5. James
James
“I should get you home,” I say to her. I don’t want to break this moment. She looks so happy to just be sitting here with me and enjoying the summer air. Like there’s nowhere else she’d rather be. Like we can just enjoy the same space together.
Luna is the epitome of what an Omega should be, and I can’t help but find myself attracted to her and her eagerness. I’ve known that Ian is attracted to her, I mean we all are, she’s beautiful. But there’s a difference between being attracted to someone and actually pursuing them as a partner.
I could sense in her answers that maybe we’re this pack that she wants but can’t have. Maybe I’m projecting, but I’m hopeful.
She grimaces and rubs some sand off her dress, which is currently exposing a good portion of her thigh. I look up and meet her gaze. “Do I have to?”
“Do you want to come back to our place?”
Luna bites her lip and contemplates it for a few moments.
“No, that’s okay. You can take me home.”
“Is your mom going to be pissed?” I ask.
She sighs and nods. “More than likely.”
“What pack was it?” I ask for nefarious reasons, but Luna doesn’t need to know that.
“Pack Thompson. Do you know them?” she asks, and I sigh.
“Teddy used to be a good friend.”
“I just wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and take him away from them. They were horrible people. They specifically told me the only reason they wanted a female Omega was to have a baby.”
I keep my temper in check but shake my head. “That’s fucked up.”
I climb down the lifeguard chair first and hold my hands up to her. She smiles, and I’m sad I don’t get a view of her black panties on the way down. But touching her waist and putting her down on her feet makes up for it.
Her breath stills as I squeeze against her soft flesh.
Normally, other Omega scents are just background noise, but her lavender and vanilla scent has my dick hard and has me wanting to touch her even more.
Against what my body wants, I let go, and she clears her throat.
A gentle flush spreads along her cheeks as she gives me a soft smile.
“The offer still stands. If Margo gives you too much shit, you can stay at our place.”
“Thanks, James,” she says, and I’m glad she at least didn’t say something about how we wouldn’t want her there or something self-depreciating.
Luna has a lot of negative thoughts to unlearn.
I can’t imagine what living with a mother who is so jealous of her own daughter is like.
It’s evident to me that Luna is what Margo always wanted for herself, and instead of supporting her daughter and helping her grow, she lashes out and puts her down at every opportunity.
The car ride back to Luna’s house is quiet but comfortable.
I was on board with giving Ian the greenlight before I even had this alone time with Luna.
But now I can’t help but want her for myself.
I’ve never felt protective over a person before, and it feels nice.
It feels purposeful. It’s not like where Ezra and Ian biologically are wired to want me.
If Luna wants me, it will just be because she wants me—wants all of us.
I pull up to the ostentatious house in the gated beach community, and Luna sighs as she looks at the front door. She turns to face me, giving me a soft smile.
“Don’t forget about dinner,” she says, and I nod.
“We’ll be here.”
“Good.” She looks as though she’s about to lean over and hug me, but she doesn’t. She just shakes her head and opens the car door. She leans down, holding the door open. “Thanks again for the ride and the Skittles,” she says with a smile, and I can’t help the small smirk that takes over my face.
“Anytime.” She nods, shutting the door and gathering her keys out of her purse. Her calves flex with every step to the front door. Luna gives me a small wave before entering the house and shutting the door behind her.
I spend the drive thinking of what exactly I’m going to say to my pack when I get home. While what I said to Luna is true that I have a looser leash than most Omegas, I was only supposed to only be gone for an hour. Whoops.
As soon as I put the code into our front door, it’s like Ezra and Ian are both running to the foyer.
“Where have you been?” Ian asks in his dominating voice. He’s lucky I like it in the bedroom, or I would tell him to go fuck himself.
“Yeah, where—” Ezra stops and tilts his head as he looks at me. “You’ve been with Luna?” Ian’s anger drops from his face as he looks at me and crosses his arms.
“I was,” I say, liking this game of having the upper hand.
“Why?” Ian asks.
“Obviously I declared our intentions and told her that her stepbrother has been wanting to fuck her for the last two years.” Ian’s eyes go wide as he stares at me. “No, I didn’t say any of that, calm the fuck down.”
I push past both of them, heading to the kitchen and pulling out some cheese. Ezra has crackers on the table before I can even ask for them. I give him a small smile as I start to snack.
Ian sits at the counter across from me. “So?” he asks softly this time, not being a domineering Alpha like usual.
“It was all by chance. She was on a date—”
“She was on a date?” Ian asks, panic written all over his face.
“If you would let me finish.” His cheeks heat, properly scolded. “She was on a date, it went bad. I ran into her when she was eating ice cream on the curb. She didn’t want to go home, so I took her to my spot, and we talked for a little bit.”
“What happened on the date?” Ezra asks.
I stuff a huge chunk of cheese in my mouth and chew before answering.
“Something you might want to handle, Ian.” He stands up, and I smirk to myself.
Nothing is hotter to me than when Ian loses his shit a little bit.
He’s usually such a composed business man, but the Alpha does have a temper, especially for the ones he cares about.
It shouldn’t be such a turn on, but it is.
“What’s that?” he says, acting indifferent, but I can tell he’s eager to know who might have offended our little Luna.
“Pack Thompson basically said all she was good for was breeding. Her wrist was also red.”
“She told you this?”
“Sure did, and she definitely seemed like she didn’t want to go home.”
“I don’t blame her. Margo is such a cunt,” Ezra says.
“I don’t think she gets the impression that she is welcome,” I say to Ian, and his anger turns to a bit of sadness as he rubs his stubble. I’m not great at comforting my Alphas. It’s part of why I think Luna would be so great for our pack. She’d be able to fill a void that I can’t.
But I do my best and put a piece of cheese on a cracker and slide it over to him. He takes it and eats slowly.
“We have to do something.”
“About what, Pack Thompson or Luna?”
“Both,” Ian grumbles.
“Which one first, mate?” Ezra asks.
A slick-inducing grin takes over his face. “Pack Thompson, of course.”
I’m nearly bouncing in my seat to be included in something like this.
Usually they would want me to stay at home and tend to my plants.
But not this time. This time it’s a personal offense to our whole pack, and I get a front row seat.
One of the many perks of being with Ian is that to a certain degree, he owns this town—literally.
He owns a huge majority of commercial buildings throughout town.
And the building that Jordan Thompson wants to purchase for his private practice just so happens to be owned by one Ian Martinez.
Ian inherited a lot of money and property when his mother passed, seeing as she was a single child from a large pack household.
He’s nearly tripled his earnings since taking everything over at eighteen.
“I feel like you’re more excited than you were on Christmas,” Ezra says to me. His hand is close to mine but not touching. It makes me feel guilty. I should be better at this. I reach out and touch his hand, and he smiles, squeezing my palm.
“Watching Ian destroy someone is basically a gift. Especially when they deserve it.”
Ezra hums as he sits down in the office. Ian is adjusting his suit jacket. Damn, does that man rock a fucking suit. He gives me a slight smirk before the door opens. In comes Jordan and José, they start talking, not knowing that we’re here and waiting.
“This would be the waiting room. I’d like it to be nautical but not tacky. Maybe Teddy can be the receptionist.”
“Not with the way he follows directions.” I scoff, and that’s when the two Alphas turn around. Jordan gives Ian a wide smile and shakes his hand.
“Mr. Martinez, I didn’t know you would be here today.”
“Mr. Thompson. Please, take a seat.” Jordan and José both take their seats in front of Ian, who stands. It’s a power move, and I like it.
“Is everything all right with the lease and inspections?” Jordan asks.
Ian picks up a piece of paper, it’s not the lease, just some random document. He looks it over, rubbing his chin and then looking at the men in front of him. “Oh, about that. It’s not happening.”
“What do you mean it’s not happening?” Jordan says, his voice getting louder.
“I’m no longer renting you the space.”
“But we signed the lease,” Jordan says.
“It hasn’t been notarized, and your deposit hasn’t been cleared. So no, it’s not finalized, and I will not be renting you the space.”
“I’ve already ordered stuff specifically for this place. Is there another offer? I’ll beat it.”
Ian shrugs, acting completely indifferent. “No other offers.”
“What the fuck are you playing at?” Jordan says, now standing.
Ian grins. He’s still taller than Jordan by a few inches. “What I’m fucking playing at is that I’m not renting you the space. Or any place in town, if I have any say in it.”
“You can’t do this!”
“I sure can.”
“José?” He looks down at his packmate, the lawyer, who shrugs.
“He doesn’t have to rent you any of his properties. It’s only an issue if he blacklists you from other renters.”
Ian grins. “Not many commercial properties available right now.”
Jordan is nearly sputtering with rage. “What the fuck, Martinez? What did I do to you?”
“That little blonde you went out with last night?” Ian says.
“Yeah, she had no fucking manners. What about that ungrateful, little bitch?” Jordan says.
Ian smiles, his face right in front of Jordan’s. “Well, that little bitch is mine, and you hurt her feelings. So now I’m hurting yours.”
“All of this over—” Ian grabs Jordan by the throat, and my eyes widen. Ezra clears his throat next to me because I’m clearly perfuming at the wrong fucking time.
“Wouldn’t finish that thought, Thompson.
So take your packmate and get the fuck out of my face.
You ever talk to Luna again and I’ll get a little more clever on ways to fuck your shit up.
” He lets him go, and the Alpha rubs his throat, glaring at Ian.
He grabs the other Alpha’s hand as they leave the office space.
Ian spins on his heel and gives me a feral grin, his pupils wide as he takes in my scent. “Liked that, didn’t you, baby?
“Take your suit off,” I demand, licking my lips.