Chapter 10
Kaden
“I can’t believe I’m this nervous.” I griped as I looked down at my shirt. I was sweating like I’d been doing cardio, but all I’d been doing was riding in the car. We were on our way to see Safira. She was staying in an upscale neighborhood in Haven, an omega village that was heavily secured and very luxurious.
“We’re all feeling it.” Jax said as he tapped his fingers on his knee, the only sign of his nerves coming through. His dark, straight hair was parted and styled, ever the perfectionist.
Tony couldn’t help but quip, “This is something else. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this excited—well, except maybe that time I found out the diner had free refills.” His grin was wide, clearly amused by the contrast between his words and the tense atmosphere.
The truth was, we’d never been this on edge about an omega before. Not during our courting days, and definitely not when we were matched up with someone we’d never met. But here we were, with rare alpha anxiety. Tony’s humor was the only thing keeping us from losing it entirely.
“Try not to think too much into it. She’s an old friend, nothing more.” Jax said, trying to be the voice of reason. “And anyway, just because she hasn’t been bitten yet doesn’t mean she’s single. She could very well have a boyfriend or a pack she’s seeing. And now that she’s an omega, she’ll have other packs vying for her attention.”
Tony let out a growl at the thought. I had to bite my own growl back, but Jax was right. We hadn’t seen her in years, except for the brief moment earlier with Tony. And he’d only seen her for a minute. We pulled up to the neighborhood next to the private villas, where there was a small bookstore among the boutiques. As if connected by an invisible string, my head turned and saw someone sitting at a small table outside of the store. I opened the door before we were even fully parked, striding toward her as she stood up, turned and started toward me as she saw us. Her steps turned into a jog as she saw my face light up.
She was a beauty. I’d dreamed of what she might look like, the only physical proof of her being the one photo we had of her from the abandoned airplane. But I didn’t need the photo. Her face was etched into my brain, and now I saw that she was even more perfect than I could have dreamed. Her eyes widened when she saw us, but she didn’t stop until she flung herself into the three of us, her arms trying to reach around us all as we huddled to take her in.
“I can’t believe it’s you.” Her muffled voice came out from my chest. I wanted to reach down and stroke her hair, but reined myself in. I had to remember, I was just an old friend to her. Finally, she pulled back and looked up at us. “I missed you!” she said as her face flushed. “I know it’s weird, but I thought about that summer all the time.” I crouched down to look at her face to face. Eight years had passed since we last saw each other, and I couldn’t help but notice how much she had grown, not just in appearance but in the way she carried herself - with a growing confidence, yet subtly vulnerable.
“Trust me, the feeling’s mutual. We tried to find you. It was like you never existed.” I said, and her smile released any anxiety I’d been holding inside. It was like we’d never been apart. “Where were you?” I asked, eager to know what she had been up to. I could tell that she had used de-scenter and a suppressant, because right now I could talk to her like a normal person and not go crazy at her scent. Despite all that, I still never wanted to leave her side.
“I know this sounds crazy, but I’m not from here. I mean, this world.” She looked at us apprehensively, as if we would ever judge her. “After that day together, I was never able to find the diner we’d eaten at again. I searched and searched. Then just the other day, I went to the forest where we met and spent the night. I woke up, and I was here. Everything’s so…” She looked around, then up at us. “Different.”
I looked at the others. All three of us were smiling at her, completely smitten by her mere presence. It was as though her arrival seemed to electrify the air, transforming the casual reunion into something charged with unspoken anticipation.
“I don’t care what the circumstances are, I’m just glad we found you again.” Jax murmured, placing his hands on her shoulders and gazing at her as if he couldn’t quite believe she was real. The way he looked down at her, with a mixture of curiosity and longing, was something I’d never seen in him before. She bit her lip, and I felt my alpha instincts surge, demanding that we make her ours. I internally ordered myself to cool off. After all, she was a friend. But even on suppressants, with no perfume, I still wanted her more than anything.
“So you don’t think I’m crazy?” She asked, and Tony clicked his tongue, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her like they shared an inside joke.
“We’d never think that. We thought we were crazy. If we didn’t have photo proof, everyone would have thought we made you up. The dream girl we met in the forest, who disappeared into thin air! Poof!” Tony’s words made her let out a giggle, and his eyes brightened at making her laugh.
“Well, tell me about what you’ve been up to! I’m sure a lot has changed since we’ve seen each other last.” she said, then looked down with a sudden shyness. “Also, I’m sure you know I’m an omega. I understand what that means conceptually, but I still don’t understand it fully.” She looked up at us again, and I wondered who made her feel so insecure. It was like her true personality would start to come out, but then she would pull it back in, afraid to be herself.
“That’s ok, Safira. You can ask anything you want. We’re here to help you, no matter what. You can rely on us.” Jax said, his alpha dominance coming through. He was already trying to protect and guide her. “In the meantime, we want to catch up with you. Maybe over some ice cream?” He suggested, then pointed at the gelato spot nearby. Safira’s eyes got big.
“I’d love to! I’m glad some things are the same in both worlds.” She said, getting excited as she stepped in between us seamlessly as we walked. It sent me straight back to when we’d all walked together as a group back when we met. She fit in so damn perfectly.
“In case you’re curious,” Tony said with a sweep of his arm, “in this world, an omega’s bill is as mythical as a unicorn. So go ahead and order everything that catches your eye—our treat!” He flashed a grin that was pure mischief, as Safira looked at him with pleasant surprise. “Seriously, we’ve got more money than sense. Don’t hold back!”
“That seems like a pattern with you three! I remember you treating me to a milkshake and fries last time we were together.” She said with a little smile. My heart fluttered at how cute she was when she smiled like that. I opened the door for her, letting her enter the gelato shop first. She turned to watch us all as we followed her inside, but her pupils dilated as she observed us.
As her gaze lingered on me, I felt a pull in my chest. The years didn’t dampen my feelings, and now I was even more aware of the unspoken connection that had always existed between the four of us. It appeared as though it had existed even between worlds. She was looking at us so intently that it took her a minute to realize that she should be ordering her treat.
“Would you like to try some of our flavors?” The beta server behind the counter asked, holding out a small spoon with a sample of green gelato. Safira’s eyes flickered from us to the server, momentarily breaking the spell we’d been under.
“Sure. I’ll try the watermelon one as well.” She said as she took the sample, lifting the spoon to her lips and licking the icy dessert off. I nearly choked as I saw her pink tongue twirl around the plastic spoon. I glanced at the others, who looked about as riled up as I felt. We had never, in the history of our courting experience, all simultaneously been so excited by such a small thing. I bit my cheek to snap myself out of it. Three alphas salivating over a brand-new omega would be too much for her. We needed to take it slow. I cleared my throat.
“Which is your favorite?” I asked, stepping up beside her as she tried another sample, this time a spoonful of chocolate. She looked down at the array of flavors behind the glass, considering.
“Hmm. Well, the green is pistachio, which is unique. The watermelon was refreshing and fun.” Her eyes drifted over to each of us, one by one. “And the chocolate was delicious. But I don’t know. It’s so hard to choose.” She licked the side of her mouth and I suppressed a groan. “I don’t know which to pick.” She finally said as she faced us.
“Why not all three?” Tony replied as he leaned his tall frame against the counter, grinning at her while a deep blush spread across her face. I scowled at him from behind her. Leave it to Tony to start flirting when we just reunited with her.
“You know, I’ve never had three at a time before.” Safira said slowly, her brown eyes gliding over all the flavors, her dark lashes lowered. “In fact, I’ve never considered more than one.” She turned to face us. “But you know, I think I might like it.” The side of her mouth curled up in a sly smile. I nearly blacked out. Was she flirting back?
“Three of whatever flavors the lady desires.” Jax said to the server as he pulled out his wallet. His eyes were dark and fixated on Safira with a hunger I’d never seen before. She squealed in delight, and suddenly I imagined all the ways I could make her react like that in the future.
We grabbed a table while the server handed Jax a bowl filled with three large scoops. Once we were seated, she eyed the gelato with excitement and stuck her spoon in. I already knew watching her lick it would be torturous, so I focused instead on her beautiful eyes.
“Please, tell us what’s happened since we saw you last. I mean, besides being from another dimension, apparently.” Tony joked as she took the first bite. She swallowed and frowned.
“Not a whole lot happened. I mean, I graduated from school. I lived with my mom’s distant cousin and her family. I was working a retail job, trying to save up money to move out.” She said nonchalantly while shrugging. I’d remembered that she alluded to having a tough time at home the first time we met her. A pang of anguish started deep inside me. I wanted to fix all the problems that she had, and give her the family and the care that she seemed to be missing. I knew my pack felt the same way, judging by the glances we sent each other.
“What about friends? Hobbies?” Jax asked gently. Safira just shook her head.
“I didn’t have too many friends in school. I couldn’t really bring anyone over to their house. I wasn’t allowed. And I also had a busy schedule, so I had to do so many chores… Well, I was just busy.” She stammered as she looked at her ice cream. I could tell she was omitting the full story, but I didn’t want to pry too hard.
“You know, since you are an omega now, you will essentially be treated like gold here.” Jax said as he watched her lick the spoon. Her gaze shifted up to us.
“What do you mean?” She asked, and Tony moved his chair a bit closer.
“You know, omegas are rare here. Did you not have any where you’re from?” Tony asked in confusion.
“No. Where I’m from, everyone is normal. I mean, everyone is basically like a beta. So this whole omega thing is new and kind of scary. I can feel my body changing.” She admitted, stirring the ice cream around in a nervous way.
“Hey, don’t worry!” Tony said with a grin, trying to ease her nerves. “We went through a major transformation too when we presented.” He struck a dramatic pose, flexing his arms like a pro bodybuilder. “Look at us now—our muscles have muscles! We’re basically living proof that presenting is the ultimate glow-up. Just imagine what you’ll look like with your own version of this!” He chuckled, adding a wink to his showy display.
Safira laughed and nearly spit out her ice cream. “So I take it you are all alphas then?” We all nodded. It was clear she really had no familiarity with designations at all. Anyone should be able to look at us and realize what we were. “Is that why you have to be on a registry? You are all a pack?” Her eyes grew big, and if I wasn’t mistaken, she looked hungry for more than just ice cream. But I didn’t want to read too much into it, in case I was just hoping for what I wanted to be real.
“Yes, we’re a pack. All alphas.” Jax explained. “We grew very quickly and had to deal with the hormonal change. But it’s nothing to be scared of. And being an omega means you will always be taken care of.” He added. Safira nodded slowly with what appeared to be a growing sense of security.
“Yea, I am starting to see that. I’ve noticed omegas are housed for free! But I got an upgrade to a villa. Apparently I got a charity fund or something.” She said as she finished up the last of her dessert. I looked at Jax quickly. We’d put together the anonymous fund so that she’d be in a nicer neighborhood, but we also didn’t want her to feel like a charity case. I pushed my wild hair back off of my forehead and scooted closer.
“Omegas don’t get forced to do chores all day either.” I commented as I remembered her words earlier. “And there will be plenty of time to figure out your hobbies. There are programs set up specifically for omegas to learn and expand on whatever you are interested in.” I added. She looked surprised.
“This is so strange. I feel like I’m living in some kind of dream. I always wanted to find you three, but on top of it, life here seems so much better than back home.” She quickly shut her mouth, like she was embarrassed. It was a strange comment. Life for omegas could be very good, but it came with its downsides as well. Presenting was a difficult process, and she seemed to prefer this world and her body’s sudden changes regardless.
“What was so bad about back home? If you don’t mind us asking.” Jax’s gentle question had her looking down at the table again. She took a moment, then answered as she moved her spoon around in the ice cream idly.
“I think I was so uncomfortable where I was that I never had time to really slow down and live.” she finally said. “I mean, I know how my family wasn't treating me well, but now that I’m away from them I’m starting to see how unhealthy it was. I was so busy walking on eggshells that I didn’t get time or space to be myself and just be .” Her words broke my heart. She was so young, but it seemed that she’d been living in a bad situation for so long that she felt being lost in a new world was somehow preferable. I could feel the rest of my pack almost vibrating with the desire to simultaneously punish the people responsible for her misery and fix all of her problems. But we couldn't. We weren’t her pack, and there were some things that took time to heal. All we could do was try to support her and show her that life could be better.
She didn’t say more, so I reached out toward her, my fingers brushing her hand. “I’m so sorry, Safira. If there’s anything we can do to help, just say the word.” I murmured, looking at her as she finally made eye contact with me. She gave me a little smile.
“Just seeing you all after so long has already helped. It feels like no time has passed at all when I’m with you.” she expressed, capturing the sentiment perfectly. Time had moved on, and we were all adults now, but the way she effortlessly fit in with us remained unchanged. “You three made such an impact on me when we first met, and you didn’t even know it,” she remarked, making me realize the extent of her struggle.
“We missed you.” Jax’s words were soft but held so much weight to them. She looked around the table at us.
It was as though the air between us had become thicker, heavy with the weight of the new, uncharted emotions that were emerging. I watched her try to maintain her composure while a flush of pink crept onto her cheeks, mirroring my own growing desire. Was I imagining it? Or did our friendship hold the potential for something far more intimate? I knew what I wanted, but I also understood that Safira needed to make her own choice. And if I had to, I’d wait another eight years just to hear her say yes.