Page 3 of Harley

Betas can’t be with omegas. It’s illegal. Which means any guards working at the Omega House are under strict rules. If one happened to even touch me, he would be gone. If the alpha’s who run the Omega House knew what I wanted to do with Gage...well, he would be dead.

“My Choosing Day,” I murmur, choking back tears.

I didn’t expect to get like this over it. But seeing the way Gage stands there, wanting to comfort me... I need his touch. I want his touch. Omegas need touch and I’m touch starved.

He comes closer, and I shake my head, taking a step back. Looking up at the camera, his shoulders drop. “It’s next?” he whispers under his breath.

I nod and hear him let out a deep exhale. He runs a hand through his brown hair, revealing the tattoos on his forearms. When he talks about them, I can tell how much they mean to him. I want to know about them. About everything. But now, we don’t have enough time. After my Choosing Day, I’ll never get to see him again.

I glance out the corner of my eye to the camera. “We should run. Jump this wall and run away together,” I whisper.

It’s a romantic idea, and I know as soon as it’s out of my mouth that it’s impossible. We can’t run away. We wouldn’t make it very far before being discovered. My scent alone would give us away. Even with the blockers, it’s still here. Just muted.

“I would, you know. I would run with you. If only I could protect you from packs. I wish I could. Wish I was enough to keep you protected. But I’m not.”

I give a half smile. He’s always thinking about me, never what would happen to him. I won’t jump over that wall with him, because I know what will happen to me. I will be right back here, as if nothing happened.

Gage...he wouldn’t be here at all. I couldn’t live with myself if I knew that there was even a small chance of that happening. I wouldn’t risk him.

“You want to take a midnight stroll?” he asks, and I nod. I love when we walk. It’s the only time we can be close. We talk about so many things. He doesn’t treat me as if I’m an omega. He treats me like I’m a person. When we are together, our designations slip away and it’s just a boy and a girl ...

Gage leads us to the darkened path of the gardens. It’s funny how the city is so close, yet the large walls here make us feel like we’re the only people in the world out here late at night.

During the day I can hear cars every so often, but I can’t see them. They can’t see in here. No buildings are permitted to be tall enough to look in on this side of the Omega House. But that just means we have a better view of the stars.

Walking ahead, I look up. Maybe I can wish on a shooting star. I could really use a wish to take me away from here and back to my home. Dad. Aero. I miss them so much. I need my family.

I feel Gage come up beside me. I watch his face as he looks up at the sky, not speaking. Just standing there with me. His body warmth comes off him in waves, and I suddenly don’t feel cold anymore. I rest my arms by my sides, and his finger traces up the inside of my palm and to my wrist and back down again.

My breath seeps out of me, and I look to the ground, trying to keep myself from floating away on this piece of affection. This is all we have—small, stolen moments. Just little bits to get me through the next day until we can do this again. But it’s not enough anymore. I need more... I want more.

Wrapping my hand around his finger, I lift my head. Even though he’s not that much taller than me, I have to look up to meet his deep chocolate eyes peering down into mine. He licks his lips, and my heart starts to race.

I didn’t get to kiss Nicolas Rowe at that football party in tenth grade like I’d planned. Never even got to attend the party. I’ve never been kissed, and I want Gage to be my first.

I don’t care what alpha pack gets me; I want to give Gage all my firsts. As I scan the dark path, I wish the cameras couldn’t see us in the dark...

What about the small garden on the side path? No one goes there. No one but me. The cameras there, but under the trees and shrubs. No one would be able to see us.

Without additional thought, I let go of his finger and take off running. I want him to chase me… catch me and give me the most amazing first kiss ever.

“Harley?” he calls out, and I hear his feet echo behind me off the walls.

Laughing, I run as fast as I can. Brushing past the green foliage of the bushes and the rose bushes, avoiding their thorns.

“Harley,” he says right on my heels, and I spin to the side and duck under the big trees as my feet crunch on sticks and the wet leaves squish under my feet. It’s cold and damp, it smells nice. Fresh. And it hides us form the world.

“Harley?” Gage whisper-yells. “Ouch,” he grunts as a branch smacks him in the face. I giggle as he follow me under.

Then he’s standing in front of me, and those butterflies are back.

He doesn’t say a word as he looks down at me. The sliver of moonlight trickling in through the leaves casts this beautiful glow around his face. My chest is pounding...from running? Or from the fact we’re alone—no one is watching us—for the first time?

“Harley.” He reaches out, claiming my hand, and I take a step into him. My body presses against his as I reach up with my other hand and stroke the side of his jaw. He leans into the touch, and my heart sings.

“Gage,” I whisper. “Kiss me.”

His eyes dip to my mouth as he leans down and brushes his lips over mine, soft and gentle, then he pulls away. I grab the back of his head and pull him closer. I want to feel him. Want to crawl up his body and chase this kiss.

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