When an Omega Snaps (14 page)

Admitting what he’d done brought a wince to Leo’s face but a look of astonishment to hers.

“You drugged me?” She blinked. A long, slow blink. The drug tried to take her over the edge.

He tried to explain. “I had to.  It was the only way I could keep my promise.”

“But this was our room. You said so,” she slurred, lashes fluttering against her cheeks.

“It is.” Make that would be. Tomorrow, everything would change.

“You are so…so…”

He hushed her with a kiss, a kiss full of longing, pent desire, and an affection he would have never imagined for this woman a few days ago.

Meena. A walking, talking whirlwind, who made him feel so alive.

How could he explain how much not touching her hurt him? How could he let her know that he regretted his promise, that he wished more than anything he could peel that damned dress from her body, run his hands over her silky body, and claim her with every ounce of his being. Stamp her with his mark.

I want to make you mine.

But he couldn’t. Not yet. Would she understand? Would she forgive him? “Just one more night, Vex. Trust me.”

Snore.

She’d lost her battle with the sleeping agent he’d slipped into the beer.

He leaned his forehead against hers, closing his eyes for the moment.
I hope she forgives me.
His actions seemed extreme, even to him.

Why couldn’t he just claim her and give them what they both needed? Who the hell drugged the woman they wanted to claim instead of breaking a stupid promise?

He did.

Damn me.
The things he did because of respect—and love.

I need a fucking beer.
Make that a keg. However, he doubted there was enough booze to drown the caterwauling of his inner feline.

Stuff it, or I’ll let Clara weave ribbons in your mane the next time we shift.

Pink ones.

Meena awoke to someone sitting on her chest. Given it crushed and impeded her ability to not only breathe but sleep, she finally understood why it irritated her brother when she did it. Especially when the sitter chose to whip the pillow out from under head and smack her with it.

Prying open an eyelid, she glared at Zena. “Why do you want to die?” Forget waking in a happy mood. She only too clearly recalled last night with Leo drugging her so he wouldn’t have to have sex with her. Stupid, respectable jerk. Someone was taking his promise a little too far.

Especially since all he has to do is claim me and problem solved.

But he chose instead to walk away.

Doesn’t he want to claim me?

She’d certainly thought so but now had to wonder given his actions.

Her inner lioness gave her a mental smack.
Of course he wants you. Who wouldn’t?

What the hell was up with the self-doubt?

I’m awesome.

So awesome he’d left, and now she was being tortured by demons, also known as her favorite cousins.

Zena flicked the tip of her nose and grinned. “Well, good morning to you too, drama queen. I see somebody’s in a bad mood.”

“You would be, too, if you got drugged and put to bed.”

Zena snickered. “I still can’t believe Leo did that. Most guys would have just locked you in a room and told you to behave.”

“As if there’s a lock that could hold me.”

“That’s what I told him,” Reba announced as she flounced onto the bed. “That’s why we tossed some sleeping pills in that last beer you drank.”

“You aided and abetted him in pussy blocking me? I thought we were friends,” Meena accused in her most aggrieved tone.

“We are, which is why we totally approved of his plan. It’s nice to see a man determined to respect you. We thought you’d appreciate it.”

Sure, make him out to be the hero. The good guy. Meanwhile, that didn’t help her aching libido.

“So you drugged the beer.”

“Just the one.”

Meena frowned. “What do you mean just the one? How did you know I’d drink it? He offered me the pale ale. I took his instead.”

A wet raspberry sprayed Meena. Wiping at her face, Meena glared at Zena who laughed, completely unabashed. “I knew you’d do that. Like hello, pale ale is for pussies.”

“I can’t believe you chugged it though.” Reba shook her head. “The stuff hit you faster than we expected. Leo barely made it up here with you before you were snoring.”

“But he didn’t stay.” Stupid gentleman not taking advantage of her.

“Nope, because he said he didn’t trust himself to,” Reba relayed with a sigh. “It was so cute. You would have loved how frustrated he looked.”

A frustration she wanted to cure, except one honorable omega kept fighting her.

“I love how concerned he was about making sure you were safe. He bribed me and Reba to guard your comatose ass while he proceeded to drink and play cards with your father and that Russian fella.”

“My dad is here?” A rare frown creased her forehead. How come she’d not known her father was coming for a visit? Wasn’t he still supposed to be on vacation?

“Yup, he’s here and your mom too. I heard your sister should be arriving sometime this morning as well for the wedding.”

A yes, the stupid wedding. As if she wanted to envy the happiness of another couple when her own man would rather dope her than shag her. “Ugh, do I have to go? I’d rather mope in bed.”

“Are you insane? You can’t stay in bed. You’ll miss all the fun. Get your ass moving. We’ve got to get ready.”

“It’s just past the butt crack of dawn. How long do you think it will take to throw on a dress and some lip-gloss?”

“You’ve got a heck of a lot more than that to do. You need to shave your pits and those hairy things you call legs.”

Damn shifter genes. Men complained about five o’clock shadows. She got the bristles only hours after shaving her legs. Epilation was the only thing that lasted more than twenty-four hours.

“She also needs to eat.”

“Good point. She should probably do that before the shower so that she’s fresh for when the hairdresser gets here.”

“Hairdresser? What do I need one of those for?”

“To do your hair, silly. And then there’s the makeup artist.”

She didn’t argue too much about the artist since she and eyeliner did not get along. “Why do I have to wear makeup?” she whined. “Why are you torturing me?”

“Well, you want to look pretty for your wedding day, don’t you, silly?”

Meena blinked. A few times actually. Usually, she would have had a clever repartee, but she was currently speechless—a rare occurrence that deserved a mark on the calendar. She processed Zena’s words. They didn’t make any sense. Unless…

“I am not marrying that stubborn tiger. Did Leo or my dad lose me to him in a game or cards or something?”

“No. Your marriage isn’t because of a lost wager,” Reba snickered.

“No matter. I don’t care what Dmitri’s threatened Arik with or how much money he’s offered to bribe the pride. I will not marry him.”

“Dmitri? You mean the hot Russian dude? He would have been my first choice, but alas for you, you’re stuck marrying big, old, boring Leo today.”

“Leo? I’m marrying Leo?” Surely she imagined the words. She must still be asleep. This was obviously a dream. Meena slapped herself.

Reba screeched, “Dude, what are you doing? Your bruises from last night’s catfight with Loni are barely healed.”

“I thought you said I was marrying Leo today. I was just making sure I was awake. I’m coherent now, so you can stop screwing with me and tell me who’s actually getting hitched.”

Zena grabbed her cheeks and stared her in the face. “You. Are. Marrying. Leo. Today. In like hours. So stop fucking around.”

Last night, he’d drugged her so he wouldn’t have to claim her. Today, he planned to marry her? “But how? Why?”

“Apparently, when your dad made Leo promise to not like deflower you—”

A snicker from Zena. “Too late for that.”

“—Leo said if a mating was what it took, then by hell, you’d get mated. But said more nicely of course. Then apparently your mom got involved, stole the phone as a matter of fact from your dad, and told Leo to not waste time and do it now before he changed his mind, that you were lucky to find a man. Then your daddy said, you were, and I quote, ‘fucking perfect and if Leo truly cared for you then he’d treat you like the fucking princess that you are.’”

“Daddy said that?” Of course he did. Daddy’s affection for his girls didn’t see the clumsy feet. “Wait a second, how do you know all this?”

“Well, it wasn’t on account of us eavesdropping,” Reba said with an innocent stare at the ceiling.

“This is Meena we’re talking to, idiot. We totally spied on Leo when he was talking to your dad down in the lobby before your picnic. It’s how we got roped into making the plans for the wedding. A wedding you’re going to be late for if you don’t get your fat ass out of this bed and moving. Shower now while I call down to see where the hell your breakfast is.”

She was getting married.

I am getting married.

Holy shit.

She dove under the covers.

“Meena, what the hell are you doing?”

“I can’t get married.”

“Why the fuck not? I thought you said he was your mate.”

“He is.”

“Well then, what’s the freaking problem?”

Meena poked her head out long enough to announce. “Do I really need to spell it out? Me. A long dress. A walk down an aisle in front of people. A priest. Can you imagine the disasters that might entail?” Tripping over her own gown. A passing bird pooping on her head. Fumbling her vows and saying something really wrong in front of a priest. Getting hit by lightning. Fainting in shock and killing the groom. The possibilities were endless. “I can’t do it. Someone go tell Leo that I’ll be his mate, but I won’t subject anyone to the torture of a wedding.”

“Meena, Meena, Meena. You’re not thinking clearly. Of course you want a wedding. For one thing, it is what every girl dreams of.”

True.

“Second, this is a great way to show all the women in the pride he’s your man.”

Yeah, hands off, bitches.

“Third, he went to a lot of trouble getting this done in like twenty-four hours. Our sweet and calm Leo was barking orders last night apparently to make sure everything was fucking perfect for his dainty woman.”

“He called me dainty?”

“He might have been drunk by that time. But yeah, he did.”

“And lastly, you have to do this because I’ve got a hundred bucks riding on this.”

“You were betting I’d get married?” How like her friend to have her back and want the best for her.

“A hundred bucks says you make it down the aisle, but when you toss the bouquet, you start a cat fight.”

“At my own wedding?” Meena smiled. “Count on it.”

“Especially since that bouquet is mine,” Zena announced.

“Like hell. I call dibs.”

And thus did her wedding morning devolve into a practice run for the predicted battle later.

But for once, Meena didn’t join in. She had a wedding to get ready for. A man to impress. And body parts to shave because, after the wedding, she was clubbing her liger over the head and dragging him to this bed.

No more excuses. Once they said I do, she would do—him.

Rawr
.

I’m getting married.

Thunk.

Fuck me.

Thud. His head hit the wall again.

No fuck her.

Hmm, that sounded a lot better. He refrained from giving himself a concussion until he remembered…

I’m getting mated.

Bang.

Oh hell this is going to happen.

The tiny thread tethering his mental control snapped.

Panic. Run.

He anchored his feet with the help of his liger—who really thought he was acting like a big, old domesticated pussy about the whole mating thing.

Breathe in. Breathe out. He took a moment to sort his emotions, a cluster of turmoil unlike anything he’d ever encountered.

It was one thing to plan the event—make a few phone calls and set the cousins to work getting it all ready while he kept Meena occupied. But the realization now hit him that this would happen. His life was about to change. Forever.

Eep.

Thankfully no one bore witness to his unmanly squeak. But he heard it, and he didn’t like it, which meant he needed to do something about it.

Prying apart the panic and fear currently wringing his whole body took some work. Yet once he managed to shove them aside, it surprised him to discover those emotions that screamed for him to run didn’t have a firm root. His trepidations were like smoke and mirrors, a mask to hide…nothing in truth. While he did have a man’s healthy terror for matrimony, underneath it all lurked an excitement about what would happen.

After today, Meena will belong to me. Even more intriguing, I’ll belong to her.
Did possessive pride make any sense? It did now.

Mine. All mine.

Today and forever.

How could he have thought that was scary? Fear could go jump off a cliff—just not in front of Meena because she’d probably follow.

She truly was an awesome kind of crazy. A crazy he couldn’t wait to taste. Another thing to look forward to was the evaporation of the barrier holding him back from Meena. Once mated, nothing could stop him from tossing his new bride over his shoulder and carting her off to that sturdy bed. Hot damn, in only a few hours he would finally give her the claiming she deserved.

If she forgave him for what he’d done.

Drugging her might have proven a tad extreme. In his defense, he’d snapped. Rationality, cool composure, control, all the things that made him who he was, that made him an omega, didn’t work where she was concerned.

Much like a dry piece of timber, he ignited in the face of her burning presence.

Except to lose himself in her, to claim her like this in the throes of lust, would rob Meena of a chance before friends and family to see him publicly promise himself to her. To show her she hadn’t just chosen him. He had also chosen her.

Leo couldn’t allow that, so he cheated. He pissed off the woman he expected to marry, hoping against hope that Hayder was right when he said it was easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission.

For a moment Leo wondered, would Meena punch him like he slugged Hayder the last time he’d tried that line of crap on him?

If she did hit him, then he deserved it. He’d take any punishment so long as she forgave him his extreme act and married him today.

Approaching the stairs to the third floor, he peeked up, debating on whether he should go talk to her now before the wedding or pray Meena came walking down the impromptu aisle.

Then he remembered the superstition about not seeing a bride on her wedding day. Did he dare tempt Lady Luck today of all days?

Better not. He’d have to hope the Meena he knew would laugh at his actions and skip down the aisle to throw herself at him.

Was it silly to admit he enjoyed her trust that he would catch her each time?

Turning around, he almost uttered an unmanly yell as he noted someone had managed to arrive behind him without notice. Clamping his lips, he confronted a tray with steaming food held by none other than his bride-to-be.

It took him aback, which was why he blurted out, “What are you doing fetching your own breakfast? Aren’t Reba and Zena giving you a hand? They promised they’d help you get ready.” Leo eyed Meena, wearing a floral-printed summer frock, and frowned. “Didn’t you like the dress the pride ladies chose for the wedding? They assured me you would. That it was your style.” While he’d let the women choose the actual gown, he’d insisted—mostly because Meena’s mother seemed adamant—that his bride wear white. A rushed wedding didn’t mean Meena had to skimp on tradition, something his future mother-in-law went on to explain in detail before Peter, Meena’s father, got on the line and barked, “Do it right. Or die.” Which seemed to be Peter’s answer to many things, especially where Meena was concerned. “If they screwed up, I’ll make them fix it, Vex.”

Eyes wide, she gaped at him. “I think we need to clarify something. I’m not—”

He interrupted her before she could finish her I’m-not-marrying-you. “Hold on a second. Before you say anything, hear me out, please. First off, I’m sorry I drugged you last night.”

“You drugged me!” How surprised she seemed. Had the stuff that knocked her out wiped a few of her memories?

“Don’t get mad. Or get mad, but at least understand I drugged you only because I knew I couldn’t keep my hands off you. It was the only way I could think of to keep my promise. To give you what you deserve.”

“Are you telling me you want this? That you want to get married?” She arched a brow, and he couldn’t hold her gaze. For the first time in his life, Leo found himself truly nervous. Here was a situation he couldn’t hit, wrestle, or order into compliance.

Baring feelings was all well and good, but talking about them sucked. But there came a time in a man’s life where he had to suck it up and gush, especially when he was a blind idiot for a while. “Would I be going through all this trouble if I didn’t want to get married? Listen, Vex, I know we got off to a rocky start. In my defense, you’re a little much for any man to handle. Not that I mind,” he hastened to add when her second brow shot up. “I like who you are, and I’m a big enough man to admit I might have reacted poorly when you declared I was your mate and that I couldn’t escape.”

“I said what?” Again, she gaped in open surprise. Then laughed. Pretty damned hard as a matter of fact.

He frowned. “Don’t you dare deny it, Vex. You had me all but in front a preacher within five minutes of us meeting. And it scared me. But you were right about us belonging together, even if it took me longer to realize it. You are the one for me, Meena. The chaos to balance my serenity. The colored rainbow to enrich the grayness of my current life. I want you, Vex. Catastrophes and all. I just hope, even after what I’ve done, and the fact I might sometimes have a stick up my ass, at least according to Luna, that you’ll forgive me and still want me too.” He ended his gush of words and stared at Meena hopefully, and a little fearfully, given she once again stared at him slack-jawed.

Would she say something?

She did, just not from her lips. No, Meena’s voice came from behind him.

“Oh, Pookie, that has got to be the most beautiful thing I ever heard.”

Either Meena had some mad ventriloquist skills or…Leo froze as he stared at the woman in front of him, a woman that he realized the more he stared was Meena and yet not. This one wore her hair in soft curls around her shoulders, a tiny scar marred the tip of her chin, and her scent…was all wrong. However, the body that jumped on his back and the lips that noisily kissed the flesh of his neck? That was his Vex.

What the hell? “Who are you?” he asked.

The Meena clone grinned and waved. “Teena, of course.”

“My twin,” Meena added against his ear.

“Identical twin?”

“Well, duh. And it’s a good thing too, or I’d be a little miffed right now that you just said all those beautiful things to her.”

“I thought it was you.”

“Apparently. It happens a lot, which I totally don’t get. She looks nothing like me.”

“I feel like such an idiot.” He tried to crane his head to see the Meena clinging to his back, but she slapped her hands over his eyes. “No, you can’t look. It’s bad luck.”

“But…”

“No buts. Although I will say yours looks awfully delicious in those pants. But it will look even better when it’s naked and wearing my teeth marks.”

“Vex!”

“I know. I know. Don’t start something we can’t finish. Consider yourself warned, however. As soon as that priest says I do, your ass is mine. All mine.” Such a low, husky promise. “Come on, Teena, you are just in time to help me get into my gown. Can you believe my Pookie arranged all this?”

The pride in her voice made him smile, but he did have to shake his head at the whole twin sister thing. With one last kiss on his neck, Meena whispered, “See you in a little bit, Pookie.”

A little bit was actually about two hours. Two hours of last-minute preparations, the use of his omega voice to calm down some hung-over pride women who wouldn’t get along—
Ladies who don’t behave get dish duty
—two hours of anticipation, back slapping, and ribald jests.

It seemed like an eternity of hell, but finally, the moment arrived. The field outside had transformed. At the far end sat a makeshift altar presided over by a priest, not of any human church but an official when it came to shifter marital matters—and sanctioned by the state according to his certificate printed off the Internet.

The pride had truly come together in a short period of time. Chairs were layered in rows, well over a hundred of them, set in two columns framing a path upon which someone had unrolled a veritable red carpet.

An arch, woven of branches and threaded with flowers, presided behind the altar. The same flowers overflowed from garden pots placed every few rows for color. Most everyone had arrived and seated themselves. Dressed in their finest, they’d come together, even if some of them still held a grudge because, in their world, a wedding between shifters was always a cause for celebration.

As for Leo, he awaited his bride. Dressed in a tux, with tails of course, Leo stood at the top end of the aisle with his best men, Arik and Hayder. As if he could choose between them.

Tiny Tommy, a cub of almost four, fidgeted in his spot, the ring pillow bouncing precariously. The rings, however, didn’t budge, safely pinned to their spots.

The hum of voices covered the subtle music being piped in from speakers set around the area. Yet, despite the noise level, the babble died as the classic tune, strummed at countless ceremonies, the ‘Wedding March’ began to play. At the signal, everyone’s attention, most especially Leo’s, became riveted at the far end of the field.

First came the flower girls, pretty little lasses in summery frocks, skipping down the aisle, tossing handfuls of petals and, in one case, the basket when it was empty.

Next came the bridesmaids, Luna, strutting in her gown and heels, a challenging dare in her eyes that begged someone to make a remark about the girly getup she was forced to wear. Next came Reba and Zena, giggling and prancing, loving the attention.

This time, Leo wasn’t thrown by Teena’s appearance, nor was he fooled. How could he have mistaken her for his Vex? While similar outwardly, Meena’s twin lacked the same confident grin, and the way she moved, with a delicate grace, did not resemble his bold woman at all. How unlike they seemed.

Until Teena tripped, flailed her arms, and took out part of a row before she could recover!

Yup, they were sisters all right.

With a heavy sigh, and pink cheeks, Teena managed to walk the rest of the red carpet, high heels in hand—one of which seemed short a heel.

With all the wedding party more or less safely arrived, there was only one person of import left. However, she didn’t walk alone.

Despite his qualms, which Leo heard over the keg they’d shared the previous night, Peter appeared ready to give his daughter away. Ready, though, didn’t mean he looked happy about it.

The seams of the suit his soon-to-be father-in-law wore strained, the rented tux not the best fit, but Leo doubted that was why he looked less than pleased. Leo figured there were two reasons for Peter’s grumpy countenance. The first was the fact that he had to give his little girl away. The second probably had to do with the snickers and the repetition of a certain rumor, “I hear he lost an arm-wrestling bet and had to wear a tie.”

For those curious, Leo had won that wager, and thus did his new father-in-law wear the, “gods-damned-noose” around his neck.

However, who cared about that sore loser when upon his arm rested a vision of beauty.

Meena’s long hair tumbled in golden waves over her shoulders, the ends curled into fat ringlets that tickled her cleavage. At her temples, ivory combs swept the sides up and away, revealing the creamy line of her neck.

The strapless gown made her appear as a goddess. The bust, tight and low cut, displayed her fantastic breasts so well that Leo found himself growling. He didn’t like the appreciative eyes in the crowd. Yet, at the same time, he felt a certain pride. His bride was beautiful, and it was only right she be admired.