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It didn’t help that the omega we were closest to, Melody, acted like she didn’t care. She pouted her lip when she said goodbye to us, but turned to one of the other men with a smile and hearts in her eyes. She didn’t care, and now I’m convinced the show doesn’t produce the best pairings.
Verity fucking Graves. Her name plays through my mind, over and over, which is quite the feat since running into her isn’t the worst thing to have happened tonight. Not even remotely close. That bitch on the council, Mrs. Violet, found a way to make my night immeasurably worse. Andrik and I agreed to never put our names in to be considered for the show again.
And then she springs the news on us without even asking. Simply assumed we’d play the happy little star struck alphas we used to be. Or rather, I used to be. The ordeal didn’t jade Andrik like it did me. Maybe there’s still time to get out of it. I could always find a lawyer, disappear…
But that would leave my twin to fend for himself and that’s not like me. Where he goes, I go. And the worst part is I know Andrik wants the omega. There’s no way he’ll let us out of it. The fucker practically put a claim on her and marked her with his scent to show possession over her.
Goddamn omega, working her fucking designation to trap good men under her spell. My brother isn’t the only one. She has every alpha in the auditorium entranced, on the edge of turning feral and it’s becoming increasingly dangerous. We put safeguards in to keep the newly revealed omegas safe. But it won’t help with a mob. It’ll be an all out alpha-eat-alpha scenario that no one is prepared for. Fuck, am I the only level-headed bastard left in the place?
Guess I’ve got to do this my damn self.
I run onto the stage and snatch Verity off her feet, throwing her over my shoulder to carry her to safety. The auditorium has become volatile, and as much as I don’t want an omega for myself, I know she needs to be protected. At the same time we enter backstage, a panicked beta shows up. I’m surprised someone of his designation was able to make it past all the alphas fighting to get here. His gaze inspects the omega, searching for any injuries. He clearly knows her and is concerned, which means he’s perfect to elicit help from.
“This way,” I bark out, using my alpha command, pointing in the direction I mean. There isn’t time to have a conversation about him aiding me, or to reassure him she’s fine. The omega struggles in my hold and I slap her ass. “Behave.” The word is a sharp growl, and thankfully she listens. It would take an idiot not to know the danger she’s in.
The beta heads in the direction I pointed, right for the rear exit where a sign is glowing above the door. He pauses and glances both ways. Once he’s certain the coast is clear, he holds the door open for me to rush out with the omega. Her hands push against my lower back, trying to prop herself up, and the warmth of them sinks into my skin. Gritting my teeth, I ignore how much I enjoy her touch and the scent of warm, baked pears.
There’s a line of SUVs parked here in case a quick escape is needed, and I head for the first one in line. Footsteps follow me, indicating the beta is only a few feet behind. Reaching the vehicle, I open the back door and swing the omega over my shoulder. My hand instantly moves to protect her head as I place her on the seat.
For a split second, I’m frozen in place, staring into her eyes. The beauty is mesmerizing, a kaleidoscope of blues and greens. Her stunning features are enhanced with her just fucked-looking hair, with twigs and leaves clinging to it and the blush staining her cheeks. She’s not the expected perfect omega. Shit, she even has mud smeared on her clothes, which somehow makes her all the more enticing. Her lips part, drawing my gaze, and I have to shake off the hold she has on me.
“Put her seatbelt on,” I command the beta as I shut her door. The damn omega is drawing out my protective alpha side. I normally wouldn’t give two shits about someone’s seatbelt, and here I am, fighting myself, wanting to be the one to secure it around her. The only thing stopping me is knowing time is against us. We have a matter of minutes, maybe seconds, before the alphas in the auditorium realize she’s not inside anymore. I have to get her to safety.
“I can do it myself, asshole!” she shouts, finding her backbone to yell at me. I can’t help but smirk. All the omegas I’ve been around wouldn’t be able to fight their nature so strongly when faced with an alpha’s command. As much as I don’t want to like her, I can’t help but enjoy the fact she isn’t bowing over like her nature dictates.
Starting the engine, I pause before shifting into gear and peeling out of the venue. “She buckled yet?” Why I can’t drop it is beyond me, but it has me gritting my teeth. I’m an enforcer, a fucking professional, and she’s simply an omega I have to protect, a job to do. I don’t want to end up with her, so why the fuck do I care so much? Why is the thought of getting into an accident and hurting her enough to make me rage?
“Yeah, I’ve got her. Let’s go, you’re wasting time,” the beta responds, a strength in his tone that’s uncharacteristic for someone of his designation.
My fingers tighten around the steering wheel as I try to hold the question in. But it slips out anyway. “Then why didn’t I hear the click?”
“Because I’m capable of pushing a chunk of metal into a plastic square myself. I was done before you even got in.” The snark on her. Makes me want to—Nope. Not going there. She mutters something under her breath about dickish alphas and I pointedly ignore it.
The engine roars as I drive out of the parking lot and onto the empty road. Most citizens are either inside the auditorium or at their houses watching the ceremony stream live. Designation day is a huge deal. All nonessential personnel are given the day off to watch the live feed, and to celebrate. It’s only rivaled by reveal day when the packs are announced for each omega.
The way society votes on who each omega ends up with is archaic. They can’t truly see what kind of attraction simmers between the people they watch through their screens. The fake personalities some of the contestants show off… I saw a completely different side of things when watching reruns of the season Andrik and I were on. How the producers twisted our words and showed half-truths of what happens through cutting and splicing the footage.
Omegas and alphas deserve to find the pairings that truly work for them. To find undeniable chemistry. Not force a pack together until our designations dictate what we feel through a rush of chemical reactions in our bodies due to heats and ruts. I’ve heard of so many packs only fucking during the regular heats. How they hate each other and can’t stand to live in the same house. It’s sad. It’s fucked up. It’s a reality that I don’t want for myself or my twin.
“You okay, Ver Bear?” the beta tenderly asks, inching closer to the omega. The way he stares at her reads like unchecked longing. Dude’s totally fucking in love with her, and it even comes across in his fizzy champagne scent. For a beta it billows from him so strongly I can taste it on the back of my tongue. His voice lowers, but I’m still able to hear his whisper. “What happened to you?”
I feel like an interloper as I watch the two of them in the rearview mirror. She tilts her head back and closes her eyes, releasing an exhausted sigh. “Not really.” A frown tugs at her full lips, and for some reason, I want to make it go away. Focus on the road, Jed. Not the beautiful omega.
“Verity,” he whispers, a tortured tone to the word.
“Ryland.”
I narrow my gaze, giving him a closer look. The beta stares at her as if he worships the ground she walks on. Too bad for him, she’s an omega. The council forbids a relationship between the two designations. They don’t want to dilute the gene pool because only omegas and alphas can give birth to more omegas. Something I suspect is a lie.
Love is a greater power than anything else in this world. Why force limitations on it?
The omega flicks those sorrowful eyes to mine, catching me in the act. “Can we talk about it later, Ry?” She extends her hand, palm up, offering it to him. He doesn’t hesitate to thread his fingers with hers.
Yeah, there’s something going on between them. It’s not uncommon for relationships to happen before reveal day, but now that her designation has gone into the record as omega, they can’t be together anymore. In fact, I’m supposed to report any suspicions of a relationship between an omega and beta. Not that I ever would. I might be an asshole, but I’m not that big of one.
He rubs his thumb back and forth on her hand, a gentle caress born of familiarity. “Yeah, we can wait,” he replies soothingly. He waits until the omega is no longer paying attention to me before giving me a hard, assessing glare.
Before anything can be said, the static crackle of my radio sounds followed by a voice. “Alpha Jedrik, report.” Usually the enforcement officers are called by their last name, but since my twin and I are both on the same squad, they use our first names.
