Page 132 of Wild Omega

I salute him with the card and tuck it into my bra, simply because I don’t want to go digging through my bags.

Half an hour later, I walk into the Darinian Omega Crimes Bureau. My skin crawls as I recall my last encounter with one of these places, but I pull myself together and remember my purpose.

The receptionist at the ground floor counter smiles warmly. “Hello. How can I help you?”

“I’m trying to get in touch with Rose. I think her alpha works here.”

“Rose who?”

I shrug. “Not sure.”

Crevasses form in her brow. “That’s not much to go on. What was it about?”

I glance around at the corporate-looking fixtures. Photos of the unfamiliar cityscape line the walls high up where no one can reach them. “I come from the same illegal center as her—the hub the OCB shut down in Laversham. The omega found here told them about it.”

Her eyes fly wide. “Oh my gosh, I know who you mean. Please wait a moment.”

I nod and lean on the counter as she dials her phone. Guess Rose is famous around here.

The admin lady smiles into her phone. “Hello, Agent Colt. Could you come to the front desk? I have a lady here who claims to know your omega.”

Colt. So he’s the man who claimed our O-4. I’ll wait until I see if she’s happy before I pass judgement.

The elevators ding open and a broad, ginger-haired alpha strides toward me. “Hi, I’m Agent Colt. How can I help?” He smells like a jar of orange marmalade.

I have to look up a foot to meet his eyes. “My name’s Red. Used to be O-11. I want to see Rose.”

He mouths the moniker as he blinks twice, and then nods. Looks like he’s quick on the uptake. “I’ll need to grab my things and let the boss know where I’m going.” He pauses and takes another look at me. “If you’re comfortable riding with me, I can take you to meet her, or, if you prefer, I can ask my beta partner to ride with us or drive you separately.”

Thoughtful too. I lean in and press my nose to his shoulder. Rose’s thick floral scent lingers all over him. He means what he says. “Okay,” I say simply. “I’ll be fine.”

After a quick ID check, I wait in the foyer, and Agent Colt races back within ten minutes and leads me into the parking lot underground. He opens the door for me, and I add another point to his score.

Colt clears his throat as he drives out of the car park, the light shifting as we emerge from underground. “The trafficking hub was raided a couple of months back.”

“Mm-hmm. That’s how they found me.” I trace my finger along the armrest. “The other omegas and I spoke with Rose not long after and she told us a bit of her story. That’s how I knew to come here.”

He slides a wary glance in my direction. “Does the Laversham Center know where you are?”

I snort. “I suppose you’re obligated to ask that. Yes, they do, and yes, I have a pack.” It’s just missing a member or two. I keep that tidbit to myself.

He lifts his fingers on the steering wheel as if in apology. “Sorry, but I was just surprised to find an omega from your situation traveling on her own.”

I lean my arm on the window frame and watch the city go past. The thick traffic appears the same as my city, but more cyclists use the road here. “I get it, but I’m a little different from O-4, I mean Rose, and the others.”

“I can see that.” He hums under his breath.

I can’t help shrinking away from him because inside a small space like this, his alpha presence is overwhelming. And the mixed scents on him burn my nose. I roll the window down for some relief and Colt turns on the radio, keeping it low, I think in an attempt to soothe me. His phone dings several times, and Colt smiles with each noise.

“How has Rose been?” I ask, looking for a way to distract myself.

“Good. She’s been with us for a couple of months now. It’s all still pretty new, but she’s brought us more joy than we could imagine.”

We pull into the driveway of a cute, red-brick suburban house. Agent Colt turns off the engine and swivels to face me. “Before we go inside, I need to warn you about something. We have two insane alphas in cages inside the house. Yellow lines are marked on the floor, and I must ask, please don’t cross the lines. Those men are dangerous and have killed and maimed before. If you do get too close to the lines, the other alpha inside or I will physically move you away. Understood?”

I whistle. “And Rose is safe in there?”

He smirks, and it’s a sexy, dangerous look. “Who do you think brought them home?”

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