I wished now as much as I did in that moment, that there was something I could do. But I knew, the Betas who wore Lockswells’ logos shirts had his orders as much as the Omega did himself.
There was nothing I physically could do but allow Charles to walk away. He hadn’t looked back at me, and that was for the best. Because it took every bit of strength I had to keep my feet rooted to the floor where I stood.
I hadn’t moved until the van was out of distance, dirt kicking up behind the wheels. When I turned, my lawyer, and another friend, Silas Cane, stood there. He leaned against the back of the couch, eyes hard in concentration, arms crossed over his torso.
“So, what’s the plan, Vincent?”
He himself didn’t have an Omega, but he viewed them similar as myself. Omegas were something to be treasured and treated with the respect they deserved. He was lucky to be raised with a family who loved all social roles, and treated everyone the same. Or at least tried the best he could.
“I should just let him go.” I finally shut the door, eyes taking in how empty the place was all of a sudden.
“The first time I see you with an Omega in your home, and you're going to just let him go?” he raised an eyebrow, uncrossing his arms to slide his hands into his pockets.
“You told me to let him go, Silas.” Which I wasn’t thrilled about. A piece of paper wouldn’t have stopped me from fighting to keep the boy.
“Yes.” It was my turn to raise a brow, but then a second later, I shook my head and walked towards the kitchen. “It shows good faith on your behalf for when, and if, you want to try to fight for all rights for that Omega.”
“I….” I clamped my mouth shut and turned my back to my friend. I almost gave my normal response, that I didn’t need or want an Omega. That I was perfectly fine and content without one. But after having one in my care for less than three days, my view had changed.
There was something about Charles that I couldn’t put a name on. Something that showed me what I was missing.
“What do I need to do?” I glanced over my shoulder, almost hating the way my friend smiled like he won the lottery.
“Leave that all to me, dear friend.” Why was he so thrilled about that? “Get whatever you need for him to be here. Give me twenty-four hours and he’ll be back in your care shortly after that.”
With that, Silas turned and walked away, like it was just an easy task ahead of him. And maybe, for him, it was. Being a lawyer had its perks, and I wasn’t going to ask how he’d get past some of the loopholes that Lockswell had in place to make it harder for Alphas to get rights to Omegas.
“And get some sleep!” Silas yelled before shutting the door on his way out.
I just shook my head, unsurprised by his antics. Silas had a reputation, quiet, calculated, always watching more than he spoke.
To most, he was reserved. To me, he was unnervingly brilliant. The kind of smart that didn’t need to show off.
Every word he used was intentional, every silence louder than most conversations. He was a damn goodlawyer. But somehow, an even better friend. He listened to all sides of any argument, never putting someone’s wellbeing above another for the sake of choosing sides.
Next to Moore, Silas was one friend I never wanted to lose. If it hadn’t been for him, I would have never became an accountant.
Knowing, and trying, to let Silas do what needed done, I took a quick shower, made a quick breakfast, and tidied up the already spotless house. I kept my mind focused on what needed to be done so I didn’t become a stressed out lunatic.
When my phone rang, bringing me out of my cleaning zone on the already cleaned kitchen, I was more than happy to answer, even though I didn’t want to talk to anyone.
“Moore,” I greeted, my tone dull.
“Uh oh. What’s wrong?”
What wasn’t wrong?
I didn’t bother holding it in. I needed someone to hear me, so I let the words spill out. Everything that happened this morning. Every detail. Every feeling I hadn’t had time to process.
I kept talking as I moved through the routine, gathering used towels, replacing them with fresh ones in the bathrooms.
It helped. A little.
When I finally ran out of words, the silence felt heavier than before.
Moore’s voice broke it, low and cautious, like he didn’t want the walls to hear. “Adrian can’t know,” he said. “I’ll keep him distracted for now. But you did theright thing.” He hesitated, then added, “Vale’s… possessive. Especially when it comes to certain Omegas and their clients. He’s not after loyalty. Just profit. I got lucky. Adrian was never one of Vale’s favorites.”
I nodded, but the weight in my chest didn’t lift. Because I wasn’t lucky. It felt like my heart was taken away with the Omega.
