“Sorry, little omega. Can you answer my questions, please? I need to start heading to you,” I said.
It almost sounded civil.
“I’m at the Omega Haven Residence,” she whispered. “Guinn brought me here. Technically, he kidnapped me to bring me here, but it was better than leaving me out on the street after Benjamin attacked and abandoned me, so I guess I can forgive him.”
“That’s good to hear.” I heard Guinn’s voice again. His tone irritated the fuck out of me, but I couldn’t focus on it.
Hearing she was at the Residence was too much of a gut punch.
Another omega had ended up there on my watch. How fucking useless could I possibly be? Talia had needed me and I hadn’t been there.
Just like Violet.
“I’m getting a cab right now,” I said. “They’ll take good care of you there, I promise. And I’ll be there soon.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve got to make another call, but I’ll call you back when I’m done, alright? We can talk while I’m heading over.”
She hesitated. “Are you sure you can’t just... No, never mind. Make your call.”
“The call is important for you. Five minutes and you’ll be talking to me again, I promise.”
“OK. Please be fast.”
I smashed the end call button, ignoring the instinct to end the call with an ‘I love you.’
I was slowly realizing that I loved her more than I’d ever loved anyone who wasn’t family or pack, but whether I deserved her was another story. Until I deserved her, those words couldn’t pass my lips.
I managed to flag down a cab, hopping in the back and tossing $40 at the driver. “Omega Haven Residence. As fast as you possibly can, and there’ll be a good tip in it for you.”
We flew off down the street, and I tapped in another number I had memorized. Despite the ungodly hour of the morning, she answered immediately. “West?” Violet’s voice was slurred by sleep. “That you?”
“Yeah.”
“You never call.”
Guilt pierced my heart. Fuck. I avoided that place like the plague; avoided her, and now I was only headed there because of Talia. What kind of brother did that make me?
Not a good one, but I’d resigned myself to that fact a long time ago.
“I know, Vi. I’m sorry.” I ran a hand through my hair, watching out the window. The cab driver was taking my offer of a good tip seriously, and we were zipping through town. “I needa favour. My omega—well, fuck, not really. It’s complicated. But she’s the closest thing to an omega I’ll ever have, and she just arrived at the Residence. Can you make sure they make her comfortable? I’m going to be there soon, but you’re closer.”
“Oh my gosh. Yes, of course. I’ll head to the front desk right now.”
“Her name is Talia. I don’t know the details, but her asshole scent match bonded her and left her out on the street in heat.” I growled at the end, unable to restrain myself.
Violet didn’t react to the growl, surprisingly. Last time I saw her, she’d always let out this little frightened squeak if I slipped up and got upset about something around her.
Then again, we were on the phone. Maybe she’d flinched and I just couldn’t see it.
“That’s horrible,” Violet said. “Do you want me to give her my phone so you can talk to her?”
“No need. I’m calling her back as soon as we’re done.”
“I bet she needs you, and I’m already heading downstairs. Bye, West. See you soon.”
She hung up on me, and I redialled Talia immediately.
