Forbidden: Part One (Luna & Sol Omegaverse Book 1)

I was burning from the inside out.

My limbs were hot, I was cramping, and… my underwear was soaked. Fuck. I knew I couldn’t avoid my heat forever, but knowing it was inevitable and experiencing it were different things.

“Are you awake?” a deep voice murmured.

My eyelids were still too heavy to open, but a restlessness ran through my body like a current. I whimpered, trying to fight my way to consciousness.

“You’re okay, love,” another voice said. Theo. His British accent sent a little shiver through me.

I vaguely remembered falling asleep on the couch with Ben, but his crisp fall scent was absent. My eyes flew open, and I realized I was lying on top of Cam.

“Morning,” he said, his arms banded around my waist. “Ben is making you some breakfast. You need lots of fuel for the next few days.”

I tried to push myself off him, still feeling confused and foggy. An intense cramp squeezed my uterus and I let out a strangled whimper.

“You want to sit up?” Cam asked, concerned.

I nodded, breathing through the pain. He helped me sit but arranged me so I was still in his lap. The gesture was possessive and tender at the same time. I didn’t know if I wanted to pull away, lean into him, cry, or all of the above. Theo took my hand and rubbed my palm as if he could sense I’d been about to dig my fingernails into my skin.

Suddenly, it hit me what a vulnerable position I was in—surrounded by alphas while in heat. They had been sweet and protective so far, but what if they started getting pushy? My heart rate picked up and I felt exposed. I pushed off Cam, needing space. His arms around me felt too good, too comforting. What if they’re hiding their true personalities so they can lure me in?

Cam reluctantly released me and I slipped onto the couch, momentarily distracted by the softness of the cushion. My omega was urging, begging me to cover myself with a pile of blankets and a pile of alphas. Stupid hormones.

“How are you feeling, angel?” Theo asked carefully. “Ben said your heat started in the middle of the night.”

I scrunched my nose in confusion when I saw Theo was wearing slacks and a button-down. Then my mind wandered to different places, and I wondered what it would be like to strip him of all his clothes and have another orgasm.

“Josie?” Theo spoke again.

I’d been running my eyes all over his body and hadn’t answered his question. What had he asked me?

A shy smile spread across his face. He shifted in his seat, adjusting the front of his pants. I quickly averted my eyes, my cheeks burning.

The burning. My skin flushed as the burning spread across my body.

“I feel really warm,” I said.

Yeah, stupid. It’s called heat for a reason. Tears pricked behind my eyes and there was a lump in my throat.

“Please don’t cry, love,” Theo pleaded, cupping my cheeks. “I did some research on heats. In the first phase, your temperature will rise, you’ll start cramping, and you’ll have mood swings.”

Well, check, check and check. I hated feeling trapped by my own biology.

“It also says that getting in a cool bath could help you feel calmer,” Theo continued.

“Do you want to get in the water, baby girl?” Cam asked.

“I… I don’t know,” I responded, overwhelmed. “I’m sorry I’m being such an inconvenience.”

Yesterday they said they wanted me, that I was their mate. Now, that felt impossible.

“You are not an inconvenience,” Theo said, squeezing my hand.

I opened my mouth to argue when another cramp hit, much stronger than the last one. Cam wrapped his arms around me, pressing a hand over my stomach while he murmured sweet words. I stayed slumped against him even after the cramp passed, no longer having the energy to move. Fuck, I needed suppressants immediately. This was just the beginning, and it already felt like my insides were being torn apart.

“I need my phone,” I said, my panic rising. “The doctor is supposed to call to get me the suppressants.”

“I’ll run and get it for you,” Theo said, kissing me on the forehead before heading up to my room.

Cam’s hand was still on my stomach and I cringed, thinking about how he could feel every fat roll. But his touch helped with the cramps, so I didn’t want to push him away.

“I’ve got you,” he said softly.

“Everything’s out of control,” I blurted out, sounding pitiful and whiney. “I don’t even know you and this is so embarrassing and I don’t know what to do.”

Cam pressed a gentle kiss to my temple. “I know you’re not used to being taken care of, but deep down, you need your alphas to take control.”

I wanted to argue with him, to tell him I could take care of myself, but my omega melted at his words. I leaned into him, hiding my face in his chest and closing my eyes.

“Good girl,” he murmured.

The couch shifted as Theo returned with my phone. “I’ll make sure I keep this on me for when the doctor calls,” he said, stroking my hair.

“Here’s what we’re going to do,” Cam said. “We’re going to get up and get you in the pool. We turned the water temperature down so it will help your fever come down and the cramps lessen. While you’re in the pool, we’ll make sure you eat and hydrate. After you’re done, we’ll come back here and cuddle you and watch a movie or whatever the fuck else you want. You’re going to let us take care of you, baby girl, and I don’t want to hear you call yourself an inconvenience again.”

The intensity and sternness in his voice sent a shiver down my spine, and I felt a burst of slick in my panties. Cam and Theo groaned as they scented my arousal. My cheeks burned and I tried to move off Cam’s lap, but he pulled me in even tighter. His hardness pressed against my back. Fuck, he was massive.

“Not getting rid of me that easily,” he whispered, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “No being embarrassed. You’re going to let us take care of you.”

I closed my eyes, blocking out the room. The scared, mistrusting part of me wanted to demand to be left alone. Deep down, I knew Cam would let me go if I really wanted him to.

Ever since I’d revealed as an omega, I’d been fighting my instincts. Now I was here with three attractive, rich alphas who wanted to take care of me. This was supposed to be the dream, so why did it feel so hard to accept?

Neither Cam nor Theo said anything while I quietly processed it all. Finally, I lifted my head.

“There you are,” Theo said. “Now I can see your beautiful eyes. What do you say, love? You going to let us take care of you?”

I gave a slight nod.

“Good,” Cam said. “Nothing sexual if you don’t want it. We would never force you into something you’re uncomfortable with, okay?”

“Okay,” I whispered. I had learned to never trust alphas, but I believed Cam.

I gasped as he stood, lifting me in his arms and cradling me to his chest.

“I can walk,” I said as I wrapped my arms more tightly against his neck. “I know I’m heavy.”

Cam snorted. “I’m going to carry you if I want to, baby girl.”

I blushed. He didn’t seem to strain under my weight, so I bit back my protest.

Cam carried me outside where the sun was shining. It was an unseasonably warm morning for October. I closed my eyes tight and whimpered at the brightness. Omegas needed dark, cozy spaces for their heats. An outdoor pool definitely didn’t meet that criteria.

“Too bright,” I whined.

“I know, love,” Theo said from beside us.

I cracked my eyes open and saw that he’d changed into swim trunks and had taken off his shirt. The brightness suddenly didn’t feel so problematic as I took in the smooth planes of his chest.

“We could put you in the bathtub instead, but I read it might be helpful for you to move around, so we thought we would try the pool. If you get in and it doesn’t feel good, we can move to the tub.”

“I don’t have a swimsuit,” I said as Cam gently put me down, the front of my body sliding against his until my feet hit the ground. “It’s still at my house.” I had only packed a small suitcase since I’d only had one night’s notice on the move. Also, part of me still hadn’t believed it was actually happening.

“We can go to your apartment later today and get your things. For now, you can go in with your clothes or in your underwear. Whatever makes you more comfortable,” Theo said.

I looked around, trying to get my bearings.

“Where’s Ben?” I asked, suddenly feeling the need to be surrounded by all of them. Ben had made me so comfortable last night. I remembered laughing with him, remembered the feel of his hands on me.

“He’s making what’s probably going to be an absurdly large amount of food. Fair warning, he’s going to make you eat as much as possible. Wouldn’t want you fainting on us,” Theo said with a wink.

My snort was cut off by another cramp ripping through me. My clothes felt like sandpaper against my skin and I no longer cared that the alphas would see my stomach rolls and thick thighs with stretch marks. I just had to get away from the burning.

I started pulling down my sleep shorts, but my arms and legs were trembling too badly. Cam and Theo’s hands were on me instantly, helping me keep my balance. Cam pushed the shorts down the rest of the way, and Theo pulled off my shirt. I was wearing the bralette I had worn to bed.

“Come here, love, let’s get you in the water,” Theo murmured.

I stepped into the pool, Cam and Theo each holding an arm to keep me steady. The cool water lapped around my legs. I would have hated the temperature on a normal day, but right now, it felt like heaven. The burning subsided as I lowered myself all the way in and let out a contented sigh.

“Does that feel good?” Cam asked.

He had taken off his shirt at some point and was ever so slowly lowering himself into the water. “Shit, that’s cold,” he gasped.

I giggled at seeing the tough alpha with goosebumps all over his arms—his sexy, tattooed, toned arms that carried me without any problem. I was filled with a different kind of burning as I watched drops of water trail down his bare chest. It was not like me to check out an alpha, but Cam, Theo, and Ben were the exception to every rule. The longer I looked at him, the wilder my thoughts became, so I took a breath and went completely underwater, trying to sink to the bottom.

Theo had been right that the water felt good, and moving my arms and legs seemed to ease the cramping. I knew most people would tell me I was being ridiculous for not taking advantage of the three alpha dicks available to me, but I didn’t want my first time having sex to be when I was out of it mentally. Right now, I still felt some clarity, but as my heat continued, things would get hazier. Letting go when I was that vulnerable terrified me.

Suddenly, I felt a warm hand wrap around my upper arm and pull me up to the surface.

“Shit, sweetheart, you can’t stay under that long. You’re going to make me lose my mind,” Cam said, a flash of panic in his eyes.

I bit my lip to hide my smile. “I was fine. I like being underwater.”

He just grunted and pulled me into his chest. “How’s the pain?”

I rested my head on his shoulder and breathed in the sweet cinnamon roll scent that made me want to lick his neck. Somehow, I didn’t think he would mind, but I held back the urge.

“It’s okay,” I responded. “Just a little bit of cramping right now. But I don’t feel like I’m burning anymore.”

Theo pressed himself against my back, moving my wet hair to the side and nuzzling my neck and shoulders. “I hate to see you in pain. When is that doctor supposed to call?”

“Sam just said sometime today.” I shoved down my anxious thoughts that something would go wrong again with my suppressant access. I had to trust this unknown doctor to come through.

The patio doors opened and Ben strode out, carrying a massive tray of food. My chest ballooned with happiness at seeing him. Ben felt like pure sunshine.

“I made us some food,” he said, beaming.

“Some food?” I asked, giggling as he put down an enormous charcuterie board filled with breakfast foods—Danishes, muffins, scrambled eggs, fruit, and cheese.

“I didn’t know what you would like best,” he said with a sheepish grin.

He stood back up and stripped off his shirt and sweatpants, leaving him in tight black briefs. My eyes wandered down his chest to the v-line of his muscles, taking the quickest peak of his growing bulge before looking away.

“You see something you like?” Ben asked with a wink as he lowered himself into the pool and gathered me in his arms.

“You can look at me anytime you want. I’m always looking at you,” he murmured.

I blushed, my insides squirming with happiness. I’d spent my entire life being told my body was ugly, but somehow these alphas wanted me.

“What would you like to eat, precious?” Ben asked.

I needed to eat, but my heat made it hard to concentrate on food. Ben pressed his chest to my back and caged his arms around me. As if sensing I was too overwhelmed to choose, Theo held out a pancake rolled up with bacon and maple syrup on the inside. Culinary genius. I went to take it from his hand, but he shook his head.

“Let me,” he said, bringing it to my mouth.

The omega in me wanted to preen under his care, but I also bristled at the idea that he thought I wasn’t capable of feeding myself.

As if he could sense my struggle, Ben pressed his lips to my ear. “Let us take care of you. It’s not that we don’t think you’re capable.”

Cam grasped my chin and turned my face so I was looking at him. “What did I say, baby girl?”

I whimpered at his stern tone, my insides feeling like jelly.

“Answer me,” he demanded.

“You want to take care of me.”

“That’s right. So you’re going to let us.”

“Yes, alpha,” I whispered. The words slipped out of my mouth before I could second-guess them.

“Good girl,” Cam said with a smile, releasing my face so I could eat the pancake Theo was holding.

We worked our way through the board, the guys always ensuring I got the first bite of everything. After a while, I felt uncomfortably full and pushed away from the wall, wanting to float in the water. Ben pulled me to the center of the pool and guided me onto my back, his hands on me at all times. I couldn’t remember ever being touched this much in my life, and I loved it. It was like the alphas knew how to give me all the tenderness I had craved my entire childhood.

I was weightless as the cool water lapped at my skin. Theo, Ben, and Cam stayed close, floating next to me. Their touches didn’t feel sexual or demanding; they were pure comfort.

After a while, I heard teeth chattering and opened my eyes. Cam was next to me, and his lips were practically blue. I pushed myself upright and tread water.

“Oh my gosh, you do not have to stay in here with me,” I said. I had forgotten they weren’t running 106-degree fevers right now.

“S’fine,” Cam muttered, barely able to speak as he tried to keep his teeth from chattering.

Seeing this intimidating alpha stay in a freezing cold pool just to make sure I was comfortable melted my heart. I reached out and put my arm on his shoulder to help keep myself afloat.

“I think I’m ready for the next phase of the day, anyway,” I said.

“Hmm?” he responded, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close in a crushing embrace. Part of me still felt I should resist the intimate contact, but I forced myself to relax. His cool skin felt good against mine.

“I heard something about couch snuggles,” I said.

“You don’t have to get out of the pool yet if you don’t want to,” Cam said.

“I’m feeling okay,” I said.

His eyes narrowed, but his chattering teeth betrayed his sternness, and I couldn’t stop myself from giggling. He growled at me playfully, holding me tight as he lifted me out of the pool. Theo was there right away to wrap me in a thick towel. I had another pair of sweatpants and a tank top inside, but I needed to get the rest of my clothes.

“I need to go to my apartment to grab more of my stuff.”

“We are going to your apartment together,” Cam growled.

I hid my smile in the crook of his neck. Cam was being a classic overbearing alpha, but somehow his treatment didn’t make me feel like he thought I was weak. It made me feel cherished.