Page 84 of Unhinged Omega

For years, I've fantasized about putting a bullet in Nikolai's heart. But now that it's finally happened, I don't feel relief or triumph or any of the other things I imagined I would.

All I feel is empty.

Chapter

Twenty-Two

GEO

Ilower my smoking gun, watching with smug satisfaction as Nikolai crumples to his knees. Two red stains blossom on the back of his shirt, spreading like spilled wine. For a moment, everything goes still. The chaos around us fades to white noise as I stare at the man I've wanted dead for so long.

Raven's scream shatters the silence.

"No!"

The raw anguish in his voice catches me off guard. I watch, stunned, as he takes off running toward Nikolai's fallen form.

What the fuck?

I shake off my confusion and climb out of the vehicle, my boots hitting the ground with a dull thud. Raven's frozen now, staring at Nikolai in clear shock.

Good. Makes my job easier.

I stride forward, gun still in hand. Time to finish this. I've dreamed of this moment for years, imagined all the ways I'd make that bastard suffer. But in the end, a clean double tap will have to do. No time for theatrics with that giant fucking alpha about to resume kicking our asses.

As I raise my gun, aiming for Nikolai's head, a blur of gold fills my vision. Raven throws himself between us, arms outstretched. My finger tightens on the trigger reflexively, and for a heart-stopping moment, I think I'm going to shoot the idiot by accident.

I jerk the gun up at the last second, the shot going wide. "What the fuck, Raven?" I snarl.

But he's not listening. He grabs my forearm with both hands, hanging off it with all his strength. Tears stream down his face as he begs incoherently. It takes me a moment to make sense of his words.

"Please," he chokes out. "Please don't kill him. I'm begging you, Geo. Don't do this."

I stare down at him, incredulous. Is this the same alpha who's spent years plotting his revenge?

"Have you lost your fucking mind?" I demand, trying to shake him off. But he clings tighter, his nails digging into my skin. "Get off me!"

"I can't let you do this," Raven pleads. "Please, Geo. I'll do anything. Just... don't kill him."

Well, shit.

He's calling me by my name instead of 'Daddy.'

He's dead serious.

Something ugly twists in my gut. I've seen Raven in all sorts of states—drunk, high, manic, depressed—but never like this.

Never so... broken. Even back then.

And for some reason, it makes me want to kill the motherfucker even more. Now Ireallydon't just want to double tap him. I have half the mind to throw his dying ass to the goddamn mutant alpha waking up under the busted shipping containers. Turn him into chow.

"Why?" I growl, grabbing a fistful of Raven's shirt and hauling him up to eye level. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't put a bullet in that bastard's head right now."

Raven's blue eyes are wild, unfocused. He shakes his head frantically. "I don't know," he whispers. "I don't know, I just... please.Please, Geo."

I want to shake Raven. Want to slap some sense into him. But looking at him now, I know I won't get anything coherent out of him.

Fuck!

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