Page 3 of Omega Island
With the both of them staring at me with wide, pleading eyes, how could I say no? Besides, it would give them a break from my intrusion into their lives.
I rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet. “Yeah, you’re both right. I’ll go.” But the decision sat heavy in my stomach.
I had no will left. My brother and his strong-willed omega husband could have convinced me of anything.
Straten had done a number on my head, that was for sure.
* * *
As the planeapproached the island, it flew at an angle just right for me to see the whole landscape through the window. Like an emerald jewel, the rain forest surrounding what looked like a little town glowed. The Caribbean sea washed against the land like a creature lapping at the rocky shore.
I saw the landing strip as we came lower and gripped the armrests. It looked far too small and short to make it safely to the ground. But before I knew it, wheels touched ground with barely a shiver in the cabin, and we braked smoothly to a stop.
I let the other passengers, all omegas, disembark first. Finally, I got up and grabbed my satchel. The rest of my luggage, I was told, would be delivered to my cabin.
I’d had two connective flights to make it this far and had been in the air eight hours. My head felt light, my mind dazed, as I walked down the ramp to the tarmac.
A tall man with neat, dark hair was welcoming the group of omegas I’d flown in with. He wore a long red gown sashed tightly at his lean waist, and brown sandals with thin straps that looked like they wove up around his ankles. I couldn’t tell from this distance if he was an alpha or an omega. I was shy to approach because I was neither patient nor staff. I wasn’t sure what to do.
I clutched my satchel in front of me and stood waiting as a silken breeze billowed through my hair.
My hair. I’d not cut it in months. Straten had controlled every aspect about me, including haircuts, and forced me to dye my hair platinum blond and use an iron to curl it about my face every day. I was growing it out to its natural shade of a much warmer blond and staying as far away from curls as I could. Right now, I had it pulled back into a tail, but loose strands tangled in my face from the wind. Another gust of air billowed up my loose, button up white shirt as I stood frozen halfway between the plane and the group of omegas.
The man in red looked over at me, his gaze steady. He called out to another man standing by a path that led through thick foliage. The guy came to him and led the omegas down the path and out of sight.
That left two of us.
“Welcome,” the tall omega called out. “Come on. Don’t be shy.”
Slowly, I walked toward him until I was about five feet away. I scented the omega in him, ripe as the forest. Long lashes swept over eyes dark as cherrywood.
“You must be Raimi?” he asked.
I nodded. He was a handsome man, but all hard edges up close, and his tone sounded far too level and formal for comfort.
“We were expecting you. My name is Senta. I run this place.”
I nodded again, swallowing hard. “Luca told me about you.” My voice was raspy, as if I’d been asleep for many hours.
“Yes, Luca and I are old friends. Like brothers.” Senta smiled, and the hardened edges of his face softened. “I welcome you here as a friend.”
I lowered my head. “Thank you. I don’t mean to intrude. I know this isn’t a place for the likes of me, but I’ll abide by all your rules. I won’t be a burden.”
“A burden? Never.” His smile stayed, forcing me to reassess my first impression of him as hardened. “I only want you to feel comfortable and use your time here to relax and heal. This is a place of healing, and there is great energy in the atmosphere here. You’ll see.”
“Thank you.”
“If you’ll follow me?” He turned and walked toward an opening in the foliage.
His red robe clung to his straight back, and as he walked he seemed to glide. Though he was shorter than I, he gave the impression of being much taller, an omega with the personality to fill a room.
We came to a twelve-foot-high black iron gate that opened at our approach. Inside, the tiny town I saw from the air manifested before me, no longer small but filled with parks and cabins, ponds and trees. A blue brick pathway led in various directions, one toward a building on my left that was four or five stories, and another to my right toward a cluster of purple cabins. Ahead lay an array of grassy slopes, pools, picnic tables, what looked like little food carts, and a large white gazebo that, anywhere else, might have marked a town square. Beyond that, I saw more trees and more cabins.
Senta turned to me, slowing his walk. “We texted you a map of the place. There is also one in your cabin. As you can see, we have a lot to offer. There’s a full eighteen-hole golf course on the other end of the park, and other various activities and games. You are welcome to partake in any of them, as long as you do not interfere with any of the on-going healing.”
“Of course.”
“I don’t mean to imply you would interfere.” He slowed as I took everything in. “I know you’re here for some rehab yourself, but I had to state it outright. Most of the omegas here are going through sensitive, intense heat therapies. If that in any way disturbs you--” He trailed off.
