Page 75 of Collateral Omega

“Fuck,” Holi moaned, and hung onto Xaine’s shoulders as he made him feel good all over again.

“I didn’t know you could cook,” Holi said, asked hours later when hunger chased them out of bed to the cooking station.

“I do,” Xaine said. “I lived here alone for a while.”

“You must have been lonely,” Holi said.

“I was. But I couldn’t stand being in the capital.” Xaine dished up the food. Holi pulled out a chair to sit down, but Xaine pulled him into his lap.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Eat,” Xaine said, picking up a piece of meat to bring to his mouth. Holi stared at him for a second before he opened his mouth. “Good,” Xaine murmured, going back for more.

“You like feeding,” Holi said.

“Yes, I do. Do you hate it?” Xaine asked, staring down at him. Holi’s stomach danced, sending a shiver down his spine. He wouldn’t say he hated it. It was awkward, but he came to like it. He came to like a lot of things about Xaine. And it was a problem.

“I don’t mind it,” Holi said.

“Good,” Xaine said, going back to feeding him. After their meal, they went for a walk outside. They walked aimlessly around the forest hand in hand before Holi realized they were moving farther and farther away from the house.

“Where are we going?” he asked Xaine. The alpha jerked and looked around him as if he was in a trance. “Xaine?”

“Uhh… sorry. I get triggered easily. I was probably following a scent or something,” he said. “Let’s go back.”

“We can go find it. I don’t mind,” Holi said.

Xaine stared at him for a long while before he spoke. “No. It's probably far.”

“I don’t mind,” Holi said. “I want to see what triggered you.”

“Okay,” Xaine said excitedly. They walked for a while before Xaine stopped and sniffed the air. He looked up. Holi followed his gaze. He gasped when he saw the magnificent bird perched on a tree a few paces from them. Its multicoloured wings caught the sunlight filtering through the trees. It was beautiful.

“That’s beautiful. You could smell it all the way from the house?” Holi said.

“Yes,” Xaine said. “Thank you for coming with me. It would have bothered me for days.”

“You can do whatever you want when you’re with me,” Holi said.

“Fuck,” Xaine groaned. He leaned down and kissed him.

Holi clung to him. His heart ached.

Fuck, I’m falling for him.

Xaine pulled back and stared at him. “Let’s go home,” he said. He turned around and offered him his back. “Get on.”

“I can walk,” Holi said.

“I know,” Xaine said over his shoulder. “I want to carry you home.”

Fuck. Holi pressed a hand to his pounding heart. He was in so much trouble.

***

Holi

“I’ll come and get you when I’m done with my meeting,” Xaine said, clutching him close. Holi clung to him before he stepped back. Xaine looked over his shoulder at Blaine. “Go, your friend is waiting.”

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