Page 10 of Vegas Baby!

I shook my head, afraid that if I opened my mouth to say anything it would come out in a scream, my panic made manifest.

“Do you mind if I go for a quick shower then?”

I shrugged, staring at my knees instead of his face, trying desperately to keep my breathing under control.

Micah and Bryce hovered awkwardly, both nearby, neither daring to speak. Luke was barely gone ten minutes before he returned. I caught the slightest whiff of bright oranges, my body instantly reacting with a flush of warmth, my gaze jolting to Luke.

Scent match.

That knowledge broke my last thread of control and I tumbled headlong into a panic attack, my heart trying to beat through my ribs, my head swimming, and ice creeping up from my fingertips.

Too much.

Too much.

Too much.

Thank god that fucking long-assed day was over. My shift had gone two hours overtime, my scent blockers were wearing off, my feet ached, and I was hungry enough to eat an elephant. I parked in a lot outside our apartment and made my way upstairs, eager to park my ass on the couch and order a pizza all to myself.

All those dreams ground to a halt when I opened the door to a wall of burnt sugar omega distress. A crying pregnant woman sat on our couch, Luke was freaking out, Micah was hovering awkwardly, and a random alpha I didn’t know stared at me with his hackles up. Instinct and job training kicked into high gear.

“Everyone not an omega, get out of the way.”

I pushed the three of them aside and got to my knees in front of the sobbing omega. “Hey there, sweetness. My name is Jesse, I’m a paramedic, and it looks like you’re having a bit of a rough time. Do you mind if I check you over? Your distress scent is pretty potent and I’d like to make sure there’s nothing dangerous going on.”

She nodded, wiping at her sodden cheeks.

“What’s your name, sweetness?”

“Ava,” she said with a small hiccup.

“Micah, get my kit for me.”

My packmate moved into action immediately, fetching my overloaded first aid kit from the linen closet and setting it next to me.

“Do you have any conditions I should know about?”

Ava shook her head. “Just pregnant.”

She sat patiently while I took her temperature—normal—and then her blood pressure. It was a bit high, but not concerningly so. Her skin was impossibly soft as I shifted her hair so I could listen to her heart and breathing. What I actually wanted to do was gather her into my arms and purr until I got her heart rate under control.

“Do you trust any of these three to hold you right now?”

Her gaze flicked between the alphas hovering around us. “I barely know any of them.”

Interesting. How did she end up in our apartment if she didn’t know either of my packmates? I had sort of expected oneof them to be the father, but it wasn’t sounding like that was the case.

“Fair enough. Would you be comfortable if I held you so we can get your heart rate calmed down?”

Ava hesitated for a moment before nodding. It was my lucky day. I sat next to her on the couch and pulled her onto my lap, tucking her head under my chin while I got my purr rumbling.

“Breathe for me. Put your hand on my chest and follow my breath. We’ll check your vitals again in a few minutes.”

Ava’s palm lay against my chest, the heat of her hand searing through the fabric. I made sure my breathing was exaggerated so she could match it, and I stroked a soothing hand down her back until her hiccuping and sobbing slowly melted away. The air was still heavily saturated with her distress, but whispers of her true scent lurked beneath that. Praline?

It was sweet and nutty, weaving its way through my senses. Instinct wanted me to put my teeth on her skin and claim her for myself. I tensed beneath her. I had never wanted to do that to someone before, certainly not someone that I was taking care of. I was pretty sure she was my scent match; that was the only explanation I could think of, but that wasn’t something either of us were prepared to deal with at this moment.

“Micah, can you get her a cup of ice? Luke, get her some juice. And whoever you are, I guess make yourself comfortable.”

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