Omega Mine

Chapter 38

You squeezed Loki's hand and looked up at him. He met your gaze with his emerald ones, his eyes full of love and warmth as ever when his attention was on you. You were his Omega, his mate. He was drawn to love and protect you, just as you were drawn to care for his emotions and needs. "Are you ready to head out, Mate?" You asked, once his attention was on you.

Loki considered for a long moment, too long of a moment. It was long enough that you could practically see the gears turning in his head as he thought whatever it was over. You couldn't help wondering what was wrong, what he was thinking about so hard. "Nearly," he finally replied. A dark possessive look appeared in his eyes. You would have thought that look was lust, but he didn't smell of desire and you weren't preparing for any activity that would put a lustful look in his eyes.

Well, not right then anyway. Maybe after you'd returned from your shopping trip you could enjoy each other's company.

"Nearly? Mate? What's wrong?" You felt Loki's inner turmoil through the mating bond, through your instincts as an Omega. You were more attuned to him than to any of the others since he was your Alpha, your mate.

You saw him visibly relax at the nickname you'd given him. To be fair, 'mate' wasn't a nickname per se, but it was a reassurance to your Alpha. It was a term of address, of endearment that reminded your Alpha that he was loved, chosen, needed. You had claimed each other as mates. That was important to Loki.

Loki had told you his past in the time you'd been getting to know each other. He told you of his childhood, of living in Thor's shadow, his mother teaching him magic, finding out his heritage, ruling Asgard, his fall from the Bifrost, torture at Thanos' hands, the Battle of New York under mind control, and finally his time in the dungeons before he was allowed to come to Midgard to make amends.

You knew that he needed you with all that he'd been through. You also knew that he was loyal to a fault to those he loved and that included you.

He bent to nuzzle you, to nuzzle your mating mark. You gasped at the jolt of pleasure that went through you at that gesture. When your mind cleared of that jolt of pleasure, you realized what he was doing. "Mate? I have your collar and your mating mark. Do you really need to scent me too?" You kept your words light and teasing. Loki was scenting you, making you smell like him, physically, psychically with the nuzzling he was giving you. You didn't mind that he was scenting you, but you wanted to know his reasoning behind doing so.

"Yes, but I feel better if everyone knows you're claimed. I do not wish for any more incidents," Loki replied when he was satisfied that you'd been scented properly. In scenting you, you'd nuzzled him back and marked him as well with your scent. You'd learned during the mating that his people mated and scented both ways, not just an Alpha claiming his Omega, but the Omega claiming their Alpha in return.

You remembered the Alpha who had tried to force claim you all too well. He had earned his death. Loki wasn't taking chances, though. He was on Midgard on probation. No one faulted him for killing an Alpha who had challenged him, but he didn't want another one to make the same mistake. He didn't want to cause enough trouble to get dragged home, especially if he would be separated from you.

Loki kissed you softly when he was satisfied that you were both scented. He offered you his arm. "Now I am ready, Elskling," he told you warmly.

You smiled and placed your hand on his arm, though thoughts of the Alpha who had died trying to force claim you and thoughts of Loki being dragged home and separated from you plagued your mind even as you left the tower with him.