Page 3 of Watcher's Omega

My lips curled into a snarl until I remembered I was on the clock and his friend was probably headed into surgery. I could’ve kissed my omega forever but his friend’s wellbeing was at stakeand I was the best door watcher any hospital on Hemlock Mountain had.

“I… Umm… I think I have to get someone,” the woman said.

I broke away from my mate, and it broke something inside me, but I met her gaze. She was short and wearing pink scrubs with a strawberry pattern all over the top. She was wearing strawberry pheromone blocker spray to match. Unlike the rest of the staff, I didn’t have to bother with hiding my pheromones. It was an accommodation since scent was a big way that I communicated with my service wolf.

“He’s mine,” I said, forgetting all the pretty words that shifters were supposed to use to describe our bonds with our true-mates. My ginger dad would’ve facepalmed.

“I’m his true-mate,” my omega spoke up. “Is my friend okay?”

“That’s why I was coming to get him,” the nurse said, her voice shaky.

“He’s not going to eat you,” my mate wiped his eyes.

“What is it?” I said, trying not to sound as impatient as I was.

“He’s going into emergency surgery and you’re the only door watcher here. I think they’ll have to call someone else because….”

“No,” I shook my head. “I’m coming.”

I turned to my mate, trying to find the least amount of words to explain that for the sake of his friend I had to leave him because I was the only door watcher on tonight and he couldn’t be in the gallery. No one should ever see their friend beinghacked on inside an OR. My scent was enough to inform Jolly who instantly stopped wagging his tail and stood alert and ready for work but my mate wasn’t wild born. Shifters born from other shifters communicated by scent but they couldn’t read scents as well as me and the wild wolves.

“Here,” I said, pulling off my shirt.

The nurse turned away as if I had breasts to flash her and covered her eyes. I ignored her. If she was that shy, she’d never last long at a hospital.

“Bite me,” I said, cocking my head to the side to expose the swollen claiming gland on my neck. My mate’s scent danced with confusion. This was supposed to happen when true-mates made love for the first time. There wasn’t time for that but it was the best I could give him. At least, with our mating link half-open he wouldn’t wonder if I wanted him or not.

“So, you understand what my job is and why I’m the best one to sit in the gallery during your friend’s surgery,” I said.

Security showed up and I could tell by Guard Melanie Tantra’s tone that she was already speaking with one of my parents and expecting trouble. She chuckled when she saw me standing shirtless and encouraging my mate to bite me. Her scent washed with relief because she wasn’t sure if she could take me in a fight or not. She couldn’t but I wouldn’t fight her because we were on the same side. Fighting your own only made you weak if another pack attacked yours.

“Bite me so you understand,” I said, struggling to find the words to explain myself as I often did when scent wasn’t enough to expand on what I said. “Our link will let you know so much more than I could explain. So much more than I have time toexplain, if your friend is going into surgery. I know it’s supposed to wait and if tonight wasn’t one emergency after another, I’d wait, but this is what I can give. Lay your claiming bite and then Guard Tantra will take your statement. She’ll get down all the details I need to make this all okay. I’m wild born and that means so much to your friend tonight.”

I held my omega’s face in my hands as I spoke. His eyes were so beautiful. Normally the claiming vows were treated like such a sacred thing. They were the magic that allowed true-mates to feel the bond they forged in the Other World before any of us were born to Earthside. They let you know enough about your mate’s life to not feel like you had brain problems for feeling so intensely about them so quickly.

“Will he be alright?” my mate asked.

“We will work together to give him the best chance there is,” I told him.

“He’s not going to die but he might lose---” the nurse started and stopped when the guard flashed her a look to remind her about patient privacy.

“We will work together to give him the best chance possible,” I said again.

My mate kissed me one more time before turning his attention to the claiming gland now exposed because I held my shirt in a ball under my arm.

“I’m Eamon,” he said.

“Eamon,” I murmured back to him and the name bounced around my skull, engraving itself upon my very soul.

“No, I’m Eamon,” he teased. “Now you’re supposed to tell me your name.”

“Rhomas. Like Thomas but with an R,” I said.

“Rhomas,” he repeated my name back to me. “I’d very much like my friend to live.”

“He’s going to live. I haven’t felt a door all night. That’ll make a lot more sense after you bite me.”

Chapter Two