Page 57 of Ryder

We gave our omegas a choice.They got our mark whether or not they shared intimacy with us.Most did, some didn’t but they still got our protection.Dane’s mom coddled them something silly, and then there was Jace’s sister, Ella.Between them, they made sure the new girls understood they were free to do as they pleased, within reason, so long as they didn’t put their asses in danger.

As the door closed on Jace and Sloane, I realized I hadn’t had anything to show me what a healthy relationship should be like, either before or after I revealed as an alpha.My parents were much more enamored with power and prestige than each other.I couldn’t imagine them ever getting dirty, and certainly, there weren’t any public displays of affection.

My instinct told me that Sloane and Jace wouldn’t hesitate with their children when the time came.

I went back to my bacon and eggs, although it tasted like ash in my mouth.

“Geez!You need to lighten up,” Dane muttered.“I can hear you grinding your teeth.Ma’s bacon isn’t that crispy.”

“You know telling somebody in a miserable mood to stop being miserable doesn’t work, right?”

“You didn’t realize she was close to her heat, did you?”Dane asked.

My brows drew together, and my eyes shifted left, to where Baby Doll was sipping a cappuccino complete with chocolate sprinkles Ma had just put down.She smiled at the older woman in an unguarded moment.Dane was right.We all could tell when one of them was going into heat.It was like ants under your skin and a low-grade arousal that never went away.If they indicated they wanted one of us, we let it run its course.If not, we found other places to go so we could fucking think straight.

“Got it bad, bro,” Dane said.

Yeah, I really did.My phone beeped with a message from Art to say the delivery had arrived.“The liquor shipment is here,” I said, pushing back my chair.“I’ll catch you later.”

Dane nodded, distracted by Baby Doll.

I left, not wanting to think about why her imminent heat wasn’t affecting me.I was an alpha—that shit was a biological imperative.It didn’t mean I acted on it, but my lack of awareness was freaking me out.

Was I fucking broken?

The shipment kept me busy for the next few hours.At least it kept my hands busy.My mind was thinking about Emma’s graduation ceremony.I never got a graduation ceremony myself.That privilege had been ripped right out of my life long before I got anywhere close.

I barely know her, I kept reminding myself, not that it made any difference.

The delivery was all done, the loading door closing, and I was signing off when my phone beeped in my back pocket.

I hit accept.

“She’s gone into heat.We’re mobilizing now,” Jace said.

“Who?”I muttered, trying to catch up with the conversation.

“Your fucking omega, dickhead.Meet me in the garage asap.”

Omega?Heat?

I took off at a run to find Jace, Dane, and the crew waiting.

“This moment has a certain déjà vu about it,” Dane said as we loaded up into the back of a blacked out van.

ChapterNineteen

Emma

As abruptly as it had started, the cramping stopped.The relief was profound, leaving me a shaky, trembling mess.

“You okay?”Jude asked.

“Yeah?”I said.“I think so.Sloane was okay for a while though, before it came back worse.”

His hand reached across and closed over mine.“We’re nearly there.”

There?

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