Page 6 of New Year with the Cartel

Fendwyr shrugged, unconcerned by my threat. "Believe what you want. But for now, you're here, and you're safe. No one will hurt you, not while you're under my protection. I won't hurt you, either."

I wanted to argue, to insist that I didn't need his protection, but the truth was... I did. I was in over my head, and I knew it. I just had to hope that he was being honest, that I could trust him not to hurt me.

As if sensing my inner turmoil again, Fendwyr stepped closer, his eyes searching mine. "I mean it, Gustall," he reaffirmed. "No one will touch you. You have my word."

And for some inexplicable reason, I believed him. I didn't know why, but I did. And that scared me more than anything else.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure. "Fine. But I'm still not staying here with you for long. I'm going to stay here only tonight, and then I'll find somewhere else to go."

Fendwyr just smiled, a knowing look in his eyes. "We'll see about that. For now, why don't you get some rest? You look exhausted."

Chapter 4

Fendwyr

I settled myself into a plush armchair, steepling my fingers as I regarded Gustall with a thoughtful expression. He was a puzzle, this one, a delicate little omega with a core of steel beneath that soft exterior. I found myself wanting to unravel the mysteries surrounding him, to understand what had brought him to my territory on a night like tonight, and I wouldn't stop until I had the answers I sought.

"Alright, Gustall," I began. "Let's talk. I've been thinking about this since seeing you. What's your story? What's a pretty little omega like you doing out on the streets alone on New Year's Eve?"

Gustall shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting away. "I... I don't want to talk about it," he mumbled, wrapping his arms around himself as if trying to physically close himself off. But it wasn't going to work, and especially not against me.

I leaned forward, fixing him with a piercing stare. "Come on now, don't be like that. You can't expect me to just take you in without knowing anything about you. I need to understand what I'm dealing with here."

He was silent for a long moment, his jaw clenched stubbornly. But I could see the struggle in his eyes, the war between wanting to maintain his privacy and knowing he had no choice.

"Fine," he said finally, his voice tight. "But it's not a pretty story. My parents... they kicked me out, said they couldn't handle having an omega son. I've been on my own ever since."

A pang of sympathy shot through me, but I kept my expression neutral. "I see. That's rough. But it doesn't explain why you were out on the streets tonight, of all nights."

Gustall hesitated, and I could see him considering lying. But I could also tell he was exhausted, drained from the night's events. He was going to crack soon.

"I... I was just trying to get to a shelter," he admitted finally. "But it was too far, and I got lost. And then that man started following me, and..." He trailed off, shuddering.

I nodded, pieces falling into place. A homeless omega, alone and vulnerable, was a ripe target for the scum that prowled the streets, looking to exploit the desperate and weak. He was lucky I showed up when I did.

"Well, you're safe now," I reminded him, my voice gentling. "But Gustall... why didn't you use the resources available to omegas in your position? There are organizations that could have helped you, that could have kept you off the streets."

He flushed, looking embarrassed. He knew the truth, obviously, but didn't want to share it with me, also obviously. He didn't want to tell me everything for his own safety.

"I... I didn't want to go to them," he muttered. "I didn't want to be just another charity case, another mouth to feed. I thought I could handle things on my own. I prefer being independent. "

I sighed, shaking my head. "And how's that working out for you so far? You were minutes away from being hurt, from beingforced into God knows what. You're not equipped to handle this world alone, Gustall."

He glared at me, his eyes flashing with anger and humiliation. "You don't know anything about me!" He snapped. "You don't know what I've been through, what I'm capable of!"

"Maybe not," I agreed, holding his gaze. "But I know enough. I know that you're an omega, and omegas are inherently submissive. You're not built to fight, to survive on your own in a world full of dangerous alphas. You need protection, guidance, a pack to call your own."

The underlying message in my words caught him by surprise. He didn't expect me to say something like that.

I watched as he struggled with my words, saw the way his expression crumpled slightly. He was close to breaking, to accepting the truth of his situation.

"What about tomorrow?" I pressed, relentless. I wanted to know everything, and I really meant it. "What's your plan, when you leave here? Are you just going to keep trying to go it alone, keep putting yourself in danger? It's not a very smart thing to do."

Gustall opened his mouth, closed it again, seemingly at a loss for words. I could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to come up with a feasible answer. And again, he wasn't going to tell me the entire truth. Only a fraction of it, if that.

"I... I don't know," he said finally, his voice small. "I hadn't really thought that far ahead. I just... I wanted to survive the night, I guess. Tomorrow seemed... too far away."

I could understand that sentiment all too well. When you were living day to day, focused solely on surviving, it was hard to think about anything else. But that was no way to live, especially not for an omega. I couldn't ignore the problem presented right in front of me.

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