My shoulders pulled tight without me meaning to. My jaw clenched, like my body was bracing for a hit that didn’t come.
“I was told to,” I said. Defensively. Which somehow made it worse.
“Sure,” the other omega said, rolling his eyes. “And I’m sure that’s all it is.”
There was something underneath his tone then. Not anger.
Envy. Like why you?
Trust me, I’m wondering the same thing! If only they knew Lock had shut everything down.
Ember drew in a deep breath loudly before meeting each person’s gaze. She didn’t raise her voice. Didn’t step forward. But the room shifted anyway, like everyone felt it.
“That’s enough,” she said.
The omega tilted his head. “I’m just talking.”
“No,” Ember replied evenly. “You’re posturing.”
Cassie met Ember’s eyes.
Held them.
For a long, quiet second, no one moved.
Then Cassie looked away.
The other omega scoffed. “Whatever. Not my mess.”
They got up and walked off together, their shoulders brushing, their laughter loud enough to make sure we heard it.
My hands were shaking again, so I set the fork down before anyone noticed.
“I didn’t do anything,” I said quietly.
“I know,” Ember replied.
“Then why?—”
“Because you’re new,” she looked at the vest then back at me. “And visible.”
“And because of Lock.”
She didn’t deny it.
I stared at the food, appetite gone. “They hate me.”
Why do you care?
“They don’t,” Ember said. “They’re threatened.”
“By me?”
Her mouth twitched slightly. “By what you represent.”
I let that settle.
Did I need to wear a sign that said kidnapped… don’t want to be here?
