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“There are a lot of differences between us, human. I see in the dark just fine, otherwise, why would I live in a cave?”
Those pretty pink lips parted as her eyes went round, and I had to look away before I started fantasizing about them again.
“I—I wasn’t thinking.”
I hadn’t meant it to be a rebuke, but her tone told me she thought I was upset with her. The thought made my chest tighten, and I moved closer to her again, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. She was obviously lost and confused, but I didn’t think she would accept comfort from me.
“It took a while for the other omegas to learn our differences. And it was hard for my clanmates to figure out their mate’s needs at first too. We may be different, but we are similar in a lot of ways as well.”
Her troubled expression melted away into one of surprise, but I didn’t realize why until she spoke again.
“Your clanmates claimedhumanomegas?”
Chapter Ten
Ivy
My mouth hung open as I stared up at the monster before me. He’d mentioned his clanmates and their omegas a few times during the stories he’d told me, but it hadn't clicked that the omegas he’d spoken of were human.
Like me.
My knees folded and my bottom hit the ground with a thump I didn’t feel as my mind spun. I almost couldn’t believe it was possible, but something inside told me it was true. Somehow, this massive, monster alpha, and a human omega were compatible.
I wasn’t sure how that made me feel. I was vaguely aware of De’drik crouching next to me, his expression taking on a hint of concern. As different as his face was from mine, the same emotions played across his features as any human.
What does it matter?
Shaking my head, I buried my hands in my hair. The only difference it made was that if I was in heat, De’drik would be able to claim me, but it was still mid-summer and I had close to two moons before I had to worry about that.
Right now, I had to make sure I was back before my aunt and cousins returned from Perlynn. The celebration likely went well into Midsummer Eve’s night, and they’d probably slept half the day away, but they would begin the journey home soon. And if I wasn’t there when they returned…
I couldn’t complete the thought.
Maybe they would assume I had run away. I knew my aunt would be furious at the loss of a maid she didn’t have to pay, and I could only imagine how bad the beating would be if I arrived after them but didn’t have a good explanation for why I wasn’t there to greet them on their return.
They’d never believe me if I told them a monster had carried me to the base of the mountains and I’d had to trek back. Just the thought of trying to explain that left me speechless.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I looked up into De’drik’s green eyes. I didn’t know much about him besides the stories he’d told me as we walked, but he had helped me when he could have simply left me on my own in the storm, and he hadn’t taken advantage of me being smaller and weaker than him. I wasn’t sure I could say the same of any other alpha, human or not.
“Thank you for helping me.”
My words were barely more than a whisper as I fought not to think about the other option I could choose. There was nothing forcing me to return to my virtual enslavement other than my own sense of duty and loyalty to family, and I wasn’t sure I could resist temptation if something else made a better offer.
Like an alpha who actually treated me as a person.
De’drik grunted, turning to look between the tree trunks surrounding us.
“An omega shouldn’t be alone in the woods. Or alone at all. Her family should keep her protected. I did what any alpha would do.”
I snorted, a mirthless smile pulling at the corner of my lips.
“No, youdidn’tdo what most men would do, and for that, I’m grateful.”
I reached out and touched his knee as I spoke, getting distracted by the softness of his fur. Warmth spread from where we touched, and I couldn’t help wondering if his fur was that soft everywhere.
Were his ears as silky as they looked?
De’drik froze, barely seeming to breathe as my fingers moved the tiniest bit before he lurched to his feet and took a few steps away from me.
