Chapter 14
Desmond
My eyes are irritated. I can’t wait to take these stupid contacts out.
Hudson hasn’t seen me in my glasses yet. Not sure I’m ready for him to, either.
I haven’t bothered updating the frame in close to ten years, I simply get the lenses replaced every time I get a new prescription. The frames are thick and black and plastic. They might actually be older than ten years.
Not my best look, but I generally only wear them before bed or when I first wake up.
All three of us head to our own rooms to shower and change, then, as though there was some plan, I run into both Alex and Mason as I head to Hudson’s room.
I hate that I haven’t seen him since Sunday night.
Well, I saw him this morning, but he was asleep, and I didn’t want to wake him. Each of us left the softest kiss to his cheek, ensuring he carried our scents, before heading out for a sixteen-hour shift.
Our days aren’t always like this, but this case is eating us alive.
Alex is through the omega quarters door first, softly padding across the rug covered hardwood floor.
The door to the bedroom is actually open and Hudson’s warm tonka bean and sweet plum scent has saturated every inch of this space.
My cheeks heat as my dick begins to thicken in my sweats. I feel a little pervy getting a hard-on simply from the omega’s scent.
The room is dimly lit as I follow Alex and Mason through the door.
My heart stutters for a second when I spot the empty, still made bed. Where is he?
Light shines from the open nest door. Is he nesting already? He said he believes he has at least a week before his heat hits, so he might’ve simply needed the comfort of the closed in space and soft, plush fabrics lining every inch of the space.
We hover in the doorway. Alex crouches beside him and checks his forehead. “He’s warm,” he says.
If his temperature is rising, he’s definitely getting closer to his heat.
We need to make sure we have everything in place before that time comes.
We need to ensure our junior attorneys and staff are able to take over our load so we can take off the week required to not only help the beautiful omega through the heat and fever…
But hopefully impregnate him.
Excitement and nerves zing through me. I’m not the only one; through the bond, I can feel the same rush from my mates.
They must be feeling the same thing as me – we owe this little omega everything.
Yes, we’re paying him, but no one else has ever agreed. Not after dozens of attempts. Whatever happens, he’s already changed our lives.
Alex bends forward and feathers the softest kiss to his forehead.
He’d asked whether we expected him to be celibate between heats. He wanted to make sure he would still receive the attention omegas crave.
As if that would ever be a problem. Especially with the three of us.
I’m honestly curious to see how Mason behaves during Hudson’s cycle. He’s dominant and aggressive with Alex, but he’s gentle and loving with me. How will he be with Hudson? Will I see yet another side of my mate?
“Time for bed,” Mason says like he’s the father figure.
I mean, yeah, he’s pack lead, but he’s barely older than the two of us.
Alex lifts his hand and flips him the bird, then smirks when Mason releases a soft but deep warning growl.
I’m too tired for their shenanigans tonight. Alex loves to goad our mate into releasing pent up energy. Which means they’ll not only be up a little longer but will be too loud for me to simply roll over and fall asleep.
“Sleeping in my bed tonight,” I mutter, stealing one more glance at Hudson before turning and heading to my bedroom.
It’s not often we sleep separately, but it’s also not that big a deal. Everyone needs a little space sometimes, a little privacy. We work together, carpool to the office together, even work on most the same cases together.
It won’t hurt any of us if I slide under the duvet on my bed for one night.
I can’t wait until we all finally crawl into bed with Hudson. That pack bed has been unused for far too long.
If my mates reply, I don’t hear it as I pad silently across the omega quarters, down the hall and to my bedroom.
Even behind the closed door, Hudson’s scent clings to me. His pheromones are so heightened as his heat creeps in. I wonder if that means he’s got days rather than a week or so. Will we have enough time to arrange everything in time?
There’s no choice. I refuse to allow Hudson to suffer when we’ve promised him the moon. He might not be our omega, but he’s our omega for now.
He’s our responsibility and he’s literally the maker of our dreams.
Of course, there is the fear he might not be fertile, or that, for some reason, our biology doesn’t mesh and he isn’t able to conceive. But that really doesn’t matter; I will forever be thankful for him for simply agreeing to this.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me that he’s being paid – he agreed. Dozens of others have passed through the years, but something in Hudson’s heart told him to agree.
If he chooses to hand the child over and walk away, I’ll personally ensure he’ll forever have anything and everything he could ever want or need. And if he wants to visit our child, be a part of their life in any capacity, we’ll support it just as we’d told him.
I’m surprised he didn’t have more questions for us. Nor did he request or require a contract. We have one ready. We’re lawyers – we always have a contract ready.
We should still probably have him sign something to protect him as well as ensure he doesn’t simply walk away with our child. We’re not mated, we’re not bonded. We’d get visitation and have to pay child support, of course, but that isn’t what we’ve wanted for over a damn decade.
Shoving my sweats down my legs, I sit on the edge of the mattress in my boxer briefs. I’m still sporting a semi, but at least my knot isn’t throbbing to my heartbeat.
We should have at least made love to him by now, let him get to know our bodies while learning what he prefers in the bedroom.
Except, we left him alone all day. He had his friend over for a while; we’d each taken turns checking the cameras and texting Amy to make sure he was doing okay while we were away.
That doesn’t negate the fact I feel as though we’re already neglecting him, even though this is only the first day back to work.
There has to be a way we can each take turns cutting back our hours, maybe one week at a time or something. Whether his friend visits regularly or not, omegas need attention, affection, and pheromones from alphas.
Especially if – when. Please let it be when – he gets pregnant.
My brain is going in circles. I hate that. It’s why I’ve always preferred to read a little before crashing for the night, but I don’t foresee myself being able to fully focus on the words on the page, not when the scent of tonka bean and sweet plum is literally making a home in my brain and lungs.
As I flop back onto the mattress and pull the duvet up to my chest, I picture Hudson all bundled up under a pile of blankets. If he’s warm, he’ll need to be eased through the preheat waves.
And we won’t be here.
Fuck.
I blink a few times. I rarely curse, even in my own head. But the thought of Hudson suffering even the slightest has me feeling a little panicky.
What the hell can we do to make sure he’s safe and comfortable while we’re gone? There’s always Amy, but that’s simply to ensure he’s eating and drinking or even calling us if it gets too bad.
I have no idea whether he has any omega aids or if he brought them with him.
Reaching over, I grab my phone where I left it on my nightstand before my shower and pull up an omega supply chain I know offers overnight shipping.
Yes. I’ve done literally every bit of research possible over the last twelve years.
Clicking on a few options including silicone knots, vibrators, and dildos of varying sizes – while making sure they’re as close to the three of us as possible – I hit buy now and enter my payment info.
Hudson will be asleep by the time I leave, but I can leave him a note letting him know of the package delivery. I’ll also give Amy a heads up so she can watch for it without giving her too much information as to what the package will contain.
Knowing there will be something here to help him through any discomfort leading up to his cycle eases a bit of my anxiety, but it’s still there. My brain is still wide awake with thoughts constantly flitting through my mind.
Eventually, sleep comes, and with it, nightmares. Hudson in pain. Hudson empty. And worst of all: Hudson, round with our child…then gone.