Page 17 of The Omega Trials: Part Two

I jump up. “I, uh, I think I do want a drink after all.”

Ecker moves to stand up. “I’ll come with you—”

I fling my hand out. “No.”

He chuckles and sits back down. “Suit yourself,mate.” The way he drawls that last word makes my blood heat.

“Jesus, get it together,”I mutter to myself under my breath as I walk away, blushing.

As I step up to the bar, the man to my left turns in my direction. He looks me up and down with a sleazy grin and props his elbow on the bartop.

I recognize him as Stefan, one of the Cyan alphas. Gross.

As I wait for the bartender, I do my best to ignore him, but he’s as easy to ignore as a buzzing mosquito, twirling the toothpick from a martini between his teeth. How something so small can be so irritating . . .

I finally snap. “Can I help you?”

“I was wondering—”

“Noble gentlemen and omegas,” a booming voice interrupts, and everyone’s attention spins to a podium across the room.

The boisterous space falls silent in a way that sends eerie chills prickling the back of my neck.

The Azurite Elder stands poised and sharp in a classic tuxedo behind the microphone. With all eyes on him, he reaches into his coat pocket and withdraws an envelope. “For you, ma’am?” the male servant behind the bar asks, making me jump. Stefan notices and snickers with an amused sneer, andoh, how I wish I could just slap him.

I reel in my temper and quickly place my order, grabbing the drink as soon as the bartender slides it my way and hurrying back to my pack.

The Azurite at the podium has made such a show of slowly opening the envelope that by the time I reach the guys, he’s only just now unfurling the letter inside.

I shove the beer bottle in my hand at Titus and slip back into Bishop’s lap. “Ecker was being a twat.” He takes it with a confused look and his eyes jump between me and the drink with caution.

Frustrated and on edge from the interaction at the bar, I grab it and take a big swig before handing it back.

“See, not poisoned.” I huff.

Ecker laughs, and Bishop wraps an arm around my waist with a soft chuckle against my neck. Titus frowns but takes a pull nonetheless as the Azurite resumes his announcement. “It is my honor to announce the results of the Vigilance Trial.”

Bishop shifts me in his lap as he sits up straighter to listen. I cover his hand on my stomach with my own, that ominous chill returning.

“In fifth place, for one point is the Cobalt pack, Alphas Emmett, Elias, Theodore.” A small smattering of applause follows. “In fourth place, securing three points, is the Cyan pack, Alphas Yves, Eric, and Stefan.”

Ecker visibly relaxes now that we’ve at least made it to the top three. Titus, on the other hand, still has a death grip on the bottle neck, and I bet if I listened super closely, I would hear his teeth crack. Man needs to learn to chill.

Though, I can’t deny the anxiety roiling in my own stomach, and I don’t even know what we’re fighting for. I thought passing the Trials was all that mattered. I didn’t realize there were winners and losers within that too.

The Berylls come in third, and my nerves turn to uneasy excitement. I may not know what we’re winning, but still my heart thumps. I squeeze Bishop’s hand.

“In second place, earning a total of eight points, is Pack Cerulean, Alphas Titus, Bishop, and Ecker.”

There’s no applause. No Elders or family are present to celebrate us. The quiet rings hollow and is only amplified by Ecker’s halfhearted whoop. I resist the temptation to avert my gaze and instead hold my chin high, making eye contact with Paisley. She smiles weakly and brings her hands together, nudging her alpha to clap along with her.

It’s still faint compared to what the other packs received, but soon, the room joins in and even Titus loses some of the tension taut in his shoulders. I shoot Paisley a warm smile and hopeshe can feel my gratitude from across the room. I may not have family here, but I do have friends, and that’s something I never expected to be able to say.

“And last, but certainly not least, I am proud to announce the winning pack, awarded a total of fifteen points: the Azurites. Alphas William, Sebastian, Archibald, and Preston.” Roaring cheers erupt after the Elder’s final announcement, and I’m not even a little discouraged by the difference in volume.

I swivel to press my lips to Bishop’s hot cheek and feel him sigh at the brush of a touch, butterflies in my stomach and in our bond. I slide off his lap and slip into Ecker’s.

His affection is a warm wave over me as he graciously pulls me tighter. I palm his cheek with one hand and push my fingers with the other into his soft hair. He smiles up at me like a puppy, and I feel my cheeks turning pink.

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