10. Juno

JUNO

Her therapist was going to pass out when she heard about this.

Juno, holding hands with an alpha. Juno initiating holding hands with an alpha. Her omega instincts had been nudging her the entire time to soothe Ollie’s nervous energy and she had followed through.

Hazel would probably faint dead away when she heard. Then she would need a detailed play-by-play, as if Juno and Ollie had a sordid encounter instead of doing something even toddlers were capable of.

No matter, she was proud of herself. Considering Ollie had approached her in public and even came close to scent marking her, he was way more awkward than she had expected. There was one moment when his scent had turned dark and fierce but for the most part he had been adorably shambolic.

He was nothing like what Juno thought an alpha would be. It was perfect.

“Would you like to meet the rest of my pack?”

She’d almost forgotten that was the point of the whole exercise. He squeezed her fingers reassuringly and she gave him a tiny nod.

He looked past her shoulder. “Aisha, do you mind bringing the others in?” he called.

God, she’d totally forgotten Aisha and the NOC officer were in the room with them. Juno turned around and was greeted by what could only be described as heart eyes from Aisha. This is amazing, she mouthed to Juno as she was leaving.

Ollie, sensing Juno’s rising nerves, initiated a game of thumb war and let her win every time.

Juno knew the second the rest of Pack Rivera-Gunnarsson entered. The room felt like a vacuum, all the air rushing out to accommodate the magnitude of the alphas present. She was immediately drawn to Isaac at their head, though Everett cut an imposing figure to his side. Miles was the furthest back, and she got her first glimpse at the bronze-haired beta with irreverent, carefree eyes.

Their scents mingled with Ollie’s at her back. Salted ocean air and sand between her toes, still warm from the day’s sun. Drinks pressed into her hand — liquor, coffee, a sip of wine and citrus. Her head lolled back onto a firm shoulder as another set of lips found her neck.

“Shit.” Her knees buckled slightly and Ollie released her hand to place a steadying palm on the small of her back. The others halted their advance, responding to Isaac’s curt nod.

“Juno, I know this must be overwhelming. Take your time.” Isaac’s rum scent burned her throat but brought clarity afterwards. “I’m Isaac. Ollie’s brother.”

It was impossible to look at him for too long. Was this how peasants felt in the presence of a king? His quiet benevolence and assured voice didn’t help either, only making her feel more outclassed.

“You’re their prime.” It was more a statement than a question. He nodded and Juno gave him a wry smile before staring at his pristine shoes. “Bet this is not how you imagined meeting your potential omega would go.”

Isaac tilted her chin up to face him. She felt like her entire psyche was laid bare before him. It was disconcerting.

“I hoped we would find someone who would bring the very best out of all of us. I’m not disappointed. Far from it.”

His thumb was still holding her head up as his eyes bored into her. Fuck, was he going to kiss her? That wasn’t what she wanted. At all.

“I don’t know if I’m attracted to your scent!” she cried out, her neck and shoulders turtling up to avoid his touch. Ok that came out wrong. Really wrong. Fix it, fix it, fix it. “For now?” she added, her rising voice trailing off into the stunned silence.

Isaac looked completely dumbfounded and Everett was blinking at her like a goldfish. Miles let an oh shit slip out before clapping his hand over his mouth.

Jesus Christ, she could not have fucked that up more if she tried.

Suddenly, Isaac’s eyes crinkled at the corners. One corner of his mouth lifted up, completely transforming him. “That’s…actually good.” He looked utterly relieved. “I also felt the same way when we got your scent card.”

“So you…weren’t about to kiss me.”

Isaac shook his head, stifling his amusement and Juno wanted a hole to appear beneath her and swallow her whole.

“Did he do the eye trapping thing,” whispered Ollie from behind her.

“Yes!” she hissed.

“Yeah, that’s just Isaac being too alpha for his own good.”

Isaac had moved to one side, allowing her to see Everett properly for the first time. Tall, broad and probably had enough muscles to turn a street lamp into a pretzel. Juno would not be at all surprised if a textbook existed somewhere with his stony glare in the alpha section as a classic example of a peak specimen.

“I’m Everett,” he grunted, looking intently at her left earlobe.

She glanced up at him timidly. “Hi.”

The silence between them grew until Juno was convinced the awkwardness had manifested itself as a high-pitched ringing in her ears. His eucalyptus scent sharpened almost painfully, pricking her eyes and stuttering her breath.

“Shit,” Everett said hoarsely. He turned away abruptly. “Miles, you go.”

Juno had heard many successful pack stories in her time at the Omega Village and most were a variation of “he scented me, I splooshed slick everywhere and then he went all growly and said mine.” Where were the stories of awkward as shit first encounters and disastrous first dates? Of one-sided affections and pack implosions?

Or maybe she was just defective. That was a fun thread to start pulling at.

“I’m Miles.”

The smiling beta interrupted her thought spiral before she completely unravelled. Juno got that slight pang in her chest she always got when she had a fleeting reminder of Julian. Miles’ faint sangria scent was so different though. Tantalising and sensual, the two of them tipsy and giggling, heads close. His fingers lightly trailed down her shoulder as he whispered something only for her. Lips grazed her ear and she shivered.

Maybe there was something realistic in all those success stories. Just cross out alpha and write hot as fuck beta.

“Juno,” she replied breathlessly.

“I know.” She got a glimpse of his tongue as he wet his lips and wondered what else he could lick.

“You’re the only one who didn’t have a profile.”

“Mm, NOC doesn’t accept beta scent cards.”

“Their loss.”

“Is it now?”

He was very close now. His hazel eyes had the most beautiful flecks of gold.

“Also, I think it’s a logistical thing,” Juno said, with an offhand shrug of her shoulders.

Miles threw his head back laughing, the spell broken. “It’s true, there are a lot of us,” he said, good-naturedly. “Miles Sullivan. I’m 28 and I’m an architect.”

“How did you join this pack, Miles Sullivan?”

“He’s mine.”

Isaac’s voice cut through their little bubble like a blade. Juno suddenly noticed the edge of a bondmark peeking out from underneath Miles’ shirt collar.

Shit. Shit. She flinched like she’d been burned.

So much for fairytale pack introductions.

“Isaac, seriously?” Miles said exasperatedly. “Now is not the time to get all possessive.”

In her limited experience, betas did not talk like that to alphas. Especially not alphas like Isaac.

“Sorry,” Isaac muttered, looking slightly sheepish. The expression was strange on his imposing face, like he had a stomachache.

“You’re his bonded?” Juno asked weakly.

“Is that an issue, Juno?” Isaac was watching her intently. Her next words were important to him, she could tell.

Juno’s shoulders slumped. “I didn’t mean to disrespect your relationship. I’m sorry, Isaac.”

He tilted his head at her curiously. “You’re upset because you think you got between us, not because we’re together?”

“You didn’t, by the way.” Miles turned back to her. “Get between us. I have permission to court you, just as Isaac would if the roles were reversed and he liked you.”

Juno’s omega brain latched onto only one thing. “You like me?” she asked in a small voice.

He ducked his head so their faces were level as he whispered conspiratorially. “Maybe even like like.”

His utter childishness had no business giving her as many butterflies as it did.

“Thank you for accepting us, Juno,” Isaac said quietly. He watched as Miles took her hand gently in both of his.

“So, how does this all work now?” Juno asked, shyly, her eyes darting between them. “I-I’ve never…”

“We court you. Each of us will take you out individually so you can get to know us. Somewhere in between we’ll show you the pack house as well.” Isaac had stepped towards her again, the dark musk of leather wrapping around her comfortingly. “There’s no expectations, romantic or otherwise, on these dates. I want you to know that if you are uncomfortable at any stage you can come to me.”

His voice took on a hard edge. “I won’t let anyone hurt you again, do you understand?”

Juno could only nod anxiously. She looked around her, wondering if she was staring at the faces of her future pack.