18. You’re Ours… For Now
You’re Ours… For Now
~ICARUS~
“ Y ou’re not listening to what I’m saying, are you?”
Truthfully, I’ve been trying to listen to whatever Knox has been saying, but the nagging need to get back to Astraea’s room is enough to drive me insane.
I’m impressed I haven’t bolted out of this crime scene and returned to her side, but the last strand of restraint is on the verge of snapping if I don’t get moving in the next five minutes.
God, I don’t even want to wait five minutes…
“I’m not,” I admit because Knox would realize I’m lying out of my ass. Tugging my eyes to him rewards me with his slow eye roll before he narrows his eyes my way.
“I told you she’s off limits.”
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” I dismiss him as if I don’t know who we’re talking about.
“You’re a shitty liar.”
“So are you, but do you see me calling you out on it?” I offer casually as I cross my arms over my broad chest. I realize he’s doing the same; the two of us look more identical than ever.
Some traits you can’t get rid of. This is one of them.
“If you two are going to argue, can you do it later?”
We peer over to the owner of the voice, and Velvet’s exhausted expression makes us both frown. She notices our sync movements because she’s darting her eyes between us before grunting.
“Can you two not act like you’re the same person here? I have enough on my plate.”
Knox deep frowns while I’m slightly amused by her comment. At least enough to smirk and not look like Knox in this tense moment.
“I can’t fight genetics,” I calmly whine, but I decide this is a serious moment that needs to be confronted. “Are you going to lockdown?”
“I have no choice,” she confesses, pinching her nose with obvious strain. “But I’m delaying as much as possible because if I lockdown, none of you are leaving.”
A part of me doesn’t have a problem with that, but my concern lingers on Astraea.
Our little Omega didn’t look too good when I left her with Kai to see how bad the most recent attack on an Omega was. To be attacked within a Haven is a big fucking deal, and the severity and gruesome sight of this place proves she barely survived the onslaught of madness this Alpha ensued.
Regardless of how crazy things have gotten due to the Knot Their Omega movement, nothing justifies violence. Not to the extent of potential murder.
“How much time can you give us?” I inquire. “I can get Astraea and Kai out right away.”
“If you can leave in ten minutes, that would be a blessing,” she confesses, though she doesn’t like the idea of pushing us out. “You know I don’t want to do this, but if I delay any longer than that, I may have to shut the whole Haven down.”
Shit…
“Shut down, as in permanently?”
Velvet slowly nods.
She looks exhausted. I don’t particularly appreciate how strained she looks. Just the tension in her muscles, matched with the bags under her eyes, proves she hasn’t had a wink of sleep, leaving a sense of unease within my heart.
She shouldn’t be stressing one bit. She’s an Omega. She’s my mother. I should be assisting her in any way to ease the strain of this situation.
But I can’t…
She wouldn’t allow me to interfere in her life like that, even if I’m her son. She’s always been like that. Never wants to be a burden on anyone. I bet that’s just one of the many qualities that makes Knox yearn for her more.
Yet, the two of them have so many fucking issues.
“I wouldn’t allow you to shut down,” Knox grumbles, already at her side. I swear this man knows how to move silently when he wants to. It’s a mindfuckery sometimes because with how massive he is, he can move without a pinch of sound.
Predator movements can be rather deadly if challenged.
“It’s not your say,” she argues, but even her voice is filled with exhaustion. As though she’s simply tired of fighting. “I’m doing everything to ensure the police don’t raid this place.”
I frown at the news, realizing if the police get involved, they’ll do anything to shut this place down. They’ll give an excuse that they’re “closing it off for an investigation.” Once that goes through, they’ll keep building evidence until this place is deemed “unlivable” and all the belongings of the Omegas are confiscated as “evidence.”
I’ve witnessed it enough to know exactly how it goes.
I can’t let Astraea go through that shit.
Just the idea of her precious stuff being taken into custody riles my Alpha senses. Adding the pups she adores, I can only imagine what the police would do if they got those animals in their custody.
They wouldn’t even put them in shelters. That’s too kind of them.
The police in this world aren’t anyone’s friends. It’s filled with overpowered Alphas who are far too cocky and even harder to keep on a leash. With this movement, they’ll justify their need for extensive force and have the government back them up because “this was caused by a lack of power dynamic.”
Anything to justify their actions and keep them on paid leave for the sake of releasing their pent-up anger and hatred for Omegas.
I don’t catch onto what Knox is doing until I’m taking in the way he has Velvet’s face in his grasp and is pressing his forehead against hers.
“Can you stop being a negative Nancy for two fucking seconds and rely on me?” His words come out in a harsh growl, yet you can catch the hint of sincerity in his words. He’s hurting for her. Angry with the predicament he has little control over. I can understand him because I can envision myself doing that with Astraea.
I can see the way Velvet wants to argue in return, but Knox’s touch — his closeness—gets the better of her as she easily melts against him in a matter of seconds. He doesn’t hesitate in pulling her into a tight hug, holding her so she can allow the tension of the last twenty-four hours to free from those poor limbs for just a moment.
“They’ll take the Omegas away if I don’t fight them,” Velvet quietly whispers. The vulnerability in her voice and that heaviness of defeat are making my heart ache in misery for her. “But I’m running out of options. They’re targeting all the Havens at once. We don’t have enough resources for security. The police will only be involved if it means taking full control, and the moment they do that, it’s over. Without their approval, we can’t get more forces to secure this Haven. I’m at my wit’s end, Knox.”
I’ve seen Velvet admit defeat only two times in my life.
Once when I was six years old and the other time when I was sixteen. Both times, Knox was right there, and he said what I know in my heart he’ll say for a third time.
“Then lean on me, Darling. Let me fix it, then you can do whatever the fuck you want after.”
This may be why the world assumes my parents were never meant to have packs. Yet, it’s instances like these that make me realize what a fool the world is.
How blind they are at the reality hidden from their nosy eyes because their viewpoint of a successful pack is always seeing their “togetherness.”
Our society never pushes the idea of a pack being distant. Never encourages a sense of independence. Has never pursued the idea that a pack can be long distance and focused on their individual goals but come together when their Omega needs them the most.
This is the instance where an Alpha is asking their Omega to let them take the lead in making things right. To reunite the pillars of power in their small dynamic until everything is right.
This is how my dad allows my mother her independence and freedom until she’s reached her limit and needs help against all those who wish for her to fail.
It’s both beautiful and mesmerizing to acknowledge with my own eyes.
“Okay,” she whispers in submission, her fingertips digging deeper into Knox’s back as she hugs him tightly.
Seeing their intimacy reminds me of why I left.
How I yearned for their relationship because it was not only unique but so fucking powerful. To the world, they were failures, yet to me, they were the perfect role models that I wished to become.
To find an Omega who held a sense of independence and power, yet didn’t mind relying on me when they needed my presence and support.
That’s why I moved away, so I wouldn’t be trouble. No more being asked personal questions while I fought to empower myself enough that I could be like my father.
To be in the position to step up when my destined Omega needed me to.
And now… I think I’ve found the right Omega who can deliver that sense of independence and fulfillment.
Pulling out a card, I set it on the table near them and leave.
They’ll know why I didn’t announce my departure, just like they’ll know exactly where I went off to. In order to help my parents, my goal is to get Astraea and her pups out of here so a lockdown can activate, and we can do our share in keeping this Haven out of the police’s clutches.
The card I left behind has a very generous amount of funds that can further assist with the financial strains of keeping this Haven going when in lockdown, and I’m sure Velvet knows she can reach out to me if she needs more.
She won’t because she’d never rely on me for anything if not forced, but I tell myself that so my mind will stop thinking about it.
The moment I’m down the hall toward Astraea’s room, I feel a sense of relief hit me like a comforting blanket being laid on my tense frame. Her scent laces the pale, warm-toned walls of the hall, encouraging me to walk faster until I’m in front of the door.
It takes two knocks for the door to open, revealing Kai, who’s nicely decorated.
Decorated with far too many hickeys.
My arched eyebrow only makes him smirk. It’s such a tiny expression, yet it makes me want to be defiant and prove to him I can beat the unspoken challenge he’s set out with this “generous” display of affection.
“Fuck you,” I huff at him, and he struggles not to snicker.
“Hello to you, too,” he offers and steps aside, knowing I’ll push him aside if he doesn’t get out of my face.
“Better get that smug expression off your face, or I’ll pull a Nate tantrum,” I complain.
“First of all, you wouldn’t,” he offers the truth because, realistically, he’s right. I wouldn’t. I’m not a fucking child. “Second of all, you’ve already made it a goal to get more hickeys than me. I saw you counting.”
“You talk too much,” I complain because him even making conversation means he’s in a good fucking mood. Meaning, he fucked our little Omega. “You didn’t knot, did you?”
“I did,” he admits, rewarding him with a threatening look his way. “Not inside,” he continues. I see the pure amusement in his eyes. “At least, not yet.”
“I see why Kenji likes you when you’re sexually satisfied,” I summarize. “I, on the other hand, hate it.”
Kai laughs. It’s still low and quiet, but the joyful tone is pure.
“I wouldn’t last in this pack if you dealt with this side of me all the time. We need balance, remember?”
“Balance my ass,” I huff. Stalking further into the room, I go straight to the source of my nagging needs.
“She’s showering.”
“Good.” I want her to be freshly scented before I taint her with my aroma.
“Movers will be here in a minute,” Kai continues.
“I love an audience,” I offer right back. He knows I don’t give a shit who overhears us. I don’t have the intention of necessarily fucking her now, but I’m not going to fight this Alpha need to taste and mark her a little now that she’s had her share with Kai.
Yes, I’m a bit competitive.
Yes, it’s a bit problematic.
Do I truly give a shit?
No.
I don’t give a fuck.
The moment I’m at the door, it opens not a second later, the scent of vanilla and lavender soap matched with hot steam hitting me right on. That follows with that addictive scent of sweet goodness that makes me want to drop to my knees and commit any type of sin for the woman before me.
The moment our eyes lock, it’s no different from when we were in the gym. That intense, heightened connection freezes time and space around us. I’m lost in her orbit, drawn into her beautiful gaze, until I’m cupping her cheeks and kissing her with far too much longing.
Like I hadn’t just seen her an hour ago.
She melts against me in mere seconds, the two of us kissing long and hard before I break the intense kiss that has me already grasping her weight in my arms and walking her back into the bathroom until she’s sitting on the edge of the sink.
“Icarus,” she moans breathlessly before I take her lips once more.
I just need to tame this need to own her again. It’s foolish to be so provoked, but I’m going to ride this wave of possessiveness until she tells me to calm my ruts.
“Are you going to mark me up like that next time I fuck you senseless?” I growl into her mouth and bit her bottom lip, pulling lightly. Her moan, matched with that lustful hunger that ignites in her eyes, is making me hard far too fast.
“That depends,” she ends up saying when I let her free, only to kiss her deeply the next second. It takes even longer for us to peel ourselves off each other, the two of us forced to do so, so we don’t pass out from the dizzy euphoria pulsing between us.
I’m really on the verge of fucking her right now, but I’m reminded of the exhausted look on Velvet’s face and the urgency of the matter at hand.
“Are we going to do that once we’re out of this place?” she offers. “We have to leave, don’t we?”
“We do,” I reveal, hating the fact we have to get back to the issue at hand. “Are you okay with leaving?”
I can see the slight hesitation in her eyes, but then there’s a spark of resilience that grows as she nods her head and sits a little taller.
“Yes. I’ll be okay with it. Kai reassured me with a good plan, and Ember and Blaze get to come with, so I have no other concerns,” she admits, but then she frowns. “I did want to check on my best friend. I don’t want to leave her stuff here, but I don’t want to move anything without her permission.”
“Have you tried reaching out to her?” I ask.
“Not yet. Haven’t had the chance.”
I think of our options.
“Truthfully, I don’t know how long the lockdown can be, but I would be concerned with leaving your best friends’ stuff here. I’m pretty confident Velvet will have this dealt with, but everything is up in the air with the new movement, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“Okay.” She needs a few added seconds to think about it. “I’m going to call her, and if I don’t get anything, I’ll write a message and note, so if she comes back, she knows her things are in a secure location.”
“Good.” I kiss each cheek, then her forehead. “You okay?”
“A lot better than before,” she admits and even smiles. “Kai kind of helped with that.”
“I noticed,” I taunt her and raise an eyebrow her way. “I’ll get my revenge.”
“You’re so competitive,” she complains, as if it’s a bad thing.
“Yet you like it,” I smirk.
“Hmm, whatever.” She wiggles her legs. “Down.”
“Nah,” I kiss her again. “Let me eat you out real quick.”
“W-W-What, no! I’ll have to shower again,” she whines. “I don’t have any more scent-blocking panties.”
“That’s not a problem.”
“You want the movers who are Alphas smelling me?”
The idea of anyone outside our pack smelling her slick has me growling.
“Possessive Alphas,” she complains, but I can see she likes it.
“So, this proves you’re already dripping for me, hmm?” It’s my chance to turn the tables and make her beet red for admitting how turned on she already is for me.
“I never said that.”
“No more blocking panties proves you’re wet right now, even though you just finished showering.”
“Ugh, stop talking,” she huffs and pushes my face away when I try to close in. “Shoo.”
It always makes me chuckle when she does that.
“Fine. I’ll eat you out later,” I offer and help her down. Squeezing her ass possessively, I press her against me, knowing damn well she’ll feel my hard-on against her. “Can’t even last long without getting hard around you.”
“That sounds like a ‘you’ problem,” she complains, yet I know she’s thriving on this intensity between us. “But… will it be weird to say I did kind of miss you?”
God…
“Talk like that and I’m going to be making stupid decisions,” I complain. “Can’t make the temporary leader of this pack look like a fool.”
“Not sure about temporary,” she points out but further runs against me, making me groan as my cock twitches. “I’ll be the judge of this leadership business.”
“Will you?” Gripping her ass, I rub it before I slap her left cheek. She groans and further presses against me until the two of us are fighting not to pull each other’s clothes off.
“See, this is why my actions are totally justified.”
I’m intrigued by the very familiar voice. Astraea is as well because we’re both looking at the doorway to see the all-too-familiar drummer wearing a brown uniform. The hat barely hides his white locks, but the plain black contact lenses he’s wearing make him look more “normal” than usual.
“Kenji?” Astraea states as a confirmation of his identity versus a question. “Why are you in that getup? You work with the moving company?”
“Nah,” he declares proudly as he strolls into the washroom as though he’s lived here all his life. Not only is he pushing me away like I’m a hindrance, but he’s hugging Astraea like she’s his long-lost lover. “Came to see our Omega since it felt like an eternity.”
“It’s been an hour and a half tops,” I huff.“Stop being overdramatic.”
“Says the ballsy talent manager getting upset that I interrupted his need to claim dominance,” Kenji sweetly announces as he points an accusing finger my way while he uses his free arm to wrap around Astraea from behind, pulling her against him. “Sorry, Sweet Hummingbird, but I got to keep you away from that possessive fucker, or we’re never leaving here.”
“Liar,” I groan. “You’re just helping Kai!”
“Maybe,” Kenji laughs. “In our trio dynamic, you already know you’ll lose if Kai’s on the playing field.”
“Favoritism,” I grunt. “Why don’t you admit you have a stalking problem, seeing as you somehow figured out what we’ve yet to execute?” I didn’t realize Kai had already called for movers. “You didn’t send me the memo.”
“Says the stalking leader, who has a whole security system set up in the front door, which, by the way, was a pain in the ass to bypass. You’re lucky I remember all your code combination s, or you’d be interrupted by a group of Betas pounding on the door.”
“You did not tamper with my security system,” I grumble while narrowing my eyes his way. He doesn’t hide his sinister grin of triumph, all while clearly hugging Astraea tighter as though she’s the grand prize in all of this.
Okay, maybe she is the grand prize.
“What are you going to do about it if I said I did?” Kenji counters. “Seeing as I hacked into it in two and a half minutes means there’s a flaw that needs to be fixed. I figured out what the error of miscalculation is, so that means you need my help in ensuring your flawless program continues to remain platinum standard in the industry.”
I hate when he makes fucking sense.
“What in the blackmail do you want?” I get to the point.
“A date with Sweet Hummingbird, please,” he declares with pride.
“A date with me?” Astraea asks in wonder before she scrunches her face in realization. “Wait a minute! You’ve been stalking me?” She points at Kenji first before her accusing finger points in my direction. “And security? Wait… Morrigan. Morrigan StarCaptors Corp… hold on. You work with the company?”
She pulls her gaze away from me to look at Kenji, which means she assumes I’m not going to answer her promptly enough. Of course, Kenji’s response time is far faster than mine as manic giggles of victory drifting into the hollow air of the washroom.
He loves ratting me out.
“He doesn’t work there, Sweet Astraea,” Kenji reveals. “You’re looking at Icarus Morrigan. CEO of Morrigan StarCaptors Corp. Global award-winning security in both virtual and physical home and business security in the industry. Specializes in Alphas security, but he has a little side hustle that’s secretly for Omegas. To be honest, he just started that initiative two days ago when he met a certain Omega at the gym.”
“I didn’t fucking tell you that,” I grumble and cross my arms over my chest, hoping to look more intimidating.
The cynical drummer couldn’t care less about that. He has a fair chance at kicking my ass, even if he’s half my size when it comes to muscular build and overall physique.
“Yeah, no. I watched the cameras at your dad’s gym and enjoyed the ‘love at first sight’ scene. Replayed it like a hundred times just to confirm you falling madly in love with our Omega and proceeding to growl at the poor cleaning Betas who were just trying to do their job.”
I feel the heat rushing to my face, making me want to growl and pounce on my packmate.
“Dad’s gym?” Astraea looks even more confused while footsteps force us to look into the doorway to reveal Kai.
“Kenji. You suck at keeping secrets,” he notes, though, from Kai’s calm expression, it doesn’t look the least bit surprised by this trait or revelation. “And Icarus always had the intention of helping Omegas, but he had to reach the next income bracket to initiate a private corporation that’s given the privilege of being excluded from yearly government observation.”
“Why are you guys revealing all my shit out like it’s dirty laundry?” I don’t even have the energy to argue with them anymore.
“I don’t know. It’s just more amusing,” Kenji concludes, as if everything he and Kai just did was no big deal. “Besides, when you think about it, we’re simply ensuring our Omega knows how epic of a leader you are for our pack.”
“Temporary,” I correct him.
“We’ll see,” Kenji suggests with a sly grin.
I bet you he’s setting Nate up for failure in some way.
The crazy part is I can’t even defend the man.
He’s the only one who isn’t addicted to Astraea. At least, not enough to stalk her whereabouts, like me and Kenji.
I bet Kai will be next. He’s dangerous in his own unique way.
“I feel like I’m having an information overload,” Astraea admits as she looks at the three of us. “And having you three in such a close space is making my body ache.”
“Ah, shit,” I curse, realizing our closeness like this could be triggering in different ways.
Can’t be triggering her Heat.
“Do you take suppressants, Astraea?” I wasn’t expecting Kenji to be the one to ask the prime question. He’s resting his chin on her shoulder like it’s something he does all the time. She doesn’t seem bothered by his closeness whatsoever.
“I do from time to time,” she confesses. “I mean, I have a patch thing that acts like birth control but also aids in suppressing my Omega urges a bit. The government forces us to use it, though it’s a bit of a threat to us when you think about it.”
She pauses and pouts a bit.
“We have to go back to the stalking Dad convo.”
“My dad isn’t a stalker,” I note.
“You understood what she meant,” Kai dismisses and looks at Astraea. “He has a bark up his ass ‘cause we’re selling all his secrets for free.”
“If I went around telling everyone you’re in the mafia, how would you feel?”
“No one would believe it,” Kai states the obvious and even shrugs, like this is a casual occurrence. “Besides, I’m the mute Alpha everyone ignores unless there’s business involved. You can say I work with the FBI, and people would laugh at your delusional thinking.”
“If you’re going to be this talkative from now on, I want to change the group dynamic,” I complain. I forgot about Kai being a smart fucking ass.
“You forgot Kai’s the smart fucker in the group, didn’t you?” Kenji hollers. “Admit it! You hate being undermined in your own fuckery!” Kenji laughs and lightly strokes Astraea’s head. “Sorry, love. We’re overwhelming you, aren’t we?”
“Just a little,” she admits. I realize that’s why she’s gotten far quieter compared to before. “It’s… not painful or anything, it’s just… a lot. Especially with all your sweet scents clashing together like this. Makes me feel like I’m spinning.”
“Alright, out,” I order them to leave. “Let’s let her breathe a little.”
“Leave as in you’re coming with us,” Kenji reminds me as if I didn’t count myself in the loop. “We need you to use those muscles and get everything packed in five minutes.”
“Didn’t you order movers?” I argue.
“Oh, I sent them away,” Kenji announces, leaving us all to stare at him in dismay.
“Wait. Seriously?” Kai questions in astonishment. “Kenji? Why did you do that?”
“Why would I let random anyone touch our Omega’s personal belongings?” Kenji questions with a blank face that leaves us speechless. He does have a point. “We have arms. We’re strong and pretty swift when we need to be. I brought all the materials we need and a truck outside. We can get everything done in five solid minutes.” He then looks at Astraea.
“Kai said you have pups you want to bring to the house. Already got new crates ordered to be delivered today and they have a comfy spot at the back of our G-wagon.”
“G-G-G-wagon?” she stutters. It takes me to register how slightly she’s off-balance.
“Ugh, we’re pushing her limits, guys,” I emphasize, and I’m at her side before she can sway further.
Without waiting for her to argue with my movements, I have her in my grasp and enter the amazingly scented bedroom in a few large strides.
Laying her on her bed, she sighs in relief as if she was frightened of fully passing out.
“Okay, the world isn’t spinning as quickly.”
“Sorry, Little Omega,” I quickly apologize, feeling a heavy sensation of dread. We shouldn’t be overwhelming her. In fact, we shouldn’t be making her life harder than it has been in the past. “We’re not used to all this.”
“I get it,” she admits with a small smile. I can tell she’s drained. “I’m a noob in this department, too.”
“Stay here and calm down,” I urge and lay a very light kiss on the top of her nose. “We’ll start gathering your things in the living room and leave this room last so you can have a break from us. If things still feel too much, tell me. We’ll get a second car, so we’re not crammed in one vehicle.”
“No. That sounds like a hassle,” she confesses and closes her eyes for a moment. “We… can just do one car.”
“Nothing is a hassle when it comes to you, Astraea,” I whisper, hoping she’ll get some rest. If she does fall asleep, we’ll aim to move her as effortlessly as possible to not wake her up. “Just rest for a bit. If you need to sleep, go ahead. Just know you’re safe with us, and we’ll ensure everything is okay.”
“Okay…” I doubt she could even argue with me. She’s dozing off faster than she can grasp. “Thank you.”
It still feels weird to hear such gratitude from an Omega. How easy it is for her. All I hear from Omegas these days is the consistent reminder of what an Alpha should be doing. That nothing we do is over and beyond the expected.
Yet, Astraea not only acknowledges our aid but is willing to express gratitude when due, without feeling our actions are obligations forced by society’s rules.
I stay there for a few minutes, watching to make sure she’s fast asleep. Once I’m sure she’s deep in the realms of slumber, I sneak out of the room to see Kai and Kenji have already packed a big chunk of stuff.
Maybe Kenji is right. We’re a lot faster and have the manpower to get this move quicker than a group of Betas who might sell such information to anyone who wants to hurt us.
With Astraea in the picture now, we’re going to have to be more careful.
“Is she asleep?” Kenji asks.
I nod before pulling off my shirt, knowing I’m gonna be sweaty in a hot minute. The idea immediately has my mind gearing up for spontaneous ideas.
“Yo. Take your shirts off.”
“Because…” Kai asks, but he lowers the box in his grasp and begins to unbutton his dress shirt. Kenji doesn’t even ask questions. He just strips and tosses his ripped t-shirt that’s beneath the brown jumpsuit he’s sporting for the “look” of it.
“Until we actually have a main nest, she should get used to our scents,” I declare. “She got overwhelmed because our scents are all so strong, and she’s not used to them mashing together with hers. It made her feel overstimulated, which is why she feels drained.”
Kai and Kenji exchange a look. From their gazes, they’re piecing everything together and realizing I have a point.
“With the shirts, she’ll begin to adapt to our scents. It’ll be less overwhelming for her.”
“Okay,” Kai agrees and offers me his dress shirt. “What about Nate? In fact, why isn’t he here?”
I don’t bother answering because I don’t know why the fuck he isn’t here. Surely, after the impactful interaction he had with Astraea, her memory should be nagging him silly. Like it did all of us. Yet, if she really left a mark on him, he would have tried to inquire about her by now.
Deciding to look at the culprit who can give me the answers I need, my eyes land on Kenji.
His slight grimace tells me I won’t like what he has to say.
“He’s distracting himself.”
I can’t comprehend which one of us growls first, but the reaction is primitive—an obvious conclusion neither I nor Kai like that set of news.
“He should be here, not fucking a random bitch,” Kai snarls.
Kenji simply shrugs.
“He doesn’t want to believe Astraea’s the one, I guess,” Kenji states with a lift of his shoulders. “I say we kick him out!”
“Kenji,” I groan and pinch my nose. I don’t like having this discussion. The fact it’s a discussion I don’t enjoy bringing up proves it’s come up enough times to be a lingering problem. “You know we can’t abandon him like that. We’re best pals.”
“You’re best pals,” Kenji reminds me. “We’re not.”
“We’re best friends,” I correct them.
“Not with this Nathaniel, the self-destructive bus,” Kenji declares. “He can go fuck his future over himself. At least if he’s out of the picture, we can find a new lead singer of the band.”
“Should see if Astraea can sing. Her moans are musical.”
I smirk while Kenji muffles his snickers.
“You know, I’ve yet to experience the musical symphony of euphoria from our Sweet Hummingbird, but I’m 100% confident you’re right,” Kenji says with pride. “I’ll see for myself.”
“On another day,” I urge him when he tries to make a beeline down the hall. “Let her rest. Me and Kai already did enough.”
“I can see that,” Kenji notes. “You two in competition on who can get the most permanent marks on their body or what?”
“It was unintentional,” Kai offers.
“Lying ass,” I huff and shoo them away. “Let me put this on her bed. As for Nate, let’s deal with him later. You know how he is. We know his history. We can’t just abandon ship when we’ve finally reached our goal as a pack.”
“He’s the hindrance that’s going to hold us back. Just wait and see,” Kenji huffs. “And I’ll tell you now. If he continues being an unloyal douche, he’s out in my books.”
“Last time I checked, I have the final say with those books,” I remind him because I know how dangerous it is when Kenji decides you’re no longer worthy of his redemption.
He allows them to destroy every bit of the potential future they have.
In fact, he encourages it. That’s why you never get on Kenji’s bad side. You don’t test a lion that’s been ready to feast for hours in the burning sun.
“He doesn’t deserve her,” Kai mutters and looks around the room that’s already half empty. “She’s kind. Considerate. Stunning and full of so much unique beauty in her soul. She… acts like a woman who actually sees us. Not just our roles and the number of figures in our bank accounts. How many years have we waited for this prime opportunity to blaze into our lives?”
I can sense the longing in his voice as he says nothing but facts.
He’s right. This is what we’ve been waiting for. What we thought would be impossible in this generation of Omegas that only see us as power and survival tools that bear financial security and abundance to their Omegas.
We stumbled into this predicament, and we’re already reaping the rewards of having an Omega in our lives. Not just the ones laid upon the government, but true gifts of opportunity and blessings with getting to interact and be intimate with her so quickly.
To the world, it would look like a fast-paced connection that will crumble in a matter of weeks, if not days.
However, in our little world, everything feels so fucking right, it’s scary to acknowledge just how delightful all of this has been. The rollercoaster of fate that’s led us down this path where we finally have what we’ve prayed for all this while.
After all this while, I can’t let anyone fuck it up.
Not even Nate.
“I’ll have another talk with him once we’ve transferred Astraea to our place and set her things,” I declare so we’re all on the same page. “Sounds good?”
“Fine by me,” Kenji announces. “Better for you to do it. If I do it, I’ll accidentally stab him with an infected fishing hook and pretend it was an unexpected accident.”
“You’re always plotting someone’s murder,” Kai doesn’t hesitate to point out.
“True.” Kenji’s proud of it. “At least you should feel a sense of confidence and accomplishment because you’ll never be in such a predicament when it comes to me.”
“Can you two get a room?” I grunt and spin around to head back down the hall.
“We do have one. Only it’s not soundproof yet. We’ll have to fix that while we’re at the new place,” Kenji offers to Kai.
“Sure. I can get my connections to pull strings.”
“Of course you can,” I complain because Kai can get anything done. That’s how fucking rich he is. “ Let me put this around her, then let’s get moving fast. I want us out in four and a half minutes.”
“Love a challenge,” Kenji praises.
“I’ll show you a challenge if you pack faster,” Kai offers in encouragement. I know he’s riling Kenji up, so he’s focused and less distracted.
“Say less!”
I have to smirk at these two love birds because their love for each other is so damn obvious.
I bet Astraea wouldn’t mind, either.
I’m back in her room and laying our clothes around her. She’s already comfortable on her side, but I can see the immediate reaction of our scents wrapping around her from our shirts and how she becomes even more relaxed. Leave me feeling satisfied enough to lean down and press a firm kiss to her forehead.
“All of this still feels like a dream, Little Omega,” I whisper against her flesh. “But I don’t care what the future holds now. Whatever comes our way, the ups and downs, we’re going to face them together, like a fucking rollercoaster.”
I mean those words.
Reaching the door frame, I look back at her sleeping figure, knowing in a matter of minutes, we’ll strip this room bare and take her from this world she’s gotten so used to thinking will be her forever.
“You’re ours now, Astraea, and we’ll fight to prove to you how worthy you are in this vast world.”
That’s a promise I know in my heart I can keep.