Page 32 of Omega Shattered
"The fuck is going on out here?" I heard Kade say, then he swore. "Why does she smell like that? What did you do, River?"
"I did nothing. These shits thought it was a good idea to barge in and get her all riled up."
Their scents were overwhelming indoors, causing my body to cramp and release more and more slick that spilled down my thighs and onto River's arms. I kept twisting in his grasp, but to no avail
"We can't stop the heat, River," Orion said firmly. "We need to do what we can without crossing any of her boundaries."
"Well, I'm not letting her take off, this is literally my job on the line!"
"Everyone can help keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't do anything silly," Archer spoke up and I wanted to snarl at him. He'd been the nicest of the alphas so far, and now he wanted to stop me from doing anything? I dug my nails into River's back, making him hiss and toss me down onto the sofa.
"Fine, what's your grand plan?"
"Omegas need to feel safe, so let's make her feel safe." Orion started pulling the cushions off the sofa and armchairs. "Archer, grab the sheets off our beds. Pillows, too. Normally, an alpha's scent can help calm an omega, but in this case, it may make her more upset."
He was wrong. I hated them, but I also craved their scents. Still, I said nothing, sliding onto the floor as Orion tugged the cushion out from under me.
Kade and River stood by the fireplace, looking confused as Orion began to strategically place cushions against the furniture.
"Are you . . . building a pillow fort?" Kade asked incredulously. "Seriously?"
"It will make her feel safe. We don't have a nest here and this is the next best thing." Orion didn't look up as he spoke, arranging things just so. When Archer brought down the sheets and pillows, he draped the sheets over the top of the cushions and chairs that he'd set up, creating a cozy fort that was just high enough to crawl into.
"Pillows." Orion demanded.
Archer passed him the pillows and the man quickly spread them out on the floor before covering everything with a fuzzy blanket.
"Get in there,princesa. You can stay as long as you need to," Orion told me, lifting a bit of sheet to make an entrance.
I scrambled through the gap, not even caring my bare ass was on show for all to see. In moments, I was tucked safely in the nest-fort, the heat of the fireplace wafting through one side. It was comfortable already, but I fussed with it a little, adjusting the pillows so their scents surrounded me instead of appearing in patches. They weren't watching, so I could allow myself this small comfort.
Part of me wanted to beg them for their shirts, desperate to have a little piece of each alpha near me. That would be the end of River treating me even half-way decently, though. The man was already sure I was faking this awful heat to try and seduce his men. If I asked for their clothes, he'd hate me even more. I wasn't sure why that bothered me so much and didn't stop to analyze it.
When the scents were spread out evenly and the space was thoroughly mixed up, I wrapped myself in the fuzzy blanket and settled in. The heat had abated slightly and my cramps lessened for a while. I drifted into a restless sleep, tossing and turning, the slick still pouring from me. My body knew what it wanted, but I wasn't about to give in to those needs. I'd rather die.
Chapter 17
Decisions
When I woke, it was to twisting cramps and a sense of hopelessness.
I'd failed in running away, again. Curled up in my makeshift nest, I listened to the sounds of Archer and Orion making dinner. All of my senses seemed to be ridiculously heightened and I could hear them anywhere in the house. Smell them too. The smell of the soup they were cooking with whatever random leftovers they found in the fridge smelled absolutely disgusting to me.
A small whine escaped as I shifted, trying to ease the intense pain. I knew from experience this would only get worse.
"You okay in there?" River asked from outside the fort. He sounded annoyed.
"Yes. Stay out." I curled into a tighter ball and closed my eyes. It was all too much, the pain, the heat, the noise, the smells. How did other omegas do this on a regular basis? It was horrible.
"I guess they have alphas to help them out," River said and I realized that I'd spoken my thoughts aloud.
"Go away." I'd done this on my own before, I could do it again.
"No can do, sweetheart, you're a flight risk, remember?" He grunted as he dropped to the floor outside the fort, obviously intending to stay.
Great. Just what I needed. All I wanted was to be left alone. Or completely not left alone, but I wasn't letting my mind go there. Instead, I tried to focus on what I would do better next time I got a chance to run. But the pain kept pulling me back and the sound of River breathing just a few feet away, even through the layers of fabric and cushions made it impossible to concentrate on anything but the heat that was definitely taking over my body now.
I'd done this before. I could do it again.
