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“That’s fine with me. I don’t want to go into heat and cause a rut in twenty alphas. They’d tear me apart.”
“Let’s start with your birth control. This—“ He gently picks up my arm and holds the device in his other hand. ”—will inject a tiny implant into your arm that will administer your birth control. It can be removed at any time and lasts for three years before needing to be replaced. I won’t lie, this is going to pinch. I’m sorry in advance.”
I turn my head, not wanting to watch whatever he’s doing. It’s an implant, so I know it’ll involve a needle in some fashion. I reach for Ryland’s hand, wanting something to squeeze. He moves for mine at the same time, knowing I’ll want it. He’s always been like that, anticipating my needs. “Let’s do it,” I encourage, not wanting to drag it out any longer.
Suddenly, it feels as if my skin is being gouged open. Searing pain shoots up my arm. Pinch, my ass. Fucking liar. A tear squeezes past my tightly shut eyes, and I strangle the life out of Ryland’s hand. I don’t realize Dr. Em has finished until a finger wipes the tear away.
I finally open my eyes and blink through the remaining tears. That fucking sucked.
I glance at Ryland, thinking the gentle caress was from him, but he’s glaring at the doctor. Turning my attention to him, I catch him wiping the tear on his pants. I know this isn’t normal behavior for a doctor, although I can’t help but appreciate it.
“That’s the worst of it, Little Omega. I’m done now,” he whispers. Locking my gaze with his, an intensity passes between us, and I realize he’s purring again. My omega tendencies scream to be wrapped in a warm embrace, and a whimper escapes unbidden, my pears twining with his dark chocolate. Ry squeezes my hand, reminding me he’s here. “Next, I need you to drink your heat suppressant. Can you do that for me?”
I nod, and he hands me a little plastic cup with some foul smelling liquid inside. My nose crinkles. “This smells terrible.”
“I know, but you need it.” Well, bottoms up, I guess. I tip the cup back and as soon as the liquid hits my tongue, my gag reflex kicks in and I almost spit it back out. “Swallow, Verity. I want you to drink it all, understand?” My throat bobs as I obey his command. “That’s my good omega.”
He wipes a little dribble from the side of my mouth, his eyes following the movement. My core tightens, wanting something. A knot, I realize. A knot is what I need. He leans in, almost like he can’t help himself, closing this unbearable distance between us when suddenly something flashes through his eyes.
Dr. Em goes to take a step away from me, but I grasp his wrist before he can. “Dr. Em, wait. What if I don’t like any of them?” I don’t know why I’m asking my doctor, but I can’t take the question back now that it’s out there.
Like reality comes crashing down around him, Dr. Em stiffens. He lets out a soft sigh, regret clouding his eyes, and extracts himself from my hold, putting distance between us. I feel the loss as surely as I do the need between my thighs. The movement hurts somewhere soul deep. “I saw you with the twins earlier in the auditorium. It appears you have some chemistry with them.”
Frustration and hurt turn in my stomach. “That doesn’t mean I’ll end up with them,” I argue, afraid he isn’t getting what I mean, or even worse, that he won’t have any answers for me.
“Have some faith, Miss. Graves. Society goes feral for a love story. They see connections you might not even see. It’s how the packs have been formed for a long time now. You won’t be alone when you reach the end. Don’t worry about it.” He gives me a reassuring smile, but it doesn’t work as he intended and it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Now I need to take some blood. We need to know your blood type and run a quick panel to make sure you’re completely healthy.”
Of course he’s not done with me. Why I’m feeling so rejected right now is beyond me, but I want nothing more than to be left alone to lick my wounds. Dr. Em moves to the tray once more, picking up a needle to draw my blood. Turning my head again, I zone out, thinking about the life I could have if I only lived in a parallel universe.
Chapter 6
Verity
Shortly after I finish with Dr. Em, Ryland and I are instructed to follow a beta. “One of the council members will be with you soon,” she says and extends an arm toward a stuffy-looking conference room. Sure, the seats look plush and divine to sit in, but the atmosphere is stifling. “Please, have a seat and make yourselves comfortable.”
My best friend pulls out a seat for me before sitting himself, adjusting some of his blond hair out of his eyes. Instead of settling under the conference table like I expect, he turns to face me and drags my chair to meet him head on. “Ver Bear,” he groans, pinning me in place with his jade green eyes. “What have you gotten yourself into? What was that with the doctor back there?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks, and my gaze falls to the ground. He’s right. I was acting like a needy, out-of-control omega, flirting with the doctor like that. Clearly, he didn’t have the same interest with how cold he was for the rest of the exam. “I don’t know,” I whisper, wishing he would drop it.
He reaches out and uses his index finger to nudge my head up. “Hey, Ver Bear. Whatever you’re thinking isn’t how I meant my question to sound. The way he was treating you wasn’t exactly professional for a doctor-patient relationship.”
Our encounter felt like the furthest thing from professional, but his scent drove me crazy. “Oh god, I practically threw myself at him! What is wrong with me, RyRy? Everything has gone to shit today.”
One of his soft smiles graces his lips, and he leans closer. “You weren’t throwing yourself at him, Ver. It was probably just your scent still being heightened from the ceremony. Lord knows the room smelled like chocolate covered pears enough to make your mouth water.”
I can’t help but shove him in the arm. What a jerk for teasing me about my scent at a time like this. But it does make me feel a little better. The decadent chocolate scent Dr. Em put out confirms the flirting was mutual. At least in the beginning. I don’t know what put him off other than me mentioning the show…
Before we can continue, the door swings open and Mrs. Violet sashays in, her blue suit hugging her curves. When the light hits it just right, I swear there’s a color shift to purple and green. Her sweet pea scent trails in with her, followed by her assistant, Karen, who tucks a yellow pen behind her ear.
“Verity, darling! We are so pleased to have you here,” Mrs. Violet greets in that over the top way of hers. I wonder if she forgot the cameras aren’t on her anymore, or if this is how she talks all the time. How exhausting.
Ryland discreetly leans back in his chair, making sure he doesn’t seem to be too close in front of the councilwoman, and I fold my hands on the table in front of me after moving my chair. I don’t say anything in response, because I can’t figure out what to say that would be genuine. I’m not happy to be here. I’d honestly rather not be meeting her. I can’t ask if I can go home yet. So instead, I hold my tongue like my mother taught me.
Mrs. Violet doesn’t seem to notice, and she continues on as if I responded. “So sorry to have kept you waiting. We’ve never had to arrange a season of Heat Paradise for a single omega. Let me tell you… that discussion got heated fast, but rest assured, we figured it all out.” She shoots me a beaming smile before tapping a pile of papers together against the table.
“Currently, we have a group of thirty men recording their at home interviews. They have another ten minutes to complete and send it in so we can broadcast it on air. As soon as the last one is shown, voting will go live and the top twenty contestants will be chosen to join you at Hidden Haven Manor.
“In the meantime, we’ll be sending you, along with the selected staff running the Manor and show ahead of time. That way you can start settling in, get some beauty rest before your first event tomorrow. Hmm…” She taps a finger against her bottom lip. “I feel like I’m forgetting something.” She turns to her assistant with a raised eyebrow.
