Page 42 of Pack Scratch Fever

PIPER

“It’s really hot in here,” I huff. Sweat drips down my back as I kneel on the ground and sweep up cat kibble with a dustpan.

“Um, everyone is cold but you,” Blair says, trimming Alvin’s nails. The tabby cat is well behaved as she does it, patiently waiting for his treat. “We have the temperature set as low as it can go, Pipe. I think you should go home.”

I stand up and breathe heavily, wiping sweat from my brow. “Nah. I’m fine.”

Blair sighs. “I’m not doing this again, Piper.”

When I’m not at the packhouse, I’m at the rescue, enjoying every minute of my time here.

“Doing what again?” I ask, feigning innocence.

“You know what. You’re perfuming, even with your new meds. I was there when the doctor spoke to you, Piper. So, no, I’m not doing this again. Do not start your Heat here,” Blair snaps.

I scoff. “I’m fine. I just got here an hour ago. I’m supposed to close.”

But a shiver wracks my body, and I clench my teeth.

“Heidi and Gary are coming,” Blair says. “And we have a new volunteer who reached out to us, too. She’s in the area for a little while and wants to help.”

“Oh?”

“Her name is Maeve. She seems really sweet,” Blair adds. “So, we will have more than enough people here, Pipe.”

I groan and roll my eyes. “But we still need to?—”

“Dude, you were just in the hospital,” Blair says. “You cannot ignore your Heat symptoms or overexert yourself.”

I chew my lip.

“If you’re not going to do it for me, do it for your pack.”

I stare at Blair, considering.

“I’ll stay one more hour,” I acquiesce.

“Your face is beet red,” she insists, motioning to me. “You’re wearing one of your Alpha’s shirts, and you stink . Let me guess, you’re wearing slick pads too, right?”

I stay silent, and Blair snaps her fingers and points at the door. “Home. Now.”

I huff. I know Blair’s right. I don’t want to be away from Avery, Maddox, or Poe—but the rescue is also my second home. It brings me so much joy to be here, especially after I almost lost it.

But I suppose going home to three hot Alphas isn’t awful, either.

“You’re right,” I sigh dramatically, rolling my eyes. “I guess I’ll go home .”

“Yes, please. Get all those Omega hormones out of you.”

The door opens just as I’m about to snap back at Blair, and a woman with an auburn ponytail walks in. She’s dressed in a pink plaid skirt and black fishnets, complete with a leather jacket and black combat boots.

She looks like an adorable rocker chick.

“Hi!” she chirps. “I’m Maeve. I reached out to you about volunteering?” she says to Blair.

As she enters, I catch a whiff of her scent.

She’s an Omega, but something is familiar about her aroma.

It’s sweet with a hint of honey and herbs.

It almost smells like…

“Hi! I’m Blair, and that’s Piper,” Blair says as Alvin meows and hops onto the counter to greet the new Omega. “And this is Alvin.”

At the mention of my name, Maeve’s eyes widen, and she turns to me with a toothy grin. “You’re Piper?” she cries. Then, before I can react, she’s running up to me and wrapping me in a hug so tight I let out an oomph. I cast a worried look at Blair, who watches, dumbfounded.

“I can’t believe it’s you!” she squeaks. She steps back to look at me. “Oh my god, and you’re so pretty. Wow, and you smell good, too!”

“Sorry, do I know you?” I ask.

“I’m Maeve,” she says proudly. “You know, Maeve?” When I shake my head, she groans. “I hate my brother sometimes. He didn’t mention me at all?”

My brow furrows.

She smells like sweet tea on a summer day.

She smells like…

“You’re Avery’s sister?” I ask, and she grins.

“The best sister,” she confirms, nodding.

Then, she looks around the building. “Oh, did my brother take those?” She points to the portraits on the walls.

“He’s so talented. This place is so cool, I can’t believe you have a cat rescue!

Avery said it was nice, but this is so awesome !

” She heads over to Alvin and easily scoops him up, getting cat fur all over her leather jacket.

“He’s so handsome,” she coos to the cat. “I can’t wait to help out here.”

Maeve is a giant ball of positive energy.

“You’re serious about this?” I ask. “We can always use volunteers. The more help we can get, the better.”

“That’s what Avery said.” She gives me a smile, joy radiating from her. “I adore cats. Avery and I grew up with them, so I’m happy to lend a helping hand. I love cats!”

At her outburst, Blair and I exchange looks.

Maeve is…something else.

Where Avery is kind and shy, Maeve is sweet and bold. She has the same rich-colored eyes and full lips as Avery, along with that familiar scent.

But much as I want to keep talking to her, my Heat symptoms are growing worse by the second. I’m burning up, and my mind is foggy.

“So, I feel awful about this, Maeve, but I was actually about to leave,” I tell her apologetically. “But it was great meeting you, and I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”

“It was great meeting you, too!” she chirps. “I finally get to meet the Omega my brother’s in love with!”

I freeze.

Love.

Maeve must mistake my expression for excitement, because she continues. “Oh yeah. He’s totally in love with you. He’s the happiest he’s ever been because of you.” She hugs me again quickly. “You’re the best thing to happen to him!”

It’s just a word. It shouldn’t terrify me.

I’m more than capable of love. I love the rescue, I love Blair…

And I love my Alphas.

Love doesn’t have to be a weapon. It’s not something that has to be held over my head or used as a threat.

How my parents treated me isn’t love.

The Alphas I’ve spent my Heats with in the past didn’t love me.

But Avery, Poe, and Maddox?

They love me.

And I love them.

“Oh,” Maeve says, stepping back. “You look like you just realized you’re in love with him.”

“Yes, I think that’s exactly what just happened,” Blair says, smirking from her desk.

“I have to go,” I stammer, grabbing my purse from behind the counter. “It was nice to meet you, Maeve. Bye!”

I leave Blair and Maeve to deal with the cats for the rest of the day.

The entire drive back to the packhouse, one single word repeats in my head.

Lov e.

“Fuck,” I hiss, stumbling to the front door of the house. I used the key Poe gave me to unlock the door, but it swings open before I can finish.

My cramps are killing me, my skin itches, and my cunt flutters.

My Heat is coming fast.

Poe opens the door for me, and I stumble into his arms, sagging against him and dropping my purse on the floor.

“Sweetheart? What’s wrong?” he asks me. I just breathe him in, whimpering into his chest, while his arms wrap tightly around me. His Alpha scent only makes me more desperate for him.

“Oh,” he says softly, a low rumble sounding in his throat.

I’m sure he can scent what’s happening by now.

“Yeah,” I breathe. “I…I need…”

Slick spills out of me in a rush, and my cunt walls clamp down on nothing.

“I’ve got you, Omega ,” he says, his voice low and deep. “Just breathe for me, baby, and we’ll take care of you. We’ll make you feel good.”

I simply moan at his words as another cramp hits.

Soon, I can’t stand anymore, and Poe carries me down the hall and straight to my bedroom.

“It’s stronger than before,” I gasp as he lays me down in a thick pile of blankets on the canopy bed. “I can feel everything more intensely than last time.”

He sits at the edge of the bed and gently tugs at my leggings. The friction of the clothes is so overstimulating that I cry out, arching my back.

“Fuck,” he hisses. “Sweet fuck , Piper.”

“Please,” I gasp. “Alpha, please.”

I don’t know what happened between the car ride and now for my Heat to come on this violently, but I was not prepared.

Thankfully, Poe is.

“I love when you beg,” he murmurs. “You have no idea how much I love to hear that sound. Now lift your hips like a good girl.”

Love.

There’s that word again.

By the time he removes my leggings and panties, tossing them to the floor, I’ve already soaked the nesting blankets beneath me. Slick drips obscenely out of my pussy, and Poe watches, his eyes black with lust.

“Need you,” I choke out. “Poe, I need you.”

“Fuck. Your pretty pussy is swollen, sweetheart. Spread it for me. Show me more.”

I spread my legs obscenely and pull myself apart, exposing more of myself to him.

Then, he growls, a primal sound that makes my inner Omega keen.

“You already soaked the couch the other day,” he says, smirking. “But I wasn’t there for that. We had to buy a new one because of your messy pussy.”

I whimper.

I wish Poe had been there that day. I wish there had been three knots for me to take at once…

“Let’s see how much I can make you soak, Omega. Now take off that shirt,” he commands.

Whimpering, I pull the shirt over my head and toss it to the floor, leaving me in only my white lace bra. The fabric covering my nipples makes the sensitive skin ache, and I groan in discomfort.

“The bra, too. Show me those tits,” Poe commands.

I happily obey, relieved at the cold air touching my skin.

“Perfect,” he whispers. But he still hasn’t touched me since he pulled my leggings and panties off.

He’s just been staring.

“Poe. Alpha ,” I groan, arching my back. “It hurts.”

“My Omega needs to come, doesn’t she?” he purrs, still staring at my body and fucking me with his eyes.

“Yes,” I whisper.

“Good.” He stands and moves to the foot of the bed, then grabs my ankles. He drags me toward him until my ass is hovering over the edge of the bed, then kneels.

“Legs over my shoulders, Omega,” he commands. “Bring that pretty pussy here.”

He helps guide my legs, then my cunt is against his mouth.

I scream.

Poe licks my slit back and forth, moaning into my pussy while he sucks all the juices from my core, drinking up the slick I give him.

It’s filthy, but he tries to get his tongue as deep as he can inside me, fucking me with it.