Page 149 of Ashley & the A-Listers

But the scent driving him mad was tucked under his pillow. Ginger and citrus, invigorating him every time he smelled it. And with every hour it was fading, until even now it was hardly a memory.

He whined, and River gathered him close. “What is it? What can I do for you?” he asked.

Cameron stared up at River, his messy blond hair askew, sweat shining on his bare skin, a couple love bites and bruises beginning to color.

They’d been through so many heats together, locked away in the privacy of Cameron’s home, and they’d always come and gone without issue.

This time was different. Why?

Was there something wrong with him?

“Don’t stress,” River said, and carded a hand through Cameron’s hair, petting, soothing.

Cameron nuzzled into him and shut his eyes, convinced he could lie to himself just a few days more.

But his mind kept wandering, and the cramps came in waves, and even though River’s fake knot was still locked inside him, Cam already felt the next one approaching.

He wastired.He wanted relief.

He wanted an alpha. He wanted a knot.

A lock.

A whine tore out of him at just the thought of it, and he bucked, chasing something that River couldn’t give him.

“Tell me what you need, Cam, please,” River begged. “How can I help?”

Cam swallowed, River’s scent heavy on his tongue, but not enough.

“I need, ah, I—“ He bit down on his lip because he knew what he needed, but some part of him knew that if he asked for it, something would change, and he didn’t know what.

River’s hands framed his face and tilted him up. “Tell me. You can trust me.”

“Alpha,” Cam whispered, opening his eyes, baring the desperation he knew would shine out of them. “I need an alpha. Please, alpha.”

It was a constant loop in his mind.Alpha, relief, knot, lock, alpha.

“Ashley,” he practically moaned, and his hips shifted, but the fake knot was already deflating.

“Are you sure?” River asked.

Cam nodded, turning back to him. “Do you think she’d come?” Cam asked. “Really?”

River flipped them, tucking Cam close to his body and turning to lay him down into the nest. “Cam, I think that alpha would dropeverythingfor you,” River said softly.

Cam’s very heart stilled at River’s words. “Yeah?”

River’s lips curled, and if there was a sprinkle of hurt behind those pretty eyes, it was gone before Cam could decide if it was real or imagined.

“Yeah, Cam. So I want you to be sure. She’s mated to Dylan, remember?”

Cam whined, pushing his head into the pillow. “Fuck. I forgot. I don’t want Dylan,” he said. “Not like that. I only want Ashley.”

“Okay, okay. I can call her.”

“Really?” Cam repeated, hope in his chest. Shortly, the knot deflated and River pulled out of him, and Cam whined with the loss of the pressure.

“Can you wait that long?” River asked, nipping at his cheek. “Wait long enough for the alpha to get here? To lock you?”

---