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“He has an Omega daughter?” I ask Thane, and he nods.

“Yes, she’s twelve.”

“So next year she’ll be forced into a sanctuary, right?” I ask Thane, and he nods his head. I chew my lip before reaching into his pocket. Thane watches me, amused, as I steal his wallet. “How long is the break?”

“Fifteen minutes, why?”

“I have an idea,” I tell him, turning on my heel.

“Wait, Harlow!” Thane calls out, but I wave him off. “Fuck! Go with her! I can’t leave in case they come back early,” I hear Thane tell Rhen, who jogs to catch up with me.

We stop at two different stores before returning just in the nick of time. We walk back in as the council members are retaking their seats. Elder Cole seems disinterested as the woman calls me up. I take my bag, stuffed full of goodies, and move to the front of the room.

“Hurry up. Let's get this over with so we can vote,” Elder Cole says, glaring down at me.

“It would be easier if you came down here to help me. I need a volunteer,” I tell him. Thane cuts me a look before turning to look at Rhen, who chuckles while shaking his head. One of the women gets up, surprisingly, and grips Elder Cole’s shoulder.

“Come on, what’s a little demonstration?” she purrs. He rolls his eyes but gets to his feet.

“You are aware this isn’t how council meetings are held?” he snaps at me as he stomps down the steps.

“No, but you are aware that Omegas are rarely allowed in the council, so how would I know how they are held, Elder?” I ask him. He clicks his tongue and shakes his head, walking down to the small area in front of the council tables, where I’m standing. I grip the little table and drag it over. A few of the council members sigh and shake their heads.

“Your daughter is twelve?” I ask, and he nods. “So old enough to go to sanctuary next year?”

“Yes, she wants to study politics,” he tells me.

“Even though she’ll never be permitted to hold a seat on this council?” I ask, and his brows furrow. He should know that. Is he just giving her a false sense of hope, or did he really think she will be the exception? “And you expect them to teach politics at an Omega Sanctuary?” I ask him.

“Of course. It’s a private school, one of the best sanctuaries.”

I reach into the bag to pull out a porn magazine. “Well, I never got the chance to study politics, Elder Cole. And neither will she, but I can tell you what she’ll be learning. At her age, I’m sure you were studying to be a council member. Or maybe, with your prepubescent brain, you wanted to be an astronaut.” I shrug and hand him the magazine. “This is what I was taught at thirteen. Where a dick goes and how many my body can take,” I tell him.

Chapter Fifty-Six

Harlow

“Well, sex ed is to be expected, of course,” Elder Cole nods.

“They hand magazines like this out?" the woman asks. “I’m Milena, by the way,” she tells me, quickly introducing herself.

“Yes, Milena, and much worse,” I tell her.

“At thirteen?” she asks again to clarify.

“As I said, that is to be expected,” Cole says motioning to the magazine. She holds it up to him. It is an Omega with an Alpha Pack of five men.

“This? Really, Cole? At thirteen?” she snaps at him before tossing it up to the other Alphas.

“Want to see fourteen?” I ask her, reaching back into my bag as she turns toward me. I slam a huge rubber dildo, complete with knot, onto the table, and it suctions to it.

“You are out of line, Omega!” Cole yells at me.

“Mrs. Keller,” Thane growls in warning. “She is my mate, and you will address her as such.” The Council Elder grits his teeth, glaring at me, but I speak before he has a chance.

“So, this is out of line in a room full of adults, but it’s okay in a classroom full of children?”

Cole clicks his tongue, refusing to look at the dildo, as if it repulses him. Milena grabs it, shaking it in his face. “This! This is disgusting!” she growls at him. He slaps her hand away and she drops it back to the table.