Page 23 of His Omega Bear

There was something about Rhys. I could sense something special about him. When my tuition repeatedly confirmed what my gut already told me - there was a strong connection between us, I couldn’t quite explain. Despite the short time I’d known him, I trusted Rhys.

When he still hadn’t responded to my text, I decided to check in with Shepherd. Maybe he could give me some advice.

Me: You free?

My phone vibrated, and I got up to answer the call without disturbing my girl. Tapping the green button, Shep’s face instantly appeared on my screen. I could see the familiar blur of his office in the background, papers scattered across his desk and stacks of books teetering precariously.

“Hey. You sure you’re not busy?” I asked, rubbing the back of my neck. He was clearly in the middle of something.

“Nope,” he replied. I could see the genuine happiness in his eyes at seeing me. “How’s my little princess?”

I snorted, “Fine., but still competing with me for who can survive on the least amount of sleep record,” I deadpanned.

Shepherd chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. “Serves. you right for all those times you woke us up at the ass crack of dawn,” he teased, his voice warm with affection.

I snorted again but couldn’t help grinning back at him. “Guess she takes after me in more ways than one.”

His smile softened, a thoughtful look crossing his features. “So, what’s on your mind, Jax?” Shepherd always had a way of cutting through the small talk and getting straight to the heart of things.

I hesitated for a moment, debating how much to reveal. But then I sighed, knowing I could trust him with anything. “I met someone,” I finally admitted, watching Shepherd’s reaction closely.

There was even a part of me that wondered why I phrased it that way, but I would figure that out later.

Shepherd raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “Really? That didn’t take long,” he mused, a playful glint in his eyes.

I rolled my eyes at his eagerness but couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s not like that. I mean, I don’t know what it’s like.” I stumbled over my words, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks.

Shepherd’s expression softened, his eyes filled with understanding. “Hey, it’s okay. Take your time.”

I took a deep breath, grateful for Shepherd’s patience. “His name is Rhys,” I began, feeling the weight of whatever had made him bolt the night before. Once the floodgates were open, I told Shep about him and how he’d saved my ass more than once. And how he’d managed to scare the shit out of me, slinking around in the garden in the dead of night.

“There’s something about him… something different.”

Shepherd’s eyes narrowed slightly, his analytical mind already piecing things together. “Different how?”

I rubbed my fingers over my unshaven jaw as I hesitated, unsure of how to articulate the strange connection I felt with Rhys. “I don’t know exactly. It’s like… there’s this pull between us. But he’s also… guarded.” I struggled to find the right words. Maybe it was me, but it felt as if Rhys had wanted to tell me something yesterday and decided against it.

Shepherd nodded in understanding. “And that’s usually your role?”

I rolled my eyes. “There’s just something about him, Shep. Something I can’t quite explain.”

Shepherd’s smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression as he studied me intently. “What do you mean? I know I don’t have to tell you that you can’t be too trusting with strangers even in a small town, Jax.”

I nodded, understanding Shepherd’s concern. “But he’s not a stranger, Shep. He’s Jayson’s cousin. Maybe all these feelings are surfacing from missing my family. He said we were family now. But there’s just this… strong sexual connection between us, but it’s not about sex. It’s hard to describe. It’s like I know him or have been waiting to meet him if you believe in that shit.”

Shepherd leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowed in thought. “Well, you’re the one who said it, so you must believe it.”

Trust him to point that out.

“Yeah, I know. I’m not just trying to get an inch scratched. We both know we can do that easily.”

He nodded in acknowledgment.

“I can’t shake the feeling that I need to see him again.”

“So call him. I’m sure you have his number. And if you don’t, you know how to get it.”

I grunted. “Yeah. I have it.”

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