Chapter 2 #2
“I listen. Doesn’t mean that I obey.” I turn to lean next to him. When Icarus’ eyes blaze, I grab hold of his tie to smooth down it teasingly. “You’re fucking hot when you’re angry.”
He opens and shuts his mouth. The tips of his ears become red.
Then he disentangles his tie from my hands, smoothing it down himself. “You’re an uncontrollable Omega.”
“And you’re an Alpha with a stick up your ass and oatmeal in your hair.”
Icarus frantically runs his hand through his hair, and I gently help him to pull out the dried oatmeal from the strands at the side.
Icarus has sensory issues and OCD. The fact that he fights to manage them in order to help with Zoe, earns him serious brownie points.
He was at my side throughout the pregnancy, birth, and every step that my daughter has taken since.
“Zoe is in a real throwing her food stage, especially at me.” Icarus grimaces.
“Good girl.” I smirk. “I have taught her well. You need to start the training young.”
“Is Ollie in on this training?” Icarus adjusts his jacket. “I found him whispering a story to her about Omega Robin Hood.”
I glow.
“I taught that one to Ollie. You should be proud of your brother. He helped Bird and me earlier.” Anxiety makes my stomach churn. “The Alpha who Bird went with wanted to hurt him. He was a nasty asshole. Can’t you get my brother out of it?”
Icarus’ lips thin. “Mr. Riva is worse than a nasty asshole. He’s a mafia boss who courted Bird, but was rejected by Maya.
Don’t worry, I sorted it before you two Omega gremlins threw yourself into the situation like sacrifices.
The moment that Mr. Riva rang and requested Bird, he sealed his own fate.
There will be an urgent call from his pack any time now that somehow his rivals have found out that he’s here on a business meeting, and he needs to urgently return before his pampered Omega is at risk of being kidnapped. ”
Icarus may be treated as merely the General Manager at a luxury hotel.
But he’s fucking ruthless.
Icarus is a good Alpha to his pack but he’s not good.
He’s also in his late twenties and has worked here amongst the rich and powerful of America long enough to know their secrets and be owed enough favors to be dangerous himself.
I wouldn’t want him as my enemy.
I clear my throat. “Ehm, thank you.”
Icarus shoves off the door like it was nothing. I wish that it was as easy to break free from the hotel.
Icarus wanders to the desk, pushing his glasses up his nose, as he scans down the top paper on the closest pile. “It’s going to be frantically busy between now and Christmas Day. How about the two of you try to avoid any more crises?”
“No promises.”
He pulls off his glasses, rubbing at his nose like I’m giving him a headache.
Fair.
He carefully places his glasses down at the back of the desk.
“I’ve pinned an adjusted routine for Zoe over this festive period on the fridge.
” Icarus’ voice gentles like it always does when he talks about Zoe.
“I have also given certain…concessions…to Mrs. Frost in order to improve Zoe’s diet.
She’ll now have a better selection of beans, meat, and carrots to throw at me. ”
Happiness washes over me. “Thanks, Icarus.” Then I freeze. “Wait, what concessions?”
Icarus doesn’t look up from the paper, tapping his finger on it, but I’m pretty certain that he’s not reading it. “As a brave Omega once said, worth it.”
Destroyed by my own words.
Something moves sickly in my guts about Icarus owing my stepmom anything.
I swagger across the room toward him, jumping onto the ancient desk that groans in protest, threatening to collapse like it always does.
I merrily swing my legs.
Icarus casts me a disapproving glance, fighting to yank a paper out from underneath my ass.
I study Icarus’ strong jaw and the curve down his pale neck to his strong shoulders as he bends over the paper, smoothing it out with jerky motions.
I frown, as he traces a crease that runs down the center of the page like he can erase it by strength of will alone.
When he swallows, I shuffle to the side off his others papers guiltily.
Icarus carefully places down the crumpled page, as if it’s still as precious as the pristine one to the side, before glancing up at me.
Our gazes meet, and my heart flutters.
In moments like this, it frightens me how safe he makes me feel.
“You’re quiet. Well, quieter than normal, my sweet sin.
Are you okay?” Icarus tilts his head, studying me in a way that makes me feel seen…
like I am not a twice rejected Omega but worth taking the time to understand.
“Is it because of the matching ball on Christmas Eve? I can find a way to get you out of working it if you want. We can pretend that you broke your leg or something.”
I give a small smile at this thoughtfulness. “It’d never work. Maya would still have me hopping around on crutches and serving drinks, probably holding the tray in my teeth.”
“Quite a skill.” Icarus reaches to push a strand of hair, which has fallen out of my ribbon, behind my ear. “But I was more worried that you’d see the Alcotts with their new Omega at the ball and it’d… Whoa, Grace…”
I can barely hear his panicked voice.
A wave of fear hits me.
Dizzy, I struggle to breathe.
It feels like I am dying.
I can’t… Their new Omega…?
Their scent match…their true scent match…the Omega who they abandoned Zoe and me for…
I can’t see them. Can’t face them. Can’t fucking see them worshiping their precious Omega, while I am forced to serve them.
“No…” I whine, trembling.
I lose control of my body in my panic attack, tumbling forward off the desk.
Icarus catches me, pulling me against his chest.
I am surrounded by his spicy hot apple scent.
Grace, Grace, Grace.
He’s calling my name. But I can barely hear him.
Instead, I’m remembering the Christmas two years ago, when my entire life fell apart.
I’d been in my bedroom in the penthouse dressed in a lacy, violet designer ballgown that matched Bird and Hatton’s suits. My Alphas and Betas were meant to meet me for the ball.
Moonlight streamed through the high windows over my decadent room, which was draped in silks and soft, velvet furnishings.
The walls were plastered with posters of Immortal in his iconic pose, all long, shiny hair and lavender eyes, while his band star emblem gleamed down on him like a spotlight on a stage.
My nest was built up in the middle of a four-poster bed, which shimmered with diaphanous drapes. A vast walk-in closet of clothes and shoes stood at the back beside my marble en-suite bathroom.
I was bouncing on my toes with excitement.
Where were they?
My Alpha and Beta were late, and Maya hated that.
Yet I knew how hard Logan was working in his final exams to qualify as a surgeon. It was why I hadn’t pressed about the official bonding. He wanted to wait until he’d qualified because he didn’t have time to take two weeks of bond leave.
It hurt that he put his career first, but ours wasn’t a love match. I’d come to respect my Alpha’s intelligence and ambition.
John, my Beta, was kind and attentive, but I hadn’t realized how little say a Beta had in a Traditional pack.
John wasn’t even allowed to sleep in the nest with Logan and me. He was treated more like a servant than a lover. During my heats, he was shut out entirely.
Yet I cradled my hand over my stomach.
The private doctor had confirmed the news this morning that I was pregnant.
I’d never craved a baby in the way that some Omegas did but now that I was going to be a mom, it filled me with a protective joy.
John had told me happily about the large family that he came from and how much he couldn’t wait for us to have a family together.
He was going to be so fucking happy.
“Hurry up,” Hatton called from the lounge. “Mom is saying you have ten minutes to get your new pack here, or we’re walking into the ball without them.”
“Okay,” I yelled back still smiling.
I perched on the side of my four-poster bed, playing with the velvet blanket. I reached for my phone on the nightstand, swiping it on.
Then I called the same number that I’d been texting all evening without any response.
To my relief, Logan answered. “Yes? What is it, Grace?”
I flinched at his sharpness.
“Merry Christmas.” My smile slipped. I wasn’t the type of Omega who needed constant attention or praise.
I had never received it from an Alpha before.
It was Christmas, however, and this wasn’t how I had expected my Alpha would greet me having not reached out all day.
“Are you going to be here soon? Mom is turning feral.”
A long pause. Then a put upon sigh.
“You know that I have exams. I don’t have time for nonsense like parties. You can go with your family, hmm?”
My hands started to shake. “I mean, I could but…couldn’t John at least…?”
“John and you are becoming too cozy. He’s my Beta.”
My lip quivered. “I don’t understand.”
“Look, I’ll pick you up for coffee in the New Year. Can we not do this over the phone?”
Do what?
Shit, was this the breakup speech?
My heart was racing. But Logan had given me a courting ring. We were promised. It would be a scandal if he didn’t bond with me.
He was socially killing me.
It had been a fucking year.
“Logan,” I whispered, frantically, “don’t…please, don’t put the phone down. Listen…”
“I said, not now.”
“I’m pregnant,” I got out in a rush.
A long silence.
I was shaking.
I wanted to hurl.
“Typical manipulative Omega.” Logan’s voice became even colder. “You don’t need to lie to gain my attention.”
Fury raced through me.
I balled my hand in my lap. “It’s the truth. You can request access to the records from my private doctor.”
“Were you going to tell me as a nice Christmas gift?” Logan gave a bitter laugh.
Tears gleamed in my eyes. “It’s the perfect gift, whether you want this baby or not.”
“I don’t have time for this bullshit or for you.”
I sat frozen in shock. “But you’re going to be a father and—"