Page 18 of His Pretty Omega (Sweet Alps Mates #7)

“Alex,” I introduced myself, taking her hand. Then I turned my attention to the tall alpha next to her. “And you’re Gilly? I’ve heard a lot about you. ”

I made sure to put extra emphasis on the last word just to needle her.

Mostly for fun, but I hadn’t missed the way Seth had tensed when she had opened the door.

It was barely noticeable; his shoulders stiffening the barest amount, his smile just a tad strained.

More than that, it was a feeling thrumming along my insides, our bond growing stronger with each day.

Regina snorted. “It’s all probably true. Especially if you heard it from Seth. These two are like oil and water. Great on their own, but get them together, and…” She left the sentence unfinished, just shook her head.

Gilly playfully pouted at her partner, who rolled her eyes back at her. It was clear they had been together for a while and had that ability to speak to each other without using words. I’d seen my parents do it many times.

“Ah, my long lost middle child has returned,” a petite woman moved towards us, drying her hands on a dishtowel.

She was stunning, despite being in her late fifties at least. Her black hair had just a few strands of gray mixed in, her blue eyes identical to Seth’s, though lacking the eyeliner he loved so much.

Seth was the spitting image of his mother, which made me conclude that Gilly must take after their father in looks.

The tension eased from him as he accepted his mom’s hug. “I missed one dinner, Mama. Don’t be so dramatic.”

She snorted, “Wonder where I learned it from? Now, introduce me to your fella.”

“Good Goddess, who replaced you with a fifties house omega?” Seth snarked, but he pulled her over to me. “Mama, Alex. Alex, my mama, Rachel. She bites, so mind yourself.”

She held out her hand, giving me the same mischievous grin her son had used to win my heart, and winked. “I only bite when it’s needed, Alex. It’s lovely to meet you. Welcome to our home.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Brown.” I liked her immediately. She exuded a warmth, along with a silent strength, that reminded me of my madre .

“Oof, Goddess, Just Rachel, please,” she smiled widely. “Now what can I get you to drink? We have beer, wine, water, milk, juice, pop. You name it, we probably have it.”

“I wouldn’t say no to a beer.”

“Sethy, you want a glass of red?”

“Um…I think I’ll just have water tonight,” he stammered, throwing slightly panicked eyes my way. Moving closer to him, I ran my hand down his back, hoping to calm him. “I was on the go all day and didn’t stay hydrated enough.”

Rachel stopped her walk back to the kitchen to turn to stare at her son for a good minute.

“Seth not drinking wine?” Gilly joked. “What, are you pregnant? ”

We were saved from answering, and Rachel’s scrutiny, by the pounding of little feet running down the stairs.

“Walk!” a deep voice commanded, though it didn’t slow the descent of the running children in the slightest.

“Why do I bother?” the alpha lamented.

“No clue,” a redheaded omega, following him down the stairs, responded.

“Uncle Seth! Uncle Seth!” Two little equally redheaded girls hurled themselves at Seth and I winced when they both jumped into his arms at once, and he caught them. They had to be way too heavy for him to be holding in his condition.

“Demon spawns!” Seth greeted them, smacking kisses on each of their cheeks, while they both giggled, talking to him at once.

“Please don’t call my kids such names,” the redhead sighed, though he was smiling. He was cute, with a smattering of freckles across his nose. “Though they’ve been extra demoney today. Must get that from your brother.”

I assessed the tall alpha who had his arm wrapped around the omega’s waist, and knew this had to be Kyle, and his mate Toby. Kyle and Gilly looked so much alike there was no denying they were related.

A door banged, and then the smell of grilled steaks permeated the air, and my wolf sighed happily. The man that had yelled at us earlier put the platter down in the middle of the long, already set dining table. “Food’s on, let’s eat.”

“Nate,” Rachel nodded her head towards me, “this is Alex…I’m sorry, I didn’t ask your last name.”

“Ortega,” I supplied, catching Seth’s indrawn breath. Leaning down, I whispered, “Okay?”

He nodded, “Yeah. Just…yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Good to meet you, Alex,” Nate vigorously shook my hand, while Rachel disappeared into the kitchen, returning with my beer and a bottle of water for Seth.

“Sit, sit,” she waved towards the table. “I’ll grab the salad. Girls, Grandpa has hot dogs for you since you’re both having an I-don’t-eat-steak moment in your lives.”

Seth gulped, and I saw he looked pale and a bit sweaty. His morning sickness had been getting better the last week, so I wasn’t sure if he was queasy or just having a case of nerves about telling his family about the baby.

Helping him to a vacant chair, the noise and chaos of a family getting settled put me at ease. My family was much the same, though bigger and noisier. Everyone took a few minutes to pass the bowls of sides around and fill their plates, while Kyle and Toby got the girls settled.

Frowning, I saw Seth only taking small portions of the mashed potatoes and salad.

He took a sip of water, before sitting back, his nose wrinkling the tiniest bit.

Seeing the platter of rare steaks in front of him, I surmised it might be the scent of the meat that was turning him that particular shade of green.

Still, he took a steak and put it on his plate after everyone else had helped themselves. Slicing into the red meat, he asked me quietly, “Do you want half?”

“Sure.” Taking the larger half, I slid it to my plate.

“Dieting?” Gilly popped a piece of meat in her mouth and chewed. “You do look like you’ve put on a few pounds. The seat of your scrub pants is working double time.”

Seth slowly chewed and swallowed the tiny bite he had cut off, while my hackles rose.

My lips thinned, as I bit back a retort.

My need to protect my mate was warring with knowing how siblings sometimes spoke to each other.

I knew Seth was more than capable of speaking up for himself, but it was like he had shrunk into himself as soon as we walked through the door.

Like he was trying to make himself smaller, less colorful, less him . I didn’t like it one bit.

“Really, Gils?” Kyle hissed.

“What?” She shrugged. “He has. You can’t miss his ass, Kyle.”

“Seth,” I whispered, placing my hand on his thigh in a small measure of comfort.

He shook his head, but his eyes were blinking rapidly.

If Gilly made my mate cry, all the manners my madre and abuela had drilled into me were going to fly right out the window.

As it was, I was barely hanging onto my tongue.

“Don’t,” Seth whispered, his hand covering mine on his thigh. “It’s not worth it, believe me. They always side with her."

Rachel frowned at her daughter, but instead of reprimanding her bad behavior, she turned the conversation to me, asking what I did for a living and how long I had lived in town.

I learned that the Browns owned a lawn care service, and everyone in the family worked there, except for Toby and Regina.

Even Rachel took care of the books and payroll.

Seth was the exception to the immediate Brown family, having no interest in joining the family business.

Seth pushed his steak around his plate, taking careful bites of the rest of his food. The tension was back in his shoulders, and he hadn’t joined in the conversation at all.

Nate clapped a hand on Seth’s shoulder so forcefully he moved him forward in his chair, gruffly ordering, “Eat up. You love my steak. Don’t let your sister’s teasing about a few extra pounds worry you. You know she’s just trying to get under your skin.”

Seth stopped pushing his food around, laying his fork down next to his barely touched plate.

Taking a fortifying breath, he said, “Actually, I–” he glanced at me, and I gave him an encouraging smile and a nod. “We have an announcement. The reason my scrub pants are working double time, as you put it so kindly, Gilly–” he stared his sister down, his voice sharp.

Gilly jumped in before he could finish his sentence. “I have an announcement first! Me first!”

I stared at the woman, not quite believing that she had just cut Seth off the way she had. Jumping in with a what, an announcement of her own? She might as well have been waving her hands in the air as she childishly yelled “Me first!”.

Was this normal behavior for her? It seemed to be. If my siblings and I had ever acted like that as adults, my madre would have–well, we just knew better than to ever act like that.

“Babe,” Regina whispered quietly, “Seth had some news first.”

Gilly waved her fork in the air. “But ours is more important!”

My jaw clenched so tight I thought I might actually crack a tooth, and I had heard enough from her. I would be damned if I let anyone, blood relative or not, treat my mate like this.

Seth stood up, pushing away from the table, which had the effect of all eyes turning to him, and some semblance of quiet taking over the table.

“No, Gilly,” he shook his head, giving her a disgusted look. “Not this time. This time I’m going first. So, kindly, shut the fu–”

Toby loudly cleared his throat, his eyes darting to the girls .

Seth gave his brother-in-law a small, tight smile.

“Sorry, Tobs. Gillian, for once in your life, kindly shut up. You would think me bringing home an alpha to meet you all would be your first clue that maybe something huge was going on in my life. Not like I’m parading alphas in and out of here, every other week. ”

“Just your bed,” Gilly whispered under her breath, and Nate growled a warning at his daughter. The entire table turned shocked eyes onto their father, and Nate nodded at Seth.

“Go on, son,” he urged quietly.

Seth narrowed his eyes at his sister, then tilted his head, a gleam lighting up his blue eyes that I was becoming very familiar with. “Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, baby sister.”

“I’m not jealous of you, Seth,” she denied, but there was something in her tone that told me my mate might be onto something.

“Now, where was I?” He rubbed his hands together, then tapped his lower lip lightly with a finger, as if trying to remember where he left off. Hiding my smile behind my napkin, I decided I would take my lead from him.

“Ah, yes! Talking about me. My favorite subject. Please, hold your questions until I’m finished with my drama. This hunky alpha and I are moving in together. I know, I’m shocked too. Imagine me living with someone. Cray cray! But I’m told that’s what fated mates do. ”

He looked down at me, a sweet smile curving his lips, and put a hand on my shoulder. My own hand came up to cover his, giving him a little squeeze of encouragement.

“Nope, your ears did not deceive you, you heard correctly. Fated mates. Like Bennett and Shay, and well…a whole shit ton of people I know now. Must be something in the Sweet Alps water, and I caught it. And Dad, I love your steak, I really do. But I can’t eat it right now.

This baby,” he put his other hand on his tiny belly, “is not into red meat. At all. Like nada, not happening, no go. That’s it. That’s all we got to tell you.”

He waved a hand towards Gilly, like he was walking the runway at a beauty pageant. “Your turn. And while you tell everyone your news, that just couldn’t wait for me to finish speaking, I’m gonna go throw up now.”