With the bully gone, I turned around and strode up to the omega and his baby. The distress emanating off him was enough to hurt. The poor man was lying with his back on the grass with his eyes closed, likely decompressing from the stress he'd just endured.
The breeze ruffled my hair. A cherry blossom petal danced in front of my eyes. I pinched it between my fingers, then leaned over to place it on the man's face.
My word, he was beautiful up close. Just my type. He had messy brown hair and round chubby cheeks which matched the rest of his body. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he were deep in thought. The petal on his face didn't bother him.
I didn't linger. I didn't want to frighten him in case he suddenly opened his eyes.
I glanced over to the toddler, who was staring up at me in wonder. I smiled at him. The boy giggled. He was beautiful, too, with the same features as the father next to him.
"Heyyo," the toddler said.
"Hello," I replied.
At the sound of his child's voice, the omega shot up. "Wha?" He saw me and looked me over with confusion. He pulled his toddler into his arms, but he didn't seem afraid of me, just startled. "Um, hi. Can I help you?"
"You may," I said, bowing. "I believe you are in some level of distress. I would like to alleviate that."
"Uh… Sure?" He mumbled to himself, "Geez, am I sulking that much?"
"You are not sulking," I promised. I put a hand to my chest. "I can feel ithere."
The omega's eyes flitted down to my chest, then back up to my face, blushing.
"Ah, I'm sorry. Where my manners?" I extended a hand. "My name is Ulysses. And you are?"
Dazed, he took my hand and shook it. "Ryan."
The sound of it sent a tingle down my spine. So that was the name of my fated mate.
"And your little one?" I asked.
Ryan petted his son's hair. It was the same sweet shade of brown as his own. "This is—"
"My name Andew," the boy said.
"Pleased to meet you, Andrew. And you as well, Ryan."
Ryan scooted over on the picnic blanket. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting company so the blanket's kinda small, but if you want to sit down..."
"I would be honored," I said before sitting next to him.
Ryan was trying to be subtle about the way he looked me up and down, but it wasn't exactly working. Not that I minded. I enjoyed the fact that he was checking me out.
Just being beside him made my heart pick up speed. This man was my fated mate. I knew it. An incredible scent wafted off him, and the distress I'd sensed earlier melted away to almost nothing. Yet there was still a tiny puddle of it left deep within him. I had to fix that.
"Sorry," Ryan said. "Did you say your name is Ulysses?"
"That's right."
"That's an unusual name. Did your parents name you that or did you choose it yourself?"
His smile was gorgeous. It lit up dimples in his cheeks. But putting his good looks aside, I was surprised that he guessed the truth.
"As a matter of fact, you're right. I did choose it," I told him.
Ryan tilted his head. "Do you mind me asking why?"
His question was pure curiosity without a trace of malevolence. I'm sure if the ruffians from earlier had heard my name they would have had quite a time with it.
