Chapter Three
Remington
I ’m the first one to make it to the dining room this morning, but that’s not surprising. I’m used to running on little to no sleep—especially when I make new discoveries. Considering it’s nearly nine, this is sleeping in for me. I usually make it to work by about seven in the morning and then stay until seven or later in the evening.
That’s something I’ll likely have to change when I leave here. I plan to choose a pack that respects my need to work, but even I can admit I’m a workaholic. That’s not how I want my pack life to begin. Because what good is it to have a pack if I only see them when I come home to eat and then crash?
That’s definitely not what I’m looking for.
I need a pack who will make sure I take better care of myself. Yes, I’m an adult and should be able to do that on my own, but if I’m lost in a problem I need to solve, it’ll never happen. I need pack mates who will tell me it’s time to put away my work and come home. A pack who will hold me quietly if I’m trying to work out a problem in my head. A pack who will love me even when I do get lost in my work. A pack who won’t give up on me.
“Good morning,” Milo chirps as he slumps into the chair beside me. “Please tell me there’s coffee.”
Before I have a chance to respond, the side doors open and a slew of people walk in, setting dishes onto the buffet that sits on one side of the room. They’re followed by a few others setting carafes on the table. I call out my thanks as they head out, receiving soft smiles and nods in return.
Milo snorts. “Is this what we can expect for meals going forward?”
“I dunno.” I shrug, grabbing the closest carafe labeled coffee and pouring it into my cup. Once I’ve finished, I offer it to Milo, and he takes it gratefully. “Yesterday was the first time it was more than just me for a meal, and they served us individual plates. Who knows?”
“As long as there’s coffee, I’ll be a happy man.” He adds sugar and creamer to his cup before lifting it to his lips, a moan spilling from him. “Damn, that’s excellent coffee.”
A hint of orange reaches my nose, and I realize the scent blockers have worn off. Trying to be as discreet as possible, I take a deep whiff of his scent and have to bite back a moan at his orange, cedar, and clove scent. He’s clearly bonded with his alphas, as there is still a hint of green tea and peach behind his scent.
It’s fucking delicious.
Instead of preparing my coffee, I’ve been watching Milo, but at the sound of his moan, I hurry to doctor mine. A sigh slips past my lips upon the first sip, and when I turn back to Milo, I find him watching me.
He grins, nodding his head toward my cup. “Are you a coffee addict like me?”
“I don’t know if I’m an addict…” I trail off, thinking about how much coffee I consume during any given day before nodding. “Yes, I am a coffee addict.”
“Oh, gods, there’s two of them,” a feminine voice bemoans, and I turn to find Victoria and Eric stepping into the room. “Good morning, Remington.”
I glance between the two of them, thinking about how unfair it is that they look so put together—not to mention hot. And not just the two of them but Milo too.
So. Damn. Hot.
They take their seats beside Milo, looking at me expectantly, and I realize I’ve just been gawping at them.
Damn it.
“Morning.” Tearing my eyes away from the three of them as I jump out of my seat. “There’s coffee and juice in the carafes. I’m not sure what we have for breakfast, but it’s all over here.”
I grab a plate and lift the first lid, practically melting as the scent of bacon hits me. I stack some on my plate, hesitating for a moment before adding more. One can never have too much bacon.
Yes, please.
The other dishes hold scrambled eggs, hash browns, pancakes, French toast, and sausage. I take a little bit of everything except for the pancakes because I’m not a fan. I’ll take waffles over pancakes any day.
Turning back toward the table, I find Victoria, Milo, and Eric hovering just behind me. I startle, eyes wide as I make sure none of my food falls off my plate. All three of their scents hit me at once. Victoria is the source of the peach beneath Milo’s scent. Her scent is peach, mango, and sandalwood. A combination that makes me think of a cold drink in my hand while lying on the beach. Eric’s is calming—which is usually something reserved for betas—green tea and lemongrass with just enough punch to it that there’s no mistaking this alpha for a beta.
Smelling the full strength of their combined scents has me ready to strip down and present myself to them—which is more than a little overwhelming.
“You can’t sneak up on an omega like that—especially not one holding food. Do you know what would’ve happened if I would’ve dropped that? None of you want to deal with an omega tantrum over wasted food when they’re hungry.”
Victoria smiles as she steps closer. “Do we make you uncomfortable, Remington?”
As much as I love the sound of her saying my name, it’s not what I want her to call me.
“Call me Remy, please.”
“Of course, Remy, but that doesn’t get you out of answering the question.” She lifts a single eyebrow—something I could never dream of doing—as she watches me.
“Maybe a little,” I murmur, ducking my head. I don’t want to admit how they make me feel, but a relationship shouldn’t be built on a lie—even if it’s a minor one.
She steps closer, running a hand over my arm. “We’d prefer if you were comfortable with us, Remy. If we do something that makes you uncomfortable, you just need to let us know.”
I wave her off. “It’s nothing you’re doing that’s making me uncomfortable. It’s just how hot you all are.”
Her smile only grows. “Well, I’m glad to hear that, but unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do to change that.”
“I don’t want you to,” I blurt out, shaking my head. “I’m just going to sit at the table and eat my breakfast.”
While I die of embarrassment is the part I don’t add.
Eric clears his throat, leaning close as I try to move around them. “In the future, one of us would like to prepare your plate for you, omega.”
“Oh.” It practically comes out as a squeak as I swallow hard.
“Go eat, Remy. They’ll keep you standing here all morning with their alpha bullshit.” Milo scoffs, stepping between me and his alphas.
I nod, feeling like a bobblehead, as I hurry back to my seat.
Is this what I have to look forward to for the next eight weeks? Because if so, I’m not sure I’ll survive.
I focus on my food, shoveling it into my mouth even after the three join me at the table once more. I’m almost finished eating when Daniel walks in.
“Good morning,” he grunts as he makes his way over to the free chair opposite Milo. I watch him as he pours himself a cup of coffee, lifting it to his lips without adding anything to it. My nose crinkles because it might be damn good coffee, but not adding anything to it?
I just can’t understand that.
“Good morning, Daniel. If you’re hungry, there’s a buffet of food behind you.” I point with my fork as if he couldn’t see it if he turned around.
He offers me a tight smile. “I really only do coffee for breakfast, but thank you, Remington.”
I nod as his scent hits me full force—the cedarwood, fir, and juniper berry has a bite of coldness to it, making it a very wintery smell. I love it.
Part of me wants to lean over and bury my face in his neck so I can suck in a lungful of his scent, but that would be inappropriate.
Damn, being an omega sucks when one actually starts actively looking for a pack.
I’ve never noticed anyone’s scents the way I have the four people sharing the table with me. Surely, I’ve come into contact with others who smelled good.
Yet, when I try to think of any, I come up blank.
Was I really that oblivious to the world going on around me that I never noticed anyone’s scents?
As much as I’d love to deny it, it sounds like me.
“Are you okay, Remington?” Daniel asks softly.
I blink at him, realizing once more I’ve been staring. I give him a tight smile and a shrug. “Just fine. I guess I got lost in my thoughts, wondering why the hell you torment yourself with black coffee. Oh, and please call me Remy.”
Daniel tilts his head to the side before laughing. “I happen to like the way coffee tastes without adding anything to it. I definitely don’t think I’m torturing myself.”
“To each their own, I guess.” I shrug, my smile feeling more natural now.
Conversation picks up around me, and I join in here and there but mostly just listen. I’m better at listening than talking—unless it’s about my work. Then I can talk for hours and hours on end.
“So, what’s the plan for the day?” Milo asks, breaking me from my thoughts.
“Oh, ummm…well, when I was planning these initial dates, I wanted to choose things I love to share with my suitors.” I set my cup down and sit up straighter in my chair. “Today, I thought we’d go to an arcade. Don’t worry, this isn’t an arcade for kids. Adults only, and of course, the whole place has been rented out for us.”
Milo grins. “Now that’s what I’m talking about. I love arcades.”
“I love video games, but I used to love going to the arcade before I got too busy.” Excitement rises in me at his obvious joy. My attention turns to the alphas beside him. “What about the two of you?”
Victoria shrugs. “I’m not big on video games in general, but arcades are always fun—especially if they have Skee-Ball.”
“I don’t think I’ve been to one since I was a kid,” Eric says. “But I look forward to seeing if it’s anything like I remember.”
My eyes drift to Daniel, who’s still sipping his coffee.
“Like Eric, I haven’t been since I was a kid. I don’t really have time for video games with my job, but I’m all for checking it out. Anything that lets us get to know you better.”
I practically preen at their words, glad they appreciate what I’m trying to do.
Tessa and Bree walk in, standing in the doorway with smiles on their faces. “Good morning, everyone. Are you all about ready to head out for your date?”
“I’m ready!” I jump out of my seat, excited to head out as soon as possible. It’s been years since I’ve done something just for fun, like going to an arcade.
Yes, I play video games when I can, but this is different. Arcades are about more than just video games. There’s usually something for everyone at an arcade. I haven’t been to High Score before since this is my first time in the area, but I can’t see it being too different from other arcades I’ve been to.
Eric, Milo, and Victoria also stand, but Daniel continues to sit at the table.
“Are there to-go cups somewhere? I think I’m going to need a lot of caffeine for today,” he asks, and I feel myself deflating.
Daniel doesn’t sound too excited about going to the arcade, after all.
Maybe this was a bad idea.
I should’ve picked something that more people enjoy. I know my tastes aren’t for everyone.
“Remy? What’s wrong?” Victoria asks as she and Milo move toward me, wrapping me in their arms. Peach and cloves fill my nose, and I sigh. I’d love to burrow into their arms and get drunk on their scents—especially if Eric were to join us—but that’s not the adult way to handle this.
And I am an adult.
“Your scent went sour,” Milo adds as if I didn’t know how they knew I was upset.
I shake my head before pulling myself out of their hold. “I’m fine,” I assure them.
“Your scent says otherwise,” Eric adds, gesturing for his pack mates to rejoin him.
“I think this is probably my fault.” Daniel pushes to his feet, making his way over to me. “I wasn’t saying I needed coffee to get through the day because of what we were doing. I need it because I slept like shit last night—I always do in new places. I have no idea if I’m going to like arcades or not, but I wouldn’t tell you it was something I wanted to do if I didn’t. I won’t lie to you.”
I shuffle in place for a moment before nodding. “Sometimes I can’t control how my body or my mind reacts to things. My anxiety makes me think I might be the cause for everyone’s issues—even when I had nothing to do with the situation. Those initial reactions aren’t something I can control, so this is likely to happen again. I can usually work myself through it without needing someone to explain themselves. This is a problem for me, not a problem for you.”
“But if it’s a problem for you, then it is a problem for me—and for them.” Daniel continues to speak softly, standing in front of me but not touching me, leaving the choice up to me—something I appreciate. “Because we’re here to see if we could be a part of your pack. We’re all going to notice when that caramel latte scent changes, and we’re going to want to know what’s wrong. I’m not saying you have to tell us, but you can’t tell us it isn’t our problem—not if we want to be a part of your pack.”
Hmmm…I never really thought about it that way before. Probably another reason I’m still packless.
“Okay,” I say slowly, glancing between the four of them. “I’d really like to move past this if that’s okay with you.”
“Absolutely,” Milo agrees, reaching out to take my hand and dragging me from the dining room. “Tell me more about the video games you like to play.”
I hear heavy sighs behind us, and when I glance over my shoulder, I find Eric and Victoria shaking their heads.
“Milo, you can’t hog all of Remington’s attention.” Victoria sounds partly amused and partly dismayed. “You’re not the only suitor he has today— we’re not the only suitors he has.”
Milo blinks at me. “Am I stealing too much of your time?”
I shake my head quickly. “No. You got me out of an uncomfortable situation, and I appreciate that.”
“Good. I promise I’ll let the others spend time with you, too. I just don’t like seeing you uncomfortable. I think it’s a beta thing? Or maybe it’s just a Milo thing?” He shrugs, stopping us in front of Bree, and I wonder where Tessa went. “Now, what?”
Bree ducks her head to disguise her smile, but we all see it. “Tessa went to grab a to-go mug of coffee for Daniel, but the two of you can head outside if you’d like. As I discussed with you previously, Remy, a security detail will join you on all excursions off-site. Today, Lucas and Mike will join you. They’re already waiting by the car, ready whenever you are.”
“Thank you, Bree.” I offer her a quick smile before heading for the door. My fingers are still intertwined with Milo’s, and I don’t want to let him go, so I don’t.
We step outside, and I smile. I don’t spend much time outside. I’ve never been an outside kind of person, but it’s nice from time to time. The morning weather is warm but not sweltering. It might only be April, but it’ll reach the high 80s at its peak. The sun is shining brightly, and for once, I don’t feel like cursing because it’s too bright.
“So…video games?” Milo nudges me, and my smile only grows.
We make our way to the waiting SUV, waving to Lucas and Mike before climbing inside and into the back row. The bench seat will allow one of the alphas to join us, while the remaining two will have to sit in the seats in the middle row.
By the time the three of them join us, we’ve discovered a mutual love of more than a few games.
“Sit with us?” I ask Daniel when he goes to take a seat in the middle row. He glances over his shoulder, assumedly at the other two alphas, before moving to take the seat beside me. “I don’t want you to feel bad about what happened earlier, and Milo has promised he won’t monopolize my time talking about video games.”
Milo leans forward to grin at the alpha. “It’s true, I did.”
Victoria’s eyes narrow as she twists to face her beta, suspicion clear on her face. “And what did he have to bribe you with for that?”
“Why, I never.” Milo holds a hand to his chest in mock surprise. “Believe it or not, I do listen to you from time to time.”
Eric scoffs. “Don’t let him fool either of you. Milo is the definition of a brat. Most things go in one ear and out the other.”
“And yet, you still love me.” Milo blows his big alpha a kiss before settling back into his seat. “Now, hush. This is about Remy getting to know all of us, and it’s Daniel’s turn. Tell us about yourself, Daniel.”
Daniel glances between Milo and me before shaking his head. “I hate this part of getting to know someone, so why don’t we do twenty questions? We can all do it. Since there’s five of us, that’s a lot of questions, so we can do it throughout the day.”
I nod eagerly. “I like the sound of that. Not the answering questions part but the rest of it.”
“You still have to answer the questions, Remy.” Milo snorts as he lays his head back. “This is your show, so you should ask the first question.”
I tap my finger against my lips as I consider my options. We definitely shouldn’t start out too hard.
“What’s your favorite color, Daniel?”
Lucas starts down the driveway as he answers, “Midnight blue—the dark, almost purple blue.”
As we head into Rancho Mirage, we continue asking questions of one another—although we each answer the original question as well. Eric’s favorite color is blue gray, Victoria’s a sunny yellow, Milo’s a deep maroon, and mine is emerald green. It takes us about thirty minutes to reach High Score, and in that time I find out that Daniel, Eric, and Milo are only children, and Victoria is the youngest of three kids.
I can’t help talking about my sister longer than I should, but what can I say? I love my big sister, and she’s another topic I could talk about all day long.
I also find out each of their favorite foods and if they prefer cats or dogs.
It’s so much easier talking about myself when the others are doing the same thing. Maybe I need to use twenty questions for each of my dates which is what has me turning to Daniel as the car comes to a stop.
“This was a brilliant idea,” I tell him. “You don’t mind if I steal this for my other dates, do you?”
Daniel smiles. “Do it. Especially if you’re like me and not great when it comes to talking about yourself.”
“I’m really not. As an omega, I’m supposed to want to be the center of attention, and to some extent, that’s true. But overall? I’m much more used to hiding in the background and going about my business. This is a whole new world to me.”
Milo squeezes my hand. “And there’s nothing wrong with this.”
“Remy and co,” Lucas’s voice is firm as he turns to face us. “Mike is heading inside to make sure everything is clear inside. We’ll wait in the car until he gives his okay, and only then will we make our way inside. Do you understand?”
“Of course, Lucas.” Bree warned me that security had been ramped up after everything Evangeline went through last season, so I’m not surprised by his words. The others seem a little more on edge about them.
“Is there a problem we should be aware of?” Victoria asks pointedly, leaning forward in her seat. Beside me, Daniel tenses and Eric turns his gaze out the window.
Lucas shakes his head. “No. There have been no threats or anything, but we’d rather be thorough. After the incidents last season, Bree and Tessa want to make sure we’re prepared and not just reacting to any situation that might pop up. You can expect this to be something that happens each time you’re off-property. It’s just to ensure not only Remy’s safety, but yours as well.”
Eric nods. “But you will keep us up to date if anything comes up, right?”
Lucas’s eyes find mine. “We will keep Remy up to date. It’s his decision who he shares the information with.”
Yet another reason I adore Bree and Tessa. They’re all about giving the power to the omega of the season. Everything is our choice.
“I will let everyone know if there’s anything to know.” I settle into my seat, knowing it’ll take a few minutes for Mike to sweep the entire arcade. When Lucas lifts his hand to his ear, I perk up. That should mean we can get on with our date.
“Mike has given the all clear, and the cameramen are also all set up.” Lucas flashes us a smile. “I’ll join you inside after I park the car. Remy, we can leave at any point if you want, and all you have to do is let me or Mike know. Otherwise, we’ll be leaving around four this afternoon.”
My seat belt is already off as I dive between the middle seats, aiming for the door. “Thank you!”
A hand grabs the back of my T-shirt, stopping my progress. Glancing over my shoulder, I realize it’s Eric, whose lap I’m currently half-sprawled across. “Remy, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d rather you allowed me, Victoria, or Daniel, to exit first.”
“Ummm…okay?” I don’t really get why, but it’s a pretty simple request, so who am I to deny him? But when I try to lift myself off his lap, he ends up drawing me closer until his chest is pressing against my back.
“Victoria will get out first, then Milo and Daniel. This way, we can make sure you’re safe as we go inside.” Eric’s words are gruff, but I can tell from his tone that he isn’t annoyed.
I toss him a smile over my shoulder, wiggling my hips a little. If he’s going to hold me like this, then I can at least have some fun while I’m here, right?
“Omega,” he growls as Victoria opens her door and climbs out. Milo is snickering as he squeezes between the two seats, followed by Daniel.
“Yes, alpha?” I bite my lip as I adjust myself on his lap again.
I’m not a small guy, not as small as some male omegas, but Eric makes me feel small, and I like that.
He scoffs. “You’re a brat just like Milo, aren’t you?”
Am I a brat? I don’t really know. Relationships haven’t really been something I’ve done much over the years.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly as he releases me. Climbing out of the car, I turn back to him. “Maybe. I’d like to find out, though.”
Victoria laughs, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. “And we’d love to help you discover it, Remy.”
She offers me her hand, and I take it, intertwining our fingers. She might be an alpha, but I’m so much bigger than she is—which I also like. Her hand feels tiny compared to mine, and it makes me wonder about how small her hand would look next to Eric’s.
Which leads me to thinking about both sets of hands caressing my naked skin.
I flush as my perfume fills the air, thankful that we’re outside. It would be much worse if we were in a closed off space.
“Shall we?” I ask, already leading Victoria toward the front door of High Score.
“We shall,” she answers, laughter still in her voice, but she doesn’t press me about where my thoughts have gone.
Mike nods as he opens the door for us to head inside. The three men trail behind us, and a grin takes over my face when we step into the open area of the arcade.
The place is massive, with games set up all over the first floor, as well as the second floor that looks down on where we’re standing.
“Hello!” A cute pixie of a woman with bright pink hair skips over to us with a smile on her face. “You must be Remy. My name is Noel. My pack and I run High Score, and we’re so excited you chose us for your first date.”
“Hi, Noel. I’m really excited about this place. I haven’t been here before, but I loved the way the place looked on the website, so I’m super excited.” I don’t release Victoria’s hand as I reach forward to shake Noel’s hand. “This is Victoria, Daniel, Eric, and Milo. They’re my dates for the day.”
Noel waves to each of them, her smile never dimming before she plucks five cards from her pocket. “These are for you. There are unlimited plays on these cards, so you’ll be able to play to your heart’s desire. Lunch is scheduled for around one, but if you get hungry before then, just let me know. We have an attached restaurant and you’ll be able to choose from our full menu before returning to games. If you play any of the ticketed games, you’ll be able to turn them in at the end of the day for prizes.”
“Ohhhh, this just got interesting,” Victoria purrs, glancing over her shoulder. “Anyone interested in seeing who can get the prize for Remy?”
“Hell, yes!” Milo shouts as he moves to stand beside me. “Although Remy and I might be too busy playing the non-ticketed games.”
I snort. “And what if I win the best prize for myself?”
“Then obviously you’re the winner,” Daniel says with a grin, taking the cards from Noel. “Thank you, Noel. We really appreciate you taking care of us.”
She nods. “I’ll be around if you have any issues. My entire pack is here—they’re just in the office. We wanted to give you as much privacy as we can, but if you need anything, the phone number is on the back of those cards. Just give us a call and one of us—most likely me—will come out to help.”
“Thank you again.” I wave as she bounces away, ducking behind a counter and out of view.
“So, what do you want to do first, Remy?” Eric’s deep voice tells me he’s much closer than he was before.
I shrug. “For now? I want to look around and see what catches my fancy.”
The five of us step further into the arcade, splitting up as we check out the various games available. When I find a racing game, my ass is in the seat without a thought.
“Mind if I join you?” I look up to find Daniel standing next to the seat next to mine, and I gesture for him to join me. I beat him the first two rounds before the others end up joining us. There are five attached games, making it easy for us to play together.
When Daniel wins the next round, I narrow my eyes at him. “Were you letting me win?”
He shakes his head. “Absolutely not. I would never. I just had to relearn how to play. Now, let’s play again and see if one of these other slackers can beat us.”
And that’s how the rest of the afternoon goes. I’m never alone, but it’s not the five of us all at once the entire time. We all split off to play different games, as I learn a little more about each of them.
I’m glad Noel scheduled a time for lunch because I would’ve forgotten about eating if she hadn’t come looking for us. Their menu is basic bar food but we get one of each of the appetizers, plus our own meals, and everything is delicious—especially my burger and fries.
Then we head back to the games, and I’m surprised to learn that Eric is a secret dancer or something. He dominates all of us at one of the dancing games, and it’s possible I perfume a time or two while watching.
It’s really not my fault.
I dare an omega to not be turned on watching that big, sexy body moving so smoothly and not get turned on.
An impossible task, I assure you.
Noel startles me when she claps her hand. I have no idea where the hell she even came from. “Okay, everyone. It’s nearly four, so if you’d like to bring your cards over to the prize area, we’ll get you all sorted out. Well, once they’re done with that game.”
We watch as Eric destroys Milo again at the dancing game before following her across the arcade. I hand her my card which she scans.
“Okay, Remy, you have 121 tickets. You’ll be able to choose a prize from one of these sections.” She points to the smaller prizes, and I shrug.
I definitely wasn’t worrying about winning tickets. “Just give me a mixture of the candies.”
Noel nods, grabs a small bag, and fills it up before handing it to me. “Who’s next?”
“Remy, would you mind waiting with Lucas while we pick out your prizes?” Daniel asks, his cheeks turning pink. “We want them to be a surprise.”
“I’ll never turn down surprises. Thank you again for everything, Noel. I had a blast today.” With a final wave in her direction, I turn on my heels and head over to Lucas and Mike, who are both waiting by the door.
“Just about ready?” Lucas asks, and I nod. “Mike, why don’t you get the SUV and wait out front?”
Mike doesn’t say anything, giving a brief nod before pushing out the door.
They take less than ten minutes to pick out their prizes. As they walk over to us, I realize they’re all hiding something behind their backs.
“Do I get to know who won the most tickets?”
“Nope,” Milo pops his P. “Because it’s not about who spent the most tickets, but who gave the best gift.”
I hold up my hands, shaking my head. “Oh, no. I’m not choosing. Do you want me to have a panic attack at the end of our date?”
Eric steps forward, pressing his big hand to my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Remy. We don’t expect you to choose anything. We’re all thrilled with our choices. We all chose something we thought you’d enjoy. There’s no pressure from any of us—even if you don’t like it. It’s just a bit of competitive fun for us.”
“Yeah, okay.” I suck in a deep breath, hoping he’s telling the truth. The last thing I need is to have a panic attack.
Eric stares at me for a moment before shoving something into my hands and ducking away. Before I even glance down at what he’s given me, I’m smiling. It feels so soft against my skin.
Glancing down, I find it’s a dark green blanket. My smile only grows as I lift it to my face and run it over my skin.
Gods, I love a good blanket.
“Oh, this is beautiful and so soft. Thank you, Eric. I’m going to add it to my nest when we get back to the compound.”
When I turn my attention back to him, I find him standing there with a puffed-out chest, obviously proud of himself.
“Who’s next?”
Daniel brings me an emerald green leather-bound notebook. “I’m sure you always need somewhere to take notes.”
“I do, and this is my favorite color. Thank you, Daniel.”
Victoria is the next to step forward, handing me a board game. I grin when I see it’s a trivia game. “I love trivia! Oh, and it’s about science. Wow, this is fabulous.”
“I’m glad you like it,” is all she says before stepping aside so Milo can take her place.
He’s practically vibrating with excitement. “And what do you have for me?”
“Only the best thing ever.” Milo pulls a large plush duck from behind his back. It looks like a rubber duckie, but it’s much larger and clearly not made of rubber. It’s also black and has horns curling from its head.
Even though I’m an omega, plushies usually aren’t my thing, but this one? I fall in love with it immediately.
“Oh, my gods! This is amazing.” I yank it from Milo’s hands, inspecting it before brushing it against my cheek. “Holy shit, this is even softer than the blanket.”
“I did good, didn’t I?” Milo asks, and I snort when Victoria slaps his arm.
“We said no pressure, Milo. You don’t have to be the best at everything.” She rolls her eyes before shooting me an apologetic look. “I’d apologize for him, but if I start now, I’ll never stop.”
I shake my head. “He’s okay.”
Taking a step forward, I brush my lips against his cheek. “Thank you, Milo. It was a very thoughtful gift.” I step back and move to each of my dates until I’ve kissed each of their cheeks.
Choosing a prize for me and not themselves is probably one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me outside of my family.
Lucas clears his throat. “I hate to break up all of this, but we need to head back to the compound so you can all get ready for your night ahead.”
“Right, of course. I get to put on another monkey suit. Joy!”
Eric chuckles, wrapping his arm around my shoulders as we follow Lucas out the door. “Would you like me to carry your gifts for you, Remy?”
“Sure. Thank you.” It’s not that I need him to carry them for me—none of it is overly heavy—but it’s clear he wants to carry them for me, and once again, I see no reason to say no.
The ride back to the compound is uneventful, and as we step inside, I find Bree and Tessa waiting for me.
It would seem we’re back later than we should’ve been.
Oops.
I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a female omega who needs hair and makeup done. Plus struggling into a dress?
No, thank you.
Being a male omega is weird because while we can be what an alpha needs, we can’t provide male alphas with children. With the number of omegas dwindling each year, no pack wants to turn down an omega they click with, but they want someone to carry on their legacy—which is even harder with there being fewer women of any designation.
Shaking myself out of my head, I turn back to my day one suitors. “I hope all of you had as good of a time as I did. It’s been really good getting to know all of you, but it’s time to get ready to meet the next set of suitors.”
“I had a lot more fun than I thought I would,” Daniel admits. “I don’t remember the last time I had as much fun, and that’s a reminder to myself that I need to take more time for myself. My job isn’t my life. So, thank you for that, and I look forward to seeing you on Saturday.”
He leans in, brushing his lips against mine, and I’m smiling when he pulls away.
“Well, damn. If he got a kiss, do we all get kisses?” Milo asks, wiggling his eyebrows at me, and I laugh as he grabs my hand. “I’m just kidding. Today was a blast, and I love how much we have in common. Thank you for spending just as much time with this lowly beta as you did the alphas.”
My smile immediately turns upside down. “You’re not a lowly beta.”
He lifts his free hand, placing it over my mouth. “No, I’m not. It was a joke, but I appreciate you looking out for me. I’ll be counting down the days until Saturday.”
Then he’s gone, being replaced by Victoria and Eric.
“Milo’s a lot,” Victoria says with a laugh, “but I loved watching you with him. You never once got annoyed with him, which is more than we can say about a lot of others. I appreciate that. I also enjoyed the date and letting loose. I’ll see you Saturday.”
With a kiss on my cheek, she leaves and then it’s just me and Eric.
“I’m not as good with my words,” he starts before clearing his throat. “That doesn’t matter, though. I like you, Remy, as a person and not just an omega. I can’t wait to get to know you better after you’ve met the rest of your suitors.”
Then he’s gone, leaving Tessa and Bree to drag me back to my suite as I realize I won’t get to see them again for days.
Well, that sucks.