Page 7 of The Omega Trials: Part Three

“A penny didn’t seem enough, even a quarter felt paltry, so I would grab the most valuable thing I had. My most prized possession. One of my toy cars. And I’d make a wish on that.”

My heart breaks for the little boy that came down here, desperate to protect his mother and wishing on a toy car. “Bishop . . .” I exhale, my throat clogging with the urge to cry.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, metal car. I recognize it as one of the Hot Wheels from the bungalow. He places it in my hand. Tears burn my eyes.

“It never did my mom much good, but maybe it will help your grandma.”

1. “Lucky” by Dermot Kennedy

Chapter 5

Under a Spell

Titus

Returning to the Estate feels like returning to school after being suspended. You don’t want to be there, but you have to be. Just like they don’t really want you back, but they have to let you.

I can’t wait to be done with this place forever. All I want is to see it burn through my rearview mirror.

They’ll be time enough for that, but now, it’s time for dinner.

My stomach growls as I reach for the big dining hall doors.

I’m expecting it even before I push them open. The eyes, the silence, the attention. And sure enough, I’m right.

We walk in, and it’s like pulling the plug on a stereo. Rumbling conversation halts as all eyes shift immediately to us. Their stares are all varying degrees of suspicion and curiosity. Some of the other packs are looking at us like they still believe we killed the Cyan. Others have a look of sick fascination, as if searching for cracks, seeing if the “swift consequences” left any weak points they can exploit.

Fucking vultures.

Paisley’s hand flies into the air to wave to us, breaking the torturous tension. Griffin and Noah shoot us some head nods. To my surprise, Sinclair is the one to roll her shoulders back and lead the way over to them with confident strides—proudstrides.

She’s proud ofus.

The realization makes me hold my head up as we walk down the aisle. I already refused to show any discomfort under their predatory gazes, but now I actually feel the confidence I was fronting.

Our lack of acknowledgment must bore the assholes because conversation and sounds of cutlery on plates resume before we even reach the table. I sit down, feeling smug at the small win.

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Paisley asks in a rushed voice, then shakes her head and rolls her eyes at herself. “Of course, you’re not okay. What a nightmare, I’m so sorry—” She throws her arms around Sinclair, pulling her across the bench seat into a tight hug.

I don’t even register the small growl I make at their embrace until Ecker looks at me in question. I try to pull it off as clearing my throat and quickly say to Griffin, “Thanks for keeping us up-to-date.”

“Course,” he says before diving back into his food.

Paisley unwraps her arms from Sinclair. “But your grandmother is gonna make it, right?”

“Yeah, it’s looking like it,” Sinclair says with a small, hopeful smile.

“Thank god. I can’t believe they would go after an old lady to begin with, but to do itbeforeany investigation . . .”

Ecker scoffs, “I can.”

Paisley winces. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Hey, is this a tattoo?” Sinclair points to Paisley’s collarbone, where her ceremonial carvings now look like they’re inked in black. I get the feeling she’s trying to change the subject. I don’t blame her. I’d rather stick my dick in lava than talk about the crash that killed my parents and the lengths the Echelon will go to.

“Oh, um, sorta.” She gets a bashful look and glances at Maverick before answering. “I didn’tgeta tattoo per se . . . . It didn’t change after I bonded with Noah, but after Mav and me, my carvings filled themselves in.” Sitting across from Sinclair, I can see how her eyebrows raise, and Paisley reassures her. “But don’t worry, it was practically painless. Nothing like the ceremony.”

Sinclair’s eyes dart to mine with a flash of heat, making my stomach stir and my pulse jump, but then she quickly blurts out, “Oh, I’m not worried about that.”

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