Page 83 of Broken Omega

We’ve whittled things down by a half dozen men by the time an hour has passed.

I feel a little better knowing this is a process that’s likely to take a few weeks.

I won’t be pushed off on an Alpha before we’re done.

We won’t get done before I’m out of here.

Win-win. At least, for me. Who the hell knows what’ll happen to her when I’m gone, and she wasn’t able to figure out what I was up to and tell my father to prevent it.

Maybe he won’t blame her. Maybe he’ll blame Geraldine.

She’s too dead to care now. I’ll be too gone to care.

Prentice lets out a soft sigh as she stops the recording.

“What now?” I ask, hoping to avoid any surprises that might be coming my way.

“We’ll work through the list until we have it down to three potentials, and your father will take it from there. He’s keen to start vetting your prospective mates.”

“Sure,” I murmur, almost sad that three assholes are going to miss out on that dubious pleasure.

I doubt any of the Alphas would want me after that kind of close scrutiny. No man wants a psychopath for a father-in-law. It’s kind of funny. All this work, and I know he’d ruin everything he’s trying to accomplish here at the final hurdle.

“Well, I’ll leave you to watch your sitcoms,” she says, folding up the list and slipping it into her satchel alongside the folder.

“Do these guys have any idea my father’s doing this?” I ask, out of idle curiosity.

She smiles. “Their fathers know they’ve been visiting the academy long enough now that they can be vetted by any of the attending Omegas’ parents as suitable mates. They’re aware how long you’ve been here, waiting for a mate. It’s not going to come as a huge surprise to the Alphas when they’re informed that your father wants to meet with them. It’ll probably only be a shock that it didn’t happen sooner.”

Ha. They’ve been getting away with doing whatever they want for so long there’s no way in hell they wouldn’t freak out. It’s kind of funny. I’m almost tempted to stay just to see what dumb excuses get used to let them back out of what would basically amount to an arranged marriage to an Omega that no Alpha actually wants.

“I’ll see you next week, Brooke,” Doctor Prentice says as she leaves.

“Sure,” I tell her, hoping I won’t.

She gives me an odd smile. “You seem different today.”

“I’ve made peace with fate,” I admit. “I guess everything that happened last night affected me.”

“That’s good to hear. Your father would be proud.”

He definitely wouldn’t, but I smile anyway.

“See you next week.”

She leaves, and I lock the door behind her.

Now that she’s gone, I go into the bedroom and take my second makeup kit out of the closet. It’s the one thing I’ll hate to have to leave behind when I get the hell out of here.

It’s too big to take with me. There’s no way in hell I’d get it out without being noticed.

I run my hand along the top of the industrial toolbox, enjoying the feel of the sleek metal. It’s not exactly an MUA standard kit item, but it fits all my special effects essentials so perfectly that I’ve come to appreciate my luck at the rare find I made right before I was sent to this luxury-dressed hellhole. I unlock the box and pull it open.

My gaze moves over my favorite products, assessing what I could use to make my escape.

Bruises wouldn’t be enough to have anyone call an ambulance.

And there’s a nurse on duty during normal office hours for any minor injuries or ailments.

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