Rise Above ✓

Chapter Four

“I’m not going to hurt you,” the omega said softly, his voice making Chris shiver uncontrollably. It was deep and velvety, stroking over his skin like a soft caress and that made Chris stiffen all the more, not wanting to trust him.

Tom was holding a hoover mop in his hands, moving slowly towards the mess on the floor and keeping his eyes on the alpha, who was watching him like Tom was going to pounce any second. He didn’t think the alpha was even aware of it, but the way he held the blankets up, crouching against the couch was a completely defensive pose, his eyes not straying away from Tom, darting over his body as if looking for weak points or trying to judge how he was going to attack.

They remained in the same pose, eyes locked and never straying as Tom managed to clean up the mess blindly. The hoover mop, as it was named, acted like both a mop and a hoover so in no time the floorboards were shiny and clean and Tom’s priceless organic rug was once again dry and fluffy.

Tom’s cheeks were flushed with a blush because frankly, he felt ridiculous mopping and cleaning the floor while his eyes were locked on the alpha to try and placate his obvious fears. He was sure that if the man was in his wolf form, all his hairs would be standing at attention – it made him wonder just exactly why the alpha was so frightened. It was unlike any alpha Tom has ever met.

“Do you think you’re okay?” Tom asked tentatively, standing a few feet away from the alpha and wondering if he could move forward or not. The man looked really pale and his eyes were half-lidded. It honestly looked like he was about to pass out again.

Chris didn’t know how he’d gone from glaring at the omega to actually staring but having those blue-green eyes looking at him so softly had calmed him somewhat and now that most of his apprehension was gone, his other senses picked up. The omega was tall, Chris would say he was nearly his height and he was wearing a pure white bathrobe that was so big and fluffy, it was practically swallowing the omega in it.

Chris could still smell that scent – the sweet, cloying scent that had attracted him here but it was fading away, leaving only the fragrant natural scent of the omega, which was like honey and milk. Goddess, the scent was so attractive, it was making Chris’s senses go haywire.

Tom could feel himself getting extremely self-conscious. He was so glad that his heat had managed to let up a few hours ago but he was still just recovering, so he was sure the scent of it was still lingering. Thank goodness he’d been able to shower and clean up the heat room before the alpha woke up because the last thing he’d want is the alpha waking up and scenting the needy and lustful pheromones in the air.

Tom tried not to shiver visibly as those electric blue eyes trailed from his head down to his toes and when he saw those eyes darken with obvious heat, he felt his traitorous body responding, his dick fattening up against his thigh where he was painfully naked underneath his bathrobe – stupid – and he took a trembling step backwards, hands dropping the hoover and clutching at the front of his robes almost self-consciously.

Fuck, he needed to leave this room before the oblivious alpha sent him straight into another heat. He’d never heard of it happening before, but with the way his body was already clenching and trying to get slick, it might not be a new thing.

“Uhm…I’ll just…I need to…be right back,” and Tom was flying out of the room and into the small kitchen, closing the door behind him and resting against it, breathing heavily.

Jesus, Tom, control your fucking libido! You just had your heat, how damn greedy are you?

Chris blinked at the closed kitchen door and when he shifted, he realized he was aroused – almost painfully so. His eyes widened with shock and his hands clenched painfully around the soft blanket he was gripping like a lifeline. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten hard. Gods, what the hell was happening to him?