Page 29 of Big Knot Energy (Shadowverse)

Ax and Cyrus hung back a little with me, but all three of us kept a close eye on Issa. The animal was behind the fence, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t get bit if she wasn’t careful.

As we watched her, though, it was obvious this wasn’t her first time around one of these animals as she laid her hand flat with the apple, then rubbed her free hand along the horse’s head and down her neck.

“Why was Amir working on that car in a dress so fucking hot?” Ax asked as he leaned against a post aways down from where Issa glanced in our direction periodically. “I don’t know if it was the dress, his dark skin covered in grease, or the whole fucking scene, but I’m about to burst through my damn jeans,” he said, adjusting his bulge.

She smiled and shook her head, but her cheeks went pink before she turned her head at the sound of hooves hitting the ground hard and fast.

“Hi, Pearl,” she said sweetly as an all-white horse appeared and shoved her way closer for a treat.

“Did she have horses with her family pack?” Cyrus asked.

“No idea,” I said.

Because Issa wasn’t exactly open about her past, like she refused to think about her previous life. Or maybe she just didn’t want to relive it by talking about it with us.

“We should get her one. We have the property for it. We’d just need a few things,” Cyrus said.

“Like a barn, saddle, food…” Ax started, but cut off when Amir’s steps caught our attention.

He hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d said his shower would be quick. His hair was damp and hanging in wet curls around his face. His warm, brown skin was free of grease and sweat, and he’d pulled on a pair of fitted jeans and a t-shirt.

“Sorry. I wasn’t sure what the dress code was for today. I can change if this is too casual,” he said, stepping closer to Issa and pressing a kiss to her cheek before giving each of us a quick peck on our cheeks.

Not all male omegas were actually attracted to men; they only accepted a male alpha in their bed during the heat to help with the pain and fever.

It might have been wishful thinking, but it sure as fuck seemed as though Amir was attracted to all four of us and not only our beta.

“You’re dressed fine. Issa declared we make our first date casual,” Ax said, winking at her when she turned a forced frown on him.

She’d donned a pretty sundress that covered her shoulders – and the mark she hated – but was short enough to give us all a display of her long, beautiful legs. The dip in front also gave us a hint of her cleavage.

Yep. I was a boob man.

Then again, I was also an ass man. I didn’t discriminate; a beautiful body was a beautiful body.

Issa gave each horse one more scratch, then joined us, leaning into Amir when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders as we walked toward the SUV.

Damn it. I had hugged her, had even draped my arm around her the way the omega was now, but she never seemed as though she was as relaxed in my arms as she was with Amir.

Maybe after her little chat with Ax last night, shit would start to change.

I still couldn’t believe she didn’t know we wanted her. I supposed we could have been more overt about it, but we’d wanted to give her time to heal after the bullshit she’d endured, hadn’t wanted to rush her or make her feel pressured into anything with us.

Amir glanced over his shoulder, then reached out a hand when Ax picked up his pace to catch up. The omega smiled as Ax took his hand.

Cyrus turned raised brows to me as we followed behind the trio.

This was a good sign, right? The omega was definitely into Issa. And he’d greeted us each with a peck to our cheeks after he’dshowered and changed. Now, he was seeking touch from one of his – possible – future alphas.

Omegas were all about comfort and touch. Then again, most omegas wouldn’t have been outside working on a vintage Thunderbird, either. At least none of the omegas I’d ever met.

I’d also only come across a few male omegas and they’d all been petite, small, and a little on the meeker side.

I liked that Amir was bigger. Meant he wasn’t fragile. I liked that he’d had zero problem flirting with then fucking Issa even though he’d come to The Vault to meet us. He wouldn’t have recognized our scents on Issa since we hadn’t met before that night, so it had merely been Issa’s beauty and appeal that had reeled him in.

Shit. She’d reeled us in before we’d even truly gotten a real look at the woman beneath the bruising and swelling. For someone who’d been mistreated by alphas her whole life, she seemed to trust us. And fuck if that didn’t make me swell with a pride.

“So where are we going today?” Amir asked, offering his hand to Issa as she climbed into the backseat. The big dude didn’t act like a needy, demanding omega. Yet another brownie point earned in his favor.

---