Nine
Imri
Nightwasdrawinginwhen I heard the alert. Since our last visitor, Rowan tweaked the spell so I could tell when it had been activated without one of the kids having to tell me. He’d also ensured the look-away aspect of the spell was stronger. People could walk directly up the dirt path to the house before the magic took hold and sent them into the woods and far away from the house.
Paranoid, maybe, but I had to ensure the safety of the kids. Until we had adoption papers, anything to prove they were mine, I didn’t want to risk discovery. Besides, I was a predator in nature, I needed to protect my den from threats, even little rodent like ones.
“Imri? Want me to come with you?”
“Not necessary. Stay here with the other two. Don’t let them raid any snacks before bed, they’ve had too much sugar as it is. Oh! Andmake them brush their teeth if I’m not back in an hour,” I said while I threw on some shoes to go check things out.
This time I was going in my human form, hoping secretly it was the little creature again and I could tempt him into shifting so we could talk.
I only wanted to warn him, gently, away from the woods. To tell him to stay away for his safety. At least, that’s what I pretended to myself. What I really wanted to do was see his face, to see what he looked like. He smelled so damn good he just had to be a pretty omega.
Plus, I also wanted to know what kind of beast he was. I’d never seen anything like him!
“Okay, I think they are over to the south of the house. They must have gotten pretty turned around. D’you think I made the spell too strong?”
“Only one way to find out.” I was supposed to be immune to the effects of it. Rowan had keyed all of us into the spell. My parents should also be able to find the place because they share the same blood as me.
In a matter of moments, I was in theyard.
“Imri! Wait!” Rowan rushed to catch up with me. “Take this stone. It will tug your hand in the right direction.”
“Perfect. Go back inside, okay? Be back soon.” I ruffled his hair, making him jerk away with a muffled curse.
Sure enough, the stone picked up on our intruder’s location pretty quickly. I walked through the woods with growing difficulty. These paths were overgrown, completely wild. It had to have been some time since anyone traveled this way.
The path I was using got too narrow for me as a man. I decided to shift and hold the stone in my mouth. I tried it first just in case and the thing still worked.
Stripping quickly, I took the time to fold and place my clothes on a branch. It felt like our visitor had paused in their wanderings. Probably lost.
I let the shift fall over me. My dingo was always there, ready to take control. He felt extra antsy to get going and find this intruder though. I was vaguely concerned about it, put on edge by his need to claim what was his.
With my improved senses, I didn’t need the stone anymore. I dropped it not too far fromwhere the little beast was. I could tell it was the same one as before. They shared the same scent. It was intoxicating, drawing me forwards like I was under a spell.
He was in his human form, and fuck me, he was cute! Sandy brown hair with golden and red highlights woven in the strands. The most stunning pair of blue eyes I’d ever seen. They were the blue of the sky on a summer’s day. There were freckles dusted along a straight, pert nose, and over high cheekbones. His lips were a rosy pink and full. He wet them after greeting me. While he was pale, he had a healthy, pink tone to his skin. I could smell sweat on him, likely from exertion from all the walking he’d done. He was far from the road.
In short, he was perfect. If there was an example of the ideal omega to me, then it was him.
“Why is it that I feel so safe around you when the other one scared the living daylights out of me?” Without thinking about it, I shifted, standing naked before him.
He jerked back, falling off his perch in surprise.
“Fuck!”
“Isthat a curse or request?” I went over to him, extending a hand to help him up. This close, his scent was overwhelming. The omega in him was clearly reacting to my pheromones.
He took my hand easily. My fingers brushed over his bare wrist. No wonder his scent was so strong. I would have never been able to smell him if he had his bracelet on.
“Oh, shit! I’ve lost another inhibitor. My parents are going to kill me.” He held on to me even as he sat back on the stump, defeated. His skin was warm and silky soft. It heated further under my touch.
“Do your parents know you’re out this late?” I teased.
The omega in front of me dropped my hand with a frown, sitting up straighter, full of indignance. “I’m an adult. I don’t report to them.”
“Is that right?” I raised an eyebrow at his fiery spirit.
