Page 15 of Knottily Ever After (Crescent Lake Cozy Omegaverse #1)

Chapter Fifteen

Vaughn

A t home, Violet and I are greeted by the delicious smell of dinner cooking.

It’s Quinn’s night to handle dinner, and while he’s a good cook, I know the food we’ll be having is going to be low-carb and healthy.

Nothing wrong with that, but having an Omega around makes me want to dote on her. I’ve never experienced this kind of desire to care for someone before, but I’d witnessed it with my family growing up, heard all about it from other Alphas and Betas who are happily mated.

We may not be a mated pack, but my instincts are starting to go wild.

At the table, the four of us chat idly about our days, Ben and Quinn paying rapt attention to Violet as she recounts our tour of the town, like they don’t already know every corner of this place.

“I knew this town was beautiful, but now I’ve gotten the full effect!” she exclaims excitedly between bites of chicken and spinach. “I’ve never been somewhere so green and lush. And the air is so clean.”

Quinn gives her a crooked grin. “I remember the shellshock of moving here as a teen from L.A.,” he says. “I have to say that the beauty doesn’t wear off. I’m still in awe at the changing seasons here.”

Violet’s green eyes go round. “Real autumn?” she breathes.

His smile grows wide. “All the Fall colors you could imagine, and then some.”

It’s like little stars form in her irises as she clasps her fork in her hands under her chin and sighs with delight.

Ben lets out a laugh and shakes his head. “I missed seasons while I studied at UCLA.”

“You went to school in Los Angeles?” Violet asks.

Ben nods. “I only came back here in the summers for four years. It was like a whole different world.”

“And we’re not even in a different state,” I chime.

“California is huge,” Violet offers.

“True.” My head tilts as I smile at her.

When we finish eating, I help Ben load the dishwasher, then turn to Quinn and Violet, who are seated at the counter. “How about we go get some ice cream down the street?”

That sparkle returns to Violet’s eyes, as I’d hoped it would.

I want our Omega to have all the delicious things she deserves.

Our Omega…

That thought may be premature, but it feels right.

We arrive at The Sweet Tooth, an ice cream parlor and candy store all-in-one, and Violet rushes around the inside to scope all the goodies. Ben looms over her, as he does most people, considering his height, following her like a puppy wherever she goes.

The interior of the shop is like stepping into the 1950s, all chrome and red with paintings of sweet things hanging on all the walls.

Quinn stays behind with me, a little crooked grin plastered on his face. “You’re good at this,” he says in a low tone.

My brows rise. “At what?”

“Caring for her. Anticipating her needs.” His head shakes slow. “I didn’t even consider sweet treats for Vi.” He glances at her. “Look how happy she is.”

My chest swells with pride, and I let it. Bringing her here was my idea, and it made her happy. I deserve the credit, even if that’s prideful of me. “I’m glad she’s enjoying herself.”

Quinn’s chuckling when Violet and Ben join us to order our ice cream at the counter.

Julie, a young, mated Omega who moved here from somewhere in the South a few years ago, smiles kindly at us all before taking our order.

When Violet has trouble deciding, Julie offers, “Want to try some samples?” She gives Violet a bright smile.

“I know how tough it is to choose from so many flavors.”

Violet looks embarrassed before shaking her head. “Thank you, but I’ve decided.”

We all get our scoops in cups: cookie dough in mine, Ben got chocolate fudge-brownie, Quinn his usual cookies-and-cream, and Violet chose chocolate peanut butter swirl. We choose the corner booth, the red vinyl smooth and shiny, the seating plush and comfortable.

“Thank you so much!” Violet’s smile glistens beside me in the bright lights, her eyes on me.

“You’re very welcome.” Our gazes stay locked for a moment before we dive into our sweet treats.

There isn’t much talking as we snack, and it isn’t long before I realize Violet has finished her dessert already. I have to hold back a laugh when I see she’s embarrassed again, her head bowed, eyes peering up briefly, then darting away.

On her other side are Ben and then Quinn, and in a moment of genius, they steal her empty cup and each give her a few big spoonfuls of their ice cream. She doesn’t notice the act until they pass the cup to me. She looks up with eyes wide, lips forming an O of surprise up at me.

And I just cannot help myself.

I take a spoonful of my cookie dough, making sure there’s a big chunk in there, and slowly bring it to her lips. Those emerald eyes blink twice before her mouth opens wide enough for me to feed her, all the while our gazes lock.

When her lips close around the spoon, my heart stutters, the muscles around the base of my cock following suit. Violet’s wildflower scent increases, and my nostrils flare a moment before my scent rises, too, followed by Ben’s and Quinn’s.

But the moment is lost when Violet leans back with a shy, closed-mouth smile around her bite of ice cream. She quietly thanks us all for our contributions to her cup and keeps her head down as she eats.

My confusion is mirrored by my pack brothers across from me.

The Omega we all want is completely immune to our scents, her own scent muffled by… something…

What the hell is going on?