Page 73 of Met Your Mate

"Mm, our sweet omega likes our scents on her sheets," Lucas rumbles, making my scent flare in our little corner.

"Can I..." I trail off, reaching for the package.

"Of course," Lucas says with a shit-eating grin that I kind of want to lick and punch all at once. Damn him for being right. Just the thought of making them roll around on my new sheet when we get home has me all hot and bothered.

Elliott clears his throat. "Let’s check out and go wander the beach for a little before we head home for hot dogs."

"Oh yum! With barbecue chips?" I ask, feeling giddy.

"Of course, my love," Ronan murmurs, dropping a kiss to my temple and swiping his card.

All thoughts of nesting vanish in the wake of dinner being mentioned and the promise of a salty breeze ruffling my hair. And of course, watching my mates’ asses trek the shore line.

An omega could get used to this.

Chapter Fifty-Five

CASEY

My blood is absolutely buzzing. Not only because my omega is staring around the bookstore with awe plastered on her porcelain features, but also because of Elliott's promised retribution.

Since we took Freya shopping a week ago, she's become more comfortable exploring our little town. Today is for books. Books and no alphas.

You can imagine how that went down. An argument between me and three protective as fuck alphas. All while my brat of an omega just sat there and watched, nibbling on her carrots with humor dancing in her eyes.

I think she enjoys watching us battle out our issues, if I'm being honest. I can't blame her. She spent years watching us live separate lives from her and each other, so I think she enjoys seeing us coexist. Maybe it’s a bit of payback too. I don't know, but she for sure could have helped sell my case on no alphas and walking to the bookstore.

Another perk of being under the protection of the OPS has been the unlimited resources, like the one that's sitting in the driveway at home. I don't know vehicles, but it seats the whole pack, and it's black and shiny.

I like it, but today is a beautiful day, and damn if I wasn't going to spend as much time with Freya as possible. So a ten-minute walk to the bookstore with a backpack compromised by water and snacks forced onto me by Ronan has been absolutely glorious.

She's absolutely glowing lately. Even with some of her cranky mood swings, I've never been happier to see her expressing herself.

Browsing the shelves by myself, I start making my way to her platinum beacon a few aisles over. Tugging my phone out, I plan to take a candid photo of my beautiful girl because we're at the most Instagrammable bookstore after all.

Rounding the corner, I trip over my own feet when I'm fucking slammed with her thick scent of whipped cream and chocolatey almond bark. My phone clatters to the ground, but all I see is my omega keeled over with her hands wrapped around her middle.

I'm rushing to her before it's even a conscious thought. "Freya," I cry on an exhale. "Baby, what's wrong?"

She doesn't have to say anything, because the moment I wrap my hands around her bare biceps, I know.

"Oh fuck. Freya, baby, you're in heat."

"No shit!" she snaps around a whimper of pain and... fear? Through our thin bond, her anxiety calls to me, heightening mine.

"Okay. Alright," I murmur. "Fuck, why did we walk here?!"

"Shut up," she grits out, still bent in half. "Too loud."

At least I didn't take her somewhere noisy.

"We can't walk home with you like this," I whisper, but mainly to myself. I reach for my back pocket, only to remember I dropped my phone.

I don't want to let go of her, worried she might fall and hurt herself if I'm not here to hold her up. Not thinking too much about it, I shove my hand into her sweatpants pocket one at a time only for the little brat to tease me.

"You missed. My pussy is here." She torments me by moving my hand and trying to shove it down the front of her waistband.

"Christ baby. No not here," I hiss. "Where's your phone?"

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