Page 69 of The Omega Project

“Cass’ superpower is singing like a songbird,” Silva pipes up. “Next time we’re there in person, you should definitely break out the karaoke machine.”

I can’t tell if he’s joking, because Cass gives another roll of her pretty eyes. “My superpower is actually putting up with five guys on a tour bus for months on end.”

“Youloveour bus!” Silva is clutching his heart like she just stabbed him. “That’s where we got to pop our switch cherries.”

“Ew.” Cass slaps his arm. “Too much damn information, Silva!”

“It’s really not,” Soren smiles, fluttering his lashes. “This is so much better than the book club I was forced to join during high school.”

There’s a ripple of giggles at his obvious thirst for gossip, but he leans on me suddenly, his arm heavy, and his eyes glassy. “Um, babe? You know what you said about being lucky to be here? Well, I think our luck’s about to go up in flames.”

It takes me a moment to realise what he means, and then I’m on my feet, dragging him towards the bathroom door. It’s as glamorous as the rest of the penthouse, but I barely take it in as I press my hand to his forehead. He wasn’t kidding about the flames. “You’re burning up. Quick, take your shirt off and put this around your neck.”

I hand him a damp hand towel and while he slowly disrobes, pull my phone from my pocket. Creed answers on the first ring. “I think Soren’s going into heat.”

“I’m on my way to you.” He mutters something to someone in the background and then I can tell he’s on the move. “Are you safe?”

“We’re fine. We’re in the bathroom.”

“Stay there. I’ll call Finn.”

I gulp but place my phone on the counter, and reaching into the shower, turn on the water until it’s lukewarm. “Creed is coming, sweetheart. Why don’t you take a quick shower to feel more comfortable?”

He’s still fumbling with his shirt buttons, and when I move to help him, he engulfs me in a searing embrace. His scent – now spicy like tea but sweet as vanilla slice – floods my brain, and my knees almost collapse under me as he nudges me up against the counter. His erection rubs against my belly, deliciously hard, and a whimper escapes my mouth. He purrs back at me as he starts sucking on his mating mark. “I need inside you, Em. Come into the shower with me.”

It takes everything inside me to resist. “We need to get you home, sweetheart. Don’t you want to be in our nest?”

He pouts but lets me strip him off and steer him under the water. He shivers and leans against the wall as I hear a tap at the door. “Everything okay in there?”

I’m relieved to hear Clark’s voice, and crack the door open a few inches. He takes one look at my flushed face and hands me a tall glass of icy water. “Is he in heat?”

“I think so.” I can see straight back into the lounge, and the rest of the group are on their feet, staring up at us in concern. “Creed is on his way…”

I barely get the words out before there’s a commotion at the front door and Creed strides in, another alpha on his heels. Behind him are three dark-haired alphas, one in the kind of runway clothes that would stop traffic, with a bright pink mohawk and colourful tattoos climbing his neck. I don’t recognise him, but the way Jack and Lexi gravitate towards him makes me think he must be either a Cliff or a Lyall. The other two alphas are slightly older, exuding enough confidence and wealth to draw all eyes. The taller one moves straight towards Kat, while the other one starts talking to Maddie and Griffin in a mixture of French and English.

Creed casts a searing look in my direction, earning an “oh my” from Clark. I try to give him an encouraging smile, but he strides towards me with his phone out. “Finn’s been trying to call you. You need to speak to him.” He presses his phone into my hand and slips around me to check on Soren.

“Finn?”

“How is he?”

The curt greeting would annoy me in any other circumstances. “He’s hot and his eyes are glazed. I’ve put him in the shower. His scent has also changed, more sweet than spicy.”

“What about slick? Is he experiencing any pain?”

I duck my head through the door to ask when an alarm splits the air, loud enough to make me wince. The other alphas in the room go on high alert, but Creed just keeps stroking Soren’s back and talking to him in a low voice. “I don’t know,” I tell Finn,rubbing my temple, “but Creed’s with him. We have another problem, though. Someone’s pulled the fire alarm.”

“Don’t worry about that,” he replies, a whoop-whoop sound building in the background until I’m almost drowning in noise. “I’m on my way.”

He rings off and I look at Clark, but he’s headed towards the knot of alphas in the center of the room. Another one has joined them, tall and blond, with a hard stare that sweeps the room before settling on me. “Is Creed in there? Tell him to stop messing with my hotel.”

I blink at him, my spine stiffening at his tone, but Creed is a warm wall of muscle at my back. “It’s not me,” he says in a voice that makes my skin ripple. “But if you bark at my packmate again, Cliff, I’ll do a lot worse than lock down your elevators.”

“Are you shitting me?” The alpha with the mohawk walks up and grabs Cliff’s arm. “Has that psycho hacked into your system again?”

The other alphas are suddenly firing questions at Cliff, who glares at Creed. “Get Visser on the phone.”

The device in question suddenly feels like a hot coal against my palm, but Creed just draws me back against my chest. “Trust me, locking down this floor is for your own safety.”

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