CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - Mariska #2
“Well, it is awesome.” Lyla nodded and gave my hand a squeeze. “Don’t make any decisions right now. Wait until after Christmas. You’ll feel differently when you’re past your heat and Miss Eloise is back to her normal amazing self.”
It was excellent advice, but everything in me was screaming to cancel my move and stay. Thankfully Balthazar showed up at that moment with food. He knocked quietly on the door and we went into the hall to eat.
We relayed to him what the doctor told us, and I didn’t even realize it until I’d done so, but I ate two whole burgers plus a large box of fries.
Usually I get full before I even finish one of the burgers, but my stomach was still gnawing at me like I could eat more.
Good thing Balthazar did get a dozen burgers, because I ate another and Lyla had two herself.
The second I felt full, a different ache pushed to the front. I squeezed my thighs together and silently yelled at my yearning for more Alpha dick. I’d just had sex like an hour ago!
We sat with Miss Eloise for another two hours, answering all the texts asking how she was doing. Balthazar came and went, bringing us drinks and snacks, and holding my hand when he was in the room. He was quiet, but the rock I needed at the moment.
Yet I kept squirming in the chair, and once, I rubbed my cheek against his hand and almost took one of his fingers into my mouth. The last thing I needed to do was start begging him to fuck me here.
At eight, when visitor hours were over, Balthazar asked if he could drive us home. “Lucian took Mom home, but Jasper is waiting outside warming up my truck.”
“I’m staying the night here.” Lyla shook her head, not rising from the chair.
“Me too.” I immediately seconded it. I wasn’t there when the stroke happened, but I wanted to be there when Miss Eloise woke up.
“Mari, honey, only one of us can stay, and even then, I think the nurse was bending the rules of the emergency ward letting me stay.” Lyla gave me a soft smile. “You need to go home and take care of Artemis. She’s going to be worried. I had to put her up in your suite when the EMTs came.”
Artemis. Dammit. She was right. My poor girl was likely going crazy when no one came to let her out after all that excitement.
“And,” Lyla leaned in to whisper to me. “Girl, you’re about to climb that mountain of an Alpha right here in front of me. Your heat is ramping up, and I don’t want you to suffer through the night. Go home and let him take care of you.”
My face grew hot and I sighed. I’d been trying so hard to hide it. I just wanted it to go away so I could be with Lyla and Miss Eloise. Just as moving to California felt like I was abandoning them, leaving now was also a jab to the heart.
“I want to stay.” I whined, but I couldn’t help it.
“I know, but I’ll keep you updated on everything. Then you can come right back in the morning and bring me breakfast.” Lyla scootched closer and gave me a hug. “I like having Mrs. Claus as my personal gopher.”
“Shut up.” I giggled and tightened my arms around her.
If I didn’t have to go take care of Artemis, I would have pushed through my heat.
“Anything you want or need, let me know. I’ll bring you a change of clothes and stuff to freshen up with along with your breakfast. I should pack a bag of stuff Miss Eloise will need when she wakes too. ”
“Perfect.” Lyla kissed my cheek and stood, folding her arms as she turned to Balthazar. “As Mariska’s stand-in chaperon, I’m going to let you drive her home and take care of her. I trust you to be on your best behavior. If you do anything she doesn’t like, Artemis will rip off your balls.”
“Lyla!” I covered my face with my hands, red as a beet.
Balthazar quietly laughed and nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Only the best for Mrs. Claus. I’ll make sure her every need is met and have her back to you in the morning.”
The way he said sent a hungry surge through me and made my heat pains jump a notch. Maybe if I took him into that linen closet across the hall…
I swallowed a moan. It was time to go before I really lost myself to my heat. I hugged Lyla again. “Okay. I’ll be texting you all night. Try to get some sleep and I’ll see you in the morning. I love you.”
“Love you too, girl.” Lyla waved at us as we left and returned to her chair by Miss Eloise’s bed.
No matter that I knew I had to leave for Artemis at least, the guilt still hooked me and tore at my insides. Tears stung my eyes, and I bent my head forward into the furry collar of the coat.
Balthazar wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pressed me to his side. “Everything will be okay, baby. Anything you need, I’ve got you.”
I melted against him. It was always me looking out for myself.
Even with my friends’ support, I was the stoic nurturer.
I was the one who took care of others. So to have Balthazar saying he was going to take care of me, I wanted to step away and stubbornly say I could do it myself.
Yet at the same time, I needed his strength and so much more.
And for some reason, I didn’t have to fight myself to accept it. Maybe it was my needy Omega side, but I let him guide me out of the hospital to where Jasper was waiting for us in the pickup. Then I snuggled with Jasper, his purr calming me as we drove to Primrose House.
Yet when they got out of the truck to come inside with me, I stopped them. Primrose House was a sacred place. No Alphas were ever allowed in. With Miss Eloise battling for her life in the hospital, I especially didn’t want to ruin the safe and cozy home she had built for Omegas.
“We’re not leaving you by yourself here.” Balthazar’s intense gaze dared me to try to get rid of them.
“I have Artemis.” And a persistent throbbing between my legs that was making it hard to think.
“The dog isn’t going to help you with your heat.” Jasper stood on the other side of me by the front door. He smiled, seemingly casual, but his body tensed as if he were ready to grab me if I tried to run from them.
He was right, so I dug in my heels further. “You’re Alphas. You can’t come inside.”
“Tonight is surely an exception.” Balthazar snorted.
“No exceptions!” I put my foot down. Literally stomped one boot onto the porch. A twist of pain and desire had me wince. Why was arguing with them turning me on?
“Then stay the night at the farm.” Jasper, sexy and wise as he was, offered an alternative.
“Artemis will love it,” Balthazar added with a smirk.
I huffed, ready to protest, but even if I wasn’t in heat, I didn’t want to be alone.
“Be a good girl. Go get Artemis and pack a bag. We'll wait here.” Jasper leaned against a porch post. His deep blue gaze slid over my body. “Don’t take too long, or we’ll come in to fetch you.”
I would have protested that they weren’t allowed again, but there was no nonsense in that look. I glanced at Balthazar, and he raised a brow, as if he was waiting for me to fight them on this. To drag them in and have both of them rip this dress off of me…
Unlocking the door, I gritted my teeth and ran up the stairs with my boots on. No time for proper manners. My body was screaming at me to be highly improper.
Tonight we’d break rules, but not here. Not at Primrose House.