Page 113 of The Omega's Contract

Seeing her reminds me of all the time we spent together with Missy, my omega teasing two alphas into not just getting along but working together. She is a gift.

I need her.

“Well, hello, this is a surprise.” Scarlet murmurs. “I thought you were taking a vacation.”

“Scarlet.”

“Why the change of plans…” her face tightens as she studies me. “What happened?”

“They took Missy last night.”

I see the flash of anger, the rage in her eyes, but it doesn’t show on her face. She’s a master of control. She shoves all her emotions down inside her and sips the champagne to buy herself time.

Over her shoulder, I catch a man glaring at us. Taylor Knight of Pack Knight. Ironically, he is one of the new attendees that I needed to verify. His pack is incredibly reclusive. I’m surprised to see him here. There was some kind of terrible injury to his pack’s omega and one of their alphas a year ago, and the five of them moved to the sticks. The only one who comes back is Taylor and only to handle business.

I wonder what kind of business he has here. Our eyes meet and lock, and I wonder if I’ll have to kill him later tonight. If he hurt my omega…. But Taylor lifts his glass slightly and hesitates, his eyes slipping to Scarlet before he turns and vanishes into the crowd.

“What’s the plan?” Scarlet asks, drawing my attention.

“Distraction. Keep them turning. Keep everyone moving and guessing while Darion and I go explore. We need time to search.” I breathe into her ear while I pretend to kiss her cheek.

“I can do that.”

I take the two flutes back, hand them to the waiter, grab two new ones, and hand one to her. She smiles at me and salutes me.

“A pleasure, Scarlet.” I incline my head.

“Always, Sebastian.”

She moves out of the shadows and into the light, and I watch as people gravitate to her. Scarlet is a light, and these people are moths. They will flock to her, unable to stay away from her luminance.

“Ava, tell me what you have.” I demand quietly.

“Nothing yet.”

I curse. The camera I’m wearing on my suit is giving the whole team a view of everything that’s happening, second by second. Scarlets drawing a crowd, as is Lukas.

“Samuels pack is approaching.” Ava hisses in my ear.

I take a sip and try to look bored.

Eli smirks at me and leans in close. “I’m surprised to see you here. Didn’t realise they let in trash.”

“Are we resorting to school yard insults now, Eli?” I ask in a bored tone.

He scowls, but then his face brightens. “Where’s your pretty omega tonight?”

There’s something in his tone. I study him but manage to leash my violence. He knows. He fucking knows. If I find out he had something to do with it, I’m going to murder him. Nah, I’m going to do it, anyway.

He shakes his head and tsks at me then walks past, shoulder-checking me as he goes.

“I hate that alpha.” Ava snaps in my ear.

“Knowledge is powerful in the wrong hands.” I murmur, sending our code word that my conversation needs to be listened to by our people and confirm my suspicions.

Ava sucks in a breath. “On it.”

I pace the bottom floor again, slowly trying to be as least imposing as I can. I try and try, but I can’t remember how Darion got us out all those years ago. It was so quick, flashes of memory in a drug-induced haze. I keep trying to force it, but nothing comes. All I remember is being terrified and hitting people until my knuckles hurt, until my arms ached.

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