Page 33 of Love in Excess

“I didn’t want to spring it on you, but it’s moved up. All the stress she’s under has thrown her cycle off.” He heaves a sigh as he turns on the car and then meets my gaze. “You’re under no obligation to be there but you have been requested. Celeste was pretty adamant about that yesterday. I promised her I’d ask but I wouldn’t push.”

The thought of being part of a heat doesn’t scare me. It’s the fact that this is more than just that. It’s a milestone, a step toward a future I didn’t think I’d ever get. And it’s a lot. “You’re saying I don’t have to be there, but I’m wanted, right?”

Hunter reaches over the console to caress my cheek. “You’re always wanted, Lincoln.Always.” I shift uncomfortably in my seat before rubbing at my chest, a feeling similar to the one when Celeste ran into my apartment. We still never talked about what happened or what the fuck Carter was doing that day. “You feel her, don’t you? It always drives me up the wall when I’m away too long near her heat. It’s bearable otherwise.”

“But we’re not bonded, yet.”

He shrugs. “I’ve known many people to bond theoretically to their Omega first before any physical bond takes place. You can feel them, their emotions, almost know what’s going on when you finally accept them. I was going to head over to the house and check on her but I can drop you off first if you’d like?”

I shake my head. “I had an early shift so I was just going to pass out but I’d rather check on Celeste. I don’t like this feeling.” I rub at my chest again. “It’s like she needs something but…”

“She needsus, Doc. She’s not in pain. You’ll start understanding the difference. Did you feel her when she was running?” He puts the car in drive and heads down the street toward their house. I offer a small nod, wondering where he’s going with this. “She told me a little about what happened. She was shopping at one of the nesting stores up the street. Carter came in and chased her down the roads in his car.”

“Why wouldn’t she just go home?”

“The fucker originally parked at the house. I have no idea what I would have done if Celeste had actually been home and he had gotten there first.”

I lean back in my chair, trying to focus on Hunter’s words rather than the odd feeling in my chest. “Carter said he wastrying to get to you, in your good graces or something when I overheard him talking at the café but running after Celeste seems a bit… extreme.”

“It is and it might be more connected to everything else than I want it to be. He’s taken care of for now but I’m a little wary of letting Celeste out alone at this point.”

I wholeheartedly agree even if I hate the idea of caging an Omega in her home. It’s a good thing she’s so near her heat that she wouldn’t want to leave the house anyway.

CELESTE

Sprawled on the couch, half a sandwich stuffed in my mouth, I try to focus on the book in front of me but my impending heat is fucking with me. I let out a little growl of frustration and sit up, the movement making my body think we’re going to do something about this irritation. Slick pools in my panties for the umpteenth time this morning, the only relief I’ll get until lunch is one of the many toys Hunter has bought over the years.

That is, until the front door clicks open.

Hunter strides in with Lincoln right behind him, my heart doing a little flip. I’m off the couch before I can think, the sandwich dropping onto the plate with a soft thud. I run toward them, Hunter seamlessly scooping me up, his hands settled under my thighs. Lincoln steps in, his body pressing against my back, the heat pooling in my belly disappearing for a bit.

I nuzzle into Hunter’s neck as I breathe him in, my lips brushing the warm skin where his tattoos curl. “Why’re you guys home?” I mumble, my voice muffled against him, my arms looping around his shoulders. Lincoln’s hands settle on my hips, reminding me that I’m in the most delicious sandwich in the entire world.

Hunter chuckles, his chest vibrating against me. “Had to rescue Lincoln from an evil mom situation,” he muses.

Lincoln sighs, his breath warm against my ear. “My mom only thinks I’m a good Beta if I play the part her way. All perfect and proper, paired off with some rich Alpha she picks.”

I pull back just enough to twist around and look at my Beta, my lips curving into a smile. “A bath will make all this better.” Baths fix everything—stress, bad days, the ache in my chest when I’m missing them.

Hunter laughs as he sets me down and turns me fully toward Lincoln. “She’s not wrong, Doc. However, I can’t stay. I just thought you might like to pamper your Beta a bit, hmm?” My eyes light up at the thought of taking care of Lincoln.

“I can do that, Alpha. You’re staying, right, Lincoln?”

I clasp my hands together, Lincoln breaking into a small smile as he nods. “Yeah, I thought you might like some company until Hunter’s done with work. You say you’re going to pamper me?”

I swoon a little as I take his hands in mine and twist back to offer Hunter a quick kiss. He starts laughing as I drag Lincoln down the hall toward the bathroom, already mentally picking through the different scented bath bombs to choose from.

Heat blooms in my belly as we settle into the hot water but I try to ignore it, pressing my back against Lincoln’s chest. He tightens his arms around my stomach, fingers splayed outacross my flesh as his lips dip to the curve of my ear. It’s soft and domestic, almost blissful but my body has other ideas. I didn’t expect another spike this soon—my heats irregular at best. There’s one or two spikes, a lot of naps, and then my heat hits me all at once.

I wiggle to try and stave off the heat but fail miserably as that just brings me closer to Lincoln’s cock, that metal dragging against my ass and driving me up a wall.

Fuck.

I roughly grab Lincoln’s hands and place them on my tits, needing the stimulation to focus on something else. “I need… fuck… can you call Hunter?” My hips start moving of their own accord, my pussy catching on his cock before sliding back against his length. It feels so fucking good, the water sloshing around us as the need consumes me. “Lincoln?”

“Do you need your Alpha?”

“I don’t… I… Color?” That’s the word I was looking for.

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