Page 9 of Generation Omega: Revealed
I flinch. “Oh… yes. We need to be there when it opens. There’s a lecture and face painting—I need omega flowers painted on my cheek. It’s cosplay day and I’m your omega! Do you happen to have a leather jacket because you would make a smoking hot biker alpha?” It’s not until I stop speaking that I realize I said all of those words without any verbal punctuation.
“Shower.” Ethan nods his head toward a door just a few feet away. “Breakfast.” He tilts his head toward the kitchen. “And I’ll work on the leather jacket. Now, go.” But he stops me before I move and kisses my head. “Okay, now go.”
I race to the bathroom but then abruptly halt and rush back to the living room to grab my bag. My shower is brief, with only a few lingering moments to recognize how different my body feels now that I belong to Ethan. Maybe it’s in my head, but it truly seems like there was abefore last nightTillie and amorning afterTillie. Andmorning afterTillie feels good, right, and filled with wonder.
What surprises me is that those imaginary holes in my heart aren’t full and blooming, but rather, they seem more ready for seeds, as though the sun came out and spring arrived. I’ve never mentioned them to Ethan, not wanting to worry him. He would have believed me and been just as powerless against my parents’ indifference. Loss already defined his life and I never wanted to add to that, but now it feels like a secret I shouldn’t keep from him.
I jump at the sound of his voice on the other side of the tutu-bear-covered shower curtain—what freaking store sells this many tutu-wearing bears?
“The pancakes are ready, so hurry it up. We’ve got lectures and knowledge and omega flowers to get painted on our faces. Come on, woman! We’ve got places to be.” Chuckling, he adds, “Unless you need some help in there, because…”
“No! Go away. You and your body and your man parts… you’re distracting. I’m coming and you better not eat all the pancakes!”
“No promises.”
My smile appears to be a permanent fixture on my face as I stare into the foggy mirror at the Tillie who finally claimed her Ethan. I rummage for a hair dryer and get to work, lightly applying makeup as quickly as possible, while knowing that omega flowers are about to be my most noticeable decoration. As soon as my hair isn’t a completely wet mop, I French braid it and then get dressed in a blue, floral bohemian tunic dress over black leggings that will go excellently with my vintage black Dr. Martens boots. I don’t know why but I just think omegas should wear burly boots that proclaim the fierceness of even the gentlest flowers.
When I finally return to the living room, I practically trip over my feet at the sight of Ethan in ass-hugging jeans and a black t-shirt. He’s trying on a black leather jacket and studying himself in the mirror. My words get swallowed by the shadowy look in his eyes. Instead of breaking into his thoughts, I slowly move toward him and stand at his side, waiting for him to notice me.
When he does, he wears a tender smile at how I look, but he hasn’t released whatever he’s dealing with in his own reflection.
“You look amazing,” I say softly, gently offering him a safe path out of his darkness, if he wants it.
“It was my father’s.” Bleakness teases at the edges of his otherwise neutral tone.
“Oh, Ethan, I’m sorry. You don’t have to…”
His leather-clad arm wraps around me and pulls me close. “No, it’s okay. It just took me by surprise. I’ve seen pictures of my dad in this jacket, taken long before I was born. I didn’t know him as a leather-jacket-wearing biker, but Auntie Jem did.” His lovely blue eyes are haunted and filled with a longing that won’t be answered in this lifetime. “They were twins—did I ever tell you that?”
“If you did, I don’t remember.”
He swallows roughly. “Jeremy and Jemma Harris. They were inseparable. I know my mom and I took it hard, but I don’t think anyone grieved like Auntie Jem did. Everyone thinks she’s odd, and she is, but I’ve never gone along with their insults, because, to me, especially today… after everything with you… I see it all so differently. She didn’t become weird—the world without her brother, hertwin, became unrecognizable to her. Becoming eccentric was a way to survive and to mock everything about this nonsensical universe that took her brother from her.”
He squeezes me as he releases a shaky breath. “I think that’s why she was delighted with my plans for the unused attic space. What could be more appropriately ridiculous in this already ridiculous building than to have an omega haven in the roof? She loved it.”
My eyes grow wide. “She knows about the omegaverse?”
“Of course, she does. She might even believe in it. She certainly guided me when I considered installing windows in the nest and adding a specific scent to the place.” He smiles. “She shot those down, hard.”
I consider how those things would have changed the experience. “She was right. The nest shouldn’t have windows, but the ones in the bathroom are nice. And the smell of the cookies was perfect, but yeah, it would have been strange if you’d chosen a scent for the nest.”
“That’s exactly what she said. Omegas are supposed to be temperamental about fragrances that aren’t their own, and making that kind of decision would have been wrong. Big thanks to Auntie Jem for that.” He blows out a breath, pulling his gaze from his reflection. “Breakfast.”
He ushers me toward the counter and onto one of the two stools, grabs some oven mitts, and retrieves a couple cinnamon rolls from the oven. Then he sets a stack of bear-shaped pancakes before me and a plate of bacon. Orange juice already fills the two tutu-bear-themed glasses.
I’m positively entranced by the sight of him, wearing a leather jacket, tight jeans, and tutu-bear covered oven mitts.
When I don’t move and am barely breathing, he leans into my eyeline and gives me a curious look. “What?”
I gesture toward his entire hot self in that outfit. “That’s my alpha, right there. Badass MMA fighter. Great butt. Biker jacket. Wearing dancing bears on his oven mitts. A biker, a baker, a lover… my alpha.”
His grin is so epic it lights the room. Then he glances down at himself and nods smugly. “Hey, when you’ve got it, flaunt it, right? Now, eat already. Youralphacommands it.”
“Yes, alpha,” I tease and swoon at the same time, giddy at the thought of both having an alpha and Ethan being my alpha. I’m thinking there’s some seriously sexy cosplay in our future, and Ethan’s obvious willingness to play along makes all of this even better.
We dig into the food, which is amazing, while I yammer about all that’s on the schedule for the day. Then, after dumping the dishes in the sink, we head for the door. The most important part of the day is the first lecture. After that, there will be time for face painting, pics with omegaverse movie stars, singers, and authors, and all sorts of other amusements, but we can’t miss the lecture that won’t be recorded.
We grab a ride to the venue and arrive with only five minutes to spare. The crowds are mulling around and, to ensure we reach the auditorium in time, Ethan lifts me onto his back and makes his own path. He’s so dang hot that the mostly female crowd parts for him without any irritation, especially when he shouts, “Alpha and omega coming through!”
