Page 35 of His Snowbound Omega
“I’ve never gotten a proper gift like this,” he confessed, too excited to even consider keeping that to himself. Even if there was nothing spectacular in the box, getting to unwrap something like this at all was thrilling enough for him.
Baal didn’t complain further, but he didn’t sit either. He hovered, waiting for Thorn to finally slip the paper from the box in concealed and set it off to the side.
The box was black, square, and around eight by eight inches. He couldn’t even begin to guess what was inside, and even though it was embarrassing, he hesitated with his fingers on the lid.
“What are you so afraid of?” Baal whispered, keeping his voice down as though afraid to ruin whatever moment Thorn had found himself in.
“What if I don’t like it?”
“Ah,” the alpha chuckled knowingly. “You’re afraid you will. Don’t glare at me, omega. Open it and find out. I promise I won’t be mad at you either way.”
Thorn lifted the lid and placed it to the side, then glanced at the contents, breath catching in his throat.
A leather collar was nestled against black velvet. It was white, with a thick band at least two inches high. The strap widened with a point at the center, with a silver ring attached to the middle.
Carefully, he removed it from the box, catching sight of the more delicate details. The buckle at the back, where the strip grew narrower, was also silver. On one side, a small dagger resting on a snowflake was etched into the leather, and on the other, there was a tiny rose. Neither would be that noticeablefrom a distance; someone would have to be standing pretty close to make it out.
“You don’t have a claiming mark to cover,” Baal said, and there was something Thorn couldn’t place in his tone, “but this will keep people from gossiping about things they shouldn’t.”
Collars were gifted to both omegas and alphas by their significant others, but only if a relationship was serious. Usually, that meant it was so serious they’d already exchanged mating bites, or were planning on doing so soon. Technically, omegas didn’t have to bite alphas back for the claim to hold, but happy couples did it.
“You want me to wear this?” That meant the alpha planned on taking Thorn out in public. Show him around. The collar would prevent anyone from seeing the unmarred skin on his neck. They wouldn’t know he hadn’t been bitten.
“Not all the time,” Baal explained.
“But sometimes?”
“Yes.” He tipped his head. “Will you, omega?”
Thorn traced the etching of the rose with his fingernail. “No one has ever offered me a collar before.”
It was a pretty big deal. Maybe not on some planets, in other cultures, but on Synastry…
Was the alpha maybe actually planning on keeping him long-term after all?
“Let me help you put it on.” Baal took a step closer.
“No.”
The alpha froze.
“No, that’s not…I didn’t mean…” Thorn had never struggled with words before. “I’ll wear it,” he promised. “I just…want to look at it a little longer…Can I?”
Baal noticeably softened, and when he reached out to run his fingers through the hair at the base of Thorn’s skull, he didn’t pull away. “Of course.”
Pathetic. Did he seem pathetic? Like some stupid prospectless omega finally getting tossed a bone and going ravenous over it. But he couldn’t help it. Thorn had resigned himself to being alone. Had figured he’d never be gifted something as precious and meaningful as a collar long before then.
He’d dated that asshole for three years, and not only had the topic of mating been swept aside every time Thorn had tried bringing it up, but any attempts he’d made at suggesting collars had been completely ignored.
The worst part was that he couldn’t even blame his ex. Wearing someone’s collar was a public display of affection. A statement that let others know you belonged to someone already.
Why would anyone want the world to know someone like Thorn was their omega?
He’d been dirt poor, with a sick sibling and a drunkard father.
He wasn’t the type of person someone could be proud of having at their side.
Thorn must have sat there for a while, because when he finally managed to tear his gaze off the gift, Baal was nowhere to be seen.