Page 15 of Lion's Crossing

The instant I stepped out, he wrapped a blanket around me. “It’s a pheromone blocker. While I would fight off any alpha for you, I don’t want to leave you unprotected while I do.”

Had he really said he would fight for me, or had I imagined it? I couldn’t tell, my need for release increasing in his presence.

He held the blanket around me as he guided me outside to his car, glaring at any alpha who dared glance in my direction.

Once inside his vehicle, he rolled down all the windows and squealed the tires as he U-turned. He didn’t speak to me as he sped down Main Street toward his place, not bothering to take the underground roads.

Not until we were in the elevator of his building. “Did you know your heat was coming?”

I shook my head, guilt gnawing through the lust. “I’m on blockers. At least… Wait, what’s the date?”

“It’s October fifteenth.” He leaned back into the opposite corner as if trying to put as much space as possible between us.

“The fifteenth.” I paused for a moment, thinking back to when I’d received my last blocker. “Shit, I was supposed to get my injection today. I completely forgot with the planning of my vacation. I didn’t know I could go into heat that fast.”

The elevator door opened on the fourteenth floor, and Linc steered me out in front of him. “Have you ever been in heat before? Do you know how long yours lasts?”

“No.” As he entered his code, I leaned against the wall, suddenly overtaken by a hot flash and the extreme desire to be fucked. “I, oh shit.”

His face paled and he winced. “Are you okay?”

“No.” I moaned as I stepped toward him, ready to fling off the blanket and rub myself against him. “I need you. Just a quick release. Can you please help me?”

His eyes darkened and he released a low growl. “I…I can’t. It wouldn’t be right.”

“Please.” I dropped the blanket and took a step toward him.

He jumped back. “Knox, stop it. I like you, but I refuse to take advantage of you in this condition.” He picked up the blanket from the floor and wrapped it around me again before guiding me inside. “Stay here while I’m gone. Take a shower or a bath, or whatever you need to do. And I’ll see if I can findanother omega in the building who is free to come and help you through this.”

“I don’t need an omega.” I glanced down at his cock, seeing his erection held tight in his pants. “I need you.”

Turning his head away from me, he gulped. “You’re making this difficult, but I know it’s not right like this. I’ll be back later.” He pulled the door closed behind him and left me to deal with my uncontrollable desire on my own.

Yet, I was in his place. His scent was all over everything. And I could use his belongings to help me release. It wouldn’t be the same as him fucking me through my heat, but it would be the closest I could get until he returned.

Chapter Sixteen

Linc

Leaving Knox at my place while he was in heat was the hardest thing I’d ever done. Almost every part of me yearned to stay and help him through the experience, and his begging me to give him one release before I left didn’t help. I couldn’t ignore the tiny part of me that objected. A part reminding me Knox wasn’t in his right mind, that taking him in his desperation would only feel icky afterward and mean nothing in terms of developing an actual relationship with the omega. With a lot of restraint and cursing myself, I managed to walk away and head back to Adan Records.

When I arrived at work for the second time that day, I phoned Ash, the first omega pop star contracted at Adan Records, to see if he could check in on Knox during the day. He lived in the same building and knew more about heats than I ever would. Mostly, I needed him to ensure Knox hadn’t left to find some other alpha to help him, but also to give Knox some pointers in getting through his heat safely.

Coming home that evening, I didn’t know what to expect. Ash said he’d been down to visit Knox, and that he’d given the omega tools to help himself through the heat. Yet, that was as cryptic as telling me Knox was fine.

I entered the code into my place and found Ash sneaking away from the guest room. He startled when he realized I was there.

“Oh, Linc. Shit, I didn’t know you were home already.”

“Sorry.” I set down my messenger bag on the bench and hung my key fob on the hook in the foyer. “I didn’t know you were still here.”

He shook his head. “I just came down to check on Knox again. He’s sleeping right now, but I don’t know for how long.”

“How’s he doing?” Guilt consumed me all day for leaving him, yet I would feel the same about not being at work when I’d just returned from four months off. “I mean, is there anything I can do to help him? Besides, you know…”

Ash chuckled. “Jun and I find it hard to believe you’ve resisted him this long. Especially considering how many omegas you’ve helped through heats in your past.”

Glancing at the floor, I shuffled my feet. “He’s different. He’s from my hometown, and I can’t do anything to hurt him.”