Page 90 of The Omega

“That you were nothing but a giant teddy bear.” I stuck out my tongue at him, which probably wasn’t the best way to meet my future pack as I rounded the corner, coming face to face with what felt like the whole town.

The main strip was something out of a Hallmark movie, with hand-scripted chalk signs out front of each business and flowers hanging from lantern poles. Even the little schoolyard up ahead had a real bronze bell.

The pack had all gathered on the sidewalks as if they’d heard us coming. Without Atlas’s mark, I had no connection to them as Luna, so I didn’t blame them for looking at me like I was strange.

Or it might’ve been because I still had my tongue pressed between my teeth as I was dragged by pups down the main sidewalk.

“Did she call you a teddy bear, Alpha?” An elderly female dam stepped outside of the cafe, bearing her weight on a cane as she sized me up.

Oh no, not this again.

I could feel it. The judgment. The criticism.

Freak. Bitch. Weak.

I smiled brighter, intending to introduce myself and clear up any misunderstanding, when the old dam cracked a toothy smile.

“Our new Luna already figured out all our secrets.” She winked at me. “Now you’ve got to keep them too.”

I mimed zipping my lips.

Laughter came next, followed by the warmest greeting. The pups took it upon themselves to show me off to their moms, who in turn showed me shops and stores and spilled more pack stories. I was hugged until I was dizzy and yanked around until my feet ached.

Not everyone came on as strong. A few women who worked at the florist and market only gave me tight-lipped nods of respect. I didn’t press, giving them their distance as I catalogued a few emotions I wished they didn’t feel. But I didn’t sense a mean bone in the whole bunch.

Lucky. That’s what we are.

Or it’s all too good to be true.

I tried not to let my thoughts dampen the introduction to the pack. They seemed to be having so much fun sharing bits of themselves that I did my best to be present and soak every moment of it up.

It was almost noon when I crashed into Atlas’s waiting arms.

“They love you.” He scooped me off my tired feet and breathed in my scent. “I knew they would.”

“Careful,” I teased. “Your teddy bear side is showing.”

“More like a grizzly bear,” Atlas grumbled, but he wasn’t fooling anyone.

Being in his arms let the weight of the day catch up to me. It was a lot, going from the quiet of my life to Bailey Pack and now this.

I rested my head against his chest and sighed. “Say, don’t you want to show me your bedroom too?”

His growl did sound more like a grizzly bear as he turned, hurrying away from his pack. “I thought you’d never ask.”

32

Dorian

“Dorian… You’re killing me here.” Cigar smoke encircled Marco’s fat head as he leaned back in the worn leather chair across from my desk. “If you can’t fly to California to make the audition, then I’ve got to take you off that roster for good.”

“I can’t travel right now.” I stared at the ceiling, still trying to figure out what my next moves were. But I knew I couldn’t leave Opal. Not yet, if ever. Our relationship was too new. Too fragile. And I hadn’t even fully sealed our bond.

Because you’re an idiot.

“If you can’t travel, that also takes Quebec off the table.” Julia, the female assistant the agency had sent with Marco, smiled coyly. “It’d be a real shame to get taken off the international circuits too.”

Such a shame. Even my wolf rolled his eyes.