Omegas are grossly taken advantage of. They should be treated like gold, but more often than not, they aren’t.
I overhear the dark-haired Alpha talking to the other one. “Ryker’s ours, but I don’t want to scare him off.” My brows pinch at what he’s saying, and he adds, “Sorry about earlier and using my Alpha bark on your omega…”
“Apologize to August, but I’m sure he’ll understand.” I don’t want to be a total dick, so I add, “They were high school friends, and I’m sure it didn’t cross his mind to be careful in his approach to Ryker.”
Kev finally speaks after taking in what we’re dealing with here. “Were the guys running this place still here when your team infiltrated?”
“My guys are questioning the three of them as we speak.” They must be in the room right beside us because right on cue, we hear a man yell, and then another scream. My brows raise in question.
The other Alpha shrugs. “They’re getting the answers we need. We’re not leaving our omega.”
Dark-haired Alpha—I really need to figure out who is who—warns, “He’s not ours yet, Maverick.”
I’ve never seen a grown man pout, but that’s exactly what he’s doing at Rex’s words.
At least we know Ryker is going to be taken care of no matter what. August comes back to us. “Can we take him back to Heat Wave and get him settled into one of the finished suites?”
Rex and Maverick look at one another and shrug, but I know they will be at his side or at least at his door, protecting it. “That’syour building, my little omega, you do as you please.” I give August a wink, earning me a peck on the lips and a grin from him.
Rex cuts in, “Sorry about using my Alpha bark on you…”
“I deserved that one, I was way too excited to see him, and he’s in no state for that kind of energy.”
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
AUGUST
After handing Ryan instructions on which tiny homes were ready for the omegas to stay in for the time being, I felt decent enough to take Ryker to his.
Ryker, Rex, and Maverick follow behind us in their car, heading to the tiny house Ryker will be settled in for the foreseeable future. My nose stings the longer I think about Ryker and what he’s had to live through. His parents passed away a couple of years before he was taken. He was in the foster system, suffering as a teen no one wanted to adopt. Eventually he got to the point of just wanting to age out so he could start his life. But before that could happen, he was taken.
My heart physically cracks open as I imagine how many heats he’s had to endure unbonded, being used and never cared for like all omegas should be. No one deserves to be treated this way, but especially not Ryker.
He’s survived enough.
Now he’s going to get to live any way he sees fit.
I make it my whole goal to get him into Heat Wave and hand back the power back he deserved to have over his heats all along.
We pull up outside the seafoam-colored tiny house, and I jump from the car, yet again.
“This place is beautiful, August,” Ryker’s voice is soft and airy as his eyes scan the house.
“It’s yours, for however long you want it.” I grab his hand and start walking him toward the front door, even though he protests me letting him stay here. I press the code for the door lock, swinging it open to allow him to enter.
I stand outside the door because I don’t want to get my scent all over the place. One thing I have learned the hard way is that omegas do not enjoy other omegas’ scent in their space—especially their own nest. It’s beyond disrespectful.
All that worry goes right out the door when he motions me to join him. “Get in here, August! What the fuck, this place is amazing!”
I blush at my long-lost best friend’s praise. “Thank you… I couldn’t have done any of this without Abel and Kev.”
They stand out on the little front porch with Rex and Maverick still, seemingly whispering about something important, and I can’t help but smile watching them. I look back at Ryker, and he has the same stars in his eyes as he watches the two beefhead Alphas talk to mine.
Ryker practically moans. “They smell so fucking good…” He pauses a beat and seems to come out of his omega scent land, shaking his head. “No, no, no, that’s the last thing I need to be doing. I have to get back on my feet. I don’t need to find myself on top of two knots. No matter how hot those men are that the knots are attached to.”
“You say the word, and I’ll put them through the background checks and testing to be a part of your heat if you have one coming up. I want your next heat to be all about you, Ry. And I have a feeling these two are not going anywhere.”
