Page 18 of Shattered Omega

That’s what Roxy had told me. Maybe that was true. Was this what pity felt like? They’d seen the Lincoln pack reject me and the dark bond on my neck that I wasn’t hiding. Even my scent was out today, and I was trying not to be self-conscious about that.

Oliver and Jasmine arrived, the two I most dreaded seeing. When Jasmine stepped in, she drew up, gaze finding me instantly. She stopped at the front of the room, then looked away, a nasty sneer on her face as she walked by. They took a seat behind me, but when my eyes met Oliver’s as he passed, he dropped his gaze, and his scent of ocean breeze had a murky, uncomfortable edge to it.

I hadn’t realised how heavy everyone’s stares would be. The weight of everyone knowing all these things about me. Some true, some not. And most—they were what I wanted them to think.

My mates had humiliated me in front of everyone and convinced the world I was the stalker. Now, that had come out as a lie, and everyone thought I was a gold pack chasing her mates and fleeing a pack of monsters who were toying with me.

A battle it looked like I’d lost.

They thought my story was over. That I had been reduced to nothing.

“Are you okay?” Roxy whispered. I nodded.

This was good. It was just hard, too.

I don’t know if it was what they thought of me that hurt, or what they thought of my pack.

Dusk, Umbra, and Ransom had saved me, and even if this was the only way to do the same in return, I hated that they were villainized.

This was it, though. This was the battle, and I was going to manage it.

At least, I thought I was.

I settled my nerves by replaying the moment I’d pounced on Jasmine at the ball. The feeling of my teeth at her neck.

I glanced over at a small giggle from Roxy, and by the way she was side eyeing me, she knew exactly what I was thinking. I found myself fighting my own smile.

Okay.

I could do this.

And I could also ignore the occasional snide comments from Jasmine behind me about gold packs and foolish omegas who get themselves into stupid situations.

It was the worst when we were left to work on a textbook exercise for twenty minutes. “At least it’s finally obvious why they were so ‘obsessed’ with her,” Jasmine said, and I could practically hear the air quotes in the word. “They knew they were going to have a little pack slave the whole?—”

“Jasmine,” Roxy spun in her chair. “Shut your foul mouth. Everyone knows you’re bitter because the North Prince pack dropped you after Shatter made a fool out of you at the ball.”

I bit my lip, eyes wide as I hunched in my chair.

Ohmygod.

“You just said that to Jasmine’s face?” I hissed under my breath.

“You can’t judge me. You almost bit Jasmine’s face,” she hissed back.

Okay. But that had been because of instincts far more than bravery. Actually, I’d basically blacked out.

I looked back down at the exercises we were given on pack communication and diplomacy and tried to focus.

“…Lincoln pack received my application. I’ve been told they’re considering me.”

I froze at the next words from behind me.

Considering?

They hadn’t even been seen all week.

“You… applied to join the Lincoln pack?” Oliver actually sounded stunned.

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