Page 13 of Small Town Shy Omega (Applewood Falls #1)

There was something men gave a girl that a girl couldn’t get from books alone. In my solitude I wasn’t able to admit that, and I wanted to think that I could hold the keys to my own happiness, but after today?

I was beginning to realize… Maybe I’d let my shyness stop me from living, and maybe a life behind the pages wasn’t as a good as a life spent with Alphas.

Protective. Caring. And strong.

If they had those qualities, they weren’t so bad, were they?

While I couldn’t be totally gung-ho, I believed more than ever they wouldn’t let me down.

Dreydon trimmed my hedges, Josh cut some dangerous branches from my trees—not that I couldn’t do this myself, I had a ladder after all—and my sheers could reach the tree, it’s just that… Well, Josh offered. So I would’ve been a fool not to accept his help.

And Blake?

Blake spent the next week re-grouting my bathroom tiles.

“Messy in here,” Blake growled, fanning the grout he’d just laid down.

“Are you having fun, Blake?” I asked.

Blake smiled.

“You know it’s an honor to serve you, Layla. Re-grout the tiles in your bathroom. Next time, call me sooner, and I’ll be right there.”

“If only I’d known you were so handy earlier,” I sighed, hearts in my eyes.

Josh smeared grout on the tiles, then carefully wiped down the edges of my tub.

“An Omega should never suffer in a bathroom so dated, Layla. You deserve a brand-new bathroom—so much of this space is beautiful, with such incredible antique furniture, but you have to maintain it.”

“I can maintain it,” I snapped quickly, hovering by the door.

“I know you can,” Blake smiled, a big warm wave radiating from him. “But with your Alphas around, why wouldn’t you put them to work? We’re here to protect and serve, Layla. Nothing more—it’s hard-wired in our blood, it’s our duty.”

“But you’re a poet, Blake,” I murmured, my pulse thrumming as my fingers lazily crawled to my neck. I had to pinch myself to ensure I wasn’t dreaming.

“And?”

“And,” I muttered, confused myself now, “and poetic men typically don’t… Do things like this.”

Blake growled, brawny arms snapping to attention. “See these arms, Layla? They live— they breathe —in service of you.”

“Oh, Blake…”

“Put me to work,” Blake demanded, and I could tell he was being earnest. He wasn’t just saying it, like some other Alphas in my past had done. “Make me your worker. My duty is to ensure your house is spic and span, and safe enough for you to nest in.”

That afternoon I crocheted for four hours straight. My Alphas re-grouted my bathroom, snaked my drains again, and cleared my gutters. Dreydon nearly toppled off the ladder, but I smiled as the shouts rang out—he wouldn’t have wanted me to disturb myself, crocheting was hard work too.

“Look,” I breathed when Dreydon, Josh, and Blake came in, they’d all been ripping out my old gutter guards. They said they were a scam—and not knowing about gutter guards, I trusted their judgment. “I made you patches!”

Josh held up his patch… it was a silly, worthless pink yarn square, but it held part of me. Part of my soul.

Blake lifted his blue patch of yarn, and he turned his eyes on me.

And Dreydon?

Well, he pressed his red patch of yarn to his chest.

“I can’t crochet much,” I mumbled, eyes embarrassedly focusing on the floor. “I can only do patches.”

“Oh, Layla,” Dreydon growled, crossing the living room and taking me in his powerful arms. “Layla, this is… beautiful, darling”

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Josh said sweetly, holding me tight. “Babe, you’re a… genius. This patchwork is… absolutely stunning.”

Blake held his patch in his hand.

“It’s blue, Blake,” I whispered, hoping he enjoyed it. “Just like your eyes.”

When Blake turned his eyes up, I saw it.

One single, solitary tear—it trailed down his cheek, and no more fell.

“I’ve spent all afternoon re-grouting your tiles,” Blake growled, walking toward me.

His arm wrapped around my waist. “Dreydon and I risked our lives removing your gutter guards. He nearly fell off a ladder. When I look at this… It’s all worth it, Layla.

You are perfect, beautiful, and oh-so-radiant. ”

Tears blossomed in my eyes.

“Do you mean it, Blake?”

“Yes,” he rasped, calloused fingers cupping my chin. “My Omega, you are so precious. So caring and sensitive. So sweet.”

I thought he would kiss me.

Blake was the one man I hadn’t kissed.

The only Alpha who insisted on breaking my heart and rejecting me.

Like a ghost, Blake vanished, and Dreydon and Josh had to hold me through my tears.

“Why does he leave?” I whispered, my teary mauve-and-sparkle eyes focusing on Dreydon. Even my glasses couldn’t hide my pain.

“Because,” Dreydon muttered, scrambling for words, “he’s hurt, Layla. He needs… time.”

“For what?” I couldn’t understand.

No Alpha had ever waited so long to kiss me before, and I didn't know why Blake took his time.

Kiss me, damnit… Blake, you’re the fairest of them all, kiss me and mean it.

Josh rubbed my side.

“When Blake’s ready, he’ll be ready,” he growled.

Halfway through the next week, I received an even newer revelation. Thinking back to my trip to Applewood Falls, I wondered how my Alphas had ever spontaneously given me such a perfect afternoon.

I stumbled across a file folder, not on purpose, but by accident. It contained the hours and location for every store in Applewood Falls, including the bowling alley where they’d budgeted for three games.

It let me know: my Alphas planned our trip into Applewood Falls. In minute detail. They’d left no stone unturned, they put time and effort into our afternoon out on the town.

Just seeing their plans did me in. I pressed the file folder to my chest, wondering why my standards for Alphas had been so low all my life.

“Planning activities,” I murmured, hardly able to get the words out, “is normal. It’s what good Alphas do, and I’ve… been dating bums.”

Spontaneity had its virtues. But planning was virtuous too, and for some reason I almost appreciated the effort they put into planning our afternoon more than the activities themselves.

Bowling. The diner. The bookstore. Yep, everything we did was here: my Alphas had me in mind, damnit.

There were even notes that said: Layla mentioned she liked resting in the Public Gardens. Maybe a ten-minute rest before our next activity?

Even planning my rest time, which was such a little detail ninety-nine percent of Alphas would’ve overlooked, meant a lot to me.

“This is how it should be,” I said, suddenly emotional. “Your pack puts in effort for you. They don’t just do what they want to do or buy you the same spa kit every year for your birthday.”

Blake raked my front yard, and when he smiled up at me I got the thought that he’d make a good dad. Whiskers got out, and he tracked my fluffy cat down, bringing her back inside and giving her a fresh bowl of cat food to ensure she wouldn’t seek to escape again.

Dreydon always played with Whiskers, too. I didn't expect him to and I didn't require it.

The scarred, tattooed ex-military combat vet reclined on the sofa. He perched Whiskers on his lap.

“Mouse,” Dreydon growled in the deepest, lowest voice ever. I’d never heard anything like it.

He dangle a little toy mouse in front of Whiskers. My heart burst into the warmest of warm fuzzies as Whiskers meowed, pawing at the mouse.

I had to turn away to hide my eyes.

Dreydon cared, damnit. He cared—all Dreydon wanted to do was serve and protect.

That was what all my Alphas wished to do.

That was it.

My well-being was paramount.

One day I hesitated in the doorway of the kitchen. I heard male voices emanating from inside, and this threw everything I thought I knew about my Alphas into doubt.

I didn't know what was being said…. And I paused, nervousness fluttering through me.

When people spoke behind my back, it made me feel small , like they were discussing something negative about me they otherwise wouldn’t say in my presence.

No worse feeling existed than when I walked into a room and everyone hushed.

The conversation died, and my gut told me what my ears could not. They were talking about me.

Frowning, I tried to make out their words. What were my Alphas saying? I couldn’t handle any cruelty.

They’re probably debating leaving me, I thought with tears, and I pressed my fingers to my lips. No crying, Layla. Don’t you dare make a fool of yourself any more than you already have.

Everyone eventually left when they realized I wasn’t what they wanted, I was defective, I wasn’t outgoing and that instead of parties, I preferred reading in my nest. Or, they sought to control me, and if I pushed back in the slightest, they devalued me. I was worth nothing.

I thought we had a good relationship, I thought, knowing my pack was gossiping about me or forming a plan to leave. Guess I was a fool, an Omega bound by her feelings.

I should’ve learned by now that my feelings only existed within my heart, and weren’t shared by others.

Against my judgment, I peered through the doorway.

Josh buried his hands deep in dough, the smell of yeast filling the kitchen. Flour, egg whites, a pinch of salt.

The cream we’d borrowed from a neighbor earlier helped with the dumplings, and the meal felt quaint. Country, without being too rustic.

Chicken and dumplings.

Blake shot Josh a look. “Mind helping us dice this chicken when you finish?”

“I’m nowhere near done,” Josh gritted out, a laugh sounding. “I’ve only just started the dough.”

“You look like you’re stalling,” Blake growled.

Josh bit back a glare. “I’m working as fast as I can, man. Give me a break.”