The pieces were clicking into place. She was going to shine a spotlight on the state of omega health and safety in their society, through the story of two incredible women. Two omegas who’d escaped the cages others put them in.
It was a start. There was still something missing, some additional component that would balance out the omegas who were two sides of the same coin. But she was getting close. She could feel it. The story she’d been waiting to tell was finally materializing.
Genesis emailed Serenity, wishing she’d done it sooner. Then she emailed the contacts she’d found for Josephine’s family, identifying herself only as Gen V. She had no interest in personally connecting with her estranged relatives, but she had to do her due diligence as a journalist and try to get an interview or a statement before she published an article that would paint them in an unflattering light. She was going to tell the truth, no matter how they responded.
While she was at it, Genesis sent a brief email to her fathers, asking them for any pictures or bits of information about her mother. Considering how quickly all evidence of her existence had vanished, Genesis had assumed her fathers threw it all away. All she had was a small photo album that she’d had the good sense to take with her to academy. If her fathers hadanymore of her mother’s belongings boxed up and forgotten somewhere, they were rightfully hers. They owed her that.
“You need to eat, Cariño,” Gabriel said, pulling Genesis from her perusal of an article on peripartum cardiomyopathy. The two were alone in the cottage on a sunny afternoon and had been working in companionable silence for hours. Gabriel handed her a glass of water. “Time for a break.”
“I’m not hungry,” Genesis replied truthfully. “Did you know that omegas are at twice the risk of peripartum cardiomyopathy as betas, take twice as long to recover, are twice as likely to worsen before getting better after diagnosis, and twice as likely to fail to recover altogether?”
“I didn’t know that. That’s fucked up. I’m going to make you a smoothie.” Gabriel moved to the kitchenette, pulling out an assortment of fruits and vegetables from her little refrigerator. “But your mom didn’t even get diagnosed, right? Meaning she never received treatment at all.”
“Exactly!” Genesis exclaimed, hot with anger. “The doctors and my dads dismissed her concerns, instead of trusting that she knew her body better than they did. That’s paternalistic alpha bullshit at its finest! Taking care of your omega doesn’t mean assuming you know what’s best. It’s like all your senses are heightened except your damn ears. Fucking alphas.”
“Ouch,” Gabriel said, giving her a grin that made her stomach flip. “Hold that thought.”
He turned on the blender and, a few minutes later he was handing her a fresh smoothie. It smelled good, but Genesis’s stomach didn’t seem interested. She took a sip anyway, enjoying the sensation of the cold liquid on her throat. It was far too hot in the cottage now that spring had lost most of its chill.
“You’re onto something, I can see it in your eyes,” Gabriel said. “And your energy has been rubbing off on me. You keep peeling back all these layers of story, finding the common threadsbetween them. It’s made me completely switch media because two dimensions weren’t enough. I’ve started a series of collages.”
“I can’t wait to see them,” Genesis replied, standing to stretch. “How about now? It’s so hot in here. I need some fresh air.”
Gabriel readily agreed, taking her hand and leading her from the cottage. His touch sent shivers down her spine, despite how warm she felt all over. His vanilla, clove, and charcoal scent seemed to caress her, intensifying when they reached his art studio.
“Who let you little goblins in here?” Gabriel asked the trio of cats who lounged in the late afternoon sunshine streaming through the skylight. “There’s way too much for you to destroy in here. No more unsupervised visits. Comprende?”
Venus, an orange tabby, yawned. Neptune, a gray shorthair, blinked slowly. Jupiter, the world’s largest cat, didn’t even open his eyes.
“You’re not the boss of them,” Genesis reminded him. “You’ll have to file a complaint with Duchess.”
It hadn’t taken long for her to get to know all of the planets, and to discover which were friendly and which were more skittish. The trio in the studio were long-time residents and bossed everyone else around, aside from Duchess. Genesis bent to pay her respects, scratching Jupiter under the chin, Neptune behind the ears, and Venus at the base of the tail, just like each of them liked. When she stood again, Gabriel was watching her wistfully.
“What is it?” she asked, flushing beneath his gaze. The studio was just as hot as her cottage. Or maybe it was just her body responding to how good Gabriel looked in his fitted t-shirt and loose gray sweatpants. He’d obviously opted against underwear, and his dick print was incredibly distracting.
Gabriel smiled softly. “You’ve taken to the farm so well. I sometimes wonder how Evie would’ve liked living here full time.I think it would’ve been too much for her. She wasn’t crazy about animals.”
Genesis laughed. “She might’ve surprised you. If a bona fide city girl like me can adapt, I’m sure a gardener like Evelyn would’ve learned to love it.”
“Maybe. I shouldn’t underestimate Evie. City girl omegas are full of surprises.” Gabriel studied her, his expression inscrutable. “Earlier, you said some things that made me think differently about the way we treat omegas—even well-meaning alphas who just want to protect you. We need to learn to listen better. This story you’re working on is going to open a lot of eyes.”
Genesis smiled, her chest warm with pride. Then she gasped. Just like that, the final piece of the puzzle clicked into place.
“Evelyn,” she said, gripping Gabriel’s hands excitedly. “A happily mated, successful, and beloved woman, who still fell prey to society’s victimization of omegas. She’s the third piece of the story. Will you tell me more about her soon?”
Gabriel brushed a hand over her cheek, then gently tucked a curl behind her ear. “Of course, Cariño. It would be an honor and a comfort. It’s been far too long since we talked about Evie like a person, rather than as something we lost. You’re giving us an incredible gift by sharing her story. Now, come and let me show you my new piece.”
Gabriel showed her what he was working on, a massive collage made of more materials than Genesis could identify. From a distance, she could make out a feminine face, but it seemed to move in and out of focus the more she stared at it. The collage’s intricate details were even harder to fully comprehend. Gabriel showed her how to look in the right spots, touching her often as he explained the way the picture changed when you shifted your vantage point.
A hand on her waist. Fingers trailing across her stomach. His breath on her neck as he tilted her head just so.
Genesis felt like she was going to explode. Her skin was flushed and tingling, and her inner thighs slick, but she tried to focus on his beautiful work. After what felt like hours, but couldn’t have been more than fifteen minutes, Gabriel sighed and gave her his most panty-melting puppy dog eyes.
“I’m running out of excuses to touch you, and you smell like the Garden of Eden, so can I eat your pussy now, please?” he asked abruptly.
Genesis almost wept with relief. “God, yes!”
Gabriel didn’t hesitate, his mouth crashing into hers in a frenzied kiss. Genesis pressed her body against his, her hands greedily roaming beneath his shirt to explore the hard ridges of his abs, and the firm muscles of his chest. He groaned into her mouth, walking her backwards until her ass hit the edge of a nearby table. Gabriel pinned her there, holding her face and deepening the kiss, his rigid cock jutting against her belly.
