Chapter Seventeen – Noelle
Their parents are here. Their parents are here. That thought repeats itself in my head over and over as the guys hurry to put on their clothes. They help me get into mine, too, but I’m too off-guard at the terrible timing to really think too much about it.
“Wait,” I say once we’re all fully clothed and standing. “Shouldn’t we hop in the shower first?”
The thought of greeting their parents while still kind of sweaty and definitely smelling like each other is not a good one. In fact, it makes me want to be sick. Now that I’m their omega, things are different. Their parents will literally be like my parents.
You could say they were pretty much already my parents with how close I am to Miranda, but it’s just different. Things are different now. I can’t really explain it. The last thing I want to do is go to greet them and make a fool of myself in the process.
What if they think less of me if we come out of this bedroom smelling like each other?
The guys exchange looks. I suppose if they think showering is unnecessary, then I’ll go with their plan. Still, I know Miranda, at least, doesn’t want to smell us when we’re like this, so I can’t imagine their parents would want that, either.
Then again, their parents are mated. Bonded to each other. It means the smell of other omegas don’t entice their dads, and since they’re family… maybe it’ll be fine? Ugh, I don’t know. I’m definitely overthinking this. I’ll do whatever they want to do.
“They’ll know either way,” Matteo says.
Nico chimes in, “Maybe we should get it over with and then shower?”
It’s Felix who adds, “Yeah, they’ll have to find out eventually. Why not just do it now?”
Then all three guys look at me, as if they’re waiting for me to agree with them.
Honestly? I don’t know that I do, but if they want to greet their parents without trying to scrub off our intermixed scents…
who am I to argue? Besides, they might be able to wash themselves good, but I have cum not only in my core but also my belly, which means I’d smell like them regardless of a shower.
“I guess,” I say, glancing between my guys, “let’s do it.” God, being an omega really is mortifying, isn’t it? Betas don’t have to worry about this sort of thing. They really do have it easy.
Matteo is the first to exit the bedroom.
Felix and Nico walk with me, though they let me slip out of my bedroom first. We, as a group, walk down the hall slowly, and we’re in the process of coming down the stairs when the door on the far side of the kitchen, the one that leads to the garage, opens and their parents file in.
Miranda is waiting for them in the kitchen, near our gingerbread houses. When she spots us, she wrinkles her nose and mutters, “You guys reek.” It’s clear she wants to say something else, but her mom rushes in and hugs her, stopping her from saying anything else.
“Oh, honey,” their mom, Jennifer, a short, petite woman with thick brown hair and warm, kind amber eyes, wraps her in an inescapable hug. “I’m so glad you all got here safely. The trip was a nightmare—remind me to never let your fathers plan anything in December ever again.”
Said fathers stroll into the house, each carrying two huge bags.
When I was young, I used to get them confused.
Three alphas, all with dark hair and light eyes.
Mike, Matt, and Andrew. All well over six feet, and even though they’re nearing fifty, they still are prime examples of what alphas are: muscled and intimidating.
A little less intimidating with the silly Christmas sweaters they wear, but the point still stands.
Miranda chuckles. “You got it, Mom.”
Jessica releases her iron grip on her daughter as her fathers greet her with hugs that are nowhere near as long. They each mutter their own version of ‘Hey, kiddo.’ I don’t pay too much attention to the way their dads greet her, because after their mom pulled herself off of her, she turned to us.
To Matteo, Felix, Nico, and me.
Mostly me.
Jessica inhales, bringing her hands to her mouth as if she has to cover her surprise.
“Noelle.” All she says is my name before she rushes to me, practically pushing her sons out of the way to get to me.
The woman tosses her arms around me, and since we’re both omegas, we’re pretty much the same height.
She has a little bit more weight to her after giving birth to four children, but she still radiates beauty.
“Hi, Mrs. Hollaway—” I start.
“Nonsense,” she cuts in with a shake of her head. “None of that.” She gives me one last squeeze before she holds me at arm’s length, studying me as if she’s viewing me in a brand-new light. “You are glowing. Absolutely glowing.” The smile on her face is so big I wonder if it hurts her cheeks.
Matt coughs, causing everyone to look at him. “Well, sons, do you have anything to say?”
With a glance at me, Matteo nods, taking charge. “Yes. Noelle is… we asked her to be our omega. She said yes.”
“Obviously,” their mom says, voice joyous and giddy. “Oh, my, I’m so excited for you guys! There will be so much to do after the holidays, so so much! But that’s a discussion for another time. Boys, will you help your fathers with the luggage while us girls have a chat?”
“Ugh,” Miranda groans. “Mom, do I really have to—”
“Yes. You’re still packless, honey, and since we don’t know what the future holds for you, it’s a good idea for you to learn how to take care of an omega.”
“I’m a beta. I’m not going to end up with an omega.”
“Crazier things have happened, I’m sure.” The look Jessica gives her stops my friend from saying anything else, and the guys dutifully do as their mom asked. They might be alphas, but they respect the omegas in their lives.
A good sign, definitely.
Jessica takes me by the hand and leads me to the dining room, with Miranda in tow, muttering about how it isn’t fair, that she shouldn’t have to come with us just because she’s a packless girl.
Her mom helps me into a seat and takes the one on my left, while Miranda sits on my right and makes it a point to gaze off into the distance, wishing she was anywhere but here.
“So, honey,” Jessica starts, “the first thing I want to ask is if they’re taking care of you.
They’re being kind to you, right? They’re my sons and I love them dearly, but I want you to know that I’ll always have your back, no matter what.
I know how hard it can be to be an omega surrounded by so many dicks. ”
“Mom,” Miranda whines.
“Hush,” she tells her. “Well? Are they? Tell me the truth, Noelle. I want to make sure they’re not taking advantage of you.
I trust them with my life, but… well, sometimes alphas don’t realize the extent of their strength or dominance before it’s too late.
I know it’s early, and you just accepted, but if there are any warning signs—”
I shake my head. “No, no. They’re…” They’re what? Amazing? All I ever dreamed about for years and years? There are so many different ways I could finish that sentence, not all of which someone like Jessica should hear. So, I settle for saying, “Perfect.”
Her smile is warm. “Good. Have you spoken to your parents yet?”
“No. I… thought we’d talk to them in person, together, once the holiday is over.
I don’t want them to freak out and overreact.
You know they’re betas, so they…” I hate talking bad about my parents, because I love them, but as an omega and an only child, sometimes it was tough. “They don’t really understand.”
Jessica, though, understands completely. She nods along with me and says, “If that’s what you want, okay. If you need extra backup, just let me know, but I’m sure the boys will be able to handle it. Now, your first heat is how far away?”
I blush. “Uh, a few months.”
“A few months. You have time, but it’s going to be tight.
You’ll have to jump on house-searching right away.
When you do your walk-throughs, you’ll have to keep in mind whether the home was made for a pack of alphas and their omega.
Some houses aren’t. They don’t have a good nesting room.
Odds are you’ll want something secluded, with either small windows or none at all, a room that’s tucked away from the rest of the house. ”
Us omegas are taught all this stuff during our schooling, once the majority of us are shipped off to omega-only schools once we present.
Most omegas probably have similar talks with their parents, too—provided one of them is an omega.
Both my parents being betas, talks like this didn’t exist in our house.
I think my parents just never really knew what to do or say.
It’s nice, having another omega to talk to like this.
“Of course, it would be nice if you all ended up in a house not far from ours, but whatever home you choose is ultimately your decision. I’ll be over so much that you’ll get sick of me.” She grins. “I’m so happy for you and my sons. I am.”
I glance at Miranda on my right and see that she’s checking out her nails, acting bored. When I meet her mom’s eyes again, I tentatively ask, “Did you know? Miranda said she did.”
“I had a feeling.”
“I want you to know I didn’t come over your house all those times just to get your sons—”
She waves me off. “Stop. Fate brought you to our house that day when you were a kid. You and Miranda were stuck together like glue after that. There was no separating you. Even when you had to go to different schools when you both presented—I lost count of how many times Miranda got in trouble at school while she was texting you. You ending up with my boys is just another hand of fate. I’m happy for you, honey, I am, and I’m sure their fathers are telling them the same thing upstairs. ”