Page 154 of Finding the Forward: Part Two
I thought for a moment. “His doctor recently changed the dosage.”
“That can do it. Also, sometimes breakthrough heats happen during times of intense emotional duress,” he added.
Oh. “I thought that caused spirals.”
“Oh, absolutely. But depending on where an omega is in their cycle, it can cause a breakthrough heat instead,” he told me.
Huh. I’d consider watching your newly bonded mate take a bullet for you asemotional duress.
“He doesn’t smell like he’s going into heat. He smells sick. Before the fever hit, I was afraid he’d spiral.” Shit. I wasn’t prepared for him to go into heat.
Could we even get to the cabin this time of year? Though we had a 4x4.
“Monitor him, try to get the fever down, and start preparing in case he goes into heat. A breakthrough heat because of emotional duress can be a lot more intense than a normal one.” He listed a bunch of things to look for and ways to help him.
Ending the call, I leaned over and gave Grif a good sniff. He still smelled sick, not in heat. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to be ready.
I looked up how to prepare for a heat. While I’d been at the cabin sometimes for Dean’s heats, I’d never been in charge of organizing anything other than the food. I packed a bag for us, checked for road closures, and then started a grocery order that could be delivered to the cabin in the time it would take us to drive there.
But I highly doubted that’s what it was. Mostly because in my experience, Grif had a spiral, not a breakthrough heat.
Still, it gave me something to do.
“Kitten?” Grif whined. It hit me straight to my heart.
“I’m here, Boo-Boo.” I put the bag by the bedroom door and came over to him.
“Pepperjack.” He calmed under my touch.
Grif still didn’t smell like he was in heat. He smelled of sweat and sickness. Yeah, he’d literally made himself sick over what happened last night.
Honestly, I understood. While I, too, would put myself between Grif and a bullet, worry for Verity burrowed inside me.
“I’m right here.” Curling next to him in my bed, hoping maybe my body would draw the fever from him, I fell asleep.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Dean
Holding my little alpha, I sat on the hospital bed. She was sleeping normally now. The heavy-duty pain meds made her sleep a lot. Though at least she’d be just fine.
I fanned myself with my shirt. It was hot in here. I felt itchy in my own skin, and a little sick to my stomach. It would be nice to go home.
The doctor said we couldn’t take her home until tomorrow when they changed her meds to something that wouldn’t keep her mostly asleep.
Wiggling again, I took off my shirt, flinging it onto the couch in the hospital room. Maybe I was coming down with whatever Grif had. He’d had a fever, and all day had been at home sleeping, fucking AJ, or asking for Verity.
At least he hadn’t spiraled.
Yet.
Not that him having a fever wasn’t worrisome.
A jolt of lust came through my bond as he fucked AJagain.Not that I blamed him. When Jonas and I had gone home earlier, I’d gotten myself someattention.This entire ordeal unsettled me. My omega wanted to be cuddled, reassured, and fucked until I passed out.
Then fed candy and told I was a good omega.
Jonas was on his phone, frowning hard, texting away.
