Page 97 of Fragile Heart

Fuck, it’s been so damn long since we’ve had to get an Omega through a heat. Do we even have enough supplies? I count through the amount of blankets we have as well as sheets. It’s likely enough as long as one of us stays on top of the laundry. Do we have an extra tooth brush? We can probably use Camden’shair brush if Caleb doesn’t have one of hers stashed at our place already.

Camden.

Shit.

I pull out my phone and call Joan. She answers on the first ring.

“Hey, Ethan,” she says in her happy alto. “I hope the horses didn’t give you too much trouble this week. Melissa mentioned yesterday that one of them keeps throwing a shoe.”

I huff out a laugh. Misty Mountain’s trail horses are the literal last thing on my mind right now, even the damn palomino that’s made it her life mission to go through as much steel as physically possible.

“Hey, Joan, do you still have that bag of Camden’s things?” I ask.

There’s a pause. “Yes. What happened? Does Lynn have Cam right now?”

I’d left him with Mom this morning, but she’d texted mid-morning saying her and Dad were headed into Jackson for a last minute issue with her booth at the Artisan shop. I focus on Emily and Beau again. A flash of blond hair runs out of the barn behind them, racing around them even as I watch.

“Emily does,” I say as Camden stops to pick a flower from the pasture. I force a swallow and then say, “Brielle’s in heat.”

Joan curses, low and fervent. It’s such a rare occurrence that I actually bark out a laugh.

“Caleb was taking her up to Fool’s Canyon today.” Her voice carries the same worry that’s making it difficult for me to breathe.

“I know.” That stone in my stomach gets heavier. “He’s getting her down right now. He said he could manage.”

There’s a muffled sound and then Joan says something to someone else, quiet enough I can’t understand it. After a halfminute, she says to me, “All right. Miranda’s got the cafe until close. I’ll coordinate with Lynn and Emily. You need anything for Brielle?”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “We haven’t?—”

My throat closes around the words. There’s a long, awful silence.

“You take care of Brielle and text me if you end up needing anything,” Joan says, her voice softer than before. “I can send Hudson to Jackson if you need something from the Council, too. Everything else can wait until after.”

The call disconnects, and I shove the phone into my pocket and slide out of the truck.

“What’s wrong?” Beau asks.

“Something happen with Chesapeake?” Emily asks. I cock an eyebrow at her assumption it’s something to do with the palomino that loves to hate me—and her shoes.

I shake my head and adjust the ball cap.

“Caleb’s on his way in,” I say.

Beau’s frown deepens. “That’s way earlier than he said. Something go wrong?”

Emily mutters an agreement. “That feels short. I mean, it’s probably enough time, but still…”

She trails off.

“She dropped into her heat.”

Emily curses.

“Bonding can do that?” Beau asks. He pulls off his hat and runs a hand through his hair.

I shrug. She’d been showing subtle signs for the last couple weeks. Was it the bonding that pushed her over? Probably not. But without knowing when her last heat was, there’s no way to know with absolute certainty.

“Take her to the guest house,” Emily says. “She’s nested there, and it’s a quicker drive than all the way to town and your place.”

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