Chapter 7
Chapter seven
Jett
Omega.
Yeah, buddy. I know she’s an Omega, I say in my mind, keeping my Alpha calm and placated.
I ended up popping a low dose rut blocker to be on the safe side after my rage episode, but being around Iris is how I imagine a sailor near a Siren.
The long column of her throat is calling to me.
I want to feel her pulse under my lips, to scent mark her and press my nose against her scent gland.
I’ve been doing everything in my power to not imagine what she smells like, but standing close to her for nearly twelve hours in an enclosed set is not helping me. Despite hating the smell of her de-scenting agents, I’m grateful that they’re there so I don’t go into a rut.
“Alright, let’s get set for the last shot of the day, everyone,” Wilder calls.
A couple of the crew clap and begin resetting for the shot.
I have no idea what time it is, but I know it’s late.
Being on a set lit for daytime makes it look like it’s the middle of the day, but it’s probably nearing midnight.
Despite the long day, however, and my “mishap” earlier, I don’t feel tired.
I look over at Iris who’s sitting in a chair next to me after our last makeup and hair touch up.
She smiles softly, my heart palpitating in my chest. I know until we scent her we can’t be 100 percent sure she’s ours, but in my heart I know she’s our scent-matched Omega—our mate.
My Alpha wants to purr in agreement, but unlike Wilder I’m able to keep it in.
My gaze holds hers, and I like that she doesn’t look away.
Her silvery-grey eyes remind me of the moon, and I find myself wanting to know what she’s thinking for the millionth time today.
Day one of the shoot has gone off without another hitch, our chemistry is off the charts, and I’m an idiot for not pushing harder to get her hired over Molly to begin with.
When I saw her audition, she was perfect, and I was pulled in by her sensitivity and the gentle way her round face and clear eyes portrayed Juliette in the scene. But our investors won the fight to hire Molly.
I wish we could go back in time and choose her from the jump.
We would have done a chemistry test together and found her sooner—the Omega my pack has been waiting for.
The Omega I wasn’t sure we’d ever find. I’d resigned myself to hookups and heat clinics, but not anymore.
Meeting Iris has shifted something inside me, and I know without a doubt, even without the confirmation of scent or knowing her for longer than half a day, I’d do anything for her.
I can only hope she feels the same when she recognizes us as hers.
“You doing okay?” I ask her.
Iris nods, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She’s been careful to not touch her bangs again, which I appreciate. Makeup covered the small bruise that made me lose my goddamn mind, but I know it’s there, and it’s good my Alpha can no longer see it.
“I’m good, excited for a shower and sleep though,” she replies.
“Eager to get rid of me already?”
The apples of her cheeks that makeup refreshed with a bit of light pink blush deepens in color and she turns, leaning closer to me from her chair. “No, no, that’s not what I meant—you’re great, so great—”
I touch her arm, my Alpha pushing me to sooth her and stop her rambling. “I was kidding.” I smile at her, her praise heating me up inside. “I know it’s been a long day. I could use a shower, too.”
Iris laughs under her breath. “Sorry, I ramble when I’m tired.”
“It’s okay. It’s cute.”
The compliment escapes me before I have time to think. The color of her cheeks spreads down her neck and my fingers pulse against her arm that I’m still stupidly touching. Her skin is soft beneath the pads of my fingers, and heat licks up my arm, moving through my body like wildfire.
Iris blinks slowly but neither of us look away. I’ve been an actor for a long time now, and I can confidently say I’ve never been this aware of someone. This locked in with them in such a short amount of time. Working with her so far, it’s been as easy as breathing.
The scene today hasn’t been very intimate yet, but it felt like it.
It was as if I was using my character Hugh as a way to get to know her.
The characters meet cute followed by the flirting and banter felt more like our own than Augie’s incredible writing.
Iris embodied the sweet yet bold nature of her character Juliette, and I don’t think anyone on set could deny she’s perfect for this role.
Every time we cut I could see the excitement and awe in Augie’s eyes, and feel how pleased the rest of my pack was through the bond.
Which I knew was also coming from the discovery that Iris was our Omega.
A fact that’s even harder to ignore when simply touching her arm and looking into her eyes feels like coming home.
It’s probably why it’s so easy to slip into my accent with her. She feels safe.
“Iris, Jett, we’re ready for you.”
Iris inhales, her nose scrunching from the neutralizers. I’d planned to casually ask her why she wore them on our short lunch, but she’d run out with her assistant to her trailer claiming she needed to make a quick call.
She gently rubs her nose and breaks our connection, my arm dropping listlessly to my side.
Her focus turns to Wilder and her shoulders pop back naturally when their eyes lock.
It’s not an uncommon reaction to him, his dominance oozes out of him without even trying, forcing people to pay attention.
The man was born to be a Prime, and he’s the best director I know. But for Iris, it’s a bit different.
Omega’s I’ve worked with aren’t able to hold his eye contact for long. Their natural biological need to submit forces them to look away, but Iris, after our initial meeting and settling into herself on set, she holds his gaze firm, taking in every direction and note he’s given her with confidence.
It’s a turn on that she can hold her own, and her talent has floored me.
I told Augie during lunch that as soon as we’re off set, I want him to show me his favorite episodes of Knot Hollows, which he was both excited and smug about.
Being a working actor, I hardly have time to watch anything, but I’ll make time now.
Weird? Maybe. But I want to see everything our Omega has done.
Make up for the time I’ve missed with her.
“Let’s do a quick rehearsal, then we’ll shoot the wide shot,” Wilder says.
“Sounds good,” Iris replies.
“Jett?”
I pry my eyes away from our Omega to the face of my friend for twelve years and Prime.
His brow is cocked, and there's a silent question in his eyes. He’s been checking in with me relentlessly since my earlier outburst, one I apologized to Iris for multiple times.
I couldn’t exactly explain to her why my Alpha had freaked out, but thankfully she brushed it off and we started over.
“Sounds good,” I say.
Wilder studies me a beat longer before stepping back.
He offers his hand to Iris to help her down off her director's chair. She’s tall for an Omega, and capable of getting out of her chair by herself, but to my surprise she takes his hand.
I don’t think she realized she did it until she’s standing, hand locked with his massive one.
The two of them stand in front of each other as if in a trance—the same trance I’ve felt every time I looked into her eyes today.
My gaze drops to their joined hands, and it hits me this is the first time they’ve actually touched.
And while Wilder’s already accepted—at least as much as he can without her scent—what’s obvious to me now, I can see his Alpha front and center.
His hazel eyes have gone nearly black, his jaw flexing hard as he stares at her. The Prime is recognizing his Omega.
My own Alpha perks up, keeping watch over the situation.
Wilder would never hurt her; he’s got more control than any Alpha I’ve ever met, only rivaled by Mateo, but he’s never touched his mate before—a mate I know he’s longed for more than he’s let on.
I feel Mateo’s presence and Augie’s somewhere to my left, but I don’t take my eyes off Wilder and Iris.
Our pack lead is 6’5”, dwarfing her tall stature.
His tattooed hand covers hers, the veins in his hand and forearm bulging from the grip he has on her.
The two of them look good together, their dark hair and strong builds.
He with his broad muscles and Iris with her soft curves.
I’ve shared Omegas and Betas with him since college, and I can’t stop myself from imagining what it would be like to share Iris with him.
She’d look perfect, our knots stretching her pussy that was made to take us. To take our entire pack.
Blood flows south, my cock twitching in my jeans.
Augie’s pack bond perks up with calming energy and I blink, my gaze that had gone hazy with inappropriate thoughts snapping back into focus.
Iris hasn’t moved from her spot, her hand still locked in Wilder’s grip.
Her lips are parted slightly and Wilder’s pupils no longer look like himself.
They’re completely dark, no hazel left. There’s an intensity to them that nearly frightens me.
This is not good. First I nearly lose it to rage over a small bruise and now our always strong and level-headed Alpha is on the verge of rut? He thought that’s what was happening to me, but no, Wilder is about to lose it.
Mateo appears next to our Prime with Augie, and my eyes meet their fearful ones.
The crew around has stopped what they’re doing and I swear you could hear a pin drop in this place.
Thank fuck for NDAs and loyal crew because I have no doubt the weird shit that’s been happening on this set today would be in the tabloids first thing tomorrow.
Omega, my Alpha growls. Keep safe.
Okay…well, that’s not fucking good.
“Compa,” Mateo speaks calmly. “Can you let go of Iris’s hand?”
Wilder’s low rumbling warning is his answer. He tugs Iris forward and she goes easily, her focus not leaving him. I observe her carefully, ready to yank her out of his grip if needed. But she doesn’t appear afraid, her muscles loose and features relaxed.
“Omega,” Wilder claims. His voice is lower than normal, his rough tone harsh and demanding.
“I am,” Iris responds. Her voice isn’t shaky, but at the same time I can tell it’s not fully her—her Omega is speaking to her Alpha.
My heart rate speeds up and I look over to my packmates who are watching the exchange the same as I am. With shock, awe, but also worry.
Wilder tugs Iris the rest of the way into him, the action colliding her against his barreled chest. Fear lances through my gut as he dips his head to the smooth, unmarked column of her throat.
Despite being so close to them, there’s no way we could stop him if he chose to sink his teeth into her.
It wouldn’t be an official mating bond since she has to be knotted and bite him back, but it would be a pack bond nonetheless and tie her to us without her consent.
But thank the gods, he only drags his nose over her scent gland and inhales, his minty pheromones thickening around us.
“Jett,” Mateo speaks softly.
I don’t tear my gaze away from Wilder and Iris, but I hear Augie telling everyone we’re wrapped for today and to leave.
“If he goes into rut, I’ll get Iris out of here and you and Augie will stay here with Wilder,” Mateo adds.
I know that’s the best solution, even if my Alpha disagrees.
Something else is happening here besides Wilder on the verge of rut, but I don’t know what it is.
We still haven’t been able to scent her, and with the dose of rut blockers and the control Wilder normally has, this should not be happening.
Unless…
I don’t have time to finish my thought, because the sweetest and neediest whine echoes through the set, followed by a pheromone cloud of saccharine strawberries. My brain short circuits as our Omega perfumes, burning through her de-scenters, and solidifying everything we already knew.
“Shit!” I hear Augie say through the haze of ripe-smelling fruit filling my senses.
He’s standing next to Mateo again, holding his mate’s arm who’s visibly reacting to her perfect scent, eyes wide and nostrils flared.
My Alpha claws at my chest and mind, demanding me to cage Iris in with Wilder whose face is buried in her neck, inhaling her like a drug.
Her hands are threaded in his hair, her nose pressed into his neck as well.
My own lemon pheromones burst out of me, mingling with hers and mixing with Mateo’s honey, Wilder’s peppermint, and Augie’s mild basil. The perfect cocktail that I want our Omega to drink down.
There’s no doubt about it; Iris Walker is our scent-matched Omega. Our mate.
My cock is rock hard and another whine curls through the air, this time with a pleading need. One only an Alpha can fill.
A purr builds in my chest along with my Alpha packmates, and another burst of bright strawberry perfume permeates the air alongside syrupy sweet arousal that can only mean she’s producing slick.
“!Maldita sea!” Mateo groans. “She’s in heat.”