Page 87 of Hidden Fates

You’re pretty okay for a stinky Alpha.

Locking the screen, I pocket my phone, still smiling. My family means a lot to me, and I know they mean as much to my Omega. I’ll work things out with Quentin and let their visit be a surprise for her.

Nah, I totally need to warn her that my mother's coming. The whole pack deserves to brace for her level of cringe.

Quentin arrives with impeccable timing, sliding into the room beside me as Lizzie finishes her touch-ups on Skye’s makeup.

Our mate is dazzling in a pink, off-shoulder top that cups her breasts and a pair of high-waisted, white hot pants. She slips into a pair of knee-high boots rimmed in white lace, kicking one ankle out with a cheeky grin to show us the pretty little bow and dangling flower charms on the side.

“As beautiful as ever,” Quentin promises, offering her his hand.

She pauses beside me, lips puckering expectantly. I kiss her gently, careful not to smudge her lipstick and ruin her team’s hard work.

“Go slay ‘em, bunny. I’ll be waiting for you after.”

I might not have seen any of Skye’s performances during our time apart, but I listened to every album she put out. On repeat.

Hearing her voice soothes me instead of igniting my instincts the way seeing her does.

Watching her now, I’m in awe. She’s better than I remember. Her voice has always been amazing, but now she’s singing and dancing perfectly in sync with her crew.

I could never master that level of activity on the stage. I’d be tripping over my own feet and theirs.

“She’s good, right?” Bellamy asks, leaning against my back where we’re crowded together in the front corner of the venue. It’s pretty packed in here, but not so much that he has to be plastered against me.

Not that I’m complaining. I like that he wants to touch me, even in little ways like this.

“She’s incredible.”

A sheen of sweat coats her skin from the first hour and a half of her show. They gave her a break after the first fifty minutes, which we spent helping her cool down and change into a fresh outfit.

The song ends, and she hypes the crowd up before diving into the next one. I frown when she laughs, higher pitched than it has been all night.

Dancers twirl around her before moving into position for her to join them. She belts out the words to the upbeat pop song, holding out her mic for the crowd to sing along.

Everyone is vibing until she stumbles. One of her dancers catches her shoulder, their eyes widening before they glance into the wings where Quentin and Onyx stand.

Skye laughs it off with the crowd, diving right back into her performance, but she’s still off-kilter.

Sterling moves closer to Bellamy and me, studying our mate intensely. The bright stage lights and the distance between us make it hard to tell what my instincts are screaming about. Closing my eyes, I sink into our bond, using our Fated connection to strengthen my sense of her emotions.

I’m not prepared for the wave of pure need that hits me.

“Oh shit,” I grunt, eyes flying open.

Sterling locks eyes with me. “What is it?”

Swallowing against the growl rising in my throat, I jerk my head toward the backstage entrance behind us. “I’m pretty sure Skye is in heat.”

“True heat or a mini heat?” Bellamy asks, worry bleeding into his baby blue eyes.

Hesitating, I look back at the stage where our Omega is singing her heart out. “I don’t know how to tell the difference,” I admit. Her mini heats are a side effect of our separation, so I’ve never experienced one with her.

Secretly, I hope this is a true heat. For very selfish reasons.

If this is another mini heat, that means bonding her hasn’t helped ease the bond sickness. It means I’m still hurting her. And that’s the last thing I want to do.

“It is December,” Sterling comments as we show the security staff our badges and slip through the door. “Her heat was due at the end of the month, but it could have come early.”