Chapter 10

chapter 10

. . .

Logan

C armen shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

Her scent was stronger, and I sensed she might be right after all—she was going into heat in a house full of alphas.

I walked over to her, keeping my gaze locked on hers as I sat beside her.

“Carmen?” I said, trying to sound casual while my heart raced. She looked up at me, her green eyes wide and nervous. I knelt before her, my gaze never leaving hers. “You’re starting your heat, aren’t you?”

Carmen bit her lip and nodded, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“This is a disaster,” she whispered, looking down.

Her hands trembled in her lap, and a low whimper escaped her throat. I couldn’t bear the thought of her suffering through her heat alone, especially without a pack to support her.

A deep, primal need to protect her surged within me.

But Tyler’s presence complicated everything, and I knew she still cared for him. The possessive flare in my chest was hard to ignore.

I wanted her, but I had always respected our friendship.

“Remember, we’re here. You have six alphas at your beck and call,” I reminded her. “We’ll help you if it comes down to that.”

“Logan,” she whispered shakily, holding her belly. “If we do this… it’ll change everything between us.”

“I know,” I replied gently, my jaw tightening. “But I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life. You don’t have to go through this alone, Carmen. I’m here for you.”

Her uncertain gaze flicked over to Tyler, who stood across the room with his arms crossed, looking tense and jealous. A look of hurt flickered across her face as he quickly averted his gaze from her. She looked back at me, and I felt a surge of sympathy and protectiveness wash over me.

I wanted to shield her from the pain and wrap her in warmth and safety.

“I don’t know,” she said before crying out in pain as she curled onto the floor.

Panic surged within me as I followed her to the ground.

“Listen to me,” I said passionately, placing my hand on her shoulder. “I’ve wanted you for years, but I never pushed you because I respected our friendship. Now, though, I can’t stand by and do nothing while you’re in pain. You will need my knot to get through this heat, and I’m here for you. I'll take responsibility for everything, especially if you get pregnant. You’ll need to trust me, Carmen.”

“Okay,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. With that simple word, I quickly scooped her up in my arms.

“What’s going on?” Tyler demanded sharply.

“She’s in heat,” I barked. “Not that you care.”

His eyes flickered as he leaned back in his chair. I shot a warning glance at Tyler, daring him to challenge my claim on Carmen. But he remained rooted to the spot, his fists clenched at his sides, battling some internal demon that threatened to tear him apart.

Carmen gasped in my arms, the pain in her middle intensifying.

As a natural impulse, her gaze flickered to Tyler, who stood abruptly, casting a tall, brooding shadow over the room. His eyes, usually so controlled, were dark and stormy as they bore into Carmen’s very soul. The electricity between them crackled and sizzled, their connection undeniable even in this tense situation.

“Tyler…” Carmen breathed, her voice barely audible. Her eyes met his for just a moment, and the hurt from years ago flashed across her face. My heart ached for her, but I wasn’t going to allow Tyler to play games with her anymore.

Carmen

My heart raced with uncertainty as I locked eyes with Tyler. But his next words broke me.

“I’ll stay out of your way,” Tyler said gruffly to Logan, his voice strained. “You don’t need me for this.”

My heart clenched painfully at his harsh dismissal, feeling as though a fresh wound had reopened. Bitterness bubbled up inside me, threatening to consume every ounce of my strength. Why did it feel like his rejection was cutting me open all over again?

Tyler turned away, and I was shocked—especially after our skin-to-skin session and feeling his arousal press up against me during it all.

I thought he wanted me.

“That’s fine,” Logan said, quickly carrying me into the bedroom. Once there, my body felt as if it were engulfed in flames. My skin burned, every nerve alive and screaming for relief as I writhed in discomfort on the bed.

“I changed my mind,” I gasped. “I’ll wait until this passes. I can handle this.”

“Carmen, you can’t be serious,” Logan said worriedly, placing a hand on my knee as slick gushed into my pajama pants. “You’re not alone anymore.”

Logan was here. He had always been here, a constant presence in my life. But the sting of Tyler’s cold rejection reminded me that I wasn’t worth it. There was something wrong with me.

“Logan, please,” I sobbed, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Please leave.”

“Absolutely not,” Logan replied firmly. “Carmen, you could die from your heat if you don’t allow me to knot you.”

I shook my head, adamant in my refusal. “Leave with your pack. Get me some pain medicine. I’ll make it through this.”

Logan’s jaw clenched, and I could tell he was far from happy with my decision. “Carmen, it’s not that simple. You know what can happen in just a few hours.”

“I know,” I begged, my voice barely a whisper. I would call him if I couldn’t handle it anymore. But I just needed some time to process everything. “I promise I’ll let you know if it’s too much.”

He sighed loudly, not moving for a long moment. Finally, he nodded, scooting off the bed. “Alright. But we’ll be back to check on you.”

“Okay,” I whimpered as he left the room along with Griffin and Talon.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind them, I quickly bolted from the bed and locked the door. My body was on fire, and I knew this was only going to get worse.

What if I could survive this? I had never actually heard of an omega dying from being in heat.

A searing, intense pain ripped through my abdomen, causing me to gasp and clutch at my stomach.

My entire body trembled with a sensation that was both agonizing and pleasurable. I felt hot wetness dripping down my thighs and pooling on the sheets beneath me. Desperately, I reached between my legs, trying to find some release from the pulsing ache within me.

I shoved my hand down my leggings, feeling my slick folds as I attempted to finger myself. I needed something thick inside me.

This wasn’t working at all.

I tried to push my finger in, but a barrier stopped me, and it was painful to keep going.

“Oh my god,” I said out loud as hot tears rolled down my face.

With a frustrated grunt, I kicked away the blankets and continued to writhe on the bed, unable to ease the relentless throbbing in my core.

It felt like I was locked within my own body, a prisoner to my heat and the torment it brought. I whimpered, crying on the bed as the heat fully took hold of me.