Page 45 of Omega on Fire

I'm out of my chair before the words fully register, knocking it backward. Teagan's already on his feet, ending the call with Dez mid-sentence.

"Fuck," I breathe, the word a prayer and a curse combined.

Josiah's eyes are wide, his pupils blown. "Is she?"

"She's in heat," Teagan confirms what we all know, his voice rough with restraint. "We knew it was coming."

The three of us bolt for the hallway, instinct overriding reason. Charlotte's scent hits me halfway down—no longer subtle but a fucking sledgehammer of pheromones that makes my vision blur at the edges. Honey and cinnamon and fire, so much fire.

Moses meets us at the top of the stairs, his massive frame filling the hallway. Charlotte's curled against his chest like a wounded animal, her face flushed and damp with sweat. Her eyes find mine through the haze of her pain–wild, panicked, beautiful.

"She collapsed in the elevator," Moses pants, his usually calm demeanor fractured. The scent of incense clinging to him is almost completely overtaken by Charlotte's heat. "One minute we were kissing, the next?—"

I don't let him finish. My arms are already reaching for her, and Moses hesitates only a fraction of a second before surrendering her to me. A growl vibrates in his chest, instinct fighting reason, but he steps back. Smart man.

Charlotte feels like fire against my skin, her body trembling and slick with sweat. The honey-cinnamon-firewood cocktail of her scent wraps around my brain, shorting out rational thought. I spin away from my brothers, not giving two fucks if they're offended. My Little Harlequin needs me.

"Beaux," she whimpers, clutching my t-shirt. The fabric bunches between her fingers as another wave hits her, making her back arch. "Oh God?—"

I'm already moving down the hall toward Josiah's masterpiece, my steps quick but steady. Behind me I hear Teagan giving orders, something about ice packs and hydration, but his voice sounds underwater. Everything that isn't Charlotte feels distant, unimportant.

"Please, Beaux," she cries against my neck, herlips brushing my skin and sending electricity down my spine. "We didn't get to talk. This can't be happening yet. I'm not ready."

Her fear cuts through my haze. Right. We've tiptoed around this topic and I know none of us wanted her to have to recall what happened to her in the arms of her captors. Fuck! What I would give to be able to go back and skin them all alive for what they did to her.

I kick open the door to the nest room with my foot, and even through my Charlotte-induced delirium, I have to admit Joker outdid himself. The space looks like something out of a luxury spa designed exclusively for Omegas–dimmed lighting, temperature controls showing a perfect 72 degrees, and a bed that's more cloud than mattress. Pillows and blankets crafted from the softest materials form a perfect hollow in the center, just waiting for her.

"I got you, baby," I murmur, gently laying her down. She whines at the loss of contact, reaching for me again. "We'll take care of you."

"It hurts," she gasps, her body curling in on itself. "It wasn't supposed to hit this fast. Dr. Monroe?—"

"Fuck Dr. Monroe," I grunt, stripping off my shirt and tossing it aside. My skin feels too tight, my Alpha instincts screaming to claim, to mark, to possess. Butbeneath that primal urge is something deeper, the need to protect her, comfort her.

I crawl into the nest beside her, pulling her against my bare chest. She burrows into me instantly, seeking the cooling effect of my skin against her fever. "We'll get you through this," I promise, stroking her back. "All of us."

Teagan appears in the doorway, his face a mask of control that doesn't match the wildness in his eyes. Josiah hovers behind him with a pile of water bottles in his arms. Moses stands further back, his fists clenched at his sides.

"My brothers and I won't hurt you," I whisper into Charlotte's hair. "Nobody touches you unless you say so. You understand me? You're in charge, Harley. You're in charge."

She looks up at me through tear-spiked lashes, surprise breaking through her pain. "Harley?"

I wipe a tear from her cheek with my thumb. "My Harlequin. Beautiful, unpredictable, dangerous." I kiss her forehead, tasting salt. "And absolutely in control."

Another spasm rocks through her, and she clings tighter. "I don't feel in control."

"You are," I insist, catching Teagan's eye over her head. He nods, understanding our unspoken pact. "This room is yours. We come and go at your command. Need water? Say so. Need space? Say so. Need to be fucked until you can't remember your own name?" I can't help the growl that escapes. "You just say the word, baby."

Charlotte's laugh is shaky, but it's there. "That simple, huh?"

"That simple." I brush damp curls from her forehead. "No Alpha bullshit. No pack hierarchy. Just us taking care of our Omega however she needs."

"I need—" She breaks off as another wave crashes through her, this one stronger than before. Her nails dig into my arms, leaving half-moon indentations that I hope will scar. "I need you all to stay. Please."

The others move into the room at her invitation, each finding their place in the nest. Teagan settles behind her, pulling her between his legs, wrapping his arms around her waist as I settle at their side. Josiah arranges himself at her feet, already massaging her ankles with knowing fingers. Moses kneels beside the bed, offering a straw-tipped water bottle to her lips.

"Drink," he urges, his deep voice gentle. "You'll dehydrate fast."

I nestle in closer into her and Teagan while she sips, my chest swelling with something that feelsdangerously close to pride. My pack. My Omega. My family.

---