Page 26 of Dance Omega Dance

The dance studio was my sanctuary, a space cleared just for me by my alphas. Could I call them that?Myalphas? I smiled, my body heating ever so slightly at the thought of them.

Alpha Kage was part of my past. The pack leader who'd hunted me. After slaughtering my parents, he promised he’d find me. In fact, he had yelled it at the top of his lungs, just to make sure I’d heard it. I took a deep breath. He’d be here soon, and with him, any chance of a future would be forgotten.

It was morning, and finally after a week of waiting, time to feel the freedom of dance in the ballet studio. My leg wasn’t quite at its best, but it was strong enough that I could carefully dance. The familiar ritual of stretching and warming up soothed me. Made me feel like I had control back in the world. And so, I danced away the pain, the worry, and the stress of not knowing what tomorrow would bring.

Each twirling movement was a silent scream of frustration and longing. But there was an edge to my movements, a sharpness that betrayed the turmoil within. I was a ballet dancer, yes, but I was also an Omega, a rare and precious commodity in a world that valued us for our ability to bear children. I had fled to Shaker City to escape the laws that would have forced me to breed by now, but even here, I couldn't escape the biological imperatives that came with being an omega.

My first interruption came as I almost toppled over my own feet. Lost in thought and careless enough not to watch whereI was going. Blake ran in and steadied me. The touch of his hands sent sparks radiating through my body. I bit my lower lip, looking up at him.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

I nodded and feigned a smile. I wasn’t okay, not really. Not inside. But that pain turned to strength whenever he was nearby.

“Here,” he said, passing me a bottle of ice-cold water. “You should hydrate.” His voice was deep and authoritative, contrasting with the casual clothing he wore when at home. Blake was the Medical Director at Shaker City’s Memorial Hospital, although he spent most of his time working with patients in the Emergency Department.

“Have you just finished your shift?” I asked, taking a drink of water.

“Yes, I’m needed in later today, but I’ve decided to let someone else hold the fort.” My brow furrowed. “I wanted to spend time with you... if you’ll have me?” He stepped closer, running his fingers up my arm and under my chin, lifting my head slightly so my eyes met his.

“I...” I gasped, his scent swirling around me, handcuffing me to him, urging me to wrap myself in his arms and never let go.

“You?”

I coughed, taking a step back. “I was planning on working on my routine today.”

He looked deflated. “Well, if you’re busy, then I can occupy myself.”

I nodded. But I felt bad that I'd let him down. However, knowing that Kage was on his way, I couldn’t get too close to my alphas. I didn’t want to see them hurt.

Watching him go, my heart pounded in my chest. His scent, fresh rain forest, lingered in the air, making my body respond against my will. I felt a warmth in my core, an uncomfortable heat that I recognized as the beginnings of arousal. I hated it,hated the way my body betrayed me around alphas. Turning my back to the mirror, I hid my reactions and took a deep breath, trying to regain control.

The second interruption came later that morning, as I was practicing a particularly challenging sequence. Blake knocked on the door frame, his presence commanding attention even before he spoke. "Summer, are you going to eat today?" he asked, his tone casual but his eyes intense.

I paused, my chest heaving with exertion and frustration at the ballet move I couldn’t get right. "I don't know, Blake. Maybe. Why?" I asked, my voice polite but distant.

He stepped into the room, his movements deliberate. "Because if you want, I'll cook you something," he stated, his voice leaving no room for argument.

“That would be lovely, Blake. But I need to finish this.”

He huffed. “Fine.”

I sighed. “Look, I appreciate the effort you’re putting in, Blake. I really do. But I’m not ready for anything more right now.”

He took a step closer, his scent enveloping me, making it hard to think. “I don’t understand why, sweetheart. You're mine.”

I turned away from him. Taking a long, deep breath, I said. “No, Blake. I’m mine, and mine alone.”

“You know that’s not true, Summer.”

My jaw ached from clenching it so hard, but I didn’t stop. Couldn’t. Of course, I knew. I knew the second his eyes met mine, that reckless spark already stitching itself into my chest. But knowing didn’t make it safe. Wanting didn’t make it right.

I couldn’t let myself go there. Not again. Not when everything inside me was wired to run.

The pressure behind my eyes built until I blinked hard, biting down on my lip like that might hold it all in. The tears didn’t fall,not yet. But my throat burned. What if I had to disappear again? What if I shattered them like I always do?

My gaze dropped to the floor as if it might open up and swallow me. A single tear slipped free, catching the curve of my mouth. “It’s easier this way,” I murmured, barely above a whisper. “You don’t want me, Blake. None of you do. I come with... too much baggage.”

Before the last word had fully left my lips, I felt the heat of him. His arms, solid and unyielding, wrapped around me, grounding me in a way that terrified more than it calmed me.

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