Page 13 of The Alpha’s Chosen Mate

“Call my dad. Now,” I mindlink Mr. Martin.

I don’t care what my dad is doing. All that matters is getting Emily out of that pack for good. But I need him here since she can’t leave the school.

“What else?” Somehow, I doubt his command is the worst of it. “What else did he do to you?”

Her fingers touch her scarf. As quickly as her hand lifted, she sets it back on my chest. She didn’t want me to see that reaction, but it’s too late. My gaze lingers on that stupid scarf, then flicks to the thick, long sleeves of her coat, then back to her scarf.

“Did he touch you?” My voice has gone dangerously quiet, my grip on Emily unrelenting. “Did he hurt you?”

Her eyes widen and her entire body trembles, but she doesn’t attempt to back away or break eye contact with me. She unwinds the scarf and lets it drop to the floor, then rolls up her sleeves as far as her layers allow.

Fingerprint bruises mar the skin on her neck and forearms. Deep, dark bruises, the kind only an alpha has the strength to make. But even so, there’s no reason they should be this dark. Or there at all.

And it doesn’t escape my notice that there aren’t bruises on her face. Her alpha made sure the bruises could be easily hidden.

I cup her cheeks and gently tilt her chin higher, frowning as I examine the injuries. “It’s been over a week since your birthday. These should have healed.”

Like Emily, my body trembles, but for a much different reason. My trembling stems from the restrained anger burning within me. It’s taking all my strength not to go on a rampage. Alpha Justin deserves his throat ripped out for what he did to Emily, but right now she needs me more than I need to exact revenge.

“I’ve always healed slowly. I’m an omega.”

“Stop calling yourself that!” I finally release her and pace the back of the classroom, running my hands through my hair.

I’ve put up with her insulting herself with that word for far too long. She needs to know how wrong it is. She needs to stop degrading herself.

“Why should I stop? It’s what I am. A wolf without a rank who can’t even shift.”

That stops me in my tracks. “You can’t shift?”

“No. I’m an omega.”

“Have you ever shifted?”

“I just told you: No. I’m. An. Omega. I don’t have a wolf.”

Fuck. This is worse than I thought.

What are they teaching them in that pack?