Page 143 of Toxic

But the truth was—I wanted to be a dad. Deep down, under all my shenanigans, I wanted to have a child, to love, to care, to give, and to…

"I know how it sounds. It only lasted two and a half months at best. Maybe it wasn’t even a child yet, too early to think that way. But that’s not the point. The point is, they were my blood. They could’ve become little people. And I want kids, Skye! I’ve always wanted them, even knowing I’m a beta. I just… I want kids, period. And that’s the real issue here. It’s too much to bear, knowing my own body will kill them, that it won’t let them live. And this time, it would be your child too, Skye—" I cut myself off; this whole conversation was just too painful.

Skye was squeezing my hand so tightly it almost hurt, but that was exactly what I needed to take my mind off the topic.

"How do you know you’re going into heat? Are you sure?"

"Yes," I muttered and sighed heavily. "My nipples changed color today. They always get darker, almost a maroon color, right before the heat."

"They were like that last night, Soren."

I blinked. "What?"

"Yes, when we made love. They were already like that. I noticed it too, and I remembered them well from before we graduated. They had a much lighter pink shade then."

"Seriously? So, that means…" I focused inward. I knew—knew he was right. The wave of heat was already creeping up atthe edge of my consciousness. "Damn! It’s a matter of hours. I don’t even know if I’ll make it through the rest of the lectures!"

"Will you let me, Soren? Will you agree—?"

I closed my eyes. "What do you think? I had a serious problem saying no to you while not in a heat, and during a heat? It would be impossible."

I saw a faint blush on his cheeks. His fingers gripped mine tighter, and I hissed slightly before he quickly let go.

"I’ll make it as pleasant as possible for you."

"I trust you will. But let’s go. We’re already late."

I got up and put my tray away. Skye followed me silently as we headed toward the D-Project building for the day’s first class.

SKYE

I could see it in him, and with every hour that passed as we sat next to each other. I started to feel it too. At first, I didn’t know how to interpret it. I only knew how omegas' heat pheromones smelled. I had never, ever smelled any heat pheromones from a beta before, but now I was fully exposed to them. They were more subtle, I admit, yet still very enticing. I noticed a few alphas sitting nearby shifting uneasily in their seats, looking around as if trying to sniff an omega.

Soren's heat had definitely started building, growing more intense with each passing hour. His fingers were clenched, his lips red, his breathing quick. I could hear his heart pounding and see the way his eyes kept darting to me instinctively, pupils wide and hungry, almost like I was an oasis in a desert and he was a thirsty traveler.

It still wasn’t the thing itself. It was just a build-up, but it was strong enough to keep Soren distracted and on edge.

By lunch, I knew it was bad. Soren ate in large gulps, his hands trembling.

"It’s building up… building up," he mumbled, looking frantic. "Skye, you have no idea how badly I want you to just fuck me right now—"

My dick loved to hear it, and I took a sharp breath. "We can go back to the room if you want," I whispered. "And I will make love to you," I added, reaching out my hand, but he quickly pulled away.

"No, it’s not the peak yet. I can handle it. There’s just one more class. I don’t want to explain to your brother why I left for some strange reason. I can hold out… just don’t touch me."

So, we went to the last class, but things were only getting worse. Several alphas in the area started persistently glancing at Soren. One even got up to sit closer, but I let out a loud growl that quickly made him back off.

"Soren, we really need to leave. Soon, all the alphas in this room will focus on you, and it could get ugly—"

Soren cursed under his breath. "Just another half an hour, then we’ll go."

That half-hour felt like an eternity. I spent it glaring at anyone who turned toward Soren, their pupils dilated as they picked up on his scent, even if they were confused because he was a beta. The purely instinctive, pheromone-based reaction was there, but that confusion was to our advantage. If he were an omega, the scent would be ten times stronger, and nothing could stop them. It could easily turn into a frenzy, and in a closed room, things could get very dangerous.

The only good thing was that alphas were the minority here. Most course attendees were betas and omegas. Betas were ignoring it, and omegas were glancing toward us with their noses crinkled in disapproval. From what I've heard, some omegas find the smell of another person's heat somewhat repulsive, so they were not happy to have the odor fill the room.

Finally, the class ended. It was really the last moment. The actual part of the heat was just beginning. Soren started to bend himself slightly forward, his forehead on the edge of the desk, his pelvis tilting back—his body priming for a breeding position.

I grabbed him by the waist, and we practically ran out, trying to get out before the others. We hurried back to his room, and as soon as we got there, Soren put his hands on my shoulders and said, "First, a shower. I’ve been sweating all day."

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