With a bark of laughter from Fury, he squeezes my shoulder as said beefcake number two reaches to gently take my hand and brush his lips across my knuckles. He's got a much softer face than Atlas, and he’s not as obviously muscular, but he's got the thick, strong build of someone who could definitely toss me about. With the same blond shade as Atlas, his is less styled and looks more like he's freshly out of bed, ruffled and with onestrand that falls over his lovely green eyes. Remembering myself a little, I try to find my hand, lost in the embrace of his, and just blink.
“Where the fuck did they grow you two?” There’s a shocked cough as I try to cover my outburst, but Beefcake only grins at me.
“Grumpy here is Lucas, resident surgeon and smart ass if you can get him to do more than scowl,” He gestures to the man beside him, who just rolls his eyes and hisses, “I’m Clay, Clay Moore, climbing instructor and rope enthusiast, but I go by Amberwood for obvious reasons.”
My own smile tugs, “Clay Moore?”
He sighs heavily, and Atlas chuckles, bright and cheery, breaking a little more of the tension around the pack. Clay rubs his neck awkwardly before answering, “Yeah, Mama had a great sense of humor and a love for historical Scottish romances.”
The last man, a Beta, slides his hand around Clay’s waist, “She wishes she had a big two-hander to wield, but she had to settle for her dirty books.” He snorts, and Clay turns to the smaller man, tugging on the thick brown wolf cut, his eyes soft as he leans in to kiss him.Oh.My new boyfriends are boyfriends. Not boyfriends, I convince myself, despite how delicious they are, and relaxed, nobody has pressed me yet about how well I cook and clean, or how many kids I want, they’re just… Regular guys who want an Omega for their pack and are taking the option that fate has provided them.Uh-huh, keep believing that, sweetheart.
“You leave Mama Moore out of your nasty thoughts; she’s an angel!”
“She raised you, she must have been,” Fury chips in, resting his head back on the cushion as he gestures with his free hand to the other, “Last man standing is Theodore Amberwood. He’s the one who’s kept all of us clowns together over the years, cookslike a champ, and shouts at Atlas for leaving his dirty socks in the bathroom. You’ve already met me and Atlas, and it's good to see you again, Firecracker.”
“Now what did we say about pet names last time we met?” I raise an eyebrow challengingly, but it only makes his smile split his cheeks, pearly white teeth on full display with those big Alpha canines that make me shiver deliciously.
“I’d like to see you try,Firecracker.” He repeats, slower this time, his deep rumble sending a shiver through my marrow.
It’s almost unreal how easily all of them interact. I don’t have any family packs to base the interactions from; my dad always said that Omegas shouldn’t be shared with packs, and it is wrong when a single Alpha does the job. I wonder if this is what Mama missed out on, having them banter playfully back and forth. There’s also a lot moretouchingthan I expected. My dad is the only real Alpha experience aside from those I’ve met through the auction system, and he is very clear that Alphas only touch other Alphas if they want to start a fight. Maybe I really am just naive to how designations work, because the more I notice how Fury bumps Atlas with his fingers, or Atlas shifts and rests his leg against Lucas, the more I start to notice the packs at other tables doing the same. The Beta seems a little uncomfortable on the outside, and I end up staring at him whilst he chats to Clay. He’s definitely the oldest of them, I can see that much. Only in his late thirties, early forties maybe, but his face has the wear and tear of someone who has lived all of that outside. His dark, hickory brown hair is shaggy and chopped past his chin, and his heavy-lidded eyes with those thick lashes are a bright hazel—not quite the golden of Lucas, but much warmer and inviting. Sharp creases line the edges, crinkling more on one side with his lopsided smile as he reaches to steal my hand from Clay, still holding it over the table. Coffee hits my nose like a sledgehammer, far stronger than a Beta should, and I know thathe’s just as much my scent match as the rest. It’s not what I’m expecting at all. “You’re human and a Beta, right? What do you do in the pack?” Yep, foot immediately in throat, and I panic as I watch his smile collapse like a fragile house of cards, his entire body shrinking and ducking behind Clay a little.
“No, I’m sorry, I just… Your scent, and I…”
It is Lucas rising to his feet that pulls my attention, gripping my hand to pull it away from Theodore. Claws like knives prick and draw blood, curving into my skin as a whine blocks my throat.
“Luc,” Fury warns, a deep growl building in his chest. Tension thrums through him even in his relaxed slouch.
“No, I knew this would happen. This is exactly what I was worried about, a stuck-up fucking Omega who only wants…”
“LUCAS.” In that roar, I feel the cataclysmic weight of an Alpha bark that betrayed how much power the Cardinal has here. Collectively as a pack, they all bow in their seats, heads dropping and bodies simmering with the control he’s exerting on them. Some of the guards have turned to us now, making their way over with frowns, trying to be subtle about the concern. I’m not even part of this pack, nor is the bark directed at me, but I can feel the crushing weight in my chest, feel it stripping the pleasantries of meeting them, and the small talk so far. Heavy and suffocating, it demands my submission, and I know without a doubt that this Cardinal flexing his weight could have me rolling belly up, saying ‘yes, sir, no sir,’ with minimal effort. Fury takes a deep breath, and the fog lifts and clears. He seems almost horrified by his outburst, “I’m so sorry, I’ve never barked like that before. Lucas, let’s not be rude to our guest.” He turns to me, wary-eyed as he searches for something in my own gaze, and this close, I can see the tumultuous concern for what he’s about to say. “You don’t mind that, do you, Skye? That Teddy isn’t a fancy shifter, or an Alpha?”
“Mind? Why would I mind? You all introduced yourselves and your jobs, or I’ve seen you at them, so I am interested in what he does.” Clambering over Fury’s lap, I think he grunts as my knee grinds a little close to sensitive areas, and I move around the table to stand next to Theodore—Teddy. With a mischievous huff, I plop myself right down in his lap, “In all honesty, he’s more my type than Beefcake one and two over there, and the grumpy one in the corner. You?” I eye up Fury with a smirk, “Eh, I think everyone had an emo phase, don’t think I can’t see all the piercing holes in your face.”
Shock passes around the table until Fury breaks it with a hacking laugh, “You don’t even know the half of it.”
Shrugging, I continue, “Teddy’s pretty and smells like a fresh cappuccino, hand-brewed; he’s practically my dream man.” I tilt myself to look into his warm eyes, a pleased look taking over the worry, “Do you want me to move? I’m hardly light.”
Before I can even finish, he's wrapped one arm around my waist, fingers digging in, and the other curves around my thigh, “You’re good, sugar.” There’s a hardness that demonstrates exactlyhow goodI am here, though neither of us is impolite enough to mention it.
And just like that, the entire pack breathes out. Even Lucas stops, searching me as much as Fury just had, as if he’s waiting for me to jump and shout that I'm just kidding. Our drinks arrive not long after that, and I find myself sinking into his lap, wrapping my own arm around his neck, and letting him offer me the straw to his fruity cocktail. I still don’t understand what the big deal is. As long as he is part of the pack, he’s part of my freedom plan. Still, it bothers me. DidTeddy being a Beta really pose a problem?I couldn’t think of a world where having an extra-pretty man attending to me is a negative, not to mention the positives of someone who wouldn’t lose their mind to a rut,and can keep going like a rabbit since they don’t have a pesky knot.
Maybe they wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe they’d be a good, fair pack,the little Omega voice in me calls, echoed by the wolf's agreeable bark.Traitors.
The auction fades around us as we settle comfortably, playing drinking games with the small sips of alcohol that they’ve ordered. Clay takes my feet up into his lap so I’m sitting across them both, fingers pressing into my calves and noting my lack of footwear with a confused grumble. Atlas plays with the lapels of his jacket, offering me shy smiles when I catch him staring like he’s already half in love. The only discomfort is the lean Alpha in the corner, his scowl etched into his finely carved face, watching me the whole time. Maybe it’s a little childish of me when I wait for everyone else to be buried in conversation before I stick my tongue out at him. Maybe he needs a little childish fun to loosen the stick in his ass.
Maybe I should stop planning for the future with them when I’m only going to leave.
Teddy
Stars dance behind her as I just stare. She’s as gorgeous as Fury told us. More even.
With eyes such a startling pale green, they seem to stare right through me, piercing my very soul. I’m smitten already, right from the moment she sat her sweet, round ass in my lap and told them I'm her dream man.Will she say the same when she sees what Iamlacking?The knotted writhing of scars beneath the well-fitted suit.
“So, Skye, right?” Even her name is beautiful, and she nods. One of her arms is curved warmly around my shoulder, hand splayed across the other side, whilst her free hand plays with mine in her lap, “How did you end up here, sugar?”
Wrong question.She shuts down, her body turning to rock on my thighs and wincing when I try to give her a reassuring squeeze. Maybe later, once she is comfortable and settled in the ranch, I’ll ask her again, but I shouldn’t have pried. I know all too well that it's not always happy reasons that land Omegas here. Bouncing her gaze between my eyes, a whirlwind of thoughts dances through hers before she lets out a sigh that seems to drain most of her energy with it. The woman left in my lap is a dry, husky echo of the one from moments ago. The pack remains quiet, busying their hands with empty glasses now. Clayclears his throat next to me as he presses his thumb into her ankles, rubbing softly.
“You don’t have to tell us, darlin’, it’s not our story to know if you don’t want to tell it.”
