Page 54 of Want It All

‘We need help,’ I whispered, when Sebastian had finally fallen asleep.

He wouldn’t stay that way for long. The longest stretch of sleep he’d had over the last few days was two hours – which meant two hours was the longest stretch we’d had, too.

I’d avoided looking in the mirror when I went into the bathroom, because Tristan looked drained and hollow-eyed, and if he looked like that, then I must have looked a hundred times worse.

‘We can do it,’ Tristan said stubbornly.

‘Alpha, look at us. What if this goes on for another four days?’

‘It won’t.’

‘How do you know?’

He ran a trembling hand through his hair. ‘Who would help us, pretty?’

Before this, I wasn’t sure I would have said there was such a thing as too much sex with Sebastian.

But now, I felt weak as a kitten. My hips were bruised and my thighs were red raw with chafing.

I was covered in love bites, too; Sebastian seemed to take a primal delight in marking me, though he’d only begged for his own bite once, and he hadn’t gone close to breaking my skin with his teeth.

Tristan’s hips were bruised too, and his cock was red, even after being covered in Sebastian’s healing slick.

When he walked, he often stumbled, as if his legs couldn’t quite hold him up.

My heart bled for him.

‘Pravin,’ I answered tiredly. ‘Pravin and Chul. Marina – a latch from a female alpha would ease his pain as much as a knot does. Jessica from second year. Marco, maybe, from third year.’ I licked my dry lips. ‘Or we could ring heat services.’

‘And tell them we have an unregistered male omega?’ Tristan’s voice was hoarse.

He’d told me about the Revel’s offer during one of our quick showers, but he hadn’t spoken to Sebastian about it yet, for obvious reasons.

‘They’ll inform the Omega Support Agency.

I don’t know what the OSA would do, but it wouldn’t be good.

They don’t answer to the regular police, or the normal courts.

And I doubt they’d buy it if we told them Sebastian had a late emergence – he’s twenty-six . ’

I swallowed. ‘You know there’s another option,’ I said gently.

‘What –’ Tristan shook his head before he finished the thought. ‘No.’

‘Tristan. Alpha.’ I took his hand and brought it to my lips, kissing his knuckles. ‘You know he’d be good during a heat. And he cares for Sebastian. Genuinely. He’d never do anything to make Seb uncomfortable. You could trust him.’

‘How?’ he burst out. I’d never seen Tristan look so tortured. ‘Even if he agreed to help for the heat, he’d leave again, and …’ He trailed off.

‘And it would break your heart even more than it’s already broken,’ I finished.

I shifted closer, taking his chin in my hand.

Even when he looked drawn and exhausted, Tristan was so beautiful my insides melted when his green eyes met mine.

He’d swapped his glasses for contact lenses, so I could see them clearly as they filled with desperation.

‘I know, alpha. I know how much you’re hurting, and I know how much he’s hurting, though he hides it.

You’re both fucking fools, by the way, but that’s your own problem to solve.

When it comes down to it, this isn’t about you .

It’s about Sebastian and what he needs. If the heat haze was going to break in an hour, we’d be fine.

But it’s been four days , Tris, and there’s no sign of this easing.

’ I brushed my lips over his, softly. ‘I honestly don’t know how much more I can take.

You know we need help. I suspect he’d be the only person your alpha would let inside the apartment, let alone the nest. He’ll give Sebastian what he needs. You know he’s the only choice, alpha.’

He ran his hands through my hair, gently untangling a knot. ‘That doesn’t make it any easier.’

‘Of course it doesn’t. But you’re Tristan fucking Grace.’ I pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. ‘You’ve got this.’