Not surprising.
Most V-Clan Alphas loathe my existence.
I’m a hybrid mutt and therefore lesser in their eyes.
What they don’t realize is that I mostly take after my mother’s side in terms of mental abilities and power. All I inherited from my Z-Clan Alpha father was his size and his strength.And his feral needs,I think as I look at Ashlyn.
I witnessed my father’s ruts many times throughout my youth.
I have no desire to ever do that to an Omega.
Yet I can feel my beast clawing within me now, demanding I taste the sweet female sitting in my lair.Taste and claim.
Clearing my throat, I force myself to settle into the chair she vacated and reach over to swap the two bowls of spaghetti before Cael tries to eat from my original dish.
But Ashlyn leans forward to swap them back, her eyes meeting mine. “I already knew where he would sit. This was yours from before,” she says, setting it down in front of me. “The spaghetti is nice, by the way. Thank you.”
“Nice?” I echo, not sure I like that adjective. “If you like it, why haven’t you eaten more?”
“I’m not very hungry.”
“I already commented on how I feel about lies, Omega,” I tell her, certain she’s lying now. “You haven’t eaten in days. If you want something else, tell me, and I’ll make it.”
She glances at my kitchenette with incredulity. “I don’t think we have many options, Alpha Grey.”
TheAlphabefore my name has my beast growling and not because I hate it, but because Ilikeit. That’s why I asked her to call meGreybefore. But my little riddler doesn’t seem to want to drop the formalities.
Fine.
“I can hunt,OmegaAshlyn,” I say flatly, ensuring she hears the irritation in my tone—both from her choice in using my designation title and her insinuation that I can’t satisfy her needs. “Tell me what you want to eat.”
Her shoulders fall a little, her gaze lowering to her bowl.
Cael clears his throat. “You’ve had a rough few days,” he says gently, the words clearly for Ashlyn. “I don’t want to pry, Ashlyn, but were you hurt at all…?”
She peeks up at him and shakes her head. “No. Prince Tadhg intended for me to be a gift to strengthen his alliance with the Alpha of Kodiak Sector, so he left me untouched and only asked that I deliver a message on his behalf.”
“What message?” I interject, wanting to be part of this conversation, not a witness to it.
Ashlyn’s lips twist, indicating that she’s uncomfortable. “Prince Tadhg sends his regards and hopes you’ll enjoy me as a token of his continued appreciation.” She utters the words in a monotone voice, then shrugs. “Not very original, if you ask me.”
With that, she takes her fork and twirls it through the pasta while I observe her through narrowed eyes.
Any other Omega would be traumatized by the experience she just summarized in a handful of sentences. Yet Ashlyn forces herself to eat instead when I can tell it’s more of a trial for her than a desire.
At least I know now that it isn’t my food choice that’s bothering her, but the general situation. Or I assume that’s the case, anyway.
While she’s been mostly truthful, she hasn’t been all that forthcoming.
A typical seer, I think, familiar with the traits, as my sister possessed similar talents growing up. All Z-Clan Omegas have fortune-telling abilities, but their skills vary.
Ashlyn, it seems, is quite powerful.
She’s also resilient. Beautiful.And looking at Cael with far more interest than I like.
He’s smiling at her, amusement dancing in his blue-green eyes.
Clearly, I missed something humorous.
