ΩMEGA

Chapter Sixteen

Bridger

As I walk towards the packhouse for my and Arron's weekly meeting, I find myself thinking back to last night. The way Kian let me hold him against me and the way he held me too. I've done far more intimate things with men but I've never experienced something so...well...touching before. As I've said to Kian before, I've never been held or allowed myself to be held. As good of a man and father as my father was, he just never experienced that from his parents and he carried their outdated mindset when parenting me alone.

Intimacy is hard enough, but intimacy like that is even harder. I have had mindless sex – I'm a werewolf after all and the majority of us are a highly sexual species. But being held or hugged is just different. However, I didn't find myself squirming away or feeling dumb or repulsed when I held Kian. His smaller body felt amazing against me, his heat spreading through my own body. It felt amazing and normal which is a huge contrast from former similar experiences where hugging someone or allowing someone to hug me felt wrong and uncomfortable.

Goddess, this crush of mine is getting a little out of hand.

'There's no reason that should stop you from pursuing him if it's clear he likes you too' Jace comments, 'he doesn't want Arron — who in their right mind would? — so I say go for it, you just need to be careful with him...show him we're not all bad'

'You're right, but I'm not sure how Arron would handle me going after his mate even if he rejected him also...the plan...'

He scoffs. 'Arron has an issue with everything, he wants his cake and wants to eat it too. And what plan? The plan that you haven't even let me in on?'

I roll my eyes but it's true. I haven't told anyone even my wolf about the plan I've been brewing in my head. Jace is smart though and he should be able to put two and two together, I just haven't given him any details. I'm protecting the plan until I have everything figured out then I'll allow second opinions and get Kian's approval before putting everything into effect.

If I manage to work everything out before Jenna has her baby then this may be the way I can officially change our species for the better. I've been complaining far too much with no solutions to those complaints; for a while, I've just felt useless and my silence only added to the growing problem.

But now...now I have a solution. I just have to make sure it works.

When I make it to Arron's office, I'm pleased to see him already sitting behind his desk. He's usually late to our weekly meetings and he almost always reschedules to a time that doesn't make any sense. I try to make our meetings every Sunday as a way to discuss the week's activities and other issues, but it hardly ever works out.

"Arron," I greet as I walk in and close his door. His office is much bigger than mine and where mine is rustic and filled with as many books that I could fit (all of which are read or at least half-read), his is the opposite. He only has a few books to show that he's just a bit educated but I am jealous of the amount of window space in his office compared to mine.

"We don't have any major issues," I start as I sit down in front of his desk. "We should probably stay on the lookout for any retaliation from the Silver Moon Pack, but I'm hoping James just lets it go and doesn't come back."

"What about the others? How soon can they leave?" Arron asks as he sits back in his chair and looks at me with his icy eyes. "They seem to be overstaying their welcome."

"Well, I've contacted trustworthy packs and haven't gotten any responses but I've told Kian – and Peyton when he was here – that they'll be staying until Jenna gives birth. She doesn't have much longer now, maybe another month or two, by then I imagine they'll have a home waiting for them."