Page 15 of Knot Our Omega

Penn walked over and put his hand on my arm but quickly removed it. “Why?”

“I forgot to make the coffee?”

Wilder turned around from the cabinet where he was pulling a jar of honey down. “Rumor, everyone in this house is perfectly capable of brewing coffee. If one of us doesn’t, another will. There’s nothing to apologize for.”

Huh. “Okay.”

We worked together, taking out plates and silverware and placing all the food on the table before everyone sat down. I was offered coffee by more than one of the packmates, but I declined.

The last thing I needed was to be feisty.

“Everything smells incredible, Rumor. Thank you for this. Really.”

They said that, but none of them had moved to fill their plate. Was something wrong? Had I missed a step or fumbled over some manners?”

One way to find out. “You’re welcome, but why aren’t you eating?”

Vargas smiled at me. He had warm eyes. Inviting even. “We are waiting for you to eat, omega. In this house, alphas eat last. Would you like me to make one for you?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Which part?” Penn asked.

Chapter Ten

Wilder

“Which part?” Penn asked Rumor as she sat, wide-eyed. Her posture had shrunk back a bit as we sat around the table.

At first, when we walked down, she seemed torn and now, it was like she was turning invisible by the second. Had we done something to offend her?

“I don’t understand why you would wait for me to get a plate. Omegas eat last, and not with the family.” She jerked from the table as though it burned her. “I shouldn’t even be sitting here. I’ve forgotten my place. I’m sorry.” She stood and turned away. “I need to start cleaning up my mess.”

Not on my watch. I rose before she could take a step, and grabbed her by the waist. She gasped as I picked her up and sat her back down in the chair. “That’s not the way we work.”

“I-I don’t…”

Understand,I finished for her in my head.

I reached out for the hand closest to me, and she didn’t pull away. “Rumor, please listen to us. One day, you’ll be able to tell us what happened at your parents’ home and under their care, but for right now, we need to let you know how our home will be run now that you are here.”

A tear slipped from one of her eyes, and she was shaking. Was she scared of us? Either way, the sight of this beautiful female crying stopped any further words from escaping my mouth.

I looked to Vargas, who nodded and said, “We value omegas here, Rumor.”

Her natural perfuming grew sharp in my nose.

“Only one omega, right?” Penn said, correcting Vargas’s slip of the tongue.

“Of course. You, Rumor. You’re the only omega who has ever been here.” The only one who would ever be, as far as I was concerned, and I was sure my bond brothers felt the same. The scent of attraction and lust bloomed in the air as soon as she arrived. Vargas continued, “Where we come from, omegas eat first. They are special and revered. Good alphas make sure their omega is well taken care of, and that starts right now with breakfast.”

“You…” Her voice shook. Gods, what had they done to her? “You want me to eat with you? Only pack eats together.”

The brainwashing ran deep. Wherever Rumor had gotten her information about omegas and how packs work, well, I wanted to line them up and give them a piece of my mind and my fists.

“You are a member of this household now,” I assured her. “We are a pack and you are now a member of this pack. Not officially yet, but you have all the rights and privileges we all do.”

“You want me in this pack?” Her green eyes flicked to mine, searching for confirmation. At least she knew I would tell her the truth.

---