"Lucus..." Lucus dad calls out as soon as he arrives, his voice a little hoarse, maybe from his worsening condition or maybe from fatigue; Emma isn't too sure. Damon Madden used to be a very charismatic man back when he was the CEO of Madden, Inc. Emma had the privilege to work with him before her marriage; both he and Alex met with her and discussed many things.Emma always thought of the man as a father figure because Damon Madden did not only guide her professionally, but he also helped her parents a lot personally. He was the one who helped her father when David fell into depression after Emma's grandfather's death. According to her father, her father thought that it was the end of the world for him, but Damon Madden helped him get into therapy, and in the end, her father came out stronger."I'm so happy to see you, Lucus. We should do this more often. Now that you're married and—" The man stops for a while, coughs out a few times, and takes in short breaths. Emma can see how much
The ride back to the mansion is quiet. Emma doesn’t know what to feel or think. There's this thing with Mr. Adom that her gut keeps telling her is wrong, and then there's what happened over dinner. Every time her mind tries to bring her back to the moment Lucus told his mom about getting a divorce, Emma struggles to steer her mind away. Thinking about that hurts her heart, and she doesn't want to break down in Lucus car. That will surely raise some questions since Lucus has no idea that she heard the conversation."Are you okay, Omega? You look pale?" Luchs suddenly asks, taking Omega by surprise."No, uhm. I'm just... I have a lot on my mind right now." She supplies belatedly."Listen, Omega. I’m sorry that you had to get involved in my family drama. It isn't fair to you, and..."They're my family too, Alpha. I just wish that you'd—it's just that... Nevermind, just drive. I'm really tired, and I need to sleep." Emma dismisses Lucus after that, turning her back on him and keeping her
Emma wakes up feeling worried. It's been two days since she found out about Mr. Adom and his sneaky plan. The Omega barely slept last night, not after going through those printed documents she got from Elly's place for the umpteenth time before finally succumbing to sleep. Everything on those papers just screams wrong and suspicious.She decides that a hot shower and a steaming cup of fresh coffee will do her good, so Emma gets both. But by the time she sits down in the dining room feeling all cold and lonely, she realizes that a cup of coffee doesn't fix anything. Ironically, Alex decorated the dining room with enough earthy colors to create a warm ambience. The customized dining table set was made of light brown wood, and the orb chandelier hanging above it emits soft yellow lights reflecting through its many crystals. Yet none of those make Emma feel warm. She's just so cold and lonely.Hanging around the house doing nothing makes Emma's head hurt and her heart restless. She should
When Emma gets to the office, she's already in a gloomy mood. She tries so hard to chase away the memories from last night and focus solely on her work as she arranges the folders that need it.Alex told her that Lucus likes to start his day with a cup of coffee, and then he'll go through a few documents that aren't really time-consuming before he gets his breakfast. All other brain-wracking and time-consuming tasks are usually reserved for after breakfast. He'll go through numerous meetings per day and make lots of important decisions. Emma always wonders how Lucus could keep up with everything.Her in-laws and her parents want her to work with Lucus and even Alex. According to them, it will make their relationship stronger. Emma really doesn't want to do it, but after knowing about Mr. Adom, she needs to.By the time Emma finishes with Lucus schedule, the man walks past Emma's desk right into his office without acknowledging her. Clearly, Lucus is still angry with what happened last
When Lucus said that they were going home, Emma got confused. But then Lucus explained that Emma just got assaulted, and she didn't want Emma to be working today. Emma thought, Hey, that's nice. I could really use a day off by myself.But now that they're at the mansion, Lucus doesn't seem like he's leaving. Emma knows that it's rude to ask, but she needs to know. "Lucus, um. Are you, um, staying?""Of course." Lucus answers curtly, like it should've been obvious. The Alpha removes his suit and lays it down gently on the couch before rolling up both sleeves of his white shirt, exposing his veiny forearms.Fuck! Look away, Emma. Look away.While Emma is battling with herself, Lucus moves to the kitchen and rummages through the refrigerator and kitchen cabinets. "You really need to stock up, Omega. You're running out of things."Emma hears her Alpha voice from the kitchen, albeit a bit muted with the noises she's making while going through Emma's pots and pans. "Yeah, I planned to go gr
The week passes, and Sunday finally comes. It's the last day before they are supposed to go back to work.Lucus chooses to waste the day away lazing around the house doing nothing, only getting a bath at noon. Emma, on the other hand, spends the day cooking a new recipe she's been dying to try since she saw it on the internet.Emma has just finished garnishing her duck stew when the doorbell rings. She places the dish on the dining table and moves towards the door to open it.Behind the door, she receives a greeting from an unfamiliar woman. She is petite and cute, with a pair of sharp eyes defined by thick eyeliner and even sharper jaws. Emma has no idea who the woman is, but she instantly admires her outfit. She's wearing a hot pink crop top paired with a short denim skirt and a pair of fishnet tights underneath."Lucus Wait, you're not Lucus!" She corrects herself, and Emma adores how her whole presence screams confidence."Um, yeah. Lucus is actually taking a shower. I'm Emma, and
Their ride to the office the next day is quiet. To Lucus credit, he's been trying to make a conversation with Emma since morning, but the Omega just seems so distant for some reason.Emma can't stop being so mad at herself. She shouldn't have gotten comfortable. She shouldn't have gotten used to the domesticity of their relationship.She shouldn't have loved the Alpha so much.Emma is mad at how easily she forgot that everything changed only because Lucus needed someone to lean on, and she was a convenience because she just happened to be there.What was I thinking? Lucus isn't mine. He has never been mine."Omega!" Lucus nudges her with his free hand from the driver's seat."Sorry, what was it?""Are you alright? I called you like three times, and you're spacing out."Emma clears her throat before coming out with an excuse: "Yeah, I'm fine. Just maybe still a little sleepy. I'll have some coffee at the office.""I'd make you that coffee, Omega, but, um, I'm not going in until after l
Emma's days at the office pass by in a blur. Emma goes to work, busies herself with the papers and documentation, and then she goes back home to a cold, empty bed. Lucus has been very busy too, going in and out of meetings, spending hours brainstorming with the team, and then more hours with the marketing team. They barely speak to each other since they came back to work, exchanging a few glances and smiles here and there when they pass by each other, and Emma can't keep telling herself that she doesn't miss Lucus anymore.Thursday proves to be just like the days before, when Emma spent every second at the office with her computer. Halfway through the day, Emma looks around her desk, feeling proud of the progress. She has finished almost half of the pending work she has had since last week. Taking days off has always come with the burden of work once it starts again, which is why Emma rarely takes any leave.Emma received a few texts from her colleagues asking her about her absence, b
The air was filled with the subtle scent of lemons and candle wax.Gold tapestry runners featuring Batik motifs graced the tables by the entranceway to the hall, and crystal vases filled with white roses spilling out sat atop them, while bouquets of white roses wrapped in blue silk ribbons decorated the ends of the old wooden pews. The early morning sun shone through the stained-glass windows of the wedding hall and reflected pretty images onto the floor of the hall. Dozens of candles in every size were placed on the altar, ready to be lit when the ceremony started; they would lend a soft and warm glow to the happy couple as they stood before friends and family professing their love for one another.Zia studied the decorations with a critical eye—everything had to be perfect. She had pale yellow roses braided into her long dark hair and her dress, a long column of silver—not quite white and not quite grey—that shimmered under the lights with every moment. Satisfied that everything was
A small family could be heard all the way down the street from their apartment. A toddler was throwing a fit by the sounds of her crying and screams, and two people could be heard arguing."You! Get out of my home now!!"Emma hissed at her father, who was standing a few feet from his daughter and granddaughter, sporting a scowl.Emma was doing everything she could not to gently set her daughter down in her playpen and lunge for her father's throat. Nadia is now four years old; she's grown to be a beautiful toddler. She was clinging to her mother like her life depended on it and was crying hysterically. Emma was rocking back and forth in his arms and glaring at Robert in hatred."That thing is an abomination. She shouldn't even exist!" David spat, glaring at the toddler in disgust.The toddler whimpered at the insult and clung even tighter to her mother. Emma was enraged and could barely control herself. The only thing keeping her from screaming at her father was the little girl in her
Emma complied, taking the last few steps towards Lucus. The Alpha pulled her into his arms, stroking her back lovingly. Emma wrapped her arms around Lucus as well, not able to prevent the smile she was holding back from spreading across her face. Lucus suddenly felt tense. Emma looked up at him and noticed a sour expression written across his features."What's wrong, Lucus?" She whispered."Nothing."Emma glared, not taking too kindly to being lied to. Lucus sighed in defeat and met her gaze. His eyes held so much sorrow and fear. "I'm not a good father," he whispered sadly.Emma gasped out in shock. How could Lucus think like that? It's not like someone can go from never being around children to being an expert on them in only a few weeks! Lucus was being too hard on himself, setting his expectations too high. Emma would do everything she could not to let Alpha beat himself up over not being experienced with kids."Lucus, you love both Clary and Nadia to pieces! How could you say tha
Lucus made quick work of her shirt as well before Allen returned with a white hospital gown. Lucus lifted Emma up slightly so she could slip it on her. They had just laid Emma back down when a door burst open and the doctor walked in. She was wearing her pale pink hospital gown and white flats.She came strutting through like she owned the place. She shoved Lucus and Emma aside, making her way over to Emma. She was currently panting and sweating as if she had just run a marathon. She grabbed one of the towels from the nightstand and dabbed it with some of the cool water in the bucket. She wiped the sweat rolling down her face before she began setting up everything she would need for the delivery.The group sat there for the next hour and a half. It was silent. Allen was in the other room talking to Alex, who had arrived ten minutes beforehand. Emma had requested that they leave the room. She didn't feel comfortable with anyone witnessing her give birth to the baby other than Lucus. Sh
A tap on Lucus window startled him out of his thoughts. He saw a woman in her forties with messy brunette hair standing in front of his window with a takeout bag. He rolled the window down, and she shoved the food at him. He rolled his eyes as she walked away. He looked down into the bag and noticed something strange.There was only lava cake.He snatched the bag and stormed out of the vehicle and into the restaurant. He slammed the bag on the counter in front of a startled-looking employee. She had her purple hair tied into a bun, and her green eyes were wide. He felt no remorse."I have been to two different Burger King's! I've had soda spill on my shirt, and then an old woman slapped me in the face! I got pulled over by a cop who vandalized my car and gave me a seven-hundred-dollar ticket simply because I'm married to Omega! Now your ignorant people make me pull off to the side to wait for onion rings that I've never received! I demand three large orders of onion rings, another sli
5 Years Later:"Lucus!"Omega sighed, placing her rainbow-striped bookmark in her fantasy drama novel. She strode out of her office and into the living room.His Alpha was sprawled out on the sofa, his chin in his palm, as he watched an episode of Modern Family. Emma was wearing nothing but an oversized hoodie and a pair of grey shorts. Despite the baggie hoodie and fluffy red blanket covering her torso, her nine-month pregnant belly was obvious.They'd wanted to be married for a little while before they had another child. So, after two years of traveling the world and going on many fun adventures, they settled down back in their apartment with Clary. They then proceeded to make mad, passionate love all night long. It was more overwhelming than any other time. Of course, it only took one round to impregnate Emma, but once they got started, they couldn't get enough of each other."Yes love?" Lucus asked.He couldn't help but eye the dozens of candy wrappers strewn about the floor. The
The whole idea had been Allen's.When she'd suggested the idea to Emma—to celebrate Clary's birthday in a cute and fun way that the little one could enjoy—she hadn't come up with anything wrong with it.Neither of them had taken in Alex as a factor, though. Which, between the three of them, they really should have?"I don't think that outfit is appropriate for children."Lucus raised his eyebrows in confusion. He gestured to Clary, who was clad in dark blue denim jeans and a deep green knit sweater, before turning to Emma with an expression that suggested he really thought Emma had lost her mind this time."I meant yours," Emma explained, pointing to Lucus bright yellow skin-tight jeans and glaringly obvious rainbow singlet, which he'd paired with a deep red jacket and black shoes."We're going to a zoo, Lucus, not a nightclub."Lucus pouted, and Emma sighed."Just dress it down a little for me today." She asked. "Please? I'll let you choose my outfit another time if you do this for m
"Where are you getting it?" Zia asked Emma, taking a cotton ball and dipping it in antiseptic."On my wrist," she says, holding out her right arm. Zia nods, wiping the skin of her wrist beneath her palm.She puts the cotton ball down and then purses her lips."Could you... I might need you to swap chairs with Lucus; I don't want to do this upside down."Emma nods. "Of course."She and Lucus switch, darting past each other. Lucus raises his eyebrows, hoping to get something out of either of them, but neither Zia nor Emma say a word."This is borderline torture." He complains, flopping into his seat. Zia smiles sympathetically, as if to say "This wasn't my decision".Emma just looks a little nervous."So, I'm going to outline the drawing in marker first, so you can be certain of its placement, and then if you're happy, I'll start." Zia explains.Emma nods, her eyes darting over to Lucus before returning to Zia. She smiles encouragingly, picking up a black, fine-tip, skin-safe marker and
"You want to get a tattoo?"Out of all the things Lucus ever thought he'd hear Emma say, getting a tattoo was not even a registered possibility."Yes." Emma nods, and Lucus knows Emma enough to accept that she's being completely serious."But you already have my mating mark on your body." Lucus states. He folds his hands behind his head, leaning backwards against the headboard. He had a feeling this conversation would be one he'd need to be relaxed for."Well, yes, but that's not the same." Emma replies. He sighs as Lucus raises his eyebrows."Mark's fade; some are permanent, but not all of them, and they're different. Mating marks speak of my mating. Tattoos are something that both of us can have, and it's more special and ... forever."Lucus leans over and kisses Emma's bare shoulder."You genuinely want this?" He asks to be certain. There's a warmth flooding him just from hearing that Emma wants to get something permanent that they can both share. Something different that no other