CHAPTER SEVEN - Lyla
I couldn’t sit still. Everything in me felt like it was running at full speed ahead. Once Miss Eloise was settled in her new room, I organized the space and cut out snowflakes to hang from the ceiling with paper and suture thread I’d gotten from the nurses.
Perspiration had me constantly dabbing my face and neck. It was so damn hot in the hospital. Even after slipping outside twice, I didn’t feel any relief.
Thanks to Jason and Ozzi I had nourishment to keep myself going.
There was enough food to last me a few days.
And enough fantasy fuel to supply me with naughty thoughts for several lifetimes.
It didn’t matter how much I tried to distract myself with the magazines, only images of the two sexy Alphas dominated my brain.
“Lyla, dear, why don’t you take a walk? You don’t have to sit with me all day.” Miss Eloise’s voice wasn’t as raspy anymore, but it was still soft and sometimes crackly. We’d joked that she sounded like someone who had eaten too many Christmas cookies and forgot a glass of milk.
“I don’t mind. I’m just a little wired from drinking peppermint coffee and all those carbs I ate this morning.” I laughed and waved it off as if I didn’t feel like I could run around the hospital ten times and still have the energy to do it again.
“It was kind of Jason and Ozzi to bring you food and to help me… help… to this room.” Miss Eloise was forgetting words here and there, but the doctor said it was a minor consequence of the stroke and time would help it. “Jason has always been a sweet boy.”
I perked up, leaning in. “You know Jason?”
“Of course. The Wards have lived in town for several generations. Jocelyn, Jason’s mom, is a teacher, and we worked together years ago organizing programs for the schoolkids.
Jason was always so full of life, and often getting into trouble.
” She chuckled and started to cough. I hurriedly got her the cup on her nightstand and gave her a drink of water. “Thank you, dear.”
I wanted to dig for more information about Jason, but I didn’t want to push Miss Eloise too hard.
Besides, Jason might be sweet and hot as sin, but I didn’t want any Alphas in my life.
I had too much going on with my career, my friends, and now with my housemother, that I didn’t want to lose myself by submitting to an Alpha.
I wanted to burn bright and make clothes that would bring people joy.
I wouldn’t let an Alpha diminish my light.
Time to cleverly change the topic.
“Speaking of schoolkids, lots of people have been asking me to make sweaters for children, and I saw a few great ideas that inspired me in this magazine.” I picked up one of the magazines I had been looking through and flipped to the right page so I could show her the kids’ fashion section.
There was a soft knock at the door, and I turned to see who it was. A sudden burst of relieved energy surged through me. “Mari!”
Mariska rushed toward me, and I jumped up to hug her. It was a little awkward with her full hands, but dammit, I needed my bestie right now. “I’m so sorry. I slept in and not even Artemis woke me. I feel like such an ass not showing up with coffee and breakfast for you.”
“I’m too happy to see you right now to give you trouble.
” Way too happy. I took my sparkly pink duffle from Mariska and smiled.
Were those hickeys on her neck? She had quite the night!
“Thanks for getting my stuff for me. I was going to spend another night here, but Miss Eloise has already told me to go home tonight.” I lowered my voice to a whisper to add, “She’s doing so good, but sometimes she forgets a word or two. ”
My bestie kept her smile, but a ton of emotions welled up in her eyes.
I wanted to hug her again, but she motioned to one of her Alphas.
“Lyla, this is Lucian. I think you only met him once, but he’s the delivery man for the pastry gods today.
I made sure to get all your favorites, plus a peppermint coffee with extra cream. ”
More coffee and treats! I didn’t tell them that I already had a pair of hotties bring me food this morning, because I knew my bestie was trying to make up for sleeping in and cuddling her Alphas. “Bless the pastry gods, and bless you too, Lucian.”
Not even thinking about it, I bounced forward to hug Lucian, but Mariska snatched the back of my sweater and jerked me back. The woman with death in her eyes wasn’t my friend. She was like some wild thing from the darkest jungle and I was her next victim.
Everything in me tensed, freezing me to the spot. Was this what happened to an Omega when she found her mates? I didn’t recognize Mariska. There was no way I was going to let that happen to me.
Mariska blinked, dowsing the fire in her eyes, and blushed. “God, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I did that.”
I most certainly did. Alphas. I didn’t want to make her feel bad, though, and so I burst out with laughter that I didn’t feel. “You totally didn’t want me touching your Alpha. One night with your pack and you’re in deep, girl. That’s absolutely adorable!”
Adorable? Hell, no. I would have to question Mariska later when I could get her alone and make certain she was okay. She had a great future ahead of her, and even if her Alphas were gorgeous, she couldn’t give up her dreams.
Lucian grinned, and Mariska murmured, “If you only knew.”
I giggled as she went to hug Miss Eloise. Trusting our housemother would keep Mariska on track too, I turned back to Lucian. I took a couple of boxes of pastries from him to set on a table.
I nodded my approval. “I see you went to Bryanna’s for the goodies.
My favorite place. Thanks so much for the treats and for taking care of Mari.
” Seeing him watching her, so deeply gone, struck a different chord in me.
Lucian was in love. And the way Mariska kept looking back at him, she mirrored that look.
Damn. If she was in love, I wanted her to be happy. I needed to talk to her even more.
Whatever she chose to do, I would support her.
That’s what friends did. So if Lucian was one of those Alphas Mariska wanted to spend her life with, I would see to it he knew I had her back.
I lowered my voice. “She might be the strongest of us, but she needs all the support she can get. I’m so happy she found you and your pack.
I’ve never seen her glowing like this or wearing a scarf to hide hickeys. ”
Lucian’s eyes widened and he choked on a laugh. But he held up his chin. Yeah, he was proud of our girl. The pack better treat her right or they’d feel my wrath.
“I’d give you a hug if that wouldn’t set Mari on a rampage.
” Definitely not what I wanted. What I needed was a moment to myself.
“But right now, I want to change. I’ve been wearing these leggings and this sweater since yesterday, and I have to wear a different Christmas sweater every day.
It’s my thing.” I picked up my duffle and wagged a finger at him.
“Don’t touch any of the Kringles. Those are all mine, and I will eat every single one when I get back. ”
He saluted me as I zipped out of the room. Emotions jumbled, body too hot, and oh God, please let the bathroom down the hall be empty.
Thankfully no one was in the bathroom, and it was recently cleaned. I shut the door and locked it, leaning against it. I was burning up. Even the cool wood of the door wasn’t helping.
I yanked off my sweater and the t-shirt underneath. My nipples pebbled in my bra, but it wasn’t from any chill. They were so sensitive. I ran my hands over my breasts and shivered. All of me was super reactive, especially the ache pulsing between my legs.
The horny dreams I had the night before were still fresh in my head.
My eyes drifted closed as I imagined it was Jason’s hands on my breasts, cupping and kneading them.
He’d toy with the hard nubs, pulling and pinching them.
I moaned and slid off my bra. It was as if I could feel his breath on my skin and his kisses dotting my chest.
Ozzi would be behind me. His strong hands would massage my shoulders and trail down my back to my hips. He’d tug down my leggings and panties as he nibbled on my neck.
My breathing came in little pants. Kicking off my boots, I removed my leggings and wet panties. The moisture had been soaking through churning my perfume into something thick and musky. How had I not noticed I was that wet? The clear and silky slick…
Slick. I’d never gotten this aroused before. I had a vibrator which focused on my clit, and I thought that made me come before, but I’d never had slick like this.
I hadn’t any reaction to Lucian. He smelled a little like trees, but nothing at all like what Jason and Ozzi smelled like. I wanted to roll up in their Alpha scents, both earthy and summery, and so magnificent.
Once my panties were gone, both of them would reach to caress my pussy. Two hands, teasing and exploring, spreading my slick all around.
I touched myself and gasped. Fuck, I could so easily come right now.
But I was in a hospital bathroom! So not sexy.
I had to push it down. Swiftly going to the sink and turning on the cold water, I splashed myself. Face, chest, abdomen, groin. I hissed as I attempted to douse the fire. Too bad I didn’t have a shower, but there was no time for that. Mariska and Miss Eloise already had to be wondering where I was.
And what about Jason and Ozzi? What were they doing right now?
No! I splashed myself again.
I had to think of non-sexy things. Moldy onions, Limberger cheese, a full kitty litter box. Yuck!
Grabbing a bunch of paper towels, I dried myself off and silently thanked Mariska for putting a tube of my sugar cookie lotion in my duffle. My skin was still oversensitive, but the scent was calming. It was the smell of the kitchen at Primrose House during the holidays.