Page 69 of Heat Me

Wrapped in a blanket. Motionless.

Something inside me cracked. I stepped closer, praying he was alive. For a moment, an awful thought crossed my mind—that he wasn’t—and it nearly knocked me out.

"Damien, it’s me…"

The muffled sound of his heart saved my mental health.

I could tell immediately that he hadn’t gotten up since I left. He was still lying on the same dirty sheets in the same position. It was frightening. Had this situation shaken him so much?

I leaned over and switched on the bedside lamp. His wide eyes stared straight at me and seemed very dark now.

"Why are you back, Storm? Did you forget something?" His voice was strange, like nothing I’d ever heard from him before.

"Damien, I told you I’d come back. I keep my promises."

"And I told you that you didn’t have to. You did your part. The heat is over."

I knelt beside the bed, resting my hands on the edge of his nest.

"I came back because I wanted to. All day, you were the only thing on my mind. I was terrified you didn’t want to see me again. But the truth is… I want to see you. Every single day—for the rest of my life."

Yeah. Big declaration. His eyes stayed locked on mine, unblinking.

"I know I might not be the most ideal partner. I worked for that weird company, and I know you hated that. But because of you, I fought to change things. I’m begging you—give me one chance to prove I’m not as crazy as I seem."

Those big, sapphire-gray eyes kept staring at me.

"All day, I felt sick. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. My chest hurt. I was short with clients, even snapping at the last one, but I didn’t care. You were all I could think about. I just wanted to come back to you. I know it’s a madhouse—we’ve only known each other for a few days—but I feel like you’re The One For Me. I feel… you’re my True Mate."

Yes, I finally said it, and it landed… good.

Damien blinked slowly, then—just as slowly—reached out his small hand. Our fingers met at the edge of his nest, and I exhaled, a wave of relief washing over me.

"You know," he said, "I once read a story on a forum about a guy who met his partner in college. He said the guy came to visit his roommate but stopped and stared at his nest. He told him it was the most beautiful nest he’d ever seen. A masterpiece.The king of all nests."

Damien smiled faintly, almost melancholically.

"It’s silly, just a random story… but the moment you came into my room last week and seemed mesmerized by my nest planted this crazy idea in my mind. And now you said it aloud."

I wanted to burst into laughter—after all, Nathaniel said it was bizarre that I thought my admiration of Damien’s nest was a sign! It wasn't a proven thing, after all, among all the hints pointing to fated mates. And here we were, Damien hadthe sameclue!

"Apparently," he continued, "when an omega’s nest feels like the most beautiful thing an alpha has ever seen—no matter how shabby it might look to everyone else—it’s because…"

"It reflects his soul?" I finished.

"Exactly. And True Mates are two halves of one soul, so they recognize each other in the energy that creates the nest."

I laughed softly and kissed his hand.

"Of all the obvious signs of being True Mates—like Allure, the First Touch, the First Orgasm, the Pull, the quasi-telepathic mind connection… liking someone’s nest has to be dead last. But we both decided it wasthe onethat mattered. I guess we really are fated mates!"

He chuckled quietly too. "I know it’s stupid, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it from the first day. The way you were so careful, making sure it didn’t fall apart—it was incredible. People always say nests aren’t an alpha’s business. You’re not supposed to touch them or eventalkabout them. But maybe that’s the wrong way to think."

I stared at him, amazed that he just… accepted the idea, that the reasoning for it was actually coming fromhim. Had I been struggling with it unnecessarily?

In our society, the whole concept of True Mates was surrounded by this weird taboo.

Everyone was heavily trained to doubt, to fight against the idea, to dismiss it as illogical before even considering the possibility.

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