Chapter Twelve

Kirk

I didn't look at my phone for the week that Chasten was in heat. I didn't want work bugging me about when I might come back or to read through a thousand congratulations texts that were still coming in. Heat was hard on all omegas. Part of that was because sometimes it drove them not to eat or drink and with his diabetes that wasn't an option for my mate. He bit me more than once for checking his blood sugar while he would rather, I'd have been playing with his dick or diving headfirst between his ass cheeks to get him off. I teased him that heat had turned him in to a man-eater because he kept biting me. He also wasn't fond of all the kitchen timers I set to remind myself to feed us both. I couldn't get enough of him before his heat hit but during it, even a tiny whiff of him was enough to make me forget myself. I wanted him around for all the years of my life. So I made a point to remember to set the timers and to order groceries that weren't covered in the baskets the pack and Chasten's friends dropped off. He needed a lot of protein and as much as I hate to admit we relied a lot on store bought deer jerky to fill in the gaps while we were practically connected at the hips.

As much as I appreciated the perks of being in the Hemlock Wolf Pack before meeting Chasten, I considered myself a lone wolf in my free time. I got enough of people and chit-chat at work. There were always people to talk to at work or patients who wanted to yell at you about something the doctor ordered or denied. There was just enough of it all at work. Sure, I occasionally met up with co-workers for drinks or special occasions, but not often and usually not if I could avoid it. I burnt out on social events quickly, but being with Chasten rejuvenated me in a way I didn't know was possible. While he did suck my dick dry, he didn't do the same to my social battery. He replenished it instead.

By the end of the week, we'd marked each room in his house as our own. As his heat wound down, Chasten grew less grumpy when I reminded him that he had to eat or check his blood sugar. While the sex was great, I wouldn't miss the growling matches that unfolded sometimes because I had the audacity to feed my mate instead of fucking him silly. Though, those matches usually led to exactly what Chasten wanted – only after a snack. Maybe if I didn't work in medicine and know the dangers of unmanaged blood sugar, I'd have been more flattered than I was about those arguments. Still, sexually frustrated Chasten was hot as hell.

"I'm hungry," Chasten murmured, rolling himself up in the blankets as the sun peeked through the slats in the blinds. "Really hungry."

He yawned and inched away from me when I leaned over for a good morning kiss. It stung, but heat was a fickle master and might make his grand return if we provoked it too much.

"Sorry. Soon, though. I want to," he yawned again. "I'm tired and cold and hungry. I love you."

"I love you too," I managed a sleepy chuckle. "What would you like for breakfast?"

"Anything that won't try to eat me back."

"Aww! I like eating you, though," I said, and he kicked me. "That might've hurt if you weren't more blanket burrito than wolf right now."

"You're not funny."

"I'm not trying to be," I sat up. "I like eating you. I meant that."

"Are you trying to start it back up?" he asked, scooting to the far side of the bed.

"I might be," I glanced down at my crotch – morning wood raging on.

"Hasn't it had enough?" he whined.

"You'd think so, but I guess I can't get enough of you. I'm going to jump in a quick shower and then I'll whip something up for breakfast, alright?"

"Hurry up," he said, whacking me on the butt as I passed him on the other side of the bed to reach the bathroom.

"Wanna join me?" I teased him.

"Oh, no you don't," he rolled over to face away from me.

"Sorry, mate," I said, still smirking as I ducked into the bathroom to take care of my own needs before I actually turned into a cave wolf.

"It'll be better after he showers," my wolf chimed into my thoughts. "He still smells like heat and romping."

The furry guy was right. Chasten smelled like all the sex we had while locked up inside the house. Sure, we'd hit the shower several times a day but the scent of heat still clung to his pores. I got myself off thinking about him and then headed into the kitchen without teasing Chasten who had fallen back asleep.

"About time he gets some sleep. I swear, he's stayed up all week," my wolf said, as I tore open a bag of jerky to give me the energy to cook breakfast. I considered ordering out but having to double-check all the macro nutrients on the menu would be a bigger headache than just making up some omelets myself.