Page 112 of The Packaged Deal

My cheeks are flaming, but my anger has been doused with cold reality. I don’t have bonds. They aren’t my pack. I forgot.

“You’re an omega, and you have responsibilities. You need to come with me. I just hope we can get Trevor to forgive you.”

She grabs my wrist, her grip impressive. I let go of Kandi so I can grab my mother’s hand and try to pull her off me.

“Take your hands off my omega,” Adrian says coldly.

“My daughter is not yours,” my mother growls at Adrian. “She is a useless, humiliating little trollop without a lick of sense. She’s a toxic little pretender who is nothing but a selfish omega.” And there is the point. I’m an omega. My mother has a peculiar envy and simultaneous hatred for omegas. My mother squints at Adrian. “I bet you didn’t even want her at first.”

Adrian’s face is an impassive mask.

“You didn’t, did you?” My mother crows. Her laugh is harsh and startles people around us. I catch the scent of prunes, her perfume, and gag. “She came along and told you she was your pack, and she just swept you all aside with her big eyes, her cute smile, and her omega manipulations. She’s good for a fuck, yes? But she’s not pack material. Look at her. She needs a firm hand. She’s unnatural, weird, loud, and obnoxious.”

My shoulders roll in, and I pull my hand free of my mother. I did that. My mother’s not lying. I am all those things. And they…they didn’t want me. It’s all true.

“Why haven’t you bonded her yet? Is it because it doesn’t feel right? Because there’s something missing? I implore you to think this through. She’s an omega, but she’s not necessarily yours. I found her alpha. She doesn’t think he’s rich enough. Jade threw a tantrum, ran away. She does this, manipulates people often. Sadly, I'm ashamed to say it’s true. She needs a firm hand and to come home where I will take care of her.”

I close my eyes because I had used that excuse to try and get out of a match with him, but I was desperate. She didn’t believe that he was hurting me.

“I've read all about you, Mrs Greenway,” Sven says coldly. “I can’t say it’s a pleasure to meet you-”

“Don't you speak to me! What kind of alpha are you? A thug? A muscle for hire? Oh, a soldier? No, that’s not good enough for my daughter.”

I suck in my breath sharply. “Mother!”

“A woman and a soldier. At least this one’s a doctor.”

I narrow my eyes. My alarm jumping up and causing me to break out in a cold sweat. There are so many people watching us. So many eyes. “How did you know who they are?” Better yet, how did she find me? She would never come to a place like this. I glance around, wondering if there is anyone else here I need to be scared of hiding in this crowd.

“I do my research. You will not get involved with this pack, Jade. I taught you better than this. You can do better. It’s your duty to our family!”

“Duty? What the fuck do I care about duty for?” I shift my shoulders, trying to ease the tension. “I’m just a fuck up of an omega. Selfish and cruel. I badgered this pack into taking me, so you shouldn’t be rude to them. At least someone wants me. I’m no longer your problem. I’m just an omega whore,” I whisper-shout at her.

“How dare you!”

“Mother, I’m not coming home. I don’t care about your family. Consider me out of it all.”

“Oh, I see, of all the ungrateful, evil moves. You shame your father.”

“No!” I shout at her. “You shame my father. You shame me. I can’t do this with you anymore. I ran away, and I’m not coming back. You don’t understand, do you? I’d rather be dead than be who you want me to be. I’m not a good girl, I’ll never be a good girl, I’m not a person who can sit and let the alphas make decisions for me. And hell, Mother, I love sex. I love knots and clits. I want to wear short skirts and have nests and blankets and pretty things. Being an omega is incredible. I love being cherished. This is my pack. I’m not giving them up.”

We’re all frozen, including the stunned audience around us. My chest heaves as I register how sore my throat is. How loud did I just yell?

My mother’s eyes narrow, flinty with rage. “You’ll regret this decision, and when you do, don’t come crawling to me.”

“I won’t. Trust me. There is nothing on Earth that could make me go back to that.” I spit the venomous words with all the truth in me.

All around me, people are silent, and I glance up to find dozens of people watching us. I can feel their disgust, pity, sympathy, and shock. They think I’m weird. They think I’m not right. My skin crawls, and I glance desperately around, seeking safe. I reach for Kandi’s hand. She steps back.

I stare at the space for a heartbeat. And then two. She stepped back?

Pain slices me in two. Now my beta doesn’t want me. Well, that’s just fine. I’m not changing. Not for my mother and not for her. I know who I am, and I refuse to be ashamed. I lift my chin, turn on my heel, and stalk back the way we came.

“Jade, wait!”

I ignore her and keep walking.

“Jade! I didn’t mean it like that. Jade, shit, just stop!”

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