Page 53 of Rugged Hearts: Part One
“Mhm, I’m not sure how true that is but I take your meaning. By the way I’m still twenty-nine, so not thirty yet.”
He doesn’t say anything so I look up and see the biggest grin on his face. “What is that for?”
“We are going to be able to celebrate your thirtieth birthday together and go all out for it. I can’t wait to start planning. Oh when is it?”
Shaking my head, I should expect nothing less. “It’s March fourteenth.”
“Oh so you’re a Pisces, interesting.”
“You follow all that astrology stuff?”
He gasps in mock offense. “You don’t? It’s fun and you gotta admit for most people some of the traits associated with their signs really do fit. Oh guess what sign Parker is, he’s the most obvious I think out of us all.”
I have to think on it for a minute, overall Parker is energetic most of the time, usually when around people…then it hits me. “He’s a Leo isn’t he?”
“Yes! What made you pick that?”
“The hair,” I say and then we both end up laughing. This is just what I needed after that dream. For some of the guys, I don’t think I need to wait to decide if I’m okay with bonding during the heat. I want more moments like this with Eli. I’m sure I’d have them since I’m here regardless, but he’s carved out a piece in my heart already or a few of the broken pieces melting them together to make an Eli piece. I’m not ready to admit the depth of my feelings. I still can’t bring myself to say it to Keelan when we basically skirted around the actual statement.
“Eli?”
“Mhm.”
“I’m ready to bond with you during my heat.”
He moves away slightly so he can look at me. “You’re serious.”
“Of course I am, I wouldn’t joke about th—” I’m cut off with his kiss. Suddenly I’m lying back on the sofa having the most tender kiss of my life.
When he breaks away, he looks at me. “You are the strongest person I know, I am so lucky you’re my omega.”
Only Connor and Parker have ever said something like that to me before. Maybe he doesn’t see me as breakable like I thought. I pull him back down for a kiss, and this time it’s deeper. Then a sudden warmness comes over my body.No not another one. I push slightly on Eli’s chest and he pulls away immediately. “You okay?”
“More than okay, but I don’t want to trigger another mini heat. I’m sorry, but after—” He stops me with a finger to my lips. “You don’t have to explain, I get it. Better to not risk it right now. Like Jake said we’ll have all the time in the world after your heat.” Gods I hope that’s true.
Eli decides to walk me back to Keelan’s room and gives me a more chaste kiss goodnight. I climb back into bed as if I never left, taking my spot between these two alphas. Suddenly Keelan’s arms are wrapping around my middle as he nuzzles his face in the crook of my neck, kissing his bond mark. “Have fun?” he rumbles out.
“Is there just no privacy when you’re bonded?” I whisper, annoyed but not really. He doesn’t even bother replying, just chuckles lowly against my mark that has my toes curling. I really need to do some bond research tomorrow.
42
MICAH
The light is flooding into my office at the lodge. It’s been my sanctuary since Thea came into our lives. It’s been just over a week since she bonded Keelan and became an official member of our pack. The fact that she ended up bonding Parker shortly after Keelan only made my fears worse. They’re brothers. If she wanted to leave the pack it’d be easier for them to do it now, than if she was only bonded to one of them. I shake my head at the direction of my thoughts today. Unfortunately, this whole situation has dominated my mind since it began. That curvy omega is going to break our pack so irrevocably. They’re all letting her in so easily. I just don’t understand how they can after last year. Even I can admit the possibility of her leaving and taking those she’s bonded to with her is low, but not impossible. However small that chance is, I can’t seem to let go. Eli and the rest of them don’t understand especially now that she’s bonded into the pack. To them it’s a done deal, locked in. I haven’t heard her say she’s staying or anything to that effect.
I need to get focused; my productivity has tanked this last month. Worst of all is having her scent all over the house now. Vanilla and wood smoke constantly. Actually, the worst part is the super special aftereffect of scent matches apparently—thefeeling her scent seems to evoke in me. My inner alpha has never been happier when I catch her scent and have the feeling wash over me. Then reality and allitspossibilities come crashing down. I need to snap myself out of all of this so I can get some work done. Leaving my office, I walk over to the employee bathrooms on the second floor of the lodge. As I open the door, I hear someone moving in one of the stalls, then the last voice I expected to hear says, “Oh I’m almost done, then I’ll be out of here!”
The anger that rises in me has me walking over to the stall she’s in and pulling her out and towards the door. “Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Thea says as she pulls against me, causing us to stop by the door.
This is the closest I’ve been to her, even in this bathroom her scent surrounds me. I fight against that feeling it brings. “You are our pack’s omega now. You should not be cleaning toilets.”
Her face goes from annoyed to furious. “You really are a snob, aren’t you? I don’t care that I’m cleaning toilets. I’ve cleaned worse areas in the past year. It’s honest work. And if you didn’t connect the dots Mr. Alpha, your pack, your business, hired me for this job. Got a problem with it? Take it up with Ben. But make sure to tell me ahead of time so I can bring the popcorn.”
This woman. She completely misses the point. “I don’t care if you work on the side of the road selling fruit in the dead of winter. You should be doing something you enjoy. Our omega deserves that, unless you don’t see yourself as our pack’s omega?” I say, testing her.
Her eyes widen in surprise, guess she didn’t expect me to say that. Her mouth opens then closes. Crossing my arms, I stare down at her, waiting for her to answer.
Her expression shifts, and a determination enters her eyes. “Yes I am. Good to know you care, but I’m quite happy in my role here at the lodge.” With that she slinks out of the door quickly. I rush after her but Ben is in the hallway watching her walk off in a huff. He looks back at the direction she came from seeing me.Great. Another chewing out from my pack incoming. His expression hardens as he approaches.