Page 24 of Forbidden Taste (An Omega’s Preference #3)

He seems to calm a little, even more so when his knot loosens, faster than it did the first time.

But it gives me the opportunity to turn around on his lap before he can curl into himself, my thighs straddling his as I press my chest to his.

His emotions crash into me through the bond—panic, guilt, a raw, jagged fear that’s not what I thought I’d feel when we mated, not the quiet joy I’d imagined.

His face is wet, tears streaming down his freckled cheeks, gathering on his chin as he looks at me, his eyes wide and glassy.

“I didn’t know. I just… something happened, and I couldn’t help it. ”

I cup his face, my thumbs brushing over his tear-streaked skin.

“I’m not mad, Leo. You’re my mate, and it would’ve happened sooner or later.

” I’m not even mad that the choice was taken away—because I didn’t know it was something that could happen, didn’t know Omegas could mate Omegas, didn’t know Leo was different like this, his knot and his bite rewriting everything I thought I understood.

My fingers slide into his orange curls, tugging gently as I wipe away his tears, my lips curving into a small, reassuring smile.

“We’ll figure this out,” I murmur, leaning in to press my forehead to his.

“But I don’t regret this for a minute. Do you have any idea how precious this is? ”

He swallows hard, his throat bobbing, more tears spilling as he meets my gaze. “But this is permanent.”

I tilt my head, my hands framing his face again.

“Did you ever think it wouldn’t be?” I sigh, my breath warm against his lips as I pull back just enough to look at him—really look at him—my mate, my Leo, his massive frame hunched with uncertainty.

The memory from before my heat flicks in my head of the accusations from the Dean, from Jameson, that Leo had forced himself on me.

This—his bite, this bond—won’t look good, not with those lies already circling.

“Let’s go shower and figure this out, okay?

Do you want to say goodbye to Hawk? I need to make sure he’s good before he leaves.

” My fingers linger, tracing the curve of his collarbone, a strange flicker of loss trickling through the bond as if Hawk leaving bothers Leo just as it does me.

Leo frowns, his scent souring further before shaking his head. “No,” he mutters, his voice small, almost lost, and I feel it through the bond—jealousy, confusion, a tangle of emotions he’s not ready to face.

“Hey, it’s okay. Go get the hot water ready.

I’ll be there in a minute.” I ease off Leo’s lap, my thighs trembling as I slide to the edge of the nest, Leo right behind me as I lead him toward the bathroom.

He moves slowly, his head bowed, and I squeeze his fingers, brushing my lips against his knuckles before letting go.

I slip on one of Leo’s shirts from the floor before padding into the kitchen, Hawk standing at the counter, placing a pizza box on the table, the faint smell of pepperoni cutting through the lingering traces of our scents.

“Guess someone ordered last night and forgot,” he muses, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he glances at me,

I frown at the cardboard box, wondering who would have ordered that and what the poor delivery man probably heard on the other side of that door.

It begs the question of who Leo accidentally called, my flustered Omega hanging up on someone and then hurriedly calling the center.

I’ll probably see a bill on my account because I tend to just call, ask for the usual and then hang up.

Probably a bitch move. I’ll correct that later.

Heaving a small sigh, I drop onto one of the barstools at the kitchen island.

Hawk steps a little closer, almost as if he wants to touch me but isn’t sure if he can.

I didn’t really get to see him last night or earlier but the dim lights in my kitchen show just how gorgeous this Alpha is.

He’s not gruff like Benjamin and doesn’t have that authoritative air that so many Alphas do.

He’s gorgeous and lean and when he swallows nervously, the muscles in his neck tense in a way that makes me want to lean forward and lick them.

I clear my throat, drowning that thought as I continue to ogle him, light bronze skin covering all the muscles that had been pressed up against me not even an hour ago, jet black hair hovering over his eyes, hiding soft brown eyes full of concern. And… I’m still staring.

“Do you want me to wait until Leo gets out of the shower to talk?” Hawk asks as he leans against the counter, his voice pulling me from my thoughts.

I shake my head, knowing that would only terrify Leo in the moment.. “Leo isn’t ready for that conversation. Not right now.” I add, knowing that it will be a conversation eventually. My shoulder throbs, the fresh bite tender, Leo’s panic thrumming through the bond. It’s calmer now but not by much.

Hawk nods, stepping closer, his hand lifting to touch his shoulder—mirroring the bite on mine.

I sigh, reaching up to brush the raw skin beside the collar.

I’m ecstatic for the claim, even if it happened by accident—Leo’s mark, his bond, a permanent thread tying us together—but it’s going to take a little bit for him to see that it’s okay.

It feels like we’ve stumbled backward, the ease we’d built shattered by this unexpected shift, and my chest aches with how fragile he is right now.

“It’s not going to be easy,” Hawk starts. “You’re not in heat, Riley, but your pheromones are heightened and will continue to be while in the presence of another Omega. You both are going to have spikes—however that manifests.”

“I figured it’d be something like that, but I didn’t think it’d be that violent, and wait—fuck, I know you.

” My eyes snap up as recognition hits me like a jolt.

“Shit, you’re… Hawk Thorne. The one in the dance major.

Shit.” His name rolls off my tongue, familiar now, a campus legend I’ve heard in passing—lean, graceful, an Alpha who defies the mold.

He tilts his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Is that a bad thing? ”

I shake my head, my fingers twisting in the hem of Leo’s shirt.

“I just don’t usually know the Alphas I use.

They aren’t on campus. I see them during a heat and then never again.

It’s one of my requirements. I didn’t want someone to get attached and I didn’t really have the time for distractions.

” My shoulders fall in defeat. “No, that’s not right.

Everyone told me I didn’t have time for distractions so I purposefully found a way not to get attached. ”

Hawk shrugs, stepping a little closer, his fingers brushing along my arm. “I didn’t know until after I accepted. Almost told Delilah no, but it was a code red request.” His eyes hold mine, something lingering in his expression as if he isn’t telling me the entire truth.

Instead of asking him what he’s hiding, I direct the conversation to address the elephant in the room. “Are we going to talk about the mate thing or pretend that it doesn’t exist?”

“Do you want to talk about the mate thing?” There’s no pressure behind his question which honestly makes this so much easier to address. “I didn’t come in here to ruin things between the both of you.”

“You didn’t ruin anything. Might not have been the way I wanted us to meet another mate, but…” I trail off, my voice faltering. “I just don’t know where this leaves us.”

“It leaves you where you are,” he purrs, his hand traveling up my arm to cup the side of my neck. I lean into the touch, my body melting as his scent fills my nose. “With him, with this bond, and… maybe with me, if you want that.”

“Leo just…” I start, my voice faltering, worry coating my words.

“I don’t want to terrify him with all of this.

He’s just coming to terms with him and me being mates, and I know he noticed how he responded to you, but I just…

” I didn’t think it would be this difficult.

Stand up to Benjamin, a few fights with my Mom—that’s what I was prepared for.

Not navigating an accidental bite and a new mate who happens to be a senior classmate.

Hawk’s fingers squeeze my neck softly as he leans in, his lips brushing against my forehead.

“Sweetheart, I’m not asking you to jump into the deep end.

And maybe this is asking too much, but would you consider—if you have another heat spike—calling me instead of the service?

” His tone is careful but I can feel the desperation in it.

“Yeah. I don’t think either of us would want anyone else,” I confess.

“We can work on everything else one step at a time.” His attention shifts to the hallway, gaze lingering on my bedroom. “Is Leo going to be okay?” His eyes flicker with concern, and I shrug, my shoulders slumping as I lean into his chest, needing the contact.

“He’s really new to all of this.” Hawk’s touch falters and a small, nervous chuckle falls from my lips as I clarify, “No, not scents—you saw his knot. You’ve probably read some of the school boards.

He’s not treated nicely.” I remember Leo’s freakout when I first called him my mate, the way he didn’t quite believe me.

“When I told him we were mates, he freaked out. But he’s mine.

Him and I are a package deal with all of this. ”

Hawk rumbles a soft sound, pulling away just enough to look at me.

“Hey, I want both of you, and I have no intentions of splitting you up. Biologically, you need him more than you need me right now.” A playful smirk plays on his lips at the confusion that floods my expression.

“Please don’t make me give you a biology lesson right now.

Jesus Christ. Sweetheart, a mating bond has to be nurtured and cared for.

It’s almost like an open wound— heals best when the Alpha…

Omega takes care of it. It’ll fester otherwise. Only takes a few days, maybe less. ”

A low groan tears from my throat, my head tipping back as I slump on the stool.

“Never really thought of that side of things,” I mutter, my hand lifting to brush the bite on my shoulder.

It already aches, my desire to just step into the shower with Leo growing, like he has a piece of me and in order to get it back, I have to be with him.

Hawk draws me back against his chest again, pressing another kiss to my forehead before he steps back and pats the counter.

“Let me leave before I somehow convince you to let me in your nest one last time. If you decide this is something you both want, you know where I am.” He raises an eyebrow, waiting, and I laugh—a soft, breathy sound that surprises me.

“I said something similar to Leo last week when we started,” I admit, my lips curving as I remember that moment, telling Leo I’d be here when he was ready. The dance studios are down the opposite wing to mine, Hawk was so close to us and we never knew.

“Go take care of your Omega,” he states, a quiet command as he heads for the door. “Let him nurse that bite.”

I hop off the stool, hurrying toward the hallway and then turn back to Hawk. “Just like… let him suck on it or whatever? We didn’t really get this training in biology class.”

“It’s a natural instinct.” Hawk leaves me with that and slips outside before I head for the bathroom and strip the shirt over my head.

Hawk mentioned ‘one step at a time’ and that’s what it is going to take to soothe Leo’s worries.

For right now, though, I just want to cling to him, to wrap my arms around him, and bury my head in his chest. I need him, probably as much as he needs me, some primal part of me claiming him as well when he bit me .

Leo all but melts when I step into the shower, still mumbling sorry as he walks me back into the tile, his hands cupping my face, expertly avoiding the bite on my shoulder.

“Sweetie, hold on just a minute, okay? If you knew you could give me a mate bond, would you have wanted to? Maybe not now but at some point?”

He pauses, searching my expression for something. “Yes.” His voice shakes but there’s no hesitation in his answer.

“Then let’s pretend that this was all that was. I know it was accidental but I want this. I want you. I’m so fucking glad you’re mine and if I could claim you, I would.”

Those few words seem to be exactly what he needs to hear, the panic ebbing away until there’s just a bout of uncertainty. If I didn’t think he would freak, I’d tell him I loved him.

Maybe not today but soon, definitely.