Chapter 31 – Cove
Chapter Thirty-One
Cove
We stick around the omega clinic for an agonizing eleven days.
My system is such a hot mess that it even confused the doctors.
Once the lab work they sent out for testing came back, Dr. Francis and Dr. McMillan were convinced my heat would hit soon based on my results.
There are several hormones doctors look for to determine when an omega will go into heat. Mine were high the day I was admitted. When they retested the day I was released from the emergency department, my levels were even higher.
I had four or five days of mild waves of heat spikes, and then…nothing.
By the time they tested me again three days after the last heat spike, my hormone levels were on the way back down. That alone signaled that whatever form of heat I had was over.
It may not have been a full-blown heat, but I kept waiting for the post-heat cramps to start. When they didn’t, I freaked out and asked them to run another pregnancy test.
It was negative—thank the sweet baby Jesus—but it left all of us confused. If conception doesn’t occur during a heat, an omega will experience five to seven days of bleeding and cramping similar to how a beta menstruates.
If there’s no implanted egg to eventually grow into a baby, all that built-up uterine lining has to be expelled somehow.
My body clearly wants to be difficult, but their best guess is that I’m still recovering from the years of suppressant usage. The lingering amounts of the medication must have prevented me from being able to produce a full-blown heat.
Dr. Francis seemed sure my system is in the process of resetting itself, meaning I probably don’t have to worry about a surprise heat popping up.
If everything goes the way she thinks it will, my next heat cycle should come three months after the first. It might be a normal heat, or it might be another mess of erratic waves. Either way, I’m not complaining.
Without the suppressants, the difference in my health is night and day. I no longer wake up vomiting, my hair isn’t falling out, and I don’t get migraines under bright lights.
It makes me sad when I think about everything I put myself through, but I needed that wake-up call.
I’m trying to be kind to myself, even if I feel silly.
I was scared.
My first heat was a mess, but my time at the omega clinic with Declan, Damian, and Ravvi reset my feelings toward my designation.
Having only three alphas makes us a smaller than normal pack, but my instincts are sure our unit is complete.
And truthfully?
Keeping up with three guys is a lot of work sexually.
I have questions about how some omegas have seven or eight alphas and betas in their packs. I mean, where there’s a will, there’s a way, but I’m content with how our family is now.
Rook refuses to let us join the tour any earlier than Dr. McMillan’s first directive of a month. Once we leave the clinic, we end up in a short-term rental in Chicago.
My mom and little sisters fly out to see us, but they only stay for three days. Even three days kinda feels like an eternity when I’m still learning how to express affection when other people are around.
By week three, we’re all losing our minds.
Declan joins an obscenely priced gym, while Ravvi, Damian, and I practice to prevent getting rusty. We also work on a few new songs. The break is nice, but it proves that we would all lose our minds without jobs and something to focus on.
Everyone is relieved when we get our tickets to fly to New York to meet Riot and Creed.
My level of anxiety is on par with what I felt the first night we stepped on stage for this tour.
The questions from the paparazzi on the way in are annoying, but the interviews coming after our set are what has me most anxious.
They’re going to grill me about what went down, how I see the future going, and focus all their questions on my designation rather than the quality of our music. Or that’s what my brain is busy trying to convince me is coming.
Damian, Ravvi, Riot, and Creed stand around talking. It’s clear how much they’ve missed each other, and it’s good to see Ravvi and Damian excited to be back on tour.
Declan swaggers over from where he was seated talking to Bellamy and wraps his arms around me. “How ya doing, princess? The bond is kind of a mess.”
I laugh. “Yeah, I have the pre-show shakes.”
He bends and kisses my forehead. “You’re going to nail it like you always do.”
I stretch up to meet him, and he gives me a real kiss, sending steady comfort in the bond. I’m still embarrassed about what went down when I passed out—everyone was right, I would have been happier not watching the footage—but it’s life.
Medical emergencies happen.
Sometimes we don’t take the best care of ourselves.
Hopefully I’ve learned from my mistakes, and I will be prioritizing my health in the future. I only get one life, and I plan to live a long one with my guys at my side.
“Okay,” Bellamy says, coming over to join us. “For our friendship to survive, I need to not have to see you tongue-fucking my uncle every time I turn around.”
I snort against Declan’s lips and pull back, smiling.
“By the way, we have something for you.” Bellamy laughs.
“I commandeered the surprise project from the twins, but it’s great.
You’re going to love it. Technically, you have Damian to thank for setting it in motion, but you can give me your unwavering gratitude too.
” I laugh, and she winks. “I’ll give it to you after the show so you have something to look forward to. ”
“Thanks,” I say, trying to settle my nerves.
I already know about the signed Wicked Truths poster, since Damian is awful at keeping secrets, but I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
First, I just have to go out there and command the stage. Then I’m going to set a few reporters straight in the interviews, and we all get to move on from this.
The screams from the audience are so intense that I get goose bumps as we introduce ourselves to the crowd.
My hand shakes as I hold my mic, waiting for the noise to die down.
The twins are on one side of me.
Ravvi and Damian are on the other, and I comfort myself by chanting, No one is looking at you, anyway. Having sexy bandmates does help take the pressure off, since the ladies are clearly focused on them, based on the wolf whistles.
Not that I can blame them.
“Thanks for having us,” I say over the noise.
“You might know this, but we’re Darkest Nights.
” The crowd screams, and I smile, shaking my head.
“Okay, you’re amazing. Real quick, before we get started.
A lot of people discouraged me from trying to make a career in the music industry as an omega—I’m looking at you, Mrs. Ferguson.
” I reference my eleventh-grade music teacher.
“But at least as many people encouraged me to pursue my dreams, and for that, I’m so grateful.
I came into the music world with connections that not everyone is fortunate enough to have, but we’re going to help fix that. ”
The noise level amps up again, even though they have no idea what I’m talking about, and I wait for it to die down.
“Moving forward, Darkest Nights will be sponsoring three omega-specific scholarships each year. This will give other omegas the chance to make their own connections and learn from the best at Damian’s Way.
” It gets loud again, and I smile as Ravvi tosses his arm around my waist, giving me a squeeze.
“More information about that to come, but you can find the basics on the Ruined Records website on our page. Now, who’s ready for me to stop talking so we can get to the good stuff?
” The noise level gets almost overwhelming, but all I can do is smile.
I’m almost more excited about putting a little good back into the world than I am performing…
Almost.
But if I’ve learned anything about myself during this tour, it’s that I would trade it all to keep my guys happy.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see what comes next. Wherever we end up, I’m sure it’s going to be a wild ride.