Page 22 of Golden Omega

“Thank you.” I chose not to explain. It might sound silly to alphas. “Where is Sovann?”

“Right here.” He leaned out of the kitchen and waved. “Just making popcorn.”

“I have popcorn? I thought I used the last bag months ago.”

“Microwave popcorn?” He shuddered. “Do you know what they put in that stuff?”

“No?”

“Nobody does. Most of the ingredients on the bags are unpronounceable.” He disappeared again.

“Sovann is a popcorn snob.” Orin chuckled. “We keep some of the microwave version in the house for when he’s not home.”

“I heard that,” he called from the kitchen. “I found it before, and I’ll find it again. You are not going to be poisoned on my watch.”

“You’re going to scare the omega,” Altan said. “Settle down, the two of you, before she realizes what we’re like.”

Kind? Caring?

The sound of popping came from the kitchen and I peeked inside to see a pot on the stove. Sovann was twisting a handle on it as the sound increased in volume and speed. “It smells so good.”

“I’m also melting butter in that little saucepan. After you try mine, you’ll never want the other kind again.”

That didn’t seem to be true for his friends, but maybe they were just lazy in the cooking department because when he dumped the fluffy white kernels into my biggest bowl, salted it, and poured way too much melted butter over it all.

He held out the bowl and I took a handful. I popped it into my mouth and my eyes rolled back in my head. “Goddess. Is this what popcorn is supposed to taste like?”

“See? My brothers are heathens. Will you ever go back to microwave?”

“I’ll have to because I don’t have a popper like that. You brought it with you?”

“And I’ll leave it here and also all the leftovers and the nearly full jar of corn. I’ll even come back and give you lessons.”

We moved into the living room where the others had created a giant fluffy pile which looked way too tall until I realized why. “Is my mattress under here?”

Orin nodded. “Your floor is very hard, and I knew a woman who liked comfort as much as you, would hate it. We’ll carry it back in after.”

After what?

The movie. Right. They’d promised there would be nothing else. Tonight.

But nobody had said anything about hugging, and after we finished the popcorn and some sodas they’d also brought with them, the healthy kind with probiotics, we curled up in a puppy pile and watched three comedies in a row before I fell asleep.

When I woke up, I was in the middle of all of them, warm bodies tucked against mine. Fully clothed, but somehow that wasn’t containing anyone’s scent. The sun was just peeking over the windowsill, and I was more comfortable than ever in my whole life. Nobody had broken any promises, but somehow that seemed like more of a letdown than a win.

I wanted to lie here forever.

And then…I panicked. They were wonderful, but I had good reasons for not wanting shifters in my life. As we’d cuddled, the only reason I didn’t beg them for more was the promise I’d extracted while not full of delicious popcorn and with their sweet scents invading every pore of my body.

I had to get out. Pinned by arms and legs much larger and heavier than mine, it wasn’t easy, but once I got free, I tiptoed into the bathroom, brushed my teeth and hair, grabbed my purse from the table by the front door, and ran for it. No shower, no note. It didn’t matter that it was my apartment. If necessary, they could have all the contents.

I couldn’t breathe.

So, I went to work.

Chapter Nineteen

Orin