Char leaned against the wall when I glanced up, and I sighed. “Dinner smells good,” I offered in a light tone, and his eyes narrowed.
“What did that fleabag do that has you feeling so down?” He demanded, although he kept his voice from sounding harsh. “I get the sense you have given up on a fight, that’s the level of dejection you’re projecting.”
“I don’t fight,” I shrugged in reply, trying to walk by him to fetch some cutlery, but he grabbed my arm in a gentle hold to halt my steps. “Besides, he did nothing. Perhaps the last few days are weighing more heavily upon me than I realized.”
“No, it’s not the last few days, since you were upset but never dejected. What did that fleabag do?” Char scoffed, and I sighed, shrugging my shoulders when he gazed at me. Ky, meanwhile, growled lowly behind me, and Char growled in return. “You are a guest within our home, you do not get to growl.”
Chewing on my bottom lip, my past sorrow for causing Kyler to lose his pack resurfaced along with more feelings of failure. Poor Ky, he must feel so lost without the wolves he’s used to running with. Another sin to add to my list, I suppose. I never should have come to this town, because all I’ve done since I arrived is mess everything up. I could leave tonight, sneak away while the boys slept. Now that I knew they were werewolves, I’d be quieter and more careful when I moved around. Meeting my gaze, Char narrowed his eyes, although he smiled after a moment. “Marcus has someone watching the door too, remember?” He asked with a slight smirk.
“Crap,” I muttered, and he threw his head back to laugh.
“I always knew you’d figure it out on your own,” Char chuckled. “You’re too intelligent to not realize what we are. Plus, Marcus says you told him you used to eat lunch in the school libraries before Riff brought you to our cafeteria. Logically, one can conclude that while there, you might have read a few books. Books plus intelligence equals Angel’s figured it out. Although I bet you made yourself not think about it because you didn’t want to know. But I suppose I should be pleased. You said you didn’t want to know unless you decided to stay, so I’m glad that’s the decision you’ve made.”
I opened my mouth to argue, and he quirked his brow with a smirk when no words came out. I didn’t make that decision, at least I did not mean to, but I suppose he was right. I wanted to stay here, I wanted to have a home and belong somewhere. But all I would bring to their door was trouble, and with what they were, they needed to avoid strife to remain undiscovered. “Just because I want to stay does not mean I should,” I sighed after a moment, my head hung in defeat.
Snorting, Char’s fingers under my chin encouraged me to raise my head so he could look into my eyes. “Just because you fascinate trouble does not mean you shouldn’t. We’re werewolves, darling, trouble is our schtick. Besides, Angel, you are more than worth it. You are what we call an omega which is the rarest type of wolf. We see perhaps one in every five hundred, that is how few exist. Now, omegas are not pushovers, but their strength lies in the avidity of their protection. When it all goes to hell, and the alpha faces a threat trying to end us, do you know who we rely on to protect our homes and those who cannot defend themselves? The omega. Nothing gets past an omega. They have a natural talent for fighting, but they only use it to protect, never to instigate. And, it’s rare for an omega to defend themselves in their early years because all of them struggle with their self-worth at first. That’s just one facet of what makes them so beloved. Usually, they’re gentle, like you. Albeit, you’re a feral gentle, which I find adorable, although the reason behind it isn’t. Omegas are far more attuned to the emotions of those around them and flit between whoever needs them to soothe whatever hurt they’ve suffered. And, you’ll notice most wolves cannot fight in the presence of one, especially if they are upset or afraid. While every wolf may not perceive another’s emotions all that strongly, every pack member feels those the omega projects. That’s the best explanation I can do at the moment since we are pressed for time. Later, you can ask questions, unless you want to announce you’ve figured it out?” When I shook my head, Char grinned with delight, and I wondered what I’d gotten myself into.
Riff yawned when he appeared in the doorway, rubbing his eyes before scowling at Char. “You let me fall asleep, you ass!” He accused, and I bit my lip to stifle a laugh at his adorable indignation. Char shrugged with an unapologetic smile, tilting his head to the side seconds before someone knocked on the door. Raising my brow, I chuckled but moved to answer it, barking under my breath. Later, once I had time to process the information Char gave me, I was sure I’d have questions. For now, nothing had changed. Sure, I knew they were werewolves, but so what? They were werewolves before and didn’t hurt me, so why should anything change now? I still didn’t think I was as important
