Page 87 of Your Wild Omega

Zack rumbles faintly, gaze locked on Callisto.

Chapter thirty-four

Rickon

A strange mix of past and present mingles over the dinner table. The omega and alpha who are my future sit across the table from the family who saved me during my darkest days. And my best friend, who just got tossed out of the pack on his ass, sits uneasily at the far end.

I shake my head. Never a dull day anymore.

“Well, let’s dig in,” Aunty declares. “Ricky, sweetie, everything is gluten-free except for the bruschetta on the end.”

“Thanks,” I reply. She always takes such good care of me.

“Mind if I say the blessing?” Red asks innocently.

“Blessing?” Aunt Lexi nearly chokes on her mouthful of drink. “Sure, that would be lovely, songbird.”

Red folds her hands together, staring over at the sideboard with eager eyes. “May the food be with you. Amen.”

She pushes her chair back, and I press my fist to my mouth to smother a laugh, glancing over in time to catch Callisto’s mouth twist wryly.

“Amen,” Aunty echoes after a couple of beats, blinking rapidly down at her plate while her brain scrambles to catch up. Red has that effect.

“Which plate do I start with?” Red asks innocently, looking down at the crockery mini tower in front of her.

“Soup, salad, mains,” I say, unstacking the dishes and handing her the largest. “But just put everything on here, if you want.” I grip tight, holding on to the plate so she can’t take it. “Well, not soup.”

She pokes her tongue at me and walks over to the buffet, leaving Zack’s leash dangling.

Honestly, she’s doing so well to take all this in stride. I should’ve warned her how fancy it would be. It’s not like my aunt’s trying to rub anything in her face; it’s just that having a private chef, serving staff, and twelve bathrooms is normal around here.

“You’re so considerate of Rickon’s diet,” Red calls from the side of the room as she picks through the food options. “It’s lovely.”

Aunt Lexi smiles at me. “Well, we love him dearly. When his parents—” She blanches. “I mean, when he came to us, he was such a tiny thing, sweet as a kitten. He never asks for anything, so some dietary care is the least I can do.”

I look away. I should just talk about it. Aboutthem. Red’s going to find out one day, but over family dinner isn’t the time. If we’re being honest, I don’t really want her to find out, even though she’s no stranger to trauma. Not that it’s a big deal compared to what she’s been through. But I don’t want her to think less of me.

I pick up my soup bowl and head to the pot. A hearty pumpkin and coconut aroma rises from the dish, and I breathe deeply.

“Rissa,” I say, swiveling to find the server. “Can I get some cold cream?”

“Certainly, sir.”

I cool down the soup and set the bowl in front of Zack along with garlic bread. He does well with soup, so long as it’s cool enough. Callisto’s gaze hooks into me as I circle the table to get my own food. It’s an itch I can’t scratch, wondering what’s going through his mind. Honestly, it hurts to look at him.

He must have come straight from work, because he sports his characteristic gray suit with a white shirt, gray vest and charcoal tie, with slicked-back hair. He’s loosened off both his top button and tie knot and he seems a bit wilted as he waits for room at the buffet. Honestly, he looks like he’s aged overnight.

I resist the urge to glide my hand along his shoulders but then feel guilty for stopping myself. Everything’s changed. But he’s still my friend, right?

“Come on, Calli,” I urge as both the omegas in the room return to the table. Zack’s happily dunking garlic bread in his soup, and Simon and Lector are both halfway down the buffet, so we have plenty of space.

Callisto pushes his chair back. “Sure,” he murmurs, resting his hand briefly on my back. “After you.”

I’m picking out a serving of potato salad when he leans in closer.

“You’re gluten-intolerant?”

A sharp pang runs through my heart. Why is now the moment he chooses to pay attention? “Yeah. Makes my belly ache something fierce. It’s not, like, celiac or anything. It’s just unpleasant.”

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