Page 139 of Cost of Courting

He moves closer, dragging a finger up my arm. I want to say that I react purely in disgust, but I don’t. I have control of my mind, but my body is another matter, and I’m an omega being touched by an alpha.

Superpower.

Being an omega is a superpower.

“Oh, and what is that?”

“Give them back, and I’ll let you live.”

He hits me. The arousal falters and fades just a fraction, making it easier to breathe. My face goes numb with the pain.

“You’ll keep a civil tongue in your mouth and be grateful for everything I give you, including my knot.”

“Where is the pack?” I ask flatly, knowing he won’t ever tell me.

“What pack?” he says and reaches out, stroking his thumb across my bottom lip.

He pulls it away, and I see blood a second before he sucks it into his mouth. His eyes roll, and he lets out a groan.

That sound is echoed by the masses.

I’ll be lucky if I don’t get torn apart here. I start to sweat.

“I’ll stay here and do whatever you want if you let them go.”

Benson rocks back on his heels. “I’m shocked. The Ice Queen of the Ghetto is willing to finally trade in flesh all for a couple of reject alphas with no breeding?”

I swallow hard. “Take it or leave it,” I say, trying to sound confident.

“Or,” his grin is pure evil, “I could just take you and keep them.”

I shake my head. “I’ll fight you.”

He steps close, gripping my nape and dragging me close so our cheeks are touching.

“I like a little fight in my omegas before I break them.”

I jerk back, and he lets me go, laughing.

“Your sacrifice is noted, Selene, but you have no power here.”

I whimper.

There’s a deep growl from one of the alphas in the back. He’s got crazy eyes and dark hair. I don’t know him, but he’s ready to defy Benson.

I run my hand down my ribs and moan. Not blatantly but discreetly.

It works. The alphas press forward, pushing in an effort to get to me.

“Stay back!” Benson snarls at his people.

It does nothing. The shock on his face would be comical if I weren’t in this position. I wonder how long it’s been since people just didn’t listen to him? He completely ignores me as he steps around me, glaring up at Hammer.

“Do something.”

Hammer doesn’t take his eyes off me. He doesn’t even acknowledge that Benson is speaking.

And this is the hole in their plan, the one I’m going to use to my advantage. When you subscribe to an alpha-only gang, you don’t have an omega, and you live in all this violence day in and day out, it changes you. As much as my lifestyle has changed me. The difference is that my neighbours, my friends, kept me grounded. In all the years without my pack and through the fluctuations of my hormones and pre-heats, they gave me a reason to keep fighting.

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