6. Reassurances
Reassurances
Emilia
"Hey, guys? We need to have a family meeting before Candace gets here tomorrow," Daryl said.
They'd all come in from work and were about to go out again to meet Candace. I sat on the sofa in my usual spot, sipping some wine and staring at the television without seeing much at all. Just knowing I was getting left behind again was weighing on me.
"Sure, but let's make it quick," Rory said, bouncing on his toes. "We don't want to be late."
"Sit down," Daryl said. He took his place beside me and I leaned into his comfort. "Emilia is feeling out of sorts with all the changes going on, so I thought we should reassure her."
Jake smiled at me. "I get it, you feel like we've chosen someone else, but it was actually fate. You'd understand if you had scentmatches."
"Is this why you wouldn't bite me?" I asked quietly. "You were waiting for a scentmatch?"
"We were hoping, but there was no guarantee, of course."
"Are you sending me away?" I asked. Daryl had assured me that wouldn't happen, but the others hadn't talked to me about it.
"I think we can all agree that things are going very smoothly with us right now.
I don't see why we would change that," Jake said.
"Candace will find her place here, but she's a bit more sophisticated and enjoys going out and dancing, things like that.
She's already told us that she has no idea how to cook, so your place in the kitchen is secure. "
I stared at him. They'd never offered to take me out, so why would they assume I didn't enjoy it?
Before I could say anything, Rory spoke up. "We'll still sleep with you when needed, so don't worry about that. And heats, of course."
"So, sex and cooking?" I croaked.
"Stick to what you're good at, right?" Rory winked at me. "And you are very good."
"Shit, we have to get going." Jake jumped up from his seat. "See you later, sweetheart."
Daryl gave me a kiss and then they were gone, leaving me on my own.
I didn't bother with dinner. Instead, I headed to Daryl's room and enjoyed soaking in the tub for a while before I crawled into his bed. His beta scent wasn't as strong as the others, but it was comforting in a way that Jake's wasn't. I breathed it in and let his scent carry me off to sleep.
Hours later, I woke to Daryl climbing into bed with me. He had stripped naked before he got under the blankets, but the geranium scent clung to him.
"Can you shower first?"
"Baby, I'm too tired."
"Did you fuck her?" I sat up, suddenly realizing why the geranium was so strong.
"She's our scentmatch," he groaned. "It's going to happen."
"I know, I know." I slid out from under the covers, feeling the tears starting already. "I'm sorry."
He was already snoring when I stumbled downstairs to my tiny room. Candace's scent was all the way down the stairs, as if they'd bathed in her perfume and spread it everywhere. I knew I'd have to get used to it, since she'd be living here shortly, but I wasn't sure how I was going to stand it.
It took a long time to fall asleep after that and when I got up in the morning, all three men had already left for work. Daryl was on an overnight flight, leaving me alone to overthink everything.
I spent the day tidying and organizing everything in the house. Then I went outside to spend some time in the sunshine. I didn't get enough sun these days. My Vitamin D was probably low.
Settling into the hammock on the back deck, I closed my eyes and tried to relax. At least, until something cold and wet touched my hand and I screamed, tried to get up and fell out of the hammock. My legs were still twisted up when I lifted myself on my elbows and looked around.
A friendly-looking golden retriever sat next to me, a wide smile on her face, as if she thought I'd enjoyed being scared half to death.
"I'm so sorry!" A man with long curly auburn hair came bounding across the grass. "There's a hole in your fence and Gertie just went for it."
"It's okay, she just startled me." I tried to twist myself around to get out of the netting.
"Let me help you." The man bent to lift me effortlessly in one arm while he flipped the hammock with the other. As soon as he'd freed my legs, he set me on the deck. "Are you okay?"
He smelled amazing, like black currants and a hint of jasmine, but it was softer than an alpha's scent. Was this man an omega?
"I'm fine. Just a bit embarrassed. Who gets caught up in a freaking hammock?"
He grinned and I stared, trying to figure out why he looked so familiar.
"Do I know you?"
"Uh, no." The omega winced, then held out a hand. "I'm Oren. My pack just moved in next door."
"Emilia." I took his hand, feeling the smooth skin that meant he absolutely did not work with his hands. "My pack lives here. Sort of."
Oren raised an eyebrow.
"OREN!" Someone shouted from the next yard. A second man, this one with white blond hair, popped his head over the fence. "Oh, for fuck's sake, did Gertie find a hole?"
"Sure did." Oren chuckled. "Hey, Jude, this is Emilia, our neighbor who sort of lives here."
"Sort of?" Jude hopped over the fence and strode over to inspect me. "How do you sort of live in a house?"
"I meant the pack is sort of mine."
Jude cocked his head. "Huh. They do that to your face?"
"Jude!" Oren smacked the beta. "You can't say stuff like that."
"I just did." Jude turned back to me, the look in his eyes fierce. "Say the word and I will take your sort of pack down."
Surprised, I let out a snort. "Thanks, but the scar is from a car accident. Long story, but it was actually an accident."
"Well, that sucks, I'm sorry." Oren gave me a sympathetic look.
Gertie chose that moment to stroll over and then stand up, placing both front paws on my chest.
"Oh my god, we're making the worst impression ever," Oren groaned. "Gertie, get your paws off our neighbor's boobs."
Gertie licked my face once, on the scarred side and dropped back to all fours. She apparently approved of my appearance.
"Well, are you busy?" Oren asked.
Jude was still staring at me, but for some reason it didn't make me uncomfortable like it normally would.
"Um, not really?"
"Great. I made lemonade earlier and it's hot out here, so want to come over and have some with us? We can be civilized, I promise. Well, maybe not Jude, but the rest of us."
"How many of you are there?"
"Four, plus Gertie," Oren answered. "So, will you come over?"
"Sure, why not?" I had nothing better to do and it was the neighborly thing to do, right?
I was about to go around to the front of the house, but Oren hopped over the fence and held out his hands. "Jude, help her over."
Jude wasted no time in grabbing my waist and hoisting me over the fence into Oren's waiting arms. I could have sworn something electrical shot through me as each man touched me.
They weren't even touching my skin and I felt prickles everywhere.
And Jude's Earl Grey scent swirled around me in a way that made me feel alive. There was something about these men…
"So, I'm an omega, as you've probably guessed. Jude is the grumpiest beta in the world, and then we have Grayson and Santi. They're both alphas, but they're nicer than Jude."
"I'm nice," Jude protested.
"You're weird as fuck, Jude," Oren told him, with a sidelong look.
"Weird is not the same as grumpy," Jude pointed out.
I chuckled. "I cannot wait to see what your pack dynamic is."
"Crazy," Oren admitted. "But fun."
We walked into their house through the back door, with Gertie bounding ahead of us into the kitchen.
Their house was somewhat similar to ours in layout, but the colors here were warm and inviting.
Rich ochres and deep forest green made the living room feel more alive than ours.
And their furniture went along with it, mismatched, but somehow comfortable looking.
"Here you are." Oren handed me a frosty glass of lemonade. He gave one to Jude a moment later. "Want to sit on the deck?"
"Sure. I was out there to get some Vitamin D," I said, sipping the drink. It was perfect, tart with just the right amount of sugar. "Is there mint in this?"
"Yes! I learned that from my gramma. She was the best cook in the world."
"It's very good."
We settled into the outdoor chairs and watched Gertie running wildly around the backyard.
"When did you move in?" I asked.
"A week ago. I'm surprised you didn't see the moving truck."
"I've been a little distracted," I admitted.
"Wouldn't have anything to do with the other omega your alphas have been hanging around, would it?" Jude asked.
"How do you know about Candace?" I raised an eyebrow.
Jude gazed back at me with eyes so pale they were nearly transparent. "I see things. I smell things. They were at the same restaurant we went to the other night." He tilted his head again. "You weren't with them."
"No, I stayed home."
"Why?"
I shrugged. "They didn't invite me and I don't really like being around her. She smells funny."
"You smell delightful," Jude said with a crooked smile.
"Thanks."
"How long have you lived there?" Oren asked. "Know any juicy gossip about the neighborhood?"
"You're actually the first neighbors I've met." Now that I thought about it, that was kind of weird. "I moved in a year ago."
Jude and Oren exchanged looks. It was so quick that I almost missed it.
"Well, since we're your first neighbors, I hope we make it worth your time to get to know us," Oren told me. "You're welcome over here any time."
Grateful to leave the subject of Candace behind, I thanked him and scratched Gertie's head when she came and sat next to me. Maybe all I needed were some friends. Especially ones that didn't seem to care about my scars.