“Char!”
Ooh, interesting. Simon’s bark wasn’t an alpha’s, but right now, it contained enough power to quell his wife’s enthusiastic stream of consciousness. She took a deep breath, then began a little slower.
“I’m so sorry, I’m just terribly excited. Bren’s never brought a girl home before and—”
I felt it then, that same need to calm her, to make her feel better. I stepped forward, took her hands in mine and squeezed.
“I’m glad to meet you too, Charlene.”
I could meet her eyes much more easily, catch the fight there, the desperate, desperate fight. She loved her son to distraction, that was very evident, the intensity of it almost developing a scent of its own. I rubbed my thumbs over the soft outsides of her hands, hoping whatever omega mojo I was supposed to have was working. Then I heard the long sigh come.
“Oh my goodness, she’s just like what they say. Simon, you have to feel this. It’s like taking a Valium.”
“Char, stop manhandling the girl. You wonder why Bren has never brought anyone home? Love, I’m Simon.”
I let go of his wife’s hands, feeling her reluctance, and shook his hand back firmly. No alpha fragility to worry about there.
“Cyn, and lovely to meet you.”
“Come outside then. I want to tell you the rest of the clan will be calmer, but I don’t hold out much hope. Bloody mob of chickens with their heads cut off, if you ask me. Did you want a drink, love? We’ve got champers and OJ, soft drinks, and water.”
“Ah, water would be fine, thanks,” I replied as we were led out the back door into chaos.
Like a lot of suburban backyards, there was some grass for the kids to play on, a pool they were splashing in, and a whole lot of plastic outdoor chairs arrayed across the patio, parents sitting there chatting and keeping an eye on the kids. They were the first ones to fall silent when we appeared, eyes peering over sunglasses or under hats to take us all in.
“Good to see you, Bren,” said a man that had enough of Simon in his face and build to make me guess he was Brendan’s brother. “Been awhile.”
“Cyn, this is my brother, Donal, and his wife Kelly. That’s Jeremy and Dermot…” He went through a dizzying list of names, everything he’d said about the whole clan being invited quickly confirmed.
“Well, come on then,” Charlene said, clapping her hands. “Kids, out of the pool! It’s time for some food. Now, Cyn, I read that omegas aren’t fond of very strong spices, so I made some dishes that I think might work for you.”
Is this what it’s like? I wondered, looking up and down the table, taking in the noisy, jostling pageant of love before me. I’d had little experience with this. Dad disappeared not long after I was born, and we’d never had much to do with his side of the family, his disinterest quickly having become theirs. I’d spent time with Nan when I was growing up, but Mum was an only child, a late-stage baby, so Nan joined Pa in death early on in my life. Mum didn’t do family events like this, finding the hubbub and complicated webs of alliances and grudges, memories and obligations, stifling. She was a singular creature, literally. But I found myself fascinated by the rollicking mess of Brendan’s family.
“Shush, shush you lot!” Charlene barked, and for a minute, the roar dimmed slightly. “You remember what I told you.”
“Mum…” Brendan growled.
“Don’t you growl at me, Brendan Slattery! Don’t think I don’t know what that means. Now, I told you, we need to be quieter, as if th
at’s possible. Omega hearing is much more sensitive than ours.”
My mouth curved into a smile without even thinking, right up until I looked up.
“There’s no reason why you shouldn’t voice your preferences, Cyn,” my therapist had said. “All this guff about omegas liking this or that. If you don’t want to, if you want to keep what you want inside you, then make that choice, but be aware that it’s just that. You have a voice. Omegas aren’t born mute, and even those that are find ways to express themselves. Tell people what you want. Their response is exactly that—theirs.”
“Um…thanks, Charlene, that’s very kind, but noise isn’t that big a deal for me, except for sometimes when I’m worked up.” I smiled, tried to show the table that I was calm, safe, reasonable. “I grew up in Oakville and went to Oakville High until I was eighteen. I’m used to normal conversations and noise to a certain degree. But thank you for your consideration. I really appreciate it.”
The silence was deafening for a bit, until one of the husbands piped up. “I went to Oakville High as well. What year were you there?”
And the noise built up again, making it near impossible to hold a conversation, so I didn’t try. I just ate the food piled up on my plate. Bland comfort food designed not to offend my omega senses, but fuck if I didn’t love it. Stodgy, salty, scrambled eggs and bacon, white toast with lashings of butter, and a big mug of milky tea, it was going to sit heavily in me all day but somehow was a million times better than the Bloody Marys and blinis served at Orion’s, which made me wonder if he ever got the chance to savour this.
Did he get invited around, along with the other guys? Did they cram their massive alpha frames into the plastic chairs as they watched the kids play? Did the dudes stand around talking about whatever secret men’s business guys did with Brendan’s brothers and dad? Like beer or footy or cars. Did Charlene get excited to see all four of them together? Like, I got that everyone here seemed pretty hetero but… I chanced a look at Brendan, his eyes finding mine immediately with that sixth alpha sense, his gaze steady before he reached across and grabbed my hand.
“Eat your eggs, omega,” he rumbled.
“You see! He’s caring for her, making sure she’s well fed.” Charlene fluttered as I scooped up a forkful of eggs and shovelled them in my mouth, feeling like I could hear every chew. The table had fallen quiet again. “It’s not all bossing omegas around and controlling their every move. The centre said a healthy alpha-omega relationship is one of trust. He proves he cares for her on every level—her health and well-being, her safety, her peace of mind. While she…she softens him, gives him the opportunity to—”
“Mum.”