Knot So Perfect Omega (Omega Match #1)(43)

He was holding one of the helmets still and rolled his eyes. “You’re going to be the death of me. If you aren’t back in one minute, I’m coming in after you.”

I waved him off and walked the few hundred feet to the bathroom. It smelled horrible and was dirty as hell. I looked in the cloudy mirror and was a little surprised at how red my cheeks were.

Shaking my head, because it was ludicrous to think it was my heat—it wasn’t due for several more weeks and it wouldn’t turn me the color of a lobster—I turned on the water and sniffed it to make sure it wasn’t gross before splashing my face.

The relief was instant, and I splashed myself a few more times before walking out with my face dripping wet. There weren’t any paper towels, and I wasn’t about to dry my face with toilet paper or stick it under the hand dryer.

There were two men talking with Kane, but he had his eyes locked on me the entire short distance back to him. As soon as I was within grabbing distance, he wrapped his arm around my waist and tugged me into his side.

“I didn’t know your pack had taken an omega.” One of the men gave me a quick once-over, his eyes looking closely at my neck. He couldn’t see my shoulder, though, so there was no way he could tell if we’d bonded yet.

Kane stiffened the slightest bit. They were both alphas, I could tell from their scents wafting on the breeze. But even if I couldn’t smell them, there was a way an alpha carried himself that alerted omegas to their presence.

We were outside, and there was a slight breeze, so hopefully they couldn’t tell we weren’t bonded yet. Something changed with an omega’s scent once the bond took place. My scent wouldn’t change for me or the pack, but other alphas would be able to detect a kind of warning pheromone.

“Well, it was nice to meet you. Good luck tomorrow.” The second man nodded respectfully and then grabbed his friend’s arm and steered him away.

Kane breathed a heavy breath out and kissed my temple. “I was a little concerned about the one when he stared at your neck. You feel cooler?”

“A little. It doesn’t help when you’re pawing at me.” I pulled away and grabbed his hand. “Now, where are these food trucks?”

Maybe stuffing my stomach with food would stop the ache that had started to build there.





CHAPTER SEVENTEEN


Kane


M y whole body was tense as we walked through the crowds of people at the food truck event.

I’d thought it would be fine, but my alpha instincts were going haywire, and all I wanted to do was throw Kayla over my shoulder and get her home.

I held on tightly to her hand as we stopped in the center of the large picnic and grassy area the food trucks were arranged around. “Where do you want to start?”

There were at least twenty different options and the aromas filling the air drowned out any other scents. It should have comforted me not to have to worry about Kayla’s scent catching the nose of another pack, but not being able to catch her scent also made me paranoid about losing her.

Kayla looked around, her bottom lip between her teeth. “I don’t know.” Was that a hint of a whine in her voice?

“We’ll get some food and then go sit on the beach. Lots of people make me antsy too.” I led her toward a Mexican food truck since I knew she loved tacos and corn.

“Oh, they have esquites with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos crumbled on top!” She was lifting to her tiptoes to see the menu that ran down the side of the truck. “They have a taco sampler. Let’s get that too.”

“I’ve never tried esquites. Seems disgusting.” I made a face, and she hit me playfully on the chest.

“I mean, mayonnaise in corn?”

“There’s some kind of sour cream in it sometimes too. Don’t knock it until you try it. You pick out a food truck too.” Her mood that had seemed on edge had made an abrupt one-eighty. She was now chipper and had an excited glow in her eyes.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I put the back of my hand to her cheek, and it didn’t feel any warmer than usual.

“I’m fine. I just haven’t been around this many people in a long time and that motorcycle ride was hot... in more ways than one.” She winked, and we moved forward in the line. “I’ve been worried about Kara too. Maybe once we bond, we can have her for a visit. I’m sure Omega Protective Services will allow it as long as we’re taking all the precautions.”

“Once we bond.” I turned her toward me and grabbed the side of her neck gently, bringing her forehead to mine. “You mean it?”

“Yes.” She sniffled like she was about to cry, and I kissed her gently before pulling her closer to wrap my arms around her.

“You don’t understand how unbelievably happy you just made me.” I nuzzled into her neck and didn’t care that the gap between us and the people in front of us was widening.

“I don’t want to tell the pack yet. I want you guys to focus on Alphaball.” She didn’t realize how hard it was going to be for me to keep it a secret, but she did have a point.

If she told the other three the night before playoffs, there was probably no way we’d get on the plane to go to Portland in the morning. A bond, especially a new one, would make us incredibly territorial and protective of her.