Page 42 of Claimed

As I turn to walk away, the hair on the back of my neck prickles with the sensation of being watched. I turn back and take another look, squinting as I watch the edge of the forest, but nothing stands out. I shake the feeling off and quickly move down the hall to where I can hear music coming from.

Stepping into the gym, I find my last three mates working out. Bain is lying on his back, pushing a bar up with what looks to be an insane amount of weight. Chase is standing by his head, counting, and Hunter is hanging from a bar, pulling himself up over and over.

I have never stepped foot in a gym before, and I have no idea what half of this stuff is. And considering I’m in my wolf form, there isn’t much I can do to train.

One thing I can do, though, is ogle my mates. Chase is wearing a tank top that dips so low in the front, I’m not even sure why he wears it. The color matches his pink hair and shows off his large muscles.

My gaze shifts to Hunter, whose back is to me. I watch as the muscles in his back shift with each movement and have to swallow and lick my lips to make sure I’m not drooling. How can a back look that sexy?

Bain grunts, bringing my attention to him as he sets the bar down and sits up, grabbing a bottle of water by his feet and drinking a quarter of it before standing. His head suddenly whips in my direction, and even though he doesn’t smile, I can see the happiness in his eyes.

He likes that I’m here.

“Cherry.” My name, said in his husky voice, is enough to make me shiver, despite ‌how hot I feel right now.

“Pretty girl, did you come to watch us work out?” Chase asks when he notices me. He grabs the closest dumbbell and starts lifting it, curling it toward his shoulder as he grins at me. “Like what you see?” he says, gesturing to his bicep.

Bain snorts and grabs an even bigger weight, matching Chase’s movement as he raises an eyebrow at him in challenge.

Chase narrows his eyes, then grabs a bigger weight and curls it. I can see the strain on his face and suddenly feel confused by what’s going on right now.

“You guys should know better than to think that lifting the most weight would impress Cherry,” Hunter says. I look at him, finding him with his arms crossed, shaking his head as he watches them.

“You’re right!” Chase says, dropping the weight. “She wants to see something impressive.” He drops to the ground and starts doing a one-handed push-up.

Bain glares at him, then surprises me by dropping beside him and doing his own version, which is apparently a one-handed, one-foot push-up.

“They won’t stop as long as you’re watching,” Hunter whispers, suddenly appearing at my side. I hadn’t realized Bain and Chase were so competitive. I worry that if they keep trying to outdo each other, they’ll end up hurting themselves. So while they’re staring each other down, I quickly sneak away.

Just as I’m out of sight of the doorway, I hear Hunter tell them, “She’s gone, you meatheads.”

“Awww,” Chase whines, making me smile as I trot down the hall. I hear Maddox in the office but decide I’m not over my embarrassment from before, so I make my way back to the living room.

Gage doesn’t even look up as I move to the large gas fireplace, happy to find it on, even though it’s summer, and lie down in front of the mantel. I let the heat soak into me as I watch Gage read. I need to figure out a way to get him to take a break. He’s already done so much for me, and we’ve learned a lot of new information.

The last time he got like this, I convinced him to shift and play with me. Maybe I’ll try that again, but first… First, I just need a little nap.

Chapter 17

Gage

Every book I read is as intriguing as the last, although not all are specifically helpful for our current situation. But what’s currently caught my attention is the information documented on omega biology. It’s clear they are rare. Very rare. And because they don’t mate with other omegas, the offspring could be any of the three designations.

They are categorized as being smaller, calmer, and more docile than their supernatural parentage would suggest they should be. There are documented records showing that although they can mate with anyone and have offspring, their bodies crave alphas. They have a biological response to alphas that helps calm them and lets them trust more easily.

And if those alphas are also their fated mates, the response is ten times stronger. Neither omega nor alpha will be able to walk away from the connection. It would feel like severing a limb.

I glance up, surprised to see Cherry sleeping by the fireplace. When did she come in here? Was I really so engrossed in this book that I hadn’t noticed my mate?

I close the book and release a deep breath. I’ve been a bad mate lately. Ever since I got my hands on these books, I haven’t helped her shift. The poor thing must be dying to get out of her fur. I take a moment to listen to the sounds of the house, hearing the twins and Bain in the gym and Maddox in the office.

Watching Cherry sleep, I think about what I just read. That the omega side of her was literally created to help calm us. It explains our immediate infatuation with her. It wasn’t just a fated mate bond; it was a biological need for us, as alphas, to take care of our omega.

I now know why her senses seem practically human, and her wolf side so docile. But what none of the books talk about are any problems with shifting. We’re still not entirely sure what Dr. J did to her, but I would guess it's something to do with her being an omega. Somehow, he was able to prevent her from dying, and he’s trying to replicate that success.

She did manage to stay shifted when she leapt at Bain the other night, not that she knows that, plus she shifted to catch the piece of chocolate. They are both strong signs that she’s gaining back the ability to shift.

Her head raises, and she blinks at me, before standing and stretching, then she saunters over to where I'm sitting. I toss the book aside, curious to see what she’s up to.