2. Lorcan
CHAPTER 2
LORCAN
We piled in the rented car, Oisin by my side, already complaining it was too small, even though it was a seven seater.
I pushed to rent a car—it wasn’t a good impression to meet her for the first time in a fishy-smelling truck.
Her. Gabriela Fonseca, 26 years old. Brazilian, but her omega mother was Bolivian. Used to be a waitress, and now, she was ours.
That was it, all that we knew about our omega, the woman who was supposed to be our mate. I didn’t even know her face because I let Tadgh talk me into a surprise. I was heading to Dublin Airport with a stupid sign with her name scribbled on it like a fecking idiot.
I gripped the wheel and breathed in the late afternoon air. Her flight arrived in Dublin tonight; I didn’t want to be traveling too long with her and her daughter down the motorway.
Her daughter. That was another part of the puzzle I knew nothing about but her name and age. Alice, six years old.
They asked us about the kid like anything could be a dealbreaker. I was in love with the woman before I even set my eyes on her. I dreamed about the day I’d find my omega. Knowing she started a family without us hurt a little, but it just made me want to take care of her more.
Oisin messed with the radio, annoying Tadgh, who wanted to sleep in the back seat. I blocked out their noise. We were only an hour from Dublin, and my heart was hammering inside my chest.
I needed to see her. The mating call was unbearable, and she wasn’t even close. How was it going to be when she finally got here?
I was old, forty seven in May. I broke my back fishing, but it was a good distraction for years of solitude. To our little village, Dingle was the big town. That’s how little it was, so it wasn’t exactly a surprise that when I came of age, there was no one for me, not even a pack. Oisin was ten years younger, Tadgh fifteen. I was long thinking I’d never share my life with anyone. I was really alone. No woman, no pack, just me and the Atlantic.
When they came around and we formed a pack, it was a consolation. We knew we’d never get an omega, but brotherhood made life easier. Tolerable. We took to the seas every morning, working together and going home to an empty house.
And life was supposed to be like that until a month ago, when we got a call. An omega matched with us. She was in a little village in Bolivia, only twenty six years old.
I glanced in the rear view mirror, and an old man with gray hair stared back at me. What would a twenty six year old want with me?
Yes, I kept my self in shape, mainly because of the type of work I kept, but my eyes had lines, my hair almost completely grey. What if she thought I was too old?
“Can we stop at the garage?” Tadgh moaned from the backseat. “I need snacks.”
“We are almost there,” I said, still tense from my thoughts running amok.
Oisin glanced at the phone with a GPS and chuckled, “One hour to go.”
Tadgh groaned and, as usual I relented, turning on the next exit to a stop so Tadgh could get himself sweets or whatever he had in mind.
As they went shopping, I pumped gas and bought myself a coffee, leaning on the car while I waited.
In less than an hour, everything was about to change. Our lives were never going to be the same. The muscles in my arms bulged with the excitement I wasn’t showing in my face. I wasn’t good with my emotions, but if I wanted to keep an omega around, I had to learn.
And I’d do anything to keep her.
“Got you M&M peanuts even though you’re a dick,” Tadgh announced, throwing the yellow packet at me.
I caught it midair and grunted a thank you. They were my favorite.
Back to the car, I raced to Dublin.
To her.
Tadgh was watching a man beside us who carried a huge flower arrangement in his hands before he said, “Do you think we should get flowers?”
“Shit,” I cursed. Yes, we should.
“Fucking eejits,” Oisin followed.
I looked down to the sign in my hands, and I knew flowers were going to look better. I scanned the arrivals, my eyes stopping on a shop just to our right. It wasn’t going to be big and beautiful, but it was at least something.
“Oisin, go to the shop?—”
The words died on my lips when I saw her coming out of the gates. There was no mistake—that was Gabriela, I felt it in my bones.
Smooth brown complexion, curly hair piled on top of her head. She was dressed in simple black leggings, showing off her thick legs, and a jumper. Her eyes were big and brown, her bottom lip full. She was the most gorgeous thing I’d ever seen.
My heart stopped beating as she found me, her eyes moving over the sign I had in my hands to our expecting faces. She licked her lips and gripped the hand of the little girl beside her before marching our way.
The girl, Alice, was exactly like her mother, but her skin was a couple of tones darker and her hair braided. They had the same eyes, though, the same uncertain expression, as they reached us.
“Hi.” Her tone was raspy and low as she blinked twice, craning her neck up to look at me.
Jesus, she was breathtaking.
Her eyes left me and scanned my brothers, from Oisin to Tadgh. Tadgh opened a goofy smile, probably blinding her, but she was a good sport and smiled back, even if timid.
“This is Alice,” she said when none of us could utter a word.
My eyes fell to the girl, and I cleared my throat trying to say something clever.
Welcome to Ireland.
I’m glad you’re here.
I wasn’t sure what, but I wanted to say something.
As usual, though, words failed me. I wasn’t good at this but, fuck me, I wanted to be good.
Thankfully, Oisin was. He took the bags off them, passing them to me and Tadgh.
“We are so glad you’re here. How was your trip?”
“It was good.” She nodded and then cleared her throat. “It was our first time on a plane.”
“Oh, so that was very special,” Tadgh said, kneeling down to Alice. “Are you excited about Ireland?”
Gabriela tugged her daughter. “Ele esta perguntando se voce esta animada pra Irlanda?”
The girl nodded big at Tadgh, and he chuckled. “Well, I’m going to show you the best spots.”
Gabriela translated again and then turned to us with a little wince as she said. “She doesn’t speak English yet. But she’s very smart. I’ve been going through a few words with her.”
“That’s ok. We can teach her in time,” Oisin smoothed over. “Sorry, we never introduced ourselves. I’m Oisin, this is Tadgh, and this is Lorcan.”
“Oh,” Gabriela gasped and then giggled. “I had no idea how to pronounce your names. I was saying them wrong in my head all along.”
“I bet we say Gabriela wrong too,” Tadgh said.
She nodded. “Gabriela.” She emphasized the bri with a roll of her tongue.
I swallowed the groan going up my throat. I knew I wanted an omega, but I had no idea it was going to be her. She was too pretty, too perfect. Every brush of her face was perfectly designed. Her raspy tone with her Brazilian accent stirred something primal in me, and I was in the middle of the airport, in the world of betas who had no idea who we were.
And I wanted to eat her whole. I felt my knot swelling, heavy against the zipper, begging me to take her right in the middle of the airport. Her perfume reached me, and I was suddenly drunk on her scent. Cinnamon and sugar. She smelled like a baked good.
“Let’s head out,” Oisin interrupted my perverted dreams. “We have a quite road ahead. Did Teresa tell you about where we’re going?”
Gabriela nodded and followed him, passing in front of me with an uncertainty I didn’t like. I wanted her to jump into my arms and feel at home. Instead, she was looking at me like I was a stranger.
And I was.
Shit, I knew I was, but in my heart, I felt like hers.
Tadgh grabbed Alice’s hand, and Gabriela followed Oisin, telling him what she knew about Ireland.
Me?
I stayed behind, realizing I hadn’t said a word to her.