Craig let Justin guide him to the side.
Justin knelt again. “Wyatt, we still haven’t heard from Jordan. We’ve called multiple times, and he isn’t answering his phone. We’re going to go check on him, but I suspect he’s in much the same state as you. If he is your true mate and your meeting kicked you into heat, then it also kicked him into rut.”
Wincing through the pain and sting of my skin and muscles, I pushed myself up. “I’m going with you.”
“Wyatt—“
I pushed Craig’s restraining hand away. “I keep telling you. I need him. I don’t know what I think about all this true mate stuff, but I’ll tell you what I do know. Jordan is a kind man. If it’s true, if this true mate stuff is real, there are a lot worse things in life than being mated to a kind man.”
Justin smiled, his eyes sparkling with brimming tears. “Okay, Wyatt. It’s your choice. I’m gonna call a couple folks to help us, and then we’re going to go track down Jordan.”
10
Jordan
My sheets were covered in sweat. I’d reached the brink of coming so many damn times, and yet every time I thought this was it, I’d finally get some relief, my release skittered away like a damn cockroach running from a shoe.
I’d barely slept. I’d thrown my phone against the wall when the alarm went off to wake me up to meet with Justin and Chance at The Haven Center.
And Wyatt. Oh, Wyatt. I couldn’t get the sweet little omega out of my head. Part of me just wanted to hold him and cuddle him and protect him, but the main part, controlled by rut and need, wanted to throw him up against a wall and knot him as fast and hard as possible.
That terrified me.
Chance was right—anything had to be driven by Wyatt’s choice. I didn’t know what he’d been through before he ended up at The Haven Center, but it hadn’t been Skittles and cotton candy. I’d seen the terror in his eyes. Something had scarred that little wolf, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to add to whatever hurt he was carrying in his soul.
About thirty minutes later I realized I should probably message someone and let them know why I wouldn’t make it, but I’d shattered my screen and now it was just an expensive piece of trash.
Then, thinking maybe I’d email them, I tried to log on to my computer. But was I able to think clearly enough to remember my damn pin code? A simple six number sequence.
No.
So not only was I in the worst pain of my life, my cock flushed, red and aching for my mate, but I’d left him alone with no explanation. I’d told him I’d see him in the morning, and I had failed.
So when someone came banging on my door hours later, saying I was not in the fucking mood was an understatement.
At first I ignored the incessant banging. But then there was the shouting. Shouting from a voice I recognized. From my boss’s voice. Actually, my boss’s boss’s voice. Justin Perkins.
I stumbled to the door and leaned against it, my sweaty skin sliding against the slick paint. I was completely naked, but that didn’t matter. There was no way I was opening that door. “Now’s not a good time, sir.”
“I suspect not, but I have someone who is looking for some answers.”
“Who? Wyatt?” My hand went to the lock and I snatched it back.
“Yes. And if you’re in as bad a state as he is, you need to open this door.”
“What’s wrong with Wyatt?” I couldn’t open the door. I didn’t trust myself. Wyatt needed consideration and gentleness, neither of which I was certain I was capable of.
“I have two alphas with their noses completely blocked up with menthol, Jordan. They’re more than capable of handling anything. Please, open the door.”
I was firm in my decision. Wyatt’s safety mattered more than anything. But then...
“Jordan?”
At the sound of my omega’s voice, my knees went weak.
“Jordan... please open the door.”
I had to throw myself away from the siren call. He’d shifted back, the small rational part of my brain noted. Good. The rest of me focused on crawling, dragging myself back to my room, ignoring any more knocks or voices.
I dragged myself to my feet outside my bedroom door. I needed something to keep me from going back. Rope. A tie. Something.
My front door banged open and Justin stood from a crouch, slipping a jangle of metal back into his pocket.
“I knew those old skills would come in handy one day.”
Wyatt ran past Jordan and launched himself at me, his sweet omega scent overwhelming me with relief and pleasure.
I had to push him away, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to hurt him by letting him stay and I didn’t want to hurt him by shoving him.
“No,” I whispered.
“I’m going to make this quick,” Justin said. “You’re in rut, he’s in heat, and neither of you is going to do well until you both deal with it.”
Wyatt sighed happily, his breath ghosting over my skin like a sprinkle of magic.
“But, sir—”
“He’s your true mate, yes?”
Wyatt rubbed his scruffy chin against my chest and my ability to speak disappeared completely.
Justin nodded. “Of course you have concerns. That is an excellent sign of your character. But two things you aren’t taking into consideration. One, you’re both going to be in extreme amounts of pain without each other, and two, Wyatt chose this. I didn’t suggest he come here. He asked to. He is a grown man and you would do well to treat him as such. Now. I don’t think I’m needed any longer. Wyatt, I have your phone from last night. I’m going to set it here. I’ve added my number. Please call me if you need me.”
And then he closed the door, leaving me with my fragile, damaged, incredibly hot and agile omega writhing against my body.
Fuck.
11
Wyatt
Finally, I was in my protector’s arms once more.
Well... not exactly in his arms. They hung awkwardly by his side while I clung to him like a squirrel to a tree.
“Hi,” I said breathlessly.
“Hi.”
The silence stretched between us, and I was very aware that yes, with all my apprehensions about sex, I absolutely wanted to have it with this man. Needed to have it with this man. But I had literally no clue how to push us forward.
“I... um... Wyatt, can you get down for a minute?”
I slid reluctantly off his body. “Should we—”
“Take some space, yeah, absolutely.”
I froze. I hadn’t been expecting that response at all.
Jordan disappeared into his room, but not before I finally got a full view of my mate’s front. I bit my lip. Damn. Naked men had become old hat. Naked men had become terrifying. But looking at my mate—after talking to Justin and finally seeing Jordan again, there was no doubt in my mind this feeling was exactly what a true mate connection should feel like—I knew that I truly felt desire for the first time in my adult life.
When Jordan reappeared in the doorway, he had wrapped his waist in a towel.
I frowned. “Why did you cover up?”