scent match? The man who I’ve secretly crushed on since we were kids? Who I’ve become friends with all over again through the dating app?
Lying in his clothes and surrounded by his scent is exhilarating in a way that I’ve never experienced before.
Suddenly frightened, I reach up to graze my neck.
No scent inhibitor patches.
Panic rushes through me. My heart speeds up.
What’s going to happen? Will I survive the heat without them?
But my temples aren’t throbbing. I don’t feel sick.
Thomas’ scent is like a protective shield around me.
I need my Alpha.
I need to be knotted.
Please…
I shudder, skimming my hand over my heated skin to soothe myself. When I graze over my nipples, they harden.
I snatch away my hand, forcing myself to clutch onto the blankets instead.
How can I distract myself from the pulsing need between my thighs?
My vision is hazy, but I glance around myself, curious.
This is where Thomas sleeps.
This is where he’s lain at night, surrounded by paperwork, as he’s chatted with me.
Is this where he’s jerked off to thoughts of me like I have to fantasies of him?
Thomas could have put me in a guest suite. It’s what I was expecting. I wondered if he had an Omega Chamber. But he’s chosen to share his own bedroom, which is personal.
Intimate.
Why?
Does he truly trust me that much?
By Traditional rules, by placing me in his own bed, he’s treating me like a bonded First Omega, rather than a defective Reject who he’s merely helping through their heat.
My heart clenches.
Why am I wishing that I could be bonded to Thomas?
A Snake could never survive in a elite pack.
I’m going to enjoy this fantasy, however, while I have it.
I roll around on the silky sheets, giving a deep purr. Then I blink when a long, white cat hair tickles my nose.
I trace my finger over the hairs that are caught in the bedding.
So, Thomas really does have a cat.
Thomas has used his expensive suits to build the walls of a nest around me. They’re moss colored and they make me feel like I’m cradled by nature.
Then when I roll to the side of the nest, I find myself cradled in the wings of the largest peacock stuffie that I’ve ever seen.
My purr deepens.
I run my hands over the peacock’s silky iridescent tail that’s woven with ribbons.
I rub my cheek down its soft, downy neck.
It feels sensory and amazing on my skin.
Is it Thomas’? Special to him?
It makes me smile to think of him lying with this next to him at night. Is it from his childhood?
It’s worn around the edges like he’s had it for a number of years. It’s deeply scented of him in a way that the sheets aren’t. I glow that he’d add it to my nest.
I’ve never been in a nest built by an Alpha before.
The ivory shutters have been opened, and the windows have been thoughtfully flung open, allowing a breeze to cool my flushed cheeks.
Morning light streams through.
Shit, I’ve slept the full night here.
I can just make out a garden with clipped bushes and rose gardens beyond, which is surrounded by a high stone wall. My eyes light up at the glimpse of a real peacock’s tail, which is perched on a sloping lawn.
The peacock’s gentle honking is soothing.
I remember the photograph of Thomas that Lincoln showed me on his iPhone.
I’m inside that mansion.
My pulse roars inside my ears at the thought.
Yet it’s equal parts excitement as fear.
The room is grand with high ceilings and wooden floors. It’s meticulously neat.
My eye is caught by a deep alcove on the far wall, next to an engraved teak chest of drawers and wardrobe. The floor to ceiling high alcove is filled with books. Some have their spines hanging off or are faded like they’ve been well read.
Yet next to that is an alcove that’s equally crammed with vinyl records.
Perhaps, Vito could be convinced to like Thomas.
A book lies beside the bed on the nightstand with a worn leather bookmark in it.
I smile, hugging the stuffie, imagining Thomas sitting here late at night quietly reading.
If I had more energy, then I’d lean and open the book, touching the pages that his fingers have lovingly stroked.
The bed has been pushed up against the wall, and it makes the nest easier to snuggle into and feel safer.
It’s my nest fortress.
Shimmering blue and green satin drapes, which match the color of the wallpaper, cover the four-poster bed.
A fan is slowly turning overhead. But I’m still burning up from the inside.
Thomas is the only one who can put out the flames and help me through this heat.
Where is he?
“Tom,” I whimper. “Alpha.”
“I know that you miss this ass,” I hear the door open, and Lincoln slips into the bedroom, “but you’d really go to extreme lengths to see me again.”
“Shut up, gargoyle,” I mumble but I’m grinning.
Even though the fire hasn’t abated, which is raging through me, knowing that Lincoln is here has made my anxiety lower.
When I hold out my hand, Lincoln immediately marches across the bedroom. His shoes are loud on the wooden floor, and it strikes me how peaceful it is here.
Well, apart from the peacock’s honking.
I’m used to the bustle of the center of Haven. This house, on the other hand, feels shut away from the world.
Lincoln falls to his knees next to the bed, taking my hand in his. He drops a kiss onto the back of my hand.
“Are you okay?” He asks, studying me.
“Hot.” I squirm closer to Lincoln, dragging the peacock stuffie with me. I refuse to let go of its softness or Thomas’ scent. I shoot Lincoln a warning look, when he appears close to laughing. “Need a knot.”
I can’t help the aching, biological desire right now for an Alpha.
I try to silence the small voice in the back of my mind that supplies my Alpha .
“I don’t have one of those.” Lincoln’s expression becomes strained, and I wish that he didn’t have a lifetime of being made to feel less worthy to explain that. “But I can still help.”
He picks up a cloth that’s resting in a bowl of cool water on the nightstand. Then he dabs the sweat from my brow.
I get the feeling that he’s been tending to me, while I’ve been unconscious.
“So,” Lincoln lays the cloth back in the bowl, “Seven, huh? A good guy ? Fancy being besties with the deputy for a month, while also being his scent match. Vito must think that he’s stepped through a portal into an alternate world.”
Vito…shit.
I struggle to sit up, and Lincoln looks alarmed. “Vito must be freaking the fuck out. Did Tom kidnap me? You need to tell Vito. He’ll be frantic. I can’t think straight. My mind’s hazy with the heat. Where am I? What…?”
“Luckily, I’m a professional,” Lincoln soothes, as his silver flecked gray eyes meet mine. “Tom caught you, when you fainted and fell into heat. He wanted to get you out of there, away from the Alphas and somewhere safe to ride out your heat as soon as possible. So, he rang me. He doesn’t have many people that he can trust. Looks like I’m good at my job, huh? Plus, he knew that I had your brother’s number.”
“Fuck,” I whisper.
“ Good guy , remember? Vito cussed…a lot…then he pulled his head out of his ass, and I convinced him to travel with us here. I had to talk him down from tearing out Tom’s throat for daring to date you. He thought that it was some kind of cruel trick or dare. I made him believe that it wasn’t. Vito asked me to swear to help you through this heat and not to leave you alone. Is that what you want?”
“It is,” I reply. “It’s what Tom wants. I think…” It may be my heat addled mind drawing conclusions, but I feel like I’m finally seeing clearly. “…he wants us both .”
Lincoln’s eyes widen. “Fuck. What if we have a chance of a real pack here?”
I whine.
I can’t let myself hope for that.
I can’t fall for Thomas.
I need to concentrate on this heat and nothing else, even if Thomas would want both Lincoln and me.
I don’t even know if Thomas would run from his pack or can be rescued.
Lincoln lowers his face closer to mine. “Vito also made me promise that if you decide not to go through with this heat, then to send him a coded message, and he’ll get you out of here.”
I smile.
Vito’s a protective brother. I know that he’ll stage a rescue mission the moment that I need one.
Vito knows the dangers of me being in the home of the Saint pack. If Dad discovers that I’m here, then we’re all in danger.
Yet Thomas must have acted with decency, if he managed to convince Vito not to kick his ass.
“Tom’s shirt looks good on you.” Lincoln’s grin becomes wicked. “You looked cute carried in his arms like a swooning damsel. And he looked cute carrying you, while dressed in his best fuck me suit. Tom appeared to love taking the strong Alpha role. Personally, I think that it’s awesome you’re here with me, my fated. Because Tom is ours . He always has been. This scent match proves it.”
“Ours,” I repeat, dazed.
“Our fated,” Lincoln repeats.
Slick gushes from my pussy at the thought, and I twist onto my back. I writhe, struggling not to push my hand down to rub over my aching clit.
The thought of being caught between these two powerful men — of being fated mates to each of them — makes my head spin.
Plus, something has changed in Lincoln’s tone, when he talks about Thomas.
There isn’t a dark edge to his words anymore.
They must truly be getting along.
I bite my lip. “You like him.”
“He’s mine,” Lincoln says, possessively. “And I protect what’s mine.”
Anxiety shoots through me, clearing my mind.
“What are you protecting him from?” I ask.
“ Who ,” Lincoln replies. He pulls himself up from his knees and sits next to me on the bed. “We’ll talk about this more after your heat. But there’s a mystery here that I’m still unraveling. I respect Tom. Why? He treats his staff and Betas well. He looks after everyone else’s needs before his own. He’s been away himself from Haven and only recently got back. What’s wrong in his pack is down to the mayor and not him.”
I scowl. “He followed orders in our bakery.”
Lincoln looks like he’s choosing his words carefully. “Don’t we all know about wearing masks? But underneath, Tom’s broken.”
“Why?” I worry at a frayed thread on the peacock’s wing.
“That’s his story. I don’t know if he’ll be able to talk about it. Fuck, I couldn’t.” Lincoln reaches up to tuck back the stray curl that always falls in front of his eye. The familiarity of the gesture makes me relax again. “Move over.”
I roll my eyes. “There’s a wet patch.”
“I’m normally the one saying that,” Lincoln teases.
Lincoln clambers carefully into the nest.
“You’ll wreck your beautiful suit,” I protest.
“I’ve got the money to dry clean it,” Lincoln replies, proudly. “Tom put my first salary in an account for me as an advance. He doesn’t charge for food or lodging either like I was expecting him to. I’m going to spoil you with every dollar that you don’t need for your bakery.”
His eyes are glittering with pride and joy.
“It’s your money.” I nuzzle against Lincoln’s neck. He wraps his arms around me. “I want you to buy something that makes you happy.”
“Buying treats for my Omega will make me happy.”
I purr.
I am an Omega, after all.
What Omega doesn’t feel treasured when they’re given a gift that truly means something? And this — Lincoln finally being able to afford to buy me things — means everything to him.
So, it does to me as well.
“I’ll get you through this heat. I have a tray with Gatorades, chocolate, and fruit all ready. For the next twenty-four hours, while Tom and you are lost in the frenzy of your heat and ruts, I’ll care for you.” Lincoln smiles like this is the best thing to ever happen to him. I trust him. I know that he’ll look after both of us. “But first, I have something to tell you.”
The sudden seriousness of his tone snaps me even further out of my haze.
What the hell is he going to say?
“Since you’re going to be spending your heat with Tom, you need to know this.” Lincoln’s talking so quietly that I have to strain to hear. “I mean, I did promise to castrate him, if he hurt Omegas, which would make it hard for you to use his knot. But he hasn’t hurt any. In fact, he fired the last bodyguard who made that revolting log that we read about OG. His first order was that I treat the male Omega with kindness, respect, and under no circumstance discipline him .”
I pull back to blink at Lincoln. “Are we sure that Tom’s a Traditional Alpha?”
Lincoln smirks. “Here’s hoping that we can seduce him to the liberal side.”
I know that I’ve been holding back with Thomas. I’ve felt coiled tight inside.
Knowing that Thomas is kind to the male Omega, slowly lets it unwind.
Tension bleeds from me.
“So, we’re safe?” I ask.
“Ehm, nope. This is the house where Tom is kept, heavily guarded. Of course, the mayor is yet to work out that most of the Beta guards are loyal to Tom. They’d fucking die for him. It’s called the Saint Cage. For hundreds of years, the Saint pack have used it to imprison political prisoners or pack members who are in disgrace. This has just turned into a double rescue mission.”
“Can I survive my heat first?” I whine. “Where’s Tom? I need him.”
“Hopefully, locked in his study still or taking a cold shower to keep himself under control. You smell fucking edible, and that’s to me. To your Alpha scent match…? Let’s just say that Tom has badass self-control that he hasn’t fallen into full rut yet. I’ve never seen a man look so hard in his pants before. It was like a tent pole down there, lucky bastard for being that blessed,” Lincoln mutters.
I narrow my eyes. “I want Tom.”
“Doctor first, fucking after.” Lincoln tilts his head. “I saw Alpha kids being given candy after their shots. I never did, but the jokes on them, when I don’t get cavities. So, same thing now. Tom has requested that a doctor check you over, under NDA, to be certain that with your OHS and the unexpected and powerful onset of your heat there aren’t complications. Treat of fucking after.”
Lincoln has interesting logic sometimes.
I scrunch up my nose.
Omega specialists are expensive.
It’s kind of Thomas to arrange this. It must have been even more expensive to hire a discrete one at short notice.
Yet it still scares me because what if they discover that my OHS is worse than I know? What if there truly is a problem with this heat?
All of a sudden, the door slams open, and a man totters into the room without knocking. He’s an elderly Beta with winter-white hair and sparse beard.
I gasp, dragging the blanket over myself. Lincoln sits up, alert.
The Beta crosses the room to lean over me.
He peers at me through metal glasses. He’s wearing a neat, tailored jacket.
“Be quiet and stop fussing,” the elderly Beta says, testily. His voice is nasally and pompous. “Listen, obey, and don’t waste my time. I’ve already done most of my tests, while you were unconscious. I don’t normally attend Rejects, especially ones who are defective and likely to die. My name is Doctor McKay, and I’m renowned throughout Virginia as one of the preeminent physicians for Omegas. I’m doing a favor for the mayor’s pack. Let me be clear, for the mayor and not his failure of a son.”
His harsh voice distresses me in my heat state.
I’ve been called defective my entire life. I’ve lived with knowing that life is precious because mine may be snatched from me.
But no one has thrown both things in my face at the same time.
My eyes gleam with tears.
When McKay reaches for my wrist, Lincoln growls, batting the man’s hand away.
“Don’t touch without permission,” Lincoln’s voice is hard as steel. “Don’t speak to her like that again.”
“Do you dare give me orders?” McKay demands, looking outraged. “You’re not a bonded Beta, are you? You’re nothing but a contracted bodyguard. I have your Alpha’s permission to examine this Rej. Now, learn your place, or I’ll tell your boss that you’re lying in bed with the bitch that he’s about to knot.”
I draw in a sharp breath.
Lincoln slowly pushes himself off the bed. He towers over the doctor, who quails and takes a step back, banging into the side of the bed.
“Apologize.” Lincoln slips his hand suggestively to the gun at his belt.
McKay’s eyes widen. “I’m s-s-sorry, Beta.”
“Not to me.” Lincoln’s gaze slides to me on the bed.
I clutch the peacock’s neck.
McKay’s mouth opens and then closes. “You’re not serious.”
Lincoln arches his brow in silent answer.
McKay coughs. “I apologize, Omega.”
Lincoln allows his jacket to fall back over his gun. “Good, now don’t scare or distress her again, when she’s at her most vulnerable. She needs to stay calm. And go ahead, tell my Alpha what I looked like lying in bed with her because it may just make him come in his pants.”
McKay looks scandalized. “If anyone in my pack dared to be as insolent or brazen as you, then they’d be stripped and beaten, until they learned to mind their tongue.”
Lincoln curls his tongue, suggestively. “I know just how to mind this tongue.”
McKay deliberately turns his back on him.
It looks like it costs him to force out, “May I check your pulse?”
I nod, although it makes my skin crawl, when the doctor lifts my wrist. His hand feels papery and rough.
When he tuts, my breath hitches.
What’s wrong?
McKay slides his phone out of his pocket, scrolling through forms with a frown.
“Why did she fall into her heat so suddenly?” Lincoln asks. “Everything’s okay, right?”
McKay shakes his head, and my insides turn to water. “Of course not. She’s a defective Reject with late stage OHS. She has been foolish not to bond with an Alpha. I imagine that no one has wanted to take on an Omega with her issues. An Omega with her flaw of enhanced senses suddenly meeting her scent match accelerated her heat. It will also make it more extreme, when it hits fully in the next couple of hours.”
“What does that mean?” I’m trembling and I can’t stop.
I’m terrified.
McKay’s eyes glint with vindictiveness. “This will be your last heat, Omega, because you won’t survive it. As you know, with your nervous system, the only way to stabilize the condition is to bond. Your chances would be increased by multiple bonds. But since you’re a Reject, being knotted by the elite Saint pack for entertainment and not a bond, this heat will be deadly.”