Sable #2
What if she doesn’t want children? That's okay. I just need Sable. Everything else we can figure out together. The images for our future shift again, and with her making candles as I carve sculptures out of wood, and Taron yaps about his bar. The guy never shuts up…bet he’d shut up if his mouth was occupied by our omega.
Jesus. Our omega? I’m so fucked.
If it makes her happy, then that's all I care about. Sable coming home is a second chance. I won’t waste it.
But what can I offer her? I’m not like Taron. Not a rebel, or the town bad boy alpha with nothing to lose.
I could take care of her though.
The promise of it only lasts a moment before the image of my mom flashes before my eyes. It wasn’t enough to keep mom alive, so why the fuck do I think it’ll be enough to keep an omega happy…
Shit. I shake the dark thoughts off, focusing on my task. Just fix her porch. She doesn’t even want you anymore. Just friends.
Just friends…not pack. Not mates. Not ours. Not mine.
Sable
“Hope you don't mind that I made you brunch instead of breakfast. That took you longer than I expected,” I say over my shoulder, glancing back at Colter, who's sitting at my small island on one of the bar stools.
After my shower, I put on a simple t-shirt with cats on it, and cut off blue jean shorts.
I went with comfort, but maybe a small part of me liked the way Colter looked at my legs…
“You didn't have to cook, Sable, but I appreciate anything you make me.” Colter’s eyes are glued to me, so maybe the shorts are working.
There's this soft look on his face, and I'm surprised by how nervous it makes me.
His scent is calm, and reassuring, but there's almost a hint of sadness in his eyes, and I can’t tell why.
He’s been watching me intently for the last ten minutes. Once he finished the porch, I led him to the bathroom to clean up, and now he’s smothered in my pumpkin soap scent. When he was finished, I forced him to sit. He kept getting his big alpha self in my way as I tried to make us food.
If he hadn’t let me force him into the seat, I never would have gotten him to budge an inch. He’s like three times my size, if not more. Large, even for an alpha, but gentle. The thought makes me smile.
“I didn’t expect you to fix the porch, and the least I can do is make you food.
” How much did he spend on materials? It took him five hours to finish.
And I can’t lie, it looks amazing. He even added a handrail.
I should make him cookies too. “Do you like oatmeal cookies? I have some in the pantry if you want a few to hold you over while I finish?”
“No, thank you. I prefer sugar cookies,” he chuckles. “The holiday cookies are the best this time of year.”
Ooooh, he likes those super-sweet frosted cookies that come in fun shapes for Halloween and Christmas. “Like little bats,” I tease, but really I’m just fishing for information.
“Exactly.” He nods, smirking. Still staring at me, something unreadable in his expression. Does he look sad still, or am I reading too much into this?
“Do you not like sandwiches?” I ask, frowning down at my work. Maybe he’s upset about having to shove down food he hates to avoid upsetting an omega…
I toasted the bread and even made sure I wasn’t using mustard. I remembered he hates it. What am I doing wrong? Rejection burns my chest, and I nibble my lip nervously. Ugh, my scent sours at the thought that I’ve messed this all up. I should have just told him to scram…
“Your sandwiches look amazing, omega,” Colter says, his deep soothing voice much closer than before as his soothing scent washes over me.
Warm hands grip my shoulders firmly, kneading my muscles just right.
I relax into his warm touch, eyes falling shut as I rest my hands against the counter's edge.
“Did my scent give me away?” I whisper, hating that my instincts get the best of me sometimes.
“Little bit. What upset you?” he asks gently, still touching me. Standing so close. Smelling so good. I want to lean back into him. Let him hold me fully. Soak up his warmth and scent. Mark him with mine, so everyone will know he was with me. Oh hells, there go my wild ass instincts again.
“You looked sad. I thought maybe the sandwiches were wrong…” I admit, shame burning my chest. “Did you want something else?” I ask, looking back at him over my shoulder. Fuck, he’s so close. He frowns, watching me carefully.
“You could have made me Pop-Tarts, Angel, and I would be happy.” Colter clears his throat, “An omega taking care of me, um, just does things to my instincts, and I was trying not to overwhelm you,” he explains, and my eyes go wide as I spin in his arms, and he drops his hands from my shoulders to grip my hips softly.
Oh, fuck me sideways, that’s illegal. He can’t touch my bare skin with those big warm calloused hands.
“Oh shit, I didn’t even…oh shit,” I stammer, shaking my head. “You started it!” I accuse, poking his chest. “Why’d you come over looking all sexy and shit, taking care of me by fixing my porch and…and…”
“Sexy, huh? You think I’m sexy?” He grins, cutting off my rant, stepping closer and pressing my ass against the counter as I stare up at him.
“Oh, please, a leaf would find you sexy. You know you’re hot.
Why else would you wear this slutty little shirt?
” I tug on the cut-off sleeve and scoff.
“You wanted to rile me up.” I cross my arms over my chest, just to put a little more distance between us.
I need air, but every breath I take is filled with his increasingly musky scent.
“Did it work, Sable? Did you get all worked up for me?” he growls, hot breath caressing my skin as he leans into me, whispering in my ear.
Fucking obviously, I want to say.
Instead, old wounds cut themselves open to bleed at his feet. My seventeen-year-old inner omega at his mercy, just like the day he rejected me.
“You were my first kiss,” I murmur, watching him carefully.
He stiffens, pulling back slightly, but keeping his hands on my waist. “Why’d you kiss me, Colter?
” I ask, hating how vulnerable I feel right now.
But this is something I’ve been wondering for years.
Something I never got to ask before I moved away, too scared to hear his answer.
Not good enough. Not enough omega. Not the right kind of girl…
“Why kiss me, only to avoid me the next day, like I never even existed to you, and then tell me to stay away from you?” I can’t hide the pain in my voice or the way my scent burns like bitter pumpkin at the painful memories.
“Fuck, Angel,” Colter growls, his light hold turning into a bear hug in the blink of an eye as he envelops me in his warmth.
I press my face into his chest, his shirt still slightly damp from his sweat.
Something that should gross me out, but it’s soaked with his delicious scent, so instead, I have to resist licking him.
Fuck. I’m so weak.
“I was graduating in a few months,” Colter says softly, keeping one hand wrapped around me, but uses the other to tip my chin up until I’m looking him in the eyes.
“I was supposed to go to college out of state before my mom got sick. I thought I was doing the noble thing by letting you go before things got deeper,” Colter scoffs, shaking his head.
“And to be honest, one kiss was all I needed for me to know that if things got serious, I never would have been able to leave.”
“But then your mom got sick, and you stayed to take care of her.” I nod, understanding what happened next.
His life got turned upside down. His life plans were derailed, and he didn’t know what was next for himself, let alone a relationship that never was.
“I get it now. I still don’t like it, but I get it.
I’m sorry, Colter.” I hug him a little tighter.
Losing his mom must have been so horrible.
“You shouldn’t be apologizing to me. I should have been more honest with you that night at the football game.
You were so beautiful under the bright lights, and I was on a high after we won the game…
” He sighs, holding me so tight as he trembles slightly.
“I was the one that pursued you for weeks, flirting every chance I got. Then we kissed, and it felt like everything got tipped on its axis.”
“I know what you mean. That was my first kiss,” I admit.
“Mine too,” he blushes, a lopsided smile tugging at his lips and looking so cute.
My mouth pops open in surprise at his confession.
“I was young and dumb, and confused as hell. By the time I realized I wasn’t getting out of this town, and wanted to apologize for being a shithead, you had Taron.
And your Grams kept bragging about how proud of you she was that you were going to business school on the coast…
” He shakes his head, a forlorn look in his eyes that makes me ache to comfort him.
“And then I was the one getting left behind,” he sighs, meeting my eyes again.
“Young and dumb is a good way to describe it. Not just for you, but me too. Taron fucking hates me now,” I grumble, dropping my cheek against his chest for a little hit of comfort, needing it so badly. “At least you and Rhian can tolerate my presence.”
“Taron doesn’t hate you.” Colter chuckles, but I don’t argue. He didn’t see the alpha last night. He was less than pleased with my appearance, that’s for sure. Taron is going to avoid me like I carry the plague, and I can’t even blame him.
“You should eat your sandwich,” I say, spinning away from the comforting arms of the alpha.
It doesn’t matter who hates me, and who doesn’t. I can’t get myself entangled with these men again. No matter what my omega instincts are telling me.
Right? Fuck, I don’t know anymore.