Chapter Seventeen
Danae
The rumble of the plane's engines fills the air as I stand on the tarmac, my family gathered around me for their goodbyes.
Jerome pulls me into a warm hug, holding me tightly for a moment before stepping back with his usual grin. Mathis is next, his embrace steady and comforting as always. Damien’s enthusiasm breaks through the bittersweet atmosphere as he throws his arms around me and teases, “Tell Adriel to get that vineyard ready. I’m coming back for all the wine!”
I laugh despite the lump in my throat. One by one, they wave and board the jet, leaving me with my parents.
My mother cups my face, her eyes brimming with pride. “We’ll be back before you know it, darling. Once the wedding preparations are done, we’re all coming back,” she assures me, her voice soft but firm. My father nods, a smile gracing his face as he pats my shoulder. “You’ve done us proud, Danae.”
And just like that, they’re gone, ascending the staircase to the plane. I step back as the engines roar to life, the jet beginning its slow taxi to the runway.
I should feel nothing but happiness. I finally succeeded in something that has eluded me for so long. Finally made my parents proud by finding a mate, a perfect match, no less. But as the plane begins to lift off, a pang of longing settles in my chest. My family has always been my anchor, and watching them leave is a sight I don’t think I will ever get used to.
The car horn pulls me back to the present. Joseph waits by the passenger door, a small, understanding smile on his face. I slide into the seat as he holds the door open, shutting it once I’m seated and making his way around to the driver's seat. The warm interior of the car is a stark contrast to the breezy chill outside.
The silence stretches as he starts the car and drives us away, the plane still visible in the distance, climbing higher into the sky. Joseph’s voice breaks the quiet, low and measured. “I can tell you miss them already. You all seem quite close.”
I glance at him. It’s a bit startling how easy it is for him to read me. “I do miss them. I’ve never been away from them this long,” I admit, my gaze drifting back out the window.
“It’s beautiful to see, really,” he says, his voice soft yet sincere. “You and your brothers and parents like that. It’s heart-warming.”
There’s something about the way he talks that instantly puts me at ease. His presence is calming yet inviting, like an unspoken promise of safety. It feels like talking to an old friend. A very hot old friend…
“They’ve always been there for me,” I say, my tone warm. “Especially with everything I went through back home.”
He doesn’t respond right away. I can tell he’s thinking it over, weighing his words before he speaks. When he does, his voice is gentle, almost hesitant. “If you’re comfortable sharing …what happened back home?”
He turns to glance at me for a moment, his eyes leaving the road just long enough to meet mine before refocusing.
Normally, this would be the point where I deflect or change the subject. I’ve done it a hundred times before …shutting the door before anyone gets too close. But with him, it’s different. His presence draws something out of me, something unguarded and honest, like he’s opened a window I didn’t even know was there.
“All my brothers are strong Alphas,” I say, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “And then there’s me …the recessive one.”
Joseph spares a glance at me, his brow furrowed in curiosity.
“In my city, being a recessive Omega, and if you add that to the fact that I’m quite tall compared to the girls there, let's just say it isn’t exactly desirable. I was rejected so many times because of it.”
The words feel heavy, dredged from a place I try not to visit often. “But my family never treated me like I was less. My parents never resented me for not securing a mate. And my brothers, they’ve always been protective, supportive.” I pause, a flicker of gratitude easing the ache in my chest. “It’s not something every recessive gets to say.”
Joseph nods, his hands steady on the wheel. “I’m relieved you have them,” he says, his voice earnest. “Hearing about how you were treated, it sounds unfair. Horrible, even. Knowing your family stood by you makes it a little easier to hear.”
His words settle over me like a blanket, warm and reassuring. For a moment, I don’t respond, caught in the quiet comfort of his presence. Then, curiosity gets the better of me. “What about you?” I ask, turning to face him. “What was your childhood like?”
His features take a serious turn, but only briefly, as if he’s weighing how much to share. “I lost my parents when I was a kid,” he says simply. “No siblings either. The only family I have now are the Jorgs.”
The admission tugs at something deep within me. I watch him carefully as he continues. “I was just some scrawny orphan kid back then, always getting bullied. Until Silas stepped in.”
His lips curl into a faint smile at the memory, but I can’t stop replaying his words in my head. Scrawny kid? It’s almost impossible to picture this tall, gorgeous, and absolutely ripped man ever being anything less than what he is now.
Before I can stop myself, the words slip out, my lips moving faster than my brain. “You’re definitely not a scrawny kid anymore,” I say, my voice dropping low, almost involuntarily.
Joseph’s chuckle is low, warm, and, to my surprise, shy. “Thank you,” he says, glancing at me with a spark of amusement. “It’s nice to know there’s someone who thinks I’m attractive.”
The words catch me off guard, and I feel the heat rising to my cheeks.
There’s no way no one’s told you how you’re such a beautiful man.
And then my curiosity gets the better of me again, “I’m sure you have plenty of admirers. Is there anyone in your life?”
He laughs softly, shaking his head. “No. No one.”
I don’t know why, or maybe I do but I just can’t admit it, but a wave of relief washes over me hearing that there’s no one in his life. But now, I’m becoming a cat with all this curiosity. “Why not?”
He shrugs, a wry smile playing on his lips. “Too busy with work. Silas keeps me busy enough that there’s barely time for anything else.” He pauses, chuckling softly, almost to himself. “Sometimes, he’d joke that I’ll end up in a family unit with him.”
The words hit me like a jolt, my mind racing to make sense of them. A flush creeps up my neck, and I turn my face to the window, hoping he doesn’t notice.
Joseph’s voice pulls me back. “I’m sure he’s joking half the time,” he says, his tone light, but there’s a hint of something else there …something he does not quite say.
I don’t respond, my thoughts too jumbled to form coherent words. But the idea lingers.
Could Joseph feel the same pull that I do? Could he ever see me as more than just Silas’s match? More than someone meant for his boss and friend?
The ride stretches on, the silence a cruel contrast to the noise in my head, my mind flying with all the possibilities.
And though I don’t have the answers, there’s one thing I can’t deny. I’m not immune to Joseph’s charm.
And honestly, l hope he isn’t immune to me either.