Page 2 of Tawny Omega
I froze, standing just inside the doorway, the drapes moving in a breeze from somewhere, the soft cloth caressing my bare buttocks, my calves.
They all stared at me, as if I should know what to do. I didn’t, and I was sure even if I did, I did not want to do whatever it was.Then an alpha pointed to the couch. “Take your position. Your alphas are waiting.”
Gaze flicking around the room, I wondered which of the seated or standing males were mine. Or to which I belonged, as it would be more proper to say. Even with my lack of knowledge, I understood alphas ruled omegas.
“The couch!” he barked. “They cannot enter until you are ready.”
“Uh…okay.” Taking tentative steps forward, I managed to cross the floor to the center of the room. I’d been naked around others before, when shifting, for pack runs. But it had never felt so…purposeful. Finally arriving, I perched on the edge, hoping it would be enough.
“Lie down and spread your legs!” the alpha growled. “You are wasting all our time.”
“What? No!” Fear crawled up my spine. Why would they want that? I’d already been certified worthy/virginal. “I can’t do that. I won’t!”
“If you don’t, female, we will assist you.”
Three males stood, bulging muscles showing they’d have no trouble doing what he threatened.
Go now.My wolf, who rarely participated in anything when not in her fur bristled under my skin.They mean us harm. And insult.
We can’t. Where would we go?
Anywhere.
Frozen in terror, the males approaching, I closed my eyes and waited for the worst to happen. Not even able to define what that might be. Rape…by the pack taking me? By all the males present? Or just being laid out like a display to be looked at. Just?
Trembling so hard, my teeth chattered, I didn’t realize what was happening until my wolf took over. Shifting had never beenunpleasant before, but this time, it was violent and fast, and I could feel every bit of it. Fur sprouting all over me, my face extending, fangs snapping into place. Bones twisting, muscles stretching. My scream became a howl and then we leapt over the couch and tore across the room toward the far side. Three males in shirts open to the waist and baggy cotton pants with a curiously fastened opening, entered, their eyes widening as we barreled into them and sent them tumbling to the floor.
You’d better run fast,I warned.If they catch us, they may kill us after they do…what they planned.
Chapter Two
Rork
Plumeria remained one of my biggest sellers at the farmstand. I kept some of the fully grown ones near so that people could see the blooms. They were one of the easiest and most beautiful plants in my opinion. They overwintered in the garage because it got too cold in winter to leave them out year-round.
Growing plants and all kinds of gardening was my thing, and I used those talents to make money. Not what Craven earned at his security job, and certainly not the income Flint pulled in with his genius investing, but I did my part.
Plus, I kept things running at home. If I charged what that job was worth, no one could afford me.
Pinks and blues scattered across the early morning sky, reminding me of cotton candy my parents used to buy me at the fall fair. The scents of vanilla and sugar tickled my memory.
Each of us in the pack kept our own hours. Craven worked nights and came in from work just as I was setting up breakfast, which was his dinner. Flint worked all kinds of hours, but we tried to come together for a meal when we could and to have our monthly budget meetings. Those were super fun.
I hung the baskets of plant babies along the hang-over roof of my farmstand. Our land abutted the highway; our home tucked back out of sight of passers-by. I ran the stand at the end of the driveway on an honor system when I wasn’t available, which had never failed us. People often overpaid, in fact.
After testing the cash box to make sure it was locked, I returned to the house where I had several quiches in the oven to freeze for later. With winter around the corner, we liked to be prepared for anything. We’d been snowed in one year andcouldn’t leave for a week. A few coolers on the back porch kept everything from the freezers nice and solid.
In my dreams, I was prepared for our omega. Having things ready for her heat and taking care of her in every way.
Seemed silly since we’d never met her. I still hoped.
“Hey, Rork!” someone called from a distance.
I turned to see a car stopping in front. “Laura, it’s good to see you. How are you today?”
Laura had a farmstand of her own. She specialized in sourdough goodies of all kinds. I taught her how to care for plants, and she shared some of her starter with me. We kept each other’s secrets of success in business.
Laura had her bad days and good ones, same as anyone else. Her husband died a few years back, and it took her a while to remember who she was without being a wife. He wasn’t the kindest man, so she had a lot of behaviors to shed and self-belief to recover. I was proud of her and made sure to tell her.
