Page 32 of Cursed Love

Moses nods, his expression grim. “It’s going to hit today,” he says quietly, his eyes finally lifting from his tablet to meet mine. “We’re sure of it.”

I glance down at Koa, at the way she’s clinging to me even in sleep, her body unconsciously seeking out comfort. Her scent is sweeter than it was last night, richer and more intense, and now that they’ve pointed it out, I can feel it too. Her heat’s close. Too close.

Hunter sighs, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “We’ve still got a few loose ends at work,” he mutters, more to himself than to me. “But we’re not leaving her. Not today.”

“Damn right, you’re not,” I snap, my tone sharper than I intended. But they don’t argue. They know as well as I do that there’s no way we’re leaving her alone—not when her body’s about to turn against her, and definitely not when she’s still learning to trust us.

I sit up a little, careful not to jostle her, and my gaze flicks to the brothers on either side of the bed. “We’re going to need to talk about official claims. Without one, Damien might find a way to rip her from us.”

The growls that rip from their throats vibrate through the bed. I narrow my eyes at them, jerking my chin toward Koa as she stirs slightly in her sleep. The brothers immediately stop, their growls cutting off as they glance at her and then back at me, sheepish grins spreading across their faces.

“Sorry,” Hunter mutters, his voice barely audible. He shifts in his spot, setting his phone down on the nightstand. “It’s just... the thought of him even trying—”

“I know,” I interrupt, my tone sharper than I intended. “Believe me, Iknow.But we need to think with our heads, not our instincts. He’s not going to play fair. We can’t afford to make mistakes.”

Moses sets his tablet down with a quiet sigh, rubbing a hand over his face. “You’re right,” he admits reluctantly. “But it’s not just Damien we need to worry about.”

Hunter nods, picking up where Moses left off. “The company paying Paula—Teplone Industries—they’ve been siphoning our clients. All those canceled contracts, the clients who decided not to go with us? That was because of them.”

I stiffen at his words, a sharp edge of anger slicing through my chest. “How long has this been going on?”

Hunter shrugs, his expression grim. “Too long. But I’ve got my feelers out, people we can trust who’ll dig into it while we’re… out of commission.”

I let out a low chuckle, shaking my head. “Out of commission, huh? You think we’ve got that long?”

Hunter frowns, confused. “What do you mean?”

I gesture toward Koa, her scent already thicker in the air, sweeter than it was even an hour ago. “I’ll be surprised if we make it to breakfast before she goes into heat.”

That gets their attention. Both of them straighten, their gazes darting to Koa as if they can already feel the shift happening. Moses’ jaw tightens and Hunter lets out a quiet curse under his breath.

“She’s not ready,” Moses says softly, his voice laced with concern. “She’s still figuring all this out.”

“None of us are ready,” I admit, my hand brushing gently over Koa’s arm. “But we don’t have a choice. When it hits, we’re going to have to be there for her, no matter what.”

Hunter nods, his expression hardening with determination. “We will be,” he says firmly. “Whatever she needs, we’ll give it to her.”

“Damn right we will,” Moses adds.

Koa

Waking up alone is starting to piss me off. It’s not just the cold sheets or the fact that my nest feels emptier than it should—it’s that everything smells like them.Like safety, like home, and yet they’re never fucking here when I open my eyes. My Omega whines in frustration and I press a pillow to my face to muffle the sound.

But then the smell of pancakes hits me, sweet and buttery and irresistible, and all my irritation melts away. I groan, dragging myself out of bed, every muscle in my body aching. It’s not the worst I’ve ever felt, but it’s close. A shower helps, though, the hotwater soothing my stiff limbs and washing away the stickiness of sleep. When I step out, my skin is warm, my curls pulled up into a little bun and I grab the first thing I see—one of their shirts crumpled on the floor. It’s oversized, the hem brushing my thighs, and it smells like them which makes it perfect.

I stumble into the kitchen, my legs wobbly, the promise of pancakes pulling me forward. They’re all there, of course, standing around like gods of chaos in their perfectly messy glory. No shirts, just miles of bare skin and rippling muscle. Amel’s flipping pancakes, Hunter’s leaning against the counter, and Moses is drinking coffee, his hair still damp from a shower. They look up in unison when I walk in, their gazes heavy and warm, and I should say something—Good morning, hello, nice abs—but then it happens.

A whine tears from my throat as a rush of slick floods between my thighs. My legs give out and I crumple right there on the kitchen floor, clawing at the tile as my body betrays me. It’s humiliating. It’s excruciating. I’d laugh if I wasn’t in so much fucking pain.

“Shit,” Amel curses, dropping the spatula as he practically lunges toward me. “Koa.”

Everything’s a blur after that. Hunter’s cursing, Moses is barking orders, and all three of them are moving around like their lives depend on it. Someone grabs a blanket, another grabs water, and then I’m being lifted, strong arms cradling me against a broad chest. I don’t even bother looking up. I know it’s Moses—his scent unmistakable.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs, his voice soft but strained. “I’ve got you.”

I let out a shaky breath, burying my face against his neck as he carries me back to the bedroom. My body’s on fire, heat coursing through me in relentless waves, and all I can do is claw at the shirt sticking to my skin. My nails catch on the fabric, tearing atit, but it doesn’t help. The ache is too much, too deep, and I can’t think, can’t breathe—can’tdoanything but feel it.

“Sweet girl,” Amel’s voice cuts through the haze. He’s right there, crouched beside me on the bed, his hands gentle as they stop mine from shredding the shirt. “Let me help you, okay? Just let us take care of you.”

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