Page 56 of The Safest Place She Knows

Venka stayednext to them as he settled Lya against him and stroked a hand downLya’s back as she settled in to sleep in the warm room.

* * * *

Venka looked at heromega and wanted to cry. Lya was so thin, scars from fighting weresilver on her arms and back. Her cast was the only sparkling thingon her, and a lifetime of seeing omegas adorned and pampered madeher want to take immediate action.

Noh spokesoftly. “You look upset.”

“I am. Sheshould not be in this condition. She should be pampered and caredfor.”

“That is whatwe are doing. You can only accept people when they are presented toyou. For Lya, that moment is now, and we are here for her.”

Venka grinnedas Lya muttered, “She isn’t asleep yet.”

Venka kissedher temple, cheek, and lips. “Rest and heal. We have a lot ofraucous plans involving you.”

“I will settlefor gentle touches and soft sighs. At least to start.”

Venka kissedher. “Then that is how things will begin.”

“And never askme about my visions. That tattoo on your hip is distracting.”

Venka froze.“What tattoo?”

“The tinyhognose snake in pretty purple. I always wanted one of those.Sorry, my face isn’t pretty. I know Olyna wanted you to have apretty mate. Sorry.”

Venka froze andstared. Lya’s even breathing said she was asleep.

Venka looked atNoh as he tucked Lya against him. “So, she thinks she isn’tpretty?”

“She’s beenhunted because of her omega nature, but her body doesn’t match whata standard omega looks like. I am guessing she has gotten her fairshare of critiques.”

Venka watchedas Noh opened his mouth and exposed his hypodermic fangs. He bitdown on her left arm and then released her. The small puncturewounds were neat, and she watched as they slowly closed over.

“Wow. She’sreally venom resistant.”

“Yes. I toldher it was just a graze, but I put enough in her to kill twoalphas. Now, I did the same twice over.”

He held Lyaclose, and she was breathing evenly. The skin visible under thecast was healing as Venka watched. All discolouration faded, and itlooked as whole and soft as the rest of her. Lya did not have anytattoos, but Venka could easily see her ribs.

Noh smiled.“She will be up again in three hours. What shall we have fordinner?”

“I will askAllor.”

“Ask Tamara.She knows what Lya likes to eat when she does.”

“Oh, right.Shit, I left her with my mother.” Venka stroked Lya’s cheek againbefore she left the room.

Tamara waschannelling her mother. She glared at Olyna and had her hands onher hips.

“I am not goingto boarding school. I am going to the private school where otheralphas go. Where my friends go.”

Olyna reachedout to touch Tamara, but the young alpha stepped back.

“Mother, whatare you doing? Are you working for the Omega Centre now? That iswhat they were trying to do. They were trying to take Tamara fromher mother so that Lya would be free to take on a pack. I am fairlysure that the centre was behind the attack on her.”

Olyna blinked.“I am sorry. I just thought it would be easier to start arelationship without a teen. The school is very good.”

“Oh, Iremember. They are also brutal. I was raised among alphas, Mom.Tamara hasn’t. She’s been among betas her entire life. She needs toease into her evolution, not have it destroy her. Also, if youthink Lya reacted badly to you disrespecting her daughter, I amgoing to sell tickets to you telling her that she needs to separatefrom her. I think Father will have to carry you home when she’sdone with you. In a bag.”

---