Page 16 of Enticing Little Omega

"Idon't like this," I said dryly. "We found our Omega, one that's been on the run for two years. We're a pack, fractured so badly that we're not even close to being worthy of her, and I can't tell whether it would hurt her more or less if you two were here."

There was a heavy beat, and then Drew's voice softened. "Are you two okay?"

That one question went a long way toward making me feel like we had a halfway decent chance of mending what was very badly broken between us. I glanced sideways at William, who was resting his head on my shoulder.

"I don't know," I said honestly. "But we found her. So that counts for something, right?"

"Yeah," Drew responded. "Listen, I'm going to call Anton. He's at work. He can come home, and we can phone you two together, and we can come up with a plan. Okay?"

"Okay, yeah. That works."

"Let us know if anything changes," he begged me.

"I will."

We ended the call, and I slipped the phone back into my pocket. William hadn't moved.

"What if she runs again?" he asked quietly.

"What if she doesn't?" I returned. "What if this time she gives us a chance?"

He sighed before giving me a long, lingering kiss. "Then we do the work to prove we deserve her."

Chapter 7

Christa

Iwoke to the scent of coffee. Not the diner kind either, burnt and acidic. No—this was fancy. The sort of brew that made you feel you could take on any challenge the day presented.

My eyes blinked open, slow and gritty, the morning light cutting through the curtains in thin gold ribbons. Our homemade nest was a mess of blankets and pillows, our half-eaten pizza, cold in the box, an empty milkshake cup overturned on the side table. Honey was padding across the floor in her ridiculous bunny slippers, a tray balanced in her hands.

“Morning, sunshine,” she said, chipper in that dangerous way people were when they knew something you didn’t.

I pushed myself up, groaning softly as my body reminded me of the emotional storm I’d weathered last night. “You’re a saint,” I rasped. “An honest-to-goddess saint.”

She laughed and set the tray down on the bed. “I’m many things, love. But the breakfast? That wasn’t me, or my Daddies.”

I blinked. “What?” Well, now that she mentioned it, it made sense. Honey is not the kind of girl that should ever be allowed in the kitchen. She once lit a fireinsideour oven thinking it was an old wood burning stove. That's a story for another day.

“The coffee, either.” She sat beside me, tucking one leg under her. "I was woken with a knock this morning, and Doc Annerly handed it to me, along with a gift. For you."

She reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out a small, velvet jewellery box.

My chest clenched.

Wordlessly, she placed it in my hands.

My fingers fumbled with the clasp before I flipped it open—and everything inside me shattered like glass.

Nestled inside was a delicate gold chain. Simple, elegant. My mother’s necklace. The one I hadn’t thought about in ages, because remembering it meant remembering that night. The rushed escape. The door I hadn’t dared go back through.

“Why…?” I whispered, voice cracking.

“I'm guessing from the look on your face, that necklace is more important than your usual courting gift." Honey’s voice was softer now, careful.

My hands trembled as I picked it up, holding it like it might vanish. The little moonstone pendant caught the light and winked at me like it had missed me too.

Everything hurt.

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