Page 143 of Shattered Omega: Part Two

These marks no longer belonged to the Lincoln pack.

Dusk had claimed every single one of them, and showing them off, that, to me, was like showing off this bond that I loved so much.

No one else had to understand.

“Is it okay?” I asked.

“Shatter, it’s beautiful but…” She trailed off, like she wasn’t sure how to say what she was thinking.

“No one will believe I would choose to show these?” I asked.

I knew that.

“I don’t believe in shame, Shatter. I don’t, but if you don’t want the narrative?—”

“I do.” Dusk wanted that narrative, and I knew now that I wanted it too.

“You do?”

“He… he wants to protect me with it. I agreed to that.”

“They won’t just think he claimed you, Shatter, they’re going to think he’s cruel.”

I swallowed, glancing down at the smooth black fabric, and the bites that were on display. “That’s okay.”

Dusk didn’t give a shit what anyone thought of him. He never had. I envied that about him. And it was my own little claim to something powerful in a way, choosing this, and knowing everyone would read into it exactly what I wanted them to.

Everyone was wary of my alphas. Dusk was an unknown, and people thought Umbra was unstable. If the world wanted to see me as a victim, as weak and pathetic and small, I would let them.

Because there might be a time in the future where I could use that to protect them, just like they protected me.

THIRTY-FOUR

UMBRA

It was late Saturday afternoon.

Ball day, and revenge dress day. Since I was going out with Decebal this evening, Shatter had told me she wanted me to see her before I left.

I stepped into Shatter’s nest at last, as Roxy ushered me in. It was messy; the bed scattered with boxes of makeup, brushes, straighteners, and all the stuff Roxy had brought. But I noticed that for only the briefest of seconds as my eyes found my omega.

Shatter…

I lost my breath entirely.

Holyfuckingshit.

She waited beside her desk, looking anxiously over at me.

Her dress was black, with delicately thin straps and a neckline that dipped scandalously low. It clung gently to slender curves before tumbling to the floor. It had a slit to her upper thighs, through which her smooth legs and golden heels peeked through.

I’d heard her debating with Roxy in the living room earlier over the heels; she liked them but wasn’t sure she’d be able to stay upright. She’d decided to risk them when Dusk and Ransom swore they (or Roxy) would be with her the whole time so there was no chance she’d fall.

When she turned, showing it off for me, I saw the back of the dress dipped to her tailbone. Her hair was stunning, and it was stillher, volume tumbling over her shoulder and down her back, but the honey brown mane was a silky jumble of curls and waves. I noticed by the way it fell right now, it was covering her chest. The place I knew the marks were.

Beneath, how much of the dress hid them?

I noticed she wore a necklace like the one she’d had before, only now it was golden. It had our pack’s symbol and a new star, with Dusk’s bite contrasted beneath it.

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