Page 9 of The Packaged Deal

Adrian stays with me the whole time. He escorts me to the x-rays, and then helps me back to the car. Kandi peels away when we go into the Omega Refuge, while he carries me back to my room and carefully lays me down on the bed.

“I don't know what happened to you, Jade. But we’re going to look after you from here on out.”

“Do you have to leave?”

He smiles, and I get the impression he doesn’t do it often. He looks too lonely.

“I do. I have other patients I need to check on. But I'll be back this afternoon with the results of the x-rays.”

“Promise?”

“Promise,” he whispers back.

I watch as he backs out of the room, switching the light off as he goes. As soon as the door shuts, I close my eyes, exhaustion dragging at me.

Their scents still play in my nose, and I sigh. I feel safe with them. Somehow, I know they won’t ever hurt me. I never felt like this about Trevor’s scent. His scent was mildly annoying.

But Sven's scent, though faint, makes me want to lick him all over and do anything he says. My doctor’s scent is home and love.

I lay there pondering it for a moment. My mind drifts, and I remember a particular lesson during my omega studies.

Scent matches.

Our teacher had smiled with twinkling eyes as he started the lesson. “Every omega wants a scent match. It will smell different to each of you, but you’ll smell it stronger. It will remind you of good things or something exciting. The alpha’s scent will call to you. Your scent match will be your perfect match. No other will measure up.”

The words slam into my mind along with sudden clarity. Adrian and Sven are my scent matches? They are the alphas of my pack. The knowledge thrills me.

My excitement makes me giddy until I remember my broken body and the reason I ran. Anxiety curls in my stomach, and I feel alone and cold, so cold.

three

Jade

Iturn my head with a grimace and smile at the woman who walks into the room. For a moment, I forget where I am and what happened. I'm in a strange bed, and the only plausible answer is I’m back at the Omega Meet because this is far too nice for where I’ve been living and doesn’t have the oppressive doomed feeling of home. My mother would not approve, she enjoys wielding the chains of expectation that was slowly killing me. Except, that doesn’t feel right, either.

But I know this person.

“Onyx?”

The woman looks up, and a moment later, her scent hits me. Omega. No, this isn’t Onyx, this is the twin; Silver.

“No, I'm Silver Davies, and I live and work here. Remember, I introduced myself three days ago when you first came in.”

“Oh, I'm sorry. Far out. I don't even know where my brains are at, I'm really sorry, Silver. Of course, it’s you.” My attention is pinned to this woman. I can’t believe I'm finally seeing her again. Here. This is incredible. I didn’t let myself think about it earlier, but my brain is less foggy now.

Silver shrugs, her eyes downcast. She puts a tray on the table beside my bed and indicates for me to sit down.

I hobble to the seat and sit down. She gently unwraps my hand and checks over the injuries.

“I didn’t realise you were working here. Has it been long?” I’m almost desperate for a conversation with her.

“You’ve been here three days. They thought it best to allow only Dr. Shultz and Jenny Lathem, the manager of the refuge, to see you. I came to see you the morning after you arrived. I helped move you to the visitor room.”

“Yes, I remember that. I mean, have you been working here for a long time? Do you enjoy it?”

Silver blushes, turning bright red, and I wonder at her sudden lack of confidence.

“Two years now. I love it, I love my work and this place. I didn’t at first, but now I do. They do amazing things here.”

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