Page 154 of Broken Dreams

I shake my head at Corbin with a small smile, and he nods.

“Now that Quinn is here, let’s continue,” Theo grumbles. I can’t seem to win this man over.

I think he is just a grumpy old man.

I half listen to the various issues they’re voting on, my ankles crossed to keep myself still. I’m aware there are a lot of people in front of me who are going to be voting on my future, and I don’t want to give my nerves away.

“I want to bring something up now that most of the senior body is here,” Bryce O’Neil says. “Did you notice the flyers and radio commercials recently about the latest Regional Omega Women’s Society?”

“The mixers?” Cian asks. “Yes, I personally wouldn’t want my daughter at one of those if she was single and without a pack. It’s absurd when you really listen to what Emilia and her cohorts value.”

I straighten slightly at their words, trying to figure out why she’s being mentioned. Christian shifts next to me, his thumb brushing against my thigh. I have to tamp down the shudder and whine at his touch, reminding myself that I said I didn’t want him.

There has to be a damn good reason for me to go back on that, despite the fact that my body is screaming at me to reconsider.

“Yes, I think we should tell everyone we can to avoid them,” Bryce says. “There are other ways to meet a pack outside of ROWS.”

I find myself nodding my head without noticing, unfortunately catching Corbin’s eye.

“Do you want to add something to that, Quinn?” he asks, brow raised.

Oh fuck me. There are way too many eyes on me right now. I doubt that even if I could easily speak, my vocal cords would be frozen in fear. Christian stiffens next to me as I pull out my tablet, lifting my stylus to respond.

I don’t need to be saved by anyone.

“I’ve been doing my best to immerse myself in things I’ve missed while I’ve been gone,”I explain with the speech enabled on my tablet.

Those around me are immediately quiet, though I’ve noticed there’s been side conversation here and there throughout themeeting. If they want to hear me, they need to shut up, because I won’t repeat myself or compete with other voices.

“Part of that has been through podcasts on Omega’s Link. Emilia has a lot of audio recorded there that revolves around propaganda,”I say. “If I had no one else after being caged for the last twenty years and I was just a little more gullible, I would believe every word she said. Her vitriol toward strong willed omegas is dangerous.”

“I’d agree with that,” Corbin murmurs, looking around to the nods around the room. “As someone in your unique situation, what would your suggestion be?”

“A list of other options, along with reasons why this council believes ROWS to be harmful,”I tell him. “No one wants to be dictated to. However, the fact that you have to fit a certain criteria to be allowed to attend her mixers says a lot. Not to be rude, but how do we know that she’s not using this as a way to find omegas who could be sold or mistreated in some way? There’s no way to know.”

“I’ve been worried about that,” Adira calls out. “The kind of omega who would be accepted would be those who are sheltered or innocent, and could easily be hurt. Emilia Richardson’s been feeding omegas to the auctions, which is well known to you all.”

“Fuck,” Patrick Ryan mutters. “Spread the word, tell your families to avoid these mixers. If I need to find a way to start up the business of parties in an effort to introduce single omegas to our eligible alphas, I fucking will. I’m too damn old to play matchmaker, but my wife would love it.”

Cian chuckles under his breath, nodding. “My sister would enjoy that. Don’t tell her unless you actually mean it, because she’ll run with it,” he says.

I’ve been gone for so long, I’m reminded of how many people I don’t know in the community. I’ve done my best toget reacquainted, but this party will be the true test as I’m introduced to everyone.

“You’re right,” Patrick sighs. “Emilia is a damn menace, though. We’ve voted to kill her many times, but it’s always been agreed that we can’t.”

“There are also other dating options,” Adira says. “Cian, Aisling, and I have been in communication with those people. If we push out the communication that Emilia’s mixers need to be avoided, we should be fine.”

“Fine, fine,” Corbin murmurs. “Next order of business is Christian Sanchez, who many of you have met. He would like to stay in Minneapolis in an effort to court his scent matches.”

Every part of me wants to snarl, but I hold tightly to my control.I’m right fucking here, and yet you’re acting as if I’m not.

“Corbin,” Cian mutters.

“Fuck, sorry, Quinn,” Corbin says, wincing. “Ah, surprise?”

Murmurs fill the room, and I roll my eyes, lifting the tablet in front of me for attention. I’m able to command the silence of these men who are much older than me quickly, while Adira looks a little pale.

I don’t know if she knew about this, but she doesn’t owe me an explanation. I’m a big girl, and I doubt these men care about my love life. I frankly am surprised this is a vote at all.

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