Nightmares
Jude
Emilia was so exhausted from everything she'd been through that she fell asleep on my shoulder on the way home.
Her spun silk hair hung over her face and I gently pushed it back.
Her poor face had taken a beating. She was black and purple with some yellowing spots that would only get worse as she healed.
"She's so strong," Grayson said quietly from where he sat on the other side of our omega. "I will never forgive myself for not getting her out of there sooner."
"At least she can stay with us now," Santi reminded him. "And we're not on the run." He pulled up in front of our house. It was dark out. We'd been at the hospital for hours waiting for her to finish up.
"I've got her," Grayson said. A flash of jealousy went through me, but he was her alpha. I could share. Probably.
He unclipped her seatbelt and lifted her in his arms, easing out into the chilly air.
Emilia jerked upright in his arms and screamed. The terror in her voice echoed around the neighborhood and we all closed rank around her, surrounding our omega with our scents.
"Shit." Santi turned to look where her eyes were fixed… on the house next door.
"We can't stay here," I said. "Get her back in the car, Grayson."
"I'll pack for us," Oren said, heading straight for the house."
Santi followed him and I stood there, torn about where to go. Part of me wanted to make sure no one came out of the neighboring house, but I also wanted to make sure we had anything she might need.
"Jude, they've got it. Come help me with her." Grayson sounded in control and it was just what I needed.
Emilia had stopped screaming, but she was staring at her old house with fear in her eyes. I climbed into the seat beside Grayson, since he still held her, and closed the door behind me.
"Hey, focus on me," I told her.
Chocolate brown eyes turned to me, but she was still terrified.
"Good girl. We're not staying here. Not near them. Okay?"
She nodded, letting out a shuddering breath. "Thank you."
"Hey, we've got you," Grayson murmured. "Whatever you need. We'll put this house up for sale tomorrow and find somewhere you can feel safe."
"But it's your home. Oren's nest… "
I snorted. "Oren will be happy with a cardboard box if you're in it with him."
That brought a little smile to her lips.
"What's your dream nest like?" Grayson asked.
"I don't know. I liked Orson's, with extra spaces to hide. And blue and sparkly." She yawned, still worn out from the long day. "Maybe a snack bar."
We could do that. I mentally noted it all down and leaned in to inhale her fig and ginger scent. She was pure ambrosia for the soul.
"Tell me more," I demanded.
"Soft, fluffy things," she said quietly. "I like those blankets he has."
"We'll get you some of your own," Grayson promised. "And pillows?"
"I like those pillows with the sequins you can brush back and forth," she said, her eyes drifting closed again.
"Soft pillows, too, right?" My mental list was getting longer.
"Mmhmm." And she was out. I looked at Grayson in surprise.
"We just needed to get her mind off things," he said. "Good job."
The guys came back out with suitcases and Gertie. The suitcases went in the back and Gertie stretched out at our feet. She was excited to be going on a midnight adventure.
"Did you get her food and water bowls?" I asked.
Oren nodded. "Of course. She's all taken care of."
Grayson maneuvered himself so he could buckle a seatbelt around Emilia and himself and I helped him get it just right. Then we were off, heading to some Airbnb that Oren had found on short notice.
The rental was an hour and a half away from our house, enough that Emilia should feel safe. We pulled in a few minutes past ten and stumbled out of the car, ready to get settled in.
Grayson and Santi headed into the house while Oren and I grabbed the dog and suitcases.
In a few minutes, we were all inside the cute, cozy house that was definitely something chosen by an omega.
I shook my head at all the comfy furnishings.
Most important, though, was the massive bedroom that took up the entire second floor, apart from the bathroom.
By the time I got up there, Grayson had already settled Emilia in the middle of the bed and had headed into the bathroom.
She twisted and turned, like she was searching for something. I pulled off my shoes and socks, peeled away my shirt and got into the bed right next to her.
The second Emilia's hand touched my chest, she wriggled closer and threw her arm over me, nestling her face into my side before stilling. Grayson returned from the bathroom and grinned.
"I guess she likes your scent, huh?"
I just smiled blissfully. My beta nose couldn't catch as many nuances as the alpha nose, but she smelled delicious to me, too.
Eventually, the others came in and settled around us. Oren curled up on my other side, his hand brushing Emilia's on my chest. I was very glad I'd taken off my shirt so I could feel both omegas touching me skin to skin.
Santi wrapped himself around Oren and we were one big cuddle puddle. Finally, I felt at peace. The anxious bit of me that had been rattling around since I'd met Emilia was quiet because she was here, in my arms, right where she belonged.
"I'll finish doing the paperwork tomorrow," Santi muttered before he started snoring. That was my alpha, always planning until he just crashed.
I was the last one to sleep, because I was simply enjoying being here with my entire pack. Whole at last.
***
A scream woke me and I jerked upright, acutely aware that Emilia wasn't touching me anymore. In fact, the scream had come from further away.
All of us were up in seconds.
"Where is she?" Oren asked in a panicked voice.
"Em?" I called.
"I'm here," she whimpered, stepping out of the dark bathroom. Her pale hair shone in the streetlight through the window. "I'm sorry, I must have been sleepwalking."
"You screamed," Oren told her, reaching for her.
Emilia went to him and let him hold her as we all stood around blinking and trying to figure out what had happened.
"I think I had a nightmare. I was back there and Rory was on top of me…" she shook her head as if trying to erase the memories. "I didn't mean to wake you all."
"It's fine. You've had a long day and a scary experience. Plus you had to recount everything today, it was bound to bring some memories up," Santi soothed. "Do you want some water?"
"Yeah."
He headed downstairs to get water and Oren coaxed her back to bed.
"Here." Santi held out a glass of cold water. "I'd offer you a snack, but I don't think we brought any food."
"I'm fine." Emilia drank the water and then wriggled around, trying to find a comfortable spot. "I'm just feeling off."
"Let's get some more sleep," Grayson suggested. "You'll feel better in the morning."
This time, I put my arm over Emilia instead of the other way around. I'd feel if she crawled away from me again.
But I'd only been asleep for a couple of hours when she started to toss and turn. She felt hot against me and when I touched her face, it was sweaty and feverish.
"Oren," I hissed, nudging him with my elbow.
"What?" Oren lifted up and peered at me groggily.
"Emilia has a fever."
He immediately leaned over me and touched her face. "Shit. You're right."
"Of course, I'm right. What do we do?"
"I brought the first aid kit, it should have some ibuprofen." He started to get up. "Unless… "
"What?" I asked impatiently.
"What if she's going into heat?"
"Now?" I stared at him.
"Heats don't care what's going on around you," Oren said. "And actually, sometimes stress brings them on."
"Well, shit."
"Let's keep an eye on her. I'll grab the ibuprofen and some more water, just in case."
I sat cross-legged beside Emilia, smoothing her sweaty hair out of her face.
She whimpered in her sleep and Santi sat up.
"What's wrong?"
"She has a fever. Oren thinks she might be going into heat."
"Oh, shit."
"My reaction, too." I sighed and laid a hand on her damp forehead. "She's really hot, Santi."
"Okay, see if she wakes up."
I gently shook her. "Emilia? Hey, wake up."
"Whyyyy?" she whined, pushing weakly at my hands. "It hurts."
"Are you going into heat?"
Her eyes flew open. "No, I'm on… oh no."
"What?"
"I was taking suppressants, but when Candace went into heat, they locked me in the room for a week. They forgot to feed me, let alone give me suppressants. That might have been enough to cause a breakthrough heat."
Santi turned on the light and Grayson sat up, peering around in confusion. We quickly clued him in on what might be happening, just in time for Oren to come back with the ibuprofen.
Emilia dutifully took the meds, then settled back against the pillows. "I can't do this right now."
"Heats don't wait for us to be ready," Oren said ruefully. "How do you want to handle it?"
"I don't!" she wailed.
Oren took both Emilia's hands in his, crouching in front of her.
"Em, I know this sucks and you don't want to do it, but the heat is coming anyway.
You can choose. Do you want us to take you to the hospital and put you under for it?
Do you want one of us to help you through it? Or do you want to try and do it alone?"
Emilia was sobbing now and it made my chest hurt to see. I crawled across the bed and pulled her into my arms. "Don't cry. It makes me uncomfortable."
"Well, I'm uncomfortable with having a heat right now!"
Oren bit his lip. "You tell him, Em. So, how are we doing this? You need to decide before you are too far gone so we can do what you want."
"I want you to help me," she decided tearfully.
"Me or all of us or any of us?"
"All." She groaned, writhing against me. "Cramping."
"Definitely heat." Oren sighed. "Okay. Are you on birth control, baby?"
"Yes."
"Good, we don't want this to turn into something entirely different," he said. "So, we're going to help you through your heat. You're going to be alright, Emilia. And any time you want us to stop, you say it."
She nodded weakly and tilted her head back to look me in the eyes. "You, too, Jude."
"Me, too what?"
"Help me with my heat."
"Of course. I'm not going anywhere," I promised. "Unless you want me to."
She shook her head violently.
"I'm going to make a supply run before this gets going," Grayson said, hopping out of bed and leaving the room.
"Where's he going?" Emilia sat upright, staring after him.
"We'll need food and drinks," I told her. "He's getting them now so you will have his full attention later."
She hummed unhappily and I nuzzled her neck. Her natural scent was stronger now.
"Do you want to have a shower before things get started?" Oren asked.
She nodded and he helped her out of bed and into the bathroom.
"You two get the bed ready," he ordered before shutting the door behind them.
"Who knew omegas were bossier than alphas," I muttered, heading downstairs to find as many pillows and blankets as possible.