Chapter 3
Arabella
The stupidly bright lights of the building make me whine as my alpha carries me inside.
I hide my face against his shoulder, trying to block out the glare.
Hopefully it’ll be darker wherever the nest is.
We have to be going there now, right? We should be in a nest. Somewhere warm and comfortable that’s covered in his scent and mine.
God. He smells so fucking good. Cedar and sandalwood. I could die happy breathing it in. It’s so much better than…better than him. A small whimper slips out at the memory of the other alpha, the one I’d left behind four years ago, along with the rest of my old life.
“Shhh, you’re okay. We’re at the clinic now, sweetheart,” my new alpha whispers, rubbing his large hand across my back soothingly.
I barely take in his words, just the low, calming baritone and the comfort it gives me.
Safe. Not alone.
I cling to him tighter, hoping he can feel the appreciation I can’t seem to verbalise at this moment. All I can think about is his knot. I just want his scent on my skin, for him to fill me and put an end to this awful ache.
“Stop moving,” a stern voice orders, loud footsteps stomping towards us. “Alphas can’t be—Oh, Alec. It’s you.”
The unfamiliar voice has me whining quietly into the alpha’s ear. They smell like a beta, unthreatening and calm despite the firm tone they’d started off with, but I still don’t like their intrusion. Nobody else should be here. I want them to leave us alone.
“Stand down, everyone,” the beta’s voice says. I don’t know who they’re talking to. There’s no smell of another person in the room with us.
Are others listening in from somewhere else?
“It’s okay; she’s one of the staff who work here,” my alpha whispers to me, a hand stroking my hair as he continues speaking, this time louder and obviously not directed my way. “Found her on the street…care of attackers…out of it.”
I tune most of it out, finding myself confused by what little snippets break through as I distract myself by inspecting the light stubble across his face. He’s so handsome I find it hard to even consider looking away. I honestly didn’t think the world really made alphas that look as good as this.
“I’m glad you were there,” the unfamiliar voice replies.
Their tone is full of relief, but the itchy intrusion of it demands my attention back to their conversation as she asks him, “Would you mind carrying her to the treatment room? She seems comfortable with you. It would likely be less stressful than having me carry her there.”
Treatment room?
“Of course,” my alpha agrees without hesitation, his arms tightening for a split second at the mention of the room.
Is he concerned about something? Are we not safe?
I try to focus my thoughts through the heat’s haze, pushing past the overwhelming urge just to press every inch of my skin against the alpha holding me.
I work on it slowly as he carries me through the building.
The beta walks ahead of us, and there are loud beeps which seem to echo as they open each door we pass through.
So many locked doors, but why?
I finally realise where we are when they open the door to the treatment room. There’s a typical hospital-style bed and setup to the left as we step inside, but the open door at the back of the space reveals a nesting room that I immediately want to retreat into.
We’re in a heat clinic.
My alpha—no, not mine—I correct myself despite the unhappiness the truth causes. The alpha brought me to the heat clinic. He’d kept me safe. The knowledge paradoxically only makes me want him more.
He tries to set me down on my feet, but I cling to him, whimpering in protest. He can’t leave now.
I don’t want to be left alone here. Who knows what sort of alpha they may have come in to help me?
The idea of an alpha that doesn’t smell like this, who hasn’t made me feel safe, coming in here makes me want to scream.
“Please don’t go,” I manage to whisper despite my shame.
Instantly, he stops trying to set me down, and I feel us turning towards the doorway again. He speaks quietly, and through my rising panic at being left here, I can’t comprehend the words.
“This is unusual, but you’re approved for all kinds of heat assistance.
If she’s happy for you to be the one helping her, that’s her choice so long as you’re also consenting to it,” the beta replies, again their less-comforting voice breaking through the haze in my brain much easier than my alpha’s does.
I nuzzle into him, fully in agreement with that idea, more than happy for him to stay. That’s all I want right now.
“The only thing is Nathan,” my alpha says unsurely.
Nathan?
“Your partner,” the beta says in an agreeing voice, my stomach dropping at the mention of it. “You normally only do this together, right? Can he get down here immediately? She'll need to approve of his assistance too, though, or else you’ll both need to leave.”
Does my alpha already have an omega?
The thought makes my stomach twist unhappily.
Some omegas are happy to share their alpha, but I don’t think I’m one of them.
After my first heat…well, if I’d been too much—too needy for one alpha to handle alone, what hope would one with divided attention have?
The idea of another omega’s smell in my nest also sends unpleasant prickles down my neck and spine.
I keep my thoughts to myself, not wanting to make him leave.
I can try to deal with it. I’ll ignore the press of my instincts against my mind if it means he stays. Anything is better than this alpha leaving.
“I understand,” my alpha replies calmly. “Could you call him and explain the situation? I don't want to leave her alone if I don’t have to.”
“Of course. Can you get her settled and ready for the doctor to check her over first? The call has already been made, and she’ll be down here in a few minutes. We’ll need to get through the protocol as quickly as possible, given her current state.”
“You think she’ll let the doctor near?” he asks, sounding like he doubts it.
“Maybe if you hold her the whole time,” the beta replies, amusement coating her words.
Then, the door closes, leaving just the two of us in the heat treatment room. He carries me over to the hospital bed. Thankfully, instead of trying to set me down, he sits on it, leaning back and shifting me to settle me in his lap.
Unsatisfied, I quickly twist back around in his arms, straddling him as he grunts in surprise. I hide my face against his broad chest. I’d likely feel far more embarrassed for the way I press myself against him if it weren’t for the hardness pushing right back at me between my legs.
After a moment, he chuckles, one arm staying wrapped around my waist as the other begins stroking my hair again. His hand feels big and warm, and every soothing touch of it gives me pleasant sparks.
I stay there, content just to breathe him in and feel him so close. This is the scent those stupid spray pheromone companies should bottle, not that repulsive musk they’re slinging. They’d constantly be going out of stock if they could figure out how to recreate this.
“So, are you going to be a good little omega and let the doctor check you out?” he asks in a low voice, his warm breath brushing against the side of my head making my stomach do flips.