Page 17 of Jace

I’d found the idea positively ridiculous when I was told about it in sex ed, but right now? I was nestling into his chest, trying to find a soft place in all that hard muscle, because that sound? It felt like it washed over all of me, like a big strong hand stroking my back and settling me.

“That’s it…” he crooned between purrs. “Good girl.” I was lowered to a bench, dimly aware that people were moving out of our way to give us a spot, but Jace, he didn’t let me go for a second, even when other people around the table seemed intent on intruding on our moment.

“Look, Jace, I don’t want to be a prick, but we have to put our heads together. Better that she’s marked like the others. If you don’t, Snake and his crew, they’d give their left nuts for someone like her, especially a classy piece of arse?—”

“Shut the fuck up, Dane.”

“And what’s going on here?”

I forced my head up and off Jace’s chest, even as I felt the need to stay exactly where I was. The stout woman was standing by the table holding the platters up, looking up and down the table.

“You okay, love?”

Beta me would have bristled at that, at the sweet comment, at the warm tone, at all the sympathy and protective bullshit poured into those three little words, but omega me? I stared at her, and then god-freaking-dammit, felt my eyes begin to sting.

“Oh, sweetheart…”

The platters were put down with a clatter, people waved away, and the strange woman came and sat down beside me, wrapping her arm around my shoulders and squishing me in her soft embrace. Part of me wanted to hate this, fight this, shove off this woman with her patronising bullshit and sit at the table, elegant as a queen, but that wasn’t the Sloane who was in the driver’s seat. I sank into her hug, taking a big breath before letting it out for a long, long time.

“That’s it, lovey, you just let it all out. And, you boys!” That was hissed viciously. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, talking such nonsense around an omega who’s just revealed? She’s probably feeling raw, crazy, like her life’s been tipped upside down and put back together all ad hoc.” A big hand stroked my back, then squeezed my shoulders. “Have something to eat, little omega?—”

“Sloane,” Jace interrupted. “Her name is Sloane.”

“Then it’s time to have something to eat, little Sloane. I’m guessing that boy of mine has been running you ragged?—”

“Ma…”

“Focussed on your body, but not what it needs.”

“Ma…”

“Turning your head until you don’t know what is what. I taught you better than this, Jason Mark?—”

“Ma!”

I found myself jumping at the sound of his bark, my heart clattering in my chest. I wanted to roll my bloody eyes at that, but something, someone, had hijacked my body and its reactions. What was I now, some quivering little mouse?

“I kept Sloane safe, cared for her, looked after her needs, and made sure she stayed hydrated, even when she was fighting me about it. Does that meet with your approval?”

“Oh, well yes, that’s good then.” I was released from the soft, sweet-scented embrace and somehow felt lesser for it, but a big ceramic plate was placed before me. “Now, Sloane, do you have any foods you can’t eat or anything? You’ll need lots of protein to build your strength.”

“Hey!” one of the guys said as the platter of bacon was dragged our way.

“And carbs. You’ll need to load up for what he has in store for you.”

“God, Ma, stop!” the other guys around the table groaned.

“What? You think I don’t know why these strange girls appear around my table every morning? Not exactly for Sunday prayers, is it? But, Sloane…” I felt the woman’s gaze, her smile, and I turned towards it, like a flower turns to the sun. She was a picture of motherly sweetness, her name a perfect descriptor. “You’re an omega.”

Somehow, all I’d achieved in my short life seemed to come a dim second to that. Ma looked so damn proud of me, and for some reason, my heart swelled as a result. I wanted that, for someone to pat me on the head and tell me I was a good girl, even as I knew how asinine that was, but my usual spiky shell was gone and couldn’t protect me against her, against anything. Instead, I smiled up at the woman and pulled the plate over, nibbling on the delights piled there.

“Who’s an omega?”

My eyes flicked up, taking in the newcomers, a small group of young women, but they couldn’t really compete with bacon and eggs. I felt their eyes on me as my stomach clenched hard, letting me know how much I needed food right now, especially with all the extra demands I’d put on my body. So as the girls sat down at the table, looking at me, Jace, and the others, I didn’t really give it much attention.

“Sloane is,” Jace replied, getting to his feet but depositing a kiss on my head. “One we need to protect. Fellas, you’re with me.” A collective groan went up at that. “Blame Dane for this. He made some good points, ones we need to be ready for. Snake and his crew? They’d do a lot to get their hands on an unmarked omega.” He bent down to look at me before he went to go. “I’ll be in the next room, taking a meeting with the guys, but I’ll be back shortly. Have your breakfast. Ma’ll look after you.”

She might, but the other women around the table might not. I felt their collective gaze on me as Ma kept chattering on, piling more and more food on my plate.

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