Page 13 of Switch Heater

“I wish my alphas were for you. I’d spoil you and love you every day of your life. We all would. We’d share heats.” His eyebrows waggle, and I roll my eyes. “But I also know that it’s not right for you. And you are still my best friend, no matter what. Don’t worry about me forgetting about you. I’m going to video call you so much. It’ll be like we never left. You’ll get sick of me!” He hugs me tighter one last time before letting me go.

“Not possible, Gabey Wabey.” I chuckle at the ridiculous nickname I gave him one night during one of our many sleepovers. “Go. Be with your alphas. Get your bonds and let them lock and knot you all night long.” I grin.

He stares at me a little longer, a little unsure. “You never answered my question. What if?”

“There is no what if. Not all omegas can be as amazing and accepting as you are, babes. Stop worrying about me. I’m fine. You should feel terrible, making those poor alphas wait on you. They haven’t taken their eyes off us for a second.”

He looks back and grins at his pack. “Yeah. You’re right. I’ve got some alpha knots and a lock waiting on me back there. Poor taste to make them wait any longer, I suppose.” He winks at me, kissing my cheek one last time before bouncing excitedly away with his new family.

I sigh and watch them exit before turning back and finding Kian and Syn’s eyes burning into me. A fire blazes in both of their eyes; for what, I’m not sure. I walk steadily back and stop in front of them.

“Ready?” I ask.

They nod, and we walk out into the cool night air together.

Five

Syn

The omega that walks between Kian and me is dangerous. Dangerous because I want another for the first time since we found River and completed our bonds. I feel disgusted with myself. My mouth shouldn’t be watering over how she smells, dying for a taste.

I shouldn’t want to slowly remove that dress from her body, watching it glide across her tan skin and pool at her feet. She’d be soft under my fingertips, I bet. Just by her scent, I know she would taste amazing.

None of this should be possible. I have River. He’s going to be so upset when he catches a whiff of me. I grimace slightly, imagining the fit he’s going to throw when we get home, and he smells Ripley lingering on our clothes.

Her perfume is so thick around us right now; it’s like walking in a cloud. I’m trying to ignore it as best as I can, but my pussy throbs and the urge to care for the needy little omega is riding me hard.

I couldn’t help myself when I saw her talking to Victor and then saw him grab her arm when she went to walk away. Something inside of me needed to step in and save her from him. Victor is a piece of shit and I have no fucking clue how he managed to get into the Center with all the shit he has on his background. I’ll need to call Khan later to ask what’s going on because they’re putting the omegas there in danger if Victor is sniffing around for a new one, the fucking psycho.

I clear my throat, trying to come up with something to fill the silence as we walk across the courtyard of the Center. I need a distraction from how she smells and how it makes me want to throw her to the ground and shove my face between her delectable thighs.

“So, Ripley. You like to read, hmm?” I ask.

I try to peek at the book she has clutched in her arms. It’s held tight to her chest, making it difficult to determine what it could be about. I felt terrible for her when Khan blasted her to the entire banquet hall when he called her up on stage. I could see her discomfort even from where I stood.

Hearing him say she was alone, with nobody courting her, baffled me. I couldn’t imagine why. But then I wondered if maybe it was her that had found no one she felt compatible with. From the smell of her, she indeed finds us suitable—more than suitable.

A blush rises on her cheeks, and she hugs the book tighter. “Oh, yeah. I love to read. Everything really. My bookshelf is packed full of a variety of genres.”

She avoids my gaze, keeping her eyes forward. Well, color me intrigued. I wonder if she likes monster romance. The guys all like to joke and call it my monster porn. And while they would be correct that they could be classified as downright porn in some cases, the stories are usually fantastic, with plenty of plot to go with the smut. The monsters are always described as so sexy that it’s hard not to become addicted.

Besides, they can’t complain. I find them when something in one of my books turns me on. They’re benefitting from my slight obsession.

“What’s your favorite genre?” I ask, genuinely curious to know what she reads. I also want to know what the book is that she’s trying so hard to hide.

Her eyes widen slightly, and I watch as panic flashes across her features before she smooths them back out.

“Um, well. I read a lot of romance, mostly. I love a good romance. Maybe it’s an omega thing. Or just the romantic in me.” She chuckles nervously, shrugging her shoulders.

I raise a brow at her. Romance, huh? Wonder what kind of romance that book is if she’s trying to hide it so hard from my prying eyes.

“We have something in common, then. Like you, I love to read when I have the time—many different genres. Snuggling down in a comfy place with a good book and stepping into a new world for a bit is one of my favorite things to do, especially when it storms. Low lighting, the rain hitting the roof and windows. It’s peaceful.”

My voice sounds wistful to my own ears at the thought of a great storm coming through and piling blankets on the couch with the lights turned low and the wind howling outside. I shake my head.

Kian snorts but quickly tries to cover it with a cough and ends up choking. I smirk at him while he glares, trying to catch his breath. Karma. Ripley glances at him in concern, but he waves her off. She looks back at me, and the weight of her gaze on me is heavy. I want her to always look at me like that.

The guilt at that thought eats away at me, and I glance away from her, needing to breathe. I haven’t felt like this since we met River. At this moment, I feel like the worst alpha and mate. I just need to hurry, get her to her room, and go home to my omega. I need to lock him inside of me and relieve this ache that one lonely omega has given me.

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