32. Mine

That felt good. Blood leaked from Vaila's nose as she held it over the sink, groping around for a towel of some sort. She grabbed a handful of paper towels and shoved it under her nose, which I hoped was broken.

"The fuck, Mine?"

"You had that coming. You were poking a newly-mated Omega who grew up Human. You're lucky we didn't kick your ass for her." Cy had her hand on my stomach, holding me to her. She wasn't pressing very hard, so I knew I could get another hit in if I really wanted to.

If looks could kill, Vaila would be dead. My eyes were daggers, and my hand hung beside me in a fist, ready for more action.

She looked up, and I flipped her off, holding my head higher. She messed with the wrong person. Sure, this had a little to do with me being an Omega, but Human Mine agreed with my actions.

"You're also lucky that wasn't her dominant hand. Imagine how much that would have hurt." Odie stood up and walked to the front door before opening it. "Thank you so much for everything, Vaila. You will be paid in full plus some from my father's account, but it's time for you to leave. Next time, don't be an ass to your customers, family friends or otherwise." She gave a sharp grin and waited for Vaila to make her way out the door.

As she walked by, Vaila spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "You've got a good one, Odie. Keep her close." Although her words were rather ominous, she said it with a smile back at me. I flipped her off again as the door slammed behind her.

Odie immediately came over to me, pulling me up into her arms with a soft kiss on my lips. "I like jealous you."

I squirmed in her arms and wanted to yell and scream, but I couldn't. She set me down, and I grabbed my notebook.

She's lucky I didn't have a bat in my hand. Don't introduce me to anyone else you've fucked unless you want them dead. Got it?

"Got it. I may have one you can ki—" I lifted my notebook and slapped it down in Cy's face, shutting her up "That's hot. Do it again." Cy was asking for trouble, and if I was in a better mood, I would cause even more of a ruckus, but I was tired and wanted to go to bed and hoped the gross feeling in my stomach stopped.

The cure had better work. That sludge was absolutely disgusting. It tasted like rotten fish that had been sitting in a dumpster for a month next to a few piles of literal shit.

I tossed the notebook on the counter and walked away. It was time to call it a night, but I wanted to do it away from them for the time being. I was too worked up and needed my calming nest, plus movies and so much popcorn.

"Wait, Mine, take one of these." Odie picked up the bottle of suppressants and shook one into my hand when I came back to her.

I placed it on my tongue and drank some more lemonade. With a thumbs up and an irritated look on my face, I grabbed the bottle and walked away again. I'd figure out an alarm to remind me to take these before bed every night. I was not going to risk going into a heat before I was ready.

After making it to my nest, I closed the door and fell onto my soft bed. The movie was still playing, and soon, it lulled me to sleep.

I should have added an air conditioning unit to the list. It was stifling in here, and there wasn't even a window to open to cool the space down.

Shoving myself up, everything was sore, and I figured I overdid it with decorating yesterday. Other than that, I had a pretty sedentary lifestyle.

I needed a large glass of ice water, so I made my way downstairs in the dark. Usually someone was already up by the time I ventured out here, so I never had to worry about it, but now, I was fumbling around, trying to remember where the light switches were. I got one on, and that was enough, so I filled a glass full and chugged it before refilling it.

I felt a little better and made my way back upstairs, hoping to get some more sleep.

With my door closed again and me snuggled up in bed, I closed my eyes. I was nearly asleep when my door slamming open woke me with a start. Odie stood in the doorway with her nostrils flaring and eyes blazing.

What? I asked.

"You need to take another suppressant. Now." Odie spotted the pill bottle on the floor next to my water and practically dove for it. "Take this," she said, handing me another pill and the glass of water.

I did as she said, swallowing the second pill.

Odie sighed with relief, but her entire body still seemed tight and stiff. "Your pheromones were all over downstairs. I don't know what happened, but that first pill didn't work, and given my insane need to—" Odie cleared her throat and rubbed her hand down her face. "Your heat is coming, and if these don't work on you, we will have to prepare for the worst."

I was barely awake, but she finally got my attention, so I sat up, reaching for the notebook I had in here.

What do you mean?

"One pill doesn't seem to be enough, Mine. Your heat is coming, and we need to stop it or—" She swept her hand across the space as if to say you know.

My jaw fell open into an O as I realized what she meant.

So what do we do?

"Hope a second pill works, then if not, we decide if you want to take the birth control and allow us to help you with the heat, or we can disappear from the cabin. I'm not saying this to sway you in any way, but the second option would be excruciating for everyone. Alphas aren't just there to breed you. They are there to help ease the ache that comes with it because you will want our knots. To go through a heat alone would be absolute hell for you. I need you to understand that before you make a decision. Don't think about us in this equation. We will be fine, okay?"

I nodded, but I didn't really know what I would decide. I didn't want more pain, but I wasn't necessarily ready to take that step. I really hoped the pill worked and everything went back to normal before it was too late.

"And, Mine, there will be a time where it is too late. If the heat sets in too quickly, your pheromones will overpower us and demand we take you. We won't be able to fight it."

Well, shit.

"I'm going to grab the birth control, just in case. Take it now. We don't know what's going to happen, so better safe than sorry."

Without an answer from me, Odie ran downstairs and was back up here in a few seconds with Cy behind her.

"How are you feeling?" Cy asked as she sat on the bed next to me as Odie opened the vial.

I shrugged, not knowing what to say about all of this. I was confused and worried even though I knew they wouldn't do anything to hurt me by choice. It was all too much, and I wanted things to settle down. The last few days had been amazing, and now look at us.

"Here." Odie handed me the vial, and I knocked it back without thinking. Like she said, better safe than sorry.

Even if the heat took hold of all of us, at least there would be fewer consequences to deal with afterward.

I spelled out Ellie's name, wondering what she would do if things went south.

"That would be up to her. She could stay here and handle things on her own for a few days, or she could go to Gerard's."

I nodded along, but I really hoped this room was far enough away that she didn't hear anything. We were on opposite sides of the house, so I was hopeful.

"I wonder why they aren't working. Even with your designation showing, you aren't genetically different from any other Omega," Odie mused.

"Who knows. Maybe she is. Maybe that's part of why the council separated them. We haven't exactly looked into things." Cy was right, but I really hoped this was simply a fluke.

Can I have some juice?

I didn't really want any, but we all needed a distraction while I tried to make a decision and we waited for something to happen.

"Of course." Cy was the one to run downstairs this time and came back with a large glass of cranberry juice.

I drank half of it to keep myself busy, then we all sat in silence for about an hour. Nothing seemed to change. I didn't feel any different. I was still a little warm, and everything was still a little sore, but I also didn't seem to get any worse.

"This is torture." Cy fell back on the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Odie asked before her phone buzzed with an incoming call. "Shit. It's Vaila. Care to answer it for me?" I rolled my eyes at the half-assed joke before she answered the call. "Yes?"

I couldn't hear what she was saying, but all the color vanished from Odie's face as the conversation went on.

What?

"What is she saying?" Cy sat up. "Put it on speaker, Odie."

Odie stood up without a word and started for the door. Panic coursed through me, and I needed answers. Without thought, I leapt up and grabbed her hand, and that one little touch was our downfall.

A silent scream reverberated inside me as I collapsed to the ground and curled in on myself. Cy and Odie let out twin grunts as they hit the ground as well.

"Shit. What's happening?" We all knew the heat was setting in, but there was missing information. Information Vaila had just given to Odie.

"They weren't suppressants. They were heat inducers. Vaila lied." She groaned again as another wave of my pheromones shot from me. "I'm so sorry, Mine. Decide now. We can—" But I knew it was too late. They couldn't run even if they wanted to.

No matter what I wanted, this was happening. I was going into a heat.

"But why?" Cy managed to get out.

Odie scoffed as she pushed herself up to all fours. "Maybe she's just a heartless, jealous bitch."

As much as I agreed that she was a heartless, jealous bitch, something told me that wasn't all, but whatever Vaila had in store, we would have to make it through the heat to sort it all out.