Page 33 of Daisy (Omega Chosen #3)

Gunner

W hen Hawk told me Daisy wanted to see me outside, my first thought was that something was wrong. But the look on his face wasn't worried—it was the kind of excited that usually meant trouble.

"What did you say to her?" I asked.

"Nothing she didn't already know," he said, clapping me on the shoulder hard enough to bruise. "Just go, man. She's waiting by the trees. And Gunner?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't overthink this."

Now I'm walking toward her, trying to calm my racing heart and ignore the fact that I've been half-hard since Hawk's cryptic instructions and knowing grin. She looks small against the backdrop of bare trees, drowning in August's oversized sweater, dark hair whipping around her face in the wind.

Beautiful. She's always beautiful, but out here in the wild, she looks like she belongs. Like she's finally where she's supposed to be. And the way she's looking at me as I get closer—nervous but determined—makes my cock twitch with interest.

Her scent hits me before I'm even close. Honeysuckle and vanilla, but sweeter than usual. Richer. I can smell her need even through the suppressants, and it makes my alpha practically preen with satisfaction.

Shit, I'm in trouble.

"Hey," I say when I reach her, shoving my hands in my pockets of my hoodie to keep from reaching for her. "Hawk said you wanted to talk?"

She turns to face me fully, and I can see the nervousness in her expression. But there's something else too. Something that looks like determination mixed with want. Her scent spikes, and I have to fight the urge to step closer.

"I did," she says quietly. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

She takes a breath, and I watch her gather her courage like she's putting on armor. "Hawk told me... he said you've never been kissed either."

Heat creeps up my neck. Of all the things I thought she might ask, this wasn't on the list. But the way she's looking at me—curious, not judgmental—makes something in my chest ease. And her scent... fuck, she smells good. Like want and nerves and something that's purely omega.

"Yeah, he's got a big mouth. But he's not wrong."

"So it's true?" Her voice is soft, breathy, and I can smell the faint spike of need beneath her honeysuckle scent.

I could lie. Pretend I've got experience I don't have. But she's been lied to enough for ten lifetimes.

"Yeah," I admit. "It's true."

"Why?" The question is soft, genuinely curious.

I think about how to explain without sounding like a complete loser. "Never felt right with anyone else. Never wanted to waste it on someone who didn't matter."

"And now?"

The hope in her voice makes my chest tight and my cock harder. Her scent is getting sweeter by the second, and I can feel my control starting to fray. "Now I'm standing here with the only person I want to kiss."

Her scent spikes with something sweet and warm—want mixed with nerves and the faintest hint of slick despite those damn suppressants. My alpha rumbles with satisfaction at the response.

"I've never been kissed either," she says, and the admission surprises me.

I thought maybe she and Dante had shared a kiss during whatever happened between them in that bathroom towns ago.

But if she hasn't... "But I want you to be my first kiss.

" Her voice gets stronger, more sure, and there's something almost excited in her eyes knowing we'll both be experiencing this for the first time. "If you want that too."

Want it? I've been dreaming about kissing her for two weeks straight. About being gentle enough not to scare her, being worthy of the trust she's slowly giving us. About the sounds she might make, the way she might taste.

"Are you sure?" I ask, because I need to hear her say it again. Because once I touch her, I'm not sure I'll be able to stop. "Because once we do this..."

"Everything changes," she finishes, and now there's no hesitation in her voice at all. "I know. I want it to change. I want to choose this. I want to choose you."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. This incredible girl is choosing me. Trusting me with something she's never given anyone.

I reach down slowly, giving her time to change her mind. When she doesn't, I cup her face in my hands. Her skin is soft and cold from the wind, and I can feel her pulse racing under my thumbs. The simple contact makes my heart race, and I have to fight not to pull her closer.

Her scent wraps around me like silk, honeysuckle and vanilla and pure omega want. My alpha purrs with satisfaction, a sound I've never made before rumbling up from my chest.

Her eyes go wide at the sound. "What was that?"

"Purring," I tell her, and I'm honestly as surprised as she is. "I've never done it before."

"Never?"

"Never had a reason to." I stroke her cheek with my thumb, and the purr gets stronger. "It's all for you."

The wonder in her expression makes my chest tight with emotion.

"You deserve to be kissed like you're precious," I tell her, my voice rougher than I meant. "Like you're chosen."

"I am choosing," she whispers. "I'm choosing you."

When I lean down to kiss her, the rest of the world just... disappears. The cold, the uncertainty, the fear that's been chasing us for weeks. There's only Daisy, soft and warm and willing in my arms.

Her lips are perfect against mine. Hesitant at first, then more sure as I kiss her gently.

I taste honey from her tea, smell the way her scent sweetens with want.

She melts into me, and I can feel the exact moment her body responds—the way she presses closer, the sweet spike of slick I can smell even through her suppressants.

The purr in my chest gets stronger, vibrating through both of us.

She makes a small sound against my mouth, almost a whimper, and my control nearly snaps.

My alpha wants to deepen the kiss, to claim and mark and show her exactly how much she means to me.

My cock is rock hard now, straining against my jeans, and my knot threatens to swell just from kissing her.

But this is her first kiss. Our first kiss. It should be perfect and soft and everything she deserves.

When we finally break apart, she's breathing hard. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes bright with wonder, and I can smell her heat spiking. The scent makes my knot pulse with interest, and I have to step back slightly to keep from pressing my obvious erection against her.

"That was perfect," she breathes. "Absolutely perfect."

"Good." I rest my forehead against hers, breathing in her scent. The purr in my chest hasn't stopped. "You deserved a perfect first kiss, sweetheart."

"I want more," she admits, and there's no shyness in her voice now, just honest want. Her tongue darts out to wet her lips, and I can still taste myself there. "Not now, I mean. I don't know when. But... more. With you."

The way she says that makes my body react instantly. Blood rushing south, my heart pounding at just the thought of more. Of being the one to show her what intimacy could feel like.

"Whatever you want," I promise, my voice rougher than gravel. The purr makes it vibrate. "Whenever you're ready. No pressure, no expectations."

"Really?"

"Really." I tilt her chin up so she has to meet my eyes. "This is your choice, Daisy. All of it. You set the pace."

She smiles, and it's like the sun coming out. The purr in my chest gets even stronger, and I see her eyes widen again at the sound.

"I should probably tell you something," she says.

"What's that?"

"I feel this way about the others too," she says, and the words come out clear and certain now. "I mean, I do feel this way about you, but I also have feelings for them. Different feelings, but... real ones. Is that wrong?"

My alpha should be possessive, jealous. Instead, I just feel... proud. Proud that she's brave enough to want what she wants.

"That's exactly how packs work," I tell her. "Multiple bonds. Different connections with each person."

"You're not upset?"

"Why the hell would I be upset? You having feelings for the others doesn't make what just happened any less real." I stroke her cheek with my thumb, and the purr in my chest intensifies. "It just means you're starting to see us as your pack."

The relief in her expression is everything. Her scent sweetens further, and I can smell the happiness mixing with her arousal.

"Thank you," she whispers.

"For what?"

"For making me feel normal. For making me feel like what I want actually matters."

"It does matter," I say, meaning every word. "It will always matter."

We stand there for a few more minutes, just holding each other in the cold.

My purr hasn't stopped, and I can see the wonder in her eyes every time she hears it.

Through the cabin window, I can see Hawk making exaggerated shushing gestures to keep the others away from the glass. Making sure we have this moment.

"I should probably ask," I say eventually, though I hate to break the spell, "what do you want the others to know?"

She looks up at me, and I can see the conflict in her expression. "I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings," she says quietly. "But I also don't want to stop. I don't want to pretend this didn't happen or that I don't feel this way."

"Then we won't."

When we walk back to the cabin hand in hand, Hawk greets us with the biggest grin I've ever seen.

The others are clustered in the main room, and I can see the exact moment they catch our combined scents.

August's eyes go soft with happiness. Dante's expression grows intense.

Cassian just nods, like he's been waiting for this moment.

"How'd it go?" Hawk asks, like he doesn't already know from the way we're both glowing and the purr I can't seem to stop.

"Perfect," Daisy says, and her scent gets even sweeter. "Thank you. For pushing me to ask for what I wanted."

"Anytime, princess," Hawk says, then looks at me. "You good?"

"Better than good," I tell him honestly, the purr still rumbling in my chest.

And I am. For the first time in my life, I kissed someone who kissed me back. Someone who chose me just because she wanted to. Someone who makes me purr like a content alpha.

Someone who might choose me again.