Page 23 of Tides of Fate (Fated in the Stars #3)

Taking the stairs down two at a time, Gideon slides into the kitchen like his ass is on fire—and it almost is. He’d opened the nest door, smelled Nix, and nearly forgotten everything else. As Luca had said, it’s Nix, but ramped up to a million. Sweet, musky, and thick enough to slide down Gideon’s throat. While the everyday Nix is sex-on-legs, this version could melt brain cells.

Gideon hadn’t any experience with heat. Of course, he hadn’t, but he also hadn’t been present when Nix crossed over into heat and started pumping out “fuck me” hormones.

Grayson and Rowan wouldn’t have even realized until it was too late, and they were already in too deep. Not that it would have changed a thing. But now, someone has to stay sane for the hour it’s going to take to put all their supplies together and alert Jay, Finn, and Leo.

Nix had been in remarkably light spirits when they’d finally gotten home yesterday. Gideon had expected he’d have been more subdued after Hayes’s inciting diatribe.

It certainly had incited the rest of them, for sure.

Nix had been pale and shaking when they’d left, but he’d whispered to Jay that he’d been frightened Hayes would come for Jay or Luca—not for himself.

Surprisingly, after they’d gotten home to Tsuki’s enthusiastic welcome and he’d snuggled the cats, he’d appeared calm. His newly returned scent was sweet with relief—sweeter, even.

Gideon could understand that, too.

The biggest unknown was done .

Until the court case, they’d had to rely on strangers to get them to where Nix wanted to be—where he could use his new skill set and the support of his pack to put Hayes down.

Now, the only thing standing between Nix and his rightful revenge was a set of formalities. It was like the uncertainty had been a physical burden, and now that it was lifted, he could finally breathe.

He’d smiled and eaten a little something, hand-fed to him by Jay in his usual spot at the table—in his lap—bare feet sticking out of his suit pants and wedged under Finn’s thighs.

Gideon had been concerned Nix might have needed more than what he was asking for, but their bond was settled—if burning a bit brighter—and Gideon’s wolf was calm.

They all slept in the nest, where Nix had pumped out so much sweetly contented vanilla scent that they’d drifted off scent-drunk and relaxed.

The morning had come fast, and Gideon had dragged Luca to the café for an early coffee date—just the two of them.

It had been a while since he’d just gazed at his honey’s sweet face across the table while holding his hand or watched him tear his croissant into tiny pieces before stuffing the whole thing into his cheeks.

Even their regular barista had commented on how they hadn’t been by in forever.

Jay and Leo had disappeared, too, sending texts about dropping Finn off with Lauren before heading to the police station to talk about Carnell.

Finn and Lauren had plans to meet up with the Omega Delegation and Riordan to better understand Omegan medical needs.

Gideon needs to get his thoughts in order and his absent mates home asap. On autopilot, Gideon fills Tsuki’s food bowl with dry kibble and puts out two large bowls of water.

The cats have automatic feeders, so he won’t worry about them. They’re lying on the uppermost branch of the cat tree while Tsuki lies at the bottom—their sentinel on guard.

Now for the tricky part. Picking up his phone, Gideon hesitates.

How do you tell someone their omega is in heat when they’re not home— and hope they don’t accidentally kill themselves trying to get back?

How long will the heat even last? Is it like a rut? Two or three days, and you’re done?

Shit…maybe he should call Finn first?

While he waits for Finn to answer, he pulls out the rut basket and checks supplies, replenishing water and snacks.

What does an omega in heat need?

Gideon feels his panic rise a bit.

What if he can’t care for Nix the way he needs?

What if his kitten’s first heat is a terrible experience—and that compounds the trauma he’s already battling?

“Gideon?” Finn asks, for what sounds like the second or third time, his concern coloring his voice. “Gid?”

“Heat,” Gideon says, pressing his hand to his belly, where he feels a yearning tug.

“I’m sorry, what? Hang on. Let me go where it’s quiet.”

Gideon throws some more things he’s sure they’ll need into the large basket while listening to Finn close the door. Most of the ambient noise disappears.

“There. Did you say ‘heat?’”

Gideon finds his words and blurts them out. “Nix is in heat. What do I do, Finnie?”

Finn sucks in a sharp breath. “Holy shit. Hang on,” he says, and then there’s the squeak of the door again. His footsteps pound back the way he came.

He hands the phone to someone, and for the first time in Gideon’s life, he is mortified.

“Gideon? Why am I talking to you on the phone?”

“Where is Finn?” Gideon asks through gritted teeth.

“Hold, please.” She covers the end of the phone, and Gideon can hear two muffled male voices on the other end.

“Oh. Well. I am going to translate for Fernando, and you are going to say nothing. Then I am going to give you back to Finn, and we will pretend this never happened. Clear?”

Gideon is thrilled that in this, they agree, and while he’d normally love to embarrass her, this is not one of those times.

“As glass. Go.”

Over the next ten minutes, Gideon adds the things she translates for him from Spanish into the basket—things like painkillers, ice packs, and electrolyte drinks. He’ll need to grab all the dirty clothes they had from the past week, except anything they’d worn to court. Those would smell like fear and anger, and an omega in heat could go into protective mode if he thinks his pack is in peril.

There are several other things, and some of them aren’t what Gideon is expecting at all—like food with extra Vitamin C.

She stops abruptly, and it’s the only way Gideon knows the list is done.

Now, Gideon is no expert on uteri, but he definitely knows biology. And heats can mean babies. And if they don’t want babies, then they will need to prevent them.

Logic.

How are they doing that, exactly?

“I’m leaving here now. Lauren will drop me off. Do you need me to pick any of that up?” Finn asks breathlessly.

“Wait. Fuck. You have to ask Lauren—er fuck, Fernando— about birth control, Finn.”

“Hell, I’m a doctor. How could I forget that? Give me a minute.”

Gideon hears him apologizing, and then there’s a muffled conversation that goes on long enough that Gideon has time to carry both the laundry hampers and the basket of supplies up, propping them outside the door.

The nest is sealed somewhat against pheromone seepage, but Gideon is still hard in an instant from what little is creeping out under the door.

Based on the uptick in moans and whimpers that filter through, Luca comes right then, and Gideon’s cock kicks hard in his sweats.

He bangs his forehead lightly against the door, and it takes all his willpower not to fling it wide open.

Gideon could just see it in his mind’s eye: Luca on his hands and knees while Nix takes him from behind, with Grayson behind their omega as they move together like a sinuous wave of pleasure.

“Gideon? Where did you go?”

“Fuck, sorry. What took you so long? Go ahead,” he growls.

Finn coughs and then whines a little. “ Are you with him right now? Are you calling me from the nest?” he whispers.

Gideon moans. “Fuck, no. I wish. Just what are we going to do to protect him, Dr. Merritt?”

“Shit, sorry. Okay, if we understand this correctly, Nix does it himself.”

“What?” Gideon asks incredulously.

There’s the sound of the car door closing and the engine starting. Gideon hears Lauren admonish Finn for not putting on his seatbelt, and then Finn says, “He has to want a baby to become pregnant—not just think about it but really want it. Phenomenal, eh? I’ll be home in thirty minutes. Start without me.”

Huh. As long as Nix doesn’t want a baby, then he can’t get pregnant. Isn’t that the best thing Gideon’s ever heard?

He’s got his hand on the doorknob when he realizes he hasn’t called Leo or Jay.

He texts Finn to call Leo, and Gideon calls Jay.

As usual, it rings only once.

“Love? I’m just leaving the station now. What’s up? Should I pick up something for lunch?”

For the second time, he hears a car door close, and then he’s on Bluetooth as the Genesis starts. The luxury sedan is soundless, which makes it easy to hear Jay click his seatbelt into the mechanism.

“Promise you’ll remain calm.”

Gideon pulls his t-shirt off, adds it to the laundry hamper, and then drops his jeans and boxers next.

“Gideon, that is the fastest way for me not to remain calm. What’s going on? You sound weird. Is everyone okay?”

Jay sounds like he’s already driving, eager to get back to them.

Gideon crouches for a second, and his wolf wants to press his nose along the bottom of the door, trying to catch the scent of his mates. The only thing stopping him is that the hall is hardwood and his dick wouldn’t appreciate the cold.

“Everyone’s good. Really good, I think. Do not crash the car. I’ll be pissed if you die.”

Gideon knows he’s not making sense, but there is no blood in his head, and it’s making thinking difficult.

“Gideon, you are not making sense. It’ll take me thirty-five minutes with traffic.”

“Nix is in heat,” Gideon moans.

He cracks the door slightly, and the scent of slick is suddenly thick in the hall. Their ventilation system is not up to the siren’s call.

There’s a loud horn and the screeching of tires.

“I’ll be home in twenty.”

There’s the slamming of a car door, the beep of the alarm, and then the phone disconnects.

Is he running home? That’s the stuff of dramas and romance novels.

His alpha is on his way, and soon his whole pack will be safe where he can see them.

Gideon holds his breath for a moment to give his brain that extra few seconds of clarity before pushing the door open all the way.

Luca is sitting on Rowan’s lap, leaning back against his chest, while the enigma rests his eyes.

Grayson is lying on top of Nix, who is on his belly—almost completely covered by the enigma on his back.

Follows his slender arm over, Gideon sees it’s still wrapped around Luca’s dick.

They all look asleep, so Gideon fetches the clothing hamper, dragging the clothes toward the nest and upending it, causing a cascade of fabric to spill onto the mattress.

He finally lets his breath out. The scents of sex and heat are easier to manage when he holds a laundry-fresh face cloth in front of his nose, and even if he must look like a fool, it’s keeping him in the frame of mind where he can care for his mates.

Nix and the enigmas haven’t eaten anything yet today, so Gideon gently wakes Rowan with a touch to his cheek and a protein bar under his nose.

He just opens his mouth and not his eyes, like he’s expecting Gideon to feed it to him.

If Gideon could be sure he wouldn’t get it bitten off before Rowan figured out it wasn’t food, he’d have stuck his dick in there instead.

The audacity.

“Hold your food, Ro. I am not your mother.”

Rowan puts his hand out, and there is a cloud of vanilla musk Gideon can smell even through the cloth. He slaps the bar into it and grabs three more, plus two bottles of water.

“Honey,” he whispers and kisses his soulmate’s soft lips. “Water. Open up.”

It feels like déjà vu when Luca opens his mouth so Gideon can pour a small stream of ice-cold water in and be rewarded with a smile.

“Thank you. You take such good care of me,” he says as he wiggles his hips and uses his other hand to hold Nix’s limp one firmer around his dick.

His face falls. “I came. Are you mad? Nixie’s heat makes it impossible. For real, this time.”

He believes it, so Gideon shakes his head. Breaking a piece of protein bar off, he slides it into Luca’s mouth.

“Mmmm. It’s okay. I’m not mad.”

He feeds Luca another piece just as Rowan stops chewing.

“Hey, why do you feed him pieces like that? Why does he get to be a cute baby bird, and I have to do it myself? Am I not cute?” Rowan whines and punctuates the last question with little thrusts of his hips.

“I think you’re cute, Ro.”

The deep, gravelly voice rumbles out from under the sleeping Grayson.

Rowan sticks his tongue out at Gideon and then bites into Luca’s shoulder, encouraging him to swivel his hips. They’re so incendiary that Gideon is momentarily distracted by his soulmate thrusting into Nix’s tight grip.

Gideon bends down to see Nix’s gray eyes under Grayson’s long curtain of hair.

“Hey, how are you feeling now? Has it stopped for a minute?” Gideon asks.

Nix hums and then murmurs, “Hungry. But…not for that.” He gestures to the half-eaten protein bar with his adorable, wrinkled nose.

Ah yes. Fernando, via Lauren ( he’ll not think that again; from now on, it’s as if he spoke to Fernando himself)— Fernando said that Nix would probably only want meat and fruit.

Thankfully, he’d put a small cooler in the basket with an entire leftover cold chicken and blueberries.

“Okay, let’s get Sleeping Beauty off of you, and then you can eat before the next wave hits. Okay?”

Nix nods a bit and holds out the hand he’d been using to hold Luca’s dick. It’s covered in fresh, mocha-scented precome.

“Can I wash my hands?” he asks.

Nix’s scent has lessened some—it’s not as strong as it had been in the hallway. Maybe Gideon is just used to it now.

“Sure, kitten. Do you want a shower?” Gideon feels he needs to offer, even if he hopes the answer is no. It soothes Gideon’s wolf when he smells like the pack.

“No!” he says, loud enough to wake Grayson, who comes to with a growl, lashing out with clawed hands. Grayson goes to his knees ready to defend his omega, as Gideon falls back just in time to avoid losing his guts on the mattress.

Grayson clutches Nix tightly to his chest, eyes flashing red as his charred basil scent pumps out a warning.

What the fuck?

Just like the courtroom, this Grayson Pearce is fierce— feral —his enigma right on the edge.

Luca is beside Gideon in an instant, crouching low to avoid looming over the snarling, kneeling enigma.

“Are you okay?” he asks, his soft hands smoothing over Gideon’s neck and chest to check for injuries. “What the fuck, Gray? ”

Nix lets out a soft whine , his body arching slightly against Grayson’s chest.

“Mine,” the alpha growls, sinking his fangs into Nix’s mating mark, his gaze locking onto Gideon and Rowan.

Nix moans, his eyes rolling back.

“Stay where you are, Ro,” Gideon whispers, his eyes still fixed on Grayson.

“Yup. No, thank you. Been there. Feels like shit,” Rowan mutters, reminding them all of his rut-induced craziness.

Thank the Goddess Grayson isn’t actually in rut—that’s all they’d need.

Nix’s eyes flutter closed as Grayson gnaws at his neck.

“Gray, love. Enough now. I’m hungry.”

Grayson freezes, shaking his head as if snapping out of it.

“Hungry?” he echoes, his eyes flying to Gideon’s.

Rowan moves first despite the tenuous hold Grayson has on his wolf, reaching for the food bag and muttering, “Can’t have that. I should…”

As if to drive the point home, Nix’s stomach rumbles audibly.

There’s a moment of recognition—Grayson can finally see him now.

“Gideon?”

Grayson blinks, his expression shifting, the tension easing from his body. He shakes his head again, this time with more clarity.

“Angel?” he whines, his voice tinged with remorse.

“It’s okay, Gray. You’re okay. Are you back now?”

Gideon hands the second water bottle to Grayson, accepting the press of fingers to his as the apology it is.

Once Grayson is distracted, Gideon helps Rowan rifle through the cooler, eventually settling on the container that holds the roast chicken Gideon had made for wraps and a stir-fry yesterday.

Nix’s nose goes up in the air the instant the lid cracks open.

Rowan can’t hand it over fast enough, and within seconds, Nix has sucked an entire chicken leg clean of its protein and has started on the second.

No less riveted than the others, Gideon watches as Nix devours the meal, leaving the entire chicken stripped clean.

“Holy shit, Nix. That was like watching a school of piranhas devour an antelope,” Rowan says with awe—and no small amount of arousal.

Nix licks his fingers and asks, “Is there more? Please?”

He hands the container back, and Luca pulls out a container of blueberries. There’s a flash of disappointment, but he smiles anyway.

It’s good to see Nix eating and, better yet, asking for what he needs.

Grayson sets him down gently and pulls a pair of sweats on from the enormous pile of scented laundry.

“I’ll go get you more, Angel. Okay?”

“No! No one leaves the nest!” he growls, and his voice vibrates deep into Gideon’s bones.

In his attempt to stop Grayson from leaving, Nix tosses the blueberries everywhere. They land in Gideon’s hair and are crushed into the mattress.

With a growl and a grin, Grayson falls backward, rolling them back into the bed and licking the chicken grease off his omega’s face. Thankfully, Nix seems momentarily appeased.

Luca hands Gideon his phone. “It’s okay; we’ll get one of the others to bring more.”

He sends the group text, hoping to reach someone before they get home because Gideon thinks no one is leaving once they’re here.

Shifting from foot to foot and palming his dick, Rowan looks antsy. Sort of like a toddler’s pee-pee dance.

“What’s up, Ro?” Gideon asks.

The enigma flushes. “Gotta piss.” He shifts again. “But I can’t leave.”

“Just go, silly,” Luca says and shoos him toward the restroom while Nix is distracted. “Be quick, and don’t wash anything but your hands.”

Rowan stands frozen. “I can’t,” he whines. “Like, I literally cannot leave the nest. Nix, you have to let me go—”

Holy shit.

When Nix said don’t leave, he meant it. Is that like an Omega Voice? It didn’t feel at all like an Alpha Voice.

Nix has Grayson on his back and is holding his hard cock up so he can slide down with a groan. He’s not paying any attention to the big alpha’s desperate question as Grayson murmurs words of love and praise .

Intent on testing the theory, Luca gets up and moves to the edge of the nest, managing a single foot up on the edge before he falls flat on his ass .

“Gideon, do something!” Rowan looks desperate.

“Okay, okay. Just hang on.” He knee-walks toward Nix, whose face is a glorious pink, with nipples bright red and a belly covered in bite marks. As soon as Gideon gets close, Nix’s hand is around his neck—lightning fast.

“Gid, kiss.”

Nix leads with his tongue, and all Gideon can do is kiss back, sucking his mate’s tongue to get the taste of him all the way to the back of his throat.

“Gideon!” Rowan shouts.

Fuck. Oh, right.

“Kitten, stop for a second. Hey.” He tilts Nix’s head back toward him to get his attention. “Show me your pretty eyes. Tell Rowan he can go to the bathroom.”

“What?” Nix’s eyes are glazed over, and he’s still bouncing almost mindlessly on Grayson’s cock.

“You have to tell Rowan he can leave the nest. You told us we have to stay, and now we can’t leave, kitten.”

Their omega tilts his head as if processing the information—or maybe deciding whether he even wants to let Rowan go at all.

Finally, he nods. “Okay, Ro, you can go.”

Rowan’s eyes widen, and Nix is quick enough to amend his words before an accident occurs.

“To the bathroom. Come right back . ”

“Thank fuck.” The big alpha scurries to the bathroom and slams the door while Luca cackles.

“Gideon, come.”

Nix is beckoning with curled fingers, and Gideon is no fool. He crawls over and resumes kissing him, throwing a leg over Grayson’s chest—only for Grayson to slap his ass.

“While your ass is a work of art, you are in the way of my perfect view,” he hisses and slaps him again—harder this time and with both hands.

Gideon groans and puts a hand behind Nix, where Grayson is moving and slipping out of his wet hole. It’s soaked in slippery slick and tacky with come.

“Oh, kitten, so wet. Did they fuck you well? Do I need to add to this mess? Would you like that?”

“Yes. Please. Need you, too.”

Gideon dismounts his position with a grin. “Okay, then let’s make Gray come, and then I’ll fuck you nice and deep.”

Nix, with what appears to be endless stamina, rises and falls on Grayson’s cock with renewed vigor.

Gideon turns his mischievous grin on Grayson.

“What? I hate that look. What are you planning?”

Grayson doesn’t block him, though, and Gideon leans in, puts his lips right up against Grayson’s ear, and breathes—just to feel the goosebumps pop up all over his gorgeous mate’s chest.

“So pretty, baby. Know you like it when I tell you how pretty you are. You are . Bet you and Nixie would make beautiful babies, eh? Make your soulmate big and round. He’d smell like you for months.”

Grayson whimpers, but Gideon has an agenda, and he doesn’t mean to stop.

“He’d be yours forever then, and you’d have him in a way none of us had. Just yours.”

Grayson jerks violently, a choked moan tearing from his throat as his body locks up. His eyes roll back, his hands scrabbling against Nix’s hips as he comes hard.

Luca grips Grayson’s knot, holding him in a firm grip as he shakes with the force of it.

“What did you say?” Nix asks, throwing himself into Gideon’s arms. They watch as Luca cleans Grayson up with his mouth—his eyes closed, lips red, and his bouncy ass up in the air.

Gideon can’t tell him, that’s for sure, or he’ll have their omega thinking about babies without even knowing that’s how it happens. Shit. Maybe he can get to the others before they arrive, but the thought slips away as Nix bites into his trapezius muscle, sinking his teeth in and sucking hard .

It makes Gideon’s knees weak.

“That’s between me and Gray. Now, didn’t I promise you I would—”

Gideon really should know better than to tempt fate.

There’s a bang downstairs and thundering footsteps on the stairs. Gideon has ten seconds to brace himself before their pack leader is in the door. He’s a lot less sweaty from having run at top speed for twenty minutes than he should be.

“Did you run here?” Grayson mumbles.

He’s got a protein bar in his mouth, and Luca is sucking on his right nipple. The room smells like sex-in-a-bakery (If they had only known how right Rowan had been that first time he said it…well, they still wouldn’t have told him).

Nix holds onto Gideon’s neck but reaches a hand out to Jay.

“Fuck no, I didn’t run. Are you kidding? Who does that? I found an Uber on the other side of the jam.” He pulls his hoodie off and drops it into the nest.

“Oh, baby boy, you smell so good. Fuck. Come here.”

Nix hesitates, and Gideon is gratified that he’s at least reluctant to choose Jay over him.

“Gideon?” he asks uncertainly, when Gideon just holds him more firmly. He’s not upset about Nix going to Jay.

It’s not like he and Nix won’t get their chance.

“Gideon,” Jay growls. “Give me—” He growls again, and the scent of burning pine bursts from every pore—dominance and come-let-me-fuck-you rolled into one. Their leader’s muscles bulge, and he seems broader, more imposing.

Like a switch being flipped, it’s a pure dominant enigma in rut—and it’s two fucking months early.

Gideon groans as Nix falls forward into Jay’s waiting arms.

Wasting no time, Jay flips Nix over until he’s resting on his belly, one leg propped up so Jay can get at his sopping wet hole. Jay licks up their omega’s spine with the flat of his tongue. He doesn’t bite, and even through his rut haze, it warms Gideon’s heart to see that he’s thinking of his mate’s triggers.

“So pretty, baby boy. Look at you.”

He runs a hand under Nix’s hips and pulls his hard dick back underneath him. Gideon knows firsthand that it’s uncomfortable—but worth it for the dual pleasure it brings when Jay can rim his partner and suck his dick in the same space.

Jay sets about doing that while Nix moans, and Gideon can see the globs of slick and come slipping out when he alternates between sucking at his hole and sucking the head of Nix’s dick.

Gideon sits between them and the door, so when a naked Finn and Leo slip in, Jay isn’t bothered to check who’s entering the den. There’s a tingle of pride in Gideon’s belly that his alpha trusts him to protect the pack while Jay works to make their treasure come.

“You’re so wet for me. Come, baby.”

Jay’s hand is under Nix’s cock when he does as he’s told, coming hard and loud. Jay sucks the slick from Nix’s hole while he offers their omega’s come to Leo, who licks the hand clean before he lets Rowan put him on his hands and knees.

“Holy fuck, Jay is in rut?” Finn whispers, and he goes to his belly beside Nix.

“Hi, Nixie,” he says, kissing his slack mouth. “Do you feel good?”

Nix’s eyes roll back, and his moan is long and low. Jay is holding his hips up so he can fuck into his mate, slow and deep, grinding at the end.

“Mmmm, yes. So good. Help, please. Need to come.”

Jay picks up speed, sweat running in rivulets down his chest, and the slapping of slick skin makes Gideon groan.

Finn has a front-row seat to Jay’s cock splitting Nix wide open, and slides one hand up the inside of Nix’s thigh. He must manage to get a hand on his dick, because their omega keens and shudders apart, calling their alpha’s name.

Jay pushes in tight, and his knot must lock in place because his eyes flash red, and he howls before falling over onto Nix’s back.

The others sigh, and Leo groans in Rowan’s hold, making Gideon hold back a smirk; the big alpha’s knot is no joke.

“Come here, puppy,” Gideon whispers, and Finn crawls over to him.

“Need to come?”

Holding his arms out, his mate turns so he can rest his back against Gideon’s chest as he sits on spread knees. It allows Gideon’s hard cock to slide between his cheeks while Gideon puts two hands around Finn’s cock. The alpha pumps his hips, fucking up into the tight hold while grinding down over Gideon’s.

“Smell so good here,” Gideon murmurs before sucking a bruise into the muscle between Finn’s neck and shoulder, near Nix’s bond-bite.

“Harder, Gid—fuck, your cock is—wish I’d had time to prep.”

He groans as his rhythm falters, the erratic movements pushing Gideon closer to the edge.

When Finn finally lets go, he reaches between his legs so he can add his come to the mess of Gideon’s precome between his cheeks. The wet heat pushes him over, and Gideon’s orgasm burns through him at the speed of light.

Finn pulls him over onto his side at the edge of the nest, where they can see all their mates dozing and sated for the moment.

Gideon thinks he could nap for a few minutes, and his eyes are just slipping closed when he hears Nix’s gravelly voice from underneath yet another unconscious alpha.

“Um…is there any more chicken?”