Page 56 of Your Wild Omega (The Feral Actress #2)

Chapter forty-four

Rickon

Dawn breaks through a bank of gray clouds, turning windows throughout the city pink and gold.

I cover a yawn as I pad into the kitchen to get a jump start on the day before the others wake.

I won’t let Red go to work alone again. When I think about all the things that could happen to her, it sets my teeth on edge.

Thankfully the director messaged early yesterday morning to tell her to take the day off after her fall, so I’ve now spent most of two days snuggling in bed.

I brush my fingers over the sore spot on my hip.

My body suggests Zack’s obsessive attention to the bond mark might be too much, but the new, faint thrum in my chest says it’s worth the price.

Not only do I know more about Zack than ever, but I have a direct link to my omega. Life couldn’t be better.

The refrigerator seal exhales softly as I open the door only to discover almost empty shelves. And no sign of milk. I double-check the pantry for powdered milk, but that’s non-existent too.

With a weary sigh, I stuff a few cloth shopping bags in the back pocket of my white skinny jeans and tug sneakers on before slipping out the front door. We can get more groceries delivered tonight, but for now I’ll grab some essentials from the local deli.

Feels odd to leave the apartment after two days of being inside, not to mention minus any makeup. Thankfully no sane people will be awake at six a.m. Or so I thought, because in the foyer I run into a couple of tradespeople signing in with the concierge.

I take in their toolboxes and grin. “Hi, are you doing the project on the roof?”

“Yes, sir,” one man says, tipping his hard hat politely.

“Just Rickon,” I say, offering my hand. “Callisto might have mentioned me?”

“Of course.” He shakes my hand, dwarfing it in his big, calloused palms. “You did the design for this job, right?”

I nod. “Most of it.”

He brightens. “Have you been up to see the progress?”

I wince, mentally tracking back through lost time. “Honestly, I’ve had a few things going on and didn’t realize you’d started.”

He shrugs one shoulder toward the service elevator. “Want to come take a look? I’ve got a few questions for you about product selection.” He scratches at the wisps of hair sticking out around his ears and grins. “Was gonna email you about them tomorrow, but this works well.”

I check my phone to see if I can spare half an hour and still get the family moving before go time. Should be able to wrangle it. I nod and shoot a message off to Red to let her know I’m out getting groceries in case she wakes up and worries. Or, more to the point, in case Zack freaks.

One day he’ll have his own phone and be able to read messages. Maybe I should investigate teaching him to use voice to text with an accessibility read-aloud function. I smile as I consider how far our wild alpha has come in just a few short weeks.

We take the oversized service elevator to the roof and step out into the chilly morning air.

High glass walls rim the rooftop, cutting some of the gusting wind, but I still have second thoughts about if we chose the right place to build a new nest for Red.

It’s probably an even stupider idea to keep it a secret from her, but at this point I’m worried mentioning her heat might set her off.

She’s got a lot on her hands, after all.

The builder beckons me and I move out of the doorway, dipping my hands into my front pockets. A wooden frame with a peaked roof rises above the concrete flooring, looking a bit like a small chapel or studio.

The builder rests one gloved hand on the bare wooden structure. “Frame’s almost done and we’ll be working on the subflooring today if the weather cooperates,” he declares with a glance at the clouds sitting heavy over the city. “Come and see the inside area.”

I follow him through the framed doorway, looking around at the wide space.

He points to the left side of the doorway.

“Over there will be the wet area for your Jacuzzi, shower, and the toilet.” His hands sweep back toward the center.

“And here’s your lounge in the middle. The whole thing is open plan, except for the toilet.

The stall will be extra wide, so someone can help the omega in and out. ”

I track his excited hands as he points out where curtains will hang around what I’m designating the nest platform, with daybeds in the back for the off-duty alphas to rest if the main area becomes too active, and a kitchenette with a fridge and sink for staying fed and hydrated during heats.

Honestly, it’s hard to picture right now from just a timber cube outline, but I know better than anyone the giant gap existing between a design and the finished project.

My gaze lifts to the walls as he explains the ventilation. “And the lighting? It can’t be dark or gloomy.”

He grins. “We’ll cover everything in glass. That light enough for you?”

Damn, I sure hope it’s open enough for Red. The weak morning light streams through, casting a few spindly shadows off the framing beams. If it stays feeling this exposed, then that’s the best I can do for her.

I nod slowly. “And the privacy?”

“Yeah, glad you asked. All the glass will be tinted. Now, what I wanted to ask you about is the solar panels. Originally, we were going to stack them on either side of your roof beam up there.” He points to the main overhead beam running the length of the building.

“Which will cut light through the top. However, a new product coming out of Korea with solar panels embedded inside glass panes is getting some traction lately.” His face lights up as he lifts his helmet to scratch his hair.

“And can you believe it? It’s completely clear. ”

I hum in surprise. “Really? That sounds too good to be true.”

He laughs. “I know, right? But it’s legit. The part that hurts is the price tag.” He whistles and lifts his eyebrows, suggesting it’s expensive.

I turn, watching the dull light on the floor. On a cloudy or rainy day, a roof with solar panels will turn this space even darker. “But that new glass means more light in here?” I clarify.

The builder shrugs. “Sure, but we can also achieve that with artificial lights.”

I shake my head. Aunt Lexi slipped a card to me after dinner and told me it was for my pack . Knowing her, there’ll be five zeroes and I’m not too proud to use it, not when both my pack members have unique needs. That’s assuming Callisto doesn’t beat me to the invoices.

“Send me the details,” I tell him. “But I’d say that’s a perfect material for this build. But what about the tinting, then?”

“We’ll double pane and tint the inside. Will cut the wind noise and increase your climate control efficiency.

And for the walls, I was thinking about double panes with the shutters in between.

Very elegant and requires little maintenance and cleaning, which you kind of want up here where the wind is stronger.

” He sandwiches his hands together. “You ever seen them?”

When I shake my head, he says he’ll send me links.

I leave the rooftop buoyed with hope. A quick check in my calendar says we only have a few weeks until Red’s next heat, so the outfitting won’t be done by then, but it might be okay to use if just the roof and walls are in place.

But my omega may want to lock herself in the library again. Callisto had the chopped door replaced with metal bars when we thought Zack would need a cage, so at least we should be able to see Red if she barricades herself inside.

I secretly hope that with her two alphas linked by bonds, she might cope with her inner demons.

If we can just project enough love and calm into her, maybe we can override the panic.

Of course, the bond runs in both directions.

Zack and I will experience her trauma as well.

The whole scenario might boil down to discovering who is stronger.

I spent longer on the roof than planned, so I jog all the way to the store to pick up milk and a loaf of gluten-free bread. As I’m paying, a rack of glossy magazines catches my eye. Front and center sits my omega—in someone else’s arms.

“Bugger me,” I hiss.

There’s no mistaking the bastard who has his arm around her on a golf cart. Bradley Jacks is trying to muscle in on my omega.

“You want that gossip rag too?” the sleepy cashier asks.

I collect one from each publisher, my scowl deepening as I read the titles: Star romance blooms in Ommywood? Secret rendezvous for #1 bachelor. Hot new actress steals Brad’s heart.

The shiny papers slip all across the counter as I throw them down.

The woman’s brows rise as she catches and scans them. “Bradley Jacks fan?” she asks, grinning.

“Not on your life,” I growl out.

She laughs. “Come on. Everyone loves Bradley.”

I swipe my card at the machine and stuff the goods roughly into the bags, too pissed to worry about balance or proper order. “Yeah, until they meet him.” I snort as I turn away.

Her eyes widen in shock and maybe a hint of awe. “What, you’ve actually met him?”

“I work with the fucker.” I glance back over my shoulder. “And I can tell you with a hundred percent certainty this story’s completely false.”

Not that some random cashier needs to know, but I feel a little better for saying my piece. The doorway chimes loudly as I stride through, registering my presence. Well, I plan to register my presence on Brad’s face sooner rather than later.

It wasn’t enough for that grotty SOB to treat me like a stand-in omega, but now he’s actively hunting my real omega?

A double tingle spawns in my chest, telling me both Red and Zack have woken up.

My steps slow as I approach the towering apartment building, the rising sunlight glinting in the windows.

I’m mad, but I’m also scared. Like the cashier said, everyone loves Brad.

He’s charming, wealthy, famous. And an alpha with presence.