Page 68 of The Omega Verse

“Hey, what’s in here?” Cass asks, standing on her tiptoes so she can look into the truck bed.

“How about I boost you up and you can look for yourself?”

She grins at that, and I drop the tailgate, helping her climb in. She comes to an abrupt stop at the sight of the rolled up sleeping bags, puffy cushions, and soft blankets. Turning to stare at me, all the teasing has gone from her face as she asks, “Are you going to build me a nest, Kobi?”

It’s not how I described it in my head when I had the stuff delivered, but I realise now that’s exactly what I wanted. To wrap Cass in a cocoon of soft, silky fabrics and then to have her invite me inside. I prop my elbows on the side of the truck and study her. “How do you feel about that, darlin’?”

As she holds my gaze, there’s a beat of tension between us that goes deeper than just our hormones. I know she’s switched back to her beta designation, but I’ve heard her say she’s more aware of our scents and emotions now. Some of that is crackling between us, but a lot of it is just pure attraction. “I think it’s perfect,” she says in a husky voice and nods towards the big projecting screen. “And this way, we can cuddle while we watch the show.”

I cover the purr that’s building in my chest by pulling myself up next to her, and then we spend a while setting out the bedding. I open the little window at the back of the cab so we can hear the film through the speakers, and then we settle down and eat our ice cream with tiny wooden spoons. It’s delicious, which isn’t surprising given the happy cows I’ve seen around these parts, but I’m too impatient to wait. She licks her spoon and watches me curiously as I dig an iPad from one of the bags I’ve stowed in the back.

“Okay, before the feature starts, I’ve got something I want to show you.” I prop the screen in front of us and set it up for a video call. A few seconds later, a farmhouse kitchen appears and two familiar faces are smirking at us. “Hey, bro.” Oakley tilts a beer bottle at me. “Good to see your ugly face.”

Cass stiffens beside me, but I grin back at my younger brothers. It’s early there – right around breakfast time – but they both look fresh as daisies. Those good Grace genes, although the truth is, the twins are annoyingly attractive. “Hey, you troublemakers.”

I start to introduce them to Cass, but I’m not fast enough for Jordan. “Are you guys auditioning for Beauty and the Beast?”

“Yeah, what gives?” Oakley snorts, popping one of our mom’s flaky biscuits in his mouth. “Don’t they have barbers in Oz? Or is the fashion Grizzly Bear this season?”

I can feel Cass holding back a laugh, but I just stroke my well-manicured beard. “They don’t have grizzlies here, dipshit.”

“Dipshit!” Jordan crows, then beams at Cass. “So, what kind of furry beasts do you have down under? Other than our brother, of course.”

“Um, we have kangaroos and koalas…?”

They pull matching faces of disapproval. “Nah, they’re way too cute,” Oakley says. “But what about those drop bears I’ve heard about?” He leans forward until his grin fills the screen. “Bro, did a drop bear jump you and decide to hibernate on your face?”

I roll my eyes at their antics. “Shut it, guys. I’m not calling you during date time to listen to your juvenile insults. I want you to meet Cass.”

They both put on their choirboy expressions as I make the introductions, but they quickly melt away as Oakley says, “I know your country is full of rare and unusual species, Cass, but we’ve never met a woman who’d choose our brother over us.”

Fuck me.

Cass nods, like she’s taking their bullshit seriously. “Well, I have a confession to make. Up until recently, I had a poster of you all on my bedroom wall.” The arseholes look very interested in that, their smirks growing a mile wide as they high five each other. “But when I was broken into a few days ago, they trashed the place,” Cass goes on, sounding mournful. “Smashed my TV, slashed my underwear, and tore up my Grace Lands poster.” She rummages in her pocket, then pulls something out and holds it up close to the screen. “But it’s okay, because I managed to save the best bit.”

She passes me the scrap of paper and I see my own face staring back at me. “All good guys,” she tells my brothers with a wiggle of her fingers. “And as for the beard, it felt insane on my skin during my heat.”

“What the hell?” Oakley looks poleaxed, while Jordan actually falls off his chair. “Heat? What heat? Why are we only hearing about this now?”

But I just give them a finger wiggle of my own. “See you, dipshits.”

“Wait, wait, wait...!” They’re actually waving at the screen like that will stop me from ending the call, but I slap the iPad shut and roll onto my back, staring up at Cass. “And you think I’m too good to be real? You just gave me bragging rights for the next decade.”

“Glad to be of service.” She smirks, but holds out her hand. “Can I have it back now, please?”

I hand over the scrap of paper and lace my hands behind my head, watching as she unzips her purse and carefully tucks it inside. “You know, I’ll let you take a picture of me on your phone if you want.”

She cocks a brow, playing along. “Oh, yeah? And what would I have to give you in return?”

“Nothin’ much. Maybe just a kiss on the cheek, since I clearly need to shave the rest of my grizzly face.”

“Don’t you dare,” she rumbles, slinging a leg over my waist and putting her hands on my elbows, pressing me into the soft blankets. “I love your beard. I mean, it’s pretty obvious I love your whole face, but that beard is the bomb.”

“The bomb?” I snigger, playing along. “How so?”

“Because I only have to feel it between my thighs and I explode.” We stare at each other for a beat, and then she winks at me, Silva Sterling style.

“Now you’re just playin’ with a poor boy’s affections,” I mock-growl, lurching up and tickling her. Oh yeah, I know all this girl’s weak spots, and she squirms and shrieks until we’ve torn the poor nest to shreds.

---