Page 45 of Slick Handling

How the hell Fergus and Jimmy managed to get him to agree to court them was over everyone's heads.

Seeing his head on Clover’s lap had almost made me rip his pretty head off his body.

I couldn’t stick around the hotel and tell the guys that I had fucked up. That we had all fucked up and pushed the Omega too far. That McKinley was going to be heart broken and hate us for ruining his chance with her. Vaughn was forever going to be a shell of himself who thought that there was something wrong with him and that he was unloveable. Apollo was going to make us all sleep on expensive sheets for the rest of our lives and I’d have to give up my soft silk ones because he was never going to fumble a chance of courting an Omega again.

And me?

I am going to…

I didn’t have a plan. Maybe I’d punch something and that would make me feel better. Physical violence was usually a good way to get my head back on straight. That or put my dick in something.

Doubt that McKinley would be very interested in giving me a blowjob right now. Pretty sure that he would bite my cock off in anger.

Was little weed a bad nickname? Lemon drop was a sweet one and I was mad that cocky shit had thought of calling her that. Now I was stuck with calling her something that was offensive.

Weeds are resilient. Just like Clover. All the times people tried to tear her down she just kept on growing into herself.

She probably thought I hated her.

Maybe the nickname started out a little mean, but now it’s taken on new meaning and feels like something different for me.

Maybe I’m just trying to cover my ass.

By some miracle, I make it to the bus before it leaves me.

Coach is arguing with Apollo, which is a bad sign. Apollo was always his golden boy. I’m sure part of his DNA is Golden Retriever. Him arguing with the coach is probably my fault.

It seems like a lot of stuff is my fault lately.

“He’s here!” Vaughn grabs my arm and tugs me on the bus before Apollo can say anything. He’s dragging me to where we usually sit, counting the rows because he’s superstitious about the seating.

McKinley is not on the bus

His seat is empty and I look at Vaughn who just shakes his head like he doesn’t want to talk about it.

Not talking about it isn’t an option.

“She hates us,” I mutter as I sit down next to the window. Vaughn sits beside me, “Hockey is something I’ve always had. You and hockey. Now we’re in a pack with guys I love and about to make our dreams come true and it feels wrong. Why does it feel like it’s all wrong?”

My hand rubs at my face and I feel Vaughn’s head lay on my shoulder. He knows my love language is touch. It could be why I sleep around so much. This need to not feel like I’m always alone.

“Apollo is pissed. I thought that it was because McKinley threw a tantrum, but I don’t think we all talked about how we feel about Clover.”

Looking out the window I see Apollo still arguing with the Coach, his cheeks growing red from anger or cold. I’m not quite sure.

My gut twists as I think about how this is my fault. I’ve been throwing mixed signals. I kissed the poor Omega and didn’t think to talk to her for the rest of the week.

She’s been all alone and none of us Alphas have stepped up to the plate for her. An Omega shouldn’t be left alone like this. It makes sense why she turned volatile in the car with Apollo. She’s probably touch starved and scared.

And I had barged in when she was finally getting touch contact with someone because I was jealous.

“Shit,” Standing up, I see Vaughn look at me in confusion, “I can’t play today. Not when the Omega is distressed. I have to fix this.”

The way his brown eyes pinch together as if he doesn’t know if he should get up. I want him to. I want him to see that he can be happy again. Clover has already stepped up to show us she cares. It’s time that we do it too.

Vaughn’s teeth sink into his lip and he shakes his head.

“I can’t. I haven’t been-”

---