I start off with a tour and she gives the appropriate amount of oohs and ahs, when I plop down on my bed.
“This is harder than I thought it would be, Shy.”
“What do you mean? You’re the most outgoing person I know. You could talk to a monk for hours.”
“I didn’t even leave my room yesterday, except to go throw up on the side of the boat.”
She gasps. “Oh no, how are you feeling now?”
“Better, the ship isn’t moving as fast. I got some medicine. An Alpha carried me to the infirmary and took care of me. His scent made me feel better, like human Pepto. He stayed with me until I went to sleep.”
“He stayed in your bed? The first night? And wait, he smells like Pepto?”
“It wasn’t like that, and no, he smells like ginger and lemon, it was soothing. He probably thinks I’m some helpless Omega with no self-preservation. I wasn’t myself. I was quiet and needy.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being needy. What else do you know about him?”
I walk to the bathroom and set my phone up on the counter as I get ready for the day. I’m applying my sunscreen and light makeup as I talk.
“Just his name, Forrest. Which, in itself, is entirely fitting. He looked like he could just rip a tree in half with his bare hands. Besides that, I don’t know anything else. God, Shy, it’s embarrassing. I was sniffing my sheets like some sort of feral cat this morning, and all I know is his name. I’m not sure if I want to run into him, or if I should hide behind a plant if I see him by the pool.”
“Honey, he took care of you when you needed it the most. He didn’t try anything, right?”
“No, of course not. He was the perfect gentleman, albeit a little bossy.”
“Did you like that?” Shiloh asks.
“You’re alone?” I confirm. The last thing I need is for my brother to be listening in and know anything about my mingling with Alphas.
“Yes, it’s just me,” she says, panning the phone around her bedroom.
“I really did an amazing job decorating that bedroom,” I note, before continuing on with my story. “Yes, okay, I liked it. I didn’t think I’d like that, but I did. I’m trying to pump myself up to leave the room.”
“Clarie Sørensen, you’re the coolest Omega I’ve ever met. Every hot-blooded man on that ship is going to be panting over you. There’s nothing to worry about there. The important thing is to be yourself and you find the pack that makes sense to you. Follow your intuition. Maybe find Forrest and get to know him better, or talk to other Alphas and packs too. You signed up for this trip because you know what you want. Be your normal take-life-by-the-balls self and put yourself out there so you can find your dream pack.”
I stare at one of my closest friends and smile. “This is why I love you. My brother is so lucky.”
“That’s for sure. But I’m pretty lucky too. Keep me posted, okay? I want to hear every part of your cruising for love saga.”
“I promise. Thanks, Shiloh, that was the talk I needed.”
“I’m always here for you. Love you and you’ve got this.”
“Love you too.”
I hang up the phone and look at myself in the mirror. She’s right. I’ve never been shy, and yeah, the ship is a new place andthere’s a lot to get comfortable with, but in order to do that, I need to leave this room.
It’s a beautiful day, and I decide to challenge myself. I’ll go to the pool for an hour, maybe talk with some people or just sit there and read a book, but at least I’ll have left my room. If it’s too much, I can simply leave. If I’m feeling up to it, maybe I’ll go check out the nests so I’m prepared in that regard.
Shiloh’s words repeat in my head, and I know she’s right. If I’m going to find the right pack, I need to be myself. Not only that, but my time on the ship is limited, and the sooner I weed out who I like and don’t like, the easier this whole process will be.
I skip breakfast. Even though I’m not nauseous, nothing truly sounds appetizing. In lieu of the buffet I head to the pool with my chin held high.
The scents aren’t bad on the pool deck. A light breeze helps make sure that the air isn’t stagnant. But unfortunately, it seems like every lounge chair is taken. I should have expected that. I’m ready to call it a fail and go back to my room when a dripping wet Alpha grabs his towel off a lounge chair and holds his arm out.
“You can sit here if you’d like,” he says.
“Thank you,” I say politely and take the lounge chair.