Page 58 of Generation Omega: Claimed (Originverse #3)

TILLIE

I wake with thoughts of resting on a hammock by the beach, a delicate breeze teasing my skin, and the scent of salted caramel inspiring deep longing for endless summer days and no ticking clocks.

The connection infused in Gideon’s divine scent is no less powerful than the first time it reached me.

If it had a voice, the only word it would ever speak is forever .

But before I get carried away inwardly gushing about my first alpha, there’s research to be done.

I gently think… are you listening ? I don’t push those words directly at him because our internal intercom isn’t going anywhere, and I wouldn’t want that to be a casualty of my need for privacy.

It’s everything in between our unvoiced conversations that’s my issue.

Gideon doesn’t react—we’re so close, lying somewhere with his arms around me—but maybe he’s being cagey.

Recalling my inner omega’s guidance about all things scandalous, I plant an idea in my head.

This sexual fantasy is anything but new.

It features a massive arena beneath a tent in the desert where the post-apocalypse war chief— Gideon —holds court and punishes the wicked in creatively sadistic ways.

I put myself in that arena, naked though attempting to cover myself before the crowd’s leering gaze, as Gideon coldly studies me, while wearing his famous black kilt with silver tribal designs.

Before I get any further, Gideon’s husky voice rumbles through me. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, baby girl, but if you want to get railed in the back of a truck, keep it up.”

I flinch, all steamy thoughts wiped from my mind.

“A truck?!” My eyes open and damn , deluxe travel this isn’t.

We’re in the back of a moving truck that’s empty except for two mattresses, both covered with nice comforters.

This certainly isn’t the stuff of dreams, though it’s cleaner than the arena in a post-apocalyptic hellscape.

I’m currently the little spoon to Gideon’s hefty spoon, while Ethan sleeps alone on the other mattress. The only light is provided by a few camping lanterns.

When the truck begins to move, making a somewhat abrupt turn, I mutter, “I’m not complaining, but…”

Gideon chuckles ruefully. “Oh, I get it. I’ve been doing box breathing to survive this box truck, ever since they closed that damn door.”

My stomach lurches, but not from the bumpy ride. “What if I’m wrong about Kazimir?” I whisper. “If he’s a traitor, we’re already caught. We’re basically caged right now.”

Gideon’s hand moves upward, his fingers trailing over my bondmark, awakening that exquisite thrumming throughout my body. “You must have made the choice to trust him for a reason, right?”

“Oh, yeah, but…” I study Ethan, particularly his solidly rhythmic breathing.

As if he’s reading my mind, Gideon confirms, “Ethan is in a forced nap, by choice, though I extended it longer than he requested. He was going to be an anxious mess the entire drive—especially given our mode of transportation—so I knocked him out.” He inhales my scent, and it appears to be happily flowing in his direction.

“He can’t hear you, if that’s what you’re worrying about. ”

I squeeze Gideon’s thick arm that surrounds me.

“I couldn’t lie to him, and I couldn’t tell the truth.

” I know I must continue—Gideon needs the facts—but it’s still difficult to explain.

“I didn’t actually get anything inspiring about Kazimir during my voyage of discovery.

I got a bunch of other information and a harsh dose of reality.

Basically, if Kazimir is a traitor, it’s all over.

We’re over. Because we’re it—live or die, this is our pack. ”

I pull at the peace in that garden and its magnificent standing stones.

“What that means is my heart will either bring this pack together or tear it apart. So, I had to go with my instincts, and my instincts declare that Kazimir adores that beautiful man sleeping right there, and he would never intentionally harm him. But if Kazimir does betray us, I didn’t want Ethan to think that it’s because he’s not worthy of love—we all know he is, more than anyone.

I also didn’t want to place that burden on Ethan, if our reunion gets me killed. ”

Gideon’s calming presence soothes me. “He’s not the only one worthy of love. But, rather than describing exactly how lovable you are, will you tell me something?”

I love that he’s asking, not just snatching my secrets from me. “Sure. What do you want to know?”

Even though I can’t see his smile, I know it’s there. “If we’d met under different circumstances—without our omegaverse matchmakers—and I asked you out on a date, would you have said yes?”

I respond with unapologetic giggles, exactly how I would have reacted if the Gideon Blake asked me out.

“Dude, are you serious right now? Because I would have laughed hysterically, probably snorted embarrassingly many times. Then I would have searched for cameras recording the entire thing, figuring it was a stunt Ethan managed to arrange. Have you forgotten my first words to you? If so, please, never remember them.”

He hums playfully. “Let’s see… I believe there was an exclamation of holy hotness . Is that correct?”

“Absolutely not. Never happened. Give me a lie-detector test, and I’ll pass it.”

Gideon nuzzles against me, kissing my temple. “Fine, it never happened. But help me out here. Just pretend you said yes. What would you have wanted for our first date? The sky’s the limit. After all, I have my own plane.”

I’d laugh more at the question if his tone wasn’t so earnest and his curiosity entirely genuine. But darn, my honest answer is tough to share. I’ll just never be sophisticated, will I? “You… we … already did it.”

“What?!” he blurts, performatively prim and proper. “You would have had me bang and bond you on our first date?! Shocking.”

“No!” I choke out, laughing again. “I just would have wanted you to cook for me and spend some quiet time together. Men cooking for me is literally chef’s kiss . Ethan’s very good at it, and…”

His burly arm tightens around me. “Hold on—are you suggesting that you evaluated my cooking abilities based on those grilled cheese sandwiches at my penthouse?”

“Well, yeah, and you cooked for me on the yacht too.”

“Oh, no—none of that counts.” Mr. Grumpy is adamant, even before he adds, “I hereby forbid you from making any judgments about my skills in the kitchen based on anything you’ve experienced so far.”

“Really? Hereby forbid ? That’s a little stuffy, don’t you think?”

His divine scent envelops me as he murmurs, “Tillie Harrison, will you go on a date with me?”

I’m making faces, even though he can’t see them. “We’re bonded already. Be serious.”

Gideon’s cheek is against mine. “I am serious. When we’re safe enough—whatever that means—I want us to date.

” He pauses, and I sense the depth of his emotions.

“I keep thinking about our future, and I love it, imagining all we can be to each other. I don’t mean just us, but I’m greedy with the way I think about us and our future.

” He scoffs, and I can almost guess what’s coming next.

“I had a lot of time to think while you were connecting with the others, so I’m giving myself a pass for some well-earned selfishness. ”

“That’s fair.” I knew Gideon was alone most of the past three days, while the rest of us were living in Jameson’s decadent, live-action porn-a-thon . Mackenzie kept him company some, but mostly, my ginger god served an important role as my body pillow between rounds with my infamous alpha.

All the wild things we did over those three days…

what an incredible sense of normal Jameson created for Ethan and me.

When he controlled us like we were his toys, the heights of passion we reached, all without any self-consciousness, absolutely wrecked any barriers we ever had.

When it was Jameson and me, I felt freer while bound by his invisible lasso than I ever have in my life. The man lived up to the hype, no doubt.

I can’t feel my connection to Jameson now, but in Gideon’s arms, it’s a struggle to believe anything is missing in my life. They are so different—all of them—but each entirely necessary.

Gideon seems to know that I’m lost in my thoughts, and when I return to the perfection of being this close to him, he continues.

“So, with the future, I’m all good. What bothers me is thinking about our past, how we began.

As passionate and right as it was, we missed some wonderful firsts that all new lovers should experience.

I want that for us—for you. I want us to begin again, without the omegaverse rushing us past the priceless moments that are the true foundation of every worthy romance. ”

I don’t know why I’m rebelling against the idea, but I am. “I don’t want to be unappreciative here, but aren’t you just trying to clean it all up after the fact? Tender moments aren’t what define the omegaverse, and we are the omegaverse now.”

Oh, dear, he’s moving into the hard sell by licking and kissing our bondmark.

“If we’re the omegaverse, then we get to decide how we live and love, now and forever.

I think this is important, and not just because you love all the amazing omegaverse stories ever written or because I’m trying to create the movie version of our lives.

This is more than that, because we always need to remember what we’re building here, and that starts with us.

Right here. Right now. In the back of a moving truck. ”

“Oh, yeah, I totally swoon for trucks.” When I begin to turn, he gives me space, and then I’m on my back gazing up at his face that’s shadowed by the faint illumination from the small lanterns.

“Okay, fine. If it’s important to you, then it’s important to me.

And it might be fun.” Unfortunate truth time…

here goes. “I think what’s challenging me is my doubts that we’ll reach a place or time that’s safe enough for us to do sweet, silly things like go to the movies or even to a 50’s diner for strawberry milkshakes. ”

With my hand over his heart, I ask, “Do you believe it’s possible that this will work and lead to a peaceful life for us and everyone else?”

His dark eyes shimmer, and I can’t read his expression, but I know he’s fully with me in this moment.

“Baby girl, it’s you—I know it’s you. When you recited that new text from the prophecy, I just felt it.

It was like everything I’ve ever believed fell away and was replaced by this one certainty.

You. You were born to be our omega queen.

So, do I believe we’ll live to woo you, to love you, to build a crazy life together—yes, I do.

Do I think that together we’ll change the world—I do.

That’s why I want us to start thinking about what we’re going to do the second we’re safe and beginning the best part of our story. ”

His smile broadens, compelling my mood to lighten.

“Beach vacation or mountain cabin? Naked tug o’ war with all your alphas—I know you’ve obsessed about that quite a bit.

Or me forcing everyone to cosplay for you, all your favorite scenes from my films—you’ve spent a lot of time planning that one too.

A date with Ethan, while the rest of us mind our own business.

Whatever you desire, we’ll make it happen for you. ”

“I love you, Gideon. And thank you. I want to believe in the time after this, but I’m not there yet. Doubting feels safer than hoping right now.”

Gideon brushes his knuckles over my cheek.

“It’s okay. You just keep moving, trusting yourself to know what needs to be done, and I’ll take care of the future planning.

” He leans and nibbles on my lip, before kissing me with a hunger that starts lighting torches along the path leading beyond where my eyes can see, into a future I’m desperate to reach.

We jump when Jameson or Ory pounds on the wall, likely communicating that we’ve almost reached our destination. We’re either about to reunite our pack or get caught, caged, and/or killed. At least, I just got kissed by a man who tastes like salted caramel. What could be a better ending?

Oh, yeah, not ending.