Page 31 of Flight of the Omega

The vet grimaced. “That’s really bad.” She paused, glancing around. Then she leaned in. “I hesitate to call it suicide, because …” She shrugged. “Y’know. We don’t know they do it intentionally, that they really understand they’ll die. But they’ll stop eating or drinking, just starve themselves to death. Extreme scenarios, I’ve seen a distressed omega throw themself off a cliff.”

Jack winced. He imagined JP throwing himself from the balcony. Granted, he didn’t think that was high enough to kill the shifter. But it would hurt.

“All right,” he said.

When the sun had gone down, he went back to his apartment, showered, then went to the mess. He got extra food and a bit more water, then took it all upstairs to JP.

He knocked three times, then picked the lock and let himself in. The room was pitch; the curtains had been drawn tight. When Jack kicked the door closed, there wasn’t even any light from the hall.

He fumbled for a light switch, then clicked it on. “JP?”

He got a little groan in response, so he walked to the bed and pulled back the curtains. JP blinked up at him, then glared.

Jack stared. “What’s all this?” he asked.

“What’s it look like?” JP retorted. “The heck do you want?”

“I, um.” Jack surveyed the nest again. “That’s some nest.”

JP grunted at him. Jack waved a hand. “You … uh … feeling a little broody?”

“A little?” JP huffed. “More like a lot.”

“Oh,” Jack said. “How come you didn’t say anything?”

The omega looked away. “I wasn’t aware we were on speaking terms again,” he grumbled.

“When were we not?”

Those golden eyes flashed, almost angrily. “Oh, basically since you told me to fuck off at dinner? You made it pretty clear you were done with me. Hit it and quit it, right?”

“Well,” Jack started.

JP shrugged, sinking back into the nest. “Whatever,” he muttered. “Doesn’t matter anyway. That’s all I’m good for.”

“Now hang on a minute—”

JP rolled onto his side, his back to Jack. “It won’t matter when my father finds out either.”

Jack waited. When the omega didn’t elaborate, he said, “Why? What’s he gonna do?”

The omega shrugged. “Dunno yet. Maybe take the eggs and stick ’em in an incubator, do what he wants with the chicks. Maybe destroy them.”

“Why do you think that?”

JP snickered, but Jack didn’t see anything funny. “I told you I’d never chosen my own partner. That I was … forced, each time. Father picked them all out. He okayed it, told the lab to go ahead. He sent me down here because I can’t lay viable eggs, so I’m a useless brood omega.”

“Oh,” Jack said.

“Oh,” JP repeated, his voice mocking. “That all you have to say to me? Then get lost.”

Jack hesitated a second, then realized he needed more time to think about what JP had just told him. He started for the door. He paused part of the way there, then turned back. “What about Burr?”

JP lifted his gaze. “What about him?”

“Yesterday morning, he came back … then you …”

JP stared at him. Then a slow, wicked grin crossed his face. “What do you think happened?” he snarled. Then the smirk disappeared. “And what the hell do you care anyway? You’re just upset that some other alpha got their prick in me.”