“Are we moving?” Leaving the town I loved would suck, but leaving my best friend would be even worse.
“What? No. It’s good news, honest.”
Whenever they saidhonest, I knew to expect something bad.
Dad cleared his throat. “Alpha John has been in talks with the Gray pack, and he thinks they’ve worked out a solution to our problems.”
The Gray pack was from two towns over. Their town was bustling, their population growing, and no need to let humans in. With two malls, a hospital, and schools that didn’t use hand-me-downs from other places, they were the envy of most packs.
“Okay, and?” My stomach twisted.
“He suggested we merge the packs. The Gray pack likes that idea, but they’re afraid they’d lose their young and strong wolves who don’t want to give up their identities. So it was decided we would become the Gray Sun pack.”
That didn’t sound too awful.
“But….”
My skin prickled.Here it comes. “But?”
“In order for the merger to go through, we need to join two of our families.”
Oh. Shit.
“And what does that mean, exactly?”
“Being the Omega of the pack, it falls upon you to be… um…”
“An offering. A sacrifice,” I growled.
“No, no, it isn’t like that.”
I stood up, anger surging. “Then whatisit like, Dad?”
He glared at me, and my wolf cowered. “Sit down.”
It was only a whisper, but it shook me to my core. I sat, needing to show my contrition. As the aforementioned Omega, I was the one who was basically the pack bitch. I had to do all the things others didn’t want to. Need a babysitter? Sure, Mason will do it. Need your gutters cleaned? Mason will be there this afternoon. It wasn’t awful, but it sure as hell wasn’t fun. And I could imagine what Kip would say if he knew this.
“I’m sorry.” I kept my tone low and respectful.
“It’s okay, we understand. Still, this is a joyous occasion, and you need to look at it like that. Remember, you’re doing this for the pack.”
“I still don’t know whatthisis,” I grumbled.
“Alpha Donnelly has a son, Jerome. He’s seventeen and a budding alpha. We want to marry the two of you to cement the packs.”
I blinked hard several times. “‘Marry’? I don’t evenknowhim.”
“Yes, but you’re gay and he’s bisexual, so?—”
I pushed away from the table. “So because we’re both liking a bit of dick we’ll just get along fabulously?” I snarled. “Not all gay or bi men like each other, you know.”
“It’s for the pack,” Mom said. “We need to help them.”
For the last seventeen years everything I’d done was for the pack. I’d given up my weekends, my personal time, mystudies because, as an Omega, it was always expected I’d meet someone who’d take care of me as if I was incapable of doing it myself. Yes, I was a fucking Omega, but I could kick ass when I needed to.
Desmond Tyne, a guy three years my junior, had been sniffing around me one day, and he’d cupped my ass, giving it a squeeze. “Looking good, girl,” he’d said.
I’d turned and found him leering at me, which pissed me off. I cocked my fist and drove it into his face, breaking his nose. It didn’t matter that he’d put his hands on me because he was the son of a Beta, so I was supposed to be demure and smile at him, thanking him for noticing. Fuck that. I pushed him down to the floor and told him if heevertouched me again, I’d break more than his face.
