18. Madden
Madden
L una is upstairs putting away all of the clothes she decided to keep. We all just ate the delicious casserole she made for us. It was awesome watching her expression light up as she saw all of us enjoy her food.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget the feeling I had when the guys genuinely thanked me for helping them with something they couldn’t do themselves for the first time.
As her scent grows a bit fainter, with her upstairs, the first floor starts feeling more and more empty.
Chase jumps down the last few stairs and bee-lined it straight towards us. He was extra eager to help her bring the bags of things she wanted upstairs.
“Alrighty Mr. Serious,” Chase says to Kane, practically buzzing with excitement. “Wanna explain why Luna was carrying your scent? And why your scent was all over her room?”
I’d noticed too. It was the first thing I noticed when I walked into the house. I didn’t think it was my place to ask, though if I’m being completely honest, I could feel my heartbeat picking up at the thought of Luna being open to more.
Part of me was also jealous, but we’ve already established that part of my brain is stupid. Luna hasn’t given me any sign at all that she cares where I’m from.
Kane shifts awkwardly. He actually clears his throat like he’s trying to figure out what to say.
“Come on, man, spill the beans. You can’t just keep something this big to yourself.” I nervously tap the kitchen counter I’m standing in front of.
“We kissed last night,” Kane says.
At least he’s getting straight to the point now.
I remember the way her mouth parted and her eyes grew dark with desire after I gave her my shirt to wear. I was so close to her that I could taste her peppermint perfume in the air. Sweet as candy.
God, that lucky bastard. I would’ve given anything to lean forward and close that tiny distance between us and actually taste her.
“We also slept together in her bed last night,” he continues.
Fucking hell. I’d hack off my left arm to do that.
“Was she comfortable with everything that happened?” Archer asks.
“Yeah, of course,” Kane answers. “I never would’ve done anything to push her. She was the one in charge of everything that happened.”
“Just had to double check, I know you’d never push, it’s just this is quite fast considering everything she’s been through.”
Archer has a good point, it’s only been a couple of days since we found her practically half-naked in the snow at the train yard.
“I was surprised, too,” Kane admits. “But trust me, I made sure she told me everything she wanted to happen.”
“Awesome, now that we’ve got all that settled,” Chase says, practically bouncing on his toes. “Spill the tea on how in the world everything happened?”
Kane’s expression shifts and he grimaces. “She came down late last night looking for some food. I got it for her and showed her my library and… and some of my mom’s old books.”
It feels like all the air has been sucked out of the room. That library is a sacred place for Kane. The only people allowed in there are us and one of the housekeepers who knew his parents. And none of us are allowed to touch his mom’s bookshelf.
The fact he seemingly casually gave Luna access to that is crazy. It tells us a lot about how Kane feels about her.
“I ended up falling asleep in there, which I really didn’t expect.”
Kane usually doesn’t sleep more than power naps until his body starts shutting down and he borderline passes out.
“I ended up having one of those dreams,” Kane continues, scrubbing a hand down his face. “And she managed to wake me up.”
“What?” I can’t keep the word from slipping out of my mouth. Watching Kane go through one of his nightmares is probably one of the worst things ever, but I know firsthand how crazy he can be when he’s woken up by someone else.
I’m a big guy. Strongest in the pack, if we’re measuring physical strength. And it took everything I had to keep him from hurting himself or others more than he had. That anger directed at someone as small and helpless as an already-hurt omega makes my brain short-circuit.
Especially when I remember that Luna is safe, in one piece, and completely untouched upstairs.
“She—She managed to pull me out of it.” He meets all of our gazes straight on. “I didn’t hurt her.”
“Holy shit,” Chase says under his breath.
“How did you feel?” Archer asks, his voice uncharacteristically soft. Those two have probably known each other the longest. Archer knew Kane’s parents and knows firsthand how hard losing them the way he did was.
“It—It was shocking. I was scared at first and so confused… Bu t she managed to keep me grounded. I—I told her about my parents.”
Kane always has a plan. He always seems so self-assured and confident, especially to a guy like me who doesn’t really feel that way. But right now, he looks almost shy.
“She knows everything and she still kissed me.” Kane smiles as he looks down at the floor, as if he can’t help but smile when remembering the moment they shared together.
“And when I slept in her bed with her, I didn’t have any of those dreams. Best night of sleep I’ve had since… since everything happened.”
Archer walks over to Kane, slapping a heavy hand onto his shoulder and pulling him into a tight hug.
“God, I’m so happy for you,” Archer says, pulling away from the quick embrace.
“Yeah, man! Holy shit! I was expecting good news but this is fucking amazing!” Chase says, jumping up to his feet.
“She just feels so… right, you know? I never expected to find an omega like her,” Kane says, accepting Chase’s quick embrace.
“Same,” I say, squeezing Kane’s shoulder. “It’s like she’s perfect for us.”
“She is our scent match,” Archer says. “It’s only fitting that she’d fit perfectly with us.”
Kane and Archer head to their studies to get some of their work done, leaving Chase spinning on the barstool in front of me, giving me a weird look.
“What?” I ask him. “Why’re you looking at me like that? It’s weird.”
“I’ve got a weird look?” Chase’s expression shifts to his usual smirk.
“Yeah, so spill or cut it out.”
“I dunno, I was just thinking about your face when Kane mentioned he kissed Luna.”
Shit. I guess I wasn’t as good at hiding my envy.
“What about it? ”
“How’re you feeling about everything?”
I sigh, scrubbing a hand down my face. “I gave her my shirt. The one I was wearing. That way, she’d have my scent.”
If anyone can help me figure out how to move forward with Luna, at least in the physical sense, it would definitely be Chase.
“Damn, so you were shirtless in front of her?”
“Yeah,” I nod.
“And she liked it?”
I remember the way she traced my tattoos and I can’t help but smile at the thought.
“I think she likes my tattoos.”
There have definitely been other omegas who have liked my tattoos, especially when I was more open to dating, like in college, but it’s always been in a “I want to make my daddy mad” sort of way.
No one’s ever touched my tattoos like she did.
Like I’m a work of art or something ridiculous like that.
“That’s dope, man! What’s got you all twisted up in knots, though?” Chase asks, tapping his knuckles on the counter.
“We—we were super close to kissing. But then I panicked.” I slide into the barstool next to him and rest my forehead against the cool countertop. “I basically ran away like a fucking pussy.”
“Ahhh, I get it. You’re jealous that Kane got to kiss her first when you probably had the opportunity to do it and didn’t.”
“You don’t gotta rub it in,” I mutter.
Chase just ignores my grumbling.
“Tell me, man, how much of you was worried about her not being ready and how much of you was just scared of fucking things up with her ‘cause you’ve never had the opportunity for a girl to look at you as an actual human?”
As happy-go-lucky and careless as Chase comes across sometimes, he has these intense moments of depth that still surprises me. I don’t know why I’m surprised, he’s been the best friend I’ve ever had.
I’m so god damn terrified of fucking things up with Luna. She’s the first omega to ever see me for me and like what she sees. Northside omegas either look at me like I’m worth less than the dirt under their shoes or they’re scared shitless.
“I’m scared of fucking things up with her,” I sigh. “Of course I’m also concerned with pushing her too quickly, but the reason I fucking ran away was 'cause I’m a pussy.”
I feel Chase’s hand slap my back. “I get it, man, I really do.”
I turn my head to meet his eyes, my cheek still pressed against the counter. I must look so stupid, slumped over like this.
“Seriously? But, you have a shit ton of experience with omegas.” I don’t think I’m very good at keeping the shock I’m feeling out of my voice.
“I mean, probably not in the exact same way as you, but yeah. Part of the reason why I’ve never really kept an omega around for long is 'cause I can’t fucking keep it together emotionally.
It’s so much easier to just keep it casual.
” He matches my position with his head resting against the counter.
“I’m fucking terrified of fucking things up with her too.
I’ve never cared this much about an omega before. ”
The fact that Chase of all people, the alpha who’s had more experience with omegas than the rest of us combined, is terrified too does something to calm my frayed nerves.
“I—I never would’ve thought that you’d be scared shitless too.”
“Yeah, well, there’re plenty of omegas out there. Our pack only has one scent match.”
There’s only one Luna.
And she’s ours.
“Well, then what’re we supposed to do?”
A smile lights up Chase’s face. “I have an idea. Go get your snow gear.”