Page 15 of The Omega's Alpha
Thus the mighty alpha falls.And who better to land on than a willing omega?
This was going to be fun.
Chapter Fourteen
As much asI wanted to keep kissing Quin, I brought it to an end after a few moments. Someone would be certain to come looking for us soon, with the dead silence that had settled over the trees. Sure, I knew I was going to make a scandal of myself, but I didn’t want to justhandtheir entertainment over to the pack. They should have to work for it, just like I’d worked for this weird freedom. “Come dance,” I said, and gazed up at him from beneath lowered lashes. I expected a no; Abel didn’t dance, except with Bax, so Quin probably wouldn’t either.
“Why not? I’m taking the night off. I can do what I damn well please.” He laughed at my startled expression. “Were you hoping I’d say no? I still can.”
“No. I wanted you to say yes.” I hung off his arm as we walked back toward the lights, then decidedfuck itand draped it over my shoulders so I could feel his warmth against my side. “Just didn’t expect you to.” I was becoming giddy. “So don’t you even try to say no now or you’ll suffer my wrath.” And then I honest-to-Lysoonka giggled. I hadn't even started drinking yet.Oh, this is going to be a good night.
“Food first. I skipped supper.” Quin turned in the direction of the food tables, already surrounded by pack members like ants at a drop of honey.
We walked into a crowd waiting outside the trees, necks craning as they tried to figure out what was going on inside the grove. Whispers began, riding the twilight air like dandelion fluff. I hung back a little, my bravado apparently not so brave anymore. Maybe I didn’t want to be this obvious in front of everyone after all. It was one thing to declare yourself unaffected by the rule of society and opinion, but apparently I wasn’t quite as ready as I’d thought to throw all discretion to the winds.
Well, this is awkward. Just like that, all my good—or bad—intentions blown away like morning mist.It seemed I was going to suck as a slut as much as I sucked as an omega.Don’t want to do that. Better get on with the public seduction.I felt my lips twitch a little, and looked up at Quin.
Quin met my gaze with raised eyebrows. “Change your mind?”
No.I shook my head. “Just coming to terms with my new identity as the local mattress.” His brows drew together and I couldn’t help reaching out to smooth away the furrows above the bridge of his nose. “No, it’s okay. I’ve heard the whispers, I know what they think of me. It only hasn’t been a thing because I’ve kept to myself for the most part. I know what they’ll say if we make it obvious this arm around my shoulders isn’t just to support me after what happened.”
“You let me know if anyone gives you trouble. I’ll fix it.”
How sweet. And very mate-like, or future-mate-like, anyway. It was a shame it could never happen. “Don’t you worry about it. I’m almost the same age as Bax, you know.”
“That’s what worries me,” he said, and then cruelly refused to explain himself, no matter how hard I flirted.
I gave up quickly enough anyway, my stomach making small warning growls that would soon become entirely unromantic. “Well, if you’re going to be like that, I’m going to have something to eat,” I told him severely. I could see he wasn’t an alpha to be easily cowed—he simply smiled at me, almost a grin, and tightened his grip on my shoulder to lead us out into the spotlight. Where he promptly kissed me, staking his claim on me as surely as if he’d planted a flag. Which was fine with me. Now that I’d gnawed through the first of those old rules, I was absolutely ready to play omega to his alpha.
Heads turned to follow our progress like I’d known they would. That some of those heads were Abel and Bax kind of stung. Just because I was a rejected shifter and would be a drain on their family until my death didn’t mean I couldn’t attract a man. But then I saw Abel’s face break into a grin, and the saucy thumb’s up from Bax, and my mood settled again. I was just nerved up, making these first steps into my new persona. Persona non grata.
Ah, who gives a fuck?I glanced up at Quin. His face was expressionless but his scent spoke of arousal and happiness and a certain nervous excitement not unlike my own.Well then.
We walked up to meet them, Bax for once without the clinging arms of a pup. “I thought you were working the puppies tonight?”
“I am. Just grabbing a quick bite.” His eyes seemed to approve of Quin’s arm around my shoulders.
A wild whoop sounded behind us, quickly followed by Mac scolding Jason to keep his voice down. They joined us, Mac’s grin easily as wide as Jason’s.
“About time,” Jason whispered as he pulled me away to go browse the dishes on offer. “He’s only been staring at you like he wanted to lick you all over since he got here. What did you have to do to get him to act?” He looked absolutely delighted.
To be honest, so was I. “I grabbed him. And kissed him. Though I’ll admit, he started it,” I said, ducking my head close to his so we could whisper. And I planned to keep doing it. As often, and in as many places, as possible. And Quin was going to like it.
“Good for you.” He grinned and picked up a plate. “Try the meatballs. I hear they’re incredible.”
* * *
Quin hungback so he could watch Holland move gracefully about the table, picking bits of this and pieces of that off the different platters laid out for them to choose from.He’sbeautiful.And if Quin was any decent kind of shifter, he’d leave the poor man alone. No one needed his baggage. He could barely carry it himself; hadn’t been, the past four days, between the dreams and the wanting. And yet, he found himself following Holland around the clearing like a puppy, and glaring at anyone that looked at him with anything but the purest of intentions.
It amused the hell out of Abel. “You wait until I tell Cas,” he said at one point.
“Do you want your pups to see me bounce you around the clearing until you cry?”
“Worth every second of it. And don’t think Fan couldn’t take you down. He’s a sneaky, ingenious little rascal.” Abel grinned, drank a mouthful of water, and contemplated the scattered remains on his plate. “No, I think I’m done. I keep eating like this and I’ll turn into a whale next full moon instead of a wolf.”
“Can’t have that,” Quin agreed and glanced around for Holland. He found him off in the corner chatting with Jason and Mac’s cousin Patrice, Bax having left as soon as he finished eating. Mac and Duke were perusing the crumbs of the potluck, Bram was… where was Bram? “Where’s Bram?” He was extra alert about the young omega, since the attack that had resulted in Bram’s pregnancy and his and Duke’s hasty mating had technically happened on his watch. There’d been so much to learn, but it was no excuse.
“He went to check on the babies. I wish I’d sat on him a little harder than I did.”
