Page 70 of Generation Omega: Claimed
“Wow, thanks.” She shakes her head, still wearing that sweet blush on her cheeks. “We’re new, just figuring things out. We’ll get there.”
The car is now parked, giving me the chance to meet her gaze. I don’t say anything, but I hope she knows how dear she is to me, independent of the omega within her. But how would she know that?
“Stay close to me,” I command without force.
“I will, Ory.” Her cheeks raise, her eyes sparkle, and I swear I’ve never beheld such a tender bloom on any face in my entire life. My omega was stunning but more self-possessed, never tender in the slightest.
“Let’s go.”
“Do you know about the others?”
“They’ll be here soon.”
We leave the vehicle and walk directly to the hangar. Our plane awaits, with a crew at the ready. Without a word, we move up the steps and into the cabin, a nice affair with a dozen seats, a table surrounded by four chairs, and a couple couches. Thankfully, we only wait a few minutes for the others to join us, and once they’re aboard, the doors close and we are away.
Tillie’s entire bearing relaxes as she dashes to embrace everyone, as though it’s been days not a small accumulation of minutes since we were last together.
Once seated, Tillie asks Gideon, “Are you going to tell me where we’re heading?”
“Nope. And, actually, I’m going to force a naptime on you. A lot is going to happen in the coming days, and you need to be as rested as possible.”
Tillie’s hands become fists, and her scowl strikes me like a misfired arrow. “No, I don’t want to rest. I want to know what’s happening, what we’re doing. I get that you want to protect me, but at a certain point…”
Gideon catches Tillie as she slumps over, forced into sleep by a silent command. The part of me that rankles is unhelpful. The first alpha isn’t wrong, and yet, this doesn’t feel right either. It feels like another betrayal, a crime perhaps. My posture is locked and loaded for violence, but I remain unmoving for now.
CHAPTER 34
ETHAN
Watching Gideon turn Tillie off like she’s a malfunctioning robot grates on me. I get it, but I fucking hate it. “She’s not going to want to wake up with you, so could I have my girlfriend,alpha?” Yeah, I have a tone, and I’m not sorry.
Without a word, Gideon hands Tillie to me. I cradle her in my arms, my already roiling insides given a new source of fuel. What’s another log on the fire of all that changed the moment we docked and returned to the real world.
I feel so stupid for not realizing just how deeply I fell under the spell we created on that yacht. But I see it now, the almost impenetrable bubble of safety, connection, and amazement that ship built for us. I definitely allowed myself to be drawn into Jameson’s sex spectacle—I can’t even think of it now without getting aroused. And when I wasn’t his willing toy, fucking Tillie at his direction, I got lost in all my baggage, completely removing myself from the realities of our situation.
I certainly didn’t expect the whiplash when that bubble burst five seconds after we left the ship. It’s like I walked through a doubt explosion that singed every inch of me and destroyed my ability to lie to myself. What’s worse, it revealed all the ways I’ve been deceiving myself, and they are many.
I genuinely thought I was ready for what comes next in this epic battle to thrive in an omega-run world, but everywhere I look, I see proof thatwearen’t ready. The fact that Gideon just silenced Tillie against her wishes… I’m fucking raw about that. I’m holding her right now, breathing her in, my chin resting on her soft hair, to keep myself from tackling the fucker. I thought I understood, but I clearly don’t.
I can’t even look at any member of the alpha brigade, because if a single one of them declares forHouse Gideon, I’m going to start throwing punches and discover whether a bonded beta has any chance against an alpha. I’ll start with Jameson over Ory—I’m not stupid. But when I glance at Ory, his posture informs me that he’s not sure which team he’s on right now. The predatory, possessive way he’s gazing at Tillie—nothisrandy omega—is new and teeming with fury that’s not aiming at me.
“Why did you do that?” Ory’s voice rumbles out of his body like an approaching thunderstorm. Somebody better start battening down the hatches, because this shit is about to get real.
“For the reasons I just said, reasons you already know. We have a long journey ahead of us, and there is nothing she needs to do except rest.” I feel Gideon’s presence behind me, squaring off with Ory. Fuck, if I weren’t holding Tillie and therefore safe from all harm, I’d be getting the fuck out of the middle of this alpha business.
Jameson’s attention moves from Gideon to Ory and back, dissatisfaction oozing from him. “Before you two climb in a cage to duke it out or rip each other’s heads off and eat what passes for your brains, could I just mention that Tillie isfine?” He waves his hand at her and at me. “She’s sleeping in the arms of the man she chose, on a private jet, heading to a meeting she needs to attend. This isnotabuse. This is tending our omega like alphas should. Don’t lose sight of the big picture, fellas, or we’re doomed.”
When we all likely wear matching expressions of shock at how naturally Jameson sees that big picture, his cagey smile appears. “Hey, being an entitled prick has its benefits.” With expressive fingers, he points briefly at all of us in a sweeping motion. “Does anyone want to bark at me and cradle me while I nap? Because I’m totally good with that. Punish me with naptime,please.”
I’m surprised when Ory and Gideon wait for me to relax before loosening their prepped-for-slaughter stances. “She’s fine. She’ll be pissed, but she’s fine. And, just FYI, if anyone considers barking to compel me to cuddle with Jameson, please remember that Kaz will be slicing off any body parts that touch me, so…”
“No, I’m good,” Jameson says breezily, but then winks at Ory. “What about you, big guy?”
Ory just grunts and moves toward me, brushing his hand over Tillie’s cheek, murmuring, “She’s safe and cherished, as she should be.”
My eyes get misty, dammit. I’m not ready for Ory to start getting mushy about my girl. “Yeah, she is. Thanks,” I mumble, hoping I concealed my unexpectedly volatile emotions.
“You never need to thank me for caring about her.”
