Page 192 of An Omega for the Lycan Prince
“Ella? Ella… Tinkerbell?”
I jump a little. “Sorry!” He was talking to me. I didn’t even notice. “I was lost in my thoughts.” I pause. “Wait… did you just call me Tinkerbell?”
He smirks, and my heart picks up its pace. “The pups in the orphanage were watching Peter Pan,” he explains with a grin. “She kinda reminded me of you. Tough, sassy and cute.”
“Very funny,” I say but can’t help the blush from crawling over my cheeks. “You were at the orphanage?” I ask curiously.
He nods. “I had some time off and organized some furniture. Put it together for them.”
My heart warms at his words. My kind and handsome mate went out of his way to help the orphaned pups feel welcome and at home in their new place. Also, thinking of him being all sweaty and dusty when putting together furniture makes me hot for him all of a sudden. Must have been a sight to behold.
He smiles warmly. “Did you train with Aryanna today or Liam?”
“Liam.” I gratefully take the glass of soda he hands me.
He leans over the kitchen island, eyeing me thoughtfully. “Then it’s no surprise you are tired,” he deadpans. “Like father, like son.”
I chuckle. “Should you talk like that about your Alpha?”
“I changed his diapers,” Dante says evenly.
I grin. “Weren’t you like five when he was born?”
He chuckles. “Eight.”
“Close enough,” I raise my brows. “So, overprotective Alpha Elden would allow an 8-year-old to change his firstborn’s diapers?”
He laughs. “Okay, okay, you got me!”
“What have you been up to?” I ask. Whenever I see him, I’m a bit awkward initially, but once the conversation flows – mostly thanks to him – I warm up.
He hands me a folder. “On Monday, they will start renovating our suite. Luna Annalise dropped off these samples of colors for the walls and wants to know how we would like to have our rooms, doors and floors done… Think about furniture too!” He pauses. “Goddess, Ella, I need your help. They all look the same to me!”
“Men are clueless!,” I grin. “Sure, I’ll help.” I can’t help but smile. He always asks for my opinion. He is the perfect gentleman. I scoot closer to look at the pamphlet. When he suddenly wraps an arm around me to pull me closer, I look at him in surprise.
He blushes, pulling his arm away. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I don’t want to pressure you, Ella. I promised you we can do everything at your pace.”
I take his arm, draping it over my shoulder again, noting how he beams in happiness. “I’m sorry,” I say quietly.
He is surprised. “What for?”
“I’m so awkward and have no idea what I’m doing. Truth is… no man was ever kind to me, aside from Dave. No one was ever interested in me. I’ve always been an outsider everywhere. And the one guy who did…”
He frowns. “What did he do?”
“He… pushed me into something I didn’t really want to do,” I say warily, not sure why I’m even telling him about it. He really doesn’t need to know how messed up I am. “We met at a party, and we made out. He invited me to his place… I just went with him because I didn’t want to be alone. But once there,” I pause. “I didn’t want to… I… he said, I couldn’t back out now… that I went with him, and I was supposed to do what I originally came there for. So… I did. I felt so gross afterwards. He said he liked me before… and I was so eager to have someone say that to me that I… I’m sorry I’m like this. I’m so disgusting!”
Dante shifts his position to look at me. His normally calm expression turns dead-serious, his eyes overcome with anger. “What that boy did was inexcusable! He took advantage of your vulnerability. If I ever find him, I’ll break his pathetic neck!” he huffs. “You don’t owe me anything, El. You are not obliged to touch me or let me touch you if you aren’t ready.”
I can feel my wolf Nefeli purr at his words. I don’t have the strongest connection to my wolf. I know it’s probably because I grew up so neglected that I couldn’t even trust her. Annie was the only one I ever trusted. Nefeli went into hibernation eventually because we were so lonely and had no connection to our pack.
Mate,she says, her voice is just a whisper, but I can still hear her.He is so good to us! Good thing we didn’t get an annoying, pathetic idiot. The last thing we need is a man-child who needs us patting his back all the time.
Nefeli?I ask in disbelief.Is it really you?
What, did you think you were going crazy?
Very funny,I huff.Might be because it’s been a while since I have heard your voice.
