Page 73 of Pack Plus One

“You look like shit,” Jude announces when he arrives nineteen minutes later, Caleb and Mason flanking him like bodyguards with shopping bags in tow.

“Thanks,” I mutter, pushing myself to my feet. My legs have gone numb from sitting in one position too long. “Nice to see you too.”

Caleb’s nostrils flare as he scents the air, his pupils dilating instantly. “Fuck.”

“Exactly,” I agree, stepping between him and Leah’s door when he unconsciously moves toward it. “She’s further along than I initially thought.”

Mason frowns, concerned. “Has she made any noise? Called out?”

“Nothing,” I report. “But I heard the shower running for a while. And I think she might be nesting—there was a lot of movement at first, then quiet.”

Jude paces the hallway, his usual playful demeanor replaced with uncharacteristic focus. “This is bad. She can’t stay here unprotected.”

“We can’t force our way in either,” I remind him firmly.

“I know that,” he snaps, then immediately looks contrite. “Sorry. My instincts are... loud right now.”

“All of us,” Caleb agrees, his voice strained. He’s keeping his distance from the door, as if afraid his control might slip if he gets too close.

“So what’s the plan?” I ask, looking to Mason—always our voice of reason.

Mason runs a hand through his dark hair, thinking. “We take shifts. One of us stays in the hallway at all times. Not to intrude, but to keep other alphas away.”

“Is that enough?” Jude questions.

“It has to be,” I say firmly. “Until or unless she asks for more.”

Caleb nods, his expression grim. “I’ll take first watch.”

“No,” Mason and I say simultaneously.

Caleb’s eyes narrow. “Why not?”

“Because your control is already slipping,” Mason points out gently. “No offense, but your scent right now is... potent enough for me to catch.”

It’s true. The dark chocolate of Caleb’s scent has intensified to something richer, darker, heavy with alpha pheromones that would only exacerbate Leah’s condition if she sensed them.

“I’ll go first,” I volunteer. “Then Mason, then Jude. Caleb can take over once the worst has passed.”

Caleb looks like he wants to argue, but instead gives a curt nod. “Fine. But I’m staying close. In the building or nearby at least.”

“We all are,” Jude agrees. “I noticed a coffee shop across the street. Perfect surveillance spot.”

“This isn’t a military operation,” I sigh.

“It kind of is,” Mason points out with a small smile. “Operation: Protect Leah While Respecting Her Boundaries And Trying Not To Be Creepy About It.”

Despite the tension, I feel a laugh bubble up. “Not the catchiest code name.”

“I’ll work on it,” Jude promises, some of his usual humor returning.

Caleb hasn’t budged. His attention is fixed on Leah’s door, his posture rigid with restraint. “What if something goeswrong?” he asks quietly. “What if she needs help and can’t call for it?”

It’s the question we’re all avoiding. Omegas in heat can become disoriented, dehydrated, even dangerously feverish. Without a proper support system...

“I’ve been researching,” I say, pulling out my phone to show them the articles I’ve bookmarked. “Signs of heat distress, emergency interventions, proper hydration strategies.”

“Of course you have,” Jude murmurs, but there’s affection in his voice.

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