Page 44 of Shared Omega

Well, not really an orphan—rather, I was abandoned by my parents.

Silently, I hate myself for what I’m about to do with that knowledge about Truk’s desire to belong—for the way I’m going to use it to manipulate him. But it must be done. If we are going to complete this mission, we will need this Alpha’s help.

“Truk,” I say softly, touching his arm. Beside me Dog tenses with possessive jealousy, but I sense that he is restraining himself. “Truk, will you help us? We need your help. Together the three of us can be like a…like a pack.”

At that, Truk’s eyes brighten.

“A pack?” he asks.

I can tell Dog is not fond of the idea, but I nod my head anyway.

“That’s right. Together we will be much stronger than we are alone. And you know the Zone better than us. And maybe you know something about the ways to approach the city ruins.”

Truk snorts and drops his head.

“You really aren’t going to give up on trying to get inside the city, are you?”

“It’s our duty,” I say, “Right, Dog?”

Dog nods, his face tight and stern.

I’m leaving out the part about how completing the mission is the only way for us to leave the Zone.

Truk is still for a long moment, and I can tell he is thinking it over.

“There may be one way,” he says at last. “The old sewers. We could enter from outside the city and follow the tunnels underneath. It will be risky but not impossible.”

“Then you’ll help us?” I ask.

Truk looks between me and Dog, his eyes a mix of emotions that are hard to read. Finally, he nods his blond head and stands up.

“Yes.”

CHAPTER 13: DOG

After a few hours, the woodlands give way to rolling plains covered with grass, sliced with more and more ancient overgrown highways as we get closer to the center. The sun is warm, but there is a cool breeze blowing. Off on the horizon, dark thunderheads are piling up like a mountain range made of clouds.

“How are you doing?” I ask Sloane.

“Fine,” she mutters.

She’s a little pissed off because I’m carrying her over my shoulder.

It was a necessity. Even though she has excellent endurance, it’s nothing compared to me and Truk. We Alphas could run flat out for the entire day and not get tired. Plus, our longer stride makes it nearly impossible for her to keep pace with us.

“How much farther?” her contralto voice comes from behind me.

Truk, who is running in the lead, turns around to answer.

“We’re getting close,” he calls. “Just over the next set of hills, you’ll see it.”

He stays turned around, jogging backwards. His eyes are on Sloane’s butt where she’s bent over my shoulder.

“I can take her for a while if you want to share the burden, Dog.”

I answer him with a silent scowl. He just rolls his eyes under his heavy brow and turns back around, sprinting ahead a little ways.

Share the burden my ass.