Page 88 of Fourth Base with the Alpha

My heat!

Shit.

“Actually,” I say, gathering up my purse, “maybe you are right. I’d better head home.”

Kim takes a step back and scampers towards the door. “I’ll call you a cab.”

“I can catch the bus,” I call after her.

“Not when you’re sick and besides you have money in your account.”

So much money! Enough to pay off the debt. I can’t believe he did that.

I can’t think about that now, though. I need to get home to the safety of my nest and prepare for this heat.

I groan. I can’t say I have missed them. Sure, one or two have been all right. One I shared with an ex-boyfriend, another with this guy I was on-off seeing at the time. All the other heats, though, they’ve been hell on earth. Three days of being trapped in a body that is hell bent on being fucked. A body that will make you suffer if that doesn’t happen. Skin so hot it practically melts off your bones, cramps so intense no pain killers will touch them, and an ache so strong between your legs you’re driven mad with frustration.

It’ll be more bearable if I prepare. If I ensure I’m stocked up with snacks, that my alpha dildo with the vibrating knot is charged and I have enough pain killers to knock out a horse.

“Cab’s waiting for you outside,” Kim calls, locked safely behind her office door. “Let me know when you’re home safe.”

“I will.” I pause by her door. “Kim,” God, I hate this bit, confessing to what’s really going on, “I won’t be back for at least three days.”

“Shit, you feel that bad?”

“No, it’s just, I think this is my heat.”

Pause. Silence apart from the tick of a clock and the hoot of a horn on the street below. “Your heat.” The door opens and Kim peers round at me. “Do I need to rearrange the video shoot this afternoon?”

“For me? No. I’ll be sorry to miss it but–”

“I’m asking if I’m going to have an AWOL band member on my hands.” When I look at her blankly, she prompts, “Hunter.”

“Hunter? No. Why?”

“You’re sleeping together, right? So–”

“Weweresleeping together,” I correct.

Kim nods her head slowly.

“I’d better go,” I say, peering at my watch before Kim can say anything more.

I can’t tell how far along this heat is. It’s coming on quickly. Probably because I haven't had one for so long. How long will it be before I’m flat out on my back, pleading for cock?

Something I don’t want my boss to see, and something I don’t want to be doing in the back of some cab.

Kim waves me off and I hurry out of the office like Cinderella fleeing the ball.

Inside the elevator, I swelter, fanning myself and wiping sweat from around my brow.

“Shit, sweetie, you look awful,” Frankie calls as I hurry past the reception desk towards the exit.

“My heat!” I call.

“With the rock star? Lucky bitch.”

I don’t bother to correct him. When I’m back, I’ll have to explain to him the relationship is off, although by then the rumor mill will probably have done its business and the whole world will know.