Page 22 of Scent of Sanctuary

I drag a hand down my face as I climb into my truck and head over to Seraphina’s apartment, needing to hold her. That sharp pain in my chest wasn’t anything I had felt before. I have no idea how we somehow bonded to her but feeling her like that—I don’t want to feel it ever again. I don’t ever want her in that kind of pain or distress if I can help it.

Pulling up in the parking lot, I check my phone to see that Ambrose sent another text.

No descenter.

She’s always wanted to keep our scents at bay. This change is the start of something and I hope it means she’s slowly letting us in. However, it’s a trust I’m scared to break because we have absolutely no idea what her hard limits are.

I slip off my boots once in the mudroom and then step into the living room, making my way to the couch. A smile forms on my lips as I see the bundle under Ambrose’s sweatshirt. It’s comical as hell, this gruff firefighter cradling such a sweet package, but it’s adorable too, Seraphina’s small form curled against him. I sit beside them, the couch dipping beneath my weight, and she stirs immediately, grunting as she tries to free herself from the sweatshirt.

Her head pops out, damp hair framing her face, and her blue eyes go wide when she sees me, reaching for me with a need I’m not used to.

I’m not ready for this gorgeous version of our Omega, but I pull her into my lap without hesitation, her body molding to mine the moment she’s in my arms. My purr starts up, a low rumble I can’t control as she lets out a little sigh, her cheek against my chest.

The entire apartment smells like summer and berries, Seraphina flushed, her skin hot to the touch but she doesn’t seem as lost as Ambrose described earlier. Her scent slowly fades to that muted version I’m used to, Seraphina trying to wriggle off my lap. “You don’t need to move unless you’re uncomfortable, sweetheart.” She pauses, her brow furrowing, and then relaxes back against me. I let out a quiet breath, relief settling in. “What happened, Fi?”

“It was just a spike,” she murmurs, her voice tinged with embarrassment.

I tilt my head, my hand stroking up and down her back. “But you’ve never called us over for one before. You’ve asked us to help a time or two, but the way Ambrose described it, the way Ifeltit…” I trail off, the memory of that sharp tug in my chest, her distress pulling at me across town, still vivid in my head.

Her eyes snap to mine, startled. “You felt me? That’s not supposed to happen.”

I bite my tongue, the mate conversation burning in my throat, but Seraphina’s not ready for it. She will be at some point but today, right now, is the worst time to have it. I brush past it, hoping I haven’t scared her off. “After we found out what was going on, we were really worried. I know Victoria came through earlier. What did she say?”

Seraphina sighs, her gaze dropping to her hands, fidgeting with the towel wrapped around her. “She said she can’t give me another sedative. That it might ruin me.” A hiccup cuts off her next word, a little whine following it. Ambrose scoots a bit closer, the added presence seemingly calming her enough to continue. “That I have to have this heat, but because I haven’t had one for three years, it’s going to be rough.”

I glance over at Ambrose, worry etched into his expression. Neither of us know how to best help her because we’ve never been with another Omega. Even before we moved in together, there was no Omega in our lives. I continue running my fingers along her back, hoping that my touch is calming rather than uncomfortable. As she’s not trying to leave my lap, I pray that I’m giving her the safety she’s searching for.

“Everything is so different and my Omega keeps trying to take over. I’m just so scared, and you keep telling me nothing will happen, and I know that it won’t. I know you guys, but I just… I’m so confused.”

I have to bite back a growl at the thought that an Alpha tried to break a part of our Omega. “What do you need, sweetheart?” I ask as I slowly pinch her chin and draw her gaze up to me.

Those blue eyes meet mine, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Can I be selfish and have you?”

“You can have everything you need, Fi. Always.” She lets out a little sigh, dragging her nose along my jaw before I speak again. “Can we call Victoria and see how to help you best?”

She nods, curling back up in my hold as Ambrose disappears into her nest for her phone. When he returns, he’s got one of the blankets from the nest as well. I search for Victoria’s number and dial it, praying that whatever Seraphina’s doctor has to say is good things.

Her cheerful voice comes through the phone a second after the dial tone ends. “Hey, I thought you might be calling soon. How are you doing?”

I glance at Seraphina’s flushed cheeks before clearing my throat. “This is her Alpha calling,” I say, a small smile tugging at my lips.

“Oh, how is our girl?” Victoria asks, her tone warm, curious.

I let out a quiet laugh, shifting the phone to speaker and setting it on my knee. “You’re on speaker, so don’t say anything bad about her,” I tease, trying to keep it light for Seraphina’s sake.

Victoria laughs, a bright, infectious sound filling the living room. “Seraphina, do I have your consent to talk to the delicious Alpha on the phone?”

Seraphina buries her face deeper into my chest. “Yes.”

“Great,” Victoria says, her tone shifting to business. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions. Shoot.”

“I’m just gonna come out and ask. What does a heat for Seraphina look like? What does she need? How can we make her more comfortable?”

Victoria pauses, then lets out a low whistle. “Wow, okay. Right into the hard stuff. Do you want the answer that’s healthy for her or do you want the answer that’s safe?”

I frown, my gaze flicking to Ambrose, his brows furrowing as he leans closer. “Those aren’t the same thing?” he asks, his teeth tugging his bottom lip between his teeth.

“Wow,twodelicious Alphas? Seraphina, who have you been hiding away? Look, I’ve been doing some research in the last few hours and I’ve stumbled upon something that could work. The safe thing would be another form of sedative. It’s experimental, and the heat symptoms wouldn’t go away, but it’d keep the heat haze from taking over. However, it could have long-lasting, damaging effects like messing with her scent gland, her reaction to other designations, but most importantly her immune system and reproductive system. It’s not something I’d recommend, but I understand how dire the situation is.”

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