Page 1 of Omega's Reluctant Mate
Chapter 1 - Corey
Ithrew a stick and laughed as Tiny bolted down the beach, barking excitedly. He skidded in the sand as he reached it, turned, grabbed it, then raced back to me.
We played tug-o-stick for a minute before he released it and barked for me to throw it again, tail wagging so hard that his entire body moved side-to-side.
“Last one,” I declared as I prepared to throw the stick again. “You’re not the only dog on my schedule today.”
He huffed in his ‘I should be your only priority’ way, then took off again when I tossed the stick.
I readied his leash as he triumphantly trotted back, and didn’t even have to bend over to clip it to his collar—one benefit of him being a Great Dane. He panted from exertion as I brushed sand from his brindle coat, but refused to drop the stick.
I shrugged as we headed up the beach to Cody and Wes’s place. There was plenty of room around the patio steps for Tiny to leave his stick and it not be in the way. The staff knew to leave Tiny’s things where they were, so there was no concern that it would be thrown back onto the beach.
I waved at familiar faces as we walked, some regular people like me—maids, landscapers and pool cleaners—others the billionaires that I now considered part of my friend group.
Zaya was taking photos of his preschooler—Bryce—who appeared to be like his papa in being able to make social-media-worthy poses look easy.
David, the oldest of the resident omegas, was sitting on his back patio, watching his own toddler while keeping off his feet for the last trimester of his final pregnancy.
It was weird in a way. A year before I would have seen Zaya and David as nothing more than potential employers. After all, what did a dog-walker have in common with billionaires? Then my two best friends both mated men with far too much money, and I was looped in by association.
I still didn’t fully comprehend all the lifestyle changes they’d had to deal with, only enjoying the perks like private flights and food I’d never be able to afford on my own. But I’d heard enough talk about things such as security details and paparazzi problems to know that there were downsides as well.
Tiny barked and pulled on the leash as we approached Cody and Wes’s house, making me laugh again.
“That excited to be home?” I asked, glad that he was well-behaved enough to not pull me over. While I was far from weak, the dog easily had several pounds on me.
Tiny whined in response and I decided to let him off leash to run up the patio stairs on his own. He bounded up, and paced outside the door as I walked up.
“Wipe your feet,” I commanded, giggling as he pawed at a rug to knock any lingering sand from between the pads of his paws.
“Good boy,” I praised as I walked over and opened the patio door.
Tiny trotted inside and promptly hopped up onto the couch next to Cody, who was holding baby Joey—Joseph—in his arms.
I chuckled, still not used to seeing my grumpy friend with a baby and sitting on a couch that was worth more than my car. But he was happy, and that was what mattered.
“Give me that baby,” I demanded, holding out my arms.
Cody smiled and shifted to let me take Joey from his arms.
I accepted the baby and started cooing as he waved his little fists in front of me. I was more than ready to be a papa myself, but I was certain I had a fated mate out there, and it was just a matter of time.
“Was Tiny good?” Cody asked as he scratched behind the dog’s ears.
I chuckled. “Oh yeah. He’s a doll. We walked along the beach until he found a stick, then we played fetch for a bit before coming back.”
“I take it there’s a new stick by the patio stairs?”
“Of course,” I chirped.
“You and your sticks,” Cody said to the dog.
I grinned and leaned in for a whiff of baby-smell from Joey before making my way over to a chair and sitting.
“How long until your next appointment?” Cody asked.
I sighed. “Too soon. I’ve got time for lunch then I need to head to the other side of town and walk several from a condo building.”
