Page 8 of Stolen Omega

It’s kind of crazy to be locked into a case like this in order to make it from one location to another without having to deal with hordes of people, but I accepted a long time ago a normal life was never in the cards for me. Omegas rarely get that chance, and it’s not something I ever wanted.

So, I get comfortable in what I’ve come to think of as my sensory deprivation tank.

I lay back in the seat and close my eyes.

There are a few bumps along the way, but nothing too jarring.

My security team knows what they’re doing.

I’m not allowed to be around the Alpha who runs the team, but I’ve caught glimpses of the tall, dark and handsome James Archer, and I feel safe knowing he’s in charge.

I feel other things when the heat of his stare is on me, too, but I try to ignore those other things, knowing there’s a clause in my contract that forbids me from taking a mate or joining a pack.

I wasn’t aware of that clause when I signed the contract, but I know I would have signed it even if I’d been smart enough to read it before I rushed to say yes to the biggest opportunity I’d ever be offered. My dream was always to have a career in music. I wouldn’t have given this chance up for anything.

It’s the only thing that meant anything to me, and I don’t regret pursuing it, but I also know I’m living a shallow life. My connections to other people are superficial or distant.

Well, most of them are.

My friendship with the sweet security guard who knows my dinner orders by heart and always has time for conversation over a shared meal is deeper and I know it.

His kind eyes and reassuring smile stay with me after he tells me he’ll see me soon.

The lean, tall Beta has serious Alpha energy, and a low, sexy voice that makes me all melty inside.

Yeah, I might be crushing on Russ kind of hard. My stomach flutters in nervous anticipation of spending another night in his company.

I try to ignore it, telling myself it’s useless to wish for things I can’t have.

I clear my thoughts in the dark space, but I still see his face when I close my eyes.

The case is pretty well sound and impact proofed, but I feel it when the straps are connected inside the van. There’s the tiniest shake from left to right before I feel completely secure again.

Twenty minutes until I’m at the hotel, ready to be let out of the box.

The slight movements I feel in the back of the van as the driver takes us to the hotel make it remarkably easy to doze off in the comfortable seat of the dark, enclosed space.

I drift off to sleep, waking back up when the van stops, and I hear the doors opening.

When the straps are disconnected, I smile in anticipation of being let out sometime in the next five minutes. I’m carried out of the van and walked across the hotel lobby. The elevator’s the weirdest feeling, but I’m starting to get used to it. There’s only a minute or two until I’m in my hotel room now, so I start to count down the seconds in my head, ready to be released.

Any second now …

The lid opens, and I smile up at Russ. His face is the first thing I see in the dimly lit suite. The low lighting is his way of easing me out of the dark box without giving me a headache, and it’s just one of many sweet little things that he always does to take care of me.

I don’t think he’s completely aware of how intoxicating those small gestures are to an Omega.

Thoughtful men aren’t easy to come by, and stumbling across a man who can take care of a sensitive woman’s needs without having to be told what to do is like discovering the Holy Grail.

I can feel my skin flushing with heat as I take his extended hand, craving his touch.

Getting to my feet, I let him help me step out of the case.

His hand on my hip makes me long for more scandalous touches.

Thank God for the low lighting.

My cheeks feel like they’re on fire. Hopefully, it’s dark enough that he can’t tell, but I don’t know. I blush so brightly the color is almost neon. It’s probably also practically glow in the dark.

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