Page 19 of Happy Valentine's Day, Omega
There is a hint of a smile in his reply. "You fascinate me, Natalia Alvez."
I scoff and turn my head away from him. "That's not a good basis for choosing a life partner."
"Why not? I know I'm never going to be bored with you as my Omega."
"You need to ask for your money back," I deadpan. If only he could see me roll my eyes.
"No, why would I do that?" He sounds genuinely upset at the thought.
Does he really not understand how poor of a choice he's made? I guess I need to lay out the facts for him.
"Because I'm not a good Omega. Everyone says so."
"Who is everyone?"
"The academy that literally assigns grades to Omegas based on their worth as a potential mate for an Alpha."
"Ah. Well, I'd have to disagree with their assessment."
I grunt, perturbed by his dismissal of evidence that would've made ninety-nine percent of Alphas run screaming for the hills.
"I'm not traditional."
"I know."
"I'm not demure."
"No, but you have fire."
"I'm extremely competitive."
The dumbass is smiling, I know it. "Yes, you are. You're going to keep me on my toes."
I frown.
"I'm a tomboy."
"I know."
Annoyed, I throw my hands up in exasperation. "Don't Alphas want a pretty, fashion-focused Omega on their arm?"
The air shifts, and his voice is suddenly at my height. He's crouched in front of me.
"Not all Alphas want the same thing, Natalia. And I think an Omega with fire and an independent way of thinking will suit me far more than a submissive, traditional Omega ever could."
I melt a little. My cold, combative heart squeezes, and a slice of hope slides in. The way he talks about me, it's like my negative traits are positives to him.
His face is so close that if I leaned forward, I could…
Nope. Not going to do that.
I gather my stubbornness like a shield and straighten in the chair.
"And if I don't want a mate?"
His voice softens. "I think you've been told you won't have a mate for a long time, and you're protecting yourself from getting hurt."
He hits the trauma-induced nail right on the head.
