I was grateful when Harlan took over. “You’re an omega. You’re supposed to be treated as the precious gift that you are. We’re very mad…livid and ready to bleed out some shifters. But we are not mad at you. We want to destroy everyone who has ever harmed you. I don’t mean to scare you, but you said you wanted the truth.”
Tears were forming in her eyes, a couple escaping as she tried to blink them back.
“In this day and age, I can’t believe they would do that to you.” I wanted to take her into my arms, to comfort her.
“I’m an omega. That’s my status.”
“No,” I said a little too forcefully. “You are not your designation. And your designation does not make you less than.”
“I don’t know if you came from another planet or have been sheltered, but omegas are the property. Some are owned outright, becoming servants of some kind. And honestly, at least then there are no pretenses, you know?”
She rolled her neck.
“Some are all but owned by being sold to alphas. We aren’t precious. We don’t have choices. Why do you think I’m here, in the situation I’m in? Because Darkshadow isn’t like any other pack.”
And I crossed everything, that being DarkShadow Pack would help her see that we weren’t like those other packs either.
“I know they’re not. But they are like us. Not exactly, of course—they have a name.” Harlan chuckled. “We really need to get on that whole naming thing.”
She watched him, not saying a word.
“Lily.” I waited until she was looking at me. “Would you agree that Rumor is treated well…the best, even?”
She nodded.
“We plan to treat you even better,” Roan said.
Her jaw dropped open and snapped closed. “How do I know that once I come, you’re going to still believe the same? You’re not going to let societal norms come back?”
“Because hurt people don’t hurt people. It is as simple as that.” And obviously it wasn’t that simple, but saying the words we, as a pack, had told each other when we first scented her felt right.
Her life hadn’t been good. And neither had ours. But maybe, together, our lives could be amazing.
“We’ve waited all our lives for you. And we’ll wait as long as you need. But when you’re ready, when you decide you want this, too, we’ll be here, with open arms.”
Chapter Nineteen
Lily
When they walked me out to the car a few hours later, I was carrying more food to take home.
Each of them solemnly kissed me on the cheek before I got into the car and drove away. Vargas asked me about my evening, and I said, “It was perfect,” because it was.
I didn’t hear from the alphas for a couple of days, in which time my anxiety crept up. Maybe they didn’t have a good time? I could have called them, but what would I say? Sorry I was a dud with all my sob-story stuff? They had also had a rough start, but they’d flipped their hardships into success. Without having to lean on another pack for support.
By the time the first text came in, I’d convinced myself they were just being nice and I’d never see them again. My wolf wouldn’t hear of it, howling inside me in demand that I act. But what could an omega do? How had I thought for an instant I was worthy of the three hottest, sweetest, best alphas I’d ever met.
No shade on Rumor’s mates, to whom I owed so much, but Roan, Benji, and Harlan were in a class all their own.
We were in the kitchen, Rumor and I, making a trio of cookie mixes in a jar, when my phone chimed. I froze, holding a bag of flour.
“Aren’t you going to see who it is?” she asked.
“Yes. No. Maybe.”
The corner of her lips twitched. “How about picking one. Want me to check for you?”
I sucked in a breath, searching for courage I did not seem to have. “No, you already do too much for me.” I set the flour carefully on the counter and picked up my phone. “It’s Roan. He says he had a really nice time and hopes to do it again soon.”
