Page 11 of Pack Fever

“How can you just send me away?” Tears stream down my face.

“You did this to yourself, Danica.” Her expression hardens, lips thin as she wipes away her own wet cheeks. “And if I don’t comply, they’ll take Ruby from me, too.” It’s at that moment that I see the first cracks of her pain, where she actually says something that sounds like love—even if it’s trading one daughter to save another.

Except… I did this to us.

And I got my father killed.

Now, I’m in shit with Nexus, meaning they might treat my sister Ruby just as severely as she approaches the right age. She’s only fourteen now. Deep inside, I know I have to do this…in order to show the facility I’m not a liability, in the hope that they will leave my sister alone when her time comes.

Shoulders back, I push down the emotions ripping me to shreds on the inside, then give my mother a hug. She embraces me back, a tight grasp, and hiccups a cry like she’s about to lose control of the emotions she holds onto so tightly, then pats my back.

“You better hurry. They won’t like being made to wait,” she says, wiping her cheeks, then opening the door for me. “Just follow the rules, and they might be lenient on you, okay?”

I lift my bag, my life’s contents, and take one last glance at the only home I’ve known—at the couch where I’d spend hours watching movies with Ruby, at the photo of my dad—and at my mom, who’s now full-out crying.

“I’ll try.” I pause, hating that I can’t stop the tears, can’t think of anything else to say when I have no idea when I’ll see her next. “See you, Mom,” I whisper in a croaky voice, then I leave my home, not wanting to bring more trouble to her and Ruby.

I want to run in the opposite direction, to escape Nexus, to cling to the last remnants of life I’m about to lose. Instead, I throw the weight of the duffle bag over my shoulder.

Pushing myself, I step out into the afternoon air. The sky is overcast and as dreary as my insides. Parked at the curb is a black minibus, its windows tinted. It’s the kind of vehicle I’ve seen in movies, carting off people to prisons, and the sight sends a shiver curling up my spine.

The uniformed enforcer by the open bus door is a mountain, his frame wide and terrifying. He stands stiff, hands cupped low in front of him in some sort of military stance, legs parted, and his glare is piercing into me.

Neighbors are out, chatting to each other, staring at the bus, and now me. The freak, the troublemaker, the Omega who’s brought the Nexus enforcers to our street. Rumors will now spread like wildfire, along with interrogating my mom. Everyone fears the enforcers and knows that to see one means an Omega is being taken away.

Shaking off the fear, I catch a glimpse of movement through the dark glass windows of the bus. And there are my friends. Jess’ face is pressed against the window, Kayla has a hand pressed flat to the glass, and Casey is in her seat, just staring out at me. They’re smiling at me, yet they look as deflated as I feel on the inside.

Upon my approach, the enforcer takes my bag.

“Get in,” he commands. He tosses it into the open compartment at the rear of the bus with a disregard that stings, so I hurry and climb aboard.

Inside, the gasping sounds of my friends seeing me booms, and I’m running to them down the middle aisle, so glad I have them. Behind them in the back seat are two more enforcers, and I hate that they’re riding with us, watching us, not trusting us.

“Danica,” Casey says my name reassuringly while all three drag me into a clunky embrace in the narrow space we have available between the two rows of seats. We cling to each other as if we’re all we have left in this world.

It’s only us four Omegas on the bus. Plus, the enforcers.

And we’re about to be taken to a place we’ve only heard rumors about.

“I can’t believe they’re doing this to us,” Jess says, then sniffles like she’s been crying.

“It was just a fucking nightclub,” Casey butts in. “They’re assholes.”

“Maybe it won’t be so bad,” Kayla adds. “We have each other, at least.”

“Not so bad?” Jess snaps, but we fall silent with the clearing of the enforcer’s voice.

“No shouting or loud talking during the drive. Don’t make me gag you,” he states and takes a seat in the driver’s seat.

We all stare at each other with huge eyes.

“He’s going to gag us?” Kayla mouths silently.

Casey sits beside me, gripping my hand, while Kayla and Jess are across from us, doing the same.

I settle back into my seat, too shocked by us being ripped out of our lives and losing everything to worry about being gagged.

I stare at my home as we start to roll down the street. My mother is in the window, staring at us. She does nothing but watch. I wish she’d at least wave, something to let me know she’ll miss me. Part of me wonders if the grief of losing Dad has numbed her of all feeling.

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