“No need to thank me. For some reason, I didn’t want you to be scared of us,” he says. “To be able to keep you all safe, the evil negligence of Bret’s patrons has to stop. Aye, there’s my mate. She’s better at this than I am.”
An omega with wild blonde hair hurries into the building, while Kane protectively follows her. It takes me a second, but when he turns, I realize that the alpha is wearing a baby doll on his back. Somehow, that helps me relax a little.
I don’t understand why, but it does.
“Okay, listen up, please,” she says. “I know we surprised you all, and I’m sorry we scared you with all of this. I’m Aisling, and I run an organization called Omega’s Haven. It’s meant to help omegas get back on their feet.”
“Why would you do that?” Star asks distrustingly.
“Why? Because I know what it’s like to have your entire world turned upside down,” she says. “There aren’t any resources for omegas, and the homeless shelters are rarely willing to take us. We deserve so much better. Omega’s Haven is growing slowly, but we have shelter, resources for education and employment, and of course food. The shelter offers clothing, as well as everything you need to feel like yourself. If you have your heat, we have resources for that too.”
Looking over at Bell, I see his eyes are as wide as mine are.
“What’s the catch?” he asks, swallowing hard. I can feel his anxiety, and he’s right. There has to be one.
“None,” her mate says. “You don’t have to pay anything for services. I offer law services at the outreach center along with other lawyers who are committed to working with omegas in need, and we have medical professionals on call to help as needed. Aisling has also made sure a therapist is available if anyone wants to talk, and it’s all free of charge.”
“The world isn’t safe,” Kane grunts. “Omega’s Haven will give you all a hand in rebuilding your lives. We need to coordinate transportation, and while we do that, you can decide what you want to do.”
The alphas scatter after that, and I sag against Bellamy.
“I should try to find you all clothes,” Aisling murmurs, looking around at us.
“Shit,” Star mutters. “Julissa, help me go through the bags and find things for everyone. It doesn’t matter if it’s pajamas.”
Nothing really belongs to us here. The clothes we do have kind of just exist for everyone to wear when needed. It’s cruel,but it was Alpha Bret’s way of keeping his leash on us. I’m so glad he’s dead.
Bellamy and I are kind of forgotten in the hustle and bustle of things, but that’s okay.
“What do you want to do?” I ask him, turning to hug him.
“I think we should go with them,” he sighs. “We could go to college, do all of the things we talked about doing before this.”
Before life went to shit, he means.
“I’m in,” I agree. “Anywhere is better than here.”
Bell and I throw on whatever clothes are given to us, grateful to be covered. Large vans are coordinated, and I step inside one with Bellamy and a few other people.
“Try to get some sleep if you can,” I’m told. “Minneapolis is a four hour drive.”
The doors are closed, and I lay my head on Bellamy’s shoulder as I sigh.
“I got you,” he murmurs. “We can switch on and off.”
My lips tilt up because this is standard practice for sleeping.
“Why don’t we sleep together for a change?” I ask, yawning.
There are five other omegas with us, all halfway asleep as the driver puts the car into drive.
“That actually sounds really nice,” Bell sighs. We’ve been running on fumes since Alpha Bret bought us. Each night, we’ve been put back into the cage by Jett if Alpha Bret wasn’t around.
I don’t think anyone thought anything of it. That’s the reality of being trafficked. No one blinks an eye at the cruelty of it because everyone is just trying to survive.
My eyelids get heavier as the vehicle takes us further away from Slick Dreams, and sleep finally takes me when Bell digs his fingers into my hair and rubs my scalp.
I’ve always loved that…
