Page 83 of Unhinged Omega

Just another asset to be exploited.

Over my dead fucking body.

I grit my teeth, emptying another clip into the monster's face. The bullets ricochet off the remnants of his iron mask, barely leaving a scratch. This isn't working. We need a new plan, and fast.

That's when I realize Geo is gone.

I risk a glance around, my heart sinking when I spot him sprinting toward one of the abandoned vehicles at the edge of the compound. So much for loyalty. So much for coming to my rescue. In the end, he's doing what he always does—looking out for himself.

I tell myself I'm relieved. That it's better this way. One less complication to deal with.

So why does it feel like my chest is caving in?

"Looks like your new boyfriend ditched you," Nikolai sneers, his voice dripping with mockery even as we struggle to hold off the advancing monster. "Or 'Daddy.'"

I bare my teeth at him, shoving down the hurt and focusing on the anger. It's easier. Always has been.

"He's more reliable thanyou," I snap back. "At least he didn't lose the one thing he was supposed to protect. Tell me, Niko, howdoesit feel to let a single omega slip through your fingers?"

Nikolai's eyes narrow dangerously. "I'd like to seeyoutry to hold onto her," he snarls.

Before I can retort, a familiar rumble cuts through the chaos. An engine, growing louder by the second. I whip my head around, searching for the source.

My jaw drops.

There, barreling across the tarmac at breakneck speed, is one of Nikolai's armored vehicles. And behind the wheel, his face set in a mask of grim determination, is Geo.

My heart does a little flip in my chest.

He didn't abandon me after all.

He's got the pedal to the floor, the massive vehicle kicking up a cloud of dust as it hurtles straight for the monster. It's a crazy plan. Suicidal, even.

It's exactly the kind of batshit insane thing I would do.

A hysterical laugh bubbles up from my chest. "You sexy, crazy bastard," I mutter, a grin spreading across my face despite the dire situation.

Nikolai curses beside me, but I barely hear him. My eyes are locked on Geo as he closes the distance. The monster turns, sensing the new threat, but it's too late.

The armored vehicle slams into him with the force of a freight train.

The impact is thunderous, metal screaming against metal as the beast is sent flying. He crashes into a stack of shipping containers, the whole pile collapsing around him in an avalanche of twisted steel.

For a moment, everything goes quiet.

Then Geo's voice rings out. "Get your ass in the car!"

Hope he realizes I'm just going to hijack the damn thing if he tries to drive away from Cosima and not toward her. I sprint for the vehicle, but I'm barely within reach of the armored doorwhen I catch a glimpse of Nikolai making a mad dash for the forest in the direction my omega ran in.

The sound of metal straining tells me Nikolai's monster is far from down for the count. And he's abandoning us to deal with the fallout.

"That son of a bitch," I seethe.

But before I can take so much as a step to go after him, two shots fire off in quick succession. Close enough that for a few seconds, all I can hear is ringing and the sound of my own heartbeat.

Time seems to slow down as I turn around and see the smoking gun in Geo's hand as he aims out the window toward the forest. My head whips around just as Nikolai drops to his knees, two deep red splotches forming on the back of his shirt, right through the upper middle of his back.

"No!" The scream tears from my throat, raw and guttural as I take off running. I hear a car door slam behind me, but I don't stop. I can't stop. Not until I reach him.

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