Chapter Fourteen
Remington
I ’m about to meet the last four of my suitors, and for some reason, that thought has me completely freaking out.
Gone is the calm I felt the night before while I waited to meet the day four suitors. Although, it could be because of the day four suitors that I’m struggling right now.
I keep wondering if there will be some kind of confrontation with these suitors. I was spoiled by the first twelve, who all got along right from the start. It made the juxtaposition so much more jarring when it came to the day four suitors.
I don’t want to go through that again.
“Remy,” a voice calls quietly.
Swiveling my head, eyes wide as they land on Reginald, who’s approaching me slowly. I already know I’m sinking into a panic attack, my breaths coming out in pants as the realization of how badly this could go swims around in my head.
There have been seasons where there have been physical fights between suitors. I wouldn’t even begin to know how to handle that if it happened, and I’m not an omega who is into gratuitous violence.
I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I don’t want any fights—whether they be verbal or physical. I just want everyone to get along, but that’s not logical. No one is going to get along with everyone else.
“Remy, what’s going on?” Reginald asks, lifting his hand to wave someone over.
My eyes lock with his, and I can’t look away. Right now, he’s the only thing keeping me from losing it altogether.
I don’t even look away when I feel my hand being lifted and placed on his chest. I feel the beating of his heart beneath my fingers and tilt my head as if I can hear it through my ears.
My eyes drop to his chest, watching it rise and fall as sounds begin to rush back in.
Finally, I blink before sighing. “Damn it. I did it again.”
Reginald snorts—in a very unrefined manner, might I add—just as Finn appears beside him.
Finn gives me an appraising look. “It seems you pulled yourself out.”
“Technically, Reginald did, but yes. I’m okay now.”
“Let’s talk about what was going on inside your head that made you panic,” he says as Reginald steps back and my hand falls back to my side. “We need to figure out what’s triggering you.”
Now, it’s my turn to snort. “I already know what triggered me. I’ve been anxious about meeting the last set of suitors because of how the initial group meeting with yesterday’s suitors went. I’m not a fan of confrontation, but sometimes, you just have no choice. Since I already confronted Santiago and Nolan today, I really don’t want to have to do it again. Things just kind of spiraled from there.”
Finn hums. “I’m glad you know what’s causing the issues for you, but we need to work out a way for you to communicate that you’re struggling while it’s happening so we can help you.”
“And that’s the hard part because I don’t always realize it’s happening until the panic attack has started.” Running a hand down my face, I bite back another sigh. Getting frustrated with myself isn’t going to help anything. “But I’m happy to work with you if you can think of anything that’ll help— after I meet my suitors and go on my date tomorrow. I know I’ve ignored my mental health more than I should have, but if I put it off, it’s just going to get worse.”
“If you’re sure,” Finn begins, trailing off when I nod.
“I’m sure. This is what I need to do. Thank you for respecting me enough to know my own boundaries.” Rolling my neck from side to side before doing the same to my shoulders. “Just tell me when to be in your office, and I’ll be there.”
Finn considers me for a moment before nodding. “Okay. Sunday is for you to get to spend time with the suitors as a group. We can meet in the morning or that night?”
“Earlier is better. I don’t know how early you’re usually up, but I’m an early riser.”
“As long as I don’t wake my omega when I leave the room, I can get up earlier. She is not a fan of mornings.“ Finn snorts. “Why don’t we shoot for eight? If you want, we can have breakfast while we talk.”
“Sounds good.” Done with the conversation, I turn back to the driveway, ready to get the show on the road. “I’m ready.”
“Aye, Remy, I believe you are.” Finn pats my shoulder as he passes by, leaving me with just Reginald once more.
“The limo is already on its way,” Reginald assures me as he moves back to his spot.
It’s interesting how I suddenly feel calm. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still worried about the same things, but they don’t feel so overwhelming now. Is it because an alpha was here? Is it because we set up a meeting? Did I just need to have a panic attack and work myself back from it?
I wish I had an answer.
I don’t have to wait long for the first limo to appear, which seems to wipe away the last of my nerves.
Fates above, my anxiety is so fucking weird.
A woman steps out of the limo, and my first thought is of how poised and confident she seems as she smiles. Her black hair is pulled up into an intricate design of curls and braids, leaving her face framed just a few pieces. Her russet brown skin seems to glimmer beneath the lights, as her dress actually does. It’s a pale pink with gems sewn into it, her lips painted a matching color.
When she stops in front of me, a hint of her scent pierces my nose—lemongrass and something woodsy. Another alpha female. Well, aren’t I the lucky one?
“Good evening, Remington. I’m Taylor Larkin.” I take her offer hand and lift it to my lips.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Taylor.” I lower her hand but don’t release my hold on it. “You can call me Remy, and I’d love it if you’d tell me a little about yourself.”
Her smile grows, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Sure. I’m not sure if you’re able to pick up on it beneath the scent blockers, but I’m an alpha. I just turned twenty-six, and I work as an underwriter. When I’m not working, I prefer to spend my time outside. Hiking, running, just walking around an outdoor market—it doesn’t really matter what it is. There’s just something about having sunshine on my face. I’m the youngest of three children. We’re all alphas, but they’re male. We were raised in a pack with one male alpha father, five female betas, and a male omega. We were birthed by different mothers, but we aren’t sure who our father is—there’s been no reason for us to have to know, and I prefer it that way.”
“Wow, so many women in one pack? That’s almost unheard of.”
Taylor laughs. “It really is. There was some pushback from the community, but they all love one another. Watching everything Evangeline had to go through during the last season is what made me apply to be on this season. While it’s not the exact same thing my parental pack went through, it was close enough to resonate with me. I knew I wanted to be a part of what was being created on Heated .”
Realizing I haven’t spoken to any of the suitors about their preferences, I know that’s something we’ll need to talk about—if they feel comfortable with it. It’s not that their preferences will change anything for me, but being the first male omega, that’s something I have to consider. Obviously, everyone on the show is interested in men because they’re here for me, but are they also interested in women?
Maybe that’s a conversation that can be had on Sunday.
“That’s a pretty awesome reason to join the show,” I tell her with a smile. “I don’t enjoy being outside for too long, but I’m always willing to try something new. Maybe you can convince me why I should like sunlight.”
I gape at her as she laughs, as it’s so different from her earlier laugh. This time, she laughs with her whole body, head tossed back and her face lighting up. It makes her even more beautiful.
“Sure, we can work on that.” She squeezes my hand, and we talk a little longer about different activities I should try before Reginald signals for us to wrap it up.
I finally release her hand. “It was wonderful talking to you. I can’t wait to get to know you better.”
“You too, Remy.”
Then I’m watching her walk toward Tessa.
I force myself to turn back to the driveway when I hear the limo. By the time I turn around, the door is already ajar and someone is stepping out, and it takes me a moment to realize I recognize him from a previous season.
That’s Carter Woods from the first season, which means the second man stepping out is none other than Riley Woods.
Both men are a few years older, but Carter looks exactly as he did during Bree’s season. Riley, on the other hand, seems to have matured into his looks. Let’s just hope the same goes for his personality.
They’re both over six feet, but Carter has at least an inch on Riley. Carter moves with a smooth commanding gait, his bronzed terra cotta skin practically shimmers beneath the lights. His hair is still cut close to his head and his face is now covered with a full beard instead of the goatee from season one. He’s more attractive in person, which is saying a lot.
My eyes move to Riley as he walks beside his beta. He has a confident air about him but doesn’t seem to hold the same cockiness as he did before. His dark brown hair no longer flops into his face. Instead, it’s cut close on the sides with the top longer and fashionably styled, and he also sports a full beard. They both wear the tuxedos as if they were born in them.
As they come to a stop, Riley extends his hand. “Hello, Remington. My name is Riley Woods, and this is my beta, Carter. You might recognize us from season one.”
“I do,” I confirm, shaking his hand as wafts of prosecco and nectarines reach me. Their scents are too muddled beneath the blockers to get anything more than that, but I get the feeling when I scent them, I’m going to be swooning. I keep my eyes locked on his dark brown gaze. “I’m glad to see the two of you. And to meet you.”
Carter offers me a smile as he takes my head. “We’re glad to meet you as well. I hope you won’t hold Riley’s behavior from the first season against him.”
“Absolutely not. Not only has it been years, but Riley was dealing with his instincts over a new bond. It could’ve happened to anyone,” I assure them. “With that out of the way, why don’t the two of you tell me a little about yourselves? I don’t recall much from your season, but I’m sure it’ll come back to me as you speak.”
“We’d love to.” Riley clears his throat, running a hand down his jacket. “I’m twenty-seven and an alpha. Since leaving Heated , I’ve grown as a person and an alpha. I spent some time deciding who I wanted to be as a person, as a CEO, and as a pack mate. My father was impressed with the dedication I showed once I realized I needed to be a better man for myself, for Carter, and for our future pack. I took over for him at the beginning of last year. He’s really enjoying his retirement, and I’m mostly enjoying my time running the company.”
I snort out a laugh. “I imagine it can be a little taxing at times.”
“That it can, but I’m doing my best to balance everything so I still have time for Carter.”
Carter nods. “Honestly, it was a wake-up call for both of us. I was a workaholic, and Riley was just coasting by. When he stepped up, I actually stepped back. I’m still working as an ADA, but for now, I’ve decided against pursuing the District Attorney position. That’s something I don’t want to do until we find a pack, and I’m sure it’s something we can all handle. Not having my entire focus on that one limited-time prize has been eye opening. Now I know there’s more to life than working.”
I practically melt into a puddle right then and there.
“That’s so amazing. The two of you were able to take Bree’s rejection as an opportunity to become better men. Not everyone would handle it like that.” I pause, considering them. “Feel free to tell me to mind my own business, but I’m surprised to find you on the show again. With the changes you’ve made, I’m surprised you haven’t found a pack already.”
Riley clears his throat again, eyes falling to the ground as Carter seeks out his hand, squeezing it. “We’ve tried, but not everyone is as open-minded as you. They can’t seem to move past how I acted on Heated . It’s a little disheartening, but when Bree and Tessa reached out, we knew this was the opportunity we’ve been waiting for.”
“Well, I’m really glad that you’re here,” I tell them, frowning when I see Reginald signaling to wrap it up. “As much as I’d love to continue this conversation, it seems we’re out of time.”
Carter reaches for my hand, lifting it to his lips. “It’s been wonderful meeting you, Remington—“
“Remy. Please call me Remy.”
Carter’s smile only grows. “It’s been nice meeting you, Remy. I look forward to getting to know you more outside of the information they provided us.”
“Thank you for being willing to give me a chance,” Riley adds, his fingers stroking along my face. “It means the world to me.”
With those two touches, my body feels like it’s on fire. My cock presses against my pants as I watch the two of them move to join Tessa and Taylor. My perfume scents the air, and I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone, slick is spilling from me.
Sometimes, I really hate being an omega.
No, that’s not true. I love being an omega. I just hate how I can’t hide my reactions to others. Scent blockers and scent cancelers do their best, but there’s only so much that can be done to keep my scent under control.
It would probably be easier if I just learned to accept it.
Turning back toward the driveway, my eyes clash with Reginald’s. My eyes narrow when I notice the stupid smirk he’s wearing.
Would Tyler really miss him?
Before I can contemplate that thought too much, I hear the sounds of the final limo arriving.
Damn. I’m about to meet my last suitor.
My stomach flips as my anxiety makes itself known, but I ignore it all as the limo pulls to a stop. When my last suitor exits, a sigh of relief falls from my lips.
Why? I have no idea. Maybe because I know this is the last suitor I’ll have to meet? I can’t say for sure, but the relief is palpable as he steps toward me.
He’s probably around my height with wavy brown hair that’s so dark it’s almost black. His face is scruffy, as if he forgot to shave, but there’s no way that’s not on purpose. His smile reveals even white teeth and puts me at ease.
“Hello,” he calls, lifting a hand to wave as he approaches.
“Hi,” I say with a smile matching his own. “You’re my final suitor.”
He nods. “That I am. Clearly, they saved the best for last. My name is Ian Dávila-Munoz.”
I take his offered hand as hints of fennel and orange reach me—a beta. It explains why my body relaxes so much in his presence. I’ve heard more than a few assholes talking shit about betas and how they’re nothing special, but let me tell you now, that’s a lie. Betas can help settle both alphas and omegas mood—keeping us calm and relaxed when need be. They’re the caregivers. The ones who make sure we don’t wither away and die when our instincts are screaming at us to do nothing but fuck for days on end during a heat.
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Ian. Please call me Remy.” I don’t release his hand, loving the calming energy practically flowing from him to me. “If you’re up for it, I’d love to hear more about you.”
“I guess it’s only fair since you need to get to know me.” Not once does his smile waver as he holds my gaze with his gorgeous hazel eyes. “I’m thirty-five and a beta—which I think you already figured out. I’m a pharmacist, and I come from a big family. My mom was blessed with five children, all male and all betas, but I haven’t heard her complain once. She’s the sole female in my parental pack. I have two alpha fathers, three beta fathers, and a male omega father. I don’t know who I’d be if it wasn’t for their influence on my life. They taught us from day one to help people. To be kind and loving. It’s why my brothers and I chose the careers we did.”
“Oh?” It’s not often I hear about such large families. It definitely gets the gears in my head turning, wondering if they’ll allow me to study their family too. But I push those thoughts away for now. This is about getting to know a suitor and not how they can help my research.
“You really want to hear about my family?” he asks, shrugging when I nod. “Okay, but you asked for it. We’re all two years apart, and I’m the middle child. My oldest brother is a pediatrician. My next brother is a social worker. My brother that’s just under me is a nurse, and my youngest brother is a teacher. While being a pharmacist might not seem as helpful as my brothers’ career choices, it really came from a desire to help people.
“I grew up in a small town in north Tennessee, and there was a shortage of pharmacists in the area for a long time. We were only able to get medications filled once a month, or we had to drive two hours to the city to get it taken care of. I watched what my omega father had to go through when he lost his suppressants. He has a medical condition that requires him to be on them constantly. Going through a heat could kill him.”
I lay my hand on his arm. “That’s horrible. Especially since I know there isn’t a cure for the two conditions he might have. I can’t imagine not being able to get the medication you need to survive. I’m so sorry that he had to go through that.”
Ian squeezes my hand. “He made it through, but it set me on a course I never veered from at fourteen years old. As soon as I graduated, I moved back home and worked there for seven years. By then, there were three other pharmacists in the area, and I decided to move out west. Even the cities seem to be in need of pharmacists now. I’m lucky my job has such a high demand, and I can make sure that people have access to lifesaving medications.”
“I love that,” I say softly. “I hope one day I’ll be able to say my job helped people in need, too.”
“You will,” he assures me. “I might not understand the ins and outs of what you do, but I know it requires people to spend years working on something to find a cause. Then they do everything they can to fix it. Your job is often overlooked on the helping people scale before you have a breakthrough, but when you do have it, they’ll all talk about you.”
I shrug. “That’s assuming I can have a breakthrough, but that’s enough about my work. If I get started talking about it, you’ll never get me to shut up. Tessa and Bree both told me to avoid talking about my work as much as I can, otherwise it’ll be the most boring season of Heated ever.”
Ian snorts. “I highly doubt that’s what they said.”
“I guess you’ll never know.” I grin, my eyes catching Reginald’s. “It looks like our time of getting to know each other is up. Why don’t we join the other suitors, and I’ll introduce you?”
He nods. “That sounds like a great idea, and I can ask Tessa if she really said that to you.”
“You wouldn’t?”
He scoffs. “I so would.”
Wrinkling my nose, I manage to keep myself from pouting. “Okay, fine. They didn’t say that, but it doesn’t make it any less true. I’m learning that my entire life doesn’t need to be about work, and I’m afraid once I start talking about it, I won’t be able to turn it back off again.”
“That makes sense.” Ian runs a hand down my cheek, sending a shiver down my spine and calm through my body.
Except my dick. That’s not calm at all.
Nope, it’s rock hard because why wouldn’t it be?
Tearing my eyes away from his, I gesture toward the others. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
After a quick introduction, the five of us follow Tessa toward the mansion. I fall back slightly so I can watch the way they interact. Riley and Taylor are talking in quiet voices while Carter and Ian chat. They’re both laughing and smiling, and it sets me at ease.
I knew I was worried there would be a repeat of the day four suitors, but I didn’t realize just how heavily it was weighing on me until just now.
They’re all getting along, and I feel at peace.
I’ve met all twenty of my suitors. Not a single one of them has given off any dangerous vibes—though a few of them have definitely suffered from foot-in-mouth syndrome. I have one more group date to get to know these four better, and then I can finally reunite with the other suitors.
My smile falls away when I realize I still don’t know how Lorenzo is doing. Unlike the others, I won’t be seeing him again. I’m not sure we would’ve been a good match, but I hate that I never got a chance to find out.
I hate that he’s fighting for his life, and I’m here, meeting people and going on dates like it doesn’t matter. Bree and Tessa said they wouldn’t approach me unless they had an update, and I hate that there hasn’t been any.
Is Lorenzo going to be okay? Is there something I could’ve done to prevent this from happening?
I know it’s not my fault, and there’s probably nothing I could’ve done, but it just feels so unfinished. Knowing myself, I won’t be able to let it go until I know he’s better. Because that’s the only outcome I will accept.
“Are you coming, Remy?”
Grinning at the betas who have paused and are looking back at me, I nod. “There’s no place I’d rather be.”
And it’s not even a lie.