Page 3 of Loving My Omega (The Perfect Designation Trilogy #2)

Chapter

Three

T he last course was served. It was a few different shapes but none of it looked like food. Cutting into the pieces, I took a bite. My eyes widened. It was like a blast of flavor in my mouth. The first tasted like an explosion of smoky cheese. The second was a rich mousse of some kind of bean on a cabbage chip. Then there were four other little bite-sized nibbles that I couldn’t even link to any one flavor.

Marcus was having an equally hard time wrapping his head around each bite. We looked at each other and smiled. The experience was so foreign to both of us that it was on the cusp of being overwhelming. Still, it was delicious. Every bite was amazing in a completely different way.

Once we were done, the plates were removed and our glasses refilled. Sitting back, I stared at Marcus. His eyebrow rose when he caught me.

“What?”

“I just…can’t really imagine you with a beard.”

He snorted and took a drink of his own water. “It wasn’t lumberjack length. But it was pretty full. I kept it trimmed most of the time. Once the kids switched over to Keith, I shaved it all and I cut my hair. It was about shoulder length at the time.”

I shook my head. “I can’t even imagine it. It must have been so hard, giving the kids back. I mean, for so long, they were yours.”

“The whole time I knew they had to go back. Keith was their dad. Not me. I loved them, supported them, and did my best despite not knowing anything . But…I think the worst part was coming home. The house was empty. Their toys, clothes, everything was gone. I’d lost all sense of joy and happiness. It’s why I sold that place and moved. I couldn’t deal with it.”

“You moved to the place just outside the city?”

He nodded. “It’s smaller…” I snorted and he smiled. “…but it was meant to be a single family home. My parents hate that it’s so small, but I didn’t want to feel that emptiness again.”

“They still come over. You still take them out though. Like when we ran into each other at the mall.”

Marcus set his glass down. “I usually end up with them because something has happened. Either with his mate or something at the pack. Sometimes, I feel like Keith sees me as a scape goat. Or he uses me for conversations he doesn’t want to have. Then gets mad when I don’t agree with him.”

Sighing, I shook my head. “Wouldn’t his mate want to…I don’t know…step up? I’d always thought having a fated mate is the same as your soul mate. There would be love and understanding. Even if you were different from one another.”

“You would think.” This was a pain point for him, I knew. “Keith has managed without Queen, but she continues to cause problems. It’s like she’s stopping him from being able to forget her. I wish he would just cut her loose, but it’s easy to say when she isn’t my mate.”

I nodded, wishing that I could somehow help. Though, technically, I already was. Marcus wanted a family. Here I was, giving it to him. It just was hard because things were so out of order. Then again, I wouldn’t have given him a second glance if it wasn’t like this. My fingers laced together in my lap and I could see Marcus wanting to say something.

However, per most of the evening, dessert was served with spectacular timing. I couldn’t help it. I let out a laugh as I stared down at the plate. It was smoking but it wasn’t because it was hot or on fire. It was the exact opposite. This was a larger version of what he served us that first night. Fruits that were frozen to the point where they morphed into an entirely different texture.

It was easy to finish the plate, as I sat back, happily full for the first time in a while. Marcus was still working through the last part of his dessert. When I finished though, the secret door built into the wall opened up. Nearly every patron jumped in their seat when the door hit the wall.

Chef Gaspard was standing in the doorway, looking like he was about to start a war. He pointed to me and then motioned me over with a single finger. Sucking in a breath, I looked back at Marcus who was still mid-spoonful of dessert. He started to get up but Gaspard snorted.

“Not you .”

Gulping, I placed my napkin on the table and moved out of my seat. Marcus looked less than enthused to have me out of his sight, but I made my way over to the angry chef. He moved aside to allow me into the kitchen before the door shut behind him. His hand slammed down on my shoulder and I fell into him.

“ Jeune , it’s so good to see you. A relief if you ask me.” Again, his thick French accent made it hard to pick out the words for a moment.

I chuckled, righting myself. “Your dinner was incredible. The soup…you did it. You perfected it.”

“Bah! Not enough sage this time!”

My chuckle turned into a laugh and I shook my head. “It’s perfect. I wish I could take a gallon of it home. I might actually be able to keep it down.”

His hand touched my cheek. “You don’t look any better, jeune . Are you still sick?”

“I’m okay. Or I will be. Soon. Hopefully.” I shrugged. “Nothing I can do about it right now.”

Humming, his eyes narrowed at me before slapping my back. “You make your choice? I know you said you were no good but now?”

“Now, I think I could be? Maybe?” I looked out the window at Marcus, his fingers tapping on the table. “I’m giving it a chance. I think he could be more than I ever could possibly dream.”

“But?”

I smiled at Gaspard. “But am I that for him?”

Gaspard barked out such a laugh that even his staff flinched. “You are what he has wanted. Ever since you first came. You are who he has chosen, jeune . Just you. No one else. I have seen many. So do not worry. Now, go before he burns down the place. Tell him I said hello and that he needs to treat you right.”

“Yes, chef.”

He laughed as I slipped back out the door and through the dinning room. Marcus immediately stood up and brushed my cheek as I stood in front of our table. He looked me over like he was worried that Gaspard had done something.

“I’m fine. He said to say hello and to treat me right?”

Marcus smiled. “I can do that. Come on. Let’s go.”

“But…”

Taking my hand, Marcus pulled me out of the dinning room. The receptionist was waiting for us with our coats in hand. I slipped mine on, careful about where it brushed. Marcus continued to pull me out and his car was waiting as well. We pulled out and from the direction, I knew we were headed back to my apartment rather than the school.

“Did you want to come up? I have coffee now for you. I don’t know if you will like it, but it’s late and you have to drive home.”

He hummed. “I think I can spare some time for coffee. I want you to go to bed on time tonight though.”

Rolling my eyes, I leaned against the door. “Everything okay? We got out there really fast…”

“Fine. I just didn’t realize how much I would hate Gaspard pulling you aside like that.”

Looking over at Marcus, his scales were visible under his skin. My eyes widened and I reached over, running my hands over his arms. It felt weird, the shifting of his scales under his skin. It didn’t look like he was going to shift. His dragon just seemed agitated.

“I’m here. It was just for a second.”

Marcus smiled as he reached over and laced my fingers with his. “I know. Trust me. It’s not easy to stamp down the Alpha. I know you hate it, but it’s gotten exponentially worse lately. My dragon is completely agitated if he isn’t next to you.”

“Is…is there something I can do?” I knew that was a loaded question, but I thought I would ask anyways.

He was quiet for a moment. We pulled up to my apartments and he parked, shutting off the car. I waited for Marcus to say something before I moved. His eyes were shifting back and forth between their usual gold and green.

“I think, something that smells like you? A scarf or something. Something I can wear while I’m away. That might take the edge off of it. Anything else I think would be too much.” Marcus looked up at me and smiled. “I don’t want to push you into anything.”

Nodding, I unbuckled myself. “I think I can manage that. Let’s go up and I can try to find something.”

I could see the eye twitch when he came around and I was already out of the car. Laughing, I shook my head. He still slipped his hand into mine and walked under the archway into my apartment complex. Jeff was sitting out on guard duty again. Him and a few of his buddies lived here. They were part of a local biker gang, and after my father infiltrated the complex, they had taken it upon themselves to start shifts to keep the complex safe.

There were quite a few families here, many of us not wanting to be found by whoever we were running from. It happened to be my father this time, but it had been others ex-boyfriends or ex-wives before. Luckily, I was able to stay with Mike until it was safe. That wasn’t the last time they tried and I had a feeling it wasn’t going to stop until I left the city.

Peeking into Mrs. Truman’s window, all her lights were off and blinds down. She was probably already asleep or her grandkids were going to keep her out late again. Going down to my door, I pulled out my keys and unlocked it. Turning on the light, I stepped in as I took off my shoes. Marcus stepped in behind, shutting the door behind him.

My apartment was tiny and every time Marcus was here, it drove that fact home. His six-foot seven-inch statue filled the space and shrunk everything down to more than half its size when it was just me. He moved into the kitchen, pulling down the tea and coffee while checking my kettle for water.

“I’m going to change real quick.”

“Please do. I’ll start the water.”

Sticking my tongue out at his turned back, I stepped into bathroom. He hated it when I wore Mike’s clothes. It didn’t help that while Mike was my best friend, we’d had sexual relations in the past. He was happily dating Sabrina, but it didn’t do much to soothe Marcus’ dragon. Though, I did wonder how much was his dragon and how much was him.

Undressing, I pulled on some sweats and a maroon t-shirt. It was an old one that I think had been stolen from Sam, but I’d had it for so many years that it was mine now. I tossed the clothes into the laundry basket under the sink before coming back out. Marcus pulled his jacket off as well, now only in his vest, shirt, and slacks. He was so out of place in my formica counter-top and faux-wood cabinet-ed kitchen.

He turned from setting my tea bag into the mug when I stepped into the kitchen. His smile was much more calm and true. Taking hold of my hips, he pulled me to him. Kissing my lips, I felt my heart jump into my throat before I wrapped my arms around his neck. Leaning into the kiss, I enjoyed the slight sweetness that Marcus carried with him. It was in his scent and every other part of him.

“Better. Though…” He leaned back, looking down at my bump. “It seems like our hatchling has gotten much larger over the past few days.”

Groaning, I let my forehead fall to his chest. “I don’t know how. I’m not like I’ve been keeping down more. I am eating more. I’m trying to follow the directions to eat when I’m hungry, but I don’t keep anything down. Yet, somehow, I keep growing.”

He chuckled. “That’s a good thing, Colt. They should be growing.”

“Yeah, but…look…”

Stepping back, I pulled my shirt tight. A huge smile filled his face before he tried to stamp it down. Huffing, I pushed him out of the way before grabbing the warm water and pouring it into my mug. I set the kettle back on the stove when Marcus turned me around. He pressed me up against the counter, his hands caging me against it.

“I love how you look. It does things to me, Colt. Seeing you like this, knowing it’s ours. All I want todo is to take you right here.”

My breath caught in my throat. “Please. Please, Alpha.”

While I rarely ever felt the need to bare my neck to him, I did. I turned my head to the side as Marcus growled. His head dipped into the crook of my shoulder and I felt myself start to drip, my body trying to ready it’s for him. Shuddering, I let out a whine as his lips pressed against my skin. My wolf was crying out as well. We needed it. Gods, did we need it.

I brought my hands up, digging my nails into his back. His knee slipped between my legs, putting pressure on my dick and I melted. Moaning, I held on tight to not fall. Marcus started to nip my skin, a deep rumble in his chest that matched with my moan. He stepped closer, our bodies pressed impossibly close as his hands moved from the counter to my hips.

That was until there was a loud crack before something exploded. I leaned back, feeling a shower of powder against my neck. Marcus cursed and leaned back. My eyes closed and I wanted to murder something. Whatever was going to happen definitely wasn’t going to happen now.

“Sorry. I got too carried away.”

He lifted up his own crystals. One of them had a huge crack in them while another had completely shattered. Marcus still had his glasses on, but they were only there to help take the edge off of what the crystals couldn’t hold. They were specialty made, not to see but the lenses were crystals to hold back his pheromones. Since he was an Alpha-10, Marcus needed a lot of them.

“It’s fine. Seriously. You could just take them off and…”

He shook his head and my mood fell instantly. “I don’t want to put you at the mercy of my pheromones, Colt. If we went into a Haze again…”

“I’m already pregnant, Marcus. There isn’t much worse…”

“I could end up marking you, Colt. It’s all my dragon wants. He’s got you close and all he wants to do is mark you now. If I were to lose control now, we’d end up marked and mated.”