Page 76 of Choosing Their Omega

And holy hell, do my Alphas shine.

The other team doesn’t like that. In fact, just as Cruz sends the puck to Scott for the assist, a Grizzly player slams into Cruz. It’s a vicious check, and I hiss through my teeth even as the blue-eyed captain shakes it off.

“He’s fine,” Andrea reassures me.

“I’ve seen him take worse hits,” Shay adds.

That’s true, I’m sure, but neither of them knows that Cruz is already injured. This could make it worse.

The Grizzlies try to tie it up again, battering Knox with shot after shot, but he’s clearly determined not to let a single puck past him after earlier, and it’s like trying to batter through a brick wall.

When the horn goes off announcing the end of the game, I’m on my feet, Shay and Andrea screaming next to me, Ben cheering. I scoop him up and hug him tightly while he cheers for his uncles, and my heart is so full. It feels like my blood is buzzing.

Actually, it does feel kind of like that.

I sway a little on my feet, and I have to set Ben down as I get a wave of lightheadedness. My body aches. I reach up and feel my forehead.

Am I feverish? What’s going on?

I sit down as everyone else keeps cheering, taking deep breaths to calm myself. I probably ate something wrong. Or maybe with the stress and all the life changes, I’m coming down with something. Just a simple touch of flu.

At least, that’s all I hope it is.

I get to my feet again, trying to ignore the strange ache in my body, as Andrea leads us to go meet the men. I hug Shay and thank her for joining us, and Shay and Andrea talk about how great it was to meet one another, then Shay heads home while Andrea leads Ben and me through the arena to see the men.

She’s done this a few times before over the years, so she knows how it works better than I do. I also still feel all strange and aching. More than that, now I feel hot all over. Like I need to rip my clothes off.

I take off my hat and coat as we go down to meet the men, but that’s it. I still feel too hot, but I’m not going to strip in public. This is probably just the fever I have messing with my head.

Andrea speaks to one of the employees at the rink and we’re told the men are all getting changed in the locker room, so we wait in the hall by the back offices.

I start to shiver uncontrollably. But it’s not from cold. I really do feel like I’m going to start ripping my clothes off.

There’s nothing for it. I grab Andrea. “I’m not feeling too good.”

Andrea looks at me with concern. “You’re flushed. Sweating.” She feels my forehead. “You’ve got a fever.”

“I know.” I shiver. “I don’t know… could it be food poisoning?”

“You and Shay and I all had the same snacks. We’re all okay. So is Ben.” Andrea’s gaze continues to track me, observing.

The ache in my body has shifted. It’s not my whole body anymore, it’s right between my legs. I feel so empty, hollow, and I clench my thighs together. I need something—I need—oh—

I inhale sharply as Andrea’s eyes go wide. “Oh, honey, you’re not sick. You’re in heat.”

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I’m in public.

A wave of need hits me so hard I nearly double over, a small whine escaping me. It feels almost painful. Oh god I need something inside me, I need to be fucked, I need it now, now, now.

Andrea grabs Ben. “I’ll wait with Ben here. Go and find them. Go, it’s okay.”

I nod. I’m past speech. I turn, stumbling down the hall, trying to find the locker room. If I can just make it to my men, my Alphas, I’ll be okay. They’ll take care of me. I know they will. I just have to get to them.

My vision blurs. I keep trying to sink to the floor, my knees giving out on me. I can tell I’m perfuming, and I’m terrified that some other Alpha will come along and find me. I can’t even imagine how humiliating that would be for me, and how ridiculous and desperate I would look. I don’t want anyone else near me. I just want my Alphas.

My knees give out again, my head spinning, and I sink to the floor. I can’t be out in public. I can’t be where people can see me. The pain is immense, like I’m on fire and I need only one particular thing to put out the flames, like the fact that I’m empty hurts, a limb I’m missing.

I fumble and find a doorknob, yanking the door open and dragging myself inside, then shutting it. The scent of… something fills my nose, but it’s hard to make out what it is when my own heady scent is so strong.

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