Page 125 of Shattered Omega: Part Two

RANSOM

I woke in Shatter’s bed to the softest touch against my skin. I didn’t move as she gently brushed her thumb along my cheek. Nightshade was a drug in the air, and I could feel her in the bond. She felt safe and warm and… and very possessive.

I kept my eyes closed, trying not to smile. If I smiled, she’d know I was awake.

I still needed to get to know her properly.

Roxy and Shatter had spent most of the day together yesterday while Dusk and Umbra went to school. In the evening, we’d helped Roxy set up her new apartment. Maybe I was being a coward, but Umbra had let slip how important Roxy was to Shatter, so I didn’t want to interfere. That, and…maybeI was nervous.

Shatter kept breaking rules. I didn’tgetnervous over women.

It didn’t matter how nervous I was, today I had her all to myself. And the best way to get an insight on someone was to see what they did when they didn’t know they were being watched.

Based on the dissatisfaction and boredom down the bond from Umbra and Dusk, I guessed we’d overslept the start of classes.

I watched through mostly closed eyelids as Shatter sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. When she settled, she began tapping her finger anxiously on her thigh as she peered around.

“You have a pack now…” She trailed off, more of her internal conversation clearly happening in her head.

Oh, shetalkedto herself?

That was unexpectedly delightful.

“…Or what will they think? Or if there’s visitors?—?”

She cut off, and then she was out of bed like a shot, and I thought I spied alarm on her face as she hurried from the room.

I sat up, considering that.

Why had no one warned me she was this cute?

It didn’t feel out of place… Flickers of memories drifted in from when I was waking up. We’d had a heat together. I remembered something about her wrestling sweatpants onto me… That was definitely a little funny, but that memory merged with the next, which was my taking a swing at Dusk before throwing him into the TV.

I grinned, getting to my feet and walking to the door, then I cracked it open and peered out.

I could see half the living room and kitchen down the hall.

What was she doing?

Scrambling around in nothing but a T-shirt, tanned legs on full display, she grabbed couch cushion after couch cushion and—oh. I chuckled.

She was drawing her chin along them.

Scent marking them.

Allof them.

When she was done with the couch, she hurried to the kitchen, where she opened drawers and scent marked(seemingly) random handfuls of cutlery, bowls and plates, the toaster oven—she had to bend over the counter for that, which gave me a wonderful view of her ass hugged in lace—and whatever else she could find. Then she hurried up the steps to the balcony.

Yes.

She wasn’t going to leave our rooms untouched. She vanished into Umbra’s first—I could see up to her knees at this vantage—then she made for mine. I hoped she marked every pillow and blanket and item of clothing…

I backed up around the door as she came back down the hallway for Dusk’s room. Once I heard the latch from across the hall click, I dared to peek back around.

She was standing in his doorway, more tentative now.

Why was she hesitating?

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