Page 73 of The Omega

“Just came to grab supplies and get back to her nest.” I grinned like a love-sick pup as the females in the house who pretended they weren’t eavesdropping set off in a chorus of raucous cheers.

“Why didn’t you send Roger back?” Jeannette frowned. “I told the boys to bring you meat.”

She always tried to act like Alpha in my absence and the pack allowed it. Jeanette had been a part of the Volk Pack when we were much smaller, before my father was even Alpha, and had seen it through all the changes over the years.

“The patrol aren’t my servants. They have another job to do.” I soothed Jeanette’s worries. “Besides, I needed some fresh air.”

Jeanette was old-school and set in her ways in some areas. She still thought the patrol team was made of all males, despite most of them being females that didn’t want to perform domestic duties.

“Walk with me, then.” She nodded, lacing her arm through mine. “We’ll get air together.”

I stayed slow and patient as we got to the wraparound porch, keeping her pace as I headed to the back freezers. During the colder months, we could unplug them. But spring was on its way in earnest now.

Soon the ground would be mud.

Then I’d be able to pick wildflowers for Opal.

“She sure smells pretty,” Jeannette commented.

I wasn’t even embarrassed they could still smell her on my skin. “She is.”

“She looked pretty on TV too. An Omega they say,” Jeannette remarked. “And it seemed like she had no problem claiming you as her mate.”

I smiled as I touched my neck. “She’s a firecracker.”

Jeanette patted my arm as if she understood something I didn’t. “But you didn’t claim her yet.”

I faltered. “How…”

“We would’ve felt if we had a new Luna.” Jeanette let go of my arm and sat on the wooden rocking chair on the back deck.

“I plan to claim her,” I said. “When the time is right.”

“No rush.” Jeannette waved her hand in the air. “So tell me more about our new Luna and her… appetite.”

“That’s not something I want to share.”

“We’re all adults here.” Jeannette smiled as she began to rock. “She prefers more than one penis. Nothing wrong with a girl who knows what she wants and good on her for being able to handle it.”

I wanted to put my fingers in my ears.

“But the real question,” Jeannette kept going, “is are you okay with sharing her?”

I busied myself with digging through the freezer, staring at the meat I’d killed and butchered with my own hands. Cold air filled my lungs as I breathed in and out.

“It’s fine if you aren’t. We’d all understand.” Jeanette rocked, filling in the blanks for herself, which she’d in turn share with the rest of the pack.

I couldn’t let her do that.

“Opal looks at me like I hung the moon,” I finally said.

“We all think you’re great—”

“She looks at him like that too.” I wasn’t sure if they were the right words, but I said them anyway. “In her eyes, everyone she loves is so special that you can’t help but see something good in them.”

“Hmm.” Jeannette rocked. “Is that an Omega trait?”

“Nah.” I smirked. “This one is all Opal. I don’t think she’s quite like anyone else.”