Page 38 of The Feral Alpha

“Wait,” Olson said. “Did you come in here just to tell me that?”

“I thought I saw a familiar face.” Jag raised his eyebrows at Rex. “What’s your name, by the way? I can’t believe we’ve gone months without me knowing.”

Rex gave that little growl that said he wasn’t going to answer.

Olson sighed. “His name is Rex. Rex, sooner than later, you’ll have to start talking to people other than me.”

Rex rolled his shoulders, his mouth curving into a grin. “Olllsonnnn.”

“Guess not.” Jag snorted and waved, and Olson stopped him again.

“Wait. Let me get you a drink, on the house. For all your help.”

Jag tilted his head, thinking about it. “An iced lemon tea, to go?”

Olson blinked. That wasn’t Jag’s usual.

“It’s for Niall,” Jag said. “My neighbor. The boy I’ve been watching over. He’s been cooped up at home all day; thought he could use a treat.”

Olson remembered a timid omega around Emmy’s age, small with deformed hands, and nodded in understanding. Niall visited the Wine Shack occasionally, but more often than not, it was only because his brother Ingle brought him here.

“I’ll get him some soup as well.” Olson headed into the kitchen to put in an order with Aaren, before mixing up an iced lemon tea in a to-go container. He prepped another to-go cup with Jag’s usual—White Zinfandel, a semi-sweet rosé wine.

“If the cops catch me with alcohol in the car, I’m blaming you,” Jag said dryly.

“Just make sure it’s Varrick pulling you over,” Olson replied just as dryly. “In which case, take a butt blessing with you. He’ll let you off easy if Emmy’s involved.”

Emmy gasped from the other side of the bar. “You’re gonna get pulled over?” he asked excitedly, before brandishing several squares of butt blessings. “Take this! It’s your Get Out Of Jail Free card! My studly banana muffin can’t resist them.”

He stuffed them into Jag’s hands, delighted that he’d found someone who hadn’t been acquainted with the blessings.

“I’m sure there’s enough there for Niall, too,” Olson said.

“Niall?” Emmy grew even more excited. “You’re gonna see him? You’re his alpha daddy, aren’t you?”

Jag’s ears turned pink. “I’m protecting him—”

“Lemme write him some pickup lines,” Emmy whispered loudly, pulling out his order pad from his apron pocket. “Don’t peek,” he said sternly to Jag. “These are for Niall’s eyes only.”

He scribbled furiously onto the order pad, then ripped off the sheet and folded it into quarters. “No cheating! No peeking! Or the butt gods won’t like you.”

“I promise I won’t,” Jag said solemnly.

Olson exchanged a look with Rex and chuckled.

Finally, Jag left. Olson rounded the bar, coming to stand next to Rex. “That was exciting.”

Rex slipped a strong arm around Olson’s waist, nuzzling his ear. “Mine.”

They hadn’t spent that much time together, but already, Olson was starting to savor the closeness they shared. The hugs and the touches, Rex’s soft smiles that were all for him.

For the first time, he felt as though he was soaring in the sky, and seeing just how far down the ground was. Knowing how far he could crash.

“I’m so fucked,” Olson murmured.

“Mate?” Rex’s eyes lit up.

“No. Not that kind of fucked. Fucked also means I’m screwed. Well. In trouble.”

---