Myomega in heat.
No, not mine. Not officially. But the way my body responds to just the thought of him, the way every instinct screams to comfort and be at his side…
Fuck. I've got it bad.
The rental is a modest two-story house surrounded by trees, private and secluded. Perfect for riding out a heat without prying eyes. There's already another SUV in the driveway. Zayn and Dmitri must have beaten us here.
We pile out of the car, and immediately, I can smell it. Even as a beta, the pheromones are thick enough to make my head spin. Omega in heat, distressed, needy. My body responds instantly, arousal and the desire to nurture the man I love warring for dominance.
Holy shit. I’m falling in love with Darren.
And there's not even any time to process that revelation right now.
"Damn," Aidan mutters, adjusting himself discretely. "That's... intense."
"Control," Jax says sharply, though I notice his hands are clenched into fists. "He needs us in control."
Inside, we find Dmitri in the living room, standing guard. His face is like a stone mask, but I can see the tightness in his shoulders, the way his nostrils flare with each breath. He's just as affected by Darren's heat as the rest of the alphas.
"Where is he?" I ask immediately.
"Upstairs," Dmitri says, his accent thicker than usual. "Zayn is with him. He's..." A pause. "Distressed."
I'm moving before I consciously decide to, heading for the stairs. Darren needs me. Everything else can wait. All my fearsof not belonging, of wondering how I would handle this moment if and when it came, fly out the window now that it's finally here.
I follow the scent, my body knowing where to go even though I've never been here before. The master bedroom door is cracked open, and I can hear voices inside. Zayn's low murmur, and then Darren's reply, rough and broken.
"I can't fucking believe this happened. In front of everyone. In front ofher."
My heart clenches at the shame in his voice. I knock softly, pushing the door open. "Darren?"
Both men freeze. Darren is sitting on the edge of the bed, head in his hands. He's changed out of his gear into sweatpants and a T-shirt that's already soaked with sweat. Zayn stands nearby, close enough to offer support but not touching.
"Lexie," Darren says, and the vulnerability in his voice breaks my heart. "You shouldn't... I don't want you to see me like this."
"Like what?" I ask, stepping into the room. The scent is overwhelming here, making my skin prickle with awareness. "Human? Vulnerable?"
He laughs, but it's bitter. "Weak. Out of control. Everything I swore I wouldn't be. Especially not in front of you."
"Darren..." I move closer, past Zayn. "Can I sit?"
Darren nods minutely, and I settle beside him on the bed, careful not to touch. Not yet.
"Do you think less of me?" I ask quietly. "For being a beta?"
His head snaps up, eyes wide with shock. "What? No! Of course not."
"Then why would I think less of you for being an omega?" I challenge.
"It's different," he insists. "You saw what happened out there. I lost control. Became a liability. Proved everyone right who said an omega can't?—"
"Stop," I interrupt firmly. "Just stop. You didn't lose control, your body reacted to the chemical chaos it's been put through, first with your designation suddenly coming to the surface, then with the suppressants. That's biology, not weakness. And as for being a liability..." I think of Aidan's bloodied knuckles, of the fierce protectiveness in all their eyes. "You're pack. They protected you because that's what pack does. That's not liability, that's family."
He stares at me, a vulnerable and desperate light in his eyes. "You really don't... it doesn't change how you see me?"
"Can I tell you the truth?" I ask, and when he nods, I take a deep breath. "When I first found out you were an omega, I was wary. Not because of you, but because of me. I've been left four times for omegas. Always the safe beta choice until something better came along. Someone who could give them what I couldn't."
"Lexie..." His hand finds mine, squeezing gently. He's burning up.
