Page 62 of Generation Omega: Revealed
The smoke thickens and the door slams into the wall as Ethan’s father appears in the doorway. His clothes are singed, but his presence is powerful. He dashes toward his son, lifts him, and carries him to the window, kissing his head before telling him to be brave. Then he tosses Ethan to the waiting arms of a firefighter below and begins to climb through the window, but another explosion blasts the house. His father is expelled from the structure, landing in a heap on the yard.
Ethan races toward his father who stirs after a moment and grabs his son, holding him close. But something’s wrong because my Ethan, the one in this room, is jarred by the ending of this dream more than the middle. He’s repulsed by seeing his father rise, and the reason is too clear to deny.
I believe the fire happened. I believe Ethan’s father saved his son, but that man never rose again, never hugged his son again, and Ethan carries this trauma in his sleep.
The dream begins again, and I almost wake him. But I can’t. I’m caught in a question that only experience can answer. How much power does an alpha possess over his beta? Does it extend to nightmares? Can I help him?
It’s foolish of me to think I can, that a corrupted soul can better anyone’s life, but I’m an achiever who’s done everything he ever set out to do, so why not this?
I allow the dream to continue and it’s exactly the same. But this time, when his father calls, I step forward and lift Ethan, carrying him to the window, raising the glass, and tossing the little boy to his father. His father catches him, smiling up at me. Now, he doesn’t have to enter the already destroyed house, hurrying up stairs that are collapsing. He doesn’t have to die, even though in real life he did.
I stand in the smoke and flames and realize that the little boy is staring at me, his eyes wide and filled with a different kind of uncertainty. Am I just another monster trying to snatch him from his life?
I know the answer and, with sinister satisfaction, I acknowledge that this monster isn’ttryingto capture Ethan—I already caught him. He’s mine, and I’ll never let him go.
Feeling pulled by strings above me, my body now a marionette, I stand and approach Ethan, daring to raise my hand and lightly touch the small space on his face that isn’t marred by violence.
“Sleep peacefully, Ethan.” I sense the power in my words and instantly feel their effect on him. “No more dreams—just rest. You’re safe and you have nothing to fear. I’m here and I’m not leaving again.”
CHAPTER31
TILLIE
I’m not breathing as I wait for the elevator to complete its journey. There’s no sound other than my heartbeat thumping in time with Gideon’s. He holds my hand in a decidedly possessive way and his other hand still carries a gun.
“Tillie,” Gideon says tightly as the elevator nears, “I need you to obey me when he gets here.”
I glance up at Gideon, attempting to read his stone-cold expression and determine how my obedience factors into his high-alert stance. His jaw is clenched, highlighting his defined cheekbones, and this time, his heart is the one leading mine to quicken.
“Obey?” That doesn’t sound like me at all.
He swallows audibly. “Just do as I say. I’ll explain later. It’s analphathing.”
The instincts provide more details than Gideon can manage.
Let them find their way.
Don’t make any sudden movements.
This must happen.
My inner omega has a different point of view. She’s as rabid as boxing fans just before the bell rings and is already set with a tub of buttered popcorn and a ginormous soda. She’s here for the show and has big plans for the after-party.
Down girl—we’re not there yet.
Her retort is predictable.You won’t always control me, honey. When it’s all five of them, just try to stop me.
It’s impossible to ignore how far I’ve come and it’s only day two. I’d be a fool to doubt the power of the omega inside me. But I’m still me, and I’m not disappearing without a fight. And it’s not five alphas who matter—it’s my pack, which includes Ethan.
If he’s not okay, I’ll never surrender to you.
Am I really talking to myself and expecting an answer from my sassy inner omega or the lofty lineage? I guess I am because I’m not even surprised when the instincts respond.
Ethan is pack.
I inwardly give the mysterious omega legacy a nod. As long as we’re clear on that, I’ll keep moving forward and not actively work against the lineage.
Almost as an afterthought, the instincts blurt a nervous ramble that takes a few seconds to decipher. I think it mostly involves me not allowing Gideon to kill the professor.
