Page 26 of Forbidden Taste
“I think I need to see a doctor.” The confession wasn’t exactly what I was focused on but it makes sense. I haven’t been to the clinic in months, maybe longer but I need to know what’s going on with me, need something concrete to make sense of everything.
Riley hums, agreeing with my sentiment. “We can go before classes. Might be good to get a check up anyway.” His fingers dig into my skin a little, dragging me to focus on my Omega. He’s swimming in my shirt, an adorable smile on his lips. “You know we’re okay, right? You didn’t hurt me. I’m not mad, and I really, really like the idea of forever with you.” His other hand lifts, brushing my cheek, his fingers cool against my flushed skin, and I lean into it, desperate for the anchor.
“It doesn’t make sense that you’re not mad. I didn’t give you a choice.” My throat burns, tears prickling behind my eyes, and I look down, away from him, my vision blurring as guilt claws at me. “Everything you’ve worked for. All of that…” My words get caught in my throat, a sob swallowing them.
“Sweetie,” Riley whines, the plea in his voice demanding I truly look at him. “I need you to breathe. Breathe for me.” His thumbs stroke my cheeks and I try, sucking in a shaky breath, then another, matching the rise and fall of his chest. “There you go. You didn’t take anything from me. You haven’t ruined everything and that future I want? This bond doesn’t keep me from that. I’m still going to play my heart out at the Karlen Center knowing that you’ll be in the crowd watching me. I’m going to enjoy every last minute of my music and you’ll be there at my side or I’ll feel you through the bond. This is not a setback, sweetie.” He doesn’t give me time to push back. “Now, let’s get you to the clinic, because I know you have questions, and we both need to know how all this biology stuff works, okay? The one just down the street is open 24 hours.”
The clinic is smaller than I remember, Riley’s hand stuffed in mine keeping me present as I stare at the pale blue walls. A petite nurse greets us with a grin, her dark hair pulled tight in a bun, leading us down a narrow hall and into a small room—white walls, a single chair, an exam table with crinkling paper. “What’s the visit for today?” she asks, her voice bright, clipboard in hand, and I freeze, my throat locking up, words stuck behind the mess in my head.
“Just a checkup for Leo Haynes,” Riley offers, like this isn’t tearing me apart.
The nurse nods, unfazed. “I’ll grab some vitals and then the doctor’ll be in,” she says, setting the clipboard down and pulling out a blood pressure cuff. I sit on the exam table, the paper crunching beneath me. Riley climbs up beside me, leaning against my side, not letting me fall prey to my own thoughts.
The nurse moves gently, wrapping the cuff around my arm, her fingers cool as she checks my pulse, then my eyes, my ears, asking basic questions,“Any pain or dizziness”.I nod or shake my head, barely hearing her, the panic in my chest starting to brew again.
She draws blood next, the needle a quick pinch that I barely feel, the woman promising that the doctor will be in once the blood test finishes. And then it’s just silence after she slips out, the weight of everything that has happened in the last twelve hours hitting me all at once, a tear running down my cheek. Riley’s on me in an instant, his free hand cupping my face, turning me to him. “Hey, sweetie, what’s wrong?”
I choke on the words. “I’m so confused,” I say, the tears spilling faster now, blurring his face. “I don’t know what’s going on with my body. When Hawk first came to the door, I wanted to tear his head off, and then I wanted to fuck him, and then I wanted him to fuck me.” My breath shudders, the admission raw, tearing out of me. “I’ve never wanted anyone to fuck me. And then it was like I needed you, and then I took…” I can’t finish that sentence
Riley squeezes my hand hard, dragging me out of the spiral. “Look at me. Leo…” I force my eyes up, meeting his, and his calm pulses through the bond.
“Just tell it to me straight,” I plead. “I need to know how badly I fucked up.”
He brushes a thumb across my cheek, taking my tears with it. “Is it going to be difficult figuring all this out? Yes. Do I still want tobe with you and learn all about you? Yes, I do. Am I still so fucking in love with you that a claiming bite on my shoulder means fucking everything? Yes, yes I am.” His words hit me, sinking into the cracks of my panic, and I blink at the confession that just slipped out.
“You love me?”
“Maybe it’s too soon. And yeah, I should have waited to say it. But I’ve loved you since I first caught your scent,” he murmurs, leaning up to kiss me softly, his breath warm against my lips. “You were always mine.Always.” He kisses me again and I melt into it, my hands unclenching, reaching for his waist, pulling him closer. The bond hums between us, his love steadying me, and I cling to it until the door opens again.
A woman steps in, her graying hair pulled back, a tablet in her hand. She plops into the chair, scrolling through it with a faint smile, a calming presence from her that I don’t usually see in Alphas. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen an Omega-Omega pair.”
“There’s more?” I always thought it wasn’t a thing.
She nods, setting the tablet down, her hazel eyes meeting mine. “It’s not widely advertised, but sure,” she says, leaning back. “I’m Doctor Octavia and we’re seeing who today?”
“Me,” I say, swallowing hard, my throat dry as Riley settles beside me again. “I’m Leo.” Riley’s hand stays in mine, his thumb brushing my skin.
Octavia nods, tapping the tablet. “I had some time to go over a few things. You’ve been here before, so reviewing that as a baseline—it seems a lot has changed.”
“What do you mean?”
She tilts her head, setting the tablet aside. “Before we get into specifics,” she says, “I have a few questions that’ll confirm my suspicions.” Her eyes flicker to Riley’s shoulder, the bite peeking outfrom beneath his shirt, then back to me before she starts rapid firing questions at me.
“How do you react to confrontation?
Are you possessive?
Submissive?
Have you been knotted before?
Have you ever knotted someone before?
Do you crave it?”
I answer, each one digging deeper into the mess inside me. “Sometimes I snap,” I offer after her list. “Yeah, possessive—more than I want to be. Submissive… not usually, but lately…” I trail off, my face burning as I admit, “No, never knotted. Thought about it, though, with him. And yeah, I’ve knotted someone.” The words spill out and I get more lost with every question, my head spinning as I try to make sense of myself.
Octavia leans back, that smile widening just a little. “Leo, I had my suspicions before when your primary doctor brought your file to me almost two years ago, but it’s quite common in Omega-Omega pairs that form first.”
