Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Crew
Ichew on my lip, watching Kiara as she moves around the NICU, checking on the babies one last time before we head out for break.
She does this every time we work, and it’s not like there aren’t other nurses who will be here while we’re eating, but it’s just how she is. Even if we didn’t work with the most vulnerable patients, I’m sure she’d do the same thing. It’s just who she is.
“Okay, I’m ready. We’ll be back in an hour,” she calls to the charge nurse, who just waves us off. “Are you okay, Crew? You’ve been awfully quiet tonight.”
Because I knew I needed to have a conversation with her, and I wasn’t sure how she was going to take it. I mean, I put it off for the last four days we were off. I kept making excuses to myself.
I didn’t want to take away time from getting to know our future pack.
I didn’t want to put her in a bad mood.
I wanted to be buried in her pussy.
That’s all they were—excuses.
I shouldn’t even be this worried about it.
“Yeah, I’ve had a lot on my mind,” I admit.
She takes my hand and squeezes it. “You know you can talk to me about anything, Crew.”
“I know, but some conversations are harder than others.”
That brings her to a stop as she frowns up at me. “This sounds serious.”
I nod. “It is, but it’s not bad—at least I don’t think it’s bad. I’m just not sure how to start the conversation.”
“Usually, just saying what the issue is helps.” She pops her hip and places her hand on it as she gives me an unimpressed look. Even in her scrubs, she’s gorgeous. “Knock it off, Crew, and get out of your head. It’s just me.”
Yup. Just the woman I’m madly in love with.
She sighs when I remain silent. “How about we grab our lunches and bring them to the courtyard? It’ll be empty at this time of night since most people are sleeping. Aren’t you curious about what Davis packed us today?”
That brings a smile to my face. Davis has packed us a lunch every day we have to work since we rarely get to see them before work. It’s really sweet, and he hasn’t packed the same thing twice.
Mind you, he’s only packed our lunch ten days so far, but I find even that impressive. I’m not sure I can think of ten meals that can be eaten cold off the top of my head—or at least ten more than what Davis has already made us.
“Of course I am, and that sounds wonderful.”
Kiara’s smile is tense before she drags me to the breakroom so we can grab our food. We use the stairwell since it’s much faster than the elevator. We’ll use it when we return to the fourth floor. It’s good for us—even if we bitch and complain the entire time.
As expected, the courtyard is empty, and we have our pick of tables. There’s a bit of a chill in the air, but it isn’t too bad. Summer in the mountains is a weird experience. Hot days and cool nights aren’t what I’m used to—at least not during the summer.
Neither of us speaks as we open our lunch boxes to find steak fajita wraps with grapes and cheese.
Yummmmm.
We eat in silence for a few minutes before Kiara sets her wrap aside. “Okay, Crew. Out with it.”
“I want to bond with you during my next heat.”
Kiara blinks at me for a moment before laughing. “Is that all? Goodness, Crew. I thought something was wrong. I was planning to talk to you about that when we got closer to your heat. I want to bond with you, too.”
Consider my mind blown.
“Really? Finally?” I’m afraid I misheard her. “Why?”
She shakes her head, still laughing. “Really? Your first response is to ask me why? I understand why it was hard for you to bring it up with me since I’ve already turned you down so many times, and I’m sorry for that. I wasn’t ready then.”
“But you are now?”
“I am.” She pauses. “We are. My biggest fear was bonding with you before you found your scent match, and then you leaving me for them. Or dragging me along like some clinger on.”
“I wouldn’t—”
She holds up her hand, cutting me off. “I know you wouldn’t, but that didn’t make my fear any less real. It might have been an irrational fear, but it was always there in the back of my mind. Now, I know better.”
I grin. “Because I met them and offered to reject them?”
“Well, yes.” She shakes her head. “I want to be your mate, Crew. I’ve always wanted to be your mate—never doubt that. I was just scared. You and me? We’re forever.”
“Hell, yes, we are!” I lean over to kiss her, sobering up slightly when I pull back. “But that’s not all.”
She nods slowly. “You want to bond with the three of them too?”
“I really do. They’re everything I didn’t know we needed. Or maybe I knew and didn’t want to admit it. But seriously, Kiara. They’re perfect for us.”
“They really are, aren’t they?”
I nod. “But if you want my next heat to be about our bond, I’m okay with asking them to wait.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “You want to ask the three of them to wait three months to bond with you? That’s asking a lot of them.”
“It is, but they’d do it for you—for me, if I asked.”
“You’re probably right, but that’s unnecessary…” she trails off, biting her lip. “Maybe we can all bond?”
I attempt to bite back the grin threatening to overtake my face, but based on the look on her face, I fail. “Really, Kiki? You want to bond with them, too?”
“Yessss. There’s really no point in denying it now, is there? Fuck me.” She shakes her head as she laughs. “I guess we just have to hope they want to bond with us too.”
“Even if they don’t, we have weeks to worry about it. We can definitely convince them by then.”
That has us both laughing before we dive back into our lunches.
I feel lighter now that I’ve talked to her about this. I really don’t know why I was so worried.
Iwince against the bright lights of the hallway. After talking with Kiara last night, I slept like a damn baby—after I fucked her brains out, of course.
But I’ve been feeling off since I woke up. My head is fuzzy, and I’m a little worried I’m coming down with something. Which is why I’m standing in the hallway while Kiara checks on the babies.
I can’t be around them if I’m getting sick. Technically, I should’ve called out, but there’s enough for me to do that doesn’t require me to interact with the babies. Although it makes my night a lot less bearable without them.
“Crew, you look like shit,” Kiara says quietly as she slides the door shut behind her. “Even Marlene said so. She was talking about sending you home. The only issue with that is we rode together.”
I shake my head. “I’m fine.”
Except I’m really not, considering my words came out slurred.
A rush of heat courses through me from head to toe, and my eyes widen. “Oh, fuck.”
“What is it, Crew?” Kiara reaches up as if to rest her hand against my forehead, but she’s entirely too short to do it on her own.
And I already know what she’ll find—that I’m burning up.
“My heat,” I hiss, and Kiara’s face falls.
“It’s too soon.”
It really is. We’re about a month before my cycle usually hits—although it can be off a few weeks in either direction.
Someone clears their throat, and I realize Marlene has joined us at some point. “If you’re going into heat, you need to get the hell out of my ward, Crew—both of you. I have replacements coming in. They’ll be here within the hour. Do I need to call your pack?”
“No, I can get us home,” Kiara assures her.
“I’m sorry, Marlene. I didn’t realize.” My words are slurring worse now.
The older woman pats my hand as she gives me a warm smile. “Scent matches will send your cycle into a tizzy. Trust me, I know. I went into heat the day after I met mine. At least you’ve had a few weeks to get to know your pack.”
“Are you saying it’s normal to go into heat when you meet your scent matches?”
“Uh, yes.” She gives us a strange look. “What the hell are they teaching y’all in school these days?
I know scent matches aren’t too common, but they happen often enough for it to be part of the curriculum.
If they’ve taken it out, then someone needs to make a complaint.
How can they expect you to know what’s coming if they don’t teach you? ”
All I can do is stare at her as she goes on a tirade.
Kiara clears her throat. “You’re so right, Marlene. After Crew’s heat, I’ll make sure he puts in a complaint to the board for the Omega Universities. This would’ve been very helpful to know before now.”
“No shit.”
Marlene just nods. “I’ll get someone to cover your shifts for the rest of the weekend and next, just in case.”
“Thank you, Marlene.” Kiara waves before dragging me toward the breakroom.
I’m practically useless as I lean against the wall while she gathers our belongings. She sighs as she glances my way.
“I need to call the others and wake them up. They need to make arrangements for work this week, and we need them awake to tell them we want to bond with them.” She pauses. “Assuming that’s what you still want?”
“It is. You, too?”
Her smile is soft. “Yeah. Me too.”
She turns her attention back to her phone and dials someone before lifting it to her ear. “Mace?”
I can hear his voice but can’t make out his words. I’m pretty sure he’s freaking out though.
“Well, I wouldn’t say anything is wrong, per se.” She glances at me once more. “Apparently meeting his scent matches has sent Crew into heat early.”
She pauses, listening to him once more.
“Yeah, the charge nurse sent us home. It’s still in the early stages.
It probably won’t hit until tomorrow sometime, but we wanted to let you know so the three of you can make sure you’re covered at work.
” She pauses, grinning. “Of course he wants you to be part of his heat, and so do I. There’s more we need to discuss, but I’d rather do it in person with all three of you, yeah? ”
Another pause.
“Yes, I have our stuff, and as soon as we get off the phone, we’re going to head to the elevator. I’m fine to drive—I’m usually up for hours later than this. Stop worrying about us and go wake up your pack. We’ll see you soon.”