Page 29 of Your Wild Omega (The Feral Actress #2)

Chapter twenty-three

Red

We arrive home after midnight, giggling and handsy.

My alphas snuck sexy touches for hours throughout the gala, and now my skin draws tight as a drum, hotter than a furnace.

Tonight I stripped, and although it was public, it feels like I did it for Rickon alone.

The look on his face when Lyra fled was priceless—worth any amount of baring my body.

Nothing is too hard to do for the alpha who opened his arms to me wholeheartedly.

“More,” Zack demands, reaching for the bottle of champagne Rickon picked up on the way home, claiming he’d promised the wild alpha a taste after the party. Seems like Zack’s a fan as he swigs from the bottle, sparkling fluid running over his chin.

Rickon tugs his head down where he can reach and licks the juice off Zack’s face.

Our wild alpha snakes his arm around Rickon’s cinched waist and spins him into the wall.

I giggle and lean against the table to steady myself as I kick off my heels when something in the living room moves. “Fuck!” I cry as Callisto stands up. My heart thunders from the shock. “I didn’t see you there.” My words slur a little, a mix of alcohol, adrenaline, and giddiness.

“You all right?” he asks, his handsome brow wrinkling in concern.

“Yes,” I wheeze out, pressing a hand to my chest to calm my racing heart.

Zack’s fingers descend on my shoulders protectively, and his possessive rumble vibrates through my back.

I stroke his hand and grin. “We had a fun night.”

“So I saw,” Callisto says, running a hand through his dark hair. “It’s already on the news.”

“Oh?” I spring forward, but the TV’s off.

“Yeah.” Callisto crooks his fingers into air quotes. “Drama at the Spring Film Festival when actress Lyra Gray reportedly demanded a rising actress hand over her dress.”

I giggle but it turns into a snort. “Is that really what they said?” I might be a bit tipsier than I thought. Another giggle escapes me, and I cover my mouth.

Callisto nods and tucks one hand into his trouser pocket. “Complete with some blurred-out footage of your bare self.”

I offer Rickon my palm for a high five and he slaps it enthusiastically. “We pulled it off,” I cry. Rickon returns my grin.

Callisto frowns and leans his ass on the back of the couch. “I rushed home in case you needed me.” He falters. “But I see you aren’t worried.”

Rickon sheds his suit jacket and lays it over the back of a chair before coming over to help Zack out of his collar.

“We expected Lyra might say something about the dress, but she really did make quite the fuss.” He leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek, eyes lit up with amusement.

“Of course, Red backed her into a corner and sent her crying for her mama.” He grins, clearly pleased with himself.

“I gave the bitch your card, Calli, in case she thinks about pressing charges. But I don’t think she’ll crawl out of her hole anytime soon. ”

Callisto recoils. “My card? Oh, right, as a lawyer.” Is it just me, or does he look disappointed? He pinches his bottom lip between his fingers and then his expression softens. “You look beautiful, Red. And so do you, Ricky.” He winces. “Handsome, I mean.”

Callisto tongue-tied. That might be a first. I chuckle as I reach up to unpin my pearl and feather headdress. “Thanks.”

“Let me help,” Callisto offers as my fingers tangle with the pins.

I cock my head in his direction, and he comes over to gently remove the pins Rickon secured it with.

His fresh cut-wood aroma fills my nostrils, driving out the plague of mixed scents I’ve battled all evening.

Damn, he smells wonderful. I breathe deep, taking my fill.

Only a scent match can have this addictive effect, a smell you never want to stop inhaling. Like life isn’t complete without it.

The third murmur in my brain quiets in his presence and I sigh internally. Shame he didn’t claim me when he had the chance.

“Red?” Callisto murmurs.

“Hmm?” I reply sleepily, lulled by his scent.

“I’m glad you’re okay. I was really worried.” His hand drifts down my hairline and grazes my cheek. “And I realized that I wanted to be there with you. At your side.” He clears his throat softly. “Not at a distance. Not as a lawyer.”

His words filter slowly through my slushy brain. Wait. Is he asking for something more? Right now? My heart flutters wildly. I understood he was courting me, and he helped me through my heat, but we’ve been at a romance stand-off ever since the day he fobbed me off onto Rickon and never came back.

But if I could have him, would I say yes? Could I ever trust him again?

My breaths quiver through my numb lips. If I just reach out, I can draw Callisto into my arms. Taste him, smell him, stop dancing around this yearning in his eyes and in my heart.

Callisto steadies himself on the couch’s armrest as he drops one knee to the floor, and then the other.

His black eyes bore into me, begging. “Red, I’m sorry for abandoning you that first day.

And I’m sorry for not apologizing and making things right the next day and every day after that.

I failed you. I know that.” His voice cracks.

Zack wraps an arm around my waist protectively as I stare down at the repentant alpha.

Callisto’s gaze flickers over the towering alpha and back to me.

His Adam’s apple bounces as he swallows.

“Please, Red, tell me what to do. Thinking you were in danger tonight and not being at your side drove me out of my mind.” He reaches for my hand and presses it to his forehead.

“I’m begging you, give me another chance.

Break me all you like, but at least play with the pieces. ”

A jolt of pain shoots through me as his words bring our first meeting to mind. I was ecstatic about running into my scent-matched alpha that day. I thought my whole life was finally gaining meaning. But he walked away.

Not sure I can even convey how much that hurt.

But he’s apologizing. Callisto’s sincere in his regret, I know that much. And he’s done so much for us that I’d be a real ass to leave him out in the cold, wouldn’t I? I mean, even this apartment belongs to him.

A vague unease stirs through me. I need Callisto, because he’s supposed to be doing the rehab training, not to mention keeping me out of prison. I can’t have Zack without him, but obligation can’t be the basis of our relationship. My emotions wage war.

Still, Callisto’s my scent match. Even if things are a little awkward between us, I’m sure it’ll smooth out in time. “Callisto—” I begin.

A growl rips through the room. “No.”

I freeze as Zack steps forward, his entire presence menacing.

Callisto rises to his feet instinctively, scowling. “That’s not your place to say,” he says, tone low and dangerous.

Zack swivels to look at me and Rickon, and my breath sputters out at the determined look on his face. A hot, furious sensation blasts through our shared bond.

“Pack.” Zack’s mouth draws tight, and a furrow appears on his brow as he searches through his limited vocabulary. “Pack to killed. To dead.” He growls and shakes his head and then thumps his fist over his heart. “’Til here stops.” He steps forward, sizing Callisto up. “Not later. Always.”

“People are more complicated than that,” Callisto scoffs.

His irritated gaze slides to me, brows lifted, asking if I’ll continue letting Zack interrupt us.

But Callisto doesn’t understand what I’m experiencing through the bond.

The sheer protective instinct Zack’s radiating is so overwhelming, I can’t even speak from the intensity stealing my senses.

Callisto gives up waiting and snarls at Zack. “This is between Red and me. Stay out of it.”

“No,” Zack repeats, shoving Callisto hard. The lawyer stumbles back, an answering alpha growl rising in his chest.

Agent Pierce swears under his breath and steps forward, but I put my arm out to stop him. This needs to get sorted between them.

“Red, call off your mutt,” Callisto hisses, anger souring his voice.

I lick my dry mouth. “He’s not my mutt, Callisto. He’s my alpha.” I don’t blame the lawyer for his cruel words because I know his genetic instincts have him in a tight grip, but it makes me realize he’s still thinking of Zack as some kind of add-on.

Callisto looks like he’s sucked on a lemon. He straightens, chest puffing out. “I’m your alpha too.” His tone rises with desperation and anger. “I’m your scent match, Red!”

Zack snarls and pins Callisto against the mantle with his cast-covered arm pressed to his chest. “Not alpha. You not home. Not kill for pack.” He bares his teeth and swivels to point at me.

“Mine.” His big finger cuts through the frigid air to indicate Rickon.

“White Mine.” It continues the arc, landing on Callisto’s throat. “Not Mine.”

Zack shoves Callisto sideways, hard enough to make him hit the floor. “Not pack. Mine not smile here for you.” He thumps his chest again.

Tears prickle behind my eyes, and I cover my mouth with both hands. He sensed my unease with Callisto through the bond and interpreted it better than I could. I don’t light up inside when I think of Callisto being part of our pack.

Callisto sprawls, frozen in shock. “Red?” he whispers, tone laced with anguish. “Is that true?”

Shit. It feels like I might shatter into pieces from the pain.

I press my lips together, holding it all back.

I glance over at Rickon. Glistening tears slide down his cheeks.

This affects him as much as me, and I know what his heart longs for, but even now, Callisto isn’t asking Rickon.

We’ve drifted too far from the original plot where Callisto and I would’ve been mates.

I force down my tears. “When we first met, I was alone. But now I’m part of a pack, so I’m not the same single omega as that day. I’m sorry, Callisto.” I drop my gaze, unable to bear the agony in his eyes. “We’ll get out of your place as soon as we can.”

Callisto stares at me and swallows hard.

Then he shakes his head. “No. I’ll leave.

I was selfishly pushing for . . . for what I want, without thinking of what you need.

” He glances at Zack, who watches him like a lion picking out prey, vibrating with low growls.

Callisto scoots further away on his ass and slowly gets to his feet.

“I’m—I’m glad you’re not hurt. Any of you. ”

He scoops up his jacket and smiles tightly, pausing for a moment to stare down at me, as if imprinting my face on his memory. Then with a jingle of keys, he’s gone.

I gasp for air as his alpha presence fades. The OCB agents make themselves scarce, leaving me staring at Zack. He growls, wrinkles his nose, and sweeps the room with his usual wariness, checking for more danger.

“Red?” Rickon whispers, wrapping his hands around my arms. But I can’t see him. I can’t see anything except the feral alpha who just asserted himself as our pack boss.

My legs give way.