Page 44 of Ruffled Feathers

Yeah, the two of them could make quite the convincing pair. The iron fist and the velvet glove.

Tillie reached over and squeezed Truett’s hand. “I understand. Honestly, I don’t know what I would’ve said anyway, if I’d had to tell them. I’m kind of glad it was you.” She smirked, and I wanted to kiss her. “Sorry you had to be the sacrificial lamb.”

Lifting her fingers to his lips, he kissed her knuckles. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, firecracker.”

Romantic bastard.It worked, though, because Tillie climbed off the couch and straight into his lap. Seeing them together like this, the girl I’d loved forever and my Packmate, who I’d loved even longer, made my heart swell in my chest. They kissed, and I tried not to stare like a creeper.

It helped that I wasn’t the only one watching enviously, as both Strat and Lance couldn’t seem to drag their eyes away. While they kissed, and kissed, and kissed, I looked over at Strat. He looked almost…wistful. Envious. It was hard to navigate this part, but I was going to try. I was the head Alpha of my little Pack of two, which meant that it was my job to ensure everyone was happy.

“Omega,” I said softly, drawing his eyes. “What do you need?” It was a rumbling question, almost more Alpha than my own voice.

He shook his head. “So many things, Alpha. Things I’m not sure I’m allowed to have.” I wasn’t wrong. There was sadness in his tone, and it burned my nose. I held out my arms, and hedidn’t rush into them, but he edged closer and closer until he was at my side.

I wrapped his large body in my arms, holding him close. “Tell me what you want, Strat, and I’ll do my very best to make it happen.” I stroked my hand down his arm, until I could entwine our fingers. He had pretty hands. Long, strong fingers and wide palms. I bet his parents had been surprised he didn’t designate Alpha, an anomaly for sure, but I thought he was beautiful. “You’re so perfect.”

I wanted to court him. To ask if he’d let us make him ours, but there was more than just me in this Pack now. I had to speak to them first, even though I was almost sure neither of them would protest.

Instead, I kissed the side of his head and made the only promise I could make. “This isn’t an ending, Strat. This is a beginning. You have my word.”

He looked at me with wide, appraising eyes, and I left my truths right there, written all over my face. I was having two Omegas, and no one would stop us.

Apparently, Truett and Tillie had stopped making out, because she let out a long, put-upon sigh. “Do you think the parents will let me blame all the animals on my Omega nesting?”

I mean, it was possible, but unlikely. She’d been this way long before she designated.

Truett shrugged. “I can keep a couple at my apartment.”

I shook my head. My apartment had a no pets policy, so I was out.

Lance cleared his throat from where he stood near the doorway. “I may have a solution.”

Twenty-Three

Otillie-James

This had been the weirdest week of my life. That included the time I’d picked wild mushrooms for my soup when I was thirteen and gotten one of the wrong kind. I’d spent three days thinking I was a cupcake with special powers, while I recovered in a hospital in Montana.

I’d gone from zero to a thousand with the guys and Strat, and I couldn’t even find it in myself to feel bad about it. The whole thing had felt right on a soul-deep level. It was like my heart washome.

Except when I looked at Lance. Then all I felt was shame. I’d basically coerced the poor guy into eating me out.Fuck, I’m an awful person.

I’d fully expected him to be gone when my heat broke, but I should have known better. Lance was loyal to a fault, and he’d kept this whole animal operation running while I’d been vagina up for five days. I’d have to apologize. I’d have to find him somewhere else to live. Maybe I could convince Truett to put him and Akio up in his apartment, just until I found something more suitable.

We were all piled into the Range Rover, Akio with his head out the window, Lance in the front seat as he directed us outsideof town. We drove about thirty minutes outside of the city limits, and the suburbs slowly turned into more rural areas.

I held my phone in my lap, my screen open on a new text to Strat. I was trying to work out the etiquette around texting after a heat. Did I tell him I missed him already and hated that our group had to be separated? My Omega literally whined at the thought that Strat wasn’t right here in touching distance.

And that was a fucking weird thing in itself. Having these opposing feelings, like there were two beings now trapped inside my body. The Omega, whose needs and desires were mostly like mine, with a definite hedonistic tint to them. She really didn’t care about logistics—just about what she wanted.

She wanted Strat. She didn’t care that she wassupposedto feel territorial about other Omegas near her Alphas. Actually, the idea of any other Omegas near Truett, Sonny, or even Lance made me growl low in my throat, making Truett throw me an appraising glance. I swallowed it down.

Strat was definitely the exception to the rule. Because the idea of anyone else touching Strat that way also made her mad.

Fuck it.

Me: Miss you already.

I sent the message, then tossed my phone face down across the seat.Jesus. How desperate can I be?What if he’d just wanted some heat partners and that was it? What ifhedidn’t want to share Alphas with another Omega?

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