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I stiffen. How much does she know? That’s not common knowledge.
“They throw themselves at you, try to trap you. But you need an omega to live legitimately. It will open doors. Let me be the key you need. I don’t want anything but protection and time. I won’t try to bed you, keep you, or mate you, and I will leave when our contract ends.”
I let out an incredulous laugh. I only wish I wasn’t more than a little tempted.
She shakes her head. “It’s a good deal. Please, think about it.”
“What are you suggesting? Clarify it because I’m struggling to see how this is smart or safe for any of us.” I ask again with a growl. “If you go into heat, we might have no choice.” Her face pales. “I don’t want to risk my pack ending up with an omega we don’t want.” The lies taste bitter, but the flash of colour in her cheeks stills my tongue.
She looks out at the patrons, unable or unwilling to face me while she says it. “A fake arrangement.”
I sit back, staring at her. Silence between the four of us. “It won’t work.”
“It will.” She insists. “No one will question you, and I can promise you, I don’t want a pack. It would work for me.”
I shake my head, astonished at the stupidity. “And your heat? The proximity of three alphas?”
“I can manage my heats alone.” She snaps defensively.
Everything in me balks at that, but I let it slide. I pretend to consider it for a long minute and start shaking my head.
“Louise broke into your house last month. And Cara cornered Lukas in the carpark the week before. Eventually, one of them will come at you in heat. Are you prepared for that? To be trapped without choices?” She snarls. “Because that’s my life. My future.”
I shudder. The idea of falling into one of their traps and ending up tied to someone forever makes me feel sick. But what this omega is offering is ridiculous. Half of me wants to grab her and shake some damn sense into her. The other half just wants.
“I don’t want a pack. I want to save my family. That is my priority.” She closes her eyes, and when she opens them, they’re shiny, but not with tears, with something akin to rage. I recognise the expression, I know that feeling so well I can describe the taste of it. “I don’t want to be tied to them.”
“Who?”
“Pack Samuels and Lyons for one,” Missy says bitterly. She looks up at the ceiling, and the unmarred flesh of her neck sends a throb of longing so strong I almost, almost give in.
I rub my forehead. “We can’t.” I grit out.
She nods, and I see her swallow the disappointment. Her mask is almost perfect. “Sure. I had to try, though. Thank you for hearing me out.”
And as quickly as she appeared, she slides out of the booth and vanishes into the crowd. Every instinct I have screams to follow her, drag her back. I remain where I’m sitting.
“Darion, no.”
I glance at Seb. “She’s got a very convincing argument.”
“No. We can’t.”
“Lyons and Samuels,” I murmur. “One pack is made of cheap thugs, and the other is twenty years and older.”
Lukas shifts. “I think it’s a good idea.”
I jerk my head in his direction. It takes a lot to surprise me, but he’s done it. He glares at me, challenging. I fight the urge to rise to his challenge. He bares his teeth, feral and enraged.
The man I scared off approaches and drops into the seat opposite me. I turn my head really slowly. This bastard knows better, he knows. Lukas lets out a low, threatening sound that Seb finishes.
“What the fuck you doing?” I ask calmly.
“I need money.” He whines and shifts even closer to me, leaning across the table, erasing her scent from the air. For that crime alone, I could kill him.
“I gave you money.”
“I need more.” He moans and puts his head in his hands. “Please, just a bit more?”
