Page 5 of Omega Forged (Hartlock Omegas #2)

Ajax

Walden checked his watch, a flicker of annoyance as he realized his lover was late. He wasn’t the only one, but Pan should know better. Lloyd typed away on his phone, a silly smile plastered on his face.

“Are you on that site again? Omegas… something?” Walden fought his scowl. “I thought I told you not to waste your money there.”

Baylark Pack was crumbling from the inside out.

Lloyd flicked us a look before returning his attention to his screen.

“At least he's wearing the beige suit I’d had custom-made for him last year. Getting Lloyd out of tracksuits and hoodies is impossible,” Walden sighed in a softer voice.

“And he’s here, which is more than I can say for others.”

I checked my phone again. Nothing from Pan. No messages, not even an apology. Is this what we’d come to?

“Is he coming?” Walden did a good job of smoothing over his hurt.

It stung to even contemplate the likelihood that Pan might miss another date. They were lessons in futility, but his absence was a slap in the face. We were supposed to be making an effort for our pack.

“I haven’t heard from him.” My optimism shriveled.

I fought the urge to snatch up the last bread roll in the basket. The taste of salted butter lingered on my tongue from the previous two I’d already eaten.

If I could just exercise some discipline.

“This date will be good for us,” I gushed to take my mind off my grumbling stomach. “Fenella is ambitious, apparently, and intelligent.”

And late , I added to myself with a flicker of annoyance.

It was only marginally better than a blind date. Set up for us through Walden’s sisters, one of their friends of a friend of a friend. After a dozen failed dates, it felt unlikely this would fare any better.

I searched the restaurant and pinned my hands underneath my thighs. The bread roll called to me, but I wouldn’t give in to that delicious, crusty carb-loaded slice of heaven. Lloyd took a sip of his drink with a grimace. Walden flattened his lips, nodding a beat too late to be believable.

As if summoned by my morose thoughts, my brother Pan stumbled into the restaurant. The hazel of his eyes, like mine, were red-rimmed and lined with dark bags. His casual white tee clung to his lean chest. There was a smear of glitter on his cheek.

My stomach twisted with a familiar fear. Pan leaned down to kiss Walden on the lips, but he turned his cheek instead. My breath came quick. Pan and Walden were lovers, but it wasn’t a known thing. After Pan’s public meltdown a few months ago, Walden had pulled back.

He had aspirations for politics, and it was one thing to have a wild packmate, and another to have a wild lover.

Pan covered his hurt with a sneer and collapsed into his chair. He raised his eyebrow in a silent challenge. Tension choked my lungs, and I was lightheaded with hopelessness. His defiance hurt a pack that was already hemorrhaging.

“You’re late.” Walden took a sip of his water.

Pan waved his knife in the air like a conductor of mischief.

“Can’t blame me for wanting to skip this farce.” He aimed his sharp gaze in my direction. “If your standards weren’t so low, you’d agree with me.”

My chest stung at his words. My standards weren’t low, just realistic.

Baylark Pack attracted interest wherever we went, but I wasn’t an alpha others gravitated to.

Alphas were genetically built to be muscular and imposing.

I had the height. But I’d always had extra padding.

It was supposed to melt off when I presented.

But it didn’t.

I hadn’t realized it was a bad thing until my parents took me through a string of doctors and started controlling my diet.

Pan didn’t look like the stereotypical alpha, either.

He was lithe, thin, and powerful like a vine.

I refused to stand next to him in photos anymore because someone would joke I’d stolen half his body as the bigger brother.

Because families are raised in packs, siblings often had different biological parents.

Pan was technically my half brother. He took after his father, who passed away when we were barely teenagers.

I took after mine, who wasn’t overweight like I was, but solid muscle.

Maybe that’s why I couldn’t earn his approval.

“Don’t judge,” Walden interjected. “She could be what we’ve been hoping for.”

I would have been grateful for his support, but I knew he only wanted to needle Pan.

My brother waved a laconic hand, his sneer sharpened. “A beta? Tell me you’re desperate without telling me you’re desperate.”

Heat flared in my chest, like heartburn. Lloyd stiffened, but didn’t look up from his phone. Pan reached out and massaged Lloyd’s shoulder.

“Sorry, Lloyd. That’s not what I meant.”

“Pan, enough,” I begged, and he clenched his sharp jaw. “Let’s just keep an open mind?” I tossed my napkin on the table. A sour taste stole my appetite.

I wanted what was best for this pack. Couldn’t he understand how badly we were failing? This pack devoured itself. A snake eating its own tail.

We shouldn’t be dating, not when the pack was in such discord. But I’d do anything to keep it from falling apart. Our dynamic needed someone else to help us before we tore each other apart.

My stomach growled, and I pressed my fist into the soft expanse.

Discipline, Ajax Mythos, you are stronger than your appetite.

“I’m sorry, you’re right and I’m sorry for being late,” he muttered to his plate. “I’m being a prick again, aren’t I?”

Lloyd punched Pan in his thigh with a grunt, and the frustration dissipated, for now. The knot in my chest loosened as Fenella weaved through the tables. She wore a black jacket over a slinky, gray dress. Her eyeliner made her narrowed gaze look like a panther.

Finally. Better late than never.

Her cheeks had a touch of pink and as she passed me, a wave of fresh fig and dripping sweet honey hit me. I caught my tongue between my teeth, stifling an embarrassed groan at the last moment.

I stood up and pulled out her chair, careful to give her space. Transferring my scent would have been rude. Fenella’s cheeks stretched as she glued on a bright smile. Her eyes remained flat and cold though, the surrounding lines were tight with tension.

“I’m so sorry I’m late. I couldn’t get a ride to save my life.”

No cars coming to the beating heart of Starhaven on a Saturday night? It was so unlikely that it soured my stomach further.

I requested Du Monde to seat us near the windows, and we had a perfect view of the bay.

Fenella’s head swiveled as she took in the large column in the middle of the restaurant.

Gold painted metal bars ran down its middle and reached out across the ceiling like tree branches.

Giant light globes hung from the branches and added to the low candlelight of the table.

There were more than a few eyes on us, and this date would be in the gossip pages tomorrow.

Pan leaned forward, chasing her mind-scrambling scent like a teenage alpha who had no control. Lloyd reacted slower, nosing the air before he realized what he was doing. He pried his gaze away from his phone for one moment to stare at Fenella. A crease appeared between his brows.

“Of course, we’re pleased you joined us.

Shall I take your jacket?” Walden poured her a glass of water.

His tone was even and warm, but the flex of his jaw made a sigh bubble up my throat.

Lateness was unforgivable to Walden. He was a stickler for respect and manners.

Even her alluring scent couldn’t sweeten the sour beginning in his mind.

“Oh, I’ll keep it on. I hope you weren’t waiting too long?” Fenella preened under the attention other diners sent our way.

She tossed her hair and snapped her fingers at the server wandering past. A wave of her scent cascaded over me, distracting me from the sharp tone she used to order a cocktail.

But her delicious scent couldn’t save the disastrous date, which only worsened.

Fenella responded to Lloyd’s every attempt to engage with loud and exaggerated stories.

It was a strange show of one-upness. She didn’t know we had a background check done on her and it showed as Fenella tried to twist her history into something it wasn’t.

Lloyd tried to reciprocate, but Fenella’s eyes glazed over, and her attention drifted around the restaurant instead.

I didn’t want to believe Fenella was doing it on purpose. But when Walden or Pan added something to the conversation, her eyes popped open in rapt attention. Lloyd gave up, channeling his frustration into his dark phone screen. He kept flipping it over, drooping when it showed no notifications.

Walden shifted the conversation to the Baylark Foundation. He waved his hands as he launched into a proud explanation of the One-Hundred-Year-Gala we were planning.

One hundred years since Esta Hartlock successfully changed the law regarding omegas being able to vote.

“The museum has a few stipulations for lending the Hartlock artefacts. But it wouldn’t be much of a celebration if we don’t have something from the lady herself.”

“Either way, I’m sure the gala will be an incredible success.” Fenella’s lashes batted in my direction.

This was the last thing I wanted. I hoped whoever came into our pack would help pry Walden away from work. He’d been even more obsessive since the last public event we held, and its disastrous ending.

“Tell us more about yourself, Fenella,” I interjected.

Pan gave a sharp bark of laughter, and I didn’t have to look at him to know he disapproved. Of the question? Of the date? Who knew with Pan?

“Oh, I grew up near The Barracks and I’m hoping to start a family soon. My mom is upset I haven’t given her grandchildren, but all parents hound them for that, don’t they?” Her light giggle made me wince.

Pan’s smile only grew, and my stomach twisted. “Well, I do love breeding,” Pan sneered, and Fenella’s sure smile faltered.