9. Ollie

9

OLLIE

Ollie was fully aware of how feral he had been over Juno the last couple of weeks.

Despite being an alpha, it wasn’t his natural state of being. Things felt much more settled now that they had a meeting arranged with her at NOC in a couple of days. But the frenetic feeling of incompleteness was being taken over by creeping anxiety instead.

“Are you sure you want me going in there first on my own?”

Ollie knew Isaac didn’t mean to, but his exasperated we’ve talked about this already look made Ollie’s balls shoot back up inside his body.

When you’re the youngest of 9 siblings (an omega mum bonded with three alpha dads make a lot of kids) and your eldest brother is so dominant he could roll another alpha with a single glance, you didn’t really make your designation your main personality trait. Was there such a thing as an opposite of a prime alpha? Because Ollie was pretty sure that’s what he was.

He could have very easily gone down the self-loathing route; but a chaotic, altogether loving pack family upbringing, coupled with the fact that Isaac lived up to every idolised big brother stereotype imaginable meant he had found his feet in his own way.

Still, Ollie wasn’t sure why Isaac chose him out of all their siblings for his pack. He’d asked Isaac once, years ago, and only received a stern, “You should really think better of yourself, Oliver.” He’d been full-named and it was embarrassing. He never asked again.

It didn’t mean he was immune from moments of doubt. When their pack first formed 8 years ago and before Isaac had met Miles, they did what most newly formed packs did. Registered their scent cards with NOC and bought exorbitantly priced tickets to a season of courtship galas.

It was a disaster. Several omegas wanted to climb Ev like a tree but cared little about what else he had to offer. Isaac was put off that so many had no ambitions beyond wanting to find a pack. And as for the fresh-faced, newly awakened Ollie, he was so overwhelmed by the competing alpha packs and the drugging cocktail of omega scents he was basically wallpaper the entire night.

Never again.

So they dated, loved and lost over the years. Grew up and felt less like imposters playing house. Isaac met Miles, and they became four.

It felt monumental that Juno had come to them because of him.

* * *

“She’s ready for you.”

Ollie leapt up, turning to face the others in the waiting room. He adjusted his glasses and smoothed his hair back nervously even though he knew it would spring back to the exact same position it was in before.

“How do I look?”

His pack replied with a chorus of greats and encouraging smiles.

“Hot as shit, brother,” Miles added and Ev put his head in his hands.

The very pregnant omega — Aisha, she’d said her name was — was accompanied by a uniformed NOC officer. They led him down the hallway together. “We’ll both be in the room for safety purposes. But it’s a large space and you’ll have your own little area and we’ll give you as much privacy as possible,” she rattled off briskly.

Right before they reached the door, she turned around. Her expression lit up, completely different from earlier. “I’m so excited for you all. Juno is just the most…oh, you’ll see.” Ollie was slightly alarmed to see her tear up, completely unequipped to deal with a strange pregnant woman’s tears. But she mercifully spun back around, muttered something about stupid baby hormones under the breath before opening the door.

“She’s in the far corner.”

If they ever made a film about his life, this would be the moment when everything would slow down. The only sound would be the pounding of his heartbeat. Time and space would compress leaving two pinpricks of light. One would be him and the other would be…

Her.

The brown sugar in her scent hit him first. His body immediately recalled their first encounter and electrified his nervous system, putting his alpha instincts into overdrive. Hot sun beating down, skin sticky with sweat and the first delectable lick of vanilla ice cream, chasing melted rivulets. Secret jewelled peaches throughout for wandering tongues to find before meeting in a sweetened kiss. She was a perfect summer day, the magic of golden hour crystallised.

Breathe. Don’t scare her away again.

Her blonde head whirled as he approached. Too perfect. How was she real? All Ollie wanted to do was spoil her and cater to her every whim and desire. Cocoon her in blankets (that smelled like him) and feed her bonbons. He didn’t even know what bonbons were but he was going to find out and get them for her.

But right now he needed to say something before she thought he had malfunctioned.

“I brought you cupcakes.”

His voice cracked slightly and he wanted to die.

“I asked them to put spiders on them.”

Ollie held out the white box he had brought with him and felt thoroughly stupid.

“I’m Ollie.”

Should probably have led with that.

Juno’s plush pink lips lifted into a shy smile. “I’m Juno.” She stood up gracefully and tilted her delicate chin towards the box. “Can I see?”

Ollie blinked, hurriedly lifting the lid. He’d found a custom bakery that specialised in realism to make them, hoping she would appreciate how lifelike the brown painted fondant spiders looked on the airy frosted webbing.

She looked inside and gasped. “That was not what I was expecting.”

“Too creepy?”

“Nah, just the right amount.”

There was a delightfully mischievous look in her eye as she rewarded him with a crooked smile. It made her nose crinkle. Fuck that was dangerous. No more blankets and bonbons. He’d ripped them to one side so he could flip her skirt up and suck her clit until her cunt was swollen pink. Fucked her sopping wet hole with his fingers until her release dripped all over his face and neck. Repeated until her legs wouldn’t stop shaking.

But then an image rose up unbidden. Her small voice and fragile expression. I’ve avoided alphas since.

Ollie pushed away his lewd thoughts, feeling guilty. Juno deserved a lot more than an alpha who only cared that she was omega.

“Did you design your tattoos? I love the little skull moth.” He gestured in what he hoped was a respectful way at her chest. “And the detailing on the snakes on your shoulders is unreal.”

She glowed at the compliments. “Yeah, some of them. I also sought out omega artists whose work I loved.” She eyed him astutely. “You know, you’re not what I expected, Ollie.”

“I’m really fucking nervous.” The confession burst out of him. “Isaac said I should come in first before the others and I’m still not really sure if that was the best plan. ’Cause everyone else in the pack is so great, you’ll see. You smell even better than I remembered and somehow got more beautiful even though I’ve been dreaming about you non-stop since that day at the Lume. But most of all, I want to get to know you and court you and I can’t do that if I scare you again, which right now is my biggest fear.”

Juno looked stunned, blinking at him as she took everything in.

“I’m going to hold your hand.”

What.

“What?”

“I think it would make both of us feel better. Is that ok?”

“Is it…”

“I’m nervous too, Ollie.”

Then her hand found his, slender fingers sliding into his palm like she belonged there. He ran his thumb across her knuckles gently.

“I’m glad I found your scent card,” she murmured. Then she laced their fingers together, forearms brushing and any coherent thought he possibly had in his head promptly flew away.