Chapter Nine – Noelle #3
“I know what you mean. This is all new to me. I never thought…” I trail off as we skate along—or, rather, as Nico skates and he pulls me along with him. “What’s the future going to look like for us?”
“Hmm. Short-term, after we talk to your parents and ours, I assume the first thing we’ll do is find a house of our own.”
“I don’t have anything saved up—”
Nico waves me off with his other hand. “Stop. It’s up to us to take care of you. We’ll handle the finances, obviously. Then, once we move in and get the house how we want it… I don’t know. What do packs normally do?” He flashes me a grin. “Have lots of freaky sex?”
I playfully give his arm a slap with my other hand.
“Seriously, though, we’ll have to get everything ready so you’re comfortable during your first heat.
It’ll be a new experience for all of us.
” The lights from the gazebo reflect in his eyes as he gazes down at me, the warmth in his expression evident.
“We’ll take care of you. We will. We’ll do anything for you. ”
“I know you will.”
Before Nico can say more, Matteo and Felix skate over to us.
“We’re going to head back to the house to get dinner going,” Matteo says.
“You two want to come with or stay out here a little longer?” There’s an added edge to his tone, like he’s trying to warn his brother if we stay out here, he better take care of me.
“What do you want to do?” Nico asks me. “Want to go in? If your face is anything like mine, it’s been numb for a while.”
The wind has died down, and with no snowfall, it’s not so bad out here. I wouldn’t mind if we stayed out for a little bit longer, so that’s what I tell the alphas, “We’ll stay here for a bit.”
“Not too long,” Matteo says before he skates toward the gazebo with Felix in tow. In a few minutes, the alphas have their skates off, their boots back on, and are trudging through the snow, waving at us as they leave.
Once they’re out of sight, Nico sighs a dramatic sigh and says, “I thought they’d never leave. Want to live life on the wild side and get a taste of what it’s like to skate fast?”
I grin. “Sure.”
Nico is true to his word: he picks up speed immediately, and I hold onto his hand for dear life as he pulls me along the frozen lake.
When we turn, we swing wide. Going faster, the wind bites at our faces, and I have to close my eyes and bury as much of my face behind my scarf as possible.
It’s scary, but it’s also a little fun, like a ride at a carnival.
We must take a turn faster than he intends, because I hear him say, “Oh, shit!” And then he loses his grip on my hand and I instantly lose my balance and stumble.
I end up on my ass on the ice while he mutters, “That was too fast. That was way too fast.” He slides to a stop next to me, falling to his knees as he reaches for me.
“Are you okay? Matteo and Felix will kill me if you come back with bruises—”
I don’t hear whatever else he says, because I bust out laughing at that exact moment. I laugh and lay back, staring at the dark sky above us.
Nico studies me. “So nothing’s broken?”
It was a bit jarring to fall, but I’m fine. I might be small and weak compared to them, but I’m not that pathetic. I tell him, “Nothing’s broken. I’m fine, I promise.”
The sigh he lets out is legendary, and he collapses on his back next to me, taking up the same position I’m in. “Thank God. You had me worried for a hot second.”
“Worried about me, or worried that Matteo would kick your ass?”
“Uh, the latter, obviously.” Then he quickly says, “Joking. Worried about you. Of course worried about you. You’re an omega. You’re… not built like we are.” He turns his head in my direction, gazing at me instead of the dark sky. “Honestly? I don’t know how I did it.”
Now he’s got me looking at him in curiosity. “How you did what?”
“How I stayed away from you all those years. I don’t know how I did it.
I don’t think I’d ever be able to do it again.
” He studies me—though there isn’t much for him to see, given the puffiness of my coat and the scarf tucked around my face beneath my hood.
“You’re the only omega I’ve ever wanted.
” A strangely serious statement for the alpha who takes it upon himself to be the jokester.
“Stop. Other omegas had to have caught your eye over the years…”
“No. I’m serious. Why do you think we never went to that Omega Garden place?
None of us were interested in meeting other omegas.
It went unsaid for so many years, but… it’s always been you, Noelle.
Always. I guess I should thank Miranda for keeping us all in the dark about the other coming to the cabin. ”
I smile. “Don’t thank her too much. She’ll get a big head and think she’s some kind of magical matchmaker.”
“Oh, come on. We both know my sister already has a big head.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Nico scoots closer to me, and he rolls onto his side so it’s easier for him to watch me. The puffiness of his jacket presses against mine as a gentle smile tugs at his handsome face. “It still doesn’t feel real, all of this. You being ours. If I’m dreaming, don’t wake me up.”
“I know exactly how you feel. It feels like a dream for me, too.”
He hums next to me. “I want to kiss you. I’m dying over here, but I don’t know that our jackets will let us get that close.”
A giggle escapes me when I say, “Only one way to find out.”
Nico’s gloved hand reaches for my face, tugging down my scarf and angling my head toward his as he leans over me.
Kissing while wearing so many layers isn’t the easiest thing, no, but we manage to do it—and our coats voice their disapproval by squeaking as they rub against the other, the most annoying sound I’ve ever heard in my life.
The kiss doesn’t last too long; we’re both laughing at the sound of our coats rubbing together to really get into it. Besides, it is cold out here. I’d much rather kiss him in the warmth of the house.
“Well,” Nico says as he pulls away, licking his lips, “we’ll have to continue that once we’re inside, because that was nowhere near enough.” He gets to his feet, balancing on his skates like it’s easy, and he offers me his hand.
I take it, and he pulls me up. Together, we head to the gazebo to switch out our skates.
A contentment washes over me, taking hold of every part of me. I feel so… at peace. So calm and, in a word, pleased. I never thought I’d see the day where I not only found my forever pack, but that they’d make me so happy so quickly.
But it’s Matteo, Nico, and Felix, the three alphas I’ve had a crush on for years. So many stolen looks when I’d go over their house. So many spent thoughts while trying not to make it obvious. A part of me wonders where we would be if we hadn’t wasted so much time.
It’s true, what Miranda said earlier. I could have joined their pack at eighteen.
We could have had three years together, enjoying each other, before having to worry about my heat and all it entails.
Now, we’ll only have a few months. Who knows how long we’ll actually have in whatever house we end up in before my heat rolls around. It won’t be enough.
It’ll never be enough, I don’t think, but that’s what makes it so great. That’s what makes every touch, every whisper, every single kiss, so addicting. This Christmas, this holiday, is only the beginning of it all, and I personally can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.