Her gaze flicks around, and I notice her eyes. One’s brown, the other a lighter hazel-green. Striking.
She licks her lips. “I work for Omega Safe Haven. They’ve got resources for me. You don’t have to worry about helping.”
Caleb pivots toward the kitchen. “Feels like this is going to be a long conversation. I’ll get dinner and let Eric know he can head home if he wants.”
I sigh and rub at my brow as he walks off. He’s never liked tense conversations, especially ones he can’t control. “I’m sorry about him. But please don’t feel like you have to run. It would be good to talk this through. Oli seems open to you, and I think we should follow his lead.”
I grab one of the smaller tables and pull it next to the booth so we can all sit together without crowding her.
Oli hums. “Have you phoned the police yet? I know we share a station with La Junta, but they should be here soon, right? You need to report what those Alphas did.”
Sandra shakes her head. “No cops. Not yet. I wasn’t just attacked. I was sold to them. And the Omega ownership laws, though archaic, still hold up in some courts. I need a Safe Haven lawyer to help me first.”
Ross growls as he drops chairs around the table. “Laws like that still work? That’s bullshit.”
My inner Alpha rages with him. How dare anyone claim our Omega. She should choose who claims her.
Oli stretches out a hand across the table. “I’m so sorry.” His green eyes well with tears. “Every time I think Omegas are gaining ground, I’m reminded it’s just a fantasy. We’ll do whatever it takes to make sure no one owns you. That’s a promise.”
Sandra swallows and looks away. “We just met. There’s no reason for you to be this kind.”
Caleb returns, balancing two trays loaded with family-style plates of burgers, wings, fries, and ribs. Eric isn’t with him, so he must’ve boxed up his meal and left. He lives just across the street. I don’t blame him for wanting to avoid this mess.
As long as Sandra feels okay being here with us, that’s what matters. I can always call in a fake report, say we’ve got a drunk customer causing a scene. That way, if the Alphas she’s hiding from are listening, they won’t suspect her.
Ross and I help Caleb unload the trays as Oli leans forward.
“You’re right to be unsure. But I don’t see the point in being rude. I’ve never heard of this happening either, but it feels right. I can’t explain it. I just want to help you. I’m sorry you were attacked. No one should have to go through that.”
Her eyes flutter. She fights back more tears, but they fall anyway.
I’ll never understand Alphas who force themselves on Omegas. The bond never feels right. I tried before Oli, to sleep with an incompatible Omega, and it was always hollow.
Then Oli came along, and everything changed. It was like seeing color for the first time.
Finding a second scent-matched Omega? It feels surreal.
What would it be like if she joined our pack? All of us would have to be on board, but if Oli is okay with it, I doubt the others would object. We’re all bi. That’s not the barrier.
I set an empty plate in front of her. “Please, eat. We don’t need to figure anything out tonight. You need food first. Then we can talk about the next steps. If you want to call your job again, you’re welcome to. Whatever makes you feel safe.”
That should tell the others not to push her. Maybe she won’t want to join a pack that already has an Omega. Maybe she needs to be the only one. The idea of letting her go stings. Just the thought hurts like hell.
Almost as bad as imagining Oli walking away.
Bonds can break. Everyone knows that. But they don’t unless something catastrophic happens. Because breaking a bond? It’s agony.
Ross, Caleb, and I take seats beside the booth. Sandra reaches for a burger and fries.
Good. She’s eating.
“Thank you for this. I’ll call my work after eating, then we can try to wrap our heads around what’s happening here.”
I hope she sees we’re not bad. This isn’t at all how I thought my night would go. Hell, I didn’t think the rest of my life would involve two Omegas in my pack. We’ll need to keep this under wraps, because gossip spreads like wildfire in Willowside. The last thing she needs is the media spotlighting our town or the fact we’re a pack with two Omegas. This night turned into something none of us expected. And the future? It just got a lot more complicated.
But maybe, just maybe, it got better, too.
A Necessary Step
