Page 147 of Shattered Omega: Part Two

The main floor buzzed with a low energy already. There were staff members setting things up, and early guests, which included me, the Lincoln pack, and the charity event organisers and representatives.

The Lincoln pack’s setup mirrored ours: our seats were stationed on raised platforms against the wall, with lavish decor leaving them looking something like thrones. Beside the setup was a long table with four seats for us to take when we wanted to eat. Thank God, since sitting here alone made me sick of this obscene display—designed, I was sure, to encourage such donations like the ones we’d made.

The Lincoln pack were far enough away that I could see them—which I much preferred—but couldn’t catch their scents.

Good.

That meant Shatter would have more control when she arrived. They wouldn’t catch her scent straight away.

It had been a dull few hours. I’d been thanked repeatedly for my donation to the New Oxford Arkologic Research Foundation. The foundation members and other donors were socialising already, drinking champagne before the main event, and—from what I’d heard—discussing things like upcoming research strategies and the impact of new studies on prevalent diseases.

The staff, who were flitting around and setting things up, were dressed in formal attire. The room smelled like the subtle muted presence of scent dampeners and flowers, which were arranged on every table.

It was about half an hour from the official opening when I spotted Roxy enter. She wore a deep blue dress, ideal for the revenge Shatter had told me she was also claiming tonight.

We were over halfway through the first term, which meant seeking partners outside of those that were originally chosen was back on the table. The politics were a bit more messy, as packs didn’t often like to announce they were dropping their omegas ahead of time—and most didn’t do what the Lincoln pack had, which was considered quite extreme.

I didn’t think Roxy would have trouble finding a pack, but I didn’t think she was looking for one. I had helped Umbra and Ransom carry some of her new furniture into her apartment over the last week, and when I entered, it was hard not to look around for the Christmas baking and gifts beneath the tree. I swear she’d left her festive scent mark on every surface. She’d thoroughly claimed the whole damn place, and I got the impression that she was very happy being pack free.

“How is she?” I asked as Roxy plucked a wine bottle from the table beside us and poured herself a tall glass.

“Nervous.” She took a seat, her orange and fir tree scent was present, though muted beneath scent dampening spray. She chose the seat beside me as, with the two of us, it would look odd for her not to. I didn’t mind, besides. Shatter had extended the invite, and she had proven she had nothing but Shatter’s best interests at heart. “But she is going to devastate them,” she added. “You just wait until you see her.”

Roxy looked the picture of vengeance as her gaze slid, just briefly, to the pack across the hall. I followed her gaze to see the Lincoln pack were in utter shock. They were staring, the whites of their wide eyes clear as day, even across the room. Flynn’s mouth had dropped open, and Eric had frozen with a glass to his lips.

“That’s a pretty sight,” she said.

“I agree.” The first blow of the evening, seeing Roxy join me. They’d think this was the play. That we were claiming her after they’d dropped her.

“They aren’t ready for tonight,” she mused.

“I don’t think so.” It was a pleasant thought. Before this, I thought I was nothing more than a hunter. It was part of who I was, chasing down those who had wronged us, who had caused the death and suffering of every alpha at that facility and making them feel that same pain before they died. But what Shatter was about to do to the Lincoln pack? It was satisfying in an entirely different way.

I would take anything, since I, quite literally, couldn’t touch them.

I was still working on ways around that.

“It was a good play, out-donating them,” Roxy said. “I bet they weren’t happy.”

I grinned. “I’ve been told I have a flair for the dramatics.” The Lincoln pack had been giving me smug looks all week, which didn’t help the constant urge I had to tear them into little pieces, but this afternoon they’d been stiff as I collected the majority of the praise by doubling the donation they’d made in order to secure the spotlight for the day.

And they didn’t yet know that it was a spotlight I’d claimed for her.

Despite the occasional tremor from Shatter through the bond, there was enough conviction to drown it out. A determination that had been building since she and Roxy had gone shopping yesterday.

Tonight was everything.

The Lincoln pack would realise what we’d taken. It was a part of the torture I needed them to carry: to know that they’d failed—that she was stronger than the pain they had given her.

They would know their own loss before I finished them. And Shatter, my omega, she would be free. Free of the foul mates the universe had destined for her. Free of the torment they’d believed had been enough to leave her crushed.

Thiswas everything I wanted for her, and I would be at her side every step of the way.

Today, she was brave enough to face her monsters.

And if Shatter wanted to claim tonight to destroy the monsters who believed they could break her, then I would make her a queen and put her on a fucking throne.

UMBRA

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