Page 38 of Hunting Their Omega

“Look, if you’re worried the girls will do or say something to make her . . . uncomfortable, then I’m not sure what to tell you. Honestly, they might, but Isolde has to deal with it. Respect is earned on both sides, so if you’re thinking about going all Alpha on them, don’t. It will only make things harder for Isolde.”

I growled my displeasure.

“Rumble all you want, but you can’t be with her all the time,” Winnie said. “And if you want the Omegas to be treated like everyone else, then you have to let them fight their battles like wolves.”

She had a point. I didn’t like it, but she was right.

“Fine, but Win—”

“Nothing is going to happen to her,” she said reassuringly.

“The daycare, though. Don’t you think that could get a little . . . heated, given the circumstances?”

“Oh, you mean the fact that no female but her can give birth in this pack?” I winced at the hidden pain in her admission. “It will get heated, but it will also force the Alpha and Beta females to air their grievances. Hopefully, we can move forward when everyone has said their piece. Besides, Isolde loves drawing, and I thought overseeing painting the nursery mural would help her feel more comfortable around us.”

My anxiety waned. Winnie would look out for Isolde. “Thanks for doing this. She should be ready by eight o’clock.”

“Anything for my new sister,” she said before hanging up the phone, and I was sure she meant it.

I shook off the lingering fear of Isolde not finding her place in Hidden Creek.

If our mate needs us, we will know, my wolf stated assuredly.There is no need to worry.

If only it were that simple.

***

I immediately glanced up when Bishop and Alaric finally walked into my office, slightly embarrassed at how eager I was to put my work aside.

“Winnie came to pick her up then?”

Bishop sat on the chaise while Alaric sauntered to the bar for a bottle of water.

“Yep. She looked excited,” Bishop said with a smirk on his face. “And you look like you’re about to pull your hair out.”

I huffed, but there was no point in lying. “I just don’t want anything to go wrong.”

“Wrong, how?” Alaric took a seat beside Bishop and slung his legs over his lap.

I leveled him with a knowing look.

Alaric shrugged confidently. “Winnie’s with her; the females would be stupid to challenge Isolde based on that alone.”

He had a point. Though my sister was a Beta, she could take on some of our best Enforcers. I’d made sure of it.

“Besides, I’ve already marked off some time on my calendar to train Isolde. She should at least have basic self-defense knowledge,” he continued.

Bishop gave him an approving nod.

The tightness in my chest eased. If Alaric planned to train Isolde, that was one less thing to worry about.

My wolf agreed.

“Speaking of wolves,” Bishop said tentatively, “should we bring up going on a run anytime soon?”

The clawing ache I’d been trying to rid myself of since Isolde told us about the boarding house ripped through my chest. I thought the Council was protecting Omegas, but something sank deeperand deeper into the pit of my stomach the more Isolde spoke about her life. Our mate’s abuse made my hackles rise and only left me with more questions.

It didn’t feel like the Council was defending the Omegas anymore. Instead, they were keeping slaves. What else could I call it? The isolation, provided education, forced ignorance, and detachment from their wolves were inhumane.

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