The door opened a crack, and Sorcha worked his way in, shutting it firmly behind him. He’d been expecting to find Teal hunched over the toilet, but the other omega was sitting on the edge of the tub, head in his hands.
“You ran out of there so quickly,” Sorcha said. “I figured you’d gotten sick.”
“No.” Teal ran his palms over his thighs. “I felt a stabbing pain in my gut, and I thought that’s what I needed, but when I tried…nothing came up.”
Sorcha sat down next to his partner, repeating the back-rubbing motion he’d done on the couch. “And now?”
“I don’t know. It’s the weirdest thing. My stomach hurts, but somehow, I still have an appetite. And I don’t need to throw up.”
“Ronan mentioned how you’re overdue…for your heat.”
Teal raised an eyebrow. “He did, huh?”
“Yesterday, while you were napping. He told me. Do you think what you’re feeling could be symptoms? That it’s coming?”
“I suppose that’s possible.” Teal placed a fist against his stomach, pushing in. “I’ve considered it, obviously. But my heats have never felt like this before.”
“There’s also the stress from High Court. I’m sure that isn’t helping. And it could be different this time because you’re…you know…”
“Yes…?” Teal challenged playfully.
“You know. You’re…older.”
Teal feigned an outraged expression. “Are you calling me an old man?”
“No, of course not!”
“That’s okay.” Teal nudged Sorcha with his shoulder. “As soon as I’m feeling better, I plan to show you hownot-oldI am.” Even in his condition, Teal leveled Sorcha with a scorching hot gaze, leaning in to kiss the juncture of his neck and shoulder. “This old man will never be too old to fuck you hard.”
Sorcha shuddered. But then he chuckled. “Teal, please don’t be sexy when you basically just went in the bathroom to cough up your insides. I’m trying to help you here. What can I do?”
Teal ran a gentle thumb along Sorcha’s cheek. “I don’t think there’s anything to be done, my darling. Maybe it’s stress. Maybe it’s my heat coming on. Maybe it’s just an ill-timed stomach bug. But whatever it is, it’ll have to wait until after the High Court proceedings. If I’m still feeling like crap then, I’ll see the doctor.”
Sorcha frowned. Teal looked so pale, and he was clearly masking a lot of pain. Sorcha wanted to force Teal to see a doctor immediately, and he imagined Ronan, Niall, and Jax felt the same. But Teal was stubborn, not to mention in the middle of a tribunal arguing about how omegas should have control of their own bodies. If Teal said he could wait to see the doctor, Sorcha figured he should accept it.
“There is one thing you can do,” Teal said, rising gingerly to his feet.
“Anything.”
“Can you help me to bed? Please have the boys come in and give me a kiss and hug goodnight when they’re ready, but I think I need to tackle the stairs now before I’m completely out of gas.”
“Yes, just lean on me.”
Sorcha helped Teal up the stairs, signaling their intentions to Ronan along the way. Sorcha’s heart soared when he caught the faint whiff of Teal’s honey lavender scent, again struck by hisability to smell another omega. He hugged Teal closer to him. By the time Teal got under the covers, there was more color in his cheeks.
“The pain has lessened a bit,” he told Sorcha. “I’m sure a little rest will help.” He closed his eyes, drifting into a half-sleep, though Sorcha knew he’d rouse to say goodnight to his sons.
Sorcha hoped Teal was right. The thought of something being truly wrong with his omega partner was unbearable. Watching the steady rise and fall of Teal’s chest, Sorcha felt another emotion he’d never felt until he joined the McGinn family. Protectiveness.
***
The next morning, Sorchawas relieved to see that Teal appeared much better, as though he truly had only needed a good night’s sleep.
Teal’s car arrived earlier than it had the prior week. He planned to get to the courthouse before the majority of angry protestors arrived. The other men in the house were all awake and waiting to say goodbye when he came downstairs in his suit, mentioning that he still planned to pick up his breakfast from Fontaine’s and check in with the affable barista he’d met there.
When Teal had first mentioned that barista, Brinn, an omega who had the same name as Teal’s much-beloved alpha father, Sorcha had experienced a flash of possessiveness. But he’d quickly realized that his partner harbored nothing but friendly, perhaps even brotherly, feelings toward the café worker.
Ronan kissed Teal firmly, wrapping his arms around him. “I’m glad to see you feeling better, my omega. I was worried.”
