Page 13 of Brave New Omega, Part 2

Chapter 13

KATIE

W e order take out and head home, just in time to catch the delivery for my nesting supplies. I sigh, sulking behind Max and Loren, too full of sweet and spicy pork to want to do much more than sprawl on the couch and zone out to a nature documentary. Or even trashy reality tv.

“This room is depressing,” Max pronounces, dropping the large box on the floor. I groan, leaning against the doorway. “No wonder you were so set on returning to Earth. Honestly Tough Girl, I am so sorry for leaving you in someplace so… unhomey.”

Max circles back to me, cradling me in his arms. I grunt again. His touches are tender, but I can scent his own male musk deepening. God, if I wasn’t so stuffed I might pounce on him.

“I wish we’d thought ahead about this,” Loren says. “But your arrival was so abrupt–”

I raise my hand to cut him off. He’s been somber and less talkative since seeing his sister. I don't know how to pull him from his mood. I mean, other than riding him until we’re both sweaty messes, and my belly will not have that right now.

But I also don’t want him to spiral, berating himself when there’s nothing he could have changed.

“No, we are not going down that path. We all made mistakes and were caught off guard. All of us–me included, Loren. But we are all starting fresh, today. Right? And, today you are taking care of my needs– needs I didn’t even realize I needed.”

I cup his jaw in one hand. “Thank you.”

His eyes are glassy and he swallows thickly but doesn't speak.

“I–I’ll go and get the last box,” he says. I nod and he hurries from the room.

“Damn,” Max says, ripping open the lid of one of the cardboard boxes. “He’s got it bad.”

“What?” I ask, busying myself with unpacking the other box so I’m not distracted by Max’s musky scent.

Focus .

“Alpha guilt.” Max picks up a thick burgundy blanket that feels like cashmere and tosses it into a pile on my bed. “He’s going to blame himself for every single thing that has ever possibly upset you and convince himself that he doesn’t deserve you as an Omega. They warned us about it when I was taking my Omega care classes.”

I pause mid-toss of a yellow satin pillowcase, large enough for a human body, missing the haphazard collection of silky pillowcases and sheets.

“Wait, you have Omega care classes?”

“Of course, all Alphas do after we present,” Max says, pulling out a bigger, thicker blanket that looks like the snuggliest throw blanket, except make it California king sized and a dark shade of blue. I want to wrap up in it right now.

“How do you think we know what Omegas need?”

I shrug. “Intuition? Instinct? Your parents telling you stuff while you’re growing up. How does anyone know anything about relationships?”

Max looks horrified. “Relationships are hard work. Everyone needs to learn how to navigate them. And the differences between designations, hell even genders –that’s all a lot to learn and manage.”

“True, but we didn’t have classes on them,” I say, rubbing a silky blanket against my cheek.

“You mean to tell me, there aren’t, like, care and keeping of your life partner classes? Like men aren’t schooled on how to deal with women menstruating? Or women with how to deal with male hormonal cycles? Or how designations manage breeding? Or how to navigate multi-person intercourse so no one gets hurt?”

Max truly looks stunned. Part of me wants to laugh. Imagine that on Earth!

But part of me thinks that Max is on to something.

“Ah, no. You’re just supposed to … know .” I shrug.

He whistles. “Damn. I think I’d hate Earth. No packs and no relationship care classes? You all sound fucked up--no offense, Tough Girl.” He adds quickly.

I snort a laugh. “None taken. You’re not all wrong. I think we’re… well, we’re prudes, and letting ourselves talk about intimacy is hard.”

I swallow. Talking about sex is hard enough. But add feelings into the mix… No, Amaata is definitely not like Earth.

Max squeals like an excited five-year-old, something in the box distracting him from the heavy emotional topic.

“Ah, I knew we ordered these,” Max reaches into the bottom of the box, pulling up three neatly wrapped packages. He wiggles his eyebrows.

“Ready to hang some silk?”

“Why does that sound like it should be a euphemism?”

Max grins. “We can certainly find a way to make it one.”

Two hours later, I am sweaty but satisfied. Loren has lifted me onto his shoulders as I adjust the blue and purple fabrics as they hang in long panels over the lights and across the window. There are a few hanging hand-pulls to offer more light, but right now, the hangings cover all the light sources so the room is bathed in cool colors of blue, purple, and a rich rose.

I feel a deep sense of relaxation and safety–in part from the room, but in part too, from my Alphas.

“Perfect!” I declare, slithering down from Loren’s shoulders, letting my chest rub completely down his body. He releases a faint guttural yowl, something between a growl and a moan.

“You are a tease.” He kisses the tip of my nose.

My room is now cocooned in shadows of blue and purple, and some tension that’s been riding me since I arrived ebbs out of my muscles. I feel lighter, more playful. Like I am queen of this domain and none shall pass without my permission.

“It’s not a tease if I’m really offering,” I say, my voice husky. Max, who has been adjusting the last of the twinkling string lights, does in fact growl. He drops the switch before prowling over to me, his eyes dilated and his scent thickening with his own lust.

Am I ready to do this again? With both of them?

Here, in this safe haven? Oh, hell yes! My body is revved and ready.

Jesus, Omegas are so needy. But, if I let myself peek a little at all those tangled emotions I try to avoid most of the time, I guess I don’t mind it as much as I did when I first arrived.

Whatever, Loren is right in front of me, Max at my back. I am close to being sandwiched between my Alphas and my body is telling me to stop overthinking this and get the hell on with glorious business.

The door slams downstairs.

I hear the heavy thuds of Callum below us. I can almost feel the ripple of his tension, as though I’m touching those knotted shoulders, even from the floor above. Something is bothering him.

Loren swallows, but steps away from me. “Will you hold those thoughts for a little later, Love? I think…Our Alpha needs a little attention.”

I nod. “Of course. Take care of him, okay?”

Loren smiles, then kisses my forehead. “I’ll do my best until he decides to get his head out of his arse and let you be his Omega for him.”

Before I can really process his words, Loren slips from the room, pulling the door shut with a soft snick .