Chapter Twelve
There is a strange anticipation built up in my stomach with each turn of the clock.
I tried to busy myself with contracts for some of our bigger upcoming deals.
When that didn’t work, I tried going down to train.
Taking sexual frustration out on a new soldier in the form of my fists just didn’t quite hit right.
What I need is my little devil.
Watching her run away from me had my primal side screaming to chase after her. It was a good thing Olis held me back.
The idea of going into rut and hurting my girl that way is unthinkable. I don’t know if Olis and Vic have seen it but I can see her underlying trauma. It's unthinkable to me that she has suffered in her life. I want to take it all from her. To take that burden off her shoulders and wear it for her.
But I also want to dissect it. To learn every single thing I can about her. To know what makes her tick. To find my place in her life because there is no other option for me.
It's her or it's no one.
Sitting at my desk, I watch as each minute ticks by. Every second feels as though it is stretched out longer and longer.
After what feels like a lifetime of waiting, I shoot up from my desk. Pushing my responsibilities to the side, I instead go in search of the one thing that I know will make it better.
My Valentina.
Finding a car park on the street outside of Valley’s apartment, I walk along the path, keeping a close eye on the windows I know are hers.
Silently, I beg to get a glimpse of her even if it is just through the glass. One look will be enough. It has to be.
I’m not beyond knocking on her door and demanding she let me in but I know that if I want more with her I have to act like some kind of civilized human.
Unfortunately.
A high-pitched giggle draws my gaze down the road and I instantly straighten, my heart beats rapidly in my chest.
The way the sun hits Valley’s hair makes her glow in a way that is ethereal. Like she was sent straight down from the angels tailor-made just for me and my pack.
I revel in the moments I have before she notices me. She is looking down at the little girl who is holding her hand and skipping as they make their way home. Based on the bags in my girl's hand, I assume they just went grocery shopping.
It pisses me off, yet again, that she doesn’t have a car to drive her home. I make a mental note to bug Vic about making sure we get her one. We can just make it a company write-off.
Considering we are now her bosses.
There is an easy kind of smile on Valley’s face, one that I haven’t seen before. Which makes sense considering she frowns at me everytime she has seen me recently.
Although, that look disappears from her face when she looks up and spots me. That familiar frown that seems to be her go-to quickly appears.
I can’t help but feel disappointed. I want her to look at me the way she does her daughter. The precious little blonde that still skips alongside her mother, not taking any notice of the shift in her energy.
“Conall, what are you doing here? How do you know where I live?”
I struggle to not reach up and rub away the frown lines between her dazzling emerald eyes. I want to ease her tension in any way that I can. Unfortunately, removing the stress that I cause her just isn’t an option. She just needs to learn how to deal with me.
I shrug my shoulders as I take a step towards her. “I was just in the neighbourhood. Wanted to know a bit more about the community here.”
She raises an eyebrow, suspicious of me and my half-assed explanation. “ You wanted to know more about Sloburn?”
I shrug again, knowing that she is dangerously close to catching my bluff. “There is a bit more to marketing a club than putting up flyers. Got to get to know the people here and what they want.”
She looks at me for a few moments skeptically. I tense, hoping that she won’t notice the shift in my body and my lack of candor. Eventually she nods as she continues walking. I step in, following her as she makes her way to her apartment.
“Hello!”
The little voice and the tapping on my pants has me looking down at the little girl. Getting down to her height, I smile at her and hold out to my hand.
“Hi, little firefly. My name is Cal. What’s your name?”
Her smile brightens at the use of my nickname for her. It is way too fitting for the little light that she so clearly is.
“My name is Amity.”
I nearly melt at just how sweet her voice is. Why are these tiny humans so precious and why won’t my sons hurry up and give me some grandkids already? I know that Kennedy is all but begging them.
“Such a beautiful name for such a beautiful little girl.”
She squeals and grabs my hand. “Come play, Cal!”
Almost tripping over my own feet, I right myself as I follow after Firefly who has a death grip on me. Valley protests behind me. I turn, holding up my spare hand in surrender as I follow after the little girl who leads me into their apartment building.
Amity finally stops at 1A. She rocks back and forth on her heels as she patiently waits for her mother to open the door.
Valley comes to stand beside us with the keys in her hand.
Turning slightly to me, she holds up a single finger, her voice low enough that her daughter can’t hear.
“Don’t think that just because my three year old is inviting you in, this means that you get some kind of special treatment.
Just because you are one of my new bosses doesn’t mean I trust you or your pack. ”
I nod, obeying her demands. My girl could have asked me to scrub her entire bathroom with my toothbrush, then brush my teeth with it, and I still would have agreed with her. Whatever she demands of me, she will get.
It's her world after all. I am just living in it.
Amity pulls me along behind her as the front door is opened. I hardly get a chance to look around the simple apartment before I am being tugged into a bedroom that feels as though a can of pink paint has exploded inside of it.
It becomes perfectly clear to me the kind of parent Valentina is.
Everywhere I look, there seems to be some kind of toy or girly item that Amity fusses over, the sweet little three-year-old over the moon to show me her treasures.
It's clear to me that Valley would prefer to forego luxuries for herself and instead ensure her daughter has everything she could possibly want and more.
Fuck, if that doesn’t make me want her even more. What is it about a parent being a good parent that is just so attractive?
It does also make me think about when my girl allows herself to receive luxuries. When does she take the time to spoil herself?
The lack of male energy lets me know the father clearly isn’t in the picture. She obviously has someone watching Amity while she is at work but based on what I know, I can’t see her taking the time out for her.
I write another mental note to organize a spa day for her. I need my girl to know that I will look after her and Amity. That these two women are now the most important people in my life, along with my own flesh and blood.
Time slips away from me as I play dolls with Amity. Hearing her laughter as I changed up voices for each of the characters was like a cleansing balm to the soul.
Valley watched us closely for a while. After a pointed look from me, she eventually backed off and disappeared into the apartment.
Although, with the feeling of eyes on me every so often, I know that she doesn’t go far. I don’t blame her. I am a strange Alpha. One that has been adopted by her daughter. She has every right to be cautious.
I just hope that one day it could eventually turn into trust.
The clearing of a throat has me turning towards Valley who is leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed.
“It's time to get ready for dinner, Amity. It's also time for Cal,” she says, putting emphasis on the name I introduced myself as, “to go home.”
“No, Mom! I want Cal to stay! Don’t go home!”
The breath is knocked out of me as Firefly jumps into my arms, her little limbs wrapping around me in a grip that is impressive for someone so small.
“Amity…” Valley says, a hint of exhaustion and something else I can’t quite pin point in her tone.
“No! Cal stay for dinner!”
There is an edge of a bark that startles me as I look down at the little girl that is now glaring at her mother.
Valley’s eyes widen, looking down at her daughter. Her arms have dropped from where they were held across her body. One hand now grips the door frame, almost as if it is anchoring her to her spot, the other hangs beside her, tensed.
No words escape her, instead she looks up at me for some kind of guidance. She’s a mixture of emotions, none of them positive. She needs me.
Reaching up, I turn Amity so she is looking back at me. I give her a gentle smile so as to not startle her.
“It's okay, Firefly. If you want me to stay for dinner, I don’t mind staying. I want you to know something though…” I trail off as I wait to make sure I have her full attention. She nods and I continue.
“That bark that you just used?” I raise my eyebrow as I wait for her next nod, “You need to promise me that you won’t use that on your momma.”
She nods her head almost dramatically, darting back around to her mom. Running to Valley, Amity jumps in her arms and apologizes, peppering her mother’s face with kisses.
Val looks up at me, a strange look in her eyes as she nods her head towards the kitchen. “Come on, your presence at dinner has been demanded.”
I chuckle but follow my girl anyways. There is no way that my answer was ever going to be no.
Not only was I demanded to stay but I now have more questions than I originally did.
Like how could a Beta have possibly birthed an incredibly rare Alpha female? And why am I more certain than ever that my little devil is hiding more than I could have thought.
It takes everything in me to not groan at just how delicious the bolognese Valley made is. I know that it would come with one hell of an ass whopping but I would stand in front of my nonna and tell her that my girls recipe is better.
It may be a death wish but it's one that I would suffer.
I’m sure that Nonna would understand, especially after explaining why.
Every chance that I get, I watch Valley. Since the little mishap earlier with a surprised bark from Amity, I have started to draw some wild conclusions.
Female Alphas, along with male Omegas, are incredibly rare designations.
I have only ever met four female Alphas and one male Omega in my almost forty-five years.
Each of them came from an Alpha father and an Omega mother.
As far as I can tell, a Beta can’t birth an Alpha or an Omega.
They only ever have Betas. So how is it that I am sitting in front of a Beta with an Alpha daughter?
One that is showing signs of her impending designation far earlier than she should.
Normally we designate at sixteen. I have heard of a few cases of Alphas and Omegas designating earlier but it is rare.
Yet, here my little Firefly sits showing very obvious signs of her designation.
Which could only mean one thing.
Valley isn’t a Beta.
I should be surprised. I should be reeling-freaking the fuck out because my girl is an Omega.
But I’m not.
I knew she was hiding something from me. It being her designation actually makes so much sense. Even more so as I mull over everything I know about her.
I understand now as to why she wouldn't give any of us the time of day. Why she has been butting heads with Vic every time they come face to face. Why she ‘suddenly’ had to leave when she met Olis in the park. Why I got a dressing down in the hallway of the Throbbing Knot.
Valley is an Omega. An Omega that is my mate.
I have to hold back a growl that threatens to escape. The woman before me was made to be mine. I know it without even smelling her scent.
Her being my mate explains why there is this strange connection between her and our pack. Why the thought of having her between us just feels so right.
It also explains why every single one of my more primal instincts is screaming at me.
Rut. Breed. Mine.
I should be applauded for my self control. I am a fucking saint right now.
Little does my sweet Cherry know but after today, I am going to be embedded in her life.
From this day on, everywhere my girl turns, I will be right there beside her. Or behind her.