Page 2 of The Feisty Omega

The glow from the lights spilled onto the last couple of steps, urging me on. As I stepped past the wall, everything came into view. It was as magnificent as I’d expected. Fairy lights twinkling in many colors were looped across the windows, tinsel and ornaments hungeverywhere,hooked onto every possible ledge and crevice, and hanging from tiny nails hammered into the picture rail. Shiny, glittering bells and balls were scattered along the mantelpiece.

A white wolf with giant wings forever frozen in place stood in the middle of the mantelpiece, its muzzle reaching for the moon. When switched on, its eyes would glow gold and its mechanical head would sing a Christmas carol that always sounded suspiciously like a howl. It towered over the Christmas stockings pegged hopefully to a cord that ran from one corner of the mantel to the other. Maybe it was praying to the Goddess to fill the stockings. It was silly and obviously fake, but it was comfortingly familiar.

The tree itself had pride of place, standing tall and green, and yes, a little lopsided, in the corner, adorned in a million (noexaggeration) shiny glittery ornaments, dressed in a spiral of golden tinsel and sparkling with red, green, blue, purple and yellow lights. A silver star sat at the peak, crowning the tree, like royalty.

And underneath the tree, a myriad of parcels wrapped in papers of green and red and white…

I startled. Gasped.

Oh, my Goddess!

Lying under the tree amidst the jumble of red, green and white parcels, was something - a golden-brown wolf pup. He was sleeping, curled head to tail, oblivious to my presence. But one look at that sweet shape, one waft of that delicate omega scent, and I knew, Iknewthat wolf was destined for me. Santa had brought me a Christmas present. A real present. A playmate. Santa Wolf was real!

I whistled in appreciation, a long low whistle that actually was more a growl than anything human.

The little nostrils flared, scenting the air, scenting me I guessed. I should have been quieter.

My heart leapt into my throat and I swallowed excitedly. This was the best present ever. Did it know it was my present?

Two luminous golden eyes sprang open, watching me. I stood a little taller, puffed out my chest a bit. I wasn’t very built yet, having only just started my twentieth year and still in the throes of adolescence, but I couldn’t help but try to impress a little. There was a funny kind of snort from the young wolf.

His eyes were unblinking as they tracked my progress across the room. He didn’t move as much as a whisker as I approached him, just watched me with those bright golden eyes until I slid down onto the floor beside him, my legs crossed.

He had the soft shiny fur of a young teen, golden around his shoulders, tan colored over his back and haunches. Tiny white hairs sprinkled through his coat, and on the insides of his ears. I was overcome by an almost irresistible urge to touch the beautiful pelt to see if it was as soft as it looked.

I lifted my hand to touch the fur, then I hesitated. That was kind of personal, wasn’t it? For the first time in my life, I found the dichotomy of being a shifter confusing. Could I touch him while he was in wolf form or was that akin to unsolicited groping?

While I struggled with the question, hand hovering in mid-air, the wolf watched me with his golden eyes. A pink tongue slid out and swiped along his muzzle and he flicked one golden-brown ear at me. His head lowered and he turned away, tilting the back of his head towards me. It looked like an invitation. I held my breath and hoped I wasn’t committing some cardinal shifter sin as my hand drifted onto his fur.

Chapter 02

IRIAN

I know he’s there. I can hear him. He thinks I’m asleep, but I’m not. I’m lying here so still and quiet, listening. My wolf’s hearing is so good, I don’t even need to twitch my ears to hear him. I can make out his breathing, how slowly he’s moving. And I can’t miss the loud squeak of the wooden stairs as he steps on them. Oh, my Goddess! He’s so noisy! It’s a wonder the whole household hasn’t woken. Aha! He’s stopped again. It’s gorgeous the way he thinks no-one has heard him. He really does. This is fun. I’m glad I snuck in here to hide under the Christmas tree, though I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here.

Ooh! He’s seen me. I can tell because he growls and there’s a change in the ambience. What’s he going to do? Is he going to run away? I’ll be sad if he does. In truth, it’s a little bit lonely down here by myself, but I wanted to spend the night surrounded by all the lovely Christmas-y stuff, not tucked away in a bedroom with a bunch of other young wolves I don’t even know yet. I’ll know them by the end of the holidays, for sure, but not tonight as we arrived too late to meet everyone.

Next stage of this little game: I flare my nostrils.

He’s still there. I don’t actually need to make a show of scenting the air, I’ve been smelling his scent without even trying, before he was halfway down the stairs. But I do it because I want him to knowIknow he’s there. There’s something about him... I’m too young… but I undeniably feel a pull towards him. I don’t know what it is, but it feels important. I don’t know how I know this, but I’m certain we’re going to besomethingto each other. Maybe we’ll just be friends. I hope we don’t end up being enemies. That would suck. So far, this is the best Christmas ever, I don’t want to spoil it.

I open my eyes.

And from the way he's looking at me – like it’s Christmas, which it is by the way – and the way he’s licking his lips (I bet he doesn’t even know he’s doing that) – I think he’s at the very least intrigued. Maybe interested.

And ooh, now I draw my eyes away from his – and believe me that’s no small feat because they are stunning - I can see how gorgeous he is. He’s young, notthatmuch older than me I’d guess. Maybe a few years? I can see why I noticed his eyes first – they’re the most intense piercing eyes I’ve ever seen, a brilliant deep blue color. They’re mesmerizing. If it wasn’t for them, I’d have seen straight away how handsome he is, even though he’s clearly still developing – he hasn’t reached full shifter majority yet. His hair is dark, almost black, straight and wild, parted on the right and with a long mop of fringe curving down half-hiding his left eye, all mysterious-like. Haha! Short sides, and to the base of his neck at the back. All that flyaway hair makes him look fierce and wild.

My heart thuds in my chest in a crazy way.

The young alpha’s eyes are deep-set, and he has thick bushy brows, a symmetrical face (apart from the asymmetry of his hair) and oh my, perfect lips, the lower one particularly full and juicy. I want to nip it! Oops, where didthatthought come from? There’s a crease below them, above a triangular shaped jaw. A few wisps of hair show me he’s trying to grow a beard and a mo, and although there’s not much there yet, I can’t help thinking it looks amazing on him. It’ll be even better when it’s fully grown in. He's truly the best thing I’ve ever seen.

I don’t know him. I don’t know his name, I’ve never seen him before. But I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to stay away from him. The blessed Goddess looks after all her creatures. I thought these holidays might suck, but she’s brought me just where I need to be. I needed a shifter friend and I’m sure he’s going to be it.Alpha, though.

He's walking over to me.

He doesn’t speak. Sits down beside me, legs crossed. He raises his hand, tilts his head. The question is clear.

I flick my ear in response, offer the back of my neck, and as his hand tentatively strokes my pelt, I drape my neck over his thigh. It’s warm and firm, the perfect pillow. The hairs tingle as they bend and spring back, and I twitch at the slide of fingers against my skin. I huff involuntarily, but I can’t help it. It feels so good, and he smells so amazing… like the scent of the earth on a hot summer day, and sweat and musk, and wolf all rolled into one.