Page 42 of Claiming the Pack’s Omega (Riverwell Omegaverse #2)

Reyna

“ H ey, Milo?” I ask, knocking on his door.

He opens it a split second later, wearing an adorable pair of glasses.

“You wear glasses?”

“Yeah, I wear contacts most of the time," he says, shifting nervously.

“They look cute,” I say, smiling up at him.

I can feel the exhaustion weighing heavy on my shoulders. That night of incredibly shitty, practically nonexistent sleep is catching up to me.

“I’m going to take a nap, could you come wake me up before dinner? Like, text me or something?”

“Sure, I’ll text you," he says, nodding. His brows draw down with concern and he pushes his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. “Are you doing okay?”

“I’m fine,” I say, pursing my lips and glancing away.

Milo knows I’m lying. I can see it, written plain as day, in his expression. He just doesn’t call me out on it.

“Okay,” he says softly. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thanks, Milo. I think I’m just tired.”

“Can—can I give you a hug? Before you go for your nap," he asks, shifting his weight awkwardly from foot to foot.

A grin breaks out on my face.

“Of course,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck. His gunmetal scent surrounds me and I sink into his arms. My body tingles everywhere his skin touches mine.

I’m no stranger to hugs. My family has always been big on them. But there’s something different about hugging Milo. I think it’s because even though his scent thickens in the air around us from his attraction to me, he doesn’t ask for anything more than a hug.

It makes me feel safe with him.

It also makes me want to do a striptease and see how red in the face he gets, but that’s probably a bad idea.

Or maybe a good one, I don’t know.

I do know I need a nap.

“Okay, I’ll see you for dinner,” I say to him as I pull away from the hug.

He clears his throat, tugging down the hem of his t-shirt and nods quickly.

“Yeah, dinner. See you then, Reyna.”

“Bye, Milo,” I giggle, waving as I enter my bedroom.

I take a deep breath as the door closes behind me before I throw myself onto the bed.

If that car ride with Killian didn’t already confirm it, that hug with Milo did.

The Graylock Pack are definitely my scent matches.

Why else would my skin buzz when I touch them? Why else would my inner omega feel so safe around them? Why else would I want to jump their bones and curl up into their arms whenever I catch a whiff of their scents?

God, that car ride back here with Killian was so awkward.

I couldn’t handle it, after he cradled my face and looked at me like I was something precious, something awe-inspiring, something worth fighting for.

Not when he doesn’t know who I actually am.

But in that moment, it clicked.

He really is my scent match. The closest thing possible to a soul mate. Why else would it feel like my heart was exploding out of my chest when he did that?

But I couldn’t bring myself to tell him.

Maybe if it had been any of the other guys, I would have told them one-on-one. But things with Killian have always been a little… chaotic. None of them have made my blood roar through my veins in the same way he has. Both from how attracted I am to him and because he’s pissed me the hell off.

But after seeing the way his stupid mom and older brother treated him? I get why he does the things he does. I meant what I said to him.

I have my own quirks, vices, and dysfunction that have all served a purpose in my past. I’ve definitely had a lot I’ve needed to protect myself from, over the years.

Which means they deserve to know why I act the way I do.

I have to tell them.

After this nap, though.

My eyes flutter shut and I’m swept away to a blissfully dreamless sleep.

I wake up to my phone buzzing on the nightstand.

Milo

Hey there, sunshine, Killian’s home so we’re getting started with making dinner a bit early

Take your time, though

Reyna

sunshine?

Milo

Everyone else has nicknames for you and as much as I liked ReyReyRazzle, it’s a bit of a mouthful

I can stop if you want

I stare down at my screen, butterflies fluttering away in my stomach. Am I… crushing on Milo?

Well, obviously, I think it’s a lot more than a crush, but the unbridled joy I feel, smiling down at my phone screen like an idiot for a simple nickname is pretty standard for a crush, right?

Milo

Shit, maybe I should’ve chosen a better one

I’m sorry

I’ll stop using it

Reyna

no

don’t

i like it

why sunshine, though?

All the other guys seem to have, well, nicknames that are a little less sweet. Even Killian, who calls me princess—which I guess could be considered a sweet nickname other alphas use with their omegas—normally calls me that when he’s trying to get under my skin.

Milo

That’s what your smile reminds me of

It’s basic, huh?

Reyna

i was teasing

i love it

keep using it please

:)

Of course, sunshine

i’ll get ready for dinner, be down in a few minutes

I hesitate, pursing my lips as I stare down at the screen. I know I have to sit them all down during dinner and tell them about my past. Not for the case, for me. For them. For us.

Reyna

could you tell the others I’d like to talk with everyone tonight?

Milo

Will do

See you soon

When I finally manage to pull myself out of bed, I spend extra time splashing cold water on my face after completely removing all of my makeup.

I’m probably going to cry, and I’d hate to look like a raccoon in front of them again.

Plus, they’re going to learn about the real me, they might as well see her too.

My hand trembles a little bit as I open the door.

My eyes go wide when I see Stone taking unsteady steps out of his room at the same time, Killian at his side, prepared to catch him in case he stumbles and falls.

Fuck. I asked for all of them at dinner, I completely forgot Stone would have to make his way downstairs.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, I’m a terrible person! What the hell! How did I forget that?

“Don’t look so panicked,” Stone says, chuckling under his breath as he glances at me.

He manages to get to the banister above the stairs without falling, thank god.

I rush over to him, my hands hovering above his body because I’m not sure what to do to help steady him, he’s probably two hundred and seventy-five pounds of solid muscle.

I’m strong—you have to be, in order to do the tricks I can on the poles—but I’m not save a two-hundred-and-seventy-five-pound man from going down kind of strong.

“Holy shit, I’m a terrible person, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean for you to have to get up just to eat dinner, fuck, I?—”

“Hey,” Stone says, his voice soft and soothing. That single word wraps itself around me, calming my frayed nerves. “It’s okay, Wildflower, I’m okay. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t want to.”

“But—but you’re hurt! I don’t want you to?—”

He presses a finger to my lips and I blink up at him.

“Listen to me, Alphas heal faster than normal betas. Research has been coming out that healing rates are proportional to dominance and I’d like to think I’m a pretty dominant guy, you know?”

I take a deep, shaky breath before I nod.

“You’re not pushing yourself too hard?”

“No, I’ve actually been feeling a lot better today after getting good rest. I think it’s good I’m getting up and stretching a bit.

Plus, Killian’s right here in case I need any help, okay?

You don’t have to worry about me.” He reaches down and pulls my hand up so he can brush his lips against my knuckles.

“I know I must look like a sorry piece of shit to you, but please know that I’m going to get my strength back so I can protect you. ”

I shake myself from the haze of him kissing my knuckles—seriously, who the hell does that—and my brows draw down as I frown up at him.

“Excuse me, I’ve literally never thought you’re a sorry piece of shit. You’d say shit if I talked about myself like that, so I sure as hell won’t stand for you doing it to yourself, got that?”

His grin makes a shiver run down my spine.

“Yes ma’am," he says, offering me a mock salute. “Let’s head downstairs, pretty sure Theo’s cooking up something good, he always is.”

I follow behind Killian and Stone, eyeing them nervously every single step, but Stone manages to make it all the way down the stairs without Killian’s help. It’s honestly really impressive.

There’s no way anyone could look at someone as big and bulky as Stone and think he’s anything else than a force of nature, but the image of him strung up from the ceiling, barely conscious and prepared to die, still haunts me.

Especially because I know if I hadn’t stepped in, his pack wouldn’t have found him in time and he would’ve been killed. Or worse. And then killed.

I pull out Stone’s chair for him at the dining table and he sits down with a heavy exhale.

“You feeling okay?”

He shrugs, pursing his lips. “Don’t like you seeing me like this, but yeah, I’m feeling fine.”

“You’ll feel even better when I get some food in you,” Theo calls from the kitchen.

Milo pulls out my chair for me, and I flash him a bright smile.

“Thanks!” I say.

A blush crosses his cheeks. “You’re welcome," he says, glancing away quickly.

Theo starts carrying over a large metal baking dish full of ribs to the dining table. They’re still steaming from the oven and my mouth starts to water when I catch a whiff of how delicious it smells. He carries over a plate full of toasted Hawaiian bread rolls and another of corn on the cob.

“Wow,” I say, blinking at the spread in front of us. “I think it’ll take me a bit of time to get used to how much food you guys eat.”

“How else are we supposed to build these muscles?” Stone asks, flexing his arm and flashing me a wink.

“Sorry, I didn’t have time to smoke these,” Theo says, flopping into his seat. “You guy will have to settle for me baking them.”

“You guys have a smoker?” I ask, my eyes going wide as I watch Killian start to pile some food on a plate. The ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, it’s like food porn right in front of me.

“Yeah, out back. It’s a fancy grill set up.”