Omega Phoenix: Claimed

Chapter 3

3

Spence

I incline my head as I go over to the counter, holding out my hands in front of me in a peace offering and the waitresses seem a lot more relaxed when I come over, even though Cyra still doesn’t trust me. Which, well, yeah, I don’t blame her.

“I’m so sorry for how my friend behaved.” I look down and then look up, meeting Cyra’s eyes. “He’s an ass and doesn’t know how to act around cute girls.” I smile and her cheeks pinken, not of shame or anger, but of something else, something I like much more, flattery. And just that look, it pulls on something inside me, it makes me understand why Zack keeps teasing her.

Fuck. I’m no better than he is, really. It’s not like I didn’t take a peek myself when her skirt went up, and she definitely has a great ass.

I’m wondering if her bra is the same bright red as her lace thong and if she wears one of those lace bras where you can see the n*****s through... Those are so sexy, almost as if the n*****s are looking at you from behind a veil, hiding like they’re shy or something.

“It’s okay.” Cyra’s voice is quiet and I love listening to it. I’ve never heard a voice that’s both soft and clear at the same time. What would she sound like whispering dirty things during s*x?

“I’ll try to keep him in check next time.” I wink and Cyra colours more, just like Audrey, neither unaffected by my charms. “Please. He’s just a dog sometimes, and a badly behaved one too, but he’s harmless, I promise.” I take a step back. “Have a good evening and weekend, ladies.”

“Good evening,” Audrey says and Cyra nods, nibbling on her lower lip a moment.

As I turn around, to catch up with Zack, I hear them both laugh softly. They laugh. They don’t giggle, they laugh, softly. A good thing, from my perspective.

I step outside and Zack is waiting a little while off, leaning against the wall of the cafe.

“Took you long enough.” He grins and starts walking to where we parked the car. “Did anything interesting happen?”

“I had to make sure that we’d actually be able to return, you know. This is a good place and it would be a shame if we’re not allowed to come back, or if they start spitting in our coffee or something.” I shiver but Zack laughs loudly.

“Hell, Cyra can spit in my coffee any day.” He shakes his head, his eyes sparking. “As long as she’ll let me eat her out after.”

I open my mouth, trying to come up with a good reply, but coming up empty. “Sometimes I wonder how any girl ever lets you get close to her, when you say things like that.”

“Because they don’t care what I say, just about what I can do with my mouth.” He looks out over the street. “Want to go somewhere tonight? I heard there’s a party at one of the nearby clans. Or we could go to a club or something. Your choice.”

“Nah.” I take a deep breath. “I’m spending tonight at home. You can go out on your own if you want to, but I’m staying in.”

He eyes me, narrowing his eyes. “What are you up to? You’re not taking this mating stuff serious, are you? You’re not going to look at marriage invitations, right?”

“Hell, no.” I laugh. Though I have been considering taking a look lately, just to keep my parents off my back for a while longer. “My sis is in town, with her whole family, and I’ve not seen them in a long time. I think I should probably spend some time with them.”

“Ah.” He laughs. “How long has it been since she got mated? Since she left?”

“Almost four years.” I shrug. “It’s rare for her to come back, we usually visit her. I think it’s because of the birthday of one of the kids of an old friend or something. Since her kid is now old enough to actually have an interest in parties. They’re staying at our parents’ for the weekend. And unlike you, I actually like spending time with my siblings.”

“Pff.” He shrugs. “Yours aren’t all whiney teenagers. Maybe if they’re older I would ‘appreciate’ them more. But right now they just reek from the hormones and cry even more than when they were babies. I have no idea how my parents aren’t going insane. The triplets are absolute monsters right now and the other one isn’t helping, he’s being an absolute s**t to his professors at college.”

“Your parents are used to you. They can manage the rest after that.” I quickly step aside so he can’t hit me and we wrestle the last way to the car.

I can’t help but laugh at how annoyed he gets about his younger siblings. They’re quite a bit younger than him, but he really loves them, no matter how he acts. I know that he pretends to get upset with them because that’s what older brothers are supposed to be like, but also always helps them out with their homework if they don’t understand something. He just acts tough, but he’s a big softie on the inside.

I smile as I hear my sister’s laugh as soon as I open the door, followed by the high pitched giggles of a toddler. It’s always good when she’s back, makes our parents not look at me as closely. It’s just the two of us, no other siblings. My older sister is an Omega, and she got mated and married to some Alpha the same year she was supposed to graduate college. The Alpha is a good guy, and made sure she finished college, but he’s got a job that takes him all over the world. So they live in a city that’s closer to a big airport, unlike the small one we’ve got, and where the houses are even more ridiculously expensive than they are around here...

“I’m home,” I call out as I take my jacket off, loving the sound of a filled house. Sometimes I’m jealous of Zack and his big family, I wish I had a busy house like that. Being all on my own here with my parents definitely has its drawbacks.

“Uncle!” Star comes bumbling out of the living room, her arms wide open as she comes for me. She’s covered in chocolate and I wince while I pick her up. I’m going to have to put a clean shirt on before dinner, or Dad is going to get annoyed with me for not looking presentable.

“Hey, little girl. How was your trip?”

“Plane. So big.” She starts babbling about the journey here as I walk into the living room.

My sister, Phoebe, comes over, giving me a hug. “Hey, little brother, out on the prowl with that hydra again?” She smiles, her words not mean, just teasing.

“I came home early to see my two favourite women in the whole world. With you two around, I won’t need anyone else.” I carefully put Star down. “Seems I’ve missed a party?” I look down at Star and Phoebe laughs.

“No, that’s just from two chocolate cookies...” She sighs. “Don’t ask. I don’t have a clue how she does it either. Must be toddler magic.”

“So, what’s up in your world?” I sit down on the couch as my Alpha mum comes into the living room from the kitchen. “Hey, got home early.”

“Good.” Mum smiles. “Did Phoebe tell you the good news yet? She’s got great news for you.”

“Mum!” Phoebe glares at her.

“What?” I look between them. What’s going on now?

Phoebe sighs. “I wasn’t going to mention this, since I didn’t want to influence you or anything.” She glares at

Mum. “And I thought this probably wouldn’t be the best time to bring this up. You know, right when you step in the door?”

“Just say it already.” Mum laughs. “He’ll find out anyway.”

I keep looking between the two as I pour myself a glass of water. “Still waiting here...”

“Well... Since you asked.” Phoebe is being dramatic as she sits down, taking something from her bag. “Here.” She holds out a folder and my stomach sinks as I already know what this is... A mate proposal. “A real pretty Omega just came of age in a clan nearby to where I live. I think you’d like her. She’s smart, kind, and good for your temper.”

“Just came of age?” That means she just turned eighteen... A mate nearly a decade younger than me... Not really what I’d been planning on, if I was going to take a mate.

“Yes. Her parents have been hiding her from the public, sent her away to boarding school and everything. And now I’ve seen her... I get why.” Phoebe winks. “Just... Take a look in your own time. But I think you’d like her.”

“Thanks.” I nod, putting the file down on the table.

I don’t think I want to take a look. I’m not ready to settle yet, but especially not with a girl that much younger than me. Hell, even the human girls who hang around Zack and I don’t tend to be that young. The poor Omega should at least finish college or something, get some more years on her before her parents mate her, some more life experiences.

But that’s not how things go, especially not when she’s ‘pretty’, which tends to be code for being a shifter type that’s less common. She’ll probably be mated off before this year’s mating season has properly started. That’s what tends to happen with ‘pretty’ girls.

Why does an actual pretty girl now pop into my head, Cyra, who definitely has a temper and who doesn’t seem to take s**t from Zack, everything my parents would hate in a potential mate. Hmmm. A girl like that. I’d like a girl like that. Someone who will stand up for herself, even in quiet ways, and who won’t just let people walk over her. Her soft lips, her sparkling eyes, and those legs... which end in that great ass. Perfection.

Okay. Maybe I should have accepted Zack’s offer of going to a club. Maybe then I wouldn’t be thinking of a girl who I’ll never be able to have. She doesn’t seem like a girl who’s up for just some fun for one night, and I’m not going to try to convince her otherwise when we’ve got so many willing girls around us all the time.