Page 1 of Stella

Chapter1

Stella

Monday was trying its best to take the prize for Worst Day of the Year.

First off, my coffee maker broke. I managed to lick up a few drops that trickled sadly out of the spout but burned my tongue in the process.

Even though my car had only come back from the mechanic a week ago, it wouldn’t start until I’d cursed at it for ten minutes straight.

I’d slept on my neck weirdly, so the right side pinched every time I moved.

And judging by the cramps coming from my ladybits, I was going into heat early.

Great. So great.

If I’d had a pack, being an omega in heat would mean spending a week having the best sex of my life, but since my last pack dumped me, I was flying solo. I didn’t know if my dildo collection was up to the task again. My last solo heat was miserable, but since there were no prospective packs on the horizon, I didn’t have many options.

I could have gone to an omega center, but they were all so sterile and professional, it made any sort of connection I could have found shrivel up.

No doubt there were several random packs in the Half Moon Bay area that would be more than willing to see me through a heat, but I didn’t know anyone well enough. Maybe I was too picky, but being in heat was one of the most vulnerable periods in an omega’s life. I didn’t want anyone to “accidentally” mate bite me.

At least my pack dumped me before we sealed the deal with mate bites. I shuddered to think of what would have happened if I bound myself to them forever, only for their steady erosion of my personality to come out.

I still had my weekly meeting with my sisters and cousins. I arrived at Hot Perks early and got a Venti mocha Frappuccino with extra syrup and whipped cream.

I claimed the best seat, an overstuffed armchair facing the door. While I waited for my sisters and cousins to arrive, I flipped through my planner, counting how many clients we were onboarding this week to the family business.

My grandmother started Cosmic Bonds, a matchmaking agency that in addition to the more mainstream personality questions also used birth charts, tarot readings, and crystals to help the members of the community find their true mates.

With over seven acres of land near the California coast and surrounding woodlands there was plenty of room to expand cottages into a resort.

My parents and aunts and uncle expanded it from matchmaking to a resort. Packs and couples could hold retreats and unwind. Now in addition to matchmaking, we had several swimming pools, mud baths, yoga and Pilates classes, saunas, and massages.

It was a lot of work, but my family wanted to keep the vision our parents had alive. My parents and uncle and aunts died in a plane crash that Ember, my cousin, miraculously survived.

My oldest cousin Raina, a rare female alpha, had turned eighteen three days prior, and stepped up to raise the rest of us.

It was some of the worst years in my life, but we came out of it stronger. My family was always there for me, something my last pack couldn’t handle.

Brock, Tyler, and Kyle liked how close I was with my family at first. But by the end, any mention of them would make them all scowl and remind me I was with them, not my family.

I sighed and opened my planner. That was the past. I was a look to the future kind of girl, and right now, I had a family meeting and a giant coffee filled with caffeine and sugar to look forward to.

I added some shiny stickers to next week’s spread of dates.

Spread. Paper planning could sound so dirty. I snickered to myself and pulled out my foil washi tape. I was halfway through the next week when Raina arrived.

My oldest cousin was the only one of the seven of us who bothered to look somewhat businesslike in a gray pantsuit. Her brown hair was pulled into a bun, and her make up perfectly understated. She was the picture of high-powered lady alpha on the go.

She caught sight of me and frowned, no doubt wondering why I was already here. Instead of going to the counter to get her boring dark roast with two sugars, she redirected over to me and sat down.

“It’s about time you got here.” I didn’t look up from my stickers. One more Venti mocha Frappuccino, and I could hear colors.

I felt Raina’s laser beam eyes and looked up.

Raina stared with the strength only an alpha could pull off. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I added another sticker to next week’s spread. I’d found coral pieces that looked like dicks and lined them up on Wednesday.

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