Page 20 of The Feisty Omega
“Don’t argue with me!” snapped my mother. “It’s not up for discussion. It’s already been arranged.”
“But I…”
“Know your place, omega!”
I slumped into my seat, stunned. My mother was an alpha, and I still hadn’t forgiven her for embarrassing me with a compulsion in front of Tal and his friends last Christmas, but she’d never verbally acknowledged the alpha/omega hierarchy with me before. As an omega, I was expected to be submissive. For all the fact I’d had unusual independence for an omega, I realized now that was simply because it had suited my parents to leave me to my own devices. It had meant they could follow their own interests. But now that they had an interest in my future benefit to them – presumably through a union with Alpha Moray’s son – they wanted me to behave like a traditional omega.
This was so unlikely to happen, that I didn’t even bother correcting them. I glowered silently through the entire meal, and as soon as dessert was over, retreated to my room.
I was an omega, but I was no pushover. If they didn’t know their own son better, that was on them, not me.
???
Finally, finally, we got to the day before Christmas. At last!
It seemed like I’d been waiting forever and as the kilometers passed beneath our wheels, and the sprawling estates gave way to tall eucalypts blurring past the windscreen, tension filled my gut. I couldn’t wait to see my friend, Tal, again and yet, I was having mixed feelings. A year was a long time. Would he even remember me? He was several years older… maybe this year, he’d see me as the kid I actually still was.
Fuck. Anticipation warred with trepidation. Now I wasn’t so eager to go and find him… what if he brushed me off? What if wehadbeen friends, but we weren’t anymore? That would be worse than never having been friends at all.
By the time the car pulled into the driveway at the Moray compound, my gut had tied itself in knots. I cast an uncertain look towards Tal’s house at the far end of the yard, my incisors abrading the soft tissue of my bottom lip, then I began hauling bags out of the trunk.
The Alpha and his mate were greeting my parents enthusiastically. Mar was nowhere in sight, thank the Goddess.
“Irian,” Alpha Moray nodded at me.
“Alpha.”
“Hello Irian, it’s good to see you again,” the Alpha Mate’s smile was gentle and kind. “Just put those inside the door and Mar will take everything to the bedrooms later.”
I stepped over the threshold, subtly sniffing. Each family had its own distinct scent. Their house always had a strong alpha aspect to it. The Alpha Mate was speaking again, “I’m sorry but my daughter, Elicia, has a friend staying these holidays. She’s an alpha too, so we’ve given her our extra guest room. I’m afraid that means you’ll either have to sleep out here on the couch, or share Mar’s room, Irian.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I’ll sleep in the dorm with the young wolves like I did last year,” I could barely believe my good luck. Staying in the Morays’ house would be as restrictive as fuck. I’d be under the watchful eye of my parents the whole time, and I didn’t think I could stand being under the same roof as Mar for very long either.
The Alpha Mate patted the couch. The fabric was plush and the cushions appeared plump and firm.
“You’re welcome to sleep on the couch, I’m told it’s very comfortable to sleep on.”
“No, it’s fine, really. Sometimes I sleep at odd times during the day,” I lied, “and I won’t want to be in the way. The dorm was fine last year. Thanks anyway.”
Mar entered the room scowling, “You could sleep in my room, y’know, instead. Hanging out with all the pups is hardly appropriate. And boring.”
This guy! I wanted to roll my eyes, but I couldn’t with the Alpha and Alpha Mate standing nearby. Instead, I forced a smile and said, “I had a lot of fun with them last year. They seemed to appreciate having one of the older guys hanging out with them.” And no, that was totally not a dig at Mar, Mr. Future Alpha of the pack. Not much, anyway.
“I don’t know why you’d want to do that,” he scoffed, a disapproving expression on his face. I fumed silently.Like I don’t know my own mind.
I shrugged. “I guess I’m closer in age to them.” Delivered with a smile and deliberately looking oblivious, I got away with it. Then before anyone could try to dissuade me further, I turned back to the Alpha Mate.
“Do I need to take blankets down there or are there already some on the beds?”
“Mar will help you take some down,” the Alpha Mate replied, leveling a stern look towards her disgruntled son. Mar’s scowl deepened but he didn’t say anything. It was only later, as we were carrying the blankets down to the dormitory that he started on the topic again.
“I don’t see why you want to do this. You could sleep in my room. On a spare mattress. On the floor,” he was practically whining. His voice was really starting to grate on my nerves. I had the feeling he was used to getting his own way. Maybe that was the privilege of being the Pack Alpha’s son.
Or maybe he meant well, but I had a feeling I’d be relegated to the floor because I was an omega, while he enjoyed the comfort of the bed. Unlike when I stayed overnight at Tal’s house, where we had always ended up falling asleep on the same mattress – either his or mine - after hours of talking. But then again, I was also quite certain I wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing a bed with Mar, even lying on top of the covers like I did with Tal.
We hadn’t made it to the dorm, when one of the young shifters spotted me.
“Hey! Guys! Irian’s back,” she shouted as she rushed up to us. Next thing I knew, a pair of surprisingly strong arms wrapped around my middle. The stack of blankets I was carrying wobbled alarmingly, and despite my best efforts to prevent it, toppled.