“How long have you been there?” I ask, suddenly terrified, but I can’t say why.
“Long enough.”
I tilt my head to the side and watch as he comes and sits down near me. He doesn’t take his eyes off me at all.
“Show me again.”
The demand, the call, the pure dominance of it, slams against me. I let out a moan of agony as I feel like I’m being torn apart.
“Angel, stop, please,” I sob and try to hold myself upright, but I writhe until I slip off the couch, landing hard on the floor. I manage to wrangle myself into a sit as Angel blinks slowly at me. He’s quick to get on his knees, crawling over me and inhaling.
His pupils widen. “I know what you are.”
“And you’ll keep your mouth shut, won’t you?” I ask back sweetly.
“Is that a command?” His low, dark promise of pain sends shivers up my spine.
I look away tiredly. “No, Angel. Of course, it’s not. I just would prefer no one knows. It’s a secret I’ve kept all my life.”
“Omega,” he whispers.
The word is horrifying.
“Shh, don’t say that word in here!”
He studies me. “You really are just like us. Trapped. Someone else holds your leash. How can you free us if you can’t free yourself?”
His words are vicious cuts that scrape at my heart. He’s right. I’ve never been free.
“Do you even try to escape anymore, or have you given up?”
I wince. “Can you just…go away. It’s been a really bad morning, and I don’t want to take anymore verbal lashings from an alpha who has decided the whole world is his enemy.”
To my surprise, he flinches.
My phone rings, and I pull it out of my pocket, answering it quickly.
“Hey, Liz.”
Angel stiffens, his colour draining from his already pale face. He backs off, up onto the couch.
“Hey, Casey. I was wondering, if you’re ready, I’ll come and get my dogs now.”
My brows snap down. She wants them back? For what?
“I thought they were ruining your life?”
“Oh, I was just having a bad day. I can come get them tonight. You don’t want to keep them; besides, they might get hurt up there in the wild.”
Angel has gripped my custom couch so hard he’s put holes in it. I stare at his hands as my suspicions grow darker and darker.
“I don’t think so,” I almost whisper.
“What?” Liz barks. “But they’re mine.”
I need to get off the phone and stop this before it gets out of hand.
“Liz, if you try to take them from me, I will kill you,” I snarl viciously and hang up. “Angel?” I say his name gently.
