“But where did she come from?” Gabriel asked, his expression wrought with concern. “Are you saying someone just abandoned her there?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” I said.
“That’s despicable!” Raja snapped. His fingers dug into the edge of the table like claws. “How can someone do that? Just thinking about doing that to Charlotte makes me feel sick…”
“Me too,” Gabriel added sadly. “I couldn’t imagine leaving either of mine on some dirty bar’s doorstep… Oh, er, no offense, Scar.”
I shrugged. “None taken. I’m as pissed off as you two are.”
“You’re a wolf, right?” Raja asked. “Couldn’t you just track the scent trail and find whoever put her there?”
“I tried that, but the scent trail vanished,” I explained.
Raja narrowed his eyes. “How is that possible?”
I was getting tired of constantly having to explain myself. “It justdid, alright? It disappeared into thin air. I don’t know how, but that’s what happened.”
“Maybe they tricked your nose somehow,” Raja said.
I growled. “Watch your mouth, kid. A wolf’s nose doesn’t lie.”
Before Raja and I got into a spat like cats and dogs, Ryu intervened. “Even if the persondiddo something to trick Scar, it doesn’t change the fact that Angel was abandoned. We should focus on helping her, not getting retribution on the person who did this.”
Raja glanced down at the table. “You’re right. Sorry.”
“So, then, getting back to business. Ryu and Scar, you two are serious about raising this baby?” Gabriel asked.
“Yes,” Ryu and I said firmly at the same time.
Gabriel seemed surprised that our decision was so steadfast. “Well, then, you’re right. You will need help, especially if you don’t know much about childcare.”
I frowned, suddenly aware of how oblivious we both were.
“It’s okay,” Gabriel said quickly, shooting me a smile. “I didn’t know much about kids either during my first pregnancy. Thankfully, a lot of it is common sense. And when you give birth as a shifter omega, I think much of what we know is instinctual, too.”
“But I didn’t give birth to Angel,” I muttered.
“Right. But you’re still an omega.” Gabriel smiled. “Hey, think about it this way. If you ever have biological kids, you’ll be well prepared already.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Right. That’s never gonna happen, but thanks.”
From the corner of my eye, I caught a slight frown on Ryu’s face. But before I could think about it for too long, Angel started crying again. Instantly, everyone’s attention was on her. Anxiety clutched my stomach again.
“What do we do?” Ryu asked the other omegas.
“Diaper?” Raja suggested.
Ryu quickly checked the situation. “No, it’s clean.”
“She might be hungry,” Gabriel said. “When was the last time she ate?”
“I gave her some mashed up food before you arrived,” Ryu said.
“Is she too cold? Too hot?” I asked, panic building.
Gabriel placed the back of his hand gently on her forehead. “Her temperature seems fine to me.”
Angel continued to cry. It hurt to know she was in discomfort and we didn’t know why.
