Page 134 of Tides of Fate

Nix can’t see Gideon anymore, but he can smell him—the crisp bite of a dangerous summer rain. The turquoise bond in his belly burns hot, ramping up the pleasure of Luca’s mouth, finally hot around his aching cock.

And he wants.

His body aches for it. He reaches out a hand, crooking his fingers. “Come.”

Gideon’s voice is faint, rough around the edges, like he’s forcing the words out. “Fuck me….nothing’s wrong, pretty.”

Then Luca hums and slides three fingers into Nix’s hole.

Nix screams, back bowing, coming again for the third time, slick pouring out of him.

Gideon exhales sharply, his breath ragged. “But I think our omega is in heat.”

Chapter Twenty-Four: Gideon

Taking the stairs down two at a time, Gideon slides into the kitchen like his ass is on fire—and it almost is. He’d opened the nest door, smelled Nix, and nearly forgotten everything else. As Luca had said, it’s Nix, but ramped up to a million. Sweet, musky, and thick enough to slide down Gideon’s throat. While the everyday Nix is sex-on-legs, this version could melt brain cells.

Gideon hadn’t any experience with heat. Of course, he hadn’t, but he also hadn’t been present when Nix crossed over into heat and started pumping out “fuck me” hormones.

Grayson and Rowan wouldn’t have even realized until it was too late, and they were already in too deep. Not that it would have changed a thing. But now, someone has to stay sane for the hour it’s going to take to put all their supplies together and alert Jay, Finn, and Leo.

Nix had been in remarkably light spirits when they’d finally gotten home yesterday. Gideon had expected he’d have been more subdued after Hayes’s inciting diatribe.

It certainly had incited the rest of them, for sure.

Nix had been pale and shaking when they’d left, but he’d whispered to Jay that he’d been frightened Hayes would come for Jay or Luca—not for himself.

Surprisingly, after they’d gotten home to Tsuki’s enthusiastic welcome and he’d snuggled the cats, he’d appeared calm. His newly returned scent was sweet with relief—sweeter, even.

Gideon could understand that, too.

The biggest unknown was done.

Until the court case, they’d had to rely on strangers to get them to where Nix wanted to be—where he could use his new skill set and the support of his pack to put Hayes down.

Now, the only thing standing between Nix and his rightful revenge was a set of formalities. It was like the uncertainty had been a physical burden, and now that it was lifted, he could finally breathe.

He’d smiled and eaten a little something, hand-fed to him by Jay in his usual spot at the table—in his lap—bare feet sticking out of his suit pants and wedged under Finn’s thighs.

Gideon had been concerned Nix might have needed more than what he was asking for, but their bond was settled—if burning a bit brighter—and Gideon’s wolf was calm.

They all slept in the nest, where Nix had pumped out so much sweetly contented vanilla scent that they’d drifted off scent-drunk and relaxed.

The morning had come fast, and Gideon had dragged Luca to the café for an early coffee date—just the two of them.

It had been a while since he’d just gazed at his honey’s sweet face across the table while holding his hand or watched him tear his croissant into tiny pieces before stuffing the whole thing into his cheeks.

Even their regular barista had commented on how they hadn’t been by in forever.

Jay and Leo had disappeared, too, sending texts about dropping Finn off with Lauren before heading to the police station to talk about Carnell.

Finn and Lauren had plans to meet up with the Omega Delegation and Riordan to better understand Omegan medical needs.

Gideon needs to get his thoughts in order and his absent mates home asap. On autopilot, Gideon fills Tsuki’s food bowl with dry kibble and puts out two large bowls of water.

The cats have automatic feeders, so he won’t worry about them. They’re lying on the uppermost branch of the cat tree while Tsuki lies at the bottom—their sentinel on guard.

Now for the tricky part. Picking up his phone, Gideon hesitates.

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