"We were fucked!"
The number of men at the door began to increase, the pheromones bringing them from every part of the house. And they were coming at us with speed. Jessi looked around, trying to think of a way we could get past them without getting mauled, but no ideas were coming to her.
Her twin, on the other hand, was still holding me, but it was obvious he was struggling. Beads of sweat clung to his forehead like a second skin, his breathing becoming more labored. His nose began to flare occasionally, taking huge whiffs of the air. We had to do something fast or else I would get mauled right here.
"Shit! What should we do? They are advancing fast on us. And Richard is still nowhere to be found!" Jessi complained, running her hands through her hair. I was afraid that by the time I was through with the heat, she wouldn’t have any hair left on her head.
My hands grabbed at my clothes, threatening to tear them. They were suddenly becoming too heavy for me; they were rubbing my skin in a bad way, and I had to do something about it. With heat-hazed eyes, I looked up, casting my eyes against the incoming flux of people, ready to maul me. This wasn’t how I thought my day would go.
In fact, this hasn’t been how I thought my stay in the pack would be. A lot of things would be different if the right things had been done. If Richard had already introduced me to the pack, they would have known and tried to keep their distance from me. Because it would be a great crime to attack the Luna, heat or no heat.
Or if he had actually stayed back with me like he promised. We would have been together, away from the pack, consummating the bond. But no, I was stuck with a mate that didn’t care, in a pack that didn’t know about me or my existence. And my mate’s mother hates me. My life couldn’t get worse.
With a heavy heart (and burning skin), I looked towards the skies, saying a short prayer to the moon goddess and resigning myself to fate. I went slack in their hands, dropping myself on the floor. I could hear their feet pounding on the pavement. Their footsteps were getting close, and there was nothing we could do to hold them. I closed my eyes, preparing for the worst.
I began to hear footsteps running towards us, and suddenly they stopped in front of me. From their footsteps, I could tell that they were more than 20, but I was surprised that they weren’t coming close to me or touching me in any way.
"Stop! Anyone that comes close to her will lose their hands." A male voice cried out. With great pain, I opened my eyes, wondering where the strange voice was coming from. I could see men, a lot of them in front of me, forming a circle around me.
A tall, lean man came to stand in front of us, bending low to reach me. "Don’t worry, Jesse, we will take care of her. We are all mated, so her heat can’t affect us. Just tell us where we should take her and we will." I couldn’t describe the wave of relief I felt at his words. It washed over me like a cool breeze, calming my nervous soul.
"Thank you, commander Arthur. But how are we going to pass through these horny men?" Although commander Arthur and his men have formed a circle around us, the men in front were still much, and I don’t think they will allow us to pass by easily.
"Don’t you worry, Jessica. I will have my men hold them off so that we can create a path for her to pass."
He barked some words to his men, and they began to part the way, holding off the rampaging men. He picked me up in his arms and began to carry me. "Where should I take her?"
"To the Alpha’s quarters"
"W-what?! Jessica, do you say the Alpha’s quarters?" He responded; his voice softened by the shock.
"Yes, please let us hurry." Thanks to commander Arthur and his men, we were able to enter without any hitch. My breathing began to get labored as we neared his room. I was wriggling in his arms, struggling to come down.
I could faintly perceive that citrus musk of my mate, and it was making me go haywire. We finally made it inside, and Commander Arthur threw me on the bed. Immediately, I rolled to the side of his bed, diving to his pillow where his scent clung the most. My body gradually began to relax as all my senses were taken by his scent.
I felt hands grab me, helping take off my clothes. They were already soaked with sweat, so I was happy to get rid of them. The hand also helped me into Richard’s shirt. It should be the one he wore yesterday because his scent was still strong there. With these things around me, the heat wasn’t as uncomfortable again. I was surrounded by Richard, and it was enough for me at the moment.
I heard the door open, and, from the scent of vanilla that filled the room, I could tell that it was Jessi. And she was holding what seemed like the outline of a cup.
"Jessi, what’s wrong? What about Richard? When is he coming?" That should be the heat talking, because I don’t think I have ever sounded so needed. Even saying his name out loud was enough to stimulate a reaction in me. I rubbed my legs, trying to relieve the tension I felt bubbling inside me.
"He is still unreachable. Goddess helps him, I would kill him if I saw him." She whispered the last sentence under her breath. Her voice had a hint of murderous intent; her face turned into a scowl. "Anyways, I brought something that would help you feel better."
"Wha-" I didn’t get all my words out before she popped a pill into my mouth. I opened my mouth, ready to curse her out, when she shoved the glass of water into my mouth, forcing me to drink it.
"J-Jessi, w-wh-what dd-diidd..."
"I’m sorry Bella, I had no choice. Richard wasn’t answering his calls. His mind is still blocked out, so we can’t reach him. You were in so much pain, and your heat is affecting everyone here. So, I had to do something about it. I am sorry. I didn’t mean to drug you. Don't worry; Richard will be by your side and the heat will be long forgotten by the time you wake up." She gushed out like a broken pipe. I tried to keep up with what she was saying. But the drugs were already making their way to my bloodstream and performing their functions.
Before long, I drifted into a dreamland. I couldn’t even remember what happened there. It was just a meaningless dream. But I could remember waking up and chanting Richard’s name. My whole body was on fire, and it would take water to calm it down. Water in the form of Richard.
My eyes flashed gold as Kiayra threatened to take over, insisting on completing the mate bond. My legs were wet, dripping with the evidence of my arousal. My nipples were so hard they felt like bullets pointing towards their suspect. My fingers reached out to pinch them, rubbing them away from the clothes.
"Shit! You are awake." Jessi panicked as she noticed I was awake. My pheromones were all over the place, and they had effectively saturated the space. "I swear, Richard is a dead man if I catch him." She said, with a tear-filled voice. She paused to sniff, cleaning her eyes with her clothes. "How can he just leave like that when he has a mate? He is definitely aware that heats start as soon as they discover they are mates."
Richard. Richard. Richard. Richard. From the far end of my mind, I could hear someone calling out Richard’s name. Looking closer, I noticed it was me. I was chanting his name like a mantra, like a bitch in heat—I was technically one, but still. I have never acted so wanton and lustful before, and it still amazes me.
"Fuck! You are burning up." Jessi exclaimed, after feeling my forehead. She dashed to the bathroom, almost hitting her leg on the bed in her bid to save time. She came back with a bowl of water and a towel and began to apply the wet towel to me. trying her best to reduce my temperature.
I’m sorry, Luna. Forgive me for what I am about to do again, but I must do it." I didn't understand what she was saying. I was wondering why she was apologizing. I discovered it too late until sleep began to overtake me. I finally understood why she was apologizing.
She drugged me. Again.
I could hear different voices shouting, but I couldn’t make out whose was whose. Finally, the shouting calmed down, and everywhere was calm. I felt relieved as I began to scent citrus, and it was coming closer to me. The citrus-scented body pulled me closer, holding me tightly as I fell into a deep sleep.
I smiled as it registered. RICHARD.