The Alpha's Bride

Chapter 892: Best friends (D&Z) (2)

Normally, George and Owen would engage in verbal spats, but he didn't have time to waste today. Every minute with Dawn was precious.         

"Why are you here, Owen? Don't tell me you wanted to invite me for lunch?" George asked.     

"What if I did?"     

"Then, I will need to decline."     

"Is there a reason?"     

"Of course, there is," George responded. "Other than not wanting your ugly face to give me indigestion, I woke up craving dumplings, so I asked my Omegas to prepare them for lunch. You would know how that feels if you had Omegas serving you. Oh, how inconsiderate of me. Lieutenants don't get Omegas to serve them; that's only for Generals and above."     

Owen's jaw ticked, and George shook his head.     

"If there is anything official, schedule an appointment. If you have time to spare, I suggest you return to the training grounds. When you feel you have a fighting chance, issue me a warrior's challenge. I won't refuse."     

Owen watched bitterly George's retreating back, noticing that George's steps were getting faster until he broke into a run, and then he took a turn and disappeared out of sight.     

…     

George opened the door of his villa and stepped inside when…     

"WAAAH!"     

A Dawn-bullet jumped on George with an enthusiastic scream, and he was quick to catch her.     

Dawn rubbed her face on the side of his neck. "I thought you won't make it."     

"What made you think so?" George asked through chuckles. Dawn was adorable, and her happiness spilled on him. He had never felt so welcome before Dawn came into his life.     

"I sensed your displeasure not so long ago, so I assumed that you had something unexpected and… you know… that you will be too busy to come home for lunch. You didn't miss anything important for this?"     

George squeezed Dawn against him and took a deep breath to fill his system with her addictive scent of cinnamon.     

"It was nothing much. Just Owen."     

"When will the two of you stop acting like high school kids?" Dawn never met Owen, but George told her about him.     

"Hey, hey," George protested. "He is the one coming onto me. Are you expecting me to stay quiet and let him use me as a doormat?"     

Dawn released George and touched his cheek. "No, I don't. But I wish that you could talk it out. Didn't you say that the two of you used to train together and help each other? If he sees that you are still the same man, he might be a friend. A good one."     

George smiled helplessly. Talking was not the way of people at the Red Moon pack.     

Here, George was a Commander, cold, ruthless, and calculative.     

"This reasonable and soft Commander George is only for you, Dawn."     

Dawn grinned. She loved to know that she was special.     

"I wouldn't call you soft," Dawn said while wiggling her eyebrows, and George growled lowly in approval while leaning to capture her lips with his.         

"How easy is it for you to forget about me?"     

Zina's voice reached them from the side, and Dawn and George smiled.     

Dawn spoke about Zina a lot, and George visited the Dark Howlers pack more than once, so they were familiar with each other. The only thing new about this was the location.     

"Hi Zi," George greeted her. "I assume you had a pleasant morning with my mate."     

"I did. And now I'm starving. Can we eat?"     

They kept the chat during lunch on light topics, and Zina wished she could be this close to Dawn daily.     

"What are your plans for the afternoon?" George asked.     

"We will prepare dinner," Dawn responded. Other than chatting with Zina, she didn't have other plans.     

"I was hoping you could show me around," Zina said.     

George paused. "Around?"     

Zina looked at Dawn. "Around. Outside. Are you telling me you don't leave this villa?"     

Dawn released a long breath. "I do get out, but… this is not a good environment for an Omega, Zi."     

"I came to see how you are living here. Show me. I don't want to see only pretty things."     

George didn't like it. "Due to the preparations for James' birthday, I have meetings this afternoon and can't accompany you."     

"Dawn can't leave this house unless you are with her?" Zina asked incredulously.     

"No, no," Dawn said quickly. "I go out on my own, but…" Dawn puffed her cheeks. "Fine. We will go."     

"Dawn," George called, his low voice full of warning.     

"We won't stir trouble. I will take Dawn to the market and back. Maybe Estelle will join us also. What can happen?"     

...     

Eventually, George left, and Zina asked when it was just the two of them, "Tell me straight, what's the big deal with us going out? Will people beat us?"     

"No. It's just…" Dawn was not sure how to say this. "In general, Omegas are treated like dirt here. Then there is a distinction between Omegas who were born with a bloodline of the Red Moon pack, and Omegas from other packs. People will scrutinize you and assume the worst. Things don't get physical. Don't respond to provocations, and we will be fine."     

Zina cocked her eyebrow. "Oh? There are noble Omegas and peasant Omegas?"     

Dawn would laugh at the sarcasm, but this affected more than just Dawn and Zina, and it was not funny.     

"Something like that."     

Zina didn't like this, not even a little bit. "How can you stand that? Why are you here? What happened with mates doing what's best for the other? How can George make you stay in this pack and be bullied? Why don't you ask him to come to the Dark Howlers pack? You know that Alpha Damon will welcome both of you. How much I know, Alpha Damon and George are getting along well. Don't tell me you are happy being confined in this villa."         

Dawn couldn't tell Zina about George's plan for revenge. That was George's big secret, and she had no right to share it, not even with Zina. But Dawn couldn't leave Zina's questions unanswered.     

"It's not so bad, Zi," Dawn said. "I'm just telling you the worst, so you are not surprised if something like that happens."     

"And what if the worst happens? Are you expecting me to lower my head and let them insult me? What if they hit me? Is that what happens when you go out? How can you live like that?"     

Dawn puffed her cheeks and spoke through their pack mind link. 'Zi, didn't you notice that I didn't leave the Dark Howlers pack?'     

Zina realized that Dawn was right. Normally, the two wouldn't talk through the mind link because they didn't care who was listening.     

Zina continued through the mind link, 'Are you saying that George will come to the Dark Howlers pack? What's with the delay?' Wouldn't that be wonderful? Dawn would be with her mate, Zina would get her bestie back, and everyone would be happy.     

'He is not opposing the idea,' Dawn responded. This was the truth. 'George has some matters to deal with here. Once that is settled, we will decide what to do next.'     

George was unsure if he wanted to start his own pack, but he wanted to provide better conditions for people who didn't want to stay in the Red Moon pack. All this was under the assumption that he issues an Alpha challenge and wins.     

...     

Note: Owen's pic is in the comments of the previous chapter (#891)