Page 12 of Spark (Damselverse #2)

Chapter twelve

Zara

I pick out a fluffy blanket with pictures of kittens, and Nolan hums in approval. “Nice pick."

I smile, folding it up next to the other blankets in the cart. I’ve picked out a few things, and not just items for my nest; I have ornaments, scented candles, and twinkling fairy lights, too.

Yet, I can’t help but feel that I don’t deserve any of it. Little do they know, I am still lying to them, convincing them that my name is Ruby.

If only they knew the truth, then they wouldn’t be so besotted with me. Well, Xavier already hates me, so at least I will only disappoint two out of the three.

“Damn, you really do have a thing for cats, don’t you?” Nolan laughs.

I whirl around, staring at him in shock. “What makes you say that?”

He smiles, picking up a plushie of a kitten. I even got some cat pyjamas and a portrait of a sleeping kitten.

I sigh. “You got me.”

Nolan chuckles, meowing as he pushes the toy cat in my face. I push him away just as the shop assistant walks on by.

She’s had it out for me ever since I walked in here with the handsome Nolan, and there’s no missing her green eyes whenever she stalks past.

“Oh, look, it has a button,” Nolan presses the button, and the stuffed kitten mews on repeat.

A snort escapes me. “Stop, people are looking.”

“So, forget them,” he scoffs, placing the toy cat back in the cart as we keep on shopping.

As I look at some blackout curtains, he says, “You know, you could always come and work at the shelter. The kittens are settling in. We already have offers for them.”

That fast? Wow.

“Kittens always go first. Especially tabbies,” he replies when he sees the shock on my face.

Now my heart breaks for the older kitties.

It's not even worth thinking about as I keep on shopping. Maybe we should adopt all the cats, and they can live with us at the house.

That should be fun… and pure chaos.

All those dead birds, those ‘gifts' just waiting for us on the patio.

“Well, what do you say?” Nolan probes.

I think more about it. “Okay. I would love to see the kittens before they leave for their forever homes.”

Nolan smiles, pushing the cart towards a checkout. “They do need more socializing first. The girls are coming around, but the boy is stubborn.”

I bet he is.

“I have the tiny teeth marks to prove it.” Nolan lifts a finger, and there’s no missing that cat bite.

I hiss through my teeth. “Ouch. Looks painful.”

“Nah, it’s all good. One of the perks of the job.”

Once we purchase our stuff, we head to the car, and Nolan won’t even let me carry any bags in when we return to the house.

“You go in and relax. I’ve got this, Ruby.”

I nod and head inside.

Dacre is nowhere in sight since he left for work, but Xavier is in his gallery. In fact, I can sense his dark cloud as I give it a wide berth, rushing upstairs.

As I brush past Dacre’s room, I stop in my tracks. The door has been left ajar, but inside the room, I spy a framed picture.

A petite blonde in the center catches my attention, and my heart pounds as I don’t think. I sneak into the room, creeping toward the picture.

I don’t believe it.

Halle…

Snatching up the frame, I brush my finger over her image, tears gathering in my eyes.

So, she is happy then. I heard she’d found a pack. Mostly through the Wolf. He liked to taunt me about her, telling me of her happiness and how she had moved on from me.

Halle has moved on. I see that now.

What a small world that Dacre would know her pack. I’m guessing the big, dark-haired Alpha on his right is one of Halle’s mates.

There’s a slightly older Alpha, too, and is he their captain?

“What are you doing in here?”

I fumble with the portrait, placing it back on the sideboard as I whirl around to meet Dacre’s amber eyes.

Damn, he really is beautiful—eyes like fire, and golden skin. Up close, I spy several freckles on his face, and my heart pounds faster.

“N-nothing. I was just doing some washing.”

I am supposed to be their Omega, after all. They do the cleaning and the laundry.

Dacre smiles tightly, crossing his arms. “You don’t have to, you know. We don’t expect you to.”

“Still, I don’t mind,” I say, peering around.

Dacre is one very clean Alpha. I don’t find one dirty sock on the floor. I suppose less clutter means fewer fire hazards in his eyes.

He glances at the picture of Halle behind me. “Were you just looking at that picture?”

Busted.

“Y-yes,” I say. “I couldn’t help but notice how pretty she is.”

Please, that picture hardly does her justice; Halle is a fairy princess.

Dacre chuckles. “I guess. She’s Halle, my teammate's Omega. He rescued her, too, from a fire, funnily enough. Like I saved you.”

Oh. That is pretty ironic.

Dacre continues. “Actually, I was just looking for you. Dane, the big Alpha on my right, suggested we double date.”

Double date?

My head swims.

While it would be wonderful to reunite with Halle, especially after that ominous phone call, I can’t involve her in my troubles.

It’s bad enough that I am getting this pack involved.

She knows I am on the run from the Wolf. And she will want to help.

No. We can’t double date.

I will have to find some excuse. “I’m… not so sure… I’m not quite ready to meet new people yet. I’m sorry, Dacre.”

There’s no missing the hurt in Dacre’s eyes as I turn down his offer. He sighs, scratching the back of his head. “No worries. Maybe some other time.”

“Y-yeah…”

We don’t speak after that, and I finally leave, hunching my shoulders. Just as I reach the door, Dacre calls behind me. “Ruby, wait…”

I stop, meeting his eyes. He stammers, unsure of what to say. Then he exhales, covering his face. “It’s fine. I don’t mean to keep you.”

My heart breaks watching him. Ever since he saved me from the fire, we haven’t talked. Not really.

Perhaps we will both come around, and then talk will come naturally for us.

But that could be a long way yet.

In the end, I leave his room. When I get to mine, I find those bags of new things waiting for me.

I really don’t deserve any of it. When they finally learn the truth, they will be hurt.

And I bet Xavier will be as smug as a fox when he finds out.

Omegas are trouble. He's right.

I’m trouble.

They would all be better off if they had never met me.