“Ram, you owe some penance.”
“What?” I snap, as I recline back in my oversized gaming chair.
“You need to do something to get rid of the negative energy or you’re going to be inviting bad karma in.”
I shut my eyes and swallow back the groan, but Darius keeps going.
“Kidnapping a person is bad karma, Ramses.”
“Darius, you are aware that we do that for a living, right? Well, part of what we do.”
“Bad people, Ram. We take bad people. And look, it’s technically abduction because we don’t really give them back, no matter what we call it. What worries me is that it attracts bad karma,” he says. And I can see him clear as day in my mind as I listen to him deep in thought. His eyebrows would be scrunching together, and he’d be rubbing his hand over his head at the same time. “Look, either way, I think you need to repeat after me: we will not try to abduct or kidnap our Omega again.”
I squeeze my mouth shut and try to steady my breath as I log back into the chat and start feeding paid hints to the hundred or so kids waiting.
“Ram?”
“Darius, I’m working.”
Kai comes back online too. “Okay, I saw her vehicle moving down 32nd. We’re clear and you are good to come on home.”
“Yeah, I’ve got a couple of hours here and then I’ll see you there.”
“Sweet. You’re on dinner duty tonight and you promised to make us spicy kofta wraps.”
“And a salad,” Dare interrupts.
“Yeah, I know,” I snap, silencing them both. I’m being a bit of a dick about it, but my nuts ache and I’ve still got a couple of hours here. The energy drinks our workers consume means the room is stuffy with their buzzed-out beta energy that always nips like biting ants on my skin.
“You’ll be fine, Ramses. Before you know it you’ll be home,” Kai says.
I rub my eyes. “I know. I’m being a dick, sorry.”
“No worries, Bro.” And the way he talks, I can easily see Kai smiling at the same time. “And hey, I think I know a better way of accidentally-on-purpose seeing her again.”
“Yeah?” I ask, sitting up. Because honestly, I’m game to try anything.
“Darius is right. Since she’s too well known we can’t really kidnap?—”
“Thank you!” Darius barks, interrupting Kai.
“Anyway, I’ve come up with the perfect solution.”
“Yeah, what’s that?” Darius pipes up, genuinely interested.
“We work every Alpha event until the time is right, and we approach this like we don’t have to take women to get them to notice us.”
“God please no. Anything but working at an Alpha event.” Darius moans dramatically. “I seriously hate working those things. Being surrounded by that level of awesomeness does my head in.”
“But Dare, you’re such a natural people pleaser.” Kai continues. “Working behind the scenes is easy. It’s not like we don’t regularly do it.”
Darius sighs. “I have no issue working, it’s actually good work. It’s the people who you have to serve I have issue with. Every pack there thinks they’re better than the pack standing next to them, and they barely even glance at me.”
“Yeah, well, each of those pompous Alphas gets the chance to sweet talk her,” Kai says, and it feels like a challenge. “But worse is they get to stare at her ass when she cuts them down.”
“How do you know she’s like that?”
Kai chuckles under his breath. “Ramses, you legit realise we pretty much know this girl as much as you do… it’s been Heidi this, Heidi that, for too goddamn long. The time has come, dear brother, for her to finally meet her pack properly and those Alpha events are the place to make it happen.”
