Page 223 of Unhinged Omega

A dangerous, complicated man who somehow thinks I belong to him.

Geo shifts against the door frame, clearing his throat. "Well, this has been a delightful fucking afternoon. Piano destruction, emergency medical care, and enough alpha posturing to last me a lifetime. But I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me." He pushes off from the wall, adjusting his eye patch. "Some of us have actual work to do."

"Work?" I can't help the skepticism in my voice. "Isthatwhat you call running this shithole?"

Geo's mouth twitches, almost like he's suppressing a smile. "Exactly that, princess. Someone's got to keep this place from imploding." He turns toward the door, then pauses. "Try notto break anything else while I'm gone. I'm running out of irreplaceable pre-war artifacts for you to destroy."

Knight rumbles behind me. Is that amusement? I'm starting to recognize the subtle differences in his growls. This one vibrates lower, gentler.

"No promises," I call after Geo as he disappears into the hall, his heavy footsteps fading.

As soon as Geo is gone, Raven looks up from where he's fussing with one of the bandages on Nikolai's side, his blue eyes widening suddenly. "Oh! Right." He smacks his forehead with his palm. "I completely forgot to tell you. With all..." he gestures vaguely at Nikolai, "...this, it slipped my mind."

My pulse quickens. "Tell me what?"

"The information you wanted. About Azarel."

"Did you find him?" I ask immediately. The words come out breathless, way more eager than I intended. Even though in the chaos of the past hour—the piano, Nikolai's return—I'd almost forgotten my entire reason for agreeing to stay here.

Raven's expression falls slightly. "Not exactly. Not yet." He finishes fixing the bandage and wipes his hands on a towel. "But I have feelers out across the Outer Reaches. I've sent word to every informant, every business contact, every former client with instructions to report anything—even the smallest whisper—back to me immediately."

I try to hide my disappointment. My throat tightens up. Every hour that passes is another hour Azarel might be searching for me in vain. Another hour for something to happen to him.

To us.

"This network of yours is that extensive?"

"My establishment may be... what was the word you used?" Raven's lips quirk. "Oh, right. 'Tacky.' But it has its benefits." He sits on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb Nikolai."Information flows through places like the Alpha's Alpha. People talk. They gossip. They brag. Everyone has eyes and ears." His voice softens. "Someone will have seen or heard of him, Cosima. And when they do, you'll be the first to know."

There's such earnestness in his tone, such conviction, it catches me off guard. I'd expected resistance, attempts to stall, to keep me here. Not this apparent dedication to actually helping me find Azarel.

Despite myself, I feel a flicker of hope. But experience has taught me to be cautious. Pretty words from pretty alphas are the most likely to hide ugly intentions.

"Thank you," I say carefully, not committing to more. "I appreciate the effort."

Raven shakes his head, a soft smile playing at his lips. "You don't need to thank me."

"I—"

"But," he continues, holding up a finger, "if youwantto thank me, there is one way you could."

Here it comes. The catch. I knew it was too good to be true. I cross my arms, bracing myself for whatever manipulative demand he's about to make. Sex? Political favors? Things that aren't quite sex but sex-adjacent?

Despite his business, he doesn't seem like the type to make such an overt proposition like Nikolai, but I'm sure he wants something. He's an alpha. Theyallwant something.

"Let me keep helping you," he says, his blue eyes hopeful. "When you leave—and I know you will, regardless of whether I find your Azarel before the deadline you gave me—let me go with you."

I blink, thrown completely off balance. "You... what?"

"Let me come with you," he repeats.

"You want to help me find... another alpha?" I stare at him, trying to figure out his angle. "Not keep me here? Not force me to stay?"

Knight shifts closer to me, his massive presence at my back a reassuring constant. He's not growling anymore, but I can feel his attention focused on Raven, assessing.

Raven sighs. "Caging someone is never the way to win their heart." His gaze drifts momentarily to Nikolai's unconscious form. "I learned that lesson the hard way."

I study his face, looking for deception, for the trap. "Why?"

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