Page 27 of Small Town Shy Omega (Applewood Falls #1)

“Wow,” Dreydon drawled, shaking his big head. His tattoos danced in the light. “Unbelievable.”

“I didn't make the rules,” I joked.

“Oh, I know you didn’t,” Dreydon joked back. “After everything I’ve done for you, I can’t believe you’d slap me.”

“Well, I haven’t yet,” I deadpanned.

“You sound like you kinda want to,” Dreydon huffed back.

“Don’t make me.”

After I finished putting the fear of the gods into two of my Alphas, they paid the tab and bought me a big slice of pie to-go.

“Here,” I said when we wandered to the Public Gardens. The sun was shining, and a songbird twittered by my head.

Irene looked up, a confused expression on her face.

Irene had a pointy nose, freckled cheeks, and beautiful black hair. Her eyes were pastel-orange, the color of tangerines with sparkles.

“Want some pie, Irene?” I smiled.

She grinned. “You know it, girl… Delilah’s meatloaf is a pass, but nothing beats her pies.”

I bought a fruit cup, then jabbed my Alphas so they’d buy some too.

“Thank you,” Josh growled, eating a tangerine. “Dang, this fruit is good.”

“Very good fruit cup,” Dreydon complimented, and Irene batted her eyelashes.

“Thank you all! I can go home, and support my grandfather now.”

We leisurely strolled around the Public Gardens. Josh supported my parasol, and I sighed as the small-town vibes surrounded me.

“Come Christmas,” I said, pointing to the lake in the Gardens, “they turn that into an ice rink. You can skate in the fresh-falling snow.”

“I know, baby,” Josh purred, jabbing me with my parasol. “We’ve lived here for three years. We skate every year.”

“Oh, do you?” I fought the blush that arose from thinking of my Alphas donning ice skates and twirling around.

Josh sighed. “Winter in Applewood Falls is great. But, what we really like…”

“The blossom festival,” Blake said proudly, eager for the fest to start.

“Cherry blossom cookies,” Dreydon muttered hungrily. “Cherry blossom leis. The vibes are the snuggest they are all year. Even cherry blossom sparkling apple spritzers. And, cherry blossom art. It’s a cherry blossom extravaganza.”

My gaze settled on Dreydon. “I’d love to see you walking around,” I murmured softly, my soft fingers on his scarred arm. “Wearing a blossom lei, Dreydon.”

“Who knows?” Dreydon growled, wiggling a brow. “Maybe this year I’ll even put a blossom in my hair.”

We settled into a bench in the Public Gardens. A mauve caterpillar crawled along the bench, its fuzzy antenna fluttering in the breeze.

Honeyed sunlight fell over my cheeks, I she set the book I was carrying down to scoop the caterpillar up and set him on a nearby blade of grass.

The caterpillar clung to the grass; it swayed, then toppled over, the grass serving as a sort of rope swing to deposit the curious caterpillar on the ground.

It faded into the thick grass of the Applewood Falls Commons, and I sighed, my purple hair tumbling over my bare shoulders, shoulders which I seldom let see the sun.

I looked down, admiring the pair of linen pants I wore, and the flats I had on that showed off her pretty purple-planet nails.

I didn't planet-gaze often while setting out my crystals to bathe in the moonlight, but Jupiter had caught my interest last night, so I’d decided to paint the glowing planet on my big toe.

“You like my toenails?” I murmured softly, wiggling my toes.

Josh nodded. “Fabulous art.”

Blake took my hand in his.

“Layla, what I adore about you most is your precious sensitivity. Look at that caterpillar you just helped: you probably didn't even notice I noticed, but I saw the way you brought it to the grass. Not every woman, Omega or not, would even notice or care. Some would scream, and order her Alphas to crush it. Not you. You care, Layla. You care about the littlest things, and it’s an honor to have your light in my life.”

“I feel myself becoming a better man,” Dreydon growled, scars flexing in the sunlight. “Around you, my past just…. Melts away.”

My vision blurred, and I rubbed Dreydon’s arm. “There, there, Dreydon. It’s okay.”

“I spent so many years,” Dreydon growled, eyes settling on a point in the distance. “So many years running from myself. I didn't give in to love, and I refused to open up. When I signed up to go into war…”

I nodded, listening intently. “Go on,” I urged. It’s not every day a man strong as Dreydon opens up about his feels.

“My hands have taken lives,” Dreydon growled. “Layla, what I can’t even fathom though… Is your strength.”

This caught me by surprise, and I lifted my head up. “ My strength?”

“You… you’re stronger than warriors I’ve known,” Dreydon growled, massaging the back of my hand. “You have an inner strength that ninety-nine percent of soldiers on the battlefield don’t have. When you put your mind to something, you do it, damnit.”

“And,” Josh went on, softly and tenderly, “you’re so open, Layla. When you talk about your sister, Jasmine, or open up about your former mother-in-law… I mean, damn. Just damn… Most people can’t just… Share their feelings so freely, so unburdened.”

“I try my best to be honest,” I said softly, my nose pink with pride. “Honest to my feelings.”

“And that’s what matters, isn’t it?” Dreydon gripped my hand tightly. “If you’re not listening to your feelings, letting them guide your life… What kind of life do you even have ?”

“That’s why it’s an honor to serve you, Layla,” Josh growled, eyes locked to mine. “We learn more from you… than you could ever get from us.”

I smiled, just brimming with pride. “You three just keep working for me. I’ll… teach you to be more open, how to be fully in touch with your feelings.”

Truthfully, I didn't really want that. I mean, I did… But I also didn’t, because then who would get rid of my gutter guards?

Beaming, I rested my head on Dreydon’s strong shoulders.

I am brave, I whispered to myself, my cheeks rosy and proud.

They know I’m a queen, and it doesn’t matter what the other nine packs I tried to bond with thought.

They see… my light. I’m sensitive, and I let my emotions guide me. Is that so wrong?

“Bowling?” Blake suggested when it was time to leave the gardens.

I took one last look around the Public Gardens. I often loved coming here to rest or read a book I’d picked up from Rufus.

Today I had a new memory to add to my collection.

Me and my Alphas.

Sitting on this bench, just talking. Talking about our feelings, sharing about our pasts. Dreydon opened up a bit more—and it was nice to see an Alpha be so in-touch with his emotions, really process them.

And they thought I was a queen, I smiled, following them to the bowling alley. Every small town had a bowling alley: ours wasn’t extravagant or anything, but the place had great pizza and it got the job done.

I led my men around the back of my cottage. “It’s over here,” I said, not wanting to inconvenience them.

“We can’t wait to see, baby.”

“This is where I… nerd out,” I finally admitted, wishing I could just fall into a Hoel. Why did my Alphas fill all the holes on my property? A girl could really use one right now.

My glass studio was where I passed most of my time. Especially when I was stressed or just needed a minute to myself to decompress.

My creations sat on the walls, and I had one vase in the kiln right now.

“I make a bit of everything in here,” I huffed, my cheeks pink.

“Why are you shy?” Blake hummed as he rubbed my shoulders.

“When am I not shy?” I said sweetly, my cheeks flushing.

He shrugged. “We want to see this part of you, baby. Let us into your world.”

I sighed… “This is like showing you my soul. I don’t have the prettiest soul.”

“Your soul is pure light,” Dreydon said earnestly, “exactly like the glass objects you make.”

Vases, bowls, and plates were my specialty. Raw glass of every color waited for me to put it to fire—mauve, blue, yellow, indigo, violet.

When I created my stress slipped away.

“Some people crochet,” I explained, fumbling for my key. Where was the dratted thing? “Others doodle.”

“You also crochet,” Blake pointed out.

“And you doodle,” Josh said kindly.

“I don’t need my flaws pointed out,” I snorted, then found my key ring. “Okay, calmness is strength… Serenity now, serenity now.”

Dreydon rubbed my shoulders after he shoved Josh away. “You’ve got this, baby. Show us your world.”

“Can’t find the right key,” I muttered, a panic attack coming on.

Then I turned to my Alphas. “Really in trouble here, guys.”

Blake snatched the key ring from my hand, then tried each key until one magically locked the door. “Success.”

“You make it look so easy,” I joked, grateful for his assistance.

Blake wrapped me in his big arms, holding me tight. “No worries.”

“All I am is worries,” I snorted, liking the way he bear-hugged me. If I had to choose between a bear and Blake, I’d pick Blake any day. “I think most of us are. We keep it under wraps.”

“There’s medication for that, you know,” Blake reminded me.

“I don’t want the government putting words in my brain,” I laughed, scanning the sky for drones. “Okay, let’s go in.”

My glassworks studio brimmed with sparkles. Maybe it was time to dust. Little dots of light floated around, illuminating my magical creations.

My purple vase that a neighbor commissioned last month sat on my worktable, waiting for me to put the finishing touches on. The gourd vase I was entering in the Applewood Falls State Fair in August waited to be baked.

Josh’s jaw dropped. “Babe…”

“ You made all these?”

“No, a fairy enters in the middle of the night. I just cash the checks and take the credit.”

“Wow,” Blake muttered, eyes flitting around. “This is incredible.”

“Your praise means a lot to me, guys. I’ve never showed an Alpha this part of my life before.”

“Never?”

“Never.”

Dreydon whistled, lifting up a glass bowl. “You could put anything in here. Pears, grapes, apples, oranges.”