Chapter 4 Timber
Timber
“Are you going to make me carry all of these?” I ask, and Luke just grins.
“Come on, you’re a big, strong alpha who can toss toddlers like they're juggling balls. Surely you can handle a little bag or two?”
“There’s enough here to feed a family of ten. Do you really need this much?” I have four heavy paper bags hanging from each forearm.
“No, but you eat a lot and you’re here, so I don’t want to waste your muscles!” Luke laughs before spinning around and walking off.
I don’t think I can stand it much longer. There’s too much about him that’s attractive. My body is naturally drawn to him, and today is the first time he’s smiled since I confessed that I know he’s an omega.
I thought he was avoiding me because his sister told him what happened at the restaurant, but he hasn’t mentioned anything about it. In fact, he’s been completely normal, for Luke, that is.
It’s only when we came to the market, and I watched him interact with people, that I realized I’ve only ever seen him in my house. Apart from the first time in Marilyn’s office, and he’d acted formally back then.
The worst thing is learning that the way he treats me isn’t actually anything special.
He flirts with everyone he talks to, tells jokes, and laughs at theirs with the same sparkle in his eye he has for me.
While he’s having fun chatting with people and exchanging stories, I stand behind him like some tagalong, getting more awkward and possessive with every new person we meet.
Luke says he’s only been visiting this market since he moved in with me, but every stall owner acts like an old friend, and each one of them meets him with a cheerful smile.
I honestly thought I was the only one he played with and teased. I definitely found it fucking annoying at first, and I thought he was deliberately leading me on. I assumed he was playing the same tricks as my ex-wife by getting me to fall for him and then using me.
But he’s just been acting like himself.
I’ve been so furious and so insanely wound up over him because of all the things he’s done to me, but it looks like it means nothing to him at all. And I don’t know how to take it…
Until now, when he’s leading me through the crowd of people. It seems like he’s heading to the edge of the market, but I can’t be sure. He walks confidently, not looking back, his body ramrod straight.
I’m begging my cock to stay the fuck down because my alpha side is rearing up. It honestly feels like I’m going to go into rut if he gives me one more silky smile.
I thought seeing him treat everyone the same was the worst part about coming to the market with him. That was until he started slicking, and I nearly tumbled to the ground.
It’s so fucking hard not to grab him and lift him so I can bury my face between his legs. I could taste him in the oatmeal, on my bed, and even in that drop of hot chocolate by his lip, but that was all direct contact, in one way or another.
In this sea of emptiness, where the last scent I remember was my own sweat and the tang of blood ten years ago, maple syrup curls from him like a mist.
As I trail behind him, it wafts off him like he’s signaling that he’s ready for his alpha.
When I bit into the pear, I swear I tasted traces of maple syrup, but the juice ran over my tongue so quickly that I couldn’t tell if I was imagining it.
Now? There’s no denying it.
I speed up, walking right behind him, so close I could hold him if it weren’t for these fucking bags. One deep inhale, and my knees shudder as his maple syrup grows stronger with every step.
He’s acting like nothing is happening, even though his scent is strong enough that alphas glance at him as we pass. I throw every one of them a look that promises I’ll fucking end them if they even try to talk to him.
I won’t let anyone else near him when he’s slicking because of me.
I found out it’s common for identical twins to have matching scents, and for twins to scent match with the same people, which makes it even harder to separate Ollie and Luke. If that’s the case, does that mean Luke is Kane’s match as well?
Those thoughts have twisted my mind since I met Ollie. Even though I’m forcing the lie that I don’t want another mate, I’m also greedy enough to wonder if I can bond with two omegas.
I want to find another way to meet her without being direct about it. Telling Luke outright that I’m still thinking about his sister after sucking on his pear and making him slick is pretty sleazy.
I draw nearer, almost pressing myself against his back, making sure no one can come between us as I lean down.
“How far are we going?” I ask, my lips nearly brushing his ear. He flinches, and the way that the scent of his slick grows thicker has a small growl rumbling from me. If I let myself go, I’ll grab him and drag him off to the woodland on the other side of the market.
I know he hears it, and I love the way his shoulders tense like he’s trying to control himself. I hear his sharp inhale as he misses a step.
I’ve been so wound up about how he’s screwing with me, I didn’t stop to think about what kind of effect I have on him.
What would he do if I told him how badly I want to fuck him?
“Not much further now. I just want some honey, and then you can go back,” he says stiffly, glancing at me over his shoulder.
“I can?”
“Yes, there’s another errand I need to run, but it’s omegas only.”
The desire that had been winding through me is dampened. We’ve never actually talked about him being an omega. I just remember accusing him when I was drunk, but this is the first time he’s openly said it.
“Didn’t I tell you I wouldn’t leave you alone? Who knows what you could be up to?”
The pink on his cheeks grows stronger as I growl again.
“I just want some time to myself. I don’t know if you’re aware, but you’re pretty intense for an alpha.”
He shoots off before I can reply, and I have to stride to keep up with him. It’s dawning on me that Luke could be as defenseless to this as I am.
Ollie went crazy when I first kissed her, and I still wonder if Luke would be the same. When I imagine kissing him, he always keeps that suave persona of his, that he’d be confident, cool, and even in charge.
The Luke hurrying away from me with his head down feels different. A rush of power goes through me at the thought that I might shake him up as much as he does with me.
I was patiently waiting to catch him in the act, but what if I made the first move?
The security footage of us drinking on the balcony is something else that’s convinced me. I can’t get rid of the sight of Luke rubbing his cheek against my chest, proving that he’s up to something.
I know Carys was upset when she found out an omega was scent marking me without permission, but this feels different.
It was too dark to see his expression in the video, but you don’t kiss someone’s forehead that tenderly unless you have feelings for them, I’m sure.
So what other tests can I do to find out what kind of effect I have on him?
From the way his slick smells, I wonder if I can just drag him back to the car and kiss him. But it’s completely in the other direction. We’d have to wade through the crowd, and I can’t wait that long.
By the time we’re at the honey stall, something has changed.
The smirking Luke is back, chatting to the woman running it.
I watch him closely to see if I can pick up on any signs that he’s aware of me, but nothing happens.
Not that I’m the best person to judge if someone is attracted to them, considering I’ve only been in one long-term relationship.
I never even dated in high school because I was so focused on hockey.
“We have some new honeys this season. I’m especially excited about the clover, avocado, and our classic lavender honey,” the woman says, holding up a jar that has the purple flower clearly stamped on it.
A ripple goes through me as Luke’s expression changes.
He reaches for it straight away, turning the jar around in his hands. “Can I have a sample of this?” he asks.
The woman hands Luke a small plastic spoon with a golden glob of honey on the end.
He brings it up to his nose, and I wish I could smell it to see what the hell was making him smile so happily.
I don’t want to admit I like the idea of him being obsessed with Kane’s scent. I wish I knew if they’ve met or if Luke has only heard about him through his sister.
Until I think about how I’ve returned from the rink after Kane has scent marked me, and my stomach drops.
Kane says for sure that Ollie is his scent match, but how does Luke feel every time he scents lavender on me?
He’s already lifting the spoon to his mouth by the time I snap out of it. I’m looking for ways to test Luke, and this is perfect. I don’t want him wound up over lavender, and it gives me an excuse to press myself against him.
I lean over him, my chest grazing his shoulders, and I love the way he gasps. I quickly suck the sticky liquid off the spoon, not giving him a chance to taste it.
He turns, his eyes widening as he loses his concentration again, and I’m sure I have him. His lips part, and he stares at me, frozen in place. The tension comes back, that tight feeling of potential that hangs there as I feed into his gaze.
Pressing close to him, I dip my head further, but he catches himself, and the shock seeps from his face, shifting back to mischief.
He smirks as he pulls the spoon back from me, and the little shit doesn’t miss a beat as he presses it into his mouth. His cheeks flush, sending need racing through me. The urge to grab him is getting harder to resist.
How can I say Luke doesn’t feel anything for me when he’s looking at me like that? Is it okay to push and ask him for something more when he sticks out his tongue, laughing as he pulls the spoon away to reveal his shining piercing beneath?
“That’s great,” he purrs before turning back to the stall owner. “It tastes fantastic; we’ll take a jar of the lavender.”