Chapter Twelve
Remington
T he next morning, I’m not as excited about today’s date as I have been for the others. I mean, I’m excited about what we’re doing—just not necessarily who I’m doing it with.
Last night hadn’t gone overly well with the day four suitors. They didn’t mesh well, and I had to go to bed early when I couldn’t get a hold of my anxiety.
Nolan didn’t put in much effort to speak to me or any of the other suitors. He answered when spoken to, but he didn’t go out of his way to have a conversation with anyone. Santiago didn’t know what to make of Gracie, and the two of them just seemed to rub one another the wrong way. It’s something I knew could happen—especially with this group of suitors—but it had been too much for me.
The only saving grace—no pun intended—had been how well Gracie and Aubrey got along. The pair of them hit it off from the start, Aubrey listening and indulging her when she started talking about the metaphysical. Nolan had remained stoic and silent, but Santiago had made his disinterest very clear with his scoffs and dismissive nature toward her.
I didn’t like it. Not one bit.
Which is why it’s half-past nine by the time I make it to the dining room. I slept in my nest, trying to take comfort from it and see if I could wrangle my anxiety, but all that did was make for a sleepless night.
I’m exhausted—physically and emotionally.
“Good morning, Remington,” Gracie’s cheerful voice has me lifting my head to find all four suitors are already seated and eating their breakfasts.
“Morning,” I reply, moving straight to the buffet to pile my plate full of cinnamon rolls and bacon. It might not be a healthy breakfast, but it’s going to be damn good.
As soon as I sit, Aubrey is offering me a cup of coffee. “I don’t know how you take it, but it looks like you could use this.”
The coffee smells great, but he smells even better. This morning, I’m able to pick up all the notes of his scent—peach, grapefruit, cherry blossom, and vanilla. Still unexpected but lovely.
“Thank you,” I shoot him a grateful smile as I reach for the sugar and creamer until it’s perfect.
“It’s usually frowned upon to infer that an omega doesn’t look good,” Santiago says, voice haughty.
My eyes narrow in his direction as I take a long sip of my coffee, internally cursing as I burn my tongue. “I didn’t sleep well last night, Santiago. It would’ve been weird if someone didn’t mention it. At no point in time did he say I didn’t look good, but even if he had, it would be understandable. Believe it or not, I have a mirror in my suite, and I know just how bad I look right now.”
Oh, boy. It looks like I won’t be holding my tongue today.
Wiping a hand over my face, I shake my head. The hand holding my coffee shakes, and it’s all just too much. As much anxiety as it gives me, there has to be a conversation about the previous night. My well-being is something I need to take very seriously, and if I allow this to continue, I won’t have the energy needed to meet my last four suitors tonight.
“You know what? We’re not doing this today. This tension is exactly why I didn’t sleep well last night. While I understand that not all suitors are going to get along with one another, last night was not okay. Santiago, you are one of nineteen suitors. The way you treated Gracie, and even Aubrey, last night was unacceptable. You don’t have to agree with what she’s saying, but you do need to respect her as a person.
“Nolan, if you expect to be someone for me to seriously consider as being a part of my pack, you have to interact with me and the other suitors. I’m choosing a pack here, not just a single mate. If you cannot get along with others, then you’ll have no place in my pack. That goes for both of you. Confronting people is not something I do easily, so I want you to understand just how upset this has me. If it continues, the date will either end or individuals might be asked to leave.”
Santiago frowns as he tilts his head. “I’m not sure I understand?”
“Really? You don’t understand that scoffing while Gracie was talking about something she loves was rude and inappropriate? Talking over her and down to her?” I can’t tell if he’s being serious right now. Surely, he can’t be, right?
He waves dismissively. “I’m just not interested in the same things she is. I’m sure the twenty-three-year age gap has something to do with that.”
“Do not dismiss me.” I slam my hands onto the table, watching as four sets of eyes widen. “I’m bringing you an issue that upset me badly enough that I went to bed early and didn’t sleep. You don’t just get to wave me off as if you’ve done nothing wrong. My intention is to send no one home at tomorrow’s rose ceremony, but I will not keep someone who acts like I’m overreacting. Is this how you expect your omega to want to be treated? Because if so, you have the wrong fucking omega.”
“Is there a problem here?” Tessa asks, hovering in the doorway with eyes ablaze as she glares at Santiago.
I shrug, leaning back in my chair as I pin the alpha with my gaze. “I don’t know. Is there?”
He shakes his head with a sigh. “Fuck. No. Damn it. I’m sorry, Remington. You’re right that I’m dismissing your concerns, and that’s not okay. Nor was it okay to be dismissive of Gracie last night. I’m already fucking this up.”
“You are,” I agree, relaxing slightly as I watch the put-together alpha losing it. “At least you’re moving in the right direction now.”
“I’m aware I have some bad habits when it comes to other people. It has caused some issues at work, and it’s something I’m working on.” Santiago shakes his head. “Clearly, I’ve already fallen back into those bad habits. I know an apology won’t make up for the way I treated either of you—or you, Aubrey—but I am sorry. You were right to call me out on it, and if I do it again, I would appreciate you mentioning it to me.
“I was raised to act a certain way around others, and changing my way of thinking has been difficult. I told you my family is stubborn, but I didn’t mention how arrogant and elitist they are—that I was. That’s another reason I chose to work outside of the family business. I’d like to tell you a story, if you wouldn’t mind indulging me? Not that I deserve it.”
Gracie gives him a soft smile. “Everyone messes up from time to time. We’re all a work in progress. We need to be patient with one another when a mistake is made. Just dismissing someone will not help them learn. It will cause them to harden their hearts to others. I accept your apology, and I would like to hear your story if Remington would like to.”
That right there is why the crack about the age difference between Santiago and Gracie made me so angry. She’s so mature and wise beyond her years.
Santiago ducks his head. “You honor me, little beta. Remington, should I tell my story or go pack my bags?”
“No one is packing their bags. Tessa, thank you. I believe we have it from here.” My smile is tight as she leaves us, but I know she won’t go too far just in case something else happens. “I’m willing to hear you out, but I need you to understand that an apology isn’t enough. I expect you to prove through your actions that you truly are sorry. Before you tell us your story, I’d like to check in with Nolan. Also, for the love of the gods, please call me Remy.”
“Oh, ummm…I’m sorry, Remy.” Nolan shakes his head. “I wasn’t trying to be an asshole last night or anything. I’m just not great with people, and I figured it would be better to sit back and see the group dynamic before trying to figure out where I fit in. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to any of you, I just like to get a feel for things before throwing myself in. I promise I’ll interact more today.”
Now I feel like an ass. If anyone understands being an introvert and not wanting to put yourself out there until you’re comfortable, it’s me.
I sigh. “No, please don’t apologize, Nolan. I’m the one who owes you an apology. Believe it or not, I’m an introvert, so I understand what you’re saying. I just took it as you being disinterested, and this is what I get for making assumptions. Gracie is right. We all make mistakes, so I hope you’ll forgive me for my misstep.”
Nolan’s mouth turns up at the corner in a half smile, which is the most emotion I’ve seen from him so far. As he speaks, he leans closer and allows me to fully enjoy his cardamon, sage, and clove scent. “There’s nothing to forgive, and I still stand by my statement. We’re all strangers and the only way we can become something more than strangers is by interacting.”
“I’m starting to feel a lot better about today,” I admit, my attention falling back to Santiago. “As I said, I’m willing to hear you out. If you believe there’s a story we need to hear, I’m happy to hear it. Please don’t take the fact that I’m going to be eating my breakfast during it as disinterest. My stress levels are finally low enough for me to realize just how hungry I am.”
“Yes, please eat, Remy.” He pauses, possibly collecting his thoughts before he continues, “I was engaged once, just after I graduated with my master’s degree. I met Yolanda at school, and she was unlike anyone I grew up around in my affluent family. She was there on a scholarship, as there was no way she could afford the university’s tuition without it. She grew up in the lower middle class, her family having just enough to be happy. I proposed the night of my graduation and took her home to introduce her to my family.” He looks away. “That turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life.”
Any story that starts out with the words biggest mistake of my life is usually a pretty damn important one.
I devour the first cinnamon roll and start on a second while I wait for him to continue.
“My family didn’t approve of the relationship, and my father couldn’t understand why I would propose to a woman before they’d even met her. Not only was she from a ‘poor’ family, but she was a beta. What I didn’t know is that my father had arranged for me to marry a friend’s omega daughter, who had just come of age—all without consulting me, mind you. She was there to meet me, and she looked so relieved when I informed all of them I wouldn’t be marrying her.
“I walked out that night with no intention of ever returning. If they were going to treat the woman I loved like that, then I didn’t need them in my life. I was sure with my degree, I’d be able to find a job that paid well enough for me to take care of both of us, and I should’ve been able to. I would’ve been able to if it hadn’t been for my father. He called in favors to make sure I couldn’t get a job anywhere. Yolanda and I ended up moving in with her parents, and I got a job working in construction.
“It wasn’t ideal, but the pay wasn’t terrible. It would take some time for us to save up enough to move out, but I knew we could do it. That lasted a month before my father managed to get her dad fired. I came home from work that day to find Yolanda in tears. She told me she couldn’t do it anymore. She loved me, but she loved her family more. It was clear my father wasn’t going to give up, and it would be best if we went our separate ways before I caused any more damage to her family.” He scoffs. “I can’t even blame her for ending it the way she did.”
“My father thought I’d come running home to him, but I didn’t. I found a job with an up-and-coming medical device company. The owner wasn’t under my father’s thumb and had no intentions of ever doing so. I still work for the same company, and I helped it become what it is today. Eventually, my father stopped trying to bring me back into the fold and apologized. I forgave him, but I’ll never forget what he cost me.” Santiago shrugs before meeting my eyes. “But I swore I would never become him, and it hurt to realize just how similar we really are. It’s taken me years to change the way I think about things, and clearly, I still have some work to do.”
Gracie lays her napkin on the table and stands, walking around the table until she can wrap her arms around Santiago. “But you’re trying and that’s what matters. Your upbringing can be hard to overcome. I’m proud of you for the work you’ve done, and you should be, too.”
It takes a moment for me to notice her scent as it settles around me, even though she’s moved past me. Chamomile, eucalyptus, and cedarwood—such a calming, earthy scent. It represents her well.
When she pulls back, there are tears in Santiago’s eyes as he stares at her. “You are too forgiving, little beta. You see the world in a way I never could. I just hope the world never chews you up and spits you out like it did to me.”
“Don’t think me na?ve, alpha, because I’m not.” Gracie runs her hand down his cheek before nodding and returning to her seat. “I know the world is full of people who only think of themselves—who would want to use me and beat me down. I will not allow that to change how I see things—how I want to live—but I thank you for the sentiment.”
“Damn, Gracie.” Aubrey’s eyes are wide as he stares at her. “You’ve even left me speechless.”
She giggles, her face flushing. “Okay, enough about me. We should be focusing on Remy, not me.”
“No, I’m okay with us focusing on you, Gracie.” I grin before turning back to Santiago. “I hear what you’re saying. I still believe your actions will speak louder than your words. This is the only warning I’ll give. This isn’t something I will put up with. If it happens again, you’re gone.”
He bows his head. “I understand, and I appreciate your candor.”
“I’m glad you all worked that out. You had Tessa and I quite worked up, Santiago.”
I startle at the sound of Bree’s voice, finding her standing just inside the doorway with Tessa. “I think the two of you need bells. You’re very good at sneaking up on people.”
“I wasn’t trying to sneak up on you, but I did want to let you know it’s time for you guys to head out on your date.”
I push to my feet, nodding. “I know, I know. We don’t want to waste the business owner’s time. Thank you for allowing us the time to work through this issue on our own.”
Bree nods. “We’re not here to interfere unless it’s needed. Now, go. Enjoy your date, and remember, you only have one last set of suitors to meet and then the good stuff begins.”
“Yeah, I’m not going to stress myself out over that just yet, but thanks, Bree.” Turning my attention back to my suitors, I find they’re all standing as well. “Shall we head out?”
Nolan steps forward, offering me his arm. “I will escort you outside, if you’ll allow it.”
“I will. Thank you, kind sir.” I smile when I slip my arm through his. Not everyone would offer another man their arm—even an omega. Even after all this time, we’re still dealing with things like gender normativity, and I appreciate when someone acts outside of those expectations.
Lucas and Mike wait beside the SUV as the five of us climb inside. Today, Lucas is driving as we head further into Rancho Mirage.
Unlike previous days, we spend the car ride in near silence. It’s not exactly comfortable, but it causes far less discomfort than the previous night had. I think we’re all trying to figure out how to move forward after this morning.
When we stop outside of Raven’s Nest, Mike jumps out and heads inside.
“Raven’s Nest?” Gracie asks with a smile. “Based on the name, I’d guess it’s a new age store, but something tells me you wouldn’t be bringing us on a date to a new age store.”
I snicker. “You’d be right on that. I don’t think I’ve ever been inside of one, to be honest. I’m not sure how well this particular date is going to go, but I chose something I love for each date. For the first, we went to an arcade. The second was trivia, and the third was a cooking class. I know Aubrey will enjoy it, but I think the rest of you will need to go into it with an open mind.”
“I think we can do that. Right, Santiago? Nolan?” Gracie leans forward in her seat, so she can see the two of them who are sitting in the middle row.
“After this morning, I think that’s the only way I can go into this at all,” Santiago says gruffly, his spruce, black pepper, and bergamot scent letting me know how much he regrets his earlier actions just as much as his words do. “Even if it turns out to be something I don’t enjoy, I like that you’re sharing a part of yourself with us.”
Nolan glances over his shoulder and nods. “It sounds like you put a lot of thought into the dates you planned. The least we can do is try.”
“You’re all clear to exit the vehicle and head inside,” Lucas calls back, and when I look up, I find his eyes watching me carefully.
I shoot him a thumbs up before climbing out and joining the others. Mike is waiting at the door to the game shop, and I usher them all inside.
I grin when I see the board games, roleplaying books, and other paraphernalia lining the walls. This place is a nerd’s paradise—or at least this nerd’s.
“Oh, my fates.” Aubrey’s eyes are wide as he takes in the space. “I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
Laughter follows his words, and I turn to find a woman in her fifties standing there, who I know to be an omega. “Welcome. I’m Astrid, one of the owners and founders of Raven’s Nest. I often think of this as my own slice of heaven, too. One of my alphas is currently setting up the room for you, so feel free to look around. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.”
“Can you tell us what we’re going to be doing?” Gracie asks with a grin, and Astrid shakes her head.
“If Remington has decided it’s a secret, then my lips are sealed.”
Wrinkling my nose, I shake my head. “We’re here, so I guess there’s no reason to keep it a secret. Astrid’s alpha, Hunter, runs tabletop roleplaying games here regularly. He’s going to be our dungeon master and run us through a short adventure of D&D—also known as Dungeons and Dragons .”
“Yes! This is the best date ever,” Aubrey crows, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and squeezing. “I think we’re soulmates.”
Shaking my head as I shrug him off, I laugh. “I think it might be a little too soon to determine that. For the three of you, if you haven’t heard of D&D, that’s okay. I didn’t expect that anyone would’ve played before, so Hunter will run us through the basics before we start. The adventure should only take about an hour, so after that, I thought we could play board games. They have a good variety here—some I’ve never heard of or played before.”
“I don’t think the kind of roleplaying I’ve done is the same you’re talking about,” Gracie says with a wink. “But I look forward to seeing what it’s all about.”
The four of us gawp at her as she and Astrid laugh together. One thing is for sure, she is full of surprises.
Santiago is the first to recover, shaking his head. “That was…you know what? It doesn’t matter. I can tell you’re going to keep us on our toes, Gracie.”
“On our toes. Yeah. That. For sure.” Turning my back to the other, I adjust my dick as discreetly as I can and will away the thoughts of what kind of roleplaying Gracie has been taking part in.
I hear laughter behind me, but I ignore them as my face warms.
Assholes.
At least they can’t tell how much slick I’m producing currently—though they can probably guess from my scent.
“If you all are done giving your omega a hard time,” Astrid says. “Hunter has the room ready.”
We follow her into one of the back rooms and introduce ourselves to Hunter, who gets us set up. There’s a little bit of bumbling along as everyone learns the rules and we go through the adventure, but I’m not sure I’ve had this much fun during a roleplay session before.
“I’d like to stab him, please,” Gracie says with a smile, her eyes on Hunter.
Hunter frowns. “You would? He’s just having a drink with some friends after he paid you.”
“I know, but he just looks sus to me. Plus, I enjoy stabbing things.”
I bite back a smile as Hunter stares at Gracie, bewildered. That’s how much of the session has gone. After the first round of combat, Gracie just wanted to stab everything in sight. It’s adorable, considering her personality is the exact opposite of that.
“You know what? I think that’s enough D&D for the day,” Hunter responds with a shake of his head. “Bloodthirsty woman. You’re just as bad as my omega.”
“Why thank you, kind sir.” Gracie giggles. “Remy, I didn’t think I was going to like this, but I was wrong. This was fun.”
I already know Aubrey had a blast, so I look to Santiago and Nolan next. “What did the two of you think?”
Santiago looks around the table before he shakes his head. “I don’t think this is something I enjoy, but I liked seeing how much you, Gracie, and Aubrey enjoyed it.”
“Definitely not something I would choose to use my time for,” Nolan adds. “But I can see the appeal, and it was interesting. Hunter, you’re a wonderful storyteller.”
The big alpha grunts, his face flushing. “Thank you, Nolan. Roleplaying isn’t for everyone, and it tends to be either you love it or you hate it. There’s not usually anything in between.”
“At least you tried it, and since you were such good sports, why don’t the two of you pick out some board games for us to try?” I offer, and Hunter takes them to choose a few.
Overall, the day has gone a lot better than I thought it would when I first woke up. It even taught me a little something about being willing to communicate with others. After all, how can I expect someone to know what I’m feeling if I’m not willing to tell them?
It’s the best way to avoid miscommunications, that’s for sure.
For the next few hours, we try out six new board games—some are a lot of fun, while others I’d rather never play again.
When we head back to the compound, I hesitate in the entryway.
“I want to say thank you. Today could’ve been a disaster and kind of started as one, but I appreciate that each of you was willing to listen to me about what I needed from you.” I take a moment to meet each of their gazes. “Not everyone is willing to do that, and it means a lot to me that you did. The good news for you all is you only have a little over twenty-four hours before we all come back together again.”
“Thank you for showing me something you love, Remy.” Gracie waves for me to lower my head so she can kiss my cheek. “You helped me discover something I enjoy today, and I’m grateful for that.”
Each of the alphas offers me a thank you as well before they all follow Gracie up the stairs.
I’m so glad today ended better than it began, but damn, I wish I could take a nap.