Page 32 of Prey for Me

This new omega is taller than me, easily brushing six feet, and absolutely regal. She oozes opulence and elegance, and seems almost dainty despite being a giant among female omegas. Her dark brown skin glistens with a familiar sheen of sweat, pure black eyes dilated. She’s dressed in tattered luxury fashion from head to toe. Or, I assume she was because her feet are bare and scratched. She removes her headscarf slowly, reluctantly, revealing a high bun of braids she slowly unravels. She’s as stunning as a model because I realize she is a model. I know I don’t have to ask, but I ask her anyway, reaching over to clasp her hand which she squeezes like she’s trying to infuse herself with strength.

“What is your name?” I ask, my mind already filling in the blank.

“Nadège Haïdara,” she whispers, so softly that I can barely make out her words, clutching her veil to her chest.

She’s the face of Moreau, a new French-Italian luxury brand that went mega viral a few years ago and now rules many of the runways around the world. I snort, laughing maniacally. I should know! I was wearing custom heels designed by them before I was kidnapped by my Father’s goon. I even did an influencer campaign when they expanded their target demographic from rich immigrant madam’s from Africa living in France and Italy, to the world.

“Nadège,” I repeat, and as if in response, Emilio, Aaron, and Marquis start rumbling so loudly and sounds like an engine backfiring. “My name is Grace Wilder.”

I guess they realize that’s her name. The omega they’ve staked their claim to.

“What happened to you?”

She doesn’t respond to me for so long, I’m not sure if she’s still there or fully dissociating from her body. But then, suddenly, she starts rambling. About a man she loved who cheated on her. About a promise of a better life on a remote island. About a yacht, a murderer, a fire, and a shipwreck. And then, about a man who risked it all to save her from a pack of wolf masked alphas.

I nod along, trying to figure out what to tell the rest of them and what to leave out. Until my mind stumbles over three facts: she wasn’t on my sister yacht since she crashed quite recently, her dog, Félix, is missing, and most important…

“Pregnant?” I repeat, and she nods, her hand trembling in her lap.

“How far along?” I ask, as if that’s the important thing to ask right now.

“Four and a half months, almost five,” she says, and I can’t believe it. She doesn’t look it, but I suppose omegas have gone through entire pregnancies unaware that they were. It’s not that uncommon. Unusual, but not uncommon.

“So why sail to Foxcroft?” I ask, my rusty French fighting for syntax that makes sense.

“I was already disowned when I refused to marry my matchmaker’s selected mate,” she says as if that will make it all make sense.

And then, it does. Have I ever seen a pregnant supermodel? Would endorsements keep rolling in with a vengeful ex behind the scenes. A house for unwed omegas doesn’t imply not being pregnant or in a relationship their parents didn’t condone.

I’m so sorry

Don’t be. She says stroking her stomach help me.

She didn’t make it to shore?

It seemed unlikely. But if her engine stalled

“The delegation to Foxcroft did not only contain you or your sister’s yacht,”

As if she couldn’t be so sure

I can do that.

“Félix?”

“My pup,” she whispers, sniffling as she glances at Aaron’s torn up arm.

I think we have very different definition of puppies from the size of that bite wound, but I can’t imaghin

“Why not him?” I ask, trying to resist nodding to the beta hunter stalking back and forth beside us. But Aiden seems to know he’s the subject of our conversation. He halts in his tracks, and looks down at me, and then locks eyes with Nadège.

“I will be a strong mate, a good mate, to Nadège,” he says, and looks at me.

He keeps staring, so long that I get uncomfortable. And then it dawns on my as I slap my forehead, he’s waiting for me to translate that into French.

“Tell her…” he pauses, flicking his gaze to my pack no doubt, “Please, my queen!”

My queen? Shit. I did everything to escape my royal background only to wind up the queen of the fox pack,I think with a ragged sigh.

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