Chapter 6
Chapter
Six
Luke
It’s been five days since Emily Marie Gardner arrived at Pembrooke estate and it has been five days since I’ve apparently slipped into an alternate dimension.
One where Simon and his annoying omega sister, Sarah—who’s been angling to catch my brother’s attention for years, without success I might add—have practically moved in, both quite enamored with the beautiful new American Omega.
Which wouldn’t be so bad if being in the same room with the woman didn’t throw me or my alpha into some kind of perpetual state of panic.
I never know if I’m going to be chastised or snapped at, or perhaps murdered by her gaze alone.
And then there is the other pressing issue.
Emily is in heat. Which only makes me want to throttle Simon every time he dares to look at her or speak to her or make her laugh.
My alpha is too jealous, too protective, of what he deems is his.
I’ve given up trying to talk him out of such claims. My wolf won’t see reason.
Especially in the presence of the American Omega, as Sarah and Charlie refer to her.
Sarah sighs as Simon says, “Tell me more about Jupiter. Is it true what they say about the color of the water there?”
I try not to be obvious with my staring and glaring, but the more the days progress, the harder it is not to.
“Oh, yes!” Emily says with a warm grin. “I’m fairly certain there’s a petition somewhere to get the color theorists to nail down a Jupiter Blue,” she says with a giggle.
Sarah chuckles as Simon nods in understanding. My gaze settles on her pout, trailing upwards to her eyes. Her bright aquamarine blue eyes, and stupidly I say, “Jupiter Blue is no comparison for Emily Blue.”
I realize the moment I hear it, the thought did not remain in my head and everyone at the breakfast table turns to face me. Including my parents.
Charlie raises a golden eyebrow at me.
“Wow, Luke. That was cringe.”
Simon laughs. Charlie chuckles as Sarah shoves my brother in the arm.
My alpha lets out an undulating growl that quiets the room as Emily glances at me curiously with the same look she’s been shooting me every morning at breakfast since she arrived.
Like she isn’t quite sure if she loathes me yet.
“And if one wanted to pinpoint the perfect shade of envy, all they’d have to do is study yours,” Emily says, smirking as if she has won some sort of game.
I can’t help but feel as baited by her sarcasm as my wolf feels by her omega.
“Speaking of envious alphas…” Simon smiles, casting his dubious gaze at my omega. A low growl starts in my chest as Emily gives me her shoulder, turning her focus to him.
Charlie bristles beside me, his hand on my arm like a bucket of cold water.
“Chill the fuck out, Luke,” he whispers. “You look like a bloody boil about to burst.”
“I am calm,” I grit out through my teeth, but Charlie shakes his head.
“About as calm as a cat in a wet paper bag,” he murmurs. “Seriously, you’re not doing yourself, or her, any favors acting like a damn Neanderthal.”
I shake him off as Simon continues.
“I don’t suppose Lucas here has asked you to the Social, yet, has he?”
Bugger. Of course he’d bring up the Social.
I knew I’d have to bring it up eventually, but between her arrival and her avoidance—not to mention her heat—I hadn’t found a chance to speak with the woman, let alone tell her about the social engagement scheduled to take place here at the end of the week.
Emily tenses in her chair.
“The Social?” she asks, clearly surprised.
“You don’t have Socials where you are from?” Sarah asks. My mother looks up from her spot at the table, from behind the book she was reading. My father clears his throat, looking directly at me as if to question me.
Emily shakes her head.
“Um… no.”
“The Pack Social is a monthly event held during the full moon. It’s a mixer of sorts,” My mother starts, but Sarah squeals with delight and chimes in.
“It’s also one of the ways we meet our mates.”
“A different pack hosts the event every month,” my mother says with glee. “And we are the esteemed hosts this month.”
Emily blinks.
“You’re hosting the social… here? In this house?”
“In the ballroom, yes. And partly the courtyard. It does get rather stuffy sometimes from all the… heat.” My father’s steady gaze catches mine and I have to force myself to look away.
“Without Pack Socials, how do you meet your mate?” Sarah asks curiously.
I watch Emily, keeping my gaze trained on her.
She tucks some dark hair behind her ear. Her shoulders hunch.
She’s nervous. Uncomfortable. My alpha rises at this, wanting nothing more than to comfort our omega.
“Some packs still arrange meetings,” she says, glancing at me as the room falls silent. “But most of the omegas and alphas register for the Scent Bank upon graduation from the Academy, or they just meet, you know… by chance.”
“Leaving a decision such as a mate up to chance seems dangerous,” Sarah says.
“Scent Banks? Good heavens,” my mother says as my father scoffs.
“Does it really matter?” I ask, pulling all their attention to me.
“I beg your pardon?” my mother asks, looking at me in question.
“How the packs do things in America is how they do things. We are in no place to judge them. Just because their traditions may differ from ours does not make them less valuable.”
My father’s gaze settles on me, heating me with its intense judgment.
“Traditions are something to be upheld,” he says coolly. “There is honor in tradition.”
I sip my tea, the tension shifting in the room.
“And change is the antithesis of tradition.” I shoot him a glare. Out of my peripheral vision, I note Emily is staring at me.
“Well, in the name of tradition, it is stated that all eligible shifters without a claim or bond may attend the Social,” Sarah says with a grin. “Which means you are certainly eligible to attend and see how much fun a Social can be.”
“I do not have any formal attire,” Emily says, but Sarah only gasps with excitement and throws her arms around the woman as she says, “Say less, darling. We will find you the perfect dress! Won’t we, Simon?”
Simon chuckles as he picks up his tea. “That we will, darling.”
Simon licks his lips as he smirks that annoying smirk, turning his attention to my brother.
“Oh, that reminds me… Charlie, weren’t you saying you needed a new suit the other day?” Simon asks, turning his glance to my brother. I don’t miss the way my brother tenses, or the slight blush in his cheeks.
But what does he have to be embarrassed over?
“I uh—”
“What a lovely idea,” Mother says. “Perhaps you could show Emily some of the sights whilst shopping. I’m sure she’d love to see London.”
“You know, I could stand to get a new suit myself,” Simon mutters before turning his gaze to Emily. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? A personalized tour for our pretty little American Omega?”
Emily blushes. Blushes! For this imbecile!
I don’t miss the way her shoulders loosen, or the faint expel of sweet honey in the air. My alpha growls, and I grind my teeth.
“I would love that, actually,” she says, smiling like a fool as she pushes some dark waves over her shoulders.
The growl that leaves me is unmistakable, and I rise from my seat, needing to get some fresh air. Suddenly, I feel quite hot and flustered.
“Excuse me,” I say as I head for the hallway, unsure of where I’m going, but also not giving a care as to where I end up.
“A private tour for the American Omega,” I mock Simon’s snake-like voice.
The nerve of him to ask if I had formally asked her to the Social—in front of my father no less, when he knows damn well I haven’t had a moment alone with the woman because he and his sister have been occupying her attention.
I’m sure one could argue I would not need to, being as the damn event is being hosted in my bloody house, but I digress. It’s the principle of the matter.
“Hey,” a familiar voice calls out to me.
I turn to see none other than the woman in question.
The shadows from the hall loom over me, but of course she steps right into the sunlight, which only makes her look more angelic, and I have to remember to breathe.
I’m acutely aware of how close she is. Her thick omega scent engulfs me as I take a step towards her.
My alpha is on high alert, but so is my bloody cock.
“What do you want?” I bite. My voice sounds much harsher than I mean it to. But this feeling… the way she makes me feel… it’s maddening. The past few days, I’ve felt like a volcano waiting to explode.
She steps back, but there’s nowhere to go. Her back hits the wall, and she looks up at me with those crystalline irises, and my alpha pushes forth. The scent of milk and honey perfume around me, thickening around me like a fog and I don’t miss the slight part of her lips or the flush in her cheeks.
I don’t miss the way her gaze flashes from my eyes to my lips, nor do I miss the way her chest heaves from her heavy breath. Those Emily Blue eyes that are somehow brighter than a clear sky. Long, thick eyelashes that frame her cerulean irises. Those plump, pink, glossy lips.
I lean into her space, bracing my palm against the powder blue damask wallpaper as I focus my gaze on her perfect pout.
My cock twitches in my pants, but I do my best to ignore it.
“What I want?” she asks, her voice raspy and low. I watch as her tongue flicks out, licking her top lip.
I reach out to balance myself because I feel like I’m on the edge of something terrifying.
Like when you’ve run for miles, only to discover a cliff that leads over a waterfall and there’s no escape.
You can’t go back the way you came, because you don’t even know how you got there in the first place. The only way out is forward.
“Think maybe I should be asking you what it is you want,” she says, her glowing blue gaze dragging me under like a bloody rip tide.
“After all, you’re the one pitching a damn temper tantrum like a toddler.”
I close my eyes, sucking in a breath. This woman… this omega…
She is so bloody infuriating. So petulant and unnerving.
So delicate and demure in the presence of Simon and even my parents, but the moment we’re alone…
She’s sharp, like a knife. I hate it.
But I also find it strangely desirable.
I open my eyes, swallowing harshly. Her lips are parted and her pupils are more than blown, her chest heaves with each breath and the scent of sweet honey is so thick I could choke on it.
“It’s not you,” I say, but I know it’s a lie.
She scoffs as she leans in, pushing away from the wall.
The motion makes me step backward, my fingers barely touching the wall now.
Part of me wonders why Simon hasn’t tried to weasel his way down here at this point, but I digress, thankful for his momentary absence.
“Oh, are you really that cliché, Luke?”
I have to fight to remain calm and not balk at her sarcasm. It’s the first time she’s truly said my name outside of the day I picked her up from the airport. Plenty of women have said my name—in disdain, in ecstasy. But it’s the way Emily says it that makes my blood heat.
It’s the way she hangs on the k, the way her tongue rolls the l. It’s her American accent, her smooth, seductive tone. Altogether, it’s a heady combination I can’t deny.
“It’s not you, it’s me,” she bites, her voice a whisper that grazes my skin like a warm fire.
“Actually,” I say, my own voice dark and smooth. “It’s Simon.”
I watch the surprise on her face as she contemplates for the briefest moment if perhaps she doesn’t know me as well as she thinks. I laugh, knowing as much as I’d like to draw that out, I won’t. I don’t need Emily to think I prefer men or something. That’s Charlie’s department.
Though I’m pretty sure I’m the only person who knows about my brother’s preferences.
“Or rather, it is his knack for trying to take everything that belongs to me.”
Another bout of honey fills the space as Emily scoffs again.
And there goes the sweet little American Omega, gone in a flash.
“Well, Simon can’t steal something you never had in the first place,” she says, and with that she turns on her heel and gives me her back, just as I hear Simon’s voice much clearer and I realize he’s on his way down the hall.
Bugger.