Page 48 of Stray Omega

Before the alphas had a chance to restrain her, the little blond omega dodged between their legs, broke free of the group, and rushed toward Hines. She threw her arms around the pregnant woman in a strong hug.

“Hello friend,” the omega said in her strange accent.

Hines suddenly felt a lump in her throat, and tears sprang to her eyes.

“Hello,” she replied, her voice cracking as she returned the omega’s hug.

Sloane just looked on in surprise and disbelief.

“Do you know her?” Sloan asked.

Hines just nodded. She was too choked up to speak.

She had met this strange little omega twice before. The first time had been shortly after she had arrived in the Quarantine Zone. Two of her alpha mates—Taliesin and Baen—had rescued the omega from a violent pack of Farlander alphas who had been about to rape her. The frightened omega had fled, but she had returned the favor a little while later by rescuing Hines and her mates, who had been captured and imprisoned. Once more, the mysterious omega had disappeared, and Hines had wondered if she would ever see her again.

Now here she was!

Hines could scarcely believe it. As she gradually got her voice under control, she explained this story to her friend Sloane while Taliesin stood by nodding and the other rough-looking alphas listened intently.

Meanwhile, the little blonde omega was preoccupied with Hines’s big baby bump. She gently patted Hines’s rotund belly and smiled.

“Little friends?” she asked.

Hines laughed and smudged away her tears.

“That’s right. Little friends. Babies.” Then to Taliesin she asked, “Where did you find her?”

“It wasn’t me who found her,” her mate answered and gestured toward the three rough-looking alphas. “These alphas did. This is Ark, and these are his companions, Orwen and Leros.”

The pack leader Ark looked stern but thoughtful. Leros, obviously the youngest of the group, had an appearance of youthful honesty. Orwen just looked grumpy.

“Thank you,” she said. “I have often wondered whatever happened to her. Where did you find her?”

“A long ways to the south, in the deep forests of the Farlands. The little imp sneaked into our camp at night looking for food. We have taken care of her since then.”

Hines couldn’t help but wonder exactly what “take care of” entailed. She knew first hand about the instinctual attractions between alphas and omegas.

“She has spoken some, but not much. We didn’t realize that she knew anyone here in the ruins.”

Hines shook her head. “Honestly, I hardly know her myself. We only met briefly those two times. I owe her my life, but I don’t even know her name.”

“Embla,” Ark said with a smile. “Her name is Embla. We did manage to figure out that much, at least.”

“Embla,” Hines said thoughtfully.

She looked down at the wild omega, who flashed her another big smile.

“Embla, it’s nice to meet you,” Hines said slowly and clearly. She gestured toward herself. “My name is Hines. Shelley Hines.”

“Hines,” Embla repeated. “Friend.”

“That’s right. I’m your friend.” Hines rubbed Embla’s bare shoulder reassuringly. That was when she noticed the marked skin between her neck and shoulder. That had not been there the last time she saw the young omega. It was a dark scar in the shape of an alpha’s teeth. Hines had a mark like that. Three of them, in fact. They had been put there by her three alpha mates as part of their binding process.

But who had marked Embla? Hines had an idea that it was probably this alpha named Ark.

Her eyes drifted over to Embla’s throat, which was wrapped in a snug-fitting collar of soft leather. That was a new addition as well. And there was a metal hoop on the front where a leash could be attached.

Hines felt a sudden scorch of anger in her chest.

---