Chapter Four

Iris got up, and the only person with her was Oren. She blinked. "Oh, hi." He was wearing his human face, and she felt like she was on her side and cuddled with a stranger.

He smiled slowly. "Hi. Brexel is making breakfast before the boys come home. Ymer got on the phone with his property manager the moment Brexel mentioned he had to get up."

She smiled. "He's a good dad."

"He is. The boys are growing and will soon be men, but they need quite a bit of attention. They both play soccer, by the way. They are very good. Denel is the keeper."

There was a surge of unwarranted pride, but she merely said, "Good." She slid her thighs together and blushed scarlet.

He chuckled. "Ymer played for hours after you nodded off. We asked you if he should stop, but you muttered it was comfy, so he kept going."

She blinked and thought. "Oh, right. I do remember a question about that, but Brexel is really warm, and I was really tired." She didn't mention the overwhelming sense of safety that meant they could have pierced her, and she would have relaxed into it. Sex was the only thing that might have woken her or an ice cube in her vagina. She had been extremely tired.

Oren rubbed her back. "Your hair is lovely. All snowy white."

She sighed. "I thought I might have washed out all the dye."

"You did. You know, I was confused when I didn't get any scent off you."

"I work in an establishment that caters to horny alphas. I use nullifiers. So do the other ladies."

He smiled. "Would you consider switching toiletries? Since catching your natural scent, I am hooked."

"Sure, but it has to wait until I run out. I am not going to waste it."

Oren grunted. "What about if I provide something?"

"As long as it doesn't make me sneeze, I am fine with it."

He chuckled. "Good to know. Did you want to get up?"

"Mm. No, but it is probably time." She stretched against him.

"You are very comfortable with us." Oren ran his fingers through her hair.

"Well, you are not strangers. None of you. I lived under Brexel's roof for two years, worked with Ymer for four, and you came over regularly when I was a nanny, so I have met you as well. See? No strangers." She chuckled. "My time at the club may have skewed my senses a little. I gave consent, and I am not having second thoughts."

"That's unusual."

"Not really. I was supposed to work tonight, so having a day off is making me all giddy. Nine hours in heels and leather is no joke."

He laughed. "Leather?"

"Yeah, tonight was a leather night. Tomorrow is silk. Then, corsets and stockings. You get the idea." She didn't mention that they all included a collar. That, he could find out from Ymer. "So, I guess we should get up, and I should clean up and get dressed."

Oren sighed. "I suppose so. There will be other mornings, but I am glad to have shared this first one with you."

She was going to reply, but she heard the pitter-patter of giant feet, and she ducked and pulled Oren on top of her so that the dogs could stomp all over him. He grunted as they jumped on him, and she laughed when a snuffling nose found her arm and left a wet smear.

She giggled when she looked up at Oren. His scowl was resigned. "They do this often?"

"When Brexel sends them to get me up. It usually works."

Oren kissed her slowly. "Then, we had better get up." He slowly put one hand to either side of her and did a pushup that indicated both dogs were on his back.

She was giggling as she eased out from under him and made a dash for the bathroom. The dogs yelped and scrambled after her, woofing in irritation at the closed door.

She cleaned up and tried to ignore the blush that no one could see but still made itself known. Ymer had been careful. There were no aches, no twinges, but she felt pleasantly warm.

Iris left the bathroom, scrubbed Jupiter's cheeks with her hands, and then did the same to Juno. They looked at her in disappointment that she had deprived them of pouncing on her. She grinned and went looking for her clothes in the neatly arranged pile of boxes and the wardrobe that she didn't remember from four years ago.

The wardrobe was filled with her work clothes or, rather, costumes.

Oren pulled his shirt on and walked up behind her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her back against him. "If I ask really nicely, will you put on that gauzy one?"

"Not for breakfast and not anywhere the boys will be."

He chuckled. "Fair enough."

She found underwear, jeans, and a T-shirt with a cartoon snake on it. She pulled on puffy pink socks and got a hair tie to pull her hair into a ponytail.

Oren was watching the entire time.

She looked at him and said, "Jupiter, I am hungry."

The huge dog bodychecked Oren, and she was free to bounce happily out of the room with Juno at her side.

She felt good. Remarkably good. Strong, energetic, and hungry. She dismissed the arousal. She had met omegas with their alphas before. Arousal was going to be a frequent visitor to her body.

Iris smelled pancakes. When she came down the stairs and walked toward the kitchen, she could see Ymer sitting at the table, scowling at his phone.

She walked toward him, and he said, "Iris, do you remember the woman who made your leather outfits?"

"I do remember her, but she didn't tell me who ordered them."

He waved that off. "I can't get a hold of her, and she really grasped my aesthetic."

"Oh. Tonlya. I think she had to go out of business. She underpriced herself and eventually ended up losing money on all of the items she made." Iris sighed. "She used to do snake rescues, but she had to give up on that as well."

Ymer looked shocked. "Oh, no."

Iris didn't tell him what she knew. Tonlya had taken on her only sibling as her guardian. She was barely scraping by and had exhausted her financial reserves, but she wasn't giving up. She had a normal job at a grocery store and did phone surveys at night.

Ymer looked at her and narrowed his eyes. "What do you know?"

"Many things. What topic are you referencing?"

"You know where the leatherworker is."

Iris got up, and the only person with her was Oren. She blinked. "Oh, hi." He was wearing his human face, and she felt like she was on her side and cuddled with a stranger.

He smiled slowly. "Hi. Brexel is making breakfast before the boys come home. Ymer got on the phone with his property manager the moment Brexel mentioned he had to get up."

She smiled. "He's a good dad."

"He is. The boys are growing and will soon be men, but they need quite a bit of attention. They both play soccer, by the way. They are very good. Denel is the keeper."

There was a surge of unwarranted pride, but she merely said, "Good." She slid her thighs together and blushed scarlet.

He chuckled. "Ymer played for hours after you nodded off. We asked you if he should stop, but you muttered it was comfy, so he kept going."

She blinked and thought. "Oh, right. I do remember a question about that, but Brexel is really warm, and I was really tired." She didn't mention the overwhelming sense of safety that meant they could have pierced her, and she would have relaxed into it. Sex was the only thing that might have woken her or an ice cube in her vagina. She had been extremely tired.

Oren rubbed her back. "Your hair is lovely. All snowy white."

She sighed. "I thought I might have washed out all the dye."

"You did. You know, I was confused when I didn't get any scent off you."

"I work in an establishment that caters to horny alphas. I use nullifiers. So do the other ladies."

He smiled. "Would you consider switching toiletries? Since catching your natural scent, I am hooked."

"Sure, but it has to wait until I run out. I am not going to waste it."

Oren grunted. "What about if I provide something?"

"As long as it doesn't make me sneeze, I am fine with it."

He chuckled. "Good to know. Did you want to get up?"

"Mm. No, but it is probably time." She stretched against him.

"You are very comfortable with us." Oren ran his fingers through her hair.

"Well, you are not strangers. None of you. I lived under Brexel's roof for two years, worked with Ymer for four, and you came over regularly when I was a nanny, so I have met you as well. See? No strangers." She chuckled. "My time at the club may have skewed my senses a little. I gave consent, and I am not having second thoughts."

"That's unusual."

"Not really. I was supposed to work tonight, so having a day off is making me all giddy. Nine hours in heels and leather is no joke."

He laughed. "Leather?"

"Yeah, tonight was a leather night. Tomorrow is silk. Then, corsets and stockings. You get the idea." She didn't mention that they all included a collar. That, he could find out from Ymer. "So, I guess we should get up, and I should clean up and get dressed."

Oren sighed. "I suppose so. There will be other mornings, but I am glad to have shared this first one with you."

She was going to reply, but she heard the pitter-patter of giant feet, and she ducked and pulled Oren on top of her so that the dogs could stomp all over him. He grunted as they jumped on him, and she laughed when a snuffling nose found her arm and left a wet smear.

She giggled when she looked up at Oren. His scowl was resigned. "They do this often?"

"When Brexel sends them to get me up. It usually works."

Oren kissed her slowly. "Then, we had better get up." He slowly put one hand to either side of her and did a pushup that indicated both dogs were on his back.

She was giggling as she eased out from under him and made a dash for the bathroom. The dogs yelped and scrambled after her, woofing in irritation at the closed door.

She cleaned up and tried to ignore the blush that no one could see but still made itself known. Ymer had been careful. There were no aches, no twinges, but she felt pleasantly warm.

Iris left the bathroom, scrubbed Jupiter's cheeks with her hands, and then did the same to Juno. They looked at her in disappointment that she had deprived them of pouncing on her. She grinned and went looking for her clothes in the neatly arranged pile of boxes and the wardrobe that she didn't remember from four years ago.

The wardrobe was filled with her work clothes or, rather, costumes.

Oren pulled his shirt on and walked up behind her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her back against him. "If I ask really nicely, will you put on that gauzy one?"

"Not for breakfast and not anywhere the boys will be."

He chuckled. "Fair enough."

She found underwear, jeans, and a T-shirt with a cartoon snake on it. She pulled on puffy pink socks and got a hair tie to pull her hair into a ponytail.

Oren was watching the entire time.

She looked at him and said, "Jupiter, I am hungry."

The huge dog bodychecked Oren, and she was free to bounce happily out of the room with Juno at her side.

She felt good. Remarkably good. Strong, energetic, and hungry. She dismissed the arousal. She had met omegas with their alphas before. Arousal was going to be a frequent visitor to her body.

Iris smelled pancakes. When she came down the stairs and walked toward the kitchen, she could see Ymer sitting at the table, scowling at his phone.

She walked toward him, and he said, "Iris, do you remember the woman who made your leather outfits?"

"I do remember her, but she didn't tell me who ordered them."

He waved that off. "I can't get a hold of her, and she really grasped my aesthetic."

"Oh. Tonlya. I think she had to go out of business. She underpriced herself and eventually ended up losing money on all of the items she made." Iris sighed. "She used to do snake rescues, but she had to give up on that as well."

Ymer looked shocked. "Oh, no."

Iris didn't tell him what she knew. Tonlya had taken on her only sibling as her guardian. She was barely scraping by and had exhausted her financial reserves, but she wasn't giving up. She had a normal job at a grocery store and did phone surveys at night.

Ymer looked at her and narrowed his eyes. "What do you know?"

"Many things. What topic are you referencing?"

"You know where the leatherworker is."

Brexel said softly, "The boys are here."

Iris froze, and he turned off the oven, covered the pancakes, and took her hand to lead her to the door. Brexel opened the door and stood with her hand held tight in his. The boys were exiting a van and waving cheerfully to the driver. They turned to head for the door, paused with eyes wide, and then they were coming in at a run.

Iris squawked in surprise as the twins hugged her with an impact. They chattered at her, and it became a roar of sound in her ears. She wrapped an arm around Denel, and he leaned back. "Did you notice? We got taller."

She pulled her hand back and wiped the tears that had formed. "I noticed. Brexel made pancakes. I know you probably ate, but I haven't."

Bennet smiled, but there was surprise in his gaze. "You didn't call him boss."

Iris winced and looked at Brexel. He looked smug. "Uh, that is because I no longer work for him?"

Denel turned her around and pushed her toward the house. "You don't sound convinced. Work on that."

Iris ignored Brexel's grin and returned to the kitchen, where Ymer was talking on the phone. She got a plate from the stack and loaded her plate with three of the head-sized pancakes.

She covered the pile with butter and syrup, grabbed utensils, and headed for the dining room table. The boys sat next to her, one on either side.

Bennet asked quietly, "Why are you back?"

"I was being followed, and I came here to hide." Honesty was best.

Denel nodded and got her a napkin. "So, why are you calling Dad Brexel?"

"That is his name, isn't it?" She ate methodically, wishing that she had gotten enough of her focus together to grab a coffee.

A darkly tanned hand set a cup of coffee with cream in front of her. She looked up and saw Oren. "Oh, thanks."

He smiled. "No problem."

Denel asked, "Uncle Oren, why is she here?"

"Ah, she has agreed to be a mate to your father, myself, and Ymer."

Bennet grinned. "We get to keep her?"

Oren nodded.

Hugs flew in from either side, and Iris sat there looking at Oren. "Thanks for that."

Bennet lifted his head and prodded at her neck. "Who did that?"

"Ymer."

Bennet chuckled. "That tracks."

Denel leaned in, "Right, so Mom, Bennet and I like a girl, but she has a problem."

"What kind of problem?" She ignored the designation he had just given her.

"I don't know. She won't tell us. I think her sister might be neglecting her or something. I know it has to do with family."

She sighed. "How old is her sister?"

Bennet said, "Late twenties. Tamara is twelve."

"Of course. This is too much of a coincidence. Let me guess. Stuff that she used to be able to do she can't do anymore due to finances?"

Denel paused, "Yeah. That's mainly it."

She sighed. "Not all people are able to spend what they like and pay whatever. Most have to budget. To look at their monthly bills and do the math on whether they can eat for the rest of the month. I am guessing that that is the position her sister is in."

Bennet muttered, "An alpha broke the sister's arm. Now she's off work until it heals."

Denel shrugged. "She should have had savings."

Iris looked at Denel, "If she has only recently gotten custody of her sister, it is likely that her money went into legal matters to take charge of her sibling."

Denel frowned. "She didn't say that."

"Does Brexel tell you where all of his funds come from?"

Brexel walked in with the rest of the food. "No, he does not. So, boys, what do you want for your birthday party this year?"

Iris finished eating and then nursed her coffee as she thought about Tonlya. Broken arm? Alpha? Iris was going to talk to her friend as soon as she had a moment, as long as she could dodge Ymer.

Oren looked at her. "You can't dodge him."

"If she's injured, I don't want her bothered." She frowned. "And how do you know what I am thinking?"

He smirked and ate his pancakes.

Ymer came in with his plate. "What did I miss?"

Oren nodded. "Iris knows the woman you were looking for, and the boys have a crush on her younger sister. An alpha has assaulted the woman and has a broken limb."

Iris blinked at the summation. Bennet and Denel froze.

Bennet frowned. "We don't like her that way; she's an alpha."

Oren nodded. "Right."

Denel straightened. "He's right. We want her to go to our school, but her sister can't afford it."

Brexel sighed. "Not everyone can afford it. Betas are rarely able to achieve the same level of success that we do."

Iris coughed. "She isn't exactly a beta."

He looked at her. "Then, what is she?"

"Well, she isn't an alpha."

The men and boys in the room stared at her.

Iris slurped her coffee. "Whoops. All gone. Be right back."

She headed to the kitchen, and there was silence when she left the dining room.

She had her coffee and was about to return when the cup was plucked from her hand and set on the counter. She was lifted and set next to it a moment later.

Brexel looked at her. "What did you mean?"

"She's a stealth omega, and the only reason I am telling you is because Ymer is looking for her, and she really doesn't need him if she's been attacked."

"What are you planning to do?"

"I am going to go visit her."

He exhaled slowly. "You have forgotten that you were hunted and shot last night."

Iris blinked. "Oh. Right."

"We will go and talk with her and her sister." He nodded. "With the boys. After they unpack and you finish your second coffee."

"Right. Why the counter?"

He leaned in and kissed her slowly. Her breath hitched as his lips moved against hers, and his tongue slid in to caress and tease her own. She sighed and slid a hand around his neck as he made out with her.

Her fingers were locked behind his head when he lifted it, and he chuckled. "I think they just got an eyeful."

She slowly leaned to one side, and there were four pairs of eyes watching them from the doorway.

Brexel chuckled. "So, do you want to adopt the boys?"

Denel smiled. "Please, Mom?"

She blinked. "I thought I misheard you before."

He smiled. "Nope. Bennet and I decided long ago that you had everything we want in a mom."

"Um, that is very flattering, but it doesn't work in this kind of situation."

Brexel shrugged. "Sure, it does. I just need to propose, and you need to agree, and then we get married, and from there, you adopt the terrors."

"Oh."

Bennet cleared his throat. "Unless you don't want to."

"Of course I do. Don't be silly, but it's a lot." She blinked. "Oh, shoot. I should talk to Tonlya."

Oren calmly found and brought her her phone. "We will help her. Make the call."

With everyone watching her, she picked up her phone, checked her contacts, and saw that Tonlya was online. She made the call.

They pulled up outside of the tiny house that had an overgrown yard and a cheerful blue door. Iris was sad. Tonlya normally kept an immaculate house.

Iris walked to the door with the boys behind her. Brexel was after them, and the other two were coming from Oren's car.

She knocked on the door, and the young Tamara opened the door with a smile. "Oh, you must be the nanny."

Iris laughed. "I was. Is your sister in?"

"Yeah, she's in her room."

A voice from the corner whispered, "No, she isn't. Hey, Iris."

"Tonlya. You look rough."

The wraith walked forward, skin grey, eyes sunken, and one arm in a sling. A robe was pulled over her shoulders, but it was obvious that she wasn't wearing anything under the sweatshirt.

"It's been a difficult few months. Please, come in. You and your alpha assortment. I am sorry, but I don't have many places to sit."

Iris noticed that Tamara wasn't helping her sister. Bennet stepped forward. "Ma'am. Can I help you to sit?"

"Thanks. That is very kind of you."

"You are moving like you are a hundred and not twenty-seven. What happened?"

"Oh, you know. Too long on suppressors. Brittle bones, no immune system, and far too sensitive." She looked to Ymer. "Sorry that I couldn't manage the commission, but I had to sell all my equipment."

Tamara snorted. "And the snakes and the lawnmower."

Tonlya closed her eyes. "Sorry. I miss my scaley buddies."

Oren moved cautiously toward her and touched her hand. "Wait. The Omega Centre is after you?"

"Oh. That. Yeah. I haven't asked Tamara about it yet. The timing never seems right."

Tamara perked up. "What do you need to ask?"

"Do you think you could survive in foster care?"

"What? No. You said I would always have a home with you." Tamara got mad.

"Yes, I did, but I didn't know that the centre would penalize me every month until I couldn't afford food."

"But you have the money Mom left."

"I spent it on the house so that it couldn't be taken. Your college fund is still rock solid, but my portion is done. I was keeping us above water until that asshole slammed me into the wall. The hospital workup exposed my use of suppressors."

Ymer was staring at the snake images on the wall. "This was your snake?"

"Yes. One of them. They were a breeding pair."

"You sold them."

"Yes. An alpha wanted to give them to a business partner who collects snakes. She even showed me the habitat that they were going to, so I sold them. The female was a moonglow, and he was an eclipse."

Oren blinked. "I have seen those before."

Tonlya smiled. "I hope that they were well."

He smiled kindly. "He knows snakes. Don't worry."

Brexel asked, "How did you get around the effects of omega classification?"

"The house is in Tamara's name. She will inherit it when she's eighteen."

Tamara finally began to pay attention. "Why are you talking like you are dying?"

Oren said softly. "Because she is. The suppressors that have been letting her live and work have caused a collapse of her immune system and leeched calcium from her bones. She is going to be sick for a while unless she can find an alpha to draw from."

Ymer murmured, "I have contacted his partner to come and take a look. He may or may not be with her."

Iris asked. "What did you do?"

Ymer smiled. "I contacted an alpha with an affinity for serpents and his business partner, who is an excellent healer."

Tonlya chuckled weakly. "Trying to accomplish what the Omega Centre couldn't?"

"No, miss. Trying to get you and your sibling to a safe place. These two alphas are trustworthy."

"Oh, sure. You all are until someone says Get your hand off my ass, you fucking pervert." She chuckled and lay back with her eyes closed. "Then it is smacking into a wall and waking up in the hospital."

Tamara swallowed. "You said you tripped."

"Oh, honey. I didn't want to upset you."

Iris smiled to distract them. "Well, I was shot last night, and I am feeling much better now. Maybe some alphas to take energy from will be just the thing."

Denel and Bennet spoke together. "What?"