Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
APOLLO
E verything is a complete and utter clusterfuck. If it could go wrong it seems to be going wrong.
First problem, Vaughn is in a full rut and his room is a mess of semen and Clover’s clothes. Clothes that he stole from her suitcase and has been using as his come rags for the duration of a hockey game. No one can get near him since he can scent the Omega and it’s making his erection leak pre-cum from just her being this close.
He’s definitely not making the call tonight with my mother in ten minutes.
Second problem, Clover fell asleep at the hockey game and seems to have distanced herself from the boys. Not only does she have a huge hickey on her neck but she smells like Griffin scent marked her. Obviously, he got over whatever complicated feelings he had for a second to do that. However, Clover sleeping had sent McKinley off in a tangent about how we are doing this all wrong.
Third problem, Lemon. Lemon is McKinley’s sister who has an opinion about everything. Her opinion about Clover is that whatever we did to make her sleep like she is a Disney Princess with a magic backstory, shows that whatever we’re doing is all wrong. She directed Mick to bring Clover into the spare bedroom that Lemon was supposed to sleep in. When she found out the Omegas suitcase had been stolen and turned into Vaughns own personal fleshlight of fabric she had been less than impressed with us all over again.
To be fair, I could see how she thought we were messing this all up. I too felt like we were messing this all up and I didn’t even know what was happening.
Not that there was anything to mess up.
We were just supposed to make sure that Clover had a safe space while she was here. My mother would have her back in The Omega Academy in December and that would be that. It would all be handled and we’d be back to business.
Except it had been one day and already the idea of the Omega leaving didn’t sit right. Waking up and not smelling her sweet Shirley Temple scent didn’t sit well with me.
“Lemon locked us out of the guest room. Vaughn drank some water and let me take one of Clover’s outfits so I can wash it and pretend it wasn’t used as his safety fuck blanket. Griffin ate his egg salad sandwich and is exactly 2% less of a douchebag now. And I set up some snacks for us and have your laptop connected in the living room to make it easier to FaceTime your mother.” McKinley squeezes my arms and I wonder how I got so lucky to have such a great Beta in our pack.
I also wonder how just a few days ago it was just all of us and we didn’t have the problems that we have now.
What I need is for this call to let me know what is going on and somehow for my mother to make all of the problems that I’ve been having go away.
“I think I have a yeast infection on my balls. Can you look at them for me?” Griffin yanks down his sweatpants, lifts his cock up and shows us the area he is talking about.
Clearly he has jock itch again .
“Its that stupid fucking cup you wear and refuse to wash. It’s not a lucky cup if you always get jock itch from it. I’m not applying the cream this time. You do this on purpose because you want a pity hand job!” McKinley snaps as Griffin pulls his pants back up.
He doesn’t say anything because our Beta isn’t wrong.
Griffin also knows to take care of his equipment better but he’s also the most superstitious one of us and refuses to get rid of the same cup he’s been using since he played in Middle School. I don’t even think the thing is regulation anymore, but he says if he doesn’t play with it he feels off.
When the team goes on a win streak he also doesn’t like to wash his gear because he says it washes off the good vibes he is playing with. Which is why he is all red and itchy now.
“Fungal cream is in the bathroom. Wash your gear out tomorrow.” I command as he frowns and sits on the couch.
He wants to argue about everything but the ringing from my mother calling makes us all look up. McKinley presses the button to answer the call and my mothers face fills the screen.
Or at least it should.
Instead, I see my mother, my two dads, and my mama all on the screen in front of me. It is at that moment that I realize this is all a set up. From the way my two pack mates stiffen, taking them in, they realize it at the same time that I do.
A smile pulls across Mick’s face and he realizes that them sending us Clover wasn’t just for the Omega's safety but they thought that she could use a pack. Just like they have been trying to get us interested in an Omega for years.
“If it isn’t all my favorite in-laws!” My traitorous Beta coos at them all, “I hope you’re all doing well.” He starts dishing out compliments to everyone as I steal a look at Griffin. I need to check in to make sure he is okay. Especially without Vaughn here to help calm him down some.
Griffin isn’t exactly volatile but he’s also the one who is most likely to speak his mind without thinking about what that means.
He wants to go pro. He talks about how we can all start our careers and find a team or an area that works best for us. He’s the one that talks about moving and how we don’t have to stay near our college town if we don’t want to. He wants to do things, experience the world.
Maybe it’s because he is from right down the street and never got to see things. It makes him restless in some ways to see it all. He doesn’t want to miss something even if he doesn’t know what’s out there to be missed.
That’s why he’s been against having an Omega.
On the outside, people look at him and see the playboy who has worked his way through too many people on campus. He always wants to have a good time. But he has talked to us about what it will be like to have an Omega. The expectations he has for a family life and making sure we’re all involved in that. He wants to have pups and make sure that we’re all actively involved in their lives.
Clover showing up is not on Griffin’s timeline and he doesn’t know how to work that out in his head.
“Mother,” Her eyes land on me and I can see myself in them, “Clover is in our guest room with Lemon right now. She’s been sleeping a lot and it’s good for her to have another Omega close to help her mask her scent since Vaughn is in rut.”
The way my mothers eyes widen and how she exchanges a look with Mama makes me worry.
There is a lot that we don’t know about the Omega who is living with us and this is a good reminder of that.
“Clover is asleep? She isn’t going to overhear us?” Mama asks this and I know she is thinking about the Omega because she understands the emotions better than anyone that she would be feeling.
We nod and Griffin snorts out. It turns into a groan as McKinley tosses an elbow back and knocks the Alpha in his gut.
It makes me uneasy that it’s been a day and our Beta is already this attached to the Omega. I don’t want him to get disappointed by anything.
“Lemon knows she can’t come down here. She plans on talking to her if she wakes up.”
“Good. I want to share with you some things about Clover and I don’t want to upset her.” Mother says, running her fingers through her gray here.
She is getting upset and I already hate this conversation.
My mothers seen a lot from her time on the council. If she is getting upset about what the Omega has been through I’m sure that we’re not going to like it.
“Clover was raised in one of the Beta cults that have been popping up over the years. This one has been around for about thirty years so everyone is pretty well indoctrinated into the society. She was raised as a Beta and expected to continue in that society. There was no teaching about Omegas and Alphas other than some propaganda. Her grandmother raised her expecting her to take over the family seamstress business. Her schooling was done at a local homeschool group at the library, but mostly she learned on her own. The only formal education she received was at The Omega Academy.” My mother rubs her temples and I watch as Mama Joy slides her hand over hers.
“We only found out about Clover when an Alpha was passing by and scented her. After her grandmother died she was left alone. Thankfully the Alpha reached out to the proper channels and we were able to extradite her safely. However, there are a lot of things that she doesn’t understand.”
We knew she was naive but the background information paints a picture differently than just a sheltered Omega. Even Griffin has perked up upon hearing this information.
Not so blasé now that he has a bit of background information.
“Where were her parents?” McKinley asks.
Of course he has questions. He’s already obsessed with the Omega and planning on having her center our pack. Knowing more about her I’m not sure we are the right Alphas for her.
Vaughn isn’t ready to date after what he went through with his ex. Griffin is too focused on his goals and the dreams he has for himself to want to settle down. I don’t want to bring an Omega into our temporary house with people who aren’t ready to be devoted to her.
McKinley is the only one who deserves an Omega.
Clover needs Alphas who can dote on her and be patient with her. If she’s been raised with people who didn’t teach her anything good about her designation she needs time at the academy to learn more about herself. She deserves that time to grow into herself that she’s been denied.
This situation is meant to be temporary and we all need to remember that. Now more than ever.
“Her parents passed on and left her. We are still sifting through records to try and find out more about her. When the Weaver pack tried to force a bond on her it accelerated things a bit. She got the attention of a lot of people with her sweet smell and good looks. Clover is going to secure herself a very good pack, but she needs a safe place to learn first. That’s why I asked you to take her in, Apollo. I know your pack isn’t looking for an Omega right now and though Clover might be a small distraction you wouldn’t let yourself get caught up in a moment.”
A moment like Vaughn wrapped around all her come covered clothes.
A moment like McKinley calling her our Omega.
A moment like Griffin scent marking her.
A moment like me fisting my cock during my pregame nap because my sheets smelled like her.
Yes . How could we possibly get caught up in a moment?
“Hypothetically, what if we were interested in courting Clover?” Griffin gives our Beta the look I want to give him.
“She needs to learn about Alphas and needs a safe space to explore a little bit. You’re all young and can give her that space to explore with people at the university. Clover is going to learn a lot with her courses and grow into an even more lovely person. She isn’t going to be the person for your pack and you’ve all been vocal about your dreams coming first.” My mother announces, dousing the dream McKinley was building in his head.
It surprises me too because with my dads and mama there I was really expecting her to encourage us to pursue her. This was really out of left field.
We talk a little more about things.
They update us on what’s going on and ask about how Vaughn is doing. Small little topics that feel almost safe after giving us Clover’s backstory.
“You boys know that the Weaver pack has a lot of influence from their families. You need to keep her away from them if they come sniffing around. Promise me that you’ll do that?”
As we all make the promise it feels like we’re signing up for something dangerous. My head aches at the thought of something happening to the little cherub.
We would keep her safe. It was only for a few months and then she would be off back to The Omega Academy. We could handle a few months with her.
It would all be fine and then we’d go back to working towards our dream. We’d be back on track for everything. Maybe having her here would help us learn for when we had our own Omega. I’m sure I could sell everyone on that.
This would all be fine.