Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
NOVA
I can’t help smiling as Lars parks behind my car. I’m floating, enjoying the newly fledged bond inside of me.
You feel happy, Little Queen , Tyde murmurs in my head. Come inside and tell me all about it.
“You just smiled bigger,” Lars says. “Tyde’s inside. I see his car.”
“He is,” I say, smiling. “He said I felt happy.”
“Good,” he smirks. “I want to keep you that way. I’ll walk you to the door.”
Getting out, he comes around to open my door, helping me out of the truck. He smiles down at me before brushing a kiss along my forehead. As he closes the door behind me, his hand catches mine.
We made our escape out the back door of Vino y Vida , but not before sanitizing any area our bodies or fluids touched. Our walk of shame was completely unnoticed. I’ve never done anything like that before, but it was amazing. My cheeks hurt from how hard I’m unrepentantly smiling.
Unlocking the front door, I poke my head into the house. I figure Malcolm or Brice must have let Tyde into the house, and I don’t have any issue with that. Pixie meows loudly, complaining that she needs more attention.
Stepping further into the house, I drop to my knees.
“Hey, baby,” I coo. “Are we going to be sweet or spicy?”
Lars smirks as he closes the door for me, watching as my cat sniffs my hand and I drop further down so she can head butt me.
“You have a lot of faith in that little ball of fluff,” he says, watching me. “I don’t even know why I came inside to be honest. I couldn’t help following you in.”
Glancing at him, I giggle, because he really does look surprised at himself.
The rustling sound of sheets comes from the bedroom, and then Tyde is leaning against the doorway in his birthday suit.
“Hey, gorgeous. I’m surprised you’re not sleeping,” I say.
“Something happened at work today. Your sister got the scheduler fired,” he says. “She somehow managed to record Mrs. Learns spouting off that she was over scheduling Dr. Royal and I due to certain prejudices.”
“Hollis did what? Oh my god,” I say. “I’m not surprised though. Dr. Royal and she are friends.”
“He’s not one of my favorite people, nor am I his,” Tyde admits. “Refusing to let a doctor be with his pack because Mrs. Learns thought that he was gay is wild though.”
“Regardless of his orientation, she was in the wrong,” Lars grumbles. “There are a lot of people who are fluid in their sexuality because you don’t know who you’ll match with. Love also doesn’t come with a gender preference.”
Tyde blinks at Lars slowly. Lars has passions that I’m finding he doesn’t often voice.
“That’s it exactly,” Tyde says softly. “They’re overhauling the schedule at the end of the week, which means that I’ll be able to get more balanced hours. So I told you my news, what’s yours?”
“I went on a date…”
Tyde walks over to help me out of my coat, and it’s really difficult to think when he’s nude. His cock is hard as usual, while he simply ignores it.
“Mmhmm,” he says lazily, pulling my mittens off next and putting them in my pockets before hanging it up. “Do tell.”
“I had sex in the restaurant owner’s office,” I giggle.
“I didn’t think you had it in you,” Tyde teases Lars, who simply snorts in amusement.
“I couldn’t wait to get home,” he shrugs.
“And…um, Lars bit me,” I finish. There are more parts, but I figure I should hit the highlights.
Tyde stays quiet before nodding with a grin. “About fucking time.”
“Ah, speaking of that…Can you take a look at the bite you gave her? It doesn’t appear to be healing,” Lars says hesitantly. “Tyde, it actually looks fresh.”
“I should have noticed that,” Tyde frowns. “I’m sorry, these doubles have me fucking wrecked. Can I see, Nova?”
The neckline is higher on this dress, so I have to unbutton the top so I can pull it down. I designed it so the dress would be loose enough to throw over my head and go while still buttoned, but I didn’t expect to be having to show off my skin.
Tyde carefully touches around the bite, looking confused.
“I’m going to have to ask for a favor,” he sighs. “God, that alpha is going to lord this over me forever.”
“Who?” I ask, a little worried that he doesn’t know why my bite is acting up.
“Dr. Royal,” he grumbles. “He has a split shift, which may suck more at times than a double back to back.”
“Let’s have Hollis do it,” Lars says, pulling out his phone. “He won’t say no to her. I mean, he won’t say no to Nova either, but this way he’ll give you less shit about it.”
He connects the call while I fix my dress, and I listen on speakerphone as it rings.
“ Tell me something good,” Hollis growls into the phone.
“Hi, sis,” I say, loving how protective she is. I’ve never had anyone act like this before.
“ Nova, hi,” she says, her tone changing immediately.
“Gee, thanks, Hollis,” Lars says. “The date went very well. Can you do me a favor?”
“Yes, what’s going on?”
“It appears that my bonding bite isn’t healing,” Tyde jumps in. “I want to see if Dr. Royal has a better idea as to why. The only time I’ve ever seen this is if an omega is rejecting the bite. And no, this wasn’t given against her will before you decide to charge over here to kill me.”
“ It never crossed my mind,” she says innocently. I don’t think she has very many of those bones in her body. “ I’ll call him now. Start heading to the hospital. He’ll see you immediately.”
Tyde rolls his eyes because I have a feeling that Dr. Royal would have made this worse for him, and returns to the bedroom to get changed. I follow him as she hangs up with Lars with the promise of grilling him about the date tomorrow. I find it hilarious that he’s in the hot seat.
Tyde has been staying over more with me than his own house lately. He has one small bag of clothing that he does laundry for as necessary, not really bothered by it since he’s changing into hospital issued scrubs as soon as he gets in.
Watching as his ass disappears from view as he pulls on a pair of joggers, I sigh wistfully. He has to be exhausted, and instead of sleeping, he feels he needs to go to the hospital instead with me.
Looking over at the bed, I notice that it has fresh sheets and…
“Is the bed…bigger?” I ask. “That’s a really weird thing to say, but I’d swear that it’s taking up more space.”
“You would be correct,” Tyde chuckles. “Your sister changed out your bed frame, mattress, and sheets. I got here later than normal and found her here with her pack. They looked guilty as hell, while she just smiled.”
“Wow,” I murmur. “It’s huge.”
“That’s one of the reasons I came by,” Lars says from the doorway. “She told me to get you out of the house, so I jumped at the chance to have you to myself. Hollis said the bed was too small for your pack.”
I start blushing furiously, and have no idea why. Lars gives me the cutest lopsided grin. He walks over to cup my face to kiss me, and my fingers curl in his belt loops as I push up onto my toes to get closer to him.
“Does this mean more sleepovers?” I ask breathlessly.
“I’m all for that,” Tyde says, now fully dressed. “Don’t pout, Little Queen. We need to get this figured out. I don’t want you to get sick or something. I caught some sleep, I’m fine for now.”
Tyde walks over to bury his fingers in my hair and kisses me. His other hand pushes into Lars’ curls, and his breath catches for a moment. Pulling his head down, Tyde guides Lars to kiss me, and then…
They’re both kissing me. It’s a jumble of lips and tongues, and it’s difficult to tell who is kissing who. I suppose this is exactly why Tyde did this.
It’s really fucking hot.
Deep groans feel like they’re traveling through my body to my clit, and I can feel Lars’ facial hair as it grazes my skin. Hands squeeze my hips, my pussy is slicking, and my toes are curling in desire.
“I didn’t mean to start something we can’t continue until later since we have to go, but I couldn’t help myself,” Tyde rasps.
“I can handle a blue knot after our date,” Lars says smugly.
“Now that my hours are going to take a chill pill, I want a date,” Tyde mutters. “Fuck it, I’m taking you both on a date at the end of the week, as soon as I’m not a walking zombie.”
Lars looks gobsmacked for a second, trying to process Tyde’s words.
“You’re full of surprises,” he mutters. “Let’s figure out what’s going on with this bite first. I’ll drive. Your car isn’t going to fit all of us.”
“I’m going to have to buy a new car, aren’t I?” Tyde sighs. “Hollis made fun of me for it too.”
“Don’t listen to them,” I laugh. “They think I should buy a new car too.”
“Little Queen, how many times has Bertha decided to fuck you over?” Tyde asks.
“I plead the fifth,” I squeal, ducking around them to get my coat.
“Mmhmm, that’s what I thought,” he chuckles, following me. He pulls on a coat as well, and we shuffle back out the door toward Lars’ car.
“Shit, Caleb is going to want to know this is happening,” Lars says, texting his brother. “Just as I thought, he said he’ll meet us at the hospital.”
“Ugh, I’m sure it’s not that serious,” I complain. “He really didn’t need to leave work.”
“Yes, he did,” Lars says, opening my door and lifting me as usual. Tyde smirks as he gets into the back seat, watching us. “Neither one of us really needs to work, Little Warrior. We do it because we’d be really fucking bored otherwise. We also wanted to show our father that we could.”
“That’s a cute nickname,” Tyde muses. “It fits too.”
Lars rolls his eyes as he closes my door to hustle over to the driver seat, and then we’re on our way. The closer we get to our destination, the more my anxiety starts to spike. What if there’s something really wrong with me?
God, what if I’m defective? What the hell are these alphas going to do with a fucked up omega?
“ Nova!” Tyde yells, jolting me out of my thoughts with a gasp. Lars reaches over as he glares over his shoulder, and squeezes my hand.
“That wasn’t called for,” he grunts.
“I couldn’t hear her call herself defective one more time,” Tyde growls.
“I’m sorry I yelled, but you’re not defective.
If anything, the issue lies with us, Nova.
If you as an omega don’t feel completely safe with us, it’s possible that’s why you may be rejecting us.
That is, if that’s what’s happening. I need a second opinion, or reasonable doubt that it’s not this and in fact something else. ”
“Okay,” I wheeze, forcing myself to take a deep breath. “I’m kind of freaking the fuck out.”
“Right now, all I can feel is massive panic, but not necessarily why,” Lars says, his attention back on the road. He never stops rubbing my hand though.
“That’s expected since it’s new,” Tyde says. “I just can’t figure out why your inner omega would be worried about me.”
Shaking my head, I drop it back on the head rest. I have no idea why this is happening, unless it’s my heat that was the problem.
Gazing out the window, I play the age old game I have with myself. Happy images, good thoughts. It’s all I have to hold on to until I know for sure why my bond bite isn’t healing.