Page 47 of Stolen Omega

He pulls a face. “I’m used to being where the action is. I’m used to being closer to Zey.”

“And you’ll be closer than I’ve ever gotten to her after the show,” I remind him. “Again.”

He straightens up, his skin flushing a little. He hasn’t forgotten our situations are unusual for Alpha and Beta pack brothers, but I know his patience level is lower than mine. He never could have done things the way I did, so it’s just as well I’m the Alpha in this pack.

“Three months …” he starts.

“Is only twelve weeks,” I finish before he can complain some more. “Most of that time, Zey will be on tour, and you’ll get to bond with her at night.”

The only part I’m really worried about are those final two or three weeks after the tour ends, where she’s back home with her parents to get the space and quiet to write new songs.

We won’t get to see her during those weeks.

Her parents will be with her, and who the hell knows the lengths they’ll go to in an effort to coerce their daughter to sign another one of their fucked-up contracts while she’s alone in that house with them? Any kind of emotional manipulation can cause serious damage to an Omega, and I know when it comes right down to it, I won’t be able to let her go back there where she could be so badly hurt.

“Most of that time,” Russ murmurs, as if it’s only just dawning on him that the tour will come to its usual end, two months after the new dates are announced on the ‘final’ night, which is coming up in a couple weeks in Cressidan City. “Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe Zey could ask if extra weeks can be added?” Russ suggests.

“That’s an option, but I’m not sure it’ll work,” I admit.

Zelena’s parents know when her contract is up. They’ll try to get her to sign the new one as soon as possible. When she resists, in whatever way she chooses to do that, I doubt they’ll take it well. I don’t think they’ll want to give up their best chance to convince her to do things their way.

“This is why you have exit strategies you won’t share with me.”

“The less you know about those, the better it’ll be if something goes wrong.”

He shakes his head. “This is crazy. There must be a way to get Zey out of her contract.”

“There might be a couple arguments she could use to try and fight her way out of it,” I admit. “But the legal system is slow, and the truth is her parents would probably win that fight because she’s an Omega and that means she needs to have a legal guardian until she’s mated. They’re her legal guardians, so they’re in charge of her welfare.”

“Which they clearly don’t give a shit about.”

There’s no doubt about that. Even if I hadn’t read the contract, I would know that. They don’t ever check in on her to see how she’s doing. They only ever give her a hard time for the stuff they think she’s doing wrong. She’s their only daughter, and they act like she exists to fund their lifestyle.

“They won’t matter in a few months.”

He frowns at me. “They’re basically going to be our in-laws.”

“They won’t have anything to do with her once she’s ours.”

Clearly, he doesn’t get what I’m saying, because his frown only deepens.

I reach across the table, putting a hand on his shoulder. “An Alpha protects his pack. I won’t let her parents near her once she’s ours. No one gets the chance to hurt her like they have.”

I’m being clear, but he still seems confused or conflicted.

That’s when Castle’s voice crackles through my earpiece.

“Van’s here,” he tells me.

“I’ll be right there.”

Russ frowns at me as I get to my feet. “What was that? Where are you …”

“I’ll be right back. Watch the monitors.”

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