“Ezra?” She cocks a hip.
“Oh, yeah.” I jump up. “Yeah, your friends called to check if you were okay. I hope you don’t mind that I answered. We didn’t want them to worry about you.”
“You survived a video call with the Stellas?” Kady’s eyebrows shoot up. “I guess you’re up for anything.”
“It wasn’t so bad.” I smile. “They seem nice, and Faye’s going to sort everything out with your professors, so you don’t need to worry about school.”
She sighs in relief. “Good.”
Hale wraps his arm around her shoulders. “You really should eat something, Kady.”
“I wasn’t sure what you liked.” I proudly lead her to where the goods are waiting. “So I kinda bought everything.”
Her jaw drops. “This is enough food for an entire party.” Her blue eyes soften as she gazes up at me. “You did all of this? For me?”
“Of course.” I mentally kick myself at how much of a jerk I’ve acted over the past few days. I must’ve been pretty bad for her to be so grateful for my completing such a basic task. “Despite what I’ve said before, I want you to know that I’m taking this—us—seriously now.”
After what happened with her father, unsaid words hang in the air between us. Hale, intuitive as ever, must sense this. “I’m going to help Calder straighten up the nest.” He plants a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”
“So…” Once alone, we both speak at once then laugh awkwardly.
“How are you feeling?” I lean against the table.
“Okay for now.” Her cheeks turn an adorable shade of pink. “I need to refuel after… You know.”
Damn right I know. Knotting her is all I’ve been thinking about since the first time I fucked her in that alleyway in Forestville. Every time I’ve touched myself since, the image of her moaning in pure bliss has fueled me.
“Here.” I hand her a plate. “Load up.”
She hesitates, biting her lip. To my surprise, she veers straight past the sweet treats to the small selection of savory goods—miniature quiches, bagels, and huge doughy pretzels.
“You want salty food?” My stomach drops. “I thought omegas preferred sweet food. Shit. If I’d have known, I’d have gotten more.”
“I do love sweet treats.” Her cornflower-blue irises flicker over the layout. “But for some reason, during a heat, my body really craves salt. It must be its way of trying to replenish some of what it's lost.”
Somehow, I’ve managed to mess this up too. Even when I’mtryingto do the right thing, I get it wrong.
“Hey.” Kady’s small hand rests on my forearm, unleashing tingles that race through my body. “It’s okay.” She must’ve read my expression. “You didn’t know.”
“I already told you that I’m not a very good alpha.” I’m trying to joke, but there’s a painful truth behind my words. “I guess that also goes for my snack selection too.”
As an alpha, it’s my job to take care of my omega. My chest tightens, knowing I made a mistake.
“There’s more than enough for me to eat here.” She motions to the spread. “This is really?—“
“I’m sure one of the others would have picked better.” I clutch my nape. “They’re better at this whole ‘alpha’ thing than I’ll ever be.”
“We’re all learning, Ezra.” I appreciate her kind words, but I really need to get my shit together. “I’m not a very good omega.” She winces. “And it turns out that I’m not great at letting people take care of me, but I’m starting to learn to get better.”
“Maybe that’s something we can work on together?” I exhale deeply. “Look, I know this isn’t the best time to talk about this, but I need you to know how sorry I am for how I’ve acted this trip. It was never about you, but about me.” I bury my hands in my pockets, unable to look at her face. “I’ve acted like an ass and avoided you because it was easier. It shouldn’t have taken yourfather showing up here and almost losing you for me to tell you how I really feel.”
“I understand why you acted how you did.” She puts her plate down. “Honestly, I’d have probably done the same in your shoes. I know this isn’t something you’ve ever wanted.”
“But now I can’t imagine anything else.” I pull her close, needing to feel her body near mine and wanting to make sure she knows that she isn’t some inconvenience that I’ve just now decided to put up with. I want her. All of her. And I was nuts for even thinking I’d ever be truly happy without her because, with her in my arms, the world seems to shift for the better. “While I never planned for this, you’re who I want. You’re our omega, and I’m starting to realize just how wrong I was about scent matches. I thought it would mean being trapped and losing all autonomy, but you’re teaching me that there is another way. We can forge our own path. One that works for everyone.”
“I guess we’re finding out that we’ve both been wrong about a lot of things.” She rubs her cheek into my chest, marking me with her divine scent.
A rumbly growl comes out of my mouth, a sound brimming with deep, primal satisfaction before I reluctantly pull away.
