Page 8 of The Feisty Omega
The little omega clung to my hand.
“Okay,” said my dad. “Who remembers what the rules are?”
“I remember!” chirped the little alpha at my dad’s knee. “Only one present at one time for anyone. Make sure everyone has one, before taking one for ourselves.”
“Very good,” he nodded in agreement.
“And keep going until there are none left,” added the little omega on the end of my hand, finding her courage at the thought of a present being left out.
“Very good,” my dad smiled approvingly. “So… what are you all waiting for?”
All three darted away, my hand left hanging, no longer required, as they scurried to begin. It was almost a sacred task, and the youngest of the tribe always felt immensely important as they carried out this responsibility. I knew because I’d been that kid entrusted with the sacred task a few times, though it was many seasons ago now.
As the kids grabbed presents from under the tree, peering intently at the labels trying to decipher the handwriting, and handing the present to its intended recipient before rushing back to the tree to pick up another, I stepped around the increasing chaos of torn paper and excited children, to find Irian.
His eyes met mine, brown depths flashing with amusement, the sunlight streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows catching the golden highlights of his hair. His cheeks were plump with smiles, and his perfect white teeth flashed as he grinned.
“This is amazing,” he murmured. “I can’t believe how much fun those kids are having.”
“It’s pretty good, I guess.”
Irian’s eyebrows arched.
“I mean, we do this every year, so the novelty wears off,” I said, then shamefacedly I backtracked. “Between you and me? I still like it, it’s just not cool to admit it once you get to a certain age, okay?”
Irian’s laugh was like having a bucket of sunbeams emptied over me. His Adam’s apple bobbed and he wrapped his arms around himself, rocking back and forth as if desperately trying to hold his mirth in.
I shot him a reproachful look, but couldn’t help joining in. Before long the two of us were giggling and sniffling so hard, we were attracting strange looks from the adults around us, but as everyone was busy receiving and unwrapping presents, nobody questioned us.
“Here, Uncle Tal,” the little beta shoved a parcel in my hands and raced off back to the tree.
Chapter 04
IRIAN
Tal’s extended family was huge. There may have been only eight adults, but there were at least twenty younger kids and a handful of teens, mostly older than me. I knew that most shifter families were large, but it really highlighted how unusual my family was and correspondingly, how different my upbringing. Still, I wasn’t going to worry about that. Tal had said it was okay for me to be here, and that was all that mattered.
I could see the little ones needed a little encouragement to get settled in their places. I wasn’t an adult andIwasan omega, so I knew how to get them to calm down. I felt pretty pleased with myself when I transformed the chaos into a semicircle of children all sitting eagerly under the tree. The appreciative smile I got from Tal from across the room made it more than worthwhile.
It seemed I had gotten the attention from some of the adults too, because an alpha who turned out to be Tal’s sister began talking to me. Tal kept glancing over at me. I guessed he was checking I was okay, but so far his family had been super-nice, if a little chaotic and nobody seemed to mind, or even find it unusual, that I was there.
After an older Alpha made a short speech, three of the littlest kids, an alpha, a beta and an omega, started giving out the presents. It was so much fun to watch because it got crazy really quickly, with the kids pouncing on their gifts as they received them. Shredded paper was flying in all directions. Haha! So much fun!
There were a few kids around my age standing back and lurking in the corners and accepting their gifts looking for all the world as if they didn’t care. They were unmistakably alphas and I noticed with surprise how few omegas were in the room. It seemed that Tal’s family was heavy with alphas and I was surprised the atmosphere in the room wasn’t more intense.
The teens might have been bored, but the kids and adults were obviously having a fantastic time. It was quite a sight; seeing them totally absorbed in the ritual of family presents, new parcels being ripped open, adding to the toys and books and colored pens already scattered around the floor. Someone brought out a tray piled high with slices of Christmas cake and hands were grabbing for them so fast I thought for sure some folks were going to miss out. There was pushing and squealing and crumbs going everywhere. Oh Goddess, it was mayhem, so delightful. And so unlike Christmas in my tiny family.
The lights continued to twinkle in the tree, which looked strangely bare now that the brightly colored presents had deserted it.
It was obvious to me that Tal was everybody’s favorite uncle and I could see why. He was unfailingly patient with the little ones, even though every time he tried to return to me, he was waylaid by one or other of them. I didn’t mind. My cheeks hurt from smiling as I watched him and as I couldseehe was trying to come back, I was happy.
The shouts and squeals died down to a moderate hum as the kids played with their new toys and stuffed their faces grubby with cake, and eventually even that low hum subsided as they ran outside to play, the adults following soon after. The teens had taken advantage of the mayhem and were nowhere to be seen.
A wonderful peace descended on the room, broken only by the hum of the electronic candle, the faint buzz of the Christmas lights and the sound of Tal, the only one left, sorting through scraps of discarded wrapping paper. The distant sound of the young ones playing outside was a pleasant background to my thoughts. It was fun being there for Tal’s family celebration, but it was exhausting too, and I was even happier now it was just the two of us alone. It was peaceful again, like it had been last night with only the two of us under the tree.
Maybe I could get to know him some more.
“Should we clean up this mess?” I suggested, trying to get his attention.