Page 7 of Small Town Shy Omega (Applewood Falls #1)

Blake ticked his eyes up. “Something wrong?” And yet he said this too quickly, he knew precisely what he was doing, teasing and taunting me, and when I realized he was teasing me I wanted to cry.

I stifled a sob, pushing in my chair. “Your potatoes look… good.”

“Ahhh, maybe say you…” Josh didn't say it; the gentle Alpha stopped before he said it. He was gonna say, Maybe you should’ve said you wanted one and we would’ve made one for you.

“Josh,” Dreydon growled, an amused smirk on his lips. “When an Omega says she wants a bite of your baked potato, you give her a bite.”

“B-But we had four potatoes ready to bake,” Josh hissed as he cast me a glare. “Layla could’ve said, I want a potato… ” They would’ve baked me one.

I sat alone, no allies in the world. Tears welled in my eyes, and I had to look away due to cruelty.

Josh sighed.

In a moment, no less than that, half a baked potato was slid in front of me.

Lifting my small fork, I poked at it… then cried.

“Mmmm,” I forced myself to say, feeling so down and out, almost like I was being bullied. Bullied by my pack, I sniffled, knowing nothing had changed since my last relationship.

All Alphas wound up laughing at me, it didn't matter whether they re-shingled my roof or wrote me lovely morning notes.

These Alphas were just like the others, it was only a matter of time before I’d realized it.

Before I could finish my potato, another plate was slid in front of me.

My Omega brain was very confused.

I looked up… Dreydon was pushing a big, epic slice of pecan-raspberry pie with ice cream before my eyes.

“Eat,” Dreydon rumbled.

I ditched my potato, going straight for the pie. “Mmmmm,” I chuckled, taking a big bite. Raspberry sauce clung to my chin; Blake wiped it away.

“Is it good?” Dreydon rumbled, and I couldn’t help but blush and nod.

“Yes,” I whispered, attacking the pie. My, this was divine. “Who baked it?”

“Blake,” Dreydon said, and my eyes shone a beam of gratitude at Blake.

“Thank you,” I managed to say, too much pie and ice cream in my mouth. In my throat. Covering my face, my chin, oh Fate I made a big mess.

Josh looked at me, still eating his potato. Eventually, he smiled—and broke into laughter.

“Feeling less hangry, Layla?”

I turned to Josh, nothing but confusion on my face. “Was I just hangry this whole time?”

“I think our meal plans need updating,” Blake growled to Dreydon, who nodded in response. “These dainty, barely eating suppers aren’t working for us. They’re not working for Layla.”

“How about three nights a week we make something rich and delicious?” Dreydon growled.

And at last, I broke.

“No, guys,” I snorted, having to wipe pecan-raspberry juice from my chin. Very unladylike. “Throw out the meal plan, thanks for listening to me… But I’ve tried to eat less around you all, so I wouldn’t appear like a pig… I can’t take the fucking poached chicken anymore, I’m losing my shit.”

“And the grill?” Josh asked, clearly still mad about giving in to me over the grill earlier this afternoon.

I lifted my hands in surrender.

“ Oneeeeeee night per week, we can use the grill,” and I patted myself on the damn back. Yay, comprise.

“Better idea,” Blake suggested, turning to Josh. “We could just move the grill to the front, that way when we light it up, zero smoke gets in Layla’s nest. How about it?”

Josh looked at Blake like he just solved the riddle to existence. “Not a bad idea, bruh.”

“Don’t ever call me bruh again,” Blake growled, amusedly cracking his knuckles. “Not in the presence of our Omega.”

“Royal highness,” Josh growled, rising from his seat… and pretending to bow before me. Not really, the Alpha would not literally bow before me—but the silly joke was funny, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Is there anything else you would like before bed? A cup of steamed milk?”

“With cinnamon, please.” I smiled.

“She’s remembering to say please,” Dreydon growled, kneading my sore shoulders. I moaned, sinking into his palms…

Part of me wanted to flee. Wanted to shriek, Don’t touch me!

But another part of me wished to stay. Dreydon rubbing my shoulders felt so good, and part of my dam of resistance broke.

I leaned into his touch, humming as he massaged my stress out.

And Blake and Josh brought me another slice of pie, and I decided to say fuck my restrictive diet—

I was glad, now for another reason. My Alphas re-taught me how to live.

Three days later, a bike magically showed up beside my cottage. I nearly cried, because I’d just mentioned that my bike broke.

“Time for a ride?” Josh waggled his brows.

I hopped on, and my three Alphas helped me re-learn how to ride. “I’d forgotten,” I admitted as I nearly toppled over, and luckily Dreydon caught me.

“There, there,” Dreydon growled, and I felt safe.

Secure. Supported. Protected

They saved me from crashing into a mailbox. They protected me from whacking my head.

“Guys,” I moaned, scraping my knee on a tree when I hopped off. Yeah, my bloody knee occurred after I got off my bike… walking can be dangerous for a girl.

Josh rushed to my side, then Blake and Dreydon pulled out bandages and ointment.

“It’s only a scraped knee,” Dreydon said with a smile, cleansing my wound and patching me up.

We walked my bike home and Josh brushed purple hair from my forehead.

Dreydon smiled. “You’re strong, Layla. Your little scraped knee will heel—and you’ll heal soon. Be brave, sweetheart.”

We hobbled to town afterwards, and I was grateful when they took me out for a steak lunch.

“Delilah,” I said, waving at the owner of Delilah's Diner. I hadn't seen her in forever.

Delilah walked over with a laugh. “I still have your vase displayed in the front window.”

“You’re displaying my vase?” I gasped.

Delilah directed our gazes toward her window.

My single, solitary vase stood reflecting the sunlight. Closing my eyes I could still remember the day I crafted it, molding it with my bare hands.

“I blew life into that vase,” I whispered, and Blake patted my head.

“Talented,” Blake growled, and a butterfly fluttered around my belly.

My Alphas ordered steak, and while I only opted for a tiny steak salad, they let me eat off their plates.

Feeling very immature inside, I picked fries off Dreydon’s plate, I sampled croissants from Blake’s, and from Josh’s?

Smiling, I took his onion rings.

“Hey,” Josh growled, searching for his onion rings. “Where’d my rings go?”

“Ah ah ah,” Blake teased, wagging a finger at Josh. “No getting cross when your Omega takes your food, man. You should know she has an appetite.”

“Yeah,” Dreydon growled out, tousling my hair again. “After starving herself for weeks.”

I stuck my nose in the air.

“I like to eat,” I finally admitted. “And I didn't want you three to know.”

Josh smacked his forehead, a belly laugh rumbling out of him. “Sweetheart, it’s hot that you have an appetite.”

Blake sipped his soda. “We should still try to eat a salad a day… Any more than that, I’ll go nuts.”

“Do you guys hunt?” My eyes flitted between my Alphas. “I won’t judge.”

Dreydon smiled, shaking his head. “We don’t kill animals, baby. Now we don’t mind eating a good juicy burger…”

I poked a stolen onion ring into my mouth. “Great minds think alike.”

I like that they don’t kill animals, I wrote in my diary later that night. I also crossed my fingers when the moon was at its fullest, and I prayed:

“Dear Fate, thank you for the wonderful day we’ve had. I know I don’t pray that often, but I just want to offer you thanks. This pack really gets me, far more than any other pack I’ve known. If you let me keep getting along with them, I’ll set my crystals out in honor of you every single night.”

Omegas prayed by charging their crystals in moonlight. Every night, we were supposed to set our crystals outside or at least near a window, in plain view of the luna .

When the moon lit up our crystals, it gave them energy. During the day, we were supposed to keep our crystals close to our hearts, and when confronted with difficult tasks, we used the energy they gave us.

I’d fallen into the habit of letting my crystals slip to the wayside, but now? I hadn’t believed I’d ever receive a pack who appreciated me again. After my last few packs, I thought dating was a lost cause, and I figured all Alphas were the same.

My men proved themselves to me every single day. They were funny, they made me laugh, and with them I let my guard down. I wasn’t putting on airs anymore, I reminded myself, shocked at this revelation.

All my life, I’d put forth an image. An image I didn't even know I believed in, and with my Alphas?

A girl could just be herself.

I woke up a few mornings later with gas in my car, and that annoying light thingy on my dash was off. “Strange,” I muttered, popping the hood.

My oil was changed.

Josh came out, a towel slung over his shoulder. His hair was messy and he had a masculine look on his face, his green eyes sparkling.

The other two Alphas were at a job site this morning, finishing a patio for a client. They were always popping in and out, heading to work at the construction business… They paid so much attention to me when they were here, that I hardly realized they were ever gone.

“Did you change my oil, Josh?” I put my hands on my hips.

“It’s only a little motor juice,” Josh growled, and then I laughed and hopped in my car.

He put gas in my car, I thought as my little sedan bumped into town. I didn't have the nicest car, in fact that was why I seldom used it.

Grandpa didn't leave me a car, and my stepparents, who’d abandoned me after my parents passed, certainly didn't help me buy a new one.

Walking the one mile into town was fine most days, and I only really drove when needing to pick up something.

After grabbing my package from the post office, I returned to my car.

I just broke down, clutching the steering wheel… fending off tears.

Josh’s scent surrounded me. It was on the seat, the steering wheel, and I bet if I popped the hood, it’d be there to.