I walk toward the well, pulling up the bucket and splashing the cool water over myself. The cold hits my skin, but it doesn't settle the restlessness in me. My nerves feel on edge, and I don't even know why. I stand there for a moment, trying to calm the unease, but it lingers, leaving me feeling antsy.
Dinner passes without a hitch. I tried cooking once, but after the disaster that ensued, Noelle has never let me near his kitchen again. The most I'm allowed to do now is cut vegetables—at least my sword skills count for something there. The thought makes me chuckle.
Still, I do the heavy lifting or fix things around the house. I'll never forget the way Noelle looked at me after I repaired that old rickety chair. His face lit up like I'd moved mountains. Since then, I've made it my mission to handle these odd jobs, and somehow, this domestic life fills me with a happiness I never thought possible.
After dinner, I set up the hot water for Noelle's bath first, then take mine once he's finished. That restless feeling creeps up again, gnawing at the back of my mind. I try to shrug it off, but it lingers.
Looking forward to a good night's sleep, I open the door to our room, but a wave of pheromones hits me like a punch to the gut. Whoa. What's going on?
"... Little star?" I call out cautiously, hesitating at the doorway, suddenly unsure if I should even step inside. But I do anyway—I'm brave, right? Still, I tread carefully, afraid of what I'll find.
And there he is. Noelle sits on the bed, looking like something straight out of my fantasies. He's not wearing his usual old cotton shirt. No, he's wearing my shirt, loose and soft on his body, hitting all the right spots. Before I can wrap my head around it, he looks up at me, his flushed face framed by teary eyes.
Oh no. I'm not ready for this. I bet my right leg Noelle isn't ready for this either.
A heat. Right, omegas have heats. Why didn't I think of that? I didn't even notice, we've been going about our lives, everything all jolly and fine month after month. I bite my tongue, hard enough to draw blood. I need to stay rational. But my thoughts are veering into dangerous territory, and my body is reacting in ways I shouldn't allow.
I force myself to move towards the bed, and before I can say anything, Noelle leaps into my arms, pressing himself against me.
"Hello, my beloved star," I manage to say, wrapping my arms around his waist, holding him tight even though my mind is racing.
Noelle clings to me with an urgent need, his face pressed firmly against the crook of my neck. His voice emerges in a slow, husky drawl, each syllable making my pulse quicken. The way he says my name, soft and breathy, sends waves of heat through me.
"...Thorne..." The sound of it, so close to my ear, makes my resolve waver. I bite down hard on my tongue, trying to fight back the rising tide of instinct. I remind myself that I'm more than just my desires, that our bond is more profound than mere physical urges.
"Yeah, it's me," I reply, struggling to keep my voice steady. The effort is almost painful.
"It's so hot," Noelle murmurs, his fingers tugging insistently at my shirt. I react swiftly, using my left hand to pin his wrists behind his back, pulling him closer but restraining him.
"Oh no you don't," I growl, my voice rough with effort. The sensation of his warm breath against my skin is overwhelming.
"But it's so hot..." Noelle whimpers, his voice a blend of distress and sensuality. It's both heart-melting and maddening, a potent combination that tests my control.
"Stay calm, my star," I urge, my mind racing with frantic thoughts. I know that if I let my instincts take over, it could lead us both into something we're not ready for. The storm of emotions swirling between us is almost tangible, and I need to find a way to navigate this moment without succumbing to the intensity of the heat.
I quickly recall the small cabinet in the kitchen where Noelle keeps his herbs. I'm desperate to get to it, hoping to find some suppressant to help us navigate this overwhelming situation. I attempt to stand, planning to make a hasty retreat.
But before I can fully move, Noelle surprises me. With a strength I didn't know his slender frame possessed, he presses against the bed, using his body to push me back down. In a swift, fluid motion, he straddles me, his warm, flushed body pressing down on mine.
In that instant, my mind races, overwhelmed by the fierce intensity of the moment. The heat radiating from Noelle's skin and the look in his eyes tell me we're at a point of no return. The rational part of my brain shouts warnings, but the rest of me is swept up in the magnetic pull of desire.
"Well," I think, bracing myself against the storm that's about to break, "I'm done for."