Page 40 of Heat Clickbait
I would die for this man's vocal cords
ghost really said two words and I'm ready to propose
"We scent-matched," I said, taking control of the narrative again before the chat could spiral too far into thirst for Ghost's gravel-and-smoke voice. "That's biology. Pheromones and compatibility and all that scientific stuff that happens whether we want it to or not. We also chose to explore what that meant. That's consciousness. Free will. Decision-making." I held up my hands, gesturing as I spoke, my chipped neon pink manicure catching the light. "I went into heat. Biology. They refused to permanently bond me during it, even though every instinct was screaming at them to claim me. Choice. Do you see how it works? It's not one or the other. It's both, all the time, constantly."
A superchat donation popped up, a bright yellow banner across the screen with a question that made my stomach clench like someone had punched me.
What about your mom's interview with Channel 7? She says you're making her mistakes and setting back Omega rights by a decade.
The room went dead silent. I felt the shift through our partial bonds like a physical thing, Milo's protectiveness spiking sharp and sweet, Nova's immediate calculation of legal responses and damage control, Ghost's readiness to cut the stream if needed, Crash going still for the first time all day, Blitz's easy smile hardening into something dangerous. The weight of theircombined attention was like being wrapped in armor made of good intentions and barely leashed violence.
"My mother," I said carefully, each word measured and deliberate, "experienced trauma that shaped her entire life. She went into heat publicly, on live television, without support or understanding, and was abandoned by people who should have protected her. That was her story. Her experience. Her pain." I swallowed hard, tasting the metallic edge of anxiety. "This is mine."
"Our story includes support," Crash added, bouncing slightly in his seat, his nervous energy crackling through the air like electricity. "Like, aggressive amounts of support. Possibly too much support. Milo made seventeen different breakfast foods this morning because he was stress-baking again."
"Stress baking is a legitimate coping mechanism," Milo defended, but he was smiling, that megawatt grin that made his slightly crooked front tooth visible. "And everyone ate them, so clearly it was necessary."
"I had four different types of pancakes," Blitz added, patting his abs. "Worth every rep I'll have to do later."
The dynamic between us, natural and unforced and full of the kind of easy affection that couldn't be faked, seemed to calm some of the chaos in chat. The questions shifted from accusatory to curious, from demanding proof to asking for understanding.
How did you know it was real?
What happens next for you guys?
Are you happy?
This is better than any reality show
the way they all protect each other I'm soft
"Am I happy?" I read aloud, considering the question seriously. It deserved more than a flippant response, more than the kind of surface-level positivity that influencers usually served up. "I'm terrified. I'm excited. I'm confused about half the things I'm feeling and certain about the other half. I'm everything all at once, and that's okay. That's human."
"That's the most Callie answer ever," someone in chat commented, and it made me laugh, that wind-chime sound that came out when I was genuinely amused instead of performing amusement.
"Look," I said, leaning forward slightly, Nova's hand sliding to rest on my lower back to keep me steady. "I know this challenges everything I've said before. The independent Omega who doesn't need anyone, who gives savage dating advice about avoiding Alpha bullshit, suddenly surrounded by five Alphas? I get how it looks. I get why people feel confused or even betrayed."
The viewer count hit 325,000. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I registered that this was probably the biggest stream I'd ever done, bigger than the convention fallout, bigger than any collaboration. But it felt less like performing and more like... existing. Being seen.
"But independence isn't about isolation," I continued. "It's not about proving you don't need anyone or anything. It's about choosing your connections, not having them chosen for you. It's about having the freedom to say yes because you want to, not because biology or society or family pressure demands it."
"And we choose each other," Nova said firmly, his voice carrying the kind of certainty that came from boardroom negotiations and high-stakes decisions. "Every day. Every stream. Every moment. Even when it's inconvenient or complicated or when the internet has opinions about it."
"Even when Crash leaves his energy drink cans everywhere and builds weird sculptures with them," Blitz added, earning a indignant squawk from the youngest Alpha.
"Even when Ghost rebuilds his entire streaming setup at 3 AM because he heard a weird noise in his audio," Crash shot back, grinning.
"Even when Nova schedules intimate time in his planner like it's a business meeting," Milo said with a perfectly straight face, and the entire pack dissolved into laughter while the chat went absolutely feral.
NOVA SCHEDULES WHAT NOW
intimate time I'M DECEASED
this is the best stream ever
MILO REALLY SAID THAT WITH HIS WHOLE CHEST
nova's control issues extend to romance I cannot
