Chapter 4
“Sonnet? What’s going on?” Summer was shielding Sonnet as she cowered and pushed the palms of her hands into her aching heart.
Sonnet’s omega whined, the sound of sharp nails scraping against her mind.
She wished she would say something, anything, because she clearly knew what Sonnet didn’t.
Something was happening to them. It felt like the beginning of a heat cycle, but worse, something Sonnet never thought was even possible.
What is happening to me?
A scent wafted into Sonnet’s nose, something unfamiliar, something delicious.
Where is that smell coming from?
Burned chocolate and cherry liqueur. Like black forest cake.
I want it. I need it.
Sonnet’s eyes flickered over the crowd in search, determined to find the source as Scarlett hooked her arms protectively around her, pulling her away from the crowd and following Summer’s directions.
The farther Sonnet walked away from the stage; the more her lower abdomen twisted and burned.
Another low, primal whine ripped from her throat and cut through the crowd, being met with a primal growl.
She turned her head sharply towards the stage, towards the growl and the smell.
But who did it belong to? All their faces and features were blurred together.
Zayden’s long black hair, the tattoos and jewelry on Kai’s hands, Felix’s turquoise blue eyes, and Jude’s pearly white smile.
They all looked like the same mouth-watering dessert she wanted to sink her teeth into.
“Sugar?” Her eyes flickered to Scarlett’s concerned expression. “You need to calm down. You’re producing waves of your scent.”
“My scent?”
Her stomach became suddenly heavy, her skin felt so hot it could melt straight off her bones, and there was a familiar ache deep inside her pelvis. Scarlett was right. She was producing strong waves of her scent, stronger than she did unless she was in the middle of a—
Sonnet gasped. “Scarlett!”
“I know. A heat spike. I’m taking you to the emergency booth and Summer raced off to get the car. Just try to stay with me, okay? You cannot lose yourself to your omega right now, got it? Hey! Security!”
Sonnet cowered as Scarlett explained the situation to security. Back at the stage, the lights were shutting off, and one of the stage managers was making an announcement while the band was ushered off stage by their manager.
Sonnet’s omega whined again. The burned chocolate and cherry liqueur scent from before came from the stage. From one of them. She wanted to go back. She needed to go back.
Scarlett pulled her as two security guards shielded them from prowling alphas as her scent wafted into the noses of those unbonded. If it weren’t for the security guards, Scarlett and Sonnet would be in a much different, and very dangerous situation.
“Here, sit down.” Scarlett shoved her onto a stool, letting her weak body lean against her as she spoke to the aids at the emergency booth. “She’s in a heat spike. What do I do? She took the right medicine and scent blockers. It’s not safe here!”
“No, it’s not.”
Sonnet’s eyes widened as a tall and stoic man covered her in his shadow.
His suit was perfectly ironed, not a single wrinkle, and it was flat and void less, just like his expression.
The kind of man whose presence wasn’t easily forgettable, even on stage with four musical stars.
Sonnet recognized him easily. He was the one pulling the Obsidian Alphas off the stage.
Their manager smells bad. I want the scent from before.
“Follow me,” he commanded, barking orders at the aids while leading Scarlett and Sonnet back towards the stage through controlled access passages.
The closer they got, the more her heat spiked and the more her omega wanted control.
“This room should provide comfort and safety.” Maddox opened the door to a small rehearsal room and ushered Scarlett and Sonnet inside.
He mumbled something before leaving, but it was too late.
The faint scent coming off the rehearsal instruments, old coffee cups, and discarded clothes was enough to make Sonnet fall to the floor and curl herself into a ball.
“Sugar?” Scarlett asked; her voice was small and frightened. “What’s happening? What triggered this?”
“I…” Her eyes darted around the room, and with every deep inhale, she could smell them. She could smell them.
MATES!
What?
MATES! MATES!
“Hey, Spice?” Sonnet gulped, her omega breaking through the barrier to speak for the very first time in years. “I think I’m in really big trouble.”