10. Zayden
Chapter ten
Zayden
O liver calls the squad into information as he and his mate, Mila, read out our scores, and I grind my teeth when Ella and Brody snort on my left.
The evil twins , as I like to call them.
We’re good friends really, and I consider these Omegas like my family.
But God, they are insufferable at times.
“What?” I ask, keeping my eyes forward as I don’t want to break formation.
We’re supposed to be soldiers.
“Nothing,” Ella teases, and finally, I glance her way.
“No, please, share.”
She bites her lip, and she and Brody share a moment then as they speak through a bond I'm not privy to.
“I was just telling Brody how very lucky you are, Z.”
Z is her name for me. Not that I asked to be called Z.
“Pray tell, why am I lucky?”
“Don’t tease him, Ella,” Brody whispers, biting back a snort.
I grit my teeth. “No. Better out than in, Brody. So, Ella… spill.”
Ella sighs, glancing back at Opal over on the bleachers, and my heart skips a beat when I spy her there leaning back on the bench, looking like a perfect goddess as she soaks up the sun.
How I wish I could be sitting there with her.
At least she has Magnus to keep her company. Lucky bastard.
When she pulls out a tube of SPF 50 from her big 'Mom' bag, squirting a small amount on her porcelain skin, I swallow.
Damn. She even has a 'Mom' bag.
Opal truly did walk out of one of my dreams, and now I picture her surrounded by our future kids—four boys, four girls—as she applies sun cream to all their faces from that bottomless Mary Poppins' bag.
Magnus spins his finger, telling her to turn for him. Now Opal pushes aside her long red curls, exposing her delicate, swan-like neck as he smothers her freckled skin with sun cream, and my cock stirs at the sight.
I want to be the one smothering her in lotion.
The possible future mother of my children.
Mine.
“Your new Omega is a redhead,” Ella singsongs, dragging me out of my thoughts and back to reality.
Oh, yeah, right.
We're still in formation.
I shrug. “And? What of it?"
She giggles, and Brody joins in this time. “Redheads are the best lovers in bed. I should know. I have two.”
Brody blushes bright red, covering his spectacled face, and now he and Ella have another one of their secret moments, their scents strengthing from wanton thoughts.
Now the formation smells of decadent watermelon and sour cherry.
My own cheeks burn, and now I feel like a freaking third wheel.
They were exactly this way throughout training.
I just hope Opal doesn't glance my way, spying my hard-on as I'm still picturing her naked and flush with sex.
“Stop. You’re embarrassing us, Ella,” Brody whispers, yet Ella doesn't stop.
They need to get a room.
Their scents are getting stronger by the second, and boy, how they complement each other.
They're scent matches after all.
“You never know. Maybe she’s your scent match too, Zayden,” Ella says, taking Brody’s hand.
My heart jumps to my throat, and just like that, Opal’s lemon cupcake surrounds me like a cloud.
But how is that possible? She's sitting all the way on the bleachers.
Maybe the wind just blew that way.
“Do you smell lemon cupcakes?” I ask randomly, and they stop.
“No. We really don’t,” Ella remarks as she and Brody watch me carefully.
A smile takes over their faces.
I backtrack now, sweat beading on my forehead. "N-never mind…”
Ella and Brody share a knowing glance next, and I wish I could bury myself in the ground.
Their hearts are in the right place.
When I first told them that my pack was getting a second Omega, they both jumped with excitement, happy that I was finally getting the chance to experience what they have.
The three of us have grown close these last several months, but I always feel like a third wheel when they have their moments.
I have a bond with my Alphas, but it’s not quite the same as I've seen with Omegas.
I’m told it’s one of the strongest bonds that can form.
After all, who better to understand an Omega than another Omega, right?
“Something the matter over there, Titan Twins?”
Oliver stops reading out our scores, casting his gaze toward Pack Titan’s Omegas instead.
Oliver’s a great captain, but I wouldn’t want to get on his wrong side.
He’s pretty shitty before he’s had his morning coffee.
But at least Mila always has a hot cup of coffee waiting for him every morning before roll call.
Again, another pair of Omegas with an undeniable bond, and I’m starting to feel left out.
Rian watches us with a smile on his face by the scoreboard, but then his moss-green eyes flit over to the captain's sister, Belle, as she sits with the rest of his pack on the bleachers.
Everyone has an Omega but me.
Well, no. That’s not true.
I do have Opal. But it's still early days.
We're still strangers.
Also, the other Omegas in our squad are without Omegas. They have packs of Alphas, sure, but none have bonded to an Omega as I cast my gaze up and down the formation.
I would never be able to bite Opal into the pack for obvious reasons, but I’m sure one of my Alphas would do the honors.
That’s if we get to that stage.
As I said, it's still early days.
We may not even turn out to be a good match after all, and then the Academy will take her back and put her through the system again.
No. I refuse.
Opal is mine.
“Nothing, Captain Hart,” Ella replies, and Oliver cocks a brow, glancing at me next.
Then his blue eyes find Opal on the bleachers with Magnus, and his gaze softens.
Mila turns to him, and he meets her bright green eyes.
They, too, do the thing …
Mila must be telling him to go easy on us because Oliver rolls his eyes. I even spy Rian relaying information over to Belle as she has risen to her feet, hands clasped in worry as she's obviously concerned for her best friend Ella.
Oliver sighs, peering at me and the Titan Twins . “No more messing around. This is your last warning. And lay off Gold, Titan.”
“Yes, sir,” they both salute, even though Oliver is mostly addressing Ella.
Oliver glances at Rian next. “And tell Belle it’s all good. Ella won’t have to run another lap across the track. Again .”
Yes, again.
She’s the most rebellious of us, constantly breaking orders, but she will always be a free spirit having once been Rogue.
It's no surprise she signed up for Oliver’s squad. I bet she has a score to settle with the warden indeed.
The same with Oliver, too, since Belle was a victim of that monster for years.
It’s hard to imagine that sweet Omega wanting to hurt anyone.
Whereas Ella delights in the prospect.
From the corner of my eye, I spy Belle sagging in relief as her Alphas comfort her.
It seems Rian just relayed the message.
All is right with the world again.
It's good to see various packs taking a stand and joining forces, combining their strengths just to protect this city.
So, the warden better watch out.
Because we'll all be ready.