I look over at Iris who’s sitting in a chair next to me after our last makeup and hair touch up. She smiles softly, my heart palpitating in my chest. I know until we scent her we can’t be 100 percent sure she’s ours, but in my heart I know she’s ourscent-matched Omega—our mate. My Alpha wants to purr in agreement, but unlike Wilder I’m able to keep it in.
My gaze holds hers, and I like that she doesn’t look away. Her silvery-grey eyes remind me of the moon, and I find myself wanting to know what she’s thinking for the millionth time today. Day one of the shoot has gone off without another hitch, our chemistry is off the charts, and I’m an idiot for not pushing harder to get her hired over Molly to begin with.
When I saw her audition, she was perfect, and I was pulled in by her sensitivity and the gentle way her round face and clear eyes portrayed Juliette in the scene. But our investors won the fight to hire Molly.
I wish we could go back in time and choose her from the jump. We would have done a chemistry test together and found her sooner—the Omega my pack has been waiting for. The Omega I wasn’t sure we’d ever find. I’d resigned myself to hookups and heat clinics, but not anymore. Meeting Iris has shifted something inside me, and I know without a doubt, even without the confirmation of scent or knowing her for longer than half a day, I’d do anything for her. I can only hope she feels the same when she recognizes us as hers.
“You doing okay?” I ask her.
Iris nods, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She’s been careful to not touch her bangs again, which I appreciate. Makeup covered the small bruise that made me lose my goddamn mind, but I know it’s there, and it’s good my Alpha can no longer see it.
“I’m good, excited for a shower and sleep though,” she replies.
“Eager to get rid of me already?”
The apples of her cheeks that makeup refreshed with a bit of light pink blush deepens in color and she turns, leaning closer to me from her chair. “No, no, that’s not what I meant—you’re great,sogreat—”
I touch her arm, my Alpha pushing me to sooth her and stop her rambling. “I was kidding.” I smile at her, her praise heating me up inside. “I know it’s been a long day. I could use a shower, too.”
Iris laughs under her breath. “Sorry, I ramble when I’m tired.”
“It’s okay. It’s cute.”
The compliment escapes me before I have time to think. The color of her cheeks spreads down her neck and my fingers pulse against her arm that I’m still stupidly touching. Her skin is soft beneath the pads of my fingers, and heat licks up my arm, moving through my body like wildfire.
Iris blinks slowly but neither of us look away. I’ve been an actor for a long time now, and I can confidently say I’ve never been this aware of someone. This locked in with them in such a short amount of time. Working with her so far, it’s been as easy as breathing.
The scene today hasn’t been very intimate yet, but it felt like it. It was as if I was using my character Hugh as a way to get to know her. The characters meet cute followed by the flirting and banter felt more like our own than Augie’s incredible writing. Iris embodied the sweet yet bold nature of her character Juliette, and I don’t think anyone on set could deny she’s perfect for this role.
Every time we cut I could see the excitement and awe in Augie’s eyes, and feel how pleased the rest of my pack was through the bond. Which I knew was also coming from the discovery that Iris was our Omega. A fact that’s even harder to ignore when simply touching her arm and looking into her eyes feels like coming home. It’s probably why it’s so easy to slip into my accent with her. She feels safe.
“Iris, Jett, we’re ready for you.”
Iris inhales, her nose scrunching from the neutralizers. I’d planned to casually ask her why she wore them on our shortlunch, but she’d run out with her assistant to her trailer claiming she needed to make a quick call.
She gently rubs her nose and breaks our connection, my arm dropping listlessly to my side. Her focus turns to Wilder and her shoulders pop back naturally when their eyes lock. It’s not an uncommon reaction to him, his dominance oozes out of him without even trying, forcing people to pay attention. The man was born to be a Prime, and he’s the best director I know. But for Iris, it’s a bit different.
Omega’s I’ve worked with aren’t able to hold his eye contact for long. Their natural biological need to submit forces them to look away, but Iris, after our initial meeting and settling into herself on set, she holds his gaze firm, taking in every direction and note he’s given her with confidence.
It’s a turn on that she can hold her own, and her talent has floored me. I told Augie during lunch that as soon as we’re off set, I want him to show me his favorite episodes ofKnot Hollows, which he was both excited and smug about. Being a working actor, I hardly have time to watch anything, but I’ll make time now. Weird? Maybe. But I want to see everything our Omega has done. Make up for the time I’ve missed with her.
“Let’s do a quick rehearsal, then we’ll shoot the wide shot,” Wilder says.
“Sounds good,” Iris replies.
“Jett?”
I pry my eyes away from our Omega to the face of my friend for twelve years and Prime. His brow is cocked, and there's a silent question in his eyes. He’s been checking in with me relentlessly since my earlier outburst, one I apologized to Iris for multiple times. I couldn’t exactly explain to her why my Alpha had freaked out, but thankfully she brushed it off and we started over.
“Sounds good,” I say.
Wilder studies me a beat longer before stepping back. He offers his hand to Iris to help her down off her director's chair.She’s tall for an Omega, and capable of getting out of her chair by herself, but to my surprise she takes his hand. I don’t think she realized she did it until she’s standing, hand locked with his massive one.
The two of them stand in front of each other as if in a trance—the same trance I’ve felt every time I looked into her eyes today. My gaze drops to their joined hands, and it hits me this is the first time they’ve actually touched. And while Wilder’s already accepted—at least as much as he can without her scent—what’s obvious to me now, I can see his Alpha front and center. His hazel eyes have gone nearly black, his jaw flexing hard as he stares at her. The Prime is recognizing his Omega.
My own Alpha perks up, keeping watch over the situation. Wilder would never hurt her; he’s got more control than any Alpha I’ve ever met, only rivaled by Mateo, but he’s never touched his mate before—a mate I know he’s longed for more than he’s let on. I feel Mateo’s presence and Augie’s somewhere to my left, but I don’t take my eyes off Wilder and Iris.
Our pack lead is 6’5”, dwarfing her tall stature. His tattooed hand covers hers, the veins in his hand and forearm bulging from the grip he has on her. The two of them look good together, their dark hair and strong builds. He with his broad muscles and Iris with her soft curves. I’ve shared Omegas and Betas with him since college, and I can’t stop myself from imagining what it would be like to share Iris with him. She’d look perfect, our knots stretching her pussy that was made to take us. To take our entire pack.
