Page 149 of The Ashpaw: Part One

Reinn leaned down, whispering in her ear. “I would fuss over you day and night, little sunbeam. Please remember that.”

His lips softly grazed her cheek, and then he straightened. “I suppose I’ll leave you to your work. I hope you find the answers you’re looking for.”

Fern watched him leave, another cramp gripping her lower belly so tightly she almost whimpered.

He’s right, you know, her wolf said.

I am fully aware, thank you.

The squares of sunlight grew longer as she read everything she could find—the personal accounts of omegas were the most fascinating, but their descriptions of their heats left her worried and slightly horrified for several reasons.

Most of all because it seemed that omegas were in such constant need of touch and sexual stimulation, it was often the case that two or three alphas were required to tend to them all at once.

“You’d be half an alpha to her if not less, when she likely needs more than one…”

She’d barely understood Reinn’s words from the morning after her first shift, but now she finally knew what he’d been referring to.

This moment.

This growing, hungry need that would require constant attention for several days or even a full week, if what she’d read about first heats being excessively long was true.

Darion, with both his time and body, would be woefully inadequate.

And she would suffer for it.

With a beleaguered sigh, she stood, her muscles aching and skin flushed. Fern slipped another small strip of willow bark between her teeth, put away the books, and asked Lucas to bring her to her room before dinner so she could freshen up.

She wanted to stay and read, but skipping another meal might bring even more unwanted attention.

Attention that she wished she could want.

When Lucas wasn’t looking, she dabbed the witch hazel tonic on her skin as directed, wondering how she could eat enough without Reinn or Eidan worrying more about her.

Then she noticed her door was open a crack and froze.

“Lucas…”

He was already aware, drawing a sword and pushing her behind him.

“Stay here.”

He approached the door on quiet feet, then all at once he entered with a yell that was silenced almost immediately.

Fern stayed behind and out of sight from the doorway, her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her ears.

There was no more sound.

“Lu-Lucas?”

“Lady Fern, don’t come in here.”

Fern entered the room anyway, the sight before her so horrible, she couldn’t even find a scream.

She fell to her knees, her mouth open, her chest feeling like it had been ripped apart.

Because standing right in the middle of her room was Kyntha, a dagger in her hand and feathers in her hair.

And behind her, her nest…