Page 114 of Generation Omega: Revealed
The professor is frothing at the mouth, but Gideon just rolls his eyes at me.
“Head for the bow. I have a system to load from there and will use the hatch above the nest to drop the supplies to them. After they have everything, we’ll meet back here and assess our situation.”
I wait until they’ve driven the dinghies toward the bow before rushing to meet them. My system is intended for much heavier gear, making the loading and unloading of the nest supplies quick and easy. Well, noteasyexactly—the second I open the hatch and catch the wafting perfume of the omega, my restraint almost collapses.
The other alphas couldn’t reach us in time to stop me from driving my cock inside her and my teeth into her flesh. She certainly couldn’t stop me, not with a feral alpha bark demanding to be freed. Not even Ethan could stop me, and I’d take him hard… take them both and never share.
Excruciating pain hits me when Irefuseto do all of that. This is what I hate about the omega legacy. I choose my crimes—they don’t choose me. I will not break Ethan’s trust, and the omega belongs to him. He cherishes her, and I must do the same…eventually.
Shutting the hatch requires an act of profound willpower, but I manage and then hurry back to the stern before the alphas consider coming aboard unsupervised. Ethan’s nerves provide a helpful distraction from my unauthorized urges. I just hope the omega doesn’t hurt him because, if she does, this is all going to get very loud and very dangerous.
The two alphas are still in their dinghies when I arrive.
Gideon sends me a power squint, followed by his signature raised eyebrow. “You’ve got my omega on there, so I’m not askingpermissionto board. But I need to know if we’re in for a battle here. I’d rather we behave like the civilized alphas our omega needs, but alpha introductions aren’t exactly civilized in my experience.”
In response, Thatcher—back to glaring at me—mutters and snarls again.
“Settle, Thatcher.” Gideon’s voice is stern, but he doesn’t sound angry. It reminds me of the role he played as an inspiring school principal for gifted, unruly mutants.
But Thatcher remains a bomb attached to a short, fraying fuse. “If you knew what he’s done, you would never expect that of me. Heshotme.”
Gideon’s eyes widen at that little tidbit of historical context.
“I didn’t kill you, did I?” I muse in a mocking tone designed to spark that fuse. The explosion will be noteworthy and the water is dark and deep, a body easily weighted and forgotten. Got bricks? I sure do.
“Dammit,” Gideon snaps. “Thatcher,settle.”
The professor remains frozen in place—alpha time-out is clearly a thing. I’m tempted to provoke Gideon to try that trick on me, but Ethan is happilynestingwith the omega and I don’t want to disappoint him. Utter distaste lands on me as I realize the truth of our circumstances. The omega is bonded to Gideon, which means Gideon is an open book to her. If I do anything to threaten the first alpha, the omega will know, perhaps even feel his pain. Ethan would never forgive me for that.
Gideon looks up at me like I’m a petulant, teenage mutant. He doesn’t speak, but I feel the push of his power, as though answering my curiosity. His force is massive, and a challenge lives in his gaze. Am I going to fight him or am I going to be the alpha Ethan needs me to be?
“Come aboard, both of you. Let’s head up to the bridge and do our best to keep thingsmellow.”
Gideon searches my hands for weapons—they’re not in my hands, but they’re still accessible. His distrust is earned and, if I’m going to be an alphaadultabout this, I owe him something more.
“I won’t do anything that harms Ethan or anyone he cares for, and damaging either of you isn’t in the omega’s best interests.”
“Shehasa name,” the professor blurts.
“So do you, but I won’t use yours either. Only Ethan has earned a name. For now,you’rethe actor,you’rethe professor, andshe’sthe omega. Deal with it.”
Gideon’s fighting a smile, which is a clear sign that he understands the effort I’m making to bebetter—not good, just better. He also must know what’s happening with Ethan and the omega, two soulmates trying to find their way back to each other. I won’t be the one who does anything to threaten something that beautiful. And they aren’t through the minefield yet—they’re just approaching it.
Gideon turns to the professor. “You can run that mouth as much as you need, but if you behave violently, I’m tying you up. I’d rather not though. There are decisions to be made that affect our shared future, and wouldn’t it be nice if we had an accredited omegaverse expert in the pack to help us with that?”
That lands on the professor like a well-aimed missile. “I understand. I’lltry, but…” Vulnerability breaks through his fury. “These urges… I’mnotin control here.”
“What are the instincts telling you?” Gideon asks.
“Nothing helpful—they’re just repeating the same message over and over.”
“And that message is?”
The professor appears to be close to vomiting. “Surrender tolove.”
I don’t laugh. I don’t snort. I don’t ridicule. I’m an alpha adult about this. But I may never recover from the missed opportunity to malign that sentimental guidance from his reveredbiology.
Gideon’s wary gaze measures everything, and he actually exhales. I did something helpful by not being myself—adulting already sucks.
