Page 28 of The Omega's Contract

“Trin!” I snap.

Elise starts to cry, her arms wrapped around Muse, ready to take her away. Sven and Seb start towards me, but I shake my head and they pause.

I fling myself at Trin, wrapping my arms around her and holding on until she stops fighting me. When I know she’s listening, I relax my arms a bit.

“I have a class. One class. I will be back as soon as it’s over. Breathe with me. Breathe.”

I’m close to tears, but somehow, I keep my voice calm.

I lead her to the cars and find a woman behind the wheel of one.

“Can you please get in one of the other cars?” I ask and help Trin up into the soft interior. It has no smells, and I’m grateful.

She nods and immediately hops out.

“Dad’s going to drive. You’re going to see this nice safe house, and if it sucks, we will come back here and camp here, just you and me.”

Trin sucks air in hard, painful gasps. I wait for the attack to subside and then get one of my blankets and wrap her in it.

“Dad, you drive there and let her do what she needs to do. Don’t let her disappear.”

My father nods, but he’s not really paying attention. He’s sizing up the vehicles. “Can we grab a car like this? It will help with the job search.”

I’m mortified. My body turns icy and then floods with heat. I whimper a little.

Seb smiles, and I don’t see any judgment in his eyes. “Here, the key to your vehicle.” He tosses the key to my father.

My dad’s eyes widen, but I can see him calculate what else he can wring from my alphas.

I glance helplessly at Seb, wanting to explain.

He rubs a hand down my spine. “I’ll make sure my people know not to let her disappear. And it’s just a car, Missy, relax.”

I study him, trying to weigh if I can trust my family’s safety to this stranger. In the end, I come to only one conclusive thought: What choice do I have?

Thirty minutes later, I’m watching my family disappear in black SUVs, and Seb tugs me towards a silver sedan down the street.

I climb in and stare out the window while he drives. Even when he stops and gets us breakfast and coffees, I only murmur my thanks and eat absently. We stop, and he exhales.

I reach for the door handle, but Seb grabs my hand. “Please, Missy. You have to understand that we all had parents like that. We know what it’s like. Don’t be embarrassed. We won’t judge them.”

His words hurt my heart because we all know that it’s only because of my designation that I can’t refuse. If I was a man or an alpha, they’d have listened to me. But then again, if I was anything but what I am, I could save my family on my own. Failure weighs me down, pressing into me. I swallow thickly and jerk my head in a nod before fleeing the car. I climb the stairs and find Oma waiting for me. She sees me, and when she opens her arms; I fall into them, sobbing.

“Ah, love, these changes are not fun. Tell me what happened this morning.”

I tell her everything and huddle under the blanket she wraps around me. It smells like pine and faintly of roses. I wonder if this belonged to her omega once upon a time.

After I’m done, I feel exhausted, and I sit there on the couch while she hands me a cup of tea.

“Sounds like a lot on your shoulders right now.”

I huff out a sarcastic laugh.

“Have you told the boys?”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t want to put them out anymore than they’ve already done.”

“So, your mother and father are terrible parents. You have two younger sisters and one sister who is damaged from severe trauma, so why not let them spoil you? Look after you? That's what alphas need. To protect and care for their omega.”

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