I stand from my chess game, frowning.We don’t get much rec time, why would my lawyer call me during it?
No one else calls me; my parents and sister are ashamed of me.
“Be back as soon as I can,” I say to Bridget. She gives me her crooked grin.
“I’m gonna cheat while you’re gone.”
I smile and flap my hand at her as I stand. “Yeah, yeah.”
The guard leads me silently to the phone room.
“Second booth,” he directs. “You got ten minutes.”
I pick up the phone. “Matthew?” I ask my lawyer. “What’s up?”
“Uh, no dearie, this is Courtney, the secretary for the Omega Concord office,” a sweet voice says.Oh yeah, the older lady who was behind the desk when I went in for the blood draw.
“I have great news!” she continues. “You’re an omega!”
My ears start to ring.
“We have an opening tomorrow for the brain scans and testing!”
The ringing gets louder and I can’t get a breath in.Shit, where is my inhaler?
I fumble in my pockets as she continues, pleased as punch, “Your lawyer has your paperwork for a full and legal pardon!”
I take a puff from my inhaler.No, this is not happening.
“Dear?”
My body slides off the chair as my vision blackens.
Chapter Four
Lux
Fuck this, I think, crossing my arms under my breasts. I know Atiox believes we need to lead by example and all that, but I am not made for meetings nor playing the game of politics. He really should just leave me home. But, ‘show of pack cohesion’ and all that.
I try to rearrange my face. Ati is a great first, and I’m lucky that he and I vibe so well. He’s such an outgoing, friendly alpha, I’m almost surprised he puts up with me. We met when we were hardly more than kits, back at the Alpha House in Figate. For whatever reason, Atiox, the ostentatious, popular alpha, took to me immediately, despite—or perhaps because of—my low tolerance for nonsense. Once he had pursued me hard enough for me to be intrigued, he backed away and allowed me to chase him. It had been the perfect duality, especially once I learned what a little whimperer he was, despite being a born aleron.
“Sincefourpacks here at Setias have been blessed with an omega, the mathematics are clear that we are receiving them at a higher rate than the general populace of Celnoe. In fact, the rates are similar to the Adrethians and Dosorians, even the ones that have settled on our planet,” Ziam tells the alphas sitting in the meeting hall.
Nods and eager looks.
I understand the eagerness. I also want an omega for our pack.
Zilas, a beta with Pack Traex, stands. “Omega Tristan mentioned the fact that the Red Paralysis aligned with a major shift in our population density.”
Ati nods, “Astute. Would he be interested in being on an exploratory panel?”
Zilas shakes his head, smooth blue hair sliding over his shoulder. “He recently whelped. I don’t think we’re going to allow him to do anything taxing or arduous for a while,” Zilas grins happily.
It was the right note to hit, I’ll give Ati that.Sly bastard, he knew the beta would mention the kits. Which makes most of the alphas ache with jealousy.
Honestly, I’m kind of ambivalent to the idea of younglings, but many alphas crave them. To have a kit, you need a female beta, which are difficult to come by, or an omega, which isvery difficultto come by.
“If we can figure out the link between Setias, and the increased percentage of omegas, we could present the findings to the Lead Council.”
