Chapter 14
Fox
Istep in front of Katsu and Sebastian and give them my strongest scowl. Katsu smiles in amusement, already knowing what’s coming. He leans back in the sand, head cocked to the side, just staring at me, waiting.
“Go away.” Okay, maybe that comes out a bit too blunt.
“Excuse me?” Sebastian snaps.
The magpie on my shoulder warbles loudly. I wait and then shrug. “Are you good at shopping?”
Sebastian looks away, but I can see the terror in the way his lips tremble. “I can help.”
“Or you and Katsu can go and get dinner for us and organise groceries for a week.”
The relief on his face is adorable. We all have strengths; that’s what Katsu always tells me, but it’s good to see a practical point made, one I can use when I start feeling insecure.
“We’re going shopping.” I’ve already made the plans; I just hadn’t had a chance to reveal them yet.
“Where?” Cordie asks. “We only have one store.”
“Let’s check it out first, and if we can’t find what we need, there was a gorgeous town not far away that I saw has a nesting shop.”
She gapes at me. “Second Chance? You want to drive all the way to Second Chance just for nesting materials?”
Is she serious? “Of course, an omega needs to feel secure and have only the best nest. What kind of alpha would I be if I didn’t make sure your nest was perfect?”
She blinks rapidly and looks down, hiding her face.
“Go alone?” Sebastian asks. “Are you sure?”
Katsu shrugs. “Fox is exceptionally well trained, he can take care of himself and her. But if it makes you feel better, Lorelei and Milton are going. Fox asked if they could catch a ride with them.”
“How do you know that?” I ask, mildly annoyed he’s stealing my thunder. He’s always doing this, somehow getting one step ahead of me, even when I think I’m being sneaky.
The way her face relaxes means I’ve done the right thing. So, I give myself a mental pat on the back and take her hand. It would be amazing to have this time alone with her, but I am a stranger, and she did see me get railed this morning. I need to show her other sides of me, too.
Good job, Fox.
“We’ll see you soon, lovers.”
I wink at Sebastian and see him turn a delightful crimson colour and scowl at me.
Without another look, I lead her up and to the Ville Road, which has a whole heap of more traditional grocery-type shops and tourist-themed ones.
We head into the small secondhand shop, but she looks like it’s all too much.
“What do you like, Cordelia?”
“Empty rooms.”
I snort a laugh because she barely let me get the word out before she was answering.
“You want an empty room?”
She looks up at the ceiling light as if everything is painful. “I like stars and lights that twinkle.”
I pass her two pillows. “Which material feels nice?”
She tosses them back on the rack and grabs a cushion that squishes in the most delicious twisty way. Then grabs satin. Her fingers slow and tremble as she strokes it, but then she puts them back.
My eyebrows go up as I watch her look at a nasty brocade and hover over cheap white linen and cotton. No omega would ever choose cotton unless there was a practical reason. Especially not for a heat. Even more so for her first nest.
Katsu’s parents have drilled so much nest behaviour and theory into me that I feel confident that I can help her, more now that I’ve identified what emotion is going to hold her back.
“Do you like it or are you getting it because it’s practical?”
She exhales roughly and seems to shrink into herself.
“I don’t know.”
“Well, that’s what we’re going to explore. Don’t worry, I am really good at shopping.” I wink at her and brush my hand over her lower back. She whines and leans into me, surprising me. I pull her closer and just hold her.
“It’s going to be okay, little bird, I promise.”
I watch discreetly as she opens her banking app. I take her phone and shut off the screen.
“Let me do this for you,” I say quietly. “Please. It’s my honour to see you through a heat, or even if you don’t want me, I just want you to have what you deserve.”
“No, I couldn’t-”
“I have way too much money, and so does Katsu. Let me spend it on you, Omega.”
She shudders and shakes her head, but I think she’s just overwhelmed and isn’t actually protesting.
I purse my lips and move closer, catching the bitter scent of a stressed omega.
Has anyone ever taken care of her? She does so much for everyone else.
Has everyone just accepted this from her?
No, she lets Sebastian do things for her.
I frown, thinking it over. But he bullies her, goads her into accepting his gifts. Huh.
“Talk to me,” I murmur and reach out, tangling our fingers.
She inhales deeply, her eyes landing on my face before jumping away.
She glances around, and I look up, catching people watching us.
I’m used to it; I have grown used to it; first, with who my family is, then Katsu’s family.
I hate it, but I can deal with the stares as long as they stay over there.
Her cheeks burn, and she shuffles her feet; unease fills her scent, and she lets out an unhappy sound that stokes my protective instincts.
“I see. So, let’s go to the next town over. It’s time for us to go meet Lorelei and Milton, anyway. It will be better; no one knows us. Just you and me and a room full of materials that you can take your time to enjoy. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”
With a frown, I take a photo of the satin and the squishy pillow, send it to Katsu, and then we leave it there, walking out and standing on the sidewalk. She relaxes but not all the way.
Milton Sol pulls up in a white landcruiser, pushing his glasses up his nose and waving out the open window. “Let’s go, kids.”
We climb in the back, and minute by minute, Cordelia relaxes until she looks almost normal.
My hand is resting just above her knee, over the jeans, and I just stroke my thumb in circles, round and round.
A small touch, an anchoring to bring her back.
It works. She edges closer to me until she unconsciously wraps her hand over mine.
“Tell me about building a nest, Omega Sol,” I say cheerfully, ignoring the way Cordelia sits up straight, her scent flaring with panic.
“Ew, don’t call me that, you make me feel old. Call me Lorelei.”
“Okay, Lorelei.”
“Now, nests are fun. You never saw the time-out rooms, did you, Cordelia?”
“I didn’t need to,” she says hesitantly.
There’s a pause where Milton and Lorelei exchange a guilty look.
“Okay, so in the communal nest, there’s a bit of everything because different omegas like different things. Though some of us need a freaking bath.”
I cock my head to the side. “A bath?”
“Asher likes water. I swear, that girl was born with a tail.” Lorelei sighs and turns around so she can look at us.
“It’s really different with every omega.
Some like lots of fabric and clutter. Some like minimal spaces.
You go into the shop, and you just have an open mind.
See what feels right and makes you want to purr. ”
“Purr?” Cordelia asks.
But I’m lost in visions of her lying on white faux fur, naked and purring for me.
“True contentment and happiness is an omega purr,” Lorelei says, reaching out and putting her hand on Milton’s thigh.
“The day I earned Lore’s purr was one of the happiest of my life,” he says.
I make a promise to myself that I will do whatever it takes to get Cordelia to purr. As often as possible.
“So, who do you think Lynn Marino is?” I ask, changing the subject.
I sit back with my arms crossed, watching the plan unfold. We will flush this author out; it’s only a matter of time now. The whole town is gossiping.
“I read the books, I’m not sure about this Bastion Sun character,” Lorelei mutters. “He’s a bit of a player, isn’t he?”
I glance sideways at Cordie, but she’s looking out the window watching the…cows? I lean towards her so I can see them, too. They are all walking in the same direction. Do all animals do this, or is it a farm thing? I'll make a note to ask Sebastian when we get back.
“I’m not sure. I thought it might be Yolanda. But there are a lot of people in town. Hmm, it’s a conundrum,” Milton says and bursts out with a laugh. “It’s exciting, though. Our very own celebrity author. I wonder why they are hiding.”
Lorelei turns around and studies me. I can almost see the connections she’s making in her head.
“Say, you look a lot like Wolf.”
“Or,” I suggest, “he looks a lot like me.”
She laughs. “Oh, this is brilliant. Wolf and CAT!” she shouts. “Oh, wow, this author literally wrote about you and…ooh, it’s uncanny.”
“Really? I don’t see it at all,” Cordie says.
“Oh, yes, the jaw, the eyes. It’s all written down in the description.”
“How could the author have even known them? It’s not like they have ever been to Sunshine Cove,” Cordie argues.
“Maybe they are friends with the author. Did you all set this up? Is it a gimmick?” Lorelei asks me.
I shake my head. “No, I had no idea who the author even was until I had a group of omegas bail me up asking for autographs and selfies. We are as clueless about the identity of the author as everyone else.”
“That must have been really frightening. Having people suddenly want to know you.”
Cordelia startles, watching Lorelei with alarm.
“I’m not good with people,” I admit. “It’s definitely not my strong suit.”
“Oh, you seem really good with people, Fox. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
“Thank you, Lorelei, but I get really anxious. It was difficult when it came out because they put up videos of us. We had to delete our socials and disappear pretty much because people were stalking us, convinced we were the Wolf and Cat.”
I turn to Cordie, seeing her watching me with a frown. “Don’t worry, Cordie, it’s all going to be sorted soon. You won’t have to worry about a thing.”
She stares at me with apprehensive eyes and then nods slowly.