By the time he stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around himself, he could hear a new voice in the cottage. He moved closer to the door and listened, his ear pressed to the wood. It was Oliver.
Deciding then and there that he wasn’t the kind of omega who hid in bathrooms just because he’d gone into heat, he forced himself to open the door and walk casually down the corridor to his room. Before he reached it, Oliver’s voice called out.
“Josh?”
He stopped and peeked over his shoulder. “Hi. Cole called you?”
Oliver shrugged. “He called Brax, Brax called me. And here I am.”
“Alphas are such worriers.”
That got a grin from Oliver. “You’re telling me. Want to talk?”
“No… but also kind of yes.”
“Then lead the way.”
They wound up sitting side by side on the edge of Josh’s bed. If Oliver noticed the bed hadn’t been slept in, he didn’t comment on it. Josh let the silence build as he tried to decide what he wanted to say. It wasn’t that it was hard to put his thoughts into words so much as that he didn’t want to start the conversation, afraid of where it might lead.
“I’m fucking everything up,” he got out eventually.
Oliver gave him a sideways glance. “Because you’re in heat?”
“Now is not the time for this.”
“I can see why you might think it’s not ideal. But your body obviously disagrees.”
“Obviously,” Josh scoffed, “my body is a crazy, backstabbing traitor.”
Oliver choked a little at his words, his eyebrows shooting up into his hairline.
“I have to admit, I can kind of see the logic,” he said.
That got Josh’s attention.
“Logic? What kind of warped logic are we talking about here?”
“It’s not as crazy as you seem to think. Yesterday, Stewart tried to take you away by force. Cole stepped in and saved you. Comforted you afterward. Your body saw a threat, followed by a strong, stable, protective alpha. It’s trying to stake its claim.”
Josh didn’t see it like that at all.
“So this isn’t my body being weak? Betraying me?”
“How so?” Oliver questioned.
“Two shifters fought over me, and now my body is saying ‘to the victor go the spoils?’”
“If Stewart had managed to take you, you wouldn’t be in heat right now. It doesn’t work like that.”
“Are you sure?” He certainly wasn’t.
“Yeah, I am. I’ve done a lot of reading around this since joining the pack. Spontaneous heats happen in reaction to something that triggers a big emotional response. But it’s not triggered by the negative emotions—the fear that you felt yesterday with Stewart. It’s triggered by the positive stuff—the relief, the comfort, the love—that you felt toward Cole afterward. It’s often misunderstood because the two events, the trauma and the resolution, are so closely linked. But in the absence of trauma, spontaneous heats still happen. Like when an alpha and omega are reunited after a long period of separation, the rush of happiness and good feelings that comes with that can be enough to trigger a heat.”
Oliver seemed so certain, his argument so logical, that Josh started to feel a whole lot better about it. As much as the stark fear from yesterday was at the forefront of his mind, it was that moment in Cole’s arms that he felt strongest about—safe, protected, loved.
“What do I do now, then?” he asked, hoping Oliver would have all the answers and not just the lore. But he knew it was cheating to expect the omega to be his guru of all things in his relationship with Cole.
“Now, you and Cole have breakfast and talk things over. Decide together what you want to do. It’s… early in your relationship for a heat, and a pack mating, and all that implies.”
Josh wondered what it did imply, other than him joining the pack.
“So you’re saying maybe I should see out this heat alone?”
“No, I’m definitely not saying that. Just because it’s sooner than you might have planned, doesn’t make it the wrong thing for both of you. It doesn’t mean it’s the right thing, either, but you two have to decide that for yourselves.”
Josh mused on that, nodding slowly. “I guess Cole and I do have a lot to talk about.”
“I’ll leave you to it,” Oliver said. “Call me anytime, night or day. Especially if you have questions after you and Cole talk.”
“Thanks, Oliver,” he said, catching the omega’s hand in his.
“It’s no problem. Have a good heat, whatever you decide.”
Oliver left Josh to get dressed and was gone by the time he wandered into the kitchen. Cole stood with his back to the sink, his fingers drumming against the counter.
“I’ve got pancakes warming in the oven,” the alpha said. “If you’re hungry.”
“Famished,” Josh admitted.
It wasn’t long before they were sitting at the table, digging in. Cole kept sneaking glances at him, worry in his eyes.
“Maybe we should approach this in a ‘rip the band-aid off’ kind of way,” Josh suggested. “Give me the worst of it, quick bullet points.”
“Worst of it?”
“Whatever it is you’re afraid to tell me because you think it’ll scare me off. Oliver kind of prepared me that this wasn’t your ordinary ‘hey, want to share my heat and have lots of great sex’ conversation.”
“Right,” Cole said awkwardly. “I guess it’s not. Okay, highlights of a heat when pack mating is a possibility. First off, mating bonds in a pack are pretty much unbreakable barring the death of a spouse or child.”
“Okay,” Josh said, swallowing hard. “I can see why that might be the case.”
Cole plowed on.
“There’s a really high chance of falling pregnant, with multiples. It’ll be an ultra-short pregnancy. Closer to three months instead of nine or ten, and you’ll be pretty uncomfortable for the second half. Oliver spent most of his last trimester in shifter form.”
Josh stayed silent for a long, long moment.
“You’re not joking, are you?”
“It’s just how it is with packs. Bonding is a serious commitment—”
“No, I mean… Oliver was only pregnant for three months with those four cubs.”
“Uh-huh. It’s very unusual to get pregnant a second time. You’ll have plenty more heats, they’re all about alpha-omega bonding, but babies chiefly only happen the once.”
“I guess I can see the benefits of getting it all over and done with. But four is a lot of kids.”
“Protectors and Keepers father fewer, usually. The further away you are from the center of the pack, the fewer cubs in a litter.”
“Huh, okay. I guess that makes sense.” He glanced at Cole’s apprehensive face. “How do you feel about all this?”
Cole reached across the table and took his hand.
“I’m ready to do this,” he promised. “It’s what I want. But that doesn’t mean it has to happen now. The choice is, and will always be, in your hands.”
“I knew you’d put it like that.” He thought it over. “So if we went ahead, in a few days we’d be properly mated, with a bond and everything?”
“Sure, and probably a few babies on the way.”
“Well, it’s not like I have anything better to do,” he joked.
“Are you sure?” Cole asked. “There’s all those opportunities for Keepers we’ve been talking about…”
“I wouldn’t make a good military anchor or a nurse, I don’t think. But I could be good for your pack. I could help out just by being myself. I feel I have a purpose when I’m with you all, that I belong. I like how that feels.”
But he knew Cole needed to hear more than that.
“And then there’s you. I… I want to be with you, Cole. I love waking up beside you every morning, doing chores side-by-side, arguing, laughing. I love all of it. I love you.”
Cole stood up, rounded the table, an
d crouched next to Josh’s chair.
“I love you, too.”
“Then what the hell are we waiting for? Bed, now.”
He jumped out of his seat and into Cole’s arms. The alpha lifted him easily, and Josh wrapped his legs around Cole’s waist. Their journey from kitchen to bedroom took far longer than it should have, both of them distracted, kissing and tugging off each other’s clothes.
Finally, Cole’s bed was within view.
“Are you sure about this?” Cole said, drawing Josh’s underwear down his legs. “We could grab condoms; I could help you through it. No mating, no bond, no babies.”
Josh wrapped his arms around Cole’s neck and kissed him until they were both breathless.
“I want this,” he promised the alpha, holding Cole’s gaze. “I want all of it.”
He thought Cole would lie him down on the bed but instead, the alpha stretched out on his back.
“You wanted to do all the work this time, right?” the alpha teased.
Josh grinned, happy to accept the challenge. He straddled Cole’s legs, pressing his hands against the alpha’s thighs as he bent down. Cole was rapidly growing hard, his cock pressing upward. Josh pressed a kiss to the base, licked a long, slow line up along the shaft and took just the head of Cole’s cock into his mouth, teasing with his tongue and sucking lightly. Cole was rock hard within seconds, and Josh pulled away with a satisfied smile.
“Oh, fuck,” Cole said. “If you do that again, I’ll lose it.”
“Can’t have that,” Josh said with a teasing frown. “We haven’t gotten to the main event yet.”
He reached a hand behind him, ready to ease himself open, but Cole’s hand on his arm stopped him.
“Let me,” the alpha said. “Please.”
Josh nodded and scooted forward. Cole slipped a hand behind his head, his fingers kneading at the nape of Josh’s neck. His other hand dipped lower, prompting Josh to throw his head back and moan when the alpha pushed a finger inside him. His heat had made him wet, but he still felt every inch of the stretch when Cole pressed a second finger inside. A third had him anxious for more, and he glanced down at the alpha’s waiting cock eagerly, pushing back against Cole’s hand as he did.
“I need more, Cole,” he begged.
“Well, you know where to find it,” Cole said, easing his fingers free.
Josh pressed a hand to Cole’s hips, pushing himself up as he grasped hold of Cole’s cock. The alpha’s hands went around his waist, steadying him but letting Josh have all the control.
His eyes found Cole’s as he slowly lowered himself. His breath hitched as the head of the alpha’s cock slipped inside, Cole’s eyes widening.
“You feel incredible,” the alpha whispered. “So good, Josh. Taking all of me like it’s nothing.”
“Doesn’t feel like nothing,” Josh panted out.
It felt like pressure and pain and wonderful pleasure all wrapped up together. His body was tight and unyielding at first, until it slowly gave way. He felt the press of the alpha’s balls against his skin and closed his eyes, giving himself a minute to adjust. When he tightened around the alpha, it drew a low moan from Cole.
“If you do that again,” Cole warned hoarsely, “I think I’ll come then and there.”
Josh grinned down at him. “I’ll save it for the grand finale.”
Cole’s hands found his and held onto them tightly.
“Ready?” Josh asked.
“For what?” Cole teased.
“Well, I was planning on riding you until you came harder than you’ve ever come. But if you’ve got a better idea...”
Cole’s breath hitched. “No, no. Far be it from me to stand between an omega and his plan.”
In answer, Josh pushed himself up off Cole and sank back down. The alpha groaned and pressed his head back, his hips thrusting up to chase Josh as he pushed up again.
“Not one to just lie there and take it?” Josh teased.
“I like the chase,” Cole admitted.
Josh leaned down and pressed a kiss to Cole’s lips. “Then catch me.”
He started riding Cole in earnest, crying out each and every time the alpha’s cock brushed against that spot inside him. Pleasure built and built within him, leaving him desperate for more. Cole’s hands found his hips, holding Josh steady while the alpha thrust upward, again and again, meeting every push of Josh’s body. They were in sync, a hot and heavy dance of their bodies.
“Josh.” The tension in the alpha’s body told him he was as close to the edge as Josh was.
On Cole’s next thrust, he tightened his body around the alpha, crying out as Cole came with a rough shout. Josh’s own release was a moment slower, building up and up until it crashed over him, a heady pleasure that knocked all thoughts from his head.
He found himself drawn down into Cole’s arms, the alpha pressing kisses to every patch of skin he could reach. Josh let himself sink into the embrace, laughing softly at the thought that this was just the start of something amazing.
Chapter Thirty-Three
It was late, and they’d been trying to sleep for over an hour, but Cole could see it just wasn’t happening for Josh.
“What do you need?”
Josh just shook his head, throwing an arm over his eyes.
Cole knew the early stages of heat could be like that, making an omega uncomfortable in their skin without providing a clear path to relief.
“Can I try something?”
Josh squirmed around and let his arm fall away.
“I don’t think I’m up for another round of sex. I’m so tired. I just can’t shut my mind and body off enough to sleep.”
“I wasn’t thinking sex, exactly. Just something to relax you. I’d do all the work; you’d just have to lie there.”
The omega nodded, lifting his head to follow Cole’s movement. “Sounds good to me. What did you have in— Oh.”
Cole tugged back the covers and slid down the bed until he was at eye level with Josh’s groin.
“This okay?”
Josh swallowed hard and laid his head back down on the pillow. “Very okay.”
Chuckling, Cole wrapped his fingers around the base of Josh’s shaft. He didn’t want to draw this out, didn’t want to tease the omega. Josh was exhausted, and his heat would only be stronger come morning. He needed relief and rest.
With a hum of anticipation, Cole opened his mouth and took Josh inside. The omega’s hips lifted off the bed as he moaned, long and low. Cole pressed down gently but firmly, needing as much control as he could get given the angle. His tongue teased the underside of Josh’s cock, groaning in pleasure at the taste. He hummed again, knowing how the vibrations would feel across the omega’s sensitive skin.
Josh panted above him, struggling to be still and not thrust upward. Once Cole was confident of his position, he eased his hand away from Josh’s hips and let him thrust up into his mouth, taking shallow breaths through his nose as his lips and tongue worked Josh carefully.
It didn’t take much for Josh to climax, a startled shout escaping the omega’s flushed lips. Cole caught his hips to still him as he swallowed around Josh, slowly pulling back.
He glanced up at his soon-to-be mate, finding Josh floppy and relaxed against the mattress. He pushed up the bed to lie with him, tugging Josh to lie with his head pressed against Cole’s chest, right over his heart. Josh was asleep in minutes, his face peaceful, a calm settling over the room. It didn’t take long for Cole to follow suit, worn out by the day’s events and knowing that tomorrow held plenty more excitement.
Josh’s heat reached full swing early the next morning. In contrast to the restless first half of the night, he fell into a deep sleep for the second, waking after dawn. Cole hustled him out of bed and into the shower, climbing in with him. Josh’s groan of pleasure as the water cascaded over him went straight to Cole’s groin. He urged his body to calm, not wanting to get ahead of himself. They were all over each other in the shower, taking
turns washing each other, soapy hands gliding across smooth skin.
Cole cupped Josh’s chin in his hand, running his thumb over the omega’s lips.
“You’re almost healed.”
“Yeah,” Josh said hoarsely, clearly distracted by Cole’s touch. “It’s weird, I’m normally much slower to heal.”
Frowning, Cole took a closer look.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Cole assured him. “I just think this might be your proximity to the pack. Tends to go hand in hand with faster healing.”
“But we’re not fully mated yet, are we?”
“Pack knows pack. Mate or not, I think we’ve claimed you as ours.”
Josh was quiet for another moment, and then he pushed up onto his tiptoes and kissed Cole’s lips.
“I want you to claim me,” he said. “I want to feel that I’m yours, inside and out.”
“All in good time,” Cole assured him.
“In good time better be soon,” Josh warned with a teasing grin. “An omega’s patience only stretches so far during a heat.”
In answer, Cole lifted Josh into his arms, urging the omega to wrap his legs around his waist. His half-hard cock pressed against Josh’s stomach, leaving the omega in no doubt about his feelings.
“An alpha’s patience isn’t limitless either. But let’s strike a bargain. Breakfast first, huh?” When Josh hesitated, he whispered, “I got cinnamon buns.”
Josh broke into a smile as he melted into Cole’s embrace. “Done. You are the best alpha.”
“You only like me for my buns,” Cole teased.
“And your cream cheese frosting,” Josh contended.
With some difficulty, he got Josh out of the shower, dried, and dressed. They sat at the kitchen table, but Josh’s mind was clearly on anything but the food. He could barely sit still, constantly reaching for Cole, running a hand up and down his arm as if to reassure himself that Cole was really there.
Finally, seeing he was fighting a losing battle, Cole lifted Josh into his lap. He wrapped an arm around his waist and held out a slice of sticky cinnamon bun.
Keeper (The Lost Pack Book 2) Page 17