I smell Bird’s sweet, comforting scent of vanilla cookies.
I have strong Omega instincts, raised in a pack almost exclusively made up of Omegas and no Betas.
We nuzzle each other, sweeping pheromones over each other.
I relax, feeling Bird’s shoulders slump as well.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
Bird’s laugh is lively, despite the exhausted shadows under his eyes. “I’m more free down here than I ever was up in thatstuffy penthouse with Mom. Don’t apologize to me because I turned into a psycho, overprotective brother. Mr. Sinner is the pack Alpha as the manager, and he does the best impression of being a hardass, while really being a cinnamon roll.”
My expression softens, and I blush. “Icarus is the only exception to the Alpha asshole rule. He’s the only one who I’ll save when the revolution happens in this hotel.”
“Aw,Icarus, is it?”
At the thought of the only Alpha on staff — tall, golden haired, and electric blue eyed — slick immediately soaks my panties.
Not for the first time, I’m grateful for the special, Omega absorbent panties that are handed out to staff.
I need them when even thinking about Icarus, our manager.
He’s the only Alpha who I trust around myself or Zoe, my tiny bundle of Omega joy.
Or more like bundle of mischief.
My daughter is turning out to be just as much of a rebel as I was.
Well played karma.
Zoe is the reason I don’t regret anything that has happened to me. She is worth every moment of rejection and suffering.
Happiness surges through me at the thought of my daughter. Instantly, I miss the feel of her in my arms. She is fourteen months old, and every hour that I’m away from her still makes me ache deep inside.
“Since Icarus shares looking after your niece between my shifts,” I reply, “dealing with dirty nappies, cereal dumped over his head, and truly impressive tantrums, it seems that he’s earned the right to be called by his first name.”
“How about we call him Uncle Icarus then?” Bird shudders. “Nope, can’t do it. He’s so stern, I refuse to believe that anyone calls him anything but Mr. Sinner.”
If only he knew.
I hide my secret smile.
“How about we put our plans for bloody revenge aside for the moment since it is only a couple of days until Christmas?” I grab Bird by the arm, tugging him toward the archway out to the lobby. “I have about half an hour, until Zoe wakes up from her nap and demands cuddles with menaces. So, how about we shake off the Grinch spirit?”
“Hey, we’re getting a bit too close.” Bird’s sweet scent sours with alarm. “What if we’re seen? I don’t want to be locked in the wine cellar again.”
My heart rate speeds up.
A shiver of fear chases down my spine. “We’ll be careful. Don’t you want to at least see the decorations this year? Ollie says that housekeeping have brought in the biggest tree ever. They had to stand on high ladders to fit the baubles and shit on the branches.”
“I wish that we could have a tree for the staff. I’m going to at least fetch some garlands from the staff gardens and use them and pinecones. Mr. Sinner says that he’s working on something, even if the staff don’t get to take the day off.”
My smile widens. “Icarus does his best every year.”
I squint out of the dark corridor into the light lobby.
Bird nuzzles against my neck, and I soothe him with my pheromones.
It’s strange for both of us to be cut off, trapped on this side with the staff, when we spent most of our lives playing in the lobby and not understanding how privileged we were.
