Forget Me Not, My Dear Omega
Marianna Forrest
Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue
Author’s Note
Other books by Marianna Forrest
Excerpt
Copyright © 2020 by Marianna Forrest
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
For permission contact [email protected]
Created with Vellum
Acknowledgments
To C.W. Gray: You’re the bomb! I’m glad to be your partner in crime!
To my editor, Beth Agejew: Thank you so much for all your hard work and patience! I’m learning so much from you!
To Chris: Thank you for your time, tips, and tricks! Without you, my hands would have remained idle, and this Omegaverse world would have never come to fruition. You rock, man!
And, once again, a big thank you to, well… you! Yes, you, the reader! You’re as much a part of this story as the people listed above! Thank you for picking this book up, and I hope you enjoy it!
* * *
Much love,
Marianna Forrest
Chapter 1
Everything was a haze. His surroundings were pitch black and formless. He couldn’t sense anyone around him, and his chest heaved in panicked breaths as he spun around, trying to determine what was going on.
Ah, that’s right. I must have fallen asleep.
Yes, he remembered now what was coming next. A red glow appeared in the darkness. A life. A heartbeat. Two, three, now four. The steady sounds calmed him, but only for a moment. He braced himself.
He cringed as the sharp squeal of brakes and grating metal pierced the lull of the heartbeats. In an instant, two of the glows vanished. The world grew quiet around him. Faint sobs echoed from the depths of the gloom.
Yes, it was a dream. Rather, a nightmare. Hell, he hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in years because of this same dream. This particular vision had haunted his precious hours of sleep so often right after–
An irksome crackling sound from the speakers above pulled Colton from his nightmare.
“–begun our descent into Boston. Please turn off all portable electronic devices and–” the digitized voice of the pilot came from overhead.
Colton rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, tuning out the speech he knew so well. Every bit of him was sore from the harsh angle at which he was resting.
Damn it. I knew I should have bought that stupid-looking pillow before I left Atlanta.
He turned to his left and looked out the window at the city below. Returning to Boston left a feeling of excitement fluttering in his chest. It had been difficult to leave the city behind all those months ago—one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do. Having seen his little brother again after so long, he hated to leave him behind, but now he was back, and this time, it was permanent.
A tiny squeal came from the floor near his feet. He leaned forward and put his fingers between the thin bars of a small pet carrier, and felt the cold snout of his beloved pet.
“There, there, Bitty. We’re almost there,” he said calmly. He found her soft ears and carefully petted them. “We’ll get you all set up in the hotel room and then…”
Colton grinned. This move couldn’t have happened at a better time. New job, new home, and now, thanks to his little brother, his world had recently gotten a little bit bigger.
“Hey, Bitty?” he murmured down to the carrier. “You’re a wise seer of the future. Oink once for niece, twice for nephew.”
The carrier was silent for a moment before a decided oink brought a smile to his face.
“I see, I see. Thank you for your input, oh mighty Bitty-Piggy." In truth, he knew that he was going to be meeting his new niece tonight, but he wanted to test Bitty’s ability.
He felt the stares of the other passengers on him, so he carefully wiggled the carrier out from the small spot on the floor and balanced it on his lap. Time to let Bitty work her magic.
The passengers nearby cooed and smiled at the tiny micropig. People always melted when they saw her, and Colton had been no different when he first saw her.
“What’s her name? Where did you get her? A pet shop?” a nearby passenger asked. She smiled widely and leaned closer to the carrier to peer inside.
Colton felt his jaw tense as he remembered the circumstances in which he had found her.
“Her name is Bitty-Piggy. I found her about four years ago on a backroad in Georgia. I was headed home after work late one night and ended up behind an erratic driver. Next thing I knew, someone tossed an animal carrier out the passenger side.”
The woman looked horrified. “No way, did they ever get caught?”
“I don’t know, probably not. I just remember slamming on the breaks and climbing down into the ditch. It had rained a lot recently, and the ditches were still swelled with water. I knew it was dangerous, but there wasn’t much time to mull it over. Luckily, the currents weren’t as strong as they could have been.”
“You were expecting a cat or dog, right?” The woman giggled.
“You bet I was. I shined a light into that crate, saw gleaming eyes staring at me in fright, and then she squealed at me. I almost dropped her again, she was such a loud creature. Still is. You should hear her snore.” Colton smiled and poked his fingers through the carrier. “She’s been my partner in crime ever since.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Boston. Local time is now four thirty-five p.m., and it is currently twenty-five degrees outside. Please be sure to check your seats for any personal belongings you may have brought on board with you,” the pilot reminded everyone.
“It was nice talking with you.” Colton nodded to the woman as she stood.
“Likewise.” She smiled and ducked down to look in the carrier one last time. “You take care of him, okay, Bitty-Piggy?”
As people began filing off the plane, Colton threw his small carry-on over his shoulder. Bitty-Piggy squirmed in her carrier, excited by the sudden movement of the passengers.
“Thank you all for flying Dianthus Airlines. Please, stay safe, and have a delightful evening!” The pilot’s voice was bright and cheerful, a stark contrast to the somber city outside.
Colton followed the trail of people through the airport to the baggage claim and found his bag. He walked to the entrance of the airport, dodging the inattentive people rushing for their flights. He took a deep breath and checked his phone.
The doors to the airport opened as people came and went, going about their business. Frigid air lingered in the entrance and pulled his attention from his phone. He lifted his gaze to the bright lights outside. Wait, is that…? He chuckled to himself as he stepped from the building, the full brunt of the cold air raising goosebumps across his skin.
Snow. He hadn’t seen snow since he left Bellcrest all those years ago. He checked his old watch before pulling his coat tighter. He might be used to cities, but this cold? Nah. He had spent so much time in Georgia, he wasn’t used to snow any longer.
He picked up his suitcase, paused, and made a mental observation. He had the jacket, the watch, the bag. He felt like he was in an old Noir film. He was half expec
ting the mafia to pull up in front of him at any time.
Colton turned as the rough noise of an engine overtook the sound of the other cars nearby. A beautiful, bright red car pulled up to the front of the airport and stopped in front of him.
Holy smokes.
It was a 1953 Hudson Hornet! Hot damn, the mafia sure had good taste. Now that he had finally seen this car in person, he was at peace with what was about to come. He envisioned himself standing tall, arms spread wide as if he was already ascending to the heavens. In reality, he stood like a doofus and looked on as an elderly woman rolled down the window.
“Bit cold to be wandering around outside, ain’t it?” she called to him with a grin.
Colton walked over to the window, curious. Was this who he was supposed to be meeting? Bitty-Piggy squealed in her carrier at the sudden noise.
“Don’t worry, Bitty. I haven’t forgotten you, little one,” Colton said quietly. Her carrier was covered by a blanket, protecting her from the cold, but also blocking her view of the outside world.
“Judging by that squeal, I’m guessing you’re our very own pig tamer, Colton McGuire?” the woman asked.
“Uh oh, my reputation precedes me.” Colton grinned. “And ya’ll must be Andre and Dahlia.”
Andre leaned down so he could see Colton and shouted from across the passenger seat, “Oh, yeah, that’s us. Lukas has been talking about you nonstop! He’s so excited that you decided to move up here.”
“Well, don’t just stand out there in the cold. Hop in and tell us what’s going on.” Dahlia motioned to the backseat.
Colton quickly packed his few bags into the car's trunk before carefully maneuvering Bitty’s carrier into the back seat. He reveled in the warmth of the car, glad to finally be out of the wind.
“Where are you staying until your interview?” Dahlia asked. “Or, wait, sorry. Evaluation?”
“They’ve got me set up in a hotel not too far from the hospital. I don’t remember the address off the top of my head, but it’s near Sutherland,” Colton said.
Dahlia nodded. “Great! We’ll get ya there, and then we’ll head over to the hospital lickety-split.”
“I really do appreciate ya’ll pickin’ me up, especially this late.”
“Ain’t no thing, son. This is your niece we’re talking about! Can’t keep her favorite uncle away from her forever.” Andre smiled.
“Still can’t believe we got another grandbaby,” Dahlia sang.
Andre laughed. “Well, not ours by blood, but Lukas is pretty much family.”
“Oh, I hope she has that gorgeous red hair of Owen’s. She’s gonna be a little firecracker.” Dahlia giggled.
“Red hair, green eyes. You mark my words,” Andre said.
Colton listened as the couple chatted idly. Bitty-Piggy shuffled in her carrier, steering Colton’s thoughts to the micropig’s best friend, Hazel.
“So, how are Hazel and Sienna doing?”
“Oh, Sienna is just fine. She’s so excited to meet Lukas and Owen’s little girl, and Hazel has been over the moon! You’d think that girl had won the lottery when Lukas and Owen told her they were having a girl.” Andre laughed.
Colton smiled tiredly at the old man through the mirror before his eyes drifted to the window. The buildings zooming past were covered in Valentine’s Day decorations, each one glowing in the darkness that had settled over the city like a heavy blanket.
The car slowed and turned down a darker, quieter road. The hotel sign stood out like a sore thumb. Colton perked himself up and stretched as much as the confines of the car would allow him.
“Wakey, wakey, there’s your hotel. Let’s get you checked in, and then we can get this show on the road,” Dahlia said. “Hospital ain’t too far, now.”
After checking in and setting Bitty-Piggy up in the hotel room, they were on the road once again. True to Dahlia’s word, the hospital wasn’t far. Still, it felt like an eternity before the warm lights of the building loomed over the traffic ahead of them.
He had been late, far later than he had planned. His flight had been delayed by a couple of hours due to–
Colton sighed. He should probably explain what happened.
“I do apologize for being so late. There was this alpha that–”
Dahlia interrupted him. “Ain’t your fault, tough guy. Some alphas just aren’t able to control themselves as well as others.”
Colton jolted. “You heard?”
“More like smelled.” Dahlia grimaced.
“Oh my–I’m so sorry.” Colton cringed. “I can’t smell it. I guess I got used to it.”
Despite the bad smell, Dahlia still had a polite smile on her face.
“I don’t mean to be a bother, ma’am. Sir, if you can find a spot to stop, I’ll walk the rest of the way. It’s not that far, and the cold should wake me up,” Colton said, eyeing the hospital a few blocks down the road.
“Don’t worry, doesn’t bother us, hun, but we’ll have to take care of that before we get too far into the hospital,” Dahlia said. “Even though it’s not your scent, per se, the presence of it will make anyone nearby uncomfortable.”
Colton nodded, settling back down into the seat. The bright lights of the hospital bloomed in the distance. Even from this far, he could see it was surrounded by gardens. It was quite a peaceful setting, almost like a storybook. No wonder Lukas liked it so much.
Andre navigated the crowded area with ease and pulled to a stop outside the hospital.
“You two go on ahead. I’ll find a parking spot and meet you in the waiting rooms.”
“Thank you again for the ride, sir,” Colton said as he stepped out of the car. He pulled open Dahlia’s door and offered her a hand.
“Oh my, thank you, hun. You must know how hard it is to get out of that trap of a seat.”
Andre laughed. “Hey now, don’t go hating on my car. This is a classic!”
Colton grinned and bent down to look at Andre. “I agree, riding around in this masterpiece has been a real treat.”
“Ha! He’s on my side, my little flower,” Andre chortled.
“Oh, go find a parking spot, you grand galloopa!” Dahlia said and slammed the door shut with a laugh. “Now, come on. Sienna said she would meet us. She should be around here somewhere.”
Colton held out his arm for the woman and escorted her down the sidewalk. The gardens, despite it being late winter, were still so beautiful. He wondered who they hired to manage the grounds.
Colton stepped to the side, allowing a young couple to walk past him and Dahlia on the sidewalk. The woman’s perfume caught his attention. Peonies. Colton’s mind drifted back to a particular omega he had met about a year ago, the one who had smelled of peonies.
It all seemed so distant now. The young omega, Sawyer, had quite literally fallen into his arms the night of the fair months ago.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shi…he remembered thinking to himself as he stared down at the person he caught. An armful of omega stared back at him and turned a brilliant shade of red, before stumbling backward.
Cutie. Way too cute. His heart burst with life, pounding deep in his chest, as he stared, awestruck at the man who was now spewing apologies.
He couldn’t hide his disappointment as the gorgeous omega bolted from his sight, and he sighed as his shoulders drooped.
“I hope this doesn’t sound creepy, but I think I know what angels smell like now…”
A woman’s voice snapped him back to reality. It wasn’t the rough voice of Dahlia, but a bright, clear voice. A young woman stood before them, smiling brightly.
“Hey, Mom,” she said, giving Dahlia a quick hug.
Ah, there she is.
The young woman turned to look him over.
“Hey, Colton,” she said with a smile.
“Nice to see you again, Sienna.” Colton smiled. He looked to her side and noticed there was a distinct lack of Hazel. “Where’s your little one? I heard she was very excited to meet the newcomer.”
“Oh, Hazel, yeah, she’s all in a tizzy about this new baby. She always wanted a little sister." Sienna smiled. “But right now, she’s wandering the hospital with Eliseo. Do you remember him?”
“Name rings a bell, but I can’t put a face to it,” Colton said guiltily.
Sienna nodded. “It takes skill to forget Eliseo. You’ll see him soon enough. We don’t have time to waste hunting for him, though. You’re late.”
“Ouch. That’s some pretty potent salt you’re rubbing in the wound." Colton cringed. “I’m sorry. My flight got delayed because of–”
“Alpha drama, right? Someone found a tantalizing little omega they couldn’t have? I swear, you lot are the biggest drama queens." Sienna smirked.
“Can’t argue with you." Colton laughed.
“But yeah, I can smell it on you, which is why we’re making a pit stop at the gift shop before we head to the waiting area. We’ll get you a bottle of neutralizer, and you’ll be fine.”
“Neutralizer? You sound so professional." Colton grinned.
“Neutralizer, blocker, whatever you want to call it, Captain Biology. We just need to make you not smelly.” Sienna wrinkled her nose.
“How are things going up there anyway?” Colton’s eyes drifted to the upper floors of the hospital as they stepped inside.
Sienna smiled. “Everything went smoothly. Lukas slept a lot the first night. Owen couldn’t take his eyes off his new baby girl. I think he’s still in shock that he’s a dad now.”
“They’re gonna be great parents,” Colton said quietly.
Sienna nodded. “Yeah. They’re gonna be wonderful.”
They entered the gift shop, and a loud on the eyes, colorful, crazy collection of trinkets and gifts greeted them.
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