Page 7 of Lost and Pound

I glanced up, meeting his gaze with those deep, deep eyes. They’d seemed nearly black before, a reflective pool, but in the light filtering in, they were brown, striking in their own sort of understated way. Thick lashes swept in a blink. I swallowed hard as I stared. “Yeah?”

“Sit down. Hook your seat belt and tell me what’s going on.” He gestured toward the seat, and I obeyed, fastening myself in as I settled and the truck went into gear.

I fidgeted in my seat and glanced over. “I was arranged to the Silvermoon alpha’s son. I think we wrecked on the way home and…”

“Goddesses…I heard of that.” He wiped a hand down his face as the truck lurched forward, heading out of some big-box store’s parking lot.

“I don’t know what happened, but I woke up with someone’s hand frozen to my leash, in the snow, and—yeah. I had plans to run away before we couldseal the deal.” I pursed my lips and Shilo filled me in.

“Guessing you got drugged. Driver was, at any rate. So, you got picked up and sent to the shelter… Nobody reported an omega dead or missing.” He sank in his seat and sighed, shaking his head in disappointment.

“I am from the Wolfson’s pack, but I was released to the Silvermoons and never got inducted. So, I’m a lone wolf.” I sighed in disbelief. So many omegas would kill for the opportunity to be in my position, packless and debtless. Sure, the Silvermoons could claim me, but they’d be forced to admit their illegal behavior.

“Wolfson, eh? Phew, big pack. You’re one of Godfrey’s sons.”

I shrugged and nodded. My father had too many kids to keep reasonable track of. We were tools to him, the omegas. The daughters, too. His betas were powerful tools and the few alphas he threw—they were problematic.

“Well, you’re welcome to stay in my pack. I assume we’ll need to look into getting your effects?” He glanced over and put his attention back to the road.

“What is your pack?” I glanced around at my surroundings. When I’d been handed over, we’d been on neutral territory, hours from my pack and theirs.

“Pine Warren. We’re small, about a hundred of us.” He turned onto another road and made his way out of the more crowded area of the city.

“Haven’t heard of you, but I’m not familiar with all the packs. I know the major ones.” I shrank in my seat. “I—can’t really afford to join a pack. I’d have to mate to join one.”

“Nah, I don’t charge people to join.” He turned onto a small road, the paving on it cracked and worn. “So, feel free to hang around awhile and get your stuff together. I know there’s tons of packs looking for omegas to join, or your father may want to know you’re fine.”

“He got his payoff, so he won’t care. If he did, he’d have let me keep my phone when I left.” I huffed and leaned back in the seat.

“Well, can’t argue that. So, your departure from the pack was registered? And you’ve not been registeredtoanother?” He didn’t seem to be alarmed at all.

I nodded. I’d filled out the paperwork to leave, but to join, I had to be on packland and accepted by the alpha and interviewed by a representative of the council. Effectively, I was dismissed from my pack. “Yeah.”

“Awesome. Well, you’re welcome to crash at my place until we get you a job and things straightened out. We’ve apartments we can lease out to members once you’re part of the trust.”

“And it’s not an issue I’m alone, an omega?” I sank in the chair as we headed down a stretch of empty road.

“Not to me, it isn’t. I can’t promise every male is going to be a gentleman to you, but if someone crosses a line, tell me and I’ll kick some ass, okay?” He gave me a grin that held a note of his wolf in it, and I found myself rather curious as to what his beast looked like.

As interested as I was in what he looked like under the clothes in his fur… Without the fur raised questions, too.

“That sounds amazing.” I tore my gaze away. I couldn’t go about thirsting over the first alpha I met…but he did rescue me, so bonus points there.

Chapter Five

Shilo

A fucking Wolfson.

Containing my frustration was an act of patience and understanding that even the goddesses would have admired.

Why?

Things were about to get hairy, but not in the fun way…maybe the fun way.

Nico had wandering eyes, and it was impossible not to notice his sidelong stares, wandering gaze, and flushed cheeks. The omega had spent weeks in that shelter, and I wasn’t a saint by any means. Omegas were scarce. Betas were plentiful, far outnumbering our fairer sex. I just had to figure out if he was desperate or interested.

Also, I had a child’s birthday party to attend.

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