The Forbidden Omega

Chapter Nine: Sharing a Meal and More

I bind my wolf as tightly as I dare, upon seeing Soren's bright mop of curls walking around the corner of my shop, not forgetting the effect he had on my mating cycle. I wasn't even aware that it could happen, that meeting your Omega could by itself trigger a short rut, even if you were months early. I could barely trust myself around Soren anymore, not with what had gone on three days ago.

But even as I catch his scent coming in the door, I barely look up, having a line of customers halfway to the entrance of my bakery, the Friday rush in full swing as Gabriel and I manage to get each order filled. The nearly eighteen year old Beta next to me glances up as my shoulders stiffen, his blue eyes worried. The foolish pup was always concerned with my well-being, though he never needed to truly worry. I was managing my hopeless longing quite nicely.

I pull the next loaf of crusty French bread out of the oven, using the long wooden paddle to slide it onto the protective mat, and let it cool for the next few minutes. Gabe wraps a previous loaf in paper for a small Omega as he fills her order, and I wipe the sweat from my brow, the brick oven blasting heat into the relatively small work area. *To hell with it* , I unbutton the first few notches of my shirt, and roll up my sleeves over my tanned forearms. I was nearly baking myself in the kitchen.

Finally, my system halts the overflow of orders, and I extinguish the coals of the oven, wrapping the last loaf myself, for a weather beaten Alpha , her gnarled hands gentle with the cash. Somehow, as I cast glances at my mate sitting in the corner, I got a feeling she understood. Without a verbal message, I felt her sympathy. I nod, muttering a thanks to the Elder Wolf, accepting the small compassion. She smiles, adding a tip to the jar as she exits. I hadn't seen her before, and doubt I would again, but it was a simple coincidence from Mother Moon that she looked similar to my granddad, who had died long before I presented.

I smile wearily as Soren makes his way to the counter, his powerful scent swirling towards me as I ensure Gabriel takes his paycheck. As I turn back to the mate of my dreams, I catch the flash of gold in his eyes, before it is quickly mastered. I almost miss the sweet note to his floral scent, almost mistaking it for something else, but when he colors beneath his golden freckles, I realize the truth. Soren desires me.

"Hey, Aiden," he mumbles, tucking a wave behind his ear as he bites his lip. I want to kiss him, his perfect face almost too much to handle. How anyone could hurt this beautiful creature was one thought I couldn't entertain. "I just wanted to, you know, stop by and say hi. But, um, I can see you're busy, so…" Soren turns to leave, his hands fussing with the strap of his satchel. I can sense his reluctance, his desire to remain here and I smirk, buttoning up my shirt and trying my best to calm my pungent Alpha scent.

"Soren," I call, as Gabriel finally leaves, though not without an encouraging wink. I roll my eyes at the impudent Beta, before turning back to the Omega I considered my mate. "Soren, if you want to stay, I baked you something." I can *see* his ears prick up, even with his hand still on the door handle. "I hoped we could share it."

Soren turns back, pausing by the display of cupcakes, and smiles eagerly. I grin holding up a finger as I head to the cold room, and return with our cake. Soren audibly gasps as I step from the back, his eyes glowing with joy at the sight of the cake he designed for his perfect wedding. I hide back my beaming smile as I set it down at *his* table, the perfect corner table now solely associated with Soren in my mind.

"It's perfect," he whispers in awe, taking a seat as I slice the three inch cake in half and plate it. "You made this for me?" he hesitantly accepts the fork, looking across the table joyfully.

"For us," I correct, picking up my own plastic fork, and admiring the edible art. "We designed this, so I thought we could share it." I take the first bite, my eyes widening slightly as Soren practically moans around his bite. He looks at me with astonished eyes, his gold flare once more present. He purses his lips, placing his fork down, and sighing.

"I've just experienced a foodgasm." He takes another bite, making the soft half moan, and my inner wolf whines pleasingly for me to lick the small smudge of icing from his lower lip. "This is… the best thing… I have ever eaten."

I chuckle softly as I eat my cake, after murmuring my thanks. I have no idea what Soren meant by "foodgasm," but he appears to be truly enjoying his cake, so I smile, watching his eyes as they close in appreciation of my masterpiece. "I just thought you should have the cake you wanted." It was the only way I could truly express my adoration for this perfect creature. There is nothing else I can do to prove Soren deserves so much more than he currently receives from that arrogant creep of an Alpha.

As Alpha law dictates, I cannot try to steal Soren away from Jason obviously. I can show him exactly why I am a more fit Alpha, but to avoid bloodshed over the more fertile Omegas, the law ruled that only Omegas can choose their Alpha. One may never lay claim to an Omega, due to the mass devastation that challenges caused to the Alpha population hardly more than a century ago.

Which is the only reason I bite my tongue on matters of the heart. I force myself to smile as he shows me his moon stone engagement ring. Why I divert the subject to his interests as we mean wrongly chat about anything under the sun, gritting my teeth as my wolf rails at his bindings, desperate for the Omega we belonged to, as he leaves me, promising to return after the full moon.

And why I book a cell in the facility when his golden curls disappear from my sight. My wolf's power only grows stronger as the sun sinks closer to the horizon.

I knew that if I walked freely under the moonlight, I would seek out Jason, and rend his flesh with my teeth and claws, not hesitating to mark his corpse as my territory. The thought of it terrifies me.