Page 44 of Omega Alliance

"Thank you," I whisper, pressing my lips to his. "Thank you for believing in me. In what I can be."

"It's what you already are," he says, stroking his thumbs across my cheeks as he holds my face, staring at me with such tenderness.

We don't speak after that. Words are unnecessary—all we need are these whispers of sweet promises exchanged in that quiet motel room to understand how far we've come.

And how much farther we have yet to go.

KIERAN

Finally, the last of Sin's walls crumble, and we celebrate the occasion with a kiss, our first. I have no doubt the walls will rebuild and need to be toppled again and again, but I am ready for the challenge. And I am willing to put in the work.

She's worth all of it and more.

We sit together after that, waiting for the others to return. As much as I'd like to take things further with Sin, I know she needs my words more than my physical affection right now.

All things in good time.

"We're back," Dani singsongs a little while later as she and Levi push through the door with a bit more noise and fanfare than I'd like.

"I'll take next watch," I growl and pull myself to my feet, irritated that my private moment with Sin has come to such an abrupt end.

But she grabs my wrist to prevent me from leaving. "Don't go," she pleads with large eyes from her seated position on the bed.

"I can head back out," Levi offers with a flush. "It's not a problem. I—"

"I don't want you to go either," our girl says, then licks her lips.

Dani sets her grocery bags on the small hotel dresser, then hooks a thumb toward the door. "I guess I could give it a try. Don't know how effective I'll be, but better than nothing, right?" She laughs awkwardly, but Sin just shakes her head.

"I want us all here together. Just for a little while. Just for a bit."

"It's not safe," I growl. Why doesn't she understand that are number one job is to protect her? We can't do that if we're not on alert. At least one of us needs to keep a lookout.

"You said I was worth the risk," she reminds me. "Well, there's something I want that I think will be worth the risk too." She pauses and swallows hard before letting go of my wrist and smiling up at me.

"What do you want, our sweet girl?" Dani asks, stepping closer while Levi continues to hover at the door.

"We're crossing today, and it's dangerous. We could be caught," she whispers without a trace of sadness on her pretty face. "I could be taken away."

Rage swells inside me. "We talked about this. You're not going back, of your own free will or otherwise."

"I don't want to go back, but they still might take me. You have to admit there is a risk."

I can't bring myself to acknowledge what she's saying. I thought we were done focusing on the negative.

But Levi grunts in confirmation, allowing Sin to nod and continue.

"If that happens, I'll fight like hell to get back to you, but I'll need to be strong and brave. And I'll need something sweet to look back on, to keep me going."

Understanding dawns. Is she actually suggesting…?

"Dani, Levi, Kieran, I want forever from the three of you. Jax too. But today I'm asking you to give me right now. Just in case this is the only time we get. I want to take it for ourselves. I want to have this one thing that they can't take away from me, that will always be mine. And I want you to claim me as pack."

My cock swells in my jeans, and I groan with desire. This is all I've ever wanted but never dared to hope for. Not until Dani came home yearning and crying out Sin's same, pleading that we find a way to save her, to make her ours and ours alone.

I want a life that is free and full of love, but that's not the one that's being presented to our pack just yet. We still have many monsters to put to bed before we’re allowed to dream peacefully.

The room is silent, and I realize the others are all waiting on me to speak, to decide whether or not we'll agree to do as Sin asks.

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