Page 7 of Broken Omega

Dread swells in the pit of my stomach. I take a sip of water and shrug as I set the glass back down.

No wine tonight. Apparently, this wasn’t a celebration after all.

“Here we are,” I echo, trying and failing to keep the sarcastic edge out of my tone.

“Brooke, what are you doing?” he asks, his hard gaze cutting through me.

“Celebrating my twenty-fourth birthday with my only living relative?” I ask, waiting for him to tell me the real answer since, clearly, I know nothing.

“I didn’t bring you here to celebrate,” he snaps.

“Obviously,” I murmur, not letting my gaze fall from his.

He leans back in his chair. “Why haven’t you chosen a mate?”

Inquisition question number one. It’s been the same every damn year.

“I feel like I answered that question last year.”

“It’s time to stop playing games,” he snaps at me. “You’re already too old to still be at that academy. Some of those Alphas wouldn’t choose you as their Omega now for that reason alone.”

“Those Alphas are all that’s left. Goldcrest is really scraping the bottom of the barrel.”

“Goldcrest is elite. It’s why you’re there and not at one of the other academies.”

“Elite. Right. That’s why the Alphas get away with treating it like the world’s most expensive brothel.”

Oh, that pisses him off. His nostrils flare and his eyes spark with anger. Anyone would think he personally founded the damned academy.

“I’ve had enough of your attitude,” he barks.

“And I’ve had enough of yours,” I snap back.

He stares at me. “You’ll give me a list of your preferred Alphas the day after the first social of the year.”

“How would you like me to categorize this list? Alphabetically, or in order of how disgustingly misogynistic they are?”

“If you don’t give me a list of your preferred Alphas, I’ll pick one out for you myself.”

He throws his napkin down over his plate and gets up.

He’s completely serious, and it’s enough to shock me into silence.

I knew I was pissing him off, but I never expected him to go this far.

“This is the last dinner we’ll have together. You’ll be married to a Goldcrest Alpha before your twenty-fifth birthday.”

My lips part, but I can’t bring myself to say a single damned word.

I sit there stunned as he walks out of the room.

He’s being ridiculous. He can’t force me to get married.

The server comes out of the kitchen and takes his dessert plate away.

Putting my hand over mine, I shake my head.

He leaves while I sit at the dining table, remembering my mother.

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