Talk About… Rivalry (Rockwood Valley Omegaverse #2)

18. Sidney

Sidney

M y jaw dropped and Leo bit back a laugh as the glass of wine tumbled toward Maverick’s date.

I was definitely going to hell.

The deep satisfaction that filled me at her screech and the sight of wine dripping down her expensive dress, was intense. A giddy laugh escaped my lips as she stood up, cursing and swiping at her ruined dress.

Maverick was frozen, staring in horror.

The omega huffed and stormed off, shoving people out of her way as we all tracked her movements.

A low growl slipped out of my throat as she bumped into Taylor. He cast a reassuring smile my way before turning back to Maverick who was only looking at my omega with kindness.

My omega.

How was I already thinking that way?! Wasn’t I just the girl who was fighting this with everything in me?

Yet, seeing her ask out Maverick, memories of my night with Bennet, and knowing that Taylor wanted me, I couldn’t seem to fight the urge to let someone in for once.

It would be an adjustment and they would have to be patient with me always being ready for them to bolt because I knew that wasn’t going to change overnight.

I was getting ahead of myself anyway.

There still needed to be a date and a scent… or lack thereof, conversation before we got to that point.

“How does it feel?” Leo asked conspiratorially, leaning in far too close to me. My heart slammed in my chest as my eyes flickered over to his, the deep green of his eyes holding me captive for a moment. Warmth bloomed on my face and for a brief moment a small hint of citrus and cedar wood hit me. Rich, earthy, and crisp.

What the hell was that?!

I shot back so fast my chair clattered and I stood, looking around like a wild animal. No, that couldn’t be a scent, I didn’t fucking have those.

Leo looked just as shocked but the view was blocked as Maverick shifted in front of me, eyes intense as he leaned in, hands on my shoulders as he leaned down to my level.

This time it was the fleeting scent of sandalwood, amber, vanilla and a hint of bergamot, the lime and earthy hint mixing with the warmth and spice. My chest ached painfully as it hit me, pulse picking up, and my pussy throbbing painfully before it was gone again and I was left dizzy and reeling.

“What’s wrong, Sidney, did he do something? I’ll fucking kill him,” he ground out, oblivious to my panic.

A huff behind him had Maverick turning around to fight with the beta again.

I used his distraction to get away, snatching my bag and choking out an apology before rushing through the door.

The dining room was packed now and several sets of eyes locked on me as I hurried past in a frenzy. I nearly sobbed at the sight of the front door in front of me.

I was a fucking mess. Head spinning, heart pounding, body aching and flushed, and utterly confused.

The reaction to those strange scents were so visceral and raw I didn’t know what to do with them.

I couldn’t let hope form. It would fucking wreck me if it was a fluke. No, I had to get out.

Now.

A strong hand gripped my arm, pulling me to a stop. I spun around, my fight kicking in as I swung around but Leo stopped me with a concerned look on his face.

“Sidney, stop,” he begged, leaning in to study me, trying to figure out why I panicked. “Talk to me. What did I do?”

I opened my mouth but only a squeak echoed out as my fingers clenched into his shirt, holding on or pushing away, I couldn’t be sure.

“Look, Sidney, I’m so fucking sorry about earlier today. I was an idiot and you didn’t deserve it. I asked you on this date because I know you’re different, and I want to give this a chance.”

My jaw dropped but no words came out. What the hell?

Taylor rushed outside a second later, ripping the apron off of his waist and stumbling to a stop. He shoved Leo out of the way and pulled me into a hug.

“Breathe, sunshine. Did we fail? What happened?”

“Sidney?” This time the concerned voice was different, yet familiar.

“God, no,” I breathed out. “I’m fucking cursed, aren’t I?”

“Need I remind you again that I’m not a god?” Bennett teased out in a slight southern drawl, his eyes dancing with amusement when I shifted my gaze his way.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Maverick yelled, voice booming in the night. We drew a few more looks and Taylor frowned at him.

“Don’t you have a date to attend to?” my fiery omega asked. He pulled me closer and stepped away from the tension brimming from the chaos.

“So, this is the date you had to cut our meeting short for?” Bennett asked Maverick with a raised brow.

“I don’t think we’ll need your business after all, especially if you’re making deals with my rivals,” Maverick said. His voice was stone cold, eyes swimming in fury.

“Why are you so intimidated by me?” Leo demanded, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “We can both fucking thrive here. Hell, Cohen’s Corner sells mead and I don’t see you throwing a bitch fit about it.”

“That’s fucking different. He’s a shop, not a fucking bar,” Maverick shot back.

“And we are different. We asked this guy, he knows the business,” Leo said, everyone turning to Bennett who simply raised one well manicured eyebrow and stepped closer.

His nostrils flared, eyes whipping over to me and Taylor. The omega tightened his grip and shook his head.

“No, not right now,” Taylor said, his voice frustrated now, too. The tension was so high it made me nauseous. Stomach already queasy after the scents but now it was a hurricane of nerves and turmoil.

The need to run was high and Taylor shifted us another step away as if he could stop me from running.

“Hey, keep it down out here. Leave if you can’t control yourselves,” an angry alpha said from the doorway, gaze drifting from one of us to the next before stopping on Taylor. “Son.”

“Sorry, Pop,” Taylor said. “We’re clearing it up now.”

“Make sure you do,” he warned before disappearing inside. Taylor pulled me to the grass to free the sidewalk and they followed.

“Answer,” Leo begged Bennet, not letting this go. I guess that meeting ended in just as much chaos as these dates did.

Then the door slammed open and Maverick’s wine stained date stumbled out, eyes flaring with venom.

“What the fuck, alpha? You just ghost me for this bitch? I thought you looked like a gentleman, not a fucking dick,” she screeched, face red with anger and embarassment.

But the moment she called me a name, two alphas and a beta were facing her, fury on their faces.

“You know nothing about this situation,” Maverick said, tone ice cold now. “But you will not disrespect her in front of me.”

“At least we agree on that.”

“If you were packed up, why the hell did you agree to go out with me?” she asked, her tone hurt as much as furious. I couldn’t help but feel a bit bad for her until she opened her mouth again. “This was supposed to be something I could share, now I’ll have to pretend it never happened.”

My eyes shifted to Maverick. He nodded once, face set in stone but I saw the flicker of recognition and pain in his eyes, like he expected this.

“I’m truly sorry about the date and I am not with an omega or pack,” he clarified.

She rolled her eyes and gestured to all of us.

“Oh really, I hadn’t pegged you as a liar,” she said, stomping one heel-clad foot as she spoke. “Looks pretty cozy to me.”

“I wish,” was all I could mutter, hoping no one heard me, but Taylor let out a little chuckle, his breath warm against my ear.

“Say the word, sunshine, and you know I’m yours,” he reminded me.

I closed my eyes for a second, letting those words sink in.

“Now isn’t the time to argue packs or semantics on lounges versus small-town bars,” Bennett reminded us. I heard footsteps and a second later a warm hand was gently lifting my chin. He said nothing until my eyelashes fluttered open to take in his small, warm smile. “Did you eat?”

I shook my head. We never got that far.

“Then I’d love to take my omegas to dinner while these boys duke it out,” he said, tossing a look over his shoulder.

“Omegas?” I whispered, stomach clenching as his eyes flickered to Taylor behind me.

“Stop,” Taylor pleaded him but I was already pulling away, a sinking, yet hot, feeling washing over me. Tears burned behind my eyes as I put distance between us.

“I’m fine. I’ll head home. If you’re mates, you should explore it,” I said.

This time I didn’t hesitate as I ran across the lot to my car. My hands shook as I slid the key into the lock but right as I opened it the door was slammed shut again and a voice was low in my ear as a warm body pressed against me.

If I was a normal omega I’d know who by scent alone. I stared at the alpha behind me in the glass of my dirty car window, swallowing as he leaned in, meeting my gaze in the reflection.

“Stop running from me, omega. I like the chase,” Bennett promised.

“Why do you care? You’re leaving and you have an omega apparently,” I argued, turning to glare up at him defiantly.

Why couldn’t they just let me leave? A tear finally escaped and his sharp, gray eyes tracked the movement before catching it.

I half-expected pity in his expression, instead it was empathy. His body relaxed and his touch gentle as he ran his fingers down my cheek in a featherlight touch.

“Scent isn’t everything. It seems you like the omega as much as I do. However, I just met him right now,” he admitted.

That explained the frozen stances and deep breaths they each took.

“So, why did Taylor tell you no?”

“Because he had his omega in his arms already, I assume,” Bennett answered the question clearly written on my face. “Are you going to run from everyone who cares about you, angel?”

“It’s better than the mates I choose realizing that fate has someone better for them,” I admitted my deepest fear out loud. “Then I’ll be left in the dust, more broken than I already am.”

“You’re not broken.” It was Leo’s voice who chimed in. “I did always wonder at your lack of scent. Bennett is right, though, scent isn’t everything. I’m realizing that more and more every second I spend with you.”

I laughed, the sound hollow and laced in anguish.

“Lie to yourselves all you fucking want, but I’m a realist. You can’t tell me that if a female omega walked up right now, scent everything you could ever want, that you’d let her just walk out of your life forever and be fine with it. No, you’d run after her, give me some weak apologies, and I’d be forced to pick up the pieces.”

My walls were crumbled in pieces around me and my darkest fears were laid bare for them to all witness.

Even Maverick. He and Taylor walked up behind Leo, all four men looking at me with pain etched in every line of their faces.

My tears flowed freely now and Maverick let out a groan while Bennett tugged me against him.

“I don’t like that you’re hurting and I don’t know what I can say to convince you,” he admitted. “But I would never be able to walk away from you now.”

“I want to believe you,” I whispered in a broken voice.

The truth was that I wanted all of them already, but I knew that accepting that fact, letting them in, giving this a try, would be my downfall.

“Then give us a shot,” Taylor begged. “Even if he is my alpha, our alpha, you’re my focus.”

My eyes didn’t turn to him, but to the alpha he said that in front of. He was telling him out loud that I came first.

Bennett smirked at me and leaned in.

“Imagine me, commanding my two omegas, telling him how to please you, how to fuck you. Then I’d let him fuck you while I fucked him, only me in control.”

A whimper escaped me and my pussy throbbed again, slick reminding me that not everything about me was broken.

“I guess you like that, don’t you,” he purred in my ear.

God, I wanted this, but I couldn’t force myself to say the words. His expression softened but he did step back and took a breath.

“Let me feed you dinner?”

I could turn and climb into my car right now. He would let me go. But just like I couldn’t force myself to say anything, I also couldn’t turn around and walk away.