Chapter Ten

She made the pancakes with Yorgi staring at her. She supposed that women in silk suits and four-inch heels weren’t that common at the griddle.

She finished the last of them and put them under a heated dome just in time for Hailey in pyjamas to come into the kitchen.

“Mom, you look... wow.”

“Thank you, baby. You look comfy.”

“It is a really nice bed. Did you spend the night in the nest?”

“No, sweetie. I stayed with Delun.”

“But, you are the omega, and the nest is for the omega.”

“Yeah, baby, but the nest isn’t done yet, and Delun has to come with me for a doctor’s appointment, so I stayed with him.”

Hailey narrowed her eyes. “Did he make you a nest?”

She laughed as she thought about it. “Actually, yes.”

“Oh. That’s okay then. Did you make pancakes?”

“I made pancakes. Yorgi has them over there.”

Hailey wandered over and got her plate, checked them, and beamed. They were shaped like Christmas trees because when Hailey was five, it was the only tree they had, so they had it every day for the entire week of Christmas, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Delun slid an arm around her waist and said, “We need to go.”

She nodded, and she wished Hailey a good day at school, found her cell phone, and joined Delun in his vehicle, and they were off.

He spoke softly to her, “Do you want to take a morning-after pill?”

She paused and swallowed. “Um, can I think about it?”

He nodded. “Of course. We can take you to the Omega Centre—”

“No. I would rather not go there again. I can just take a beta dose.”

He nodded. “We can consult with a centre out of the city.”

She opened and closed her mouth. “I hadn’t thought of that. I could contact the one that Olivia first went to. Her caseworker sounded nice.”

He smiled. “Do you remember the city name?”

She gave him the information she had, and then, she just sent Olivia a text for Margot’s contact information.

Olivia sent the info without question. She just asked, Talk later?

Yeah. Things got weird.

U okay?

Yes. Complicated. Arthur says thank you.

Oops. Forgot to warn you. Is he the mark?

Under the scars, his mark. Funny, still active.

Holy shit.

Yah. Have fun with Ford today. Let me know if he needs me.

You need to get away?

Just for an hour or two.

Delun plucked the phone from her hand. This is one of her mates. She is not coming over to play until after her heat. She will talk to you late next week.

Delun handed her phone back when shocked emojis scrolled across the screen.

He tapped her nose. “No running away. If you need to discuss things, come to us.”

“No running. I should have gotten that reminder yesterday.” She sighed.

“I knew I missed something.” He chuckled. “With you in my bed, my cognition went right out the window. I saw my mate running, and I wanted to make sure that she didn’t get away. It took all my focus not to bite you.”

She snorted. “You did the right thing wrong and the wrong thing right.”

He pulled her into his arms. “Why don’t you invite your friend and her mates over for dinner tomorrow night?”

“Will you tell Yorgi? I don’t think he likes me very much.”

“He is young and was trying to impress you with his alpha characteristics. Now that he has seen Hailey’s face when you make pancakes, he will probably ask for the recipe.”

“I hope not. They are horrible. But, I have to make them the same way I did that winter or she makes me make them again.”

“What was special about them?”

“We couldn’t afford a Christmas tree, so I made Christmas tree pancakes every day for a week. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I had to wait for my first cheque from the Shattered Diamond. Madam had just taken my savings and my car... again. We were in a shitty little apartment, and all I had were most of the ingredients for pancakes. So, that was what I made, and it got us through until I got paid.”

Delun sighed. “You make me want to do very illegal things to Arthur’s mother.”

She shrugged. “It is what it is and was what it was. We both made it this far, but I am still going to be stuck making horrible pancakes whenever she experiences something that scares her.”

“She’s scared?”

“She just got three new guardians, a nanny, and a custom bedroom overnight. That or she wanted me to feel needed by asking for the pancakes.”

He chuckled and hugged her. “She’s a good daughter, and you are a good mom.”

“Hopefully, there will be a few more months before I have to consider the impact of raising a child in a heavily populated household. It is going to require some adjustment to just being Hailey and me.”

“I look forward to your meeting more of my family, so I will check with my schedule and see if I can bring you to my eldest sister’s salon.”

She blinked. “I can ask Ford where I should go.”

He laughed. “Ford wishes he could get in at Yirra’s.”

Her eyes widened. “Yirra’s?”

He smiled slightly and nodded. “My eldest sister.”

“Oh. Right. Well, folks wait a few months to get in there. I am sure that I can wait.”

He waited with his phone to his ear. “Hello, Yirra, I have a mate, and I would like to introduce you, but she... no, that’s fine. Her hair needs a trim, and her nails are rough. No, I didn’t check her feet.”

She pulled her shoe off and put her foot in his lap, dangerously close to his groin. He stroked her toes with his fingers. “Her feet are just feet. No, her nails aren’t done. Her skin is a little dry, but it is recovering.”

He paused. “I would recommend a private room. She’s an omega, so she might put out distress scent if you are your normal bitchy self.”

There was a blast of angry Mandarin through the phone. Delun sighed. “You know I don’t speak Mandarin, and you shouldn’t talk about mom like that.”

He chuckled. “We can be there at nine. Yes, I am staying. Fine, but she hasn’t had breakfast yet.”

The whole conversation took two blocks, and when they were at the clinic building, he had ended his call and laughed softly. “Yirra is going to examine every part of you. Feel free to tell her to get bent.”

“Fine, but I am telling her you stole my underwear.”

He grinned. “That will definitely convince her that we are mates if nothing else will. She thinks you are a beta doing a roleplay.”

“Is that... wait. No, I know that’s a thing. Damn, my height isn’t going to convince her either.”

“I can convince her, but you might not like it.” They rode up in the elevator.

When they arrive at Dr. Willet’s office, the receptionist straightened and smiled. “May I help you, Miss?”

“Lexa Adders.”

The receptionist from the day before stared at her. The black shell, red silk, heels, and her hair in a soft twist meant that she looked a bit different from the bargain-basement suit and tight braid.

The doctor popped his head out and said, “Is she here yet?”

Lexa waved. “If you are talking about me, I am here.”

“Oh, Miss Adders. You look... different.”

Delun came up behind her and whispered, “The effect of being loved all night.”

“And the five-thousand-dollar custom suit,” she muttered back. “Don’t take all the credit.”

“Oh, but I want to.”

They walked into the procedure room, and the doctor left her alone to get into the gown with the opening to the back. Delun stroked her breasts before she put the gown on. “Don’t start.”

She batted his hands away, and he was surprised. She put on the gown, and then, he pulled her to him, kissing her with that magical mouth of his. The doctor came in, and Delun reluctantly put her down. They were both breathing heavily, and the air was thick with their scents.

The doctor cleared his throat. “If you will straddle this seat and hold onto this bar, I will get everything prepped for it.”

She nodded, and he explained the procedure. He would numb the area and then use a very fine sandblasting technique to get off the rough spurs of scarring. He would follow up with an acid peel to get the entire area smooth, then he would clear that up and put on a healing gel.

She looked at Delun, and he put on the protective lenses and crouched in front of her, holding her hands. The gown was opened, and things got underway. A five-year trauma was going to be changed today.

She kept her gaze focused on Delun, and time slipped by with prodding and tugging at her neck. He randomly kissed her fingers and told her what a brave woman she was. She went through all of the procedures, and then, the doctor showed her the before and after pictures. “Wow. You got a lot of garbage off there.”

She felt the gossamer thread that she hadn’t felt for five years. It was flickering, but it was there. Her eyes went wide, and she looked at Delun.

“You can feel him again, can’t you, petal?”

She nodded. “It is like a tiny golden thread.”

Delun’s phone went off. He answered it. “Yes, Arthur, she can feel it, too.”

He handed Lexa the phone.

“Um, hi, Arthur.”

There was a heavy purr through the phone before he said, “My mate.”

She chuckled. “Your mate, but when this heals, I am going to need a booster.”

He laughed. “I will put anything into you that you will let me.”

“That is a charming sentence.” She sighed. “See you later.”

The doctor applied the gel and covered it, giving Delun a tube to apply as needed.

“I would like to see you in a week to see how it is healing.”

The skin was hot and throbbing, but it didn’t feel rigid anymore.

Delun nodded. “She will be back.”

The doctor left, and she got dressed again. Delun held her jacket for her, and they went to the front to get a new appointment and settle up. Arthur had taken care of the costs, and things went quickly.

She leaned on Delun in the elevator, and he bustled her into the car. He asked the driver to go once around the perimeter of the city and then back into Yirra’s.

“Where did those supplies come from?”

“Benjamin picked them up while we were waiting.”

He eased the jacket off her shoulders and had her sit across his lap, bent over his arm. He fiddled with the dressing and cleaned the gel off the wound with the gauze and other items he had brought. When there was a small mountain of bloody, discarded gauze, she felt the first warm, wet lick.

Air rushed out of her, and her belly clenched. “I don’t think I am having the appropriate response to wound care.”

He chuckled, and in between licks, he said, “But you have the appropriate response to having a mate mark licked by another mate. I might rip through my trousers by the time this is done, but your skin is already going from red to pink.”

She swallowed and nodded, really wishing for some underwear. He continued his slow licking, and at some point, he lifted her and pressed something against her sex. The car did the circuit around town, and when she was a quivering mass of want, it pulled up outside the salon.

He took her phone and took a picture. There was another click when she was staring at the image that should have been there initially. Four neat punctures, two to the left of the spine and two to the right, small crescents connecting them. As marks went, it was pretty.

She felt the fat tears on her hands from a wistful joy that wasn’t hers. She looked at Delun.

“Arthur is very happy that the healing worked. I am very happy I got the gel off. It tastes bad.” He smiled and nuzzled her cheek. “Now, no holdbacks when we are together, and he had better line up his bite. Those are clean marks, and they should stay that way.”

He grinned. “Come now, my sister is glaring at the car from inside the salon.” He reached between her thighs to remove the folded handkerchief, and he turned it, so the moisture was folded inside.

“Another thing for your sniffing collection?”

He shook his head. “No, the family archive. You can go to it and get the scent of every member of my family for four generations.”

She whispered as they walked to the door. “I am not family.”

“Give it a few days.”

A serious woman with Delun’s straight brows and set to her eyes looked them over. “She’s big. Are you sure you aren’t just dating a beta with perfume?”

Lexa looked at the alpha woman, who leaned forward and inhaled. Her eyes glazed, and she reached out to touch Lexa’s cheek. “Roses. So many roses.”

Delun made the introductions. “Yirra, this is Lexa. Lexa, my oldest sister, Yirra. The registry of the Rose Sloth occurs today.”

Yirra looked at Lexa. “Ah, a bunch of bears. You poor little darling. Come this way. Your skin looks dry, and your nails are cracked. Have you been on suppressants?”

“Yes, Yirra. I didn’t have time for a heat.”

Yirra chuckled. “Well, my brother is many things, but patient is not one of them. You are going into heat soon?”

“A few days, according to him.”

Yirra chuckled. “He would know.”

The woman looked back at her brother. “I will have her for four hours at least. Should I see her home?”

“That would be excellent. I don’t want her out without family. There are complications, so no speeding. Got it?”

Yirra snorted. “When does my driver speed?”

“When you tell him you are going to have his balls as earrings.”

His sister waved that off and growled when he came to Lexa, lifted her, and gave her a kiss that could have melted aluminum. She was panting, and their mixed scent was everywhere. She shivered as he set her down and smiled.

“Now, go get pampered. Yirra’s bark is definitely bad, but she means well.”

He chuckled and stroked her hair.

She straightened his tie and smoothed his jacket. “Go through your docket fairly, and we can play again when you get home.”

His eyes lit up, and she left with his sister. Pampering looked a lot more aggressive than it used to.

A face mask was applied while her hair was being deep-conditioned. Her hands were massaged, greased up, and massaged again. Gel nails were patted into place, and a pretty, neutral colour was slid on top. Yirra had vetoed a French tip. They chipped too easily.

Yirra brought her a cup of tea and another pastry. Lexa had constantly been nibbling for hours. While the stylists and aestheticians worked, Yirra had coaxed out details of Lexa’s life, including her meeting of Delun the previous day in an organized mating.

Yirra smiled. “Did he pat you on the head and say you would do?”

They were alone at the time, and Lexa had just finished an éclair. “Um, no, he kissed me until I was nearly on fire, set me on the desk, and stole my underwear. Then, he used his mouth until I screamed and I bit through my palm.”

“Which he healed with that honey tongue of his.” Yirra looked amused and a bit jealous.

“Yeah.”

“Well, he deserves a good mate. You don’t have a problem with his physique?”

“Oh. No. I really like it. My other mates are all ursas, too, so it is like being surrounded by talking sofas. No matter where I turn, I have support and am comfortable.”

Yirra paused, and then, she started laughing. “That sounds like my brother. Reliable and comfortable. Calm and unshakable.”

“Oh, I know how to shake him.”

“What, did he bite you?”

“No, but I accidentally ran and learned how long his lack of control lasts. Right until I milked his knot.”

“Delun lost control?” Yirra’s eyes were wide.

“Yeah. I did know better. Never run.”

“Had you been abstaining during the night?”

“No, we went through half a dozen condoms, but we had been teasing each other, and I ran, and he caught me.” The stylist came back with an armload of supplies.

Yirra blinked and smiled slowly. “So, there may be a family addition soon?”

“No. Well, not yet. My heat won’t happen for a few days.”

“Are you trying to breed?”

“Well, I wasn’t going to. I am too close to the suppressors. I probably won’t cycle.”

Yirra smiled. “Well, you are young. How young are you?”

“Uh, just twenty-four.”

“Plenty of time then, and if you are accidentally bred, you have plenty of support. Delun really wants kids. Our brothers all married betas. Few of our nieces or nephews have a chance to be omegas.”

The hairstylist went to work.

Yirra smiled. “I will be right back. You are in good hands with Sammi.”

The stylist in question smiled and got to work. “You are dating Judge Hall?”

“No. He is one of my mates.”

The trim got underway near the base of her back.

“One of? How many do you have?”

“Three.”

The stylist finished the trim for length and then started on shaping it. “At the same time?”

“Not so far.”

“How does that work?”

Lexa shrugged. “It just does. When the heat starts, you just want them. How you get them is out of your control.”

Sammi paused. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. Your blood is on fire, and only sex puts it out.”

They chatted for half an hour, and her hair was wrangled into an elegant updo. Yirra came toward her and put a necklace around her neck. The strands of gold were in flat, orderly chains and hung down in the vee of her jacket. Earrings were set in her ears, and Yirra smiled in satisfaction.

“There. The others have not given you jewellery yet, have they?”

“Um, no. But the guys were saying that there was going to be some weird competition between the families.”

Yirra narrowed her eyes. “Who is the other family?”

She laughed. “Grigory and his billion cousins.”

Sammi pulled her hands back. “Grigory? Nightclub owner Grigory?”

“Yeah. He mentioned having a fetish for betas who play like omegas.” She shrugged. “He’s going to take some convincing to just let go.”

Yirra chuckled. “You think you can take him?”

“I took Delun by surprise, and I think he had the same fetish, so yeah, I can take Grigory. I mean, I will be walking funny for a while and... he’s behind me, isn’t he?”

“Bragging, little treasure? That isn’t like you.”

She looked at the monstrous angel behind her. Sammi looked so small.

“I had a really good night last night. Are you just coming by to say hi, or are you my ride home?”

He loomed over the back of the chair and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I came to escort my delicate flower home only to find that you are gossiping about me.”

She patted his cheek. “I heard that gossip at one of my other jobs. Once I figured out who you were through hints and clues, I remembered what you were known for. No wonder you stopped. You thought you would hurt me.”

He moved to face her in the chair. “I do not want you to hurt yourself with me as the instrument.”

“Fair enough. Can I play as much as I like?”

He nodded. “You can.”

She beamed.

“Little treasure, you will be the death of me. And what do I see? Delun’s family has beaten me to the jewels.” His fingers traced the classy strands of gold.

Yirra chuckled. “You have had her a day. I have had her for three hours. Too slow, Petrov.”

“He did get me nesting stuff, and I got this spiffy suit.”

Yirra smiled. “Allow us our competition, Lexa. We are just happy that the boys aren’t meeting up in court.”

Sammi finished her hairstyle with occasional breaks so Grigory could kiss her, and when she was done, he took a photo of her with Yirra and sent it to Delun.

“This is like a weird family photo album in the making.”

Yirra hugged her. “A family photo album is exactly what is taking place. You are being woven into our history now.”

Grigory knelt in front of them and took a selfie. “And our history.”

She wrapped her arm around him and kissed his cheek. He grinned, and they got another photo.

She got one with her phone, and she hugged Yirra before leaving. “Send the bill to Delun?”

Yirra nodded. “Of course.”

“I will have to give my daughter as much information as I have on this place. She loves looking at the pictures in the magazines.”

Yirra paused. “You have a daughter?”

“Yes. Adopted, but my blood.”

The hug that she got from Yirra was strong. “I am getting very excited about having you in the family. We will come for a visit after your heat.”

“Uh, okay.”

Grigory grinned as they left. “Ask Rya to keep you informed.”

Yirra’s eyes widened, and she got her phone out, dialling and then yelling at someone in Mandarin.

They got into Grigory’s car, and he cuddled her in his lap.

She looked at him and sighed. “Russian and Mandarin. I will start Hailey now and try and keep up with her.”

He chuckled. “You are ambitious, treasure.”

“First, I need to learn little chicken in both because I am pretty sure Yirra said something about that on the fifth tiny éclair.”

He laughed, and the car headed home.