Page 29 of Follow Your Instincts (Fairview City Omegaverse)

Lachlan

C ould lust drive a person insane? I knew the answer was yes because it was happening to me. That had to be the explanation for why my brain felt like it was on fire, like it wasn’t even my own anymore.

One of the objects of my new obsession was easy to avoid.

I attended our pack dates dutifully, keeping my distance from Maggie when what I really wanted to do was devour her.

I spent a lot of time on those outings with my fists clenched, on the far side of the room, with the kind of erection you’re only supposed to get as a teenager.

I could have told myself it was just a biological response to her scent, but the truth was much more terrifying. She was a joy to be around; witty, kind, funny, and absolutely gorgeous. It would be so, so easy to let myself get close to her and that’s why I kept my distance.

She’d be too easy to love. While the abstract thought of an Omega to complete our pack had been nice, the reality of courting was proving to be much more intimidating. If I loved her, then I could lose her. I couldn’t do that again.

My other obsession was much harder to escape. Ben and his fucking scent were everywhere and it was killing me.

I spent most of my time working in an attempt not to think about them. Because if I stopped working, my brain took the opportunity to create elaborate fantasies about Maggie and Ben that almost felt wrong because they were so intense.

Every night, I tried to relieve the ever-mounting tension by stroking myself, thinking of the three of us together.

Alongside vivid images of sinking into Maggie, of claiming her and feeling her tight warmth squeeze around my knot while she writhed, were fantasies of fucking Ben, making him groan as Maggie had.

I imagined him on his knees for me, those bright brown eyes on mine as he choked on my cock.

Sometimes I had to flee upstairs early after pack dinners, trying to hide how hard I was after Ben groaned a little too appreciatively about Lucas’s cooking, or gave me an unthinking hug, or sometimes even just smiled at me for too long.

I knew Ben was bi; he hadn’t been shy about bringing home Betas, and even a few Alphas, in the past, and about 60% of the time they were men. I had never really cared, but now the thought made me see red. He and Maggie were mine .

I was sitting in my office, trying to avoid joining the rest of the pack for dinner until the last possible moment.

I’d been lost in fantasies again for at least thirty minutes, which was horrible timing considering I would have to be around him and his scent for an extended time soon.

Ben’s scent didn’t affect me quite as much as Maggie’s perfume, but the thought of his sweetness still made me groan.

I put my head in my hands and pulled at my hair; I could still smell him even now.

“Damn, Lach, is it that bad?” I started at the sound of Ben’s voice.

“Huh?” I said. His eyes were bright with amusement, and he was wearing a knowing smile.

“Your pheromones are so strong you’re gonna get me drunk.

If you miss Maggie that much, you know you can call her, right?

I think she’d probably agree to a date just the two of you now,” he said, and leaned casually against the doorframe.

How had I never noticed how beautiful he was?

His dark blond waves looked almost golden in the light of my office, and I was hit with an urge to run my fingers through his hair.

I wanted to taste the freckles on his cheeks, see if they continued down the rest of his body.

Keep it together , I warned myself sternly, then realized I had been staring at him blankly for too long.

“Um…” I said.

“Jesus Christ, man, you clearly need to see her,” Ben said and reached out his hand to pull me up. “Come on, dinnertime.”

“No- I’ll be out in a couple of minutes, I have a few emails to send,” I said, not wanting to stand up and reveal the rather startling erection I was sporting.

“Lachlan, I can already see you’re hard as a fucking rock, so just come out and have dinner,” Ben teased, staring pointedly at my groin, and my face flushed. He laughed and pulled me to my feet. “I wish Maggie were here to see how cute you are when you’re embarrassed.”

I adjusted myself as we walked through the living room, trying to think of anything else. The sight of Soren looking grim did the trick.

He had his phone on speaker, and I could hear Maggie’s voice on the other end.

“... came out of nowhere and pushed me into the street,” she was saying, sounding breathless and like she’d been crying. “I’m at the hospital here, Brookwood Medical Center. Can you guys come? Please?”

“What’s going on?” Ben said, rushing over to Soren.

“Maggie was attacked on her way back from a run,” Lucas said, his face lined with worry.

“Ben?” Maggie asked.

“Yeah, I’m here. Lachlan too. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine… I just don’t want to be alone right now,” she said and her voice wobbled.

“We’re on our way, baby,” Soren said, and I nodded, already going to grab the keys.

“We’ll be there as soon as possible,” Lucas said in his calm, slow voice. “Do you want us to talk to you on our way there?”

“No, they’re about to do X-rays, so I have to go,” Maggie said.

We piled into the Range Rover immediately, not speaking.

Ben was vibrating with nerves as I sat in the backseat with him.

The thought of Maggie, injured and scared, had cleared my mind of anything but the need to protect her.

When he grabbed my hand, I gripped his and tried to steady us both.

Our Omega was in danger, and I could put aside my baggage to keep her safe.

We arrived at the Brookwood Medical Center and parked as quickly as possible. Steffi was waiting for us in the lobby, looking distressed.

“Thank you so much for coming so quickly,” she said, ushering us down the hall and nodding to a nurse. “She’s down this way.”

I could smell her scent before we entered the room, sour with fear and stress. The five of us rushed in and found Maggie sitting on the bed, her hands bandaged. She was wearing a hospital gown, and there was a bandage on her knee as well.

Maggie saw us and sobbed. Lucas crossed the room faster than the rest of us and wrapped her in a soft embrace, curling around her protectively.

“I’m fine,” I heard her say, muffled by Lucas’ chest. “I’m just really, really glad to see you all.”

“Has anyone made a police report yet?” Soren asked Steffi, who shook her head.

“Maggie said she didn’t want to involve the police,” she said and quailed a little under Soren’s baleful look.

He opened his mouth to respond, but I laid a hand on his arm. “That can wait. Let’s focus on Maggie right now,” I said.

Ben was sitting on Maggie’s other side, stroking her hair. I ached to join them, but I stayed a few steps away.

“We’re really glad to see you too, sweetheart, even under the shitty circumstances,” he said.

After a few minutes, Maggie calmed down enough to stop crying and sit up straight. Her emerald eyes found mine, and she took a deep breath.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

She nodded. “Other than being completely terrified? Yeah, I just have some road rash,” she said, waving her hands.

“But you needed X-rays?” I pressed.

“My ribs hurt from where I hit the ground, so they just want to make sure nothing’s broken,” she said. “The doctor should be back soon.”

I nodded and sat abruptly in the chair next to the bed to contain my need to pull her into my arms.

“It was Phillips,” she said, looking at Soren. “He was wearing descenter, but I still recognized his scent.”

Soren clenched his fists and his jaw. “We need to report this, Maggie.”

She shook her head. “It won’t make a difference.”

“Damn it, yes it will!” Soren yelled. “Sorry, I’m sorry… I’m just… really worried about you, baby.”

“That IA asshole already doesn’t believe me. If I say Phillips pushed me down in the street when he’s not even supposed to know where I am, they’re going to think I’m just making shit up,” Maggie said. “It’s not worth it.”

“If we don’t report this, that fuck will keep coming after you,” Soren said savagely.

“No,” Maggie said stubbornly. “I’m not going to look even weaker.”

“Being attacked in the dark by a coward doesn’t make you weak,” Soren argued.

“Enough,” I said quietly. “This is Maggie’s decision, not yours.”

Soren shut his mouth reluctantly.

“How did he know where you were?” Ben asked, his hand resting protectively on her thigh.

“I don’t know,” Maggie said, sounding weary.

“Any ideas?” Soren said and turned to Steffi, an accusatory note in his voice.

“I assure you we are already having the NON IT team look to see if there were any data breaches,” Steffi said, bristling.

“I’ll contact them myself and see if I can help,” I said. “But it doesn’t matter how he found out. He did, and it’s clear that he’s unhinged.”

Maggie sighed. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have left the Center on my own. As long as I stay there, he can’t get to me again.”

Lucas rubbed her back softly. “None of this is your fault, sugar.”

“And you shouldn’t have to be a prisoner in that Center,” I said, my voice rough. “No offense.”

“Well,” Steffi sniffed, offended.

I stood and then knelt in front of Maggie. I delicately took her bandaged hands in mine. “We’re going to protect you. I can promise you that.”

Maggie met my eyes, and I could see tears gathering.

“I do think you should reconsider reporting what happened. It might make him think twice about trying to hurt you again.”

Maggie shook her head sadly, and a few tears spilled out onto her cheeks. “It won’t change anything,” she said.

I hesitated for a moment, then brushed the tears away softly with my thumb. Maggie’s breath caught, and I pulled away.

“Then I’d like for you to come and stay with us. At least until this whole thing is settled.”

Maggie looked shocked. “You want me to stay with you?”

“Desperately,” I said. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep unless I know you’re home safe with us. And I think everyone else would agree.”

“I think it’s a great idea,” Ben said immediately.

“Absolutely,” Lucas said, still stroking her back.

“Of course I want you to stay with us, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still put in a goddamn police report,” Soren said gruffly.

Maggie turned back to face me again. “You’re sure? I don’t want to be a burden.”

“Yes,” I said determinedly, and brushed my thumb against her cheek one more time. “I’m sure. ”

Maggie’s face split into a watery smile. “It would be nice to get out of that prison.”

“Now really, that’s quite enough,” Steffi said primly, but she was also smiling.

“I want to make it very clear that I’m not doing this because I’m scared of that asshole,” Maggie said.

“We know you just want an excuse to get sexed up by the four of us every night,” Ben said, smirking.

Maggie went to smack him on the arm with her bandaged hand, then winced.

“I’m afraid there won’t be any ‘sexing up’ for a little while,” a brisk voice said. An older man, clearly a doctor, walked into the room. I stood to shake his hand.

“This is Dr. Meninger,” Maggie said. “He’s also the doctor for the Center.”

“Nice to meet you,” he said, looking around at my pack. “But I’m serious, young lady. You have a fractured rib and need to take it easy for at least a few days. That means no strenuous exercise, including sexual activity.”

“Fuck,” Soren said under his breath. “I mean... Not because of the sex… Just can’t believe you broke a fucking rib.”

Dr. Meninger walked over and put up an X-ray on the lightbox on the wall. “It’s a hairline fracture, so it’ll heal on its own in four to six weeks. But if you don’t take it easy for a little while, you can do more damage. That means no running or weightlifting for at least a week.”

Maggie sighed. “Well that fucking sucks.”

“You should still stay active, though. Go for walks, do light stretching, but if anything causes sharp pain, you need to stop,” Dr. Meninger said. “Any other questions?”

“When can I take the bandages off?” Maggie asked.

“On your hands, tomorrow morning. The cuts are shallow, we just wanted to make sure the wounds were clean. But I’m giving you discharge instructions for changing the bandages on your knee since that wound is a bit deeper.”

Maggie nodded .

“Okay, well, you’re good to go and get some sleep then. I’ll follow up with you in a week at the Center,” he said and shook each of our hands, ending with mine. “I’m trusting all of you to keep her from overexerting herself.”

“Of course,” I said. “She’s safe with us.”

“Are you ready to go home?” Ben said, bouncing a little in excitement. I smiled despite myself, and he caught my eye, his smile getting even wider.

“I need to go get some stuff,” Maggie said, suddenly shy again.

“Let’s go back and pack a weekend bag for you, my dear,” Steffi said. “You can always come back and pack more when you’re not dealing with bandaged hands.”

“Get whatever you need and we’ll wait for you outside the Center,” I said, still smiling. I would now have both of my tormentors under one roof, but I knew it was where Maggie belonged.