Sometimes, she could be too bossy, but days like this reminded me how thankful I was to have her in my life. During my time with Horace, I'd wanted to take over managing the household because he wasn't as mean if he thought I was earning my keep. Plus, I really did enjoy cooking and meal planning. Housework, not so much. My role seemed to be changing anyway because I was mated to Matt, so it was probably a good thing Paula was so protective when it came to her job. Letting Paula work while I found other things needing my attention was easy.
Like my garden. Matt hadn't discovered my hideaway yet, and I'd been too shy to bring it up. But if he ever saw my lush plot, taking over the backyard with more fruits and vegetables than normal for the region, he might have a few questions.
And I wouldn't mind answering. I could trust Matt with anything… even my special secret. It was probably good I felt as much because my talent revealed itself sooner than I ever would've expected.
We were taking a walk through town with the gammas and Jared, until they’d split off to have a look at the well while Matt and I peeked at one of the residential areas. They wanted to go over the repair list we'd been putting together and decide which areas took top priority after getting the electricity restored. Matt's biker friends were here somewhere too, poking around and seeing if they could do anything to pitch in.
While I was thinking about all this, we were passing a small park when Matt stopped. "Hold on, little wolf. Why don't you stay back? I don't want you to trip over anything. The weeds are too overgrown to spot any hidden dangers. I want to find out if any of the playground equipment is salvageable, but I doubt it."
Shielding my eyes with my hand, I squinted at the rusty metal structures. "I don't want to break your heart, but making anything on our playground kid-friendly will take a lot more than a coat of paint. I bet you'll find a complete overhaul is required when you check the structural integrity."
Matt hummed thoughtfully. "I'm right there with you. You can tell from here most of it is rusted clear through. Before I start ordering new equipment, I want to make sure I'm correct. I'm sure plenty would disagree, but I think it's important for the pack's pups to have a park. They need a safe place where they can run and let off some steam. Most of the houses have small yards, if you noticed."
My heart melted the same way it did every time Matt said something sweet and sensitive to the needs of others. I took a second look at the equipment but didn't have the heart to tell him he was wasting his time. I held back like he'd asked as he inspected everything from the play equipment to the worn-out benches and garbage containers.
While there wasn't anything I could do to help, a more important part of the park was right in my skill set: the grass and plants. I knelt and waved my hands over the weeds and dead husks, remnants of the small ornamental bushes lining the entryway once upon a time. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the burnt, sundried scent covering the natural smell of the dormant foliage.
Smiling as sunshine bathed my face, my eyes still closed, I felt around blindly for a shriveled blade of grass, hiding among the weeds. It took a few moments, but I discovered a good sample on the outside edge and pushed the force of my will toward the plant. Urging the few living cells remaining within the root pack to awaken and multiply, leaving a swath of new growth in their wake was easy as breathing.
Pinching either side of the blade with a gentle touch, I slowly stroked from bottom to top. It came to life between my fingers, smelling of fresh chlorophyll as the new plant cells winked awake. Yes… this would make the park green again. Especially if I worked slowly by sending fertilizer to town, charged and imbued with my special touch. Knowing I could give the children green grass to play on felt good. Hopefully by the time play equipment was installed, although doing too much at once might be risky.
Hmm… the bushes and flowers could come later. Since most people weren’t gardeners, they probably wouldn't question how fast fertilizer could take effect. My eyes remained shut as I yanked a clump of dead crabgrass and sent a pulse of energy to all remaining plant cells, telling them it was okay to release and return to the cycle of nature. While I appreciated its hardy nature, we had no need for crabgrass in this park.
When I’d just finished sending a similar message to the weeds and dandelions, Matt's shocked voice nearly had me jumping out of my skin. "Elisha? What in the world happened here?"
My eyes flew open, and I winced at the sight of a two-by-two square inch area of bright, healthy green grass. And even worse, a green stripe had appeared on the previously assumed dead bush, where my arm brushed against it while I’d been focused on the grass. Matt squatted down in front of me to get a better look, his eyes glittering like a child meeting Santa.
Looking adorably confused, he met my eye. "Elisha, baby. I came over because I felt a wave of power through our bond. When I peeked over here, you looked like you were praying to the dead plants. And then I find this… I can't wrap my brain around it. What's going on?"
Tilting my head to the side, I listened carefully to make sure nobody was around. Matt shook his head. "Don't worry. We're completely alone. It's safe for you to talk."
I swallowed and smiled hopefully, throwing out jazz hands. "Umm… surprise? I can make magic happen."
Matt snorted so hard he started coughing. Knocking a fist against his chest, he shook his head with a rueful grin. "Not used to the desert dust again. Sorry. But also, keep in mind I already know your talent for magic. I sleep with you every night, remember?" I rolled my eyes when he wiggled his eyebrows.
"Not that kind of magic, silly. I mean, obviously. But shoot." I scratched my temple while I tried to figure out how to explain. Getting the words straight in my head, I puffed my cheeks out like a hamster and let out a gush of air before trying again.
"As you're aware, we omegas are pretty rare. What people don't know is why. My papa said the Supreme Council scratched it from our written history when the printing presses were invented and they could control the information getting out to the public. Papa claimed it was originally done to protect us. Then the practice continued to keep us omegas in our place. People who don't know our worth see us as freaky males who can give birth like a female."
"I've always wondered why such a rare kind of wolf was treated like a second-class citizen. It's never made sense to me. Even though I'm technically not your pup's sire, I love seeing your body ripe with new life. Knowing your gender doesn't make a difference in whether or not our family can grow is a miracle, in my book. But we're getting off track. I don't know how long we have before someone shows up, so I'm going to shut up and let you talk."
Laughing softly, I smiled at this wonderful man. My man. Mine. Gosh, would it ever get old to think about that?
Matt faked a cough. "I can feel your possessive affection through the bond. I love you too, little wolf. Now focus. Tell me why I'm looking at a green spot in a dead park."
"Sorry. So, yeah, whatever the reason, the end result is the same. Nobody knows the truth about omegas. I'm going to give you the bare-bones version, since we're short on time. Basically, an omega can only be born through one of two ways. Either a true mate pairing between two shifters, no matter the status of the parents. The other way is from an alpha and omega match—like my parents."