The door swings open, revealing a tall Alpha with slightly graying hair and bright blue eyes. Donovan Griffith. Furrowing my brows, I mumble out a greeting when he addresses me. Donovan is a leader at the DAU. He is also the man who brought me in as an informant eleven years ago.
Sliding into the back of the car called to take me to the airport, I let my shoulders fall. Being away from the heavy weight of expectation for the short drive to the airport feels amazing. Even if it only lasts for the duration of the drive and flight back to New Hampshire.
“Miss Montgomery.”
I jolt, eyes flying open as I realize I am not alone after all. The man seated across from me is an Alpha, though his scent is muted, likely from a suppressant. Darting my eyes toward the door, I briefly contemplate trying to escape, but the car is already entering the highway, and I doubt rolling out of a moving vehicle will feel great.
“Please don’t be alarmed. My name is Donovan Griffith.” He pulls a small trifold wallet from inside his gray jacket andhands it to me. Inside are state and federal IDs. Seeing that he works for the DAU has the tension leaving my body. With shaky hands, I pass the wallet back to him.
“How can I help you, Mr. Griffith?”
“I listened to the testimony you gave Agent Bilman. Your insight will be incredibly helpful in preventing your father’s cult from harming Omegas and Alphas outside of New Hampshire moving forward.” The intensity of his stare unsettles me. I feel as if he can see every wrong I’ve ever committed and is ready to judge me for them.
For the past three weeks, I have been in New York City attending an up-and-coming religious leader’s conference for young women. It’s actually a seminar in subservience for the wives of future pastors, but they cannot advertise it as such without facing harsh criticism and protest from city officials. Being so close to people who genuinely care about others, I snuck out one evening and made my way to the local DAU office.
Confessing everything I have witnessed, all the abuse and violence my parents spearhead, took a weight off my chest. Part of me feels responsible for not speaking up sooner. For being too afraid to stand against them. Picturing my little sister’s wide, green eyes staring up at me abates that guilt. I have done what I had to do to protect her. To protect us both.
“I hope it does,” I say.
“I heard you refused to be relocated.”
Twisting my hands in my lap, I nod. “As grateful as I am for the offer, I must return to Whitlan. I cannot leave my sister to face our parents alone.”
“Even if returning means going through with the arranged marriage to Colin Boyd?” His words aren’t sharp, only filled with curiosity. It puts me at ease to think he will accept my decision more easily than the other agents had.
“Yes, even then.”
Donovan hums, turning to look out the window. I follow his gaze, noticing the signs for the airport exit. Part of me wishes I could stay. To escape the fate I know awaits me in my marriage to Mr. Boyd. I could choose love, or rather the potential for it, by joining the DAU’s protection program. But is a chance at happiness worth leaving Sarah behind? Of allowing her to be forced to fill the role I would leave empty? I wouldn’t put it past our parents to force her to marry Colin in my place. They wouldn’t care that she is only eleven.
Shaking my head, I turn to find Donovan looking at me once more. “Then, Miss Montgomery, I have a proposition for you.”
Footsteps hurrying down a staircase bring me back to the present, leaving memories of the day I met Donovan in the past. I can sense my little sister, smell hints of her sunflower and honeysuckle scent in the air. Foster and Shepherd step to the side, letting me see my sister for the first time in nearly five years. Tear-filled green eyes blink at me, studying me with the same intensity. Her brown hair is black and purple now, hanging nearly to her waist in messy waves. A large hoodie covers her small frame, but it is easy to tell she is too thin to be healthy for her height.
“H-Hannah?” She stumbles forward, feet tripping over themselves in her hurry to reach me. Tears fill my own eyes as I pull her against me. She’s here. Alive and free. My guilt lessens as she shakes in my arms. Her life may not be a rainbowdreamland, but it’s endlessly better than what would have awaited her in Whitlan.
“Oh, little gremlin, I’ve missed you so.” My voice shakes as I whisper in her ear. I don’t want to let her go, but I do when I feel Kaitlin’s hands dig into my skin as we squish her between us. “Sarah-” Her dead name slips out, and I silently reprimand myself. I will have to avoid calling her by the name our parents chose in the future. “Well, I guess you prefer to go by Omen now, don’t you?”
Her cheeks flush with color as she nods.
“I like it. It suits you. Very dark and moody.” I wink, shifting slightly to get some of the weight off my lower back. Shepherd frowns, taking half a step toward me, but I ignore him. “Omen, this is my daughter Kaitlin. Little Bug, this is your Aunt Omen.”
Kait peeks up at Omen, eyes flickering briefly to me. I know she is confused because I’ve never mentioned my sister before, nor have my parents. One day soon, I will explain everything. She deserves to know why we left and the truth about how awful our family is.
“Hi Kaitlin, it’s nice to meet you,” Omen whispers lightly, grinning at her niece. My lips twitch into a small smile of my own. It feels good having her here. Knowing she can finally get to know my children and be part of our lives.
“I’m thrilled to see you here, away from that awful place, butwhyare you here?”
Glancing at Donovan, I release a heavy breath when he ushers us all into the living room. Sitting sounds heavenly. “Your sister has been working undercover with the DAU since she was nineteen. She’s done well hiding her connection to our organization. Her role has primarily been feeding us information about the Omegas and Alphas who present within the state and are reported to your father.”
“That’s how you could get me out of the state so quickly.” Omen sounds exhausted; her voice monotone as she looks at me. With the dark circles beneath her eyes, I start to worry.Is she not sleeping? I can’t imagine being an Omega forced into a safe house is easy. They need nests, safe places to exist wrapped in their own scents. Does she not have that here? Even temporarily?
Slipping Kaitlin onto the cushion beside me, I nod. “I reached out to my contact within the DAU, and they sent someone undercover nearby to pick you up. We knew it might blow their cover, but your safety was the priority. It still is.”
Shepherd scoffs from his spot standing behind Foster’s chair. “Your safety is a priority too.”
Fates, these two need to chill. The anger and possession in Shepherd’s tone are enough to send sparks of longing through my body, and I can sense how hard the distance between us is for Foster. His knee hasn’t stopped bouncing since we sat down. I honestly expected him to take the spot next to me.
Shifting away from both men, I try not to let my discomfort show. That would only make their reaction worse. Thankfully, Donovan cuts in, redirecting our conversation. “We are preparing to move Hannah and her children to a much deeper safe house, separate from your location, Omen.” When my sister’s face falls, her lips pushing into a pout, he gives her a tight smile. “I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but having you both in one location increases the risk of your being discovered.”
