Page 105 of Talk About… Rivalry

The sound of screeching tires echoed down the line and Leo cursed.

“We can’t fucking help her if we’re dead!” Leo yelled, his breathing ragged.

“You’re fine,” Maverick bit out and I couldn’t help but smile.

My pack was coming.

Maverick

HearingSidney’s voice had never had this big of an effect on me. My entire body was tense, the sound of her begging us to come, taking me from frustrated and terrified, to relieved and in a rush to get to her.

When I came to a stop in front of the clinic, Leo practically jumped out, shooting daggers at me with his eyes.

“You drive like a psycho!” he yelled.

I didn’t bother to argue as I stalked past.

“You’re alive,” was all I said as I opened the door. Bennett and Taylor were steps ahead of us and I picked up the pace, leaving Leo to rush after them.

“Wait up,” Leo said, but not one of us paused.

We had to get to our girl.

Arden, Avery’s mate, was waiting behind the desk, pacing back and forth. When he heard our stomps on the tile he turned, waving us over with wide eyes.

“She’s close to full-blown heat, gentleman. There won’t be time to leave, but here’s a stack of blankets, give it to her forher temporary nest. Get it as saturated in your scent as you can before you reach her.”

“Where is she?” I asked as Taylor and Leo took the pile of blankets.

“Third floor, take the elevator. The nurse will lead you to her, I’ll call up there now,” he said before turning serious. “If you guys let her down, I’ll castrate you all and Avery will kill you after.”

“Noted,” I said, shoving past them to get to the elevator.

I heard the alpha call up to his nurse as the others piled in. The elevator was too slow, my fists tightening further as I waited for it to reach the top floor.

A nurse was waiting on the other side. The beta smiled at us and waved for us to follow, not bothering with small talk as she hurried us along.

“All I need is to confirm IDs and snap a picture of them and you can go in. The nest is yours for the duration of her heat, and I’ll need at least one of you to go over the amenities that you’ll need to know,” she said as she paused at the nurses station. “This is for your omega’s safety.”

The last line was delivered like an ax on the chopping block.

We all turned to Leo who simply nodded, squaring his shoulders instead of fighting.

“Thanks, Leo,” I managed to choke out, finding a new appreciation for the beta. It was a long way from wanting to punch him.

I shoved my ID at her and let her snap a pic before tucking it away and stepping away, screaming in my head for everyone to hurry the fuck up.

My omega needed me, dammit.

I was two seconds from screaming her name up and down these hallways in a fucked up version of Marco Polo.

“Okay, this way,” she said, leading three of us to the room while Leo stayed behind with another nurse at the nurses’ station.

The moment she pushed open the door I was hit with a wall of Sidney’s scent. It was as if the entire world stopped spinning in this one moment. I closed my eyes for a single blink, savoring the scent and committing it to memory.

It had a sweetness that was overwhelming, laced in fig, earthy moss, a hint of jasmine, and fresh mountain air bringing it from too sweet, right back to perfection.

She smelled like heaven.

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