Chapter 11
Katsu
Everything in me wants to grab this omega, walk her backwards into her house. Kick the door closed, drop to my knees, and worship her until she can’t stand and I’ve stolen that tiny slither of unhappiness and burned it.
Instead, I step back, inviting her out into the open where logic and reason will prevail, for now. It’s early morning, and if I’m clever, I can perhaps convince her to spend the day with me.
“Would you like to go for a walk?”
Is that a flash of disappointment in her eyes?
She nods. “That would be good.”
I wait while she grabs her keys and closes the house up. She walks beside me with perhaps a foot of distance. I hate that distance; I want to close it.
This is like when I met Fox, but a hundred times worse because I can feel him wanting them, too.
“Sebastian stayed with you last night? How did it go?” She is careful; her voice is even, but the flicker of sadness in her scent betrays her.
“Did we kill him? You mean?”
She turns red and shakes her head too quickly.
“Oh, are you curious if we fucked him?”
Cordelia glances around, making sure no one is within earshot. It is the most completely adorable thing I’ve seen yet.
“Don’t worry, Omega. I will make sure Fox and I wait until you are there before we make love to Sebastian.”
“No, that’s not. I-” She cuts off, but her scent has turned sweet, and the azaleas are making my head dizzy.
“It’s okay to say what you want. To us especially. We will give you anything and everything.”
She splutters. “Don’t you think this is going a bit fast? We just met; we should go slower. Slow is good. Slow is better.”
I wrinkle my nose. “If you wish, but I’ve already made my decision, and Fox made his before I even thought of mine.”
She mentally scrambles; I can see it clear as day.
“You can’t keep doing that!” she protests.
I laugh, and the sound startles her. She stops, staring at me with her mouth slightly ajar.
“Are you all right?” I tease.
“You are beautiful.”
My heart thuds hard, and I walk back to her. This omega I didn’t know I wanted or needed is so unsure of herself. She’s used to control. I will give her the control if that’s what she needs.
“Cordelia,” I say her name, for one second indulging myself and letting all the things I want to say come out in that whispered sound of complete adoration.
Her eyes go wide, the brown turning almost black. The wind makes her bangs dance, and she trembles.
“Tell me about your mother. I’ve heard she is a character.”
That brings her back, second by second, until we’re walking again.
“My mum is wonderful. She is a free spirit, and one of my best friends.”
I glance at her, waiting. I want her to open up to me without me pushing.
“She’s into projects and has trouble sticking to one thing she loves because she loves them all.
So, we’ve learned a lot of new skills. People laugh at her, but she is so smart.
She understands the zodiacs and constellations and what natural herbs can treat what ailments.
Mum is amazing; she just walks on a different wavelength from everyone else. ”
“And you?”
“Well, I can understand her and love what she does, but someone needed to make sure everything was working. So, while she studied knitting, I read up on how to fix the kitchen sink. When she was taking meditation classes, I was learning to balance a budget.”
“It sounds like it was difficult.”
“Yes and no. I have seen so much with her. I have experienced so much. A lot of people think it’s crazy, but it’s been an adventure, and I wouldn’t change it.”
Main Street is bustling with people. It takes me too long to work out what is bugging me. Once I see it, I can’t unsee it. So many of them have books under their arms. I let a smirk of satisfaction curl my lips as I watch.
Finally.
Phase one is complete. We have made Sunshine Cove aware that there is a secret author living right here amongst them. Step two is to flush them out.
“Did you hear? Lynn Marino lives right here in Sunshine Cove,” a beta says to his companion as they walk past us, heading to the café.
Cordie stops, turning around to stare at the couple.
“Do you know Lynn Marino?” I ask curiously.
“Of course,” Cordie says. “By her books. I had no idea she was living here. I thought Fox was wrong.”
I chuckle. “Fox is seldom wrong; it's a superpower of his.”
“Where are we going?” she mutters and steps closer to me to avoid a group of betas walking the other way. They are all young and carrying ice cream cones and laughing in an unconscious way young people do.
“We’re going to get chips and sit on the beach. I’ve been told it’s a good way to get to know someone.”
She scowls. “Have you been talking to Mack?”
I grin, thinking of the mellow alpha. We’d hit it off, and I’d eventually asked about how to reach Cordelia. He’d said he didn’t know her well but gave me the chips and beach hint.
“Guilty.”
She waits outside while I go in and get the chips, then I lead her down to the beach. Instead of going all the way down, she sits on the stairs and glowers at the whitecaps that are slamming against the sand.
A seagull lands in front of us and lets out an almighty shriek.
I go to shoo it away, but Cordie catches my hand. “Don’t. That’s Sully. She belongs here.”
“Belongs?”
“Well, she adopted the town, and the town adopted her. It’s complicated, but she’s like a mascot. Getting on Sully’s bad side would be a very bad idea.”
I stare at the terrifying bird. Fox bounces over and hugs Cordie from behind.
“Good morning, my love.”
“My love?” Cordelia squeaks, looking at me in panic.
“We’re not there yet?” Fox asks, deflating.
“Not yet,” Cordie says faintly.
“Oh, all right. Hi, Cordelia, I was thinking about you all night.”
She gasps again, and I chuckle. Fox is oblivious to her panic.
My alpha love turns to Sully. “Hello, my feathered friend.”
The seagull lowers its head, feathers rising with distinct malice. It spreads its wings and hisses in a serpentine like sound. I stare in shock, not once in all the years of knowing Fox have I seen an animal dislike him so intensely.
“All animals like you. What is wrong with that bird?” I ask in complete confusion. “Is it rabid?”
“Come on, we can be friends,” Fox coaxes, but the seagull snaps at his fingers and starts screaming.
Over and over and over. It doesn’t stop.
Cordelia throws the bird a chip, but it doesn’t even eat. It just keeps screaming bloody murder.
“Should we go?” I ask uncertainly. I’m not sure this is what Mack meant.
I glance around and freeze when I spot my alpha. Fox is standing there, staring at the bird, looking absolutely heartbroken.
Aw, damn it. How am I going to fix this for him?
”What’s wrong with me?”
I rub his back. “Oh, sweetheart, there is nothing wrong with you. There is something wrong with the bird. Don’t even think about it.”
“Katsu, I’ve never had an animal hate me before.”
He rushes off before I can stop him. I put my hands on my hips and glare at the now silent bird as it inspects the chip, then swallows the whole thing without any hesitation.
“I have never, ever seen Sully behave like that with anyone,” Cordie murmurs. “That was freaky.”
Fox comes jogging back, and the seagull backs up, flapping its wings and hissing, the same display as before only more assured.
“I got you a yummy present to prove I’m a friend,” Fox says.
He crouches and holds out a raw sardine.
“Where did you get that from?” I ask curiously.
“Harry had some.”
The chip shop owner and Fox have become fast friends, much like the rest of Sunshine Cove. Fox waves the fish, trying to make the flappy dead thing look appealing.
Sully opens her mouth and screams.
Cordie doubles over laughing so hard she’s in tears.
Sully lets out a warning hiss.
“Um, Fox, you better come back-”
The seagull attacks, not one, but two, then three.
Fox shrieks and struggles to get away from them, but they keep diving at his head. A black and white blur swoops through the air; the sound of wings slapping and a beak cracking together has me instinctively stumbling backwards.
“What is that?” I shout. Alarm spreading through me. It sounds like a dinosaur.
“Magpie!” Cordie calls. “Run!”
We run away, but Fox doesn’t follow. I turn back, and he’s got a black and white bird that is easily the creepiest thing I’ve ever seen in my life sitting on his shoulder.
The bird stands tall and carols into the air.
It looks completely assured of its mastery and aggressive victory, as the seagulls have scattered, leaving the demon bird to claim the field of victory.
“What is happening here?” I mutter in confusion.
“I think it’s a turf war,” Cordie says in amazement. “That’s Mat.”
“Mat?” I ask in a low voice, watching as Fox holds the fish up to the magpie.
He looks at the seagulls who are staring at it hungrily and then, like he wants to drive home his point, he takes the fish, breaks it apart, and then floats down to the sand where he casually eats it, all the while looking like the biggest, baddest bad on the beach.
“He’s a bit of an ass,” I note, watching the hungry gulls try to come closer. “I didn’t think there was a bird worse than a seagull.”
“Oh, yeah, we have a few. Kookaburra, Rainbow Lorikeets, Sulphur Crests, Emus, Cassowaries. The birds here are smart, and most of them can be absolute dicks when they want to be.”
“Sully runs at Fox but stops when the magpie snaps its beak again. One loud, aggressive warning. The gull and magpie stare at each, huge black eyes, staring at the red and white one. Land vs sea. Who will win?” a voice says in a tone like one of those animal documentary voiceovers.
I turn with my eyebrows raised, watching as a young alpha narrates the battle from the top of the stairs.
“Clint, get your ass over here!” a female shouts.
“In a minute. We’re having a thing.”
“Food’s ready.”
“Oh, food. Good luck, feathered fools,” he says cheerfully and vanishes.
I shake my head, this town is so strange sometimes. Cordelia is filming the interaction on her phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Informing the Pack Makers that Sully’s being put in her place, and a new queen has risen.” She giggles. “I can’t wait to see the panic.”
The whole situation baffles me. “Come on, Fox. Let’s leave your friend to his…intimidation tactics.”
Fox turns with an absolutely beautiful smile. “He’s lovely.”
“His name is Mat, short for Matilda. And the females are Joan and Jean,” Cordie informs us. I check to see if she’s pulling my leg, but, no, she’s completely serious.
I follow her up the stairs and glance back, seeing the magpie settle herself on Fox’s shoulder.
“Can we have a bird, Katsu?”
I trip on a step.
“Absolutely not.” I hesitate, feeling like a giant ass. “A budgie.”
“No, I want something more…aggressive.”
“You’ve never met a budgie, then,” Cordie says under her breath. I don’t even want to ask her what she means. I’m not really a bird person, I’m more a computer person.
The magpie sings from Fox’s shoulder like it’s found a new throne, and my alpha positively glows.
I rub my forehead. This day is not going how I planned, and yet, I can’t stop smiling. Fox is happy, Cordie is laughing, and I’m just missing… I spot him coming towards us. He’s frowning hard, and the aura that pours off him is one of rage.
“Bas,” Cordie says, moving to meet him. I stay with her, watching their interaction. He stares at her like she’s the only thing in his world.
“I have been looking for you all morning!” he rasps out. “No more running.”
She lifts her chin. “I’m right here.”
He growls, the sound deep and worrying. He’s still too close to his rut, but judging by her scent today, she’s just as close to her heat.
In less than a minute, I have a complete plan; I just have to figure out how to execute it.
“Everyone’s reading that book,” Sebastian growls.
“I know. I saw. It’s okay.”
I look between them. “We have to pop home for a minute, but I’d love your advice on the house, Cordie. I can’t find how to unlock the back door.”
It’s true, but then I haven’t been searching for the key at all.
“Can you help us?” I ask simply.
The strange tension between them dissipates.
She nods and walks close to Sebastian, glancing at him nervously.
I swear, the air is going to go up in flames between the two of them.
If I thought their sexual chemistry would be obvious and on display for the whole town to see and start gossiping over, I would be wrong.
The whole town completely ignores the omega and alpha; they are far more interested in Mat and Fox.
We had to stop several times for photos, but when we walk past Cordie’s house, the magpie lets out an affectionate croak and flies away.
Thankfully.
I open the door to our rented house and wait while the alpha and omega I want more than my next breath step into my temporary home and into my trap.
I close the door behind them and lean on it. One second, two. Right, I have control.
With an iron will, I lead them through the house and to a beautiful bedroom in the middle that has a recessed bed frame and was clearly intended to be a nest. I sweep open the door.
Cordie trembles. She gasps. The scent of azaleas, winter, and rain fills the house in an intoxicating blend that has me almost feral.
“For your heat.”
She lets out a sound that threatens to break me.
“If you want something better, we can-”
“No, it’s perfect.” She knuckles the tears out of eyes, then reaches for the door frame, with trembling fingers.
Sebastian hasn’t taken his eyes off her, but I can feel the shock of knowing her heat is coming has thrown him away from the rut.
He exhales roughly and steps into the room before I can stop him. Cordelia follows on his heels, watching as he explores every part of the room. Instead of being territorial, she seems pleased by his inspection.
“I always wanted to live in this house.”
The words break through her stress and the tension, and she relaxes like she’s taken a deep breath.
“Me, too.”
Sebastian doesn’t hear it, but I do.
I glance at Fox, who grins at me. I do love it when my plans come together.