I snatch the bag out of his hand, “No! It’s mine!”
“You’re such a cute Omega.”
I preen at his words before opening the bag to look inside. There’s a gift-wrapped box that I tear into, and I gasp. Thefluffiest, most gorgeous green blanket I’ve ever seen is nestled inside the box. My hand reaches in to touch it, and I gasp at how soft it is. It’s a chunky knit blanket, so incredibly soft, and looks cozy and warm. I can’t help but pull it out and rub my face against it, purring a little.
“You like it?” Henry asks with a smile.
My eyes meet his, and I feel incredibly special from the gift.
“Thank you,” I whisper, “Thank you so much!”
He just smiles, and my Omega instincts take over before I can think about it. I shove the blanket at him and rub it over his chest, around his neck, and under his arms. Fussing to make sure I get the right amount of scent on it from where he’s pumping it out for me. When I bring it to my nose, I whimper at how it smells exactly the way he does. Just like I’d hoped it would.
“Fuck, I want to kiss you. Can I do that? Or is that too fast for my adorable Omega?” Henry’s words are so unexpectedly dirty that I can feel a small rush of slick hit my panties.
“Um, I don’t know… I… Usually don’t like touch,” I admit, even as I step closer to him.
Henry grasps my waist and makes a point of bringing his nose close to my neck, inhaling deeply. Another whimper escapes me, and I bare my neck for him to explore. His skin doesn’t touch mine once, and I think that turns me on even more. He’s respecting my boundaries even when I’m not sure if I want to hold them. A rumble sounds deep in his chest when he pulls away to look into my eyes.
“You smell like heaven itself, and I want to keep you. Tell me I can keep you, at least for a little while,” he begs.
I nod wordlessly, I’m sure my mouth is open and drooling as I gaze at him.
He chuckles, “Good Omega. I’ll call you.”
When he steps back, the spell is broken and I begin to breathe normally again instead of massive inhales of his scent. Grinning, I nod at him before turning to climb into my car. I keep the blanket on my lap, not wanting to part with it. It’s truly one of the first “just because” gifts I’ve gotten. It’s now one of my favorite possessions. Sometimes, Vic would send me things, and always for my birthday, but that feels different because I’ve known him longer.
A full giggle escapes me as I drive back to my condo, and I can feel that my cheeks are flushed with delight. I have two Matches and an Alpha courting me. How lucky can one girl get?
twelve
HENRY
The look on Josie’s face when I gave her that blanket will live in my mind for the rest of my life. She looked at me like I was the most special Alpha on the planet. I felt ten feet tall for making her so happy. Then we had that charged moment, and I had to lock down tight on my instincts. My Alpha was pushing for me to take her, then and there, and bond her as ours. I’m pretty sure we’re at Match, but I don’t really know who else she might have. She might already have a full Pack courting her. Plus, I have a Pack Pull to a couple of other guys that I need to work through.
So that’s what I’m doing today. I’ve been texting with Victor and Simon a bit, and we made plans to go get some beers at a local brewery. They have a nice outdoor space, so we can talk without yelling to be heard. I arrive first, which gives me the chance to pick seats that I prefer. I order a beer at the bar and take it to a round table, a little bit set apart from the rest of the outdoor area. I position myself so I can see the entrance and enjoy the sunshine while I wait.
I get the sense that Simon is a little twitchy about all of this, so I make sure that there’s plenty of open space, hoping it will help him feel at ease. I’m looking forward to getting to know himbetter, and I hope that he’s willing to open up more. I’m not sure if today is the right time to bring up my interest in Josie, but I’ll play it by ear and see.
Maybe they’re not even ready for an Omega. Shit, what if they have their own Omega? Vic said they aren’t Pack, but that doesn’t mean they’re without an Omega they want. About five minutes after I sit, I see them heading my way, a beer each in their hands. I grin and stand up to greet them.
I extend my hand out to Victor first, “Hey, glad you guys could make it.”
“Us too, I’m excited to talk through this Pack Pull with you,” Victor replies.
Simon gives me a “Hey” as he shakes my hand briefly.
When we sit, he chooses the spot where he can see the rest of the outdoor area but isn’t caged in by the fence, and I’m pleased with myself for getting that right. My instincts haven’t failed me yet. I settle back in and we each take a few sips of our beers, letting the atmosphere settle a bit. I can still feel that tug in my chest, drawing me to these two. Their scents smellrightlike I was always meant to smell them.
“So, anyone want to volunteer to go first? Bare all our secrets?” Vic says in a teasing tone.
“I don’t think you have any secrets,” Simon teases back quietly, a small smile on his face.
“Well, not from you at least,” Vic quips back.
“Tell me more about you two. You seem really tight,” I throw out to keep the conversation moving.
Vic raises an eyebrow at Simon, who gestures for him to take point.
