He looks a little torn. Like he’s fighting the same internal battle, too. “Understood,” he finally says.
“Do you have any questions for me?” the bored beta asks, and Knox quickly shakes his head. “Okay. If you could wait right over there,” he gestures to a general area next to the tent, “I’ll go get your omega.”
My heart begins racing like I’ve run fifty miles as we step back from the table, making room for the next pack in line. I walk next to Knox as we all make our way to the edge of the clearing, our eyes never leaving the tent’s entrance. I assume that’s where our omega is waiting.
Is she as excited as we are?
Restless, I shift my weight from foot to foot, trying to temper the swirling energy building inside me. The woods around us are quiet. Even the birds have gone still, like they know something amazing is about to happen.
I glance back at the tent—still nothing—then at Knox.
The pack alpha is standing still, arms crossed, eyes narrowed at the front of the tent. His jaw’s tight, and I can see his pulse ticking in his neck. He feels it too—that excitement winding around all of us like a live-wire.
I wonder if he’s imagining how sweet she’ll taste, too. Lucky, fucking bastard.
Patience, I remind myself. Once Knox establishes his role as the pack alpha, then Tadeo and I will be able to bond with her, too.
Movement catches my eye, and I stand up straighter, every muscle going alert.
The flap of the tent shifts—and then she steps out.
Skyla.
She emerges slowly—quiet, hesitant. That thin pink nightie clings to her curves like it was made for her, catching the moonlight in all the right places. Her blondecurls hide her face in wild, golden waves, begging to be touched. My eyes trace the shape of her—small tits, trim waist, delicious hips, and thick thighs that make my mouth water.
I want to drop to my knees and worship every inch of her. To show her, with my hands and my mouth and every careful touch, that she’s safe now. Desired. Claimed.
“This way, dear.” An older beta with tired eyes and brassy, poorly-dyed hair leads Skyla forward. The older woman looks like the kind of woman who’s probably seen too much and says too little. She’s got a clipboard tucked under one arm, but her other hand is on Skyla’s elbow, guiding her gently toward us.
Then everything changes when the wind swirls and Skyla’s scent finally hits me—peony and white musk. It’s so intense, it’s like being punched in the chest with something unbearably tender. The aroma curls around me like smoke, seeping into my skin, filling my lungs, and flowing in my blood.
My body hums, tingling from the inside out. I’ve never smelled anything so soft, so heartbreakingly romantic. It’s like the memory of something I never had but always longed for.
Peeking up through her hair, Skyla looks up, and I finally see her face up close.
She’s not pretty—she’s devastatingly beautiful. Her curly golden hair catches the light like spun silk, wild and perfect at the same time. Her nose is slightly curved, and her chin is pointed. Her eyes are the color of melted chocolate, big and wary, but she doesn’t lift them. She keeps them fixed on her feet.
Everything about her is delicate—breakable—but not in a way that makes her seem weak. No, it makes her sacred.
“Romner pack?” the older beta asks as she brings Skyla to a stop in front of me.
I barely hear the woman. I’m too lost in Skyla.
My pulse is a slow, heavy drum in my ears. I stare at her like she’s art—something meant to be admired, not touched.But god, I want to touch her.
Knox and the older beta exchange a few words, checking over Skyla’s ID. Then the woman turns to Skyla and reaches up, unclasping the thick leather collar from around her neck.
The sound of it unbuckling is so loud in my ears.
The tight material slides, metal jingles, and Skyla flinches as it falls away. She tenses like a startled doe, almost like she’s not sure whether to breathe or bolt.
“Be a good girl for your new pack,” the older beta murmurs to Skyla, like a mother handing off a child. Then she turns and walks off, leaving our omega all alone.
With us.
Me, Knox, Tadeo, and Dakota.
None of us move.
