Page 30 of Sweet Omega
Ludiin
Ludiin stared down at his connector, a shaky breath leaving his lungs as relief washed over him. He hadn’t answered.
Thank God, Ludiin thought as he made his way out the gate, the dread coiled tight in his stomach at the thought of facing him again finally unravelling.
Tarymn.
Just the name alone made his breath hitch. Every moment in the alpha’s presence felt like a disaster waiting to happen. Worst of all were the tingles that sparked under his skin whenever they accidentally brushed shoulders or fingers, tiny currents that left him rattled for hours.
He was trying hard to forget what had happened between them. But how could he, when being near Tarymn made it impossible to breathe, impossible to think?
With a sharp shake of his head, Ludiin pushed the thoughts aside and ordered a shuttle, making sure to request a beta operator.
Since he was at school, the wait was mercifully short. The shuttle glided to a stop, its door opening with a low hiss. Ludiin climbed inside, sliding all the way to the back, his satchel clutched to his chest like a shield. The ride was blissfully uneventful, silent, and peaceful. Just the way he liked it.
As soon as he stepped into the house, he wished the silence would have continued. Luci came flying toward him, eyes sparkling with a light that gave Ludiin pause.
“Finally!” Luci exclaimed, grasping his wrist and tugging him toward the sitting area. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
We?
Ludiin’s gaze drifted past him to the omega standing at the center of the room. The stranger’s eyes glowed an almost unnatural shade of blue, alive with an emotion Ludiin couldn’t place.
Happiness? Excitement? Whatever it was, it made him look weightless, like he was ready to float away on invisible wings. Radiant. Beautiful.
His smile carried an effortless confidence that made Ludiin’s stomach twist with envy. He and Luci radiated the same kind of brightness, the kind Ludiin could never manage, no matter how hard he tried.
Why can’t I be like that?he thought bitterly, watching the two of them glow.
“We should get started,” the omega said, stepping closer, his smile widening.
“Started with what?” Ludiin asked warily, glancing at Luci.
“Tyn is here to make your outfit for the party,” Luci announced, practically bouncing in place. “Isn’t this exciting?”
“No,” Ludiin muttered with a sigh. “I don’t need new clothes. It’s just a party, Luci. There’s no reason to make a big fuss.”
“This is not just a party, Ludiin,” Luci scolded gently, lifting his chin as though delivering a decree. “It’s your… debut. You have to look good. Now come, we don’t have much time.”
Before Ludiin could protest, Luci was tugging him to the center of the room. Tyn stepped forward his hands moving over Ludiin’s body as he measured his arms, legs, shoulders and places Ludiin hadn’t even known mattered when tailoring clothes. Heat rose to his cheeks as the measuring tape skimmed his back and hips.
“All of this looks expensive,” he mumbled, stiffening under the touch. “We don’t have…”
“Don’t worry about that,” Luci interrupted, grinning. “Hym said he’d take care of it. Maybe I should get myself an outfit too, since he’s paying.”
“Don’t,” Ludiin snapped. “We’re not here to burden them. They already took us in.”
“Fine,” Luci sighed dramatically, folding his arms.
Tyn stepped back, retrieving his e-reader from the couch. “Do you have a design in mind? Something you’d like?” he asked, his bright eyes curious.
Ludiin stared at him blankly.
“Come,” Luci said, dragging him to the couch. For the next two hours, Ludiin endured the torture of flipping through endless design sketches and brushing his fingers over fabric swatches that all felt the same to him. By the time Tyn finally packed up and left, Ludiin was seconds away from tearing his own hair out.
Before Luci could think of something else for him to do, he fled upstairs. He washed his face, changed his clothes, and sought refuge in his den.
The moment he stepped inside, a smile tugged at his lips without him meaning it to. The space was still bare, but italready felt like his. He twirled toward the stack of boxes in the corner and began unpacking, muttering to himself as he arranged things exactly where he wanted them. He bent to lift a box, grunting at the weight, when the soft thud of footsteps made him freeze.
