Her eyebrows shoot up. “You want to ask the three of them to wait three months to bond with you? That’s asking a lot of them.”
“It is, but they’d do it for you—for me, if I asked.”
“You’re probably right, but that’s unnecessary…” she trails off, biting her lip. “Maybe we can all bond?”
I attempt to bite back the grin threatening to overtake my face, but based on the look on her face, I fail. “Really, Kiki? You want to bond with them, too?”
“Yessss. There’s really no point in denying it now, is there? Fuck me.” She shakes her head as she laughs. “I guess we just have to hope they want to bond with us too.”
“Even if they don’t, we have weeks to worry about it. We can definitely convince them by then.”
That has us both laughing before we dive back into our lunches.
I feel lighter now that I’ve talked to her about this. I really don’t know why I was so worried.
Iwince against the bright lights of the hallway. After talking with Kiara last night, I slept like a damn baby—after I fucked her brains out, of course.
But I’ve been feeling off since I woke up. My head is fuzzy, and I’m a little worried I’m coming down with something. Which is why I’m standing in the hallway while Kiara checks on the babies.
I can’t be around them if I’m getting sick. Technically, I should’ve called out, but there’s enough for me to do that doesn’t require me to interact with the babies. Although it makes my night a lot less bearable without them.
“Crew, you look like shit,” Kiara says quietly as she slides the door shut behind her. “Even Marlene said so. She was talking about sending you home. The only issue with that is we rode together.”
I shake my head. “I’m fine.”
Except I’m really not, considering my words came out slurred.
A rush of heat courses through me from head to toe, and my eyes widen. “Oh, fuck.”
“What is it, Crew?” Kiara reaches up as if to rest her hand against my forehead, but she’s entirely too short to do it on her own.
And I already know what she’ll find—that I’m burning up.
“My heat,” I hiss, and Kiara’s face falls.
“It’s too soon.”
It really is. We’re about a month before my cycle usually hits—although it can be off a few weeks in either direction.
Someone clears their throat, and I realize Marlene has joined us at some point. “If you’re going into heat, you need to get the hell out of my ward, Crew—both of you. I have replacements coming in. They’ll be here within the hour. Do I need to call your pack?”
“No, I can get us home,” Kiara assures her.
“I’m sorry, Marlene. I didn’t realize.” My words are slurring worse now.
The older woman pats my hand as she gives me a warm smile. “Scent matches will send your cycle into a tizzy. Trust me, I know. I went into heat the day after I met mine. At least you’ve had a few weeks to get to know your pack.”
“Are you saying it’s normal to go into heat when you meet your scent matches?”
“Uh, yes.” She gives us a strange look. “What the hell are they teaching y’all in school these days? I know scent matches aren’t too common, but they happen often enough for it to be part of the curriculum. If they’ve taken it out, then someone needs to make a complaint. How can they expect you to know what’s coming if they don’t teach you?”
All I can do is stare at her as she goes on a tirade.
Kiara clears her throat. “You’re so right, Marlene. After Crew’s heat, I’ll make sure he puts in a complaint to the board for the Omega Universities. This would’ve been very helpful to know before now.”
“No shit.”
Marlene just nods. “I’ll get someone to cover your shifts for the rest of the weekend and next, just in case.”