“Mama!” Zoe waves at me.
My expression softens, and I wave back at her. “Good Omega, Zoe.”
She beams, before turning her attention to trying to drag the paper out of Icarus’ hand.
Icarus is her favorite uncle, besides Bird. I love that she has no problem bossing around an Alpha.
Icarus gives up trying to work, abandoning the paper to Zoe, who shakes it with the triumph of a warrior.
He sighs, pushing his glasses more firmly onto his nose. “Stop pacing; you’re making me dizzy. What’s wrong?”
“You know the Omega who I told you about? The one with the gorgeous green eyes and silver curls? The one with…?”
“The delicious scent? Tight behind?Your soulmate?” Icarus’ eyes dance. “How could I forget? You spent at least an hour praising him. He sounds about as much trouble as you are, my sweet sin. If he’s important to you, then I’m excited to meet him as well. But anything that happens between us will have to be as secret as our…situationship…is. You know how much of a risk we’re taking.”
I nod.
Yet I feel that Icarus wanted to sayrelationshipinstead.
I stroll closer to the desk, leaning on it.
I search Icarus’ expression to check that he truly means it about Piper.
He looks open and genuine.
I hoped that Icarus would be accepting of another Omega in our lives. Icarus cares for every Omega and Beta in this pack. Many Traditional Alphas are jealous and possessive or create strict hierarchies for their Omegas, as Maya does.
On the other hand, Icarus is acting like a liberal. He has never treated me as anything but an equal, when we’re in private.
I know that he’d bond me if he could. I know that I would Piper.
Yet we’re stuck in an impossible situation because it’s forbidden for any of us to become a bonded pack.
It’s breaking my heart.
I glance at Zoe, who is distracted with the paper, which she is happily crumpling. “I’m worried because I can’t find him.”
Instantly, Icarus’ expression becomes serious. “Since when?”
“Not at all since the first time I met him. I expected him to be at dinner, but he wasn’t. When I went to Ms. Fields to see if she could arrange a mentorship between us to allow him to share my dorm room and nest, she hadn’t seen him. I had Bird check through the dorms, but Bird couldn’t find any Omega matching his description. I don’t want to risk asking Ellington. I have no idea where Pip is.”
“What’s his full name?”
Shit, I’d meant to ease Icarus into this side to Piper.
I was sure that once Icarus met the gorgeous male Omega, he couldn’t help but be charmed by him and want to bend him over this desk…in a fun way.
But what will Icarus think about Piper being the son of criminals?
After all, I am the daughter of his oppressors. How am I any better?
My expression becomes steely. “Piper Wolf.”
Icarus’ gaze sharpens. “Midnight green eyes. Tight behind. Rule-breaker. In an entirehourof gushing obsession?—”
“Polite interest,” I mutter.
“Possessiveness,” he continues, coolly, “there was not a single word that this man was also from an infamous, treasonous pack.”
