Safe and Sound (Omega Wolves 2) by Willa Okati

Author:Willa Okati [Okati, Willa]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Tags: BIN 07624-02458
Published: 2016-01-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

Zachariah

Finally, the flood of emotion eased. Though his bones ached like an old man’s, Zachariah found he was able to sit up and give Ivoire his shoulder back.

Ivoire made a small humming sound and pressed his cheek briefly to Zachariah’s. A small gesture, yet it encompassed so much more. Forgiveness -- understanding -- acceptance -- affection.

So strange that such a little thing could make such a big difference. But that was Ivoire, wasn’t it?

Zachariah rubbed tiredly at his face. He couldn’t remember how long it’d been since he cried. Probably not since just after he lost Jace. “Sorry.”

“You don’t have to be,” Ivoire said. He picked up the paper they’d cast aside and pretended to study his drawing. “I never have understood why Alphas aren’t supposed to have emotions. Aren’t you human, same as the rest of us?”

“It’s different.”

Ivoire snorted quietly. “I have a penis and a womb. That’s different, Zachariah.”

To his own surprise, Zachariah laughed. It sounded horrible, a sharp and ragged bark of a thing, but Ivoire crinkled his nose and grinned back.

Zachariah rubbed at his chest, wondering what the sensations there meant. They weren’t the familiar icy numbness he’d carried around with him since Jace’s passing. Nor were they hot like anger, or prickly with wariness. More… empty. Yes, empty, but not forlorn.

More like a sense of waiting for something to happen. But what?

Zachariah let out his air in a long, slow puff as he watched Ivoire fold the map they’d made in half, but when Ivoire started to struggle to his feet, the only thing he felt was a sudden surge of not wanting that to happen.

He pushed himself off the edge of the porch and held both arms out. “Don’t do that. I’ll help you down.”

“Are you sure? I’m pretty heavy.”

“You keep asking that. You don’t feel that heavy to me.”

“Hmm. Wait a couple of months.” Ivoire reached down to grasp Zachariah’s arms, and let Zachariah help him down. His feet touched the ground with still-light agility.

Only seven months? Less than Zachariah had thought -- but he remembered, with an inner chuckle, how unwise commenting aloud to an Omega about that kind of thing could be.

Ivoire gave him an unimpressed look, as if reading his mind, and swatted his arm. “After all that, I think I’ve earned a nap. Do you mind?”

No, Zachariah didn’t, and yet -- he couldn’t be certain, but he didn’t think Ivoire really wanted to sleep. Now that he’d composed himself, he thought Ivoire’s demeanor seemed the slightest bit off. Less cheerful, and more pensive.

It didn’t suit him.

It’d been a long, long time since Zachariah made any sort of impulse decision, but they seemed to come natural these days. He held out his hand. “Do you have any of those power bars left?”

Ivoire blinked at the non sequitur. “Sorry?”

This kept happening, too. Zachariah shrugged it off. “I was thinking if a power bar’s enough to keep you fueled for a while, you might go for a walk with me.”

Frowning, Ivoire gathered his hair together, pushing it over his shoulder and tucking wisps away from his face.

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