Page 190 of Labor of Love

Tears brim my eyes. “Thank you, James. No one’s ever done anything like this for me before.” What a world of difference it would have made when Franky and I were married.

“I have a lot at stake here, too. I personally picked each omega here today. I don’t want harm coming to any of you.”

I smile gratefully. “You’re a good guy, James.”

Upon entering the house and crossing the grand foyer, I find myself in the sitting room under the gaze of a few pairs of eyes. Three omegas stop chatting, peering over at me, and I wonder if they’re all here to find an alpha, too. I give them an awkward wave as I make eye contact with each of them.

The omega closest to me is the only female in the room. She has blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes that look familiar. There’s also a gorgeous Black man with a shy smile and a man with tan skin who looks like he might be Japanese.

Letting out a deep breath, I step up to the blonde woman first.

When James walks over to the young lady and hugs her, I see the resemblance. “Kestrel, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Leah.”

Leah holds out her hand, and I find myself relaxing. If Leah is here, then everything James said about this whole arranged marriage program must be true. I can’t imagine him putting his own daughter at risk.

“Are you here to find an alpha, too?”

Leah giggles. “No. I’m sure my husband wouldn’t like that. But I volunteered to help. I will be here all week while you each meet the alphas. Like my father, I want to make sure each of you feels safe.”

I nod, happy that another omega is here to report back. I’m starting to believe these men won’t hurt us, but just in case, I feel like I can trust Leah to report the facts. And just because one omega is safe doesn’t mean another one is.

James continues his introductions by introducing me to Penn, the beautiful Black omega, and Kai, the sweet Japanese man.

“Um, so, is everyone here hoping to catch a husband?” Penn asks.

Gods. A husband.

“I guess so,” I reply as Kai nods.

“Any idea when we’ll get to meet these alphas?” I’m kind of surprised there are only a couple of us. I was under the impression there would be more omegas here.

James and Leah exchange a soft look, and Leah jumps into her explanation. “You’ll get to meet a few tonight before dinner. Then several alphas and omegas will show up later this week. But first, I want to get each of you settled into your own rooms.”

A relieved breath whooshes out of Kai. “We don’t have to sleep with the alphas right away?” His voice is soft, almost nervous.

Leah gasps. “Oh gods, no. Kai, if you don’t like any of these alphas, you don’t have to marry one.” She glances at each of us with a serious look on her face. “None of you is obligated. If, by the end of the day, you don’t want to marry anyone, then you don’t have to. If you need more time, take it. The alphas have all taken time out of their schedules to get to know you. They’ll be in this house for two weeks. Now, I know that might not be enough time, so please don’t feel pressured. Although I know all three of you have your reasons for a speedy marriage. So, please take everything into consideration. Also, don’t feel like you need to sleep with an alpha because you think you have to. That’s not expected of you.”

With Leah still talking, the five of us take seats. Once she’s covered everything for now, we’re escorted to our rooms to get ready to meet these mysterious men. While I shower, my mind wanders as I imagine what type of alphas we’re about to meet. Part of me is curious about what kind of paranormal beings they are, but I’m hesitant to ask. Is it rude to ask someone what they are?

It doesn’t take me long to get ready. After showering in my fancy new bathroom, I change into my nicest pair of dark jeans and a flowy white top that looks flattering against my tan skin. Then, for the first time in a year, I skip the messy bun, styling my black curls so my hair is down, framing my face.

The dining room is spacious and elegant, with a stunning chandelier overhead. To settle my nerves, I walk around lookingat all the extravagance. A giggle escapes my lips when I realize this is what Franky always wanted. Money and a beautiful home. It’s ironic that I’d get it before him.

While Kai and Penn chat by the bar, I wander over to a life-size framed photograph that caught my eye. It’s a stunning bird’s-eye view of a forest that has me feeling something I can’t quite explain.

A door clicks open behind us, and out of the corner of my eye, I see a few figures enter. My heart pounds with nervous excitement. I want to turn around, but my nerves get the best of me, and I stay rooted in place, finding comfort in the image of the forest.

Idle chit-chat echoes around me as introductions are made. An alpha walks up next to me, but I can’t seem to take my eyes away from the stunning photo. “I couldn’t take my eyes off of the first time I spotted it, either,” a smoky voice rumbles next to my ear. Something about it sounds familiar, causing me to smile.

“It’s beautiful. There’s something oddly freeing about it. It makes me wish I could fly,” I say as I finally turn around to introduce myself. My mouth falls open in shock, a gasp tumbling out of my lips. There’s no mistaking that panty-dropping smile, or the way his dark hair gracefully falls into those sparkling green eyes. Sparkling eyes that seem to be glowing.

“Brooks?”

His smile grows. “You remembered my name.”

Damn, how could I ever forget?

Memories crash down around me; the time I’ve spent pining after this alpha, the conversations we shared when he came to visit, and the times we had lunch together with my employees.Where has he been all this time? And how the hell did I not know the guy I’ve been low-key crushing on was paranormal?

---