Page 28 of Consort

But the thought of an Alpha, oranyone, touching her makes the fire inside me roar to life. I’d rather burn the entire forest to the ground than let anyone into this cave with her.

I scold myself, wondering what the fuck is wrong with me. She’s not mine. She isn’t even coherent right now. I know she doesn’t want to be touching me like this. There’s just no Alpha here. In her desperation, she’s simply taking what’s available.

But she deserves more than what I can offer. She should have an Alpha who knows what he’s doing and who has the skillsto appease her. Not a clueless fae consort, straight from the wretched queen’s bed. The best thing I can do for her is to bring her someone who can actually help.

“I’ll go find you an Alpha, little shifter,” I tell her, gritting my teeth against the anger those words bring me.

I expect her to be relieved, but she grabs my arms and shakes her head frantically, her eyes wide with fear.

“No Alpha?” I ask, ashamed of how proud that makes me feel. “I want to help you, but I think an Alpha would be better suited to your needs than I am.”

Admitting that makes me rage inside, but she should have someone here who can truly take care of her. I watch her face as she tugs on my arms and shakes her head again. Despite her fever, she’s made her feelings about Alphas perfectly clear.

I’m torn. Finding an Alpha is the obvious solution. Do I bring her what she needs or respect what she’s telling me she wants?

When I’m slow to reassure her, she wraps her arms tightly around my neck, kissing and biting my chin. Her whimpers are desperate, like she’s begging me to protect her. How could I possibly turn her away and be the cause of her fear?

I give in and pull her against my chest. Her pain seems to have subsided. If I can calm her mind, too, perhaps she’ll finally speak to me.

But her skin is too soft. Her lips and teeth electrify my skin. I don’t know how I’m supposed to think rationally when she’s touching me like this.

It’s all so frustrating. This is not at all what I had expected when I asked the gryphon to let me in. I was prepared for a battle, to rescue an innocent from their captor. Or to get the best healing for someone sick or injured. Figuring out what to do with an Omega in heat who refuses an Alpha is something I’d never have guessed. I’m not sure I would have even entered this cave had I had known this is what was waiting for me.

My spirits drop even lower when she cries out and goes rigid in my arms. Her pain has returned.

I lower myself to sit on the ground and let her curl up in my lap. I don’t feel right filling in for the Alpha who should be tending to her. I respect that she doesn’t want one, but what will happen if she doesn’t satisfy her heat? Will she suffer like this for days until the heat passes? Will she remain in heat until she does take a mate?

Could she die from this?

It’s hard to believe that nature would use pain and confusion to force someone into mating. Mating should be about desire and pleasure, not an illness to be alleviated. It should be a choice.

But would this Omega actually choose me if she were in her right mind?

I suddenly feel the weight of the filth on my skin. Just last night, I lay with the queen. Now, here I am, letting this unknowing shifter put her lips and hands on me. To look at me like I could possibly be her savior. How can I even consider helping her in such an intimate way when she’d never choose me with a clear mind?

I’m furious at having this impossible choice forced on me. The Omega is in pain, begging for relief. I have the power to help her, but my help just wouldn’t be right. She shouldn’t have to settle for her last resort. And though it’s a standing I may have earned, I don’t wantto beanyone’s last resort.

I seethe as I rub the Omega’s back. My chest heaves with the strain of holding all the anger in. What the fuck am I supposed to do?

The little shifter uncurls her body and reaches her arms out to me. Her pleading eyes pierce through mine, boring their way into my angry, conflicted brain. She’s so helpless. And so beautiful. My hesitation begins to slip away like shadows fleeingthe sun. I know she’s reaching for relief, not for me. But she refuses an Alpha, and I don’t know who I can trust to take my place.

As guilty as I feel touching her with soiled hands, I couldn’t bear to watch her go without relief. And I’d never survive the disappointment in her eyes when I had to deny her over and over again.

She lets out a whimper too desperate to ignore. If I hadn’t already given in, that small, pleading sound would destroy whatever fight I had left. I take her outstretched hands and press them against my stomach, giving her free reign to take whatever she needs.

Her eyes seem to clear as hope flickers through them. But in the next moment, they’ve glazed back over with feverish need. She grabs the folds of my tunic, tearing at them as she tries to pull it off of me.

I should be ashamed by how connected I am to her goal right now. I rip it off and sling the cursed thing across the cave. Her eyes glisten as she takes me in. She lunges forward, attaching her mouth to my chest. Her tongue leaves a trail of chills behind as it glides across my skin.

Smooth fingertips dip into the front of my leathers, directing all the heat in my body to my cock. She’s almost undone the ties when she pulls away and zeroes in on one of my ears.

I try to stop her, but she’s fast. She shoves my head to the side and traces her fingers along the sensitive length of it. By the time she reaches the pointy tip, I’m more aroused than I’ve ever been. I feel like I’ve lost any control I’d managed to hold onto.

I groan without meaning to. She jerks her head up and cocks it to one side, watching me like she’s intrigued. Or maybe she finds me strange. I wish I knew what she was thinking. And I wish I knew what the heck I’m supposed to be doing. There’s very little I actually know about what happens during heats. Thethought of messing up and making things worse hits me with a wave of disgust.

With any mercy, she’ll guide me through this.

She gives me the slightest smile before ripping her own tunic over her head. I let my eyes wander over her bare shoulders and down to her tightly bound chest, immediately second-guessing my decision. Is going through with this truly the right call?

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