Page 51 of Broken Ice
“No. No, no—”
“Emilio—”
“It’s just a fucking game, Beau.It’s just a fucking game. So we lose this one—what, you think that’s going to make the difference between making it to the playoffs?”
Beau shook his head. “What if it keeps happening?”
“We’ll deal with it then!”
Beau couldn’t think, pain eating away at him.
He couldn’t let Emilio miss the game. Beau simply couldn’t let himself be that much of a disruption.
Couldn’t be such anOmega.
“Emilio, I’m telling you no. It’s my choice, not yours.”
Emilio made a shockingly loud noise, as if he’d screamed through his teeth. “Let me come over for a bit. Just until the game starts. It’s still like…almost two hours away.”
Beau closed his eyes. “You promise me you’ll leave in time to make it.”
“I promise. Ipromise.”
Desire warred with logic. “Emilio, I’m trusting you with this. No matter what I say later—you need to make the game. If you break my trust, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep doing this with you. I need to know that…that…”
“Beau. I fucking swear that I’ll leave when the time comes.” Emilio was panting like this was taking the breath out of him too.
“Okay. Come over.”
“I’ll be there in twenty, baby. Just hang on for me, okay?”
Beau shuddered at the term of endearment. “Okay.”
He hung up, unable to take any more.
He managed to drag himself to the bed but was too exhausted and anxious to even think of setting up his nest.
Honestly, the pain at the beginning of his heats wasn’t nearly as bad as it used to be. The doctor had told him it was partly because his system was adjusting to being off suppressants, butthat it was mostly due to his body knowing an Alpha was going to be available soon.
Beau had felt himself go bright red at that little tidbit of information. The fact that his body recognised Emilio as his Alpha wasnotgoing to end up well for him.
The cramps still fucking sucked, though. He gasped with relief when the sound of his front door slamming shut reached him.
He lifted himself up on an elbow, face breaking out in a relieved grin as Emilio appeared.
“Emilio.” Beau sighed, hand reaching out.
Emilio was there in an instant, crawling in bed with him, holding him close. “You’re okay. You’re okay,” he murmured.
Beau shuddered, pressing himself close.
His body eased. His heartbeat slowed. Beau breathed in, lost in a damp and living forest, dizzy with it.
He managed to untangle himself enough to build the nest while he was still coherent, both of them getting naked and tangling together.
“Maybe if I scent you, it’ll help later?” Emilio asked.
“Yeah, okay,” Beau agreed easily. Even without a reason, he’d always be up for that.
