Page 9 of Chosen Omega

“Morning Becca!” Mandy sounds like her usual peppy self, even though she still looks grumpy. “It’s your first day at a shifter school. Of course we are going to be up to see you off. Charles also gets up early to go to the office, so he volunteered to drive you to Howl University.”

“Oh, well, he doesn’t have to. I don’t mind walking.” My cheeks flush.

My parents never took me anywhere. The town outside of the Reservation isn’t that big. So walking never bothered me, but for some reason, I feel a rush of emotion at the thought of these wolves getting up to see me off and the Alpha of the community volunteering to drive me to school. I’m an adult, almost nineteen and I’m as giddy as a child at the thought of these people showing their affection in such simple ways. Sometimes my reactions to the things they do make me wonder why my parents were never as nice. I’m not a bad person, I wasn’t a bad daughter or friend, yet seeing how I’m treated here makes me wonder if the people around mewerebad parents and friends. I will never say that I was abused or neglected, but maybe I wasn’t given the same effort that I expended on others. Now that someone, multiple someones, are expending that energy, I don’t know how to feel about it.

“Nonsense, Little Wolf. I’m headed that way so it's no trouble to drop you off. Plus,” Charles looks over his shoulder and smirks. “Momma Wolf over there will worry sick if we let you walk. Save us all the heartache and just get in the car.”

The guys all laugh as Mandy scoffs. She grabs a cherry tomato from August’s hand and throws it at Charles. It hits him square in the head and me, August, and James all burst out laughing. Charles growls and narrows his eyes at Mandy who sticks her tongue out at him before sipping more of her coffee. Charles smiles indulgently at the silly woman and that look alone has my heart groaning in envy. I don’t want Charles, that thought alone is gross, but I want someone to look at me like that. I want to be adored and cherished. I want to be loved the way these men love Mandy. Apparently, all Omegas are treated like this by their Alphas. Abby said it’s impossible for me to be an Omega, but if I could choose a manifestation, I would have chosen Omega.

I circle the counter and sit by Mandy, thinking about all the manifestations and what I know about them. Abby says I’ll be a Beta because I’m Chosen. There isn’t anything wrong with being a Beta, the majority of wolves are Betas. I will be an amazing Beta, I’ll work hard and find a nice Beta man to love me and have amazing Beta children. My heart though, my heart longs to be more than a Beta. I want to take care of the pack, to be the reason that someone has a good day. In my heart, I want to be an Omega. I won’t say that out loud though. I won’t even think about it anymore because thinking about something that can never be will only make me go insane. So, I’ll talk to the Betas at school and make friends. I’ll flirt with a cute boy then come home and talk to Abby and Mandy about it. I’ll be the best fucking Beta this pack has ever seen.

“Little Wolf, you need to eat then you guys should get going.” August is standing in front of me, holding a plate with some fresh fruit and a breakfast sandwich. James is beside him holding a smoothie out to me. Blinking away the tears that want to fall, I smile and take them both with shaky hands. “Are you okay, Becca? You aren’t sick or something are you?”

August’s hand goes to my forehead while James watches me like a hawk. Charles’s head pops up between their shoulders, his brows pinching with concern. Mandy rubs a hand between my shoulders and takes the plate from my hand, setting it on the counter beside her. James quickly follows suit, taking my smoothie and putting it next to my plate while August moves his hand from my forehead. He moves both hands to my neck, feeling each side. I’m assuming he is feeling for any swelling, but he quickly moves on, examining me like he is giving me a check up.

“I’m fine, really. Just nervous about my first day of school.” I gently push August’s chest, getting him to back up so I can hop off the counter. I hug Mandy, then James, and finish with August before wrapping the sandwich in a napkin. “We should go so I’m not late and Charles can get to the office. Thank you guys so much for breakfast. I’ll see you when I get home.”

I start to walk down the hall to the garage. Mandy gave me a tour of the house, even pointed out CJ and his pack mates' rooms, yesterday. I pause at the door, waiting for Charles to tell everyone goodbye. I’m not sure what car we are taking, so I just stand there looking at all the vehicles in the garage. My favorite is Mandy’s purple Volkswagen bug, though, the sleek black Mustang GTO is a close second. When Charles walks in, I’m walking between the two cars, running my fingertips brushing over the shiny paint. He chuckles softly and my cheeks flare red again. His eyes are dancing with amusement and curiosity when he clicks the fob in his hand and the Mustang’s headlights flash and the locks disengage. Climbing into the passenger seat, I squirm on the leather, a happy hum bubbling from my chest when he starts the car and backs out.

“You know, Little Wolf, you can tell us if you’re upset. We won’t send you back to Abby, no matter what. We enjoy having you around the house.”

I take in his words and realize that for the last two days I've been walking on eggshells and trying to hide the volley of emotions that keep blooming in my chest. I don’t want to burden them or bother anyone, so I keep it all to myself and tell them what I think they want to hear. My parents hated when I would complain or even try to explain my day to them, so I got used to keeping it all inside and releasing my emotions into my art. I guess I was falling back into old habits. I don’t want to do that though. I want to be open and honest in this new life, so I’ll talk to Charles, I’ll tell him about what is bothering me and maybe he can help sort some of it out in my mind.

Chapter Ten

Howl Universty

“Ihavebeenkeepingit all inside, and I’m sorry. You guys deserve more than that. It’s not that I don’t trust you, because for some strange reason I do. It’s just … since waking up, I've had all these weird overwhelming emotions rushing through me. Everything everyone has done for me so far seems like too much. You and your pack accepted me into your home and treated me like family and I know that I’ll manifest as a Beta and don’t deserve the attention. So I keep trying to figure out what I can do to show you how appreciative I am, but then you guys act like you aren’t being generous and kind, and like this sort of behavior is just what people do. I’m not sure how to handle it or the emotions it stirs up in me.”

Charles is quiet as he turns out of the driveway. His expression shows that he is focusing on what I’m saying and really thinking about it before he gives his answer. I really like that about him. He always takes his time and makes sure what he is saying or doing holds meaning. James likes to joke and poke fun, but I can also see the fierce protector under his silly armor. August is the caretaker. He will do any and everything it takes to make sure you’re happy and healthy. All of the guys are amazing and together they are like the dads I always wish mine was. Mandy is the definition of a perfect mom too. But I guess that's what Omegas are, the mom of the pack, the heartbeat and love that keeps the wolves focused and civil.

“I can see why you’d be overwhelmed, Little Wolf.” Charles’s voice breaks me out of my thoughts and I turn to see him. We are close to the school now, but I won’t move until this conversation is over. “A lot has happened in the last week. Your whole life was flipped upside down and you met people who are no doubt nothing like you were expecting them to be.” We’re parked in front of the university now, so he turns to look at me. His arm is resting on the open window as he gives me his full attention. I can see other students milling around and glance at the clock to see I have ten minutes to get to class.

“Can I give you my advice?” I nod and hang on to his every word with rapture. “I’d say, talk to Mandy about all the emotions you’re feeling. She is an Omega and deals with so many emotions every day. She may be able to help you sort it all out and make heads or tails of what's going on in that mind of yours.”

His words make sense and I’m a bit embarrassed I didn’t think of it sooner. Of course Mandy would be able to help me sort through my thoughts. She is so attuned to her emotions because, as Abby explained it, Omegas are essentially ruled by their emotions. I want to think about it more, about why Omegas are such emotional creatures, but Charles keeps talking and I want to hear everything this enigmatic Alpha has to say. He’s like a new age Gandhi.

“Also, don’t worry about what you’ll manifest as until you do. The Gods have a plan for all of us and no amount of worrying will change their plan for you. Take you being at our house for example. We’ve tried for years to have another child. Mandy has wanted a girl for a while, but it just hasn’t happened. Then, August is working the ER rotation for another doctor and you get carried through the doors. He said that the moment he laid his eyes on you he knew you were meant to be our daughter. James agreed. The two of them practically lived at the hospital those two weeks you were recovering. Mandy was open to accepting you, no questions asked, but I was skeptical. Chosen wolves that didn’t make the decision for themselves can be unpredictable.” He looks apologetic as he explains that he was hesitant to accept me into the family as openly as the others, but I'd never hold that against him. It's smart to think before you act, especially when you’ve seen the worst case scenarios. “I asked them to invite you to dinner, but went ahead and applied to be your mediator. When I saw you cuddling Mandy on the couch that day, I knew it as surely as the others. You, Rebecca, were sent to us by the Gods as the answer to our prayers. You were always meant to be our daughter. Now, we just need to get past Friday and everything will fall as it is meant to.”

He places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes gently. I blink fast, trying to keep tears from ruining my makeup. Gods, I feel like since I became a wolf, all I do is fight off tears. My eyes water when I’m happy, or sad, or any fucking emotion. I was never like this before and it is annoying as hell. But the fact that I’m trying to fight off crying doesn’t change the impact of his words. They consider me their daughter, the answer to their prayers and the pressure to not disappoint them is immense. They are the parents I’ve always dreamed of having, and now Charles is telling me that they want me to be the kid they always wanted. It's too much, so instead of saying anything, I hug him then rush out the door. I stumble on the sidewalk and Charles is there before I can even straighten up. His hands find my elbows as he helps me steady my feet then he kisses my head and hands me a lunch bag.

“Have a great first day Little Wolf. I’ll text you periodically to check in and I’m sure the others will too.” He backs away to his car but stops with the door open, not getting in. Turning my way, a mischievous smile is on his face. “Full disclosure, I texted CJ and the boys and told them to look out for you.”

My mouth falls open and I can feel the wind drying out my wide eyes. Shit, there aren’t any other Alphas in the school, so if CJ and his pack want to make a nuisance of themselves, then I stand no chance of making normal Beta friends like I planned. Well, this is okay. I’ll just avoid the Alphas like the plague until I have a friend. Then they will see that I’m well taken care of and report back to the Alpha Pack that I’m fine. They can go about their way and I’ll go about mine. No big deal. My phone beeps and I pull it out of my bag and stuff my lunch in. I’m rushing to my class so I’m more than thankful that there aren’t many other students around. Still, I can feel the eyes on me as I read the message Mandy sent me.

Mandy: Hope you have a good day at school and that your conversation with Charles didn’t upset you too bad. He called me and said you may want to talk when you get home. I just want to let you know that I’m here when you need me, for whatever you need. See you later.

Smiling, I walk into the class and put my phone away. There are only two other students in the class and the professor hasn’t walked in yet. Unfortunately, there are only three desks in the room and the only open one is directly in the middle. I’ve never been one that enjoyed attention, my anxiety has always been an issue. Usually, I’d find a seat in the back of class as far from any other student as possible, but I just told myself I’d make friends. Holding my head high, I plaster a smile on my face and take my seat.

The other two students are both boys and the look on their faces is hard to understand. Both of them are looking at me like I’m an alien. The boy on the right is a cute brunette, his face is round but his body is muscular under his plain black shirt. His jeans are clinging to his thighs. Honestly, he is really cute, but he reminds me of Henry a bit and it's throwing me off.

The boy on the left is staring at my chest as if it's the next national treasure and giving off major creep vibes. His head is shaved bald and shining under the fluorescent lights a bit. His ears are gauged and the only ‘shirt’ he has on is a leather vest that matches the leather pants he's wearing. I never knew that leather could be baggy, but apparently it can. Both boys are wearing boots and now that I’m paying attention, they look like they may be related. Their eyes are the same hazel color and their builds are identical. Honestly, I can picture the guy on the left with brown hair and he would look identical to the other boy.

“Hi! I’m Rebecca.”

The boy on the left seems to snap out of whatever trance he was in and smiles widely at me. He holds his hand out and I shake it quickly then drop it with the pretense that I’m removing my bag from my shoulders so I can sit down. Opening the bag, I get out a notebook and the cute pen Mandy gave me. It's a light purple color and has a velvet material on the body of the pen with a fuzzy puff of purple on the end. At first it looked really girly, then I started writing with it and realized it's the best pen I’ve ever had.

“I’m Camden, that’s my brother Conner.”

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