in as bad a state as he is, you need to open this door.”
“What’s wrong with Wyatt?” I couldn’t open the door. I didn’t trust myself. Wyatt needed consideration and gentleness, neither of which I was certain I was capable of.
“I have two alphas with their noses completely blocked up with menthol, Jordan. They’re more than capable of handling anything. Please, open the door.”
I was firm in my decision. Wyatt’s safety mattered more than anything. But then...
“Jordan?”
At the sound of my omega’s voice, my knees went weak.
“Jordan... please open the door.”
I had to throw myself away from the siren call. He’d shifted back, the small rational part of my brain noted. Good. The rest of me focused on crawling, dragging myself back to my room, ignoring any more knocks or voices.
I dragged myself to my feet outside my bedroom door. I needed something to keep me from going back. Rope. A tie. Something.
My front door banged open and Justin stood from a crouch, slipping a jangle of metal back into his pocket.
“I knew those old skills would come in handy one day.”
Wyatt ran past Jordan and launched himself at me, his sweet omega scent overwhelming me with relief and pleasure.
I had to push him away, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to hurt him by letting him stay and I didn’t want to hurt him by shoving him.
“No,” I whispered.
“I’m going to make this quick,” Justin said. “You’re in rut, he’s in heat, and neither of you is going to do well until you both deal with it.”
Wyatt sighed happily, his breath ghosting over my skin like a sprinkle of magic.
“But, sir—”
“He’s your true mate, yes?”
Wyatt rubbed his scruffy chin against my chest and my ability to speak disappeared completely.
Justin nodded. “Of course you have concerns. That is an excellent sign of your character. But two things you aren’t taking into consideration. One, you’re both going to be in extreme amounts of pain without each other, and two, Wyatt chose this. I didn’t suggest he come here. He asked to. He is a grown man and you would do well to treat him as such. Now. I don’t think I’m needed any longer. Wyatt, I have your phone from last night. I’m going to set it here. I’ve added my number. Please call me if you need me.”
And then he closed the door, leaving me with my fragile, damaged, incredibly hot and agile omega writhing against my body.
Fuck.
11
Wyatt
Finally, I was in my protector’s arms once more.
Well... not exactly in his arms. They hung awkwardly by his side while I clung to him like a squirrel to a tree.
“Hi,” I said breathlessly.
“Hi.”
The silence stretched between us, and I was very aware that yes, with all my apprehensions about sex, I absolutely wanted to have it with this man. Needed to have it with this man. But I had literally no clue how to push us forward.
“I... um... Wyatt, can you get down for a minute?”
I slid reluctantly off his body. “Should we—”
“Take some space, yeah, absolutely.”
I froze. I hadn’t been expecting that response at all.
Jordan disappeared into his room, but not before I finally got a full view of my mate’s front. I bit my lip. Damn. Naked men had become old hat. Naked men had become terrifying. But looking at my mate—after talking to Justin and finally seeing Jordan again, there was no doubt in my mind this feeling was exactly what a true mate connection should feel like—I knew that I truly felt desire for the first time in my adult life.
When Jordan reappeared in the doorway, he had wrapped his waist in a towel.
I frowned. “Why did you cover up?”
“Because we need to talk, and that” —he gestured to his hips— “is a major distraction. I don’t know what Justin was thinking, putting you in danger like this—”
“Why am I in danger?”
Jordan’s hands clenched and unclenched. “From me,” he rumbled. “I’m literally out of control right now, Wyatt. And I can’t stop thinking about whatever you might have been through. Who might have wounded you. I don’t want to be one of the alphas who hurt you. I don’t want to be a bad memory.”
He was worried... about me? He wanted me. He really wanted me. But he was concerned.
Biting my lip in anticipation, I took a tentative step forward. Jordan’s eyes went wide, as if he were staring down a fast-approaching train. “What if I can promise there’s no way you’d be a bad memory?”
I mean, I