Page 18 of Omega Forged (Hartlock Omegas #2)

Tully

A crash shattered my deep sleep, and I bolted upright with a muffled gasp.

I blinked as light streamed through the sheer curtains and illuminated the unfamiliar room.

Another shatter sounded, along with a muffled shout.

My heart pounded as I rolled out of bed.

There was the slightest tinge of smoke in the air, and I raced across the hall and burst into Lloyd’s room.

So much for Tully, the independent omega who could handle herself.

With a jerk, Lloyd turned from his open cupboard; his sunlight-drenched blond hair was pulled back in a messy bun. He rubbed the lingering fatigue from his eyes. A shirt fisted in his other hand.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well? Ajax has been cooking up a feast, so I hope you’re hungry.” His boyish, hopeful smile broke into a yawn, and he covered it with his fist.

His pajama pants hung low on his hips and my mouth went dry at the sight of his bare, muscular chest.

Forget the kitchen. Give me this feast.

“What was all the noise?”

Lloyd stifled a grin. “Walden wanted to help cook you breakfast, so Ajax said he could make pancakes.”

At my quizzical frown, he added. “Walden can’t cook.”

I rocked on my toes, taking in a gulp of his scent. It was less potent as a beta, but no less inviting. Salt, sunscreen, and as the sun bled through his open curtains, I could imagine I was at the beach.

Lloyd’s bedroom was cozier than any place I’d seen in the house so far. His white and navy checkered bed was crisp, but a collection of cushions fought for space. He had a small desk set up and a dark wood chest of drawers on the opposite wall. Sports paraphernalia covered the walls.

“You like sports?”

“Huh?” Lloyd tossed on his shirt with a frown. “Oh, no. The designer thought it fit my vibe.”

I smothered a smug grin. So I was right about the designer. My gaze traveled over his shoulder to the wall of boxes that occupied his shelving space.

“What in the…” I brushed my fingers along the side. They were boxes of dried noodles, hundreds of them. Lloyd slammed the cupboard doors shut. His chest heaved as he planted his palms on the white shutters. Color drained from his face.

“Shall we see if any pancakes survived Walden’s efforts?”

I crossed my arms, not to be deterred and nosy. “You talked about needing food. This isn’t…?” I didn’t know how to put into words what I was trying to say.

A shadow passed over Lloyd’s face before he burst into laughter. “No, gods, that would be worrying. I gotta say, I’m getting a real ego boost from you seeking me out when you’re afraid.”

He was right. As soon as I heard the crash, I fled straight to Lloyd.

I ran a featherlight touch down his arm, enjoying the way his muscles bunched under my barely there touch.

I should have felt nervous in his presence, if not outright fear.

But I’d never felt more at home. Especially after having one of the best sleeps of my life.

“Do you believe in fate, Lloyd?”

“Like the gods?” His gaze burned into me like a blazing sun.

My parents used to make offerings to the beta god, the Sage, until I presented as an omega.

I guess their faith dried up when I presented as the one Designation they couldn’t understand.

The omega god, the Oracle, was supposed to hold the threads of fate and she’d been vicious with me so far.

What use were gods when you didn’t have a roof over your head?

It seemed like something for the wealthy to waste time on.

“No. There’s something about you, Lloyd. You make me feel safe.”

“Even though I’m not an alpha?” his voice hitched as I slipped around him.

I hung on the door for a moment.

“Alphas are overrated.”

“Is that so?” Ajax chuckled from down the hall, crossing his arms over his bulk. “Breakfast is ready.”

“Yup,” I gulped, edging past the solid alpha.

Lloyd chuckled under his breath as we walked to the kitchen.

The piles of food distracted me from Ajax’s invigorating scent.

There were two towers of waffles leaning precariously over bowls of raspberries and blueberries.

Fresh whipped cream, maple syrup, and honey.

The sweet breakfast choices tapered into savory, with fried chorizo, hash browns, and various vegetables chopped into small bites.

Ajax returned behind the counter and whipped eggs in a bowl, and I admired the way his thick beard twitched on a smile.

Lloyd hadn’t been exaggerating. Dishes covered the kitchen counter.

Walden picked up shards of a plate, his cheeks flushed, and dark hair mussed.

Even in the early morning, he still wore a suit.

“Careful, there’s been an accident.” He waved at the mess with a grimace.

“Pancakes are off the menu, but we have literally anything else.” Ajax wiped his hands on his apron that read Caution: Extremely Hot .

Ajax jiggled the coffee jug. “Want a cup?”

“I better not,” I sighed, rolling up my shameless omega tongue.

Stimulants were the worst thing to give an omega approaching heat. “I’m glad I’m not the only one who is a disaster in the kitchen.”

Walden hovered with the dustpan and brush. His eyes narrowed as I contemplated the juice. Lloyd took a seat beside me and passed a plate.

“You don’t like coffee?” Walden queried in a rough voice, as if it hadn’t warmed up for the day.

I imagined it rasping in my ear, his thick arms snaking around my middle.

No. Not the thoughts you should have , I chastised myself. Walden cleared the mess and sat down in front of his open laptop.

“I love coffee normally, but ah—” I paused, I didn’t feel comfortable admitting I was on the cusp of a heat. One delayed by stress. “I’m craving juice this morning, if you have any?”

“Anything is possible if you want it, Tully.” Ajax spread his arms over the plentiful fair, looking like he’d rather be eating me. The heat in my stomach intensified. The feeling was alarmingly mutual.

“Walden is jotting down what you like, anyway.” His beard twitched again.

I flicked a wide-eyed look at Walden, and he scowled at Ajax, fingers poised over the keyboard of his laptop. He minimized a spreadsheet.

“Is that true?” I laughed as Walden came up to the counter and selected a plate.

“Of course not.” He pursed his lips. “Now, tell me what you’d like. I tried with the pancakes, but I’m not made for the kitchen.”

I ended up with two plates, a larger one with a mushroom omelet, hash browns, and chorizo. A second smaller one piled high with fresh fruit and a tiny ramekin filled with cream.

“Where’s Pan this morning?” I asked, my body coiled tight from waiting.

The alpha elicited such a powerful reaction in me.

His charm reminded me of Chase, who was flirty by nature.

Pan hadn’t masked his interest, letting me feel the full force of his desire.

The memory of him stumbling around The Barracks flashed through my mind.

My insides tangled. Maybe I was losing my mind.

“Probably asleep, if he’s still here.” Ajax smoothed out a grimace, stabbing a fork full of eggs.

“He won’t bother you,” Lloyd soothed, wriggling his stool a little closer.

“Oh, I’m not worried.” I took a sip of my apple juice and hummed.

Looking at the food made my chest twinge a little. My parents would have had a fit at the excessive spread. They were moderate by nature and lived life with a strict code of ethics.

We were equal, like everyone else.

Lloyd and I scraped our plates clean while Ajax and Walden toyed with their meals.

I’d never been allowed to waste food. Instead, their eyes carved licks of warmth up my body, and I shivered involuntarily.

My fork trembled, dropping a glob of cream down the chest of the soft cotton shirt I was wearing.

“Oh, damn it,” I cringed, waiting for a scoff that never came.

I’d claim you quicker if you weren’t such a train wreck, pretty. I shrank at the unwanted echo of the harsh alpha voice.

“So, what’s the plan today? I have work, but will assist where I can.” Walden clenched his fingers around his coffee cup.

I rubbed my hands down my arms to rid myself of the hopelessness festering inside me. When I landed on Fenella’s doorstep, I was a shell, and it had taken months for me to get feeling back. It was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement.

Until I saved up the remaining amount of money to buy my way into Astaly.

“Let me check my bullet journal. My calendar is packed.” It was a joke but no one laughed.

“What’s a bullet journal?” Ajax leaned forward.

“It’s hard to explain. It’s a blank notebook. You use it to track different things, like a calendar, but you can list what books you’ve read, daily water intake, other hobbies and interests, like a bucket list.” I flushed.

It sounded ridiculous when I said it out loud. For the second time that morning, I braced for a dismissive snort. But again, it didn’t come. Walden poised his pen over his pad and looked expectantly at me.

“It helps you feel organized? You don’t use your phone calendar?” he asked.

“It stops me from spiraling.” I laughed nervously, still expecting them to deride me as childish. “I try to stay off my phone, otherwise I can’t stop doom scrolling.”

It might seem like overkill, but I needed the foundation of my journal.

The front cover said ‘Reach for the Stars.’ Had I known how bleak my future was going to end up, I might have chosen something less ambitious.

If I didn’t mark out my water, I might not drink.

If I didn’t pen my diet, I might subsist on junk food.

Ajax looked intrigued and Lloyd let out a soft noise of pride.

Walden snapped his laptop closed and frowned at his phone.

“Excuse me, one moment.” Walden flicked on the television.