Page 24 of Claiming Their Omega

I’d much rather take my fate into my own hands.

“Here,” I say out loud.

I can feel everyone staring at me in shock. The ORD officers nod. They have no idea why it’s so surprising I’d say that. “Very well. We’ll take you to the ORD center in Colorado Falls, we’ll conduct the tests and so on, and you’ll stay there until the presentation time.” The officer with the braid smiles. “I’m sure you’ll find it very comfortable.”

Uh huh. Sure I will. I nod along.

“We’ll give you a moment with your family,” the tall blonde officer says. She gives everyone a glare as if warning them they shouldn’t let me slip out the back door, then she and the other officer leave and stand out on the porch.

I hug my parents first, assuring them I’ll call, and that I’ll be okay. I hug Gram and apologize again for not being able to make her birthday. I hug Aiden last.

“Please look after them,” I whisper.

“You know I will. Look after yourself.” He hugs me tighter. “Don’t go for any idiot Alpha that wants you, okay? Make sure he’s a good one.”

“I promise.”

Then I take a deep breath, and I approach the four Alphas. “Thank you for looking out for me last night, I really appreciate it. Friends?”

I hold my arms out for a hug. Hendrix chuckles and goes for it.

The moment I have my arms around his neck, his scent overwhelms me, but I try to ignore it. No matter how good he smells. I have to remember it’s just hormones, and I have a mission.

“Bid for me,” I whisper. “At the presentation. Pretend to court me and get me out of there!”

I pull back, then hug Easton, who has a kind smile on his face. I whisper the same thing to him. “Come to the presentation and pretend to court me, please.”

I can feel him swallow. “It doesn’t work that way,” he whispers. “We can’t.”

“I just need time to figure this out.” I can feel tears prick my eyes. “Easton please. I have to just—figure out how to be an Omega and get back to my regular life in New York. Please.”

I pull back and wipe at my eyes. To my surprise, Cade hugs me tightly. “You’ll be okay,” he whispers.

“I’ll be better if you can get the rest of your pack to pretend to court me,” I whisper back fiercely. “Just until I can figure a way out of this.”

I can see the shock on his face as I pull back. I don’t bother hugging Jesse, or asking for his help. I asked him for help once, and now he hates me. I’m not taking that risk again right now when I’m so emotional.

I just have to hope that the other three will choose to listen to me, and do as I ask. I just need their help, and unfortunately, there aren’t any other Alphas around I can trust. Running away and being a fugitive will get me nothing. Not when I want to return to my old life.

Which means that, unfortunately, I need these four. If they’ll only choose to help.

The ORD officer with the blonde hair pokes her head in the front door. “All right, ma’am, time to go.”

I glance back at the four Alphas. Jesse looks suspicious. Easton looks guilty and torn. Hendrix and Cade look frozen, in shock.

I wave to my family, blow my grandmother a kiss, and force myself to walk out the front door.

Chapter 8

Easton

“You can’t seriously be considering this!”

I groan from beneath the tractor I’m tinkering with.

Cade and Hendrix have been at it for hours. Ever since we had to admit to each other what Grace asked of us. Jesse was the only one Grace didn’t try to plead with, which feels weird to me, but Grace and Jesse have always gone at it.

“I’m not,” Hendrix grunts back at Cade. “I’m just saying that, well, she’s in a right damn tight place, and she’s got few options.”

---