Page 24

Roan

When market day came, I drove Lily to town. She had promised to help Rumor with their booth at the farmer’s market, and they had to figure out how to continue their business while not living in the same house.

Over the past several days, we’d spent our days with Lily and our nights sleeping in her room.

It was very difficult not to take things further, but we never would until she was ready.

This was made even harder by something we’d noticed in the past couple of days.

Watching her hug Rumor and take the baby to cuddle in her arms.

She looked so natural with little Bernadette, bouncing her gently and making the baby giggle.

“How are things going?” Vargas approached me where I watched the women getting the stand ready. “Should we expect Lily back soon?”

“Don’t even think it. She seems to be settling in with us, but we aren’t fully there yet.”

“Be patient,” he said. “It takes time with someone who’s been through so much. We were surprised when she moved in with you”—he held up a hand—“even if she isn’t admitting it’s forever. Lily is a really good person with a good heart who deserves a happy life.”

Our mate was currently filling the basket we’d given her with jars of honey.

She set each in so carefully, as if it mattered.

It was the way she did everything. From making breakfast, a task she’d taken over after we burned the bacon a second time, to telling a joke.

She was not good at telling jokes, but she tried so hard, we laughed anyway.

And sleeping with her—we had to believe one day we’d do more than sleep, but for now? Being close to her was incredible. But she was going toward heat, and she didn’t seem to realize it. Harlan and Benji and I were fully aware of it, however, and we didn’t know what to do.

“Vargas, do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“You can ask, but I don’t know if I can help.” Rumor bent to pick up a box of jars, and Vargas went over to help. “Be right back.” That was how we wanted to be for our mate too. When he returned, he said, “What was your question?”

“We’re starting to see hints of heat in our mate. But she’s not acting as if she knows. And we don’t know what to do.”

“I see.” Vargas kept his gaze fixed on his mate and what she was up to. “That’s a tough one. If she’s just beginning, then you need to talk with her now while you can. I’m not sure how much you know about what a female in heat is like.”

“Honestly? I’ve never been close to one. You know how omegas are usually kept hidden away at such times. And Lily is so special. We don’t want to do anything to hurt her. She has trust issues.”

“Come with me.” Vargas led the way to a table under a tree, where we still had a view of the stand but our omegas with their shifter hearing were unlikely to be able to hear us.

“When heat kicks in, your omega will not be thinking clearly, and she won’t be able to make good decisions, so you need to talk with her now.

Find out what she wants to happen during her heat.

Otherwise, it’s possible something will happen which she will initiate but will not really be doing with informed consent. ”

“Thank you. I appreciate the advice, and we’re going to have that talk.”

When the market shut down, I brought Lily home, but I’d been talking to the other guys via text, so they were ready for our conversation over dinner.

We’d brought home some meatball subs from a local place and as we all sat around, the scent of her heat was stronger.

We’d almost waited too long to have this talk.

Lily still seemed completely unaware of what was going on, enjoying her sandwich and chatting about her day at the market, but when there was a natural break in the conversation, I said, “We need to talk.”

She paled, and I cursed myself for my choice of words. “What did I do?” she asked.

“I’m so sorry.” I took her hand and held it between mine. “Nothing. We just have noticed something and we think we need to talk about it a little. I think…you’re in heat.”

She tugged on her hand, reeling back. “I’m not. I can’t be. Everyone says when you’re in heat you can’t think straight, you’re crazy for sex, and chasing your mates around the house demanding it.” She held her head up. “I don’t see me chasing anyone.”

Benji choked at her words. “That’s not exactly…no, you wouldn’t…”

He didn’t have a lot more experience than me, I didn’t think, but after spending the afternoon with Vargas, I’d begun to realize how many myths there were around heat. It was a seriously intense state, but not the caricature my mate had been presented with.

“Omega,” I began, “maybe tomorrow you should talk to Rumor. Get the female side, but it’s not quite like that, I believe. But what’s important for now is that we know how you want us to handle your heat.”

In the end, she told us she wanted us to help her ride it out. She didn’t want to do this if she wasn’t marked.