Page 73 of Wild Omega

“Jones,” Rickon provides smoothly and my heart melts, taking my fears with it. I’m no longer alone.

Mr Yun nods. “Screen test one for Red Jones. Ready? And rolling.”

Chapter thirty

Rickon

I’m putting on a brave face for my girl, but really I’m about to wet my pants. If Red acts half as well as I suspect she can, she’ll snap up this role like a frog eating flies, but that’ll thrust her, literally, into Brad’s arms. I haven’t read the full script so I’m not even sure how explicit this one is, but the idea of someone else making love to Red, even if it’s scripted, burns with a sting I wasn’t prepared for.

It’s made worse because Brad hasn’t even tried to hide his interest. The moment Red told him I was her alpha, I could practically see the wordspackage dealfloat through his mind. Hell will freeze over before that happens as far as I’m concerned, but Red may not agree.

The problem is, Brad’s the real deal kind of alpha. Tall, charming—when he’s not being an ass—famous, and oozing alpha pheromones. And he’s a movie star for a damn good reason. My omega might be interested. I hug my arms around my chest, but the movement only reminds me how slender I am in that department. Not like Callisto and his broad back. Not like Brad.

The director calls the scene, and my omega vanishes without a trace, leaving in her place a rider who even has a different walking stride. I blink, wondering if I missed something, as she swaggers up to the fake horse, jerking back a little as if the beast really tossed his head as horses tend to do. Bradley, or James as he’ll be to her, swans into the stable to wish her luck in the next match and break the bad news she hasn’t been selected for an upcoming race.

I stand spellbound, forgetting it’s a screen test and not a real shoot as Ashana warns him the chosen jockey won’t work well with the horse. Vulnerability leaks from his pores as James sighs and admits his hands are tied since he’s only got a partial share in the horse’s ownership.

All the setup for the later drama when Ashana goes through her omega switch. Pretty much a fairytale because I’m pretty sure switching is so rare it may as well be a myth, but the capabilities of omegas are a current hot topic, which makes Red’s portrayal even more crucial.

I glance over at Mr Yun and find him hovering behind the cameraman, peering at the extended display with his thumb resting on his mouth. He’s as invested as I am after that little performance in his office.

I smirk and drop my hands in my pockets, my body relaxing. I bet on the right horse—if I’m allowed to make that kind of joke on a racehorse movie set.

Red shows the first flash of anger that she’s decided to bring to Ashana’s character, but quickly turns to soothe the “horse”. My heart warms as I realize that’s where she finds her own soothing. It’s why she became a jockey after all, to work around the creatures that bring her peace.

Masterful.

Brad rests his hand on her wrist and the tension in the air notches up as she looks up to meet his serious gaze. “I wish there were more I could do, Ashana.” The fucker doesn’t even have to act; he just lets his real desire splash out in all directions.

She smiles mischievously. “I’ve got a race to ride, James. That’s the most important thing, isn’t it?”

“Cut!” Director Yun calls, and Red steps back from both Brad and the fake horse with a faint nod.

“Wow, that was really natural, Red,” Brad oozes. “How come I’ve never seen you before?”

“I’m new in town,” she replies glibly.

I can’t handle the distance between us any longer. Twelve feet has never felt like miles as it does now.

Red’s face lights up as I approach and offer her a bottle of water. “How’d I do?” she asks.

“Spectacular!” I shake my head slowly because I don’t have any other words. If this is just a trial run, how will she look when we’re on the actual set with real horses and more time to go over her lines?

“Yay!” Her boot-clad toes stomp up and down in excitement.

Brad flashes me a hungry look that promises trouble and my belly cramps. For a split second I’m tempted to tell her not to take the job. We’ll find another role for her. But one look in her shining face and the words die on my tongue. This is what Red was born to do, and stars forbid I ever hold her back.

Director Yun approaches, arms folded across his chest. “That was decent, for a first take. We’ll run it again with a few changes.”

And my Red vanishes again, replaced by an eager student waiting to absorb every drop of wisdom falling from her teacher’s lips. It’s a gift to be able to shift gears like that. It used to take Lyra at least twenty minutes to deep point of view a character. Not that she bothered to self-interpret. She simply waited for someone to tell her what expression to portray, then did it, like a numb but talented shapeshifter.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and flash Red two fingers while pointing to it. She gives me the slightest of nods to say she understands, then returns her attention back to the director. I slide out of the room and unlock my screen.

“Eww,” I mutter as I discover messages from Hudson, most of them calling me names and demanding I phone him immediately. With a shudder, I block his number. I am so done with that shithead.

I dial up Callisto’s mom. No one knows more about horses than she does.

A familiar male voice answers her phone. “Hello?”

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