Page 17 of Vallaverse: Noir
“Come with me,” I say urgently. Time is running out. I need to get my Omega out of here before he totally succumbs. “Come with me. Let's go.” Then I take a note from every needy Omega handbook ever written. “Please,” I whisper. “Get me out of this room.”
That, at least, spurs the Valla into action. He takes a breath and drops his hold from my arm to my hand and turns toward the closest door. I reach up and pull the Omega's hand from my neck and link our fingers together so that the Valla can lead us out of the ballroom without us tripping all over each other.
People gawk as we weave our way through the crowd. With every step, the Omega's hand squeezes mine harder. We aren't moving quickly enough. Even with him trailing behind me, his scent is strong; becoming increasingly intoxicating. The deep breath I take when we burst into the lobby was meant to ground me, but instead his heady scent only makes my head feel thick, sluggish. This isn't good. My room is so far away and he's falling into heat so fast. I can't afford for him to go into full-fledged heat out in the open. I don't know what might happen if another Alpha tries to take him from me.
Or what the Valla might do if that happens.
“Bring the car around,” the Valla barks into the phone that he took out without me noticing. “Quickly.”
“No,” I tell him, slowing our pace. “I have a room. We need to get to the elevators.”
“Never mind. I'll be in touch.” He tucks his phone back into his pocket and starts toward the elevator bay, pulling us along behind him.
As soon as the elevator doors close us inside, the Omega pushes his nose back into the side of my neck. “What floor?” he rasps, his breath hot against my skin.
“Sixth.” I reach out to push the button as he takes in shallow breaths and leans into me.
The Omega chokes on a whimper. “That's so far.”
“Shh.” I raise my hand and sink my fingers into his hair, tilting my head to give him better access to more skin. His scent grows sharper and stronger; so much so that it fills every bit of space inside the elevator. My eyes roll with the effect it has on me.I'm going to be obscenely soaked by the time we get to the sixth floor.
The Valla watches quietly, his hands clenched into hard fists at his sides. His slate-gray eyes burn into mine as my aroused scent mixes with the Omega's. I hold his gaze. Even if I could look away, I wouldn't. Then the Omega whines again, pressing his body even closer to mine, and the Valla breaks eye contact to close his eyes as his nostrils flare. “This is a very slow elevator.”
I glance up at the glowing floor indicator and sigh. “Just two more to go. My room is just down the hall.”
The Omega makes another strained sound and nuzzles into the crook of my neck, causing me to shiver. “Keep talking, Alpha. Please.”
Every word I know immediately falls out of my head. All the words that Alphas usually say to their Omegas during their heats, anyway. The only thing my mind brings to the forefront is the collection of empty throw-away coffee cups on my passenger side floorboard. “I need to clean out my car before you can get into it when we leave. My apartment is big enough for us, but it probably isn't as nice as what you're used to. I'll do whatever I need to do to keep you comfortable. I need to get better groceries. You can't live on bagels.”
He chuckles and the soft, low sound of it makes me want to groan. The Valla is right. This is a very slow elevator.
“What's your name, Omega?” I ask him. His hair is thick and soft between my fingers as I gently run my nails across his scalp, and he makes another soft sound for me.
Before he can answer, the elevator dings and the doors open. The Valla holds up a hand to stop me from rushing out , then steps out to scan the hall. It is utterly bizarre for me to let another person decide whether or not I'm safe to walk into a hallway. I'm sure that sentiment would be lost on him, though. Valla's are the top of the food chain, after all.
After a moment, he reaches back inside the elevator and I look at his hand for half a second before I take it. He didn't reach for the Omega. He definitely reached for me. I have no idea how this is going to go. So far, he doesn't seem to want to take the Omega from me; but that could change once we're in the middle of heat instead of just the beginning.
By the time we get to my door, the still nameless Omega is panting and leaning heavily into me. It wouldn't be too much if I were in my regular shoes, but even though my heels are low, I'm struggling a little to keep us upright. “Hold on,” I say as I open my bag and take out the room key. Again, the Valla steps in front of me and walks inside the room first. “That's a little excessive, don't you think?” I murmur. I understood the caution walking out of the elevator, but there's no reason for anyone to be in my room.
“No,” he says simply, and holds the door open for me to lead my Omega inside.
The moment the door closes behind us, the Omega falls to his knees, panting and wraps his arms around me, fully encircling my ass and upper thighs. He presses his forehead against my lower abdomen. “Please, Alpha. I need – ”
I sink my fingers back into his hair and gently turn his face up. “You need to tell me your name, Omega.”
“Beckett,” he breathes. “Please. It's hitting so hard.”
“I know,” I tell him. “It's alright, Beckett.” He sighs when I say his name. “Let's get you more comfortable. Do you want to go to the bed?”
“Okay,” he says.
“Are you staying here at the hotel? You need nesting supplies. Did you bring them?”
He shakes his head. “I have a room at CCOE, but I wasn't planning on going back there tonight.”
I glance at the Valla.
“I'll get whatever he needs.”
