Page 2 of Pack Owned
I press my back against the cool, dusty back of the desk as Gary throws the door wide, causing the hinges to creak in protest. The last few times he groped me, I fought back. My nose still stings when I breathe in too deeply.
Harsh light spills in from the hallway light, cutting through the dark of the office. I hold my breath, hoping with everything in me that he won’t see me huddled under the desk.
“Come out, little Omega,” he laughs, and my skin crawls. I hate that I’m an Omega. Hate that I’ll be shipped away from Mom whenever my heat comes. And there’s no way to know if it will happen soon or years from now.
His shadow stretches over the desk, and I feel like I’m smothering in the small space. The thud of his pacing, his footsteps drawing closer, freezes the air in my lungs.
Then he stops. Silence. My ears ring, and I break out in a cold sweat.
I don’t dare move or breathe or make a sound.Please, go away. Don’t find me.I clench the stapler in my fist, not that it will do any good since he’s stronger than me. My heart hammers in my chest, and I’m sure it’s so loud, he can hear it.
Then the chair shrieks across the floor as he replaces it with his body. His beady eyes stare straight at me, and I can’t breathe.
“Kayla,” he booms, and I jump, my head hitting the top of the desk. “Come out now, girl.”
I try to melt into the wall as his sweaty body leans deeper into my hiding space. My hand shakes as I try to throw the stapler, but he catches it, slamming it against my shin. I scream. I swallow bile, resisting the urge to vomit as pain radiates up my leg.
“Stupid bitch,” he mutters, grabbing my wrist. My elbow hits against the wood as he yanks me out. I cry out, fresh pain shooting up my arm. He pulls me up from the floor, fingers digging into my flesh. Tears well as I meet his scowl, and he gives me a harsh tug. I whimper, trying to twist free.
The front door of the house bursts open, and I flinch as Mom enters.
“Remember, you say a word, and I’ll hurt her, too.” Then, his face morphs into a mask. “Teresa, we’re in the office,” he announces and drops his hand from my arm.
“What’s going on?” Her footsteps quicken, and my heart squeezes so hard, I place a hand on my chest. “Kayla?” she asks from the doorway, and I can feel her stare.
I avoid Mom’s gaze, afraid she’ll see the truth in my eyes.
“It’s no big deal.” I try to make my voice steady. “I-I slammed my leg into the corner of the desk. Um…Gary heard me cry out and came to help me.” The lie chokes me, but I get the words out.
“Clumsy is a sign of Omegas.” Gary shakes his head. “I was fixing to take her to the couch and get her some ice.”
Mom smiles as she and Gary both help me to the couch in the living room.
“My sweet girl, be more careful.” She sits beside me, smoothing my hair in that gentle way only a mother can. Looking between us, her smile grows. “We’re a family again. Isn’t it wonderful?”
I nod mutely, hating myself. She hasn’t smiled this much since Daddy died. I’ve got to stick it out, not just because breaking Mom’s heart isn’t on my to-do list, but because, as an Omega, the rules are clear—no stepping out alone. We have to be with a parent before our first heat until we find our Alphas.
The city might as well be a minefield for someone like me. So, I swallow the unease that bubbles up every time he’s too close.
“Well, I’ll start dinner.” Mom stands and goes off to play chef and I get a whiff of her perfume that used to feel like a hug. Now? It’s more like a chokehold.
Gary sits heavily on the couch, too close, reeking of stale beer.
“I haven’t had a good cooked meal since my Emily died.” His voice catches, but it sounds forced. “My beautiful Omega.” Something he and Mom apparently have in common—both losing a spouse.
Despite myself, I ask, “What happened?”
“Rival Alphas.” He took a swig of his beer. “They couldn’t believe she was mine. So beautiful, but not as amazing as your mom,” he adds loudly.
“Oh, Gary.” Mom blushes and brings him a jar to open. I know Alphas and Betas marry all the time, but why wouldn’t he try to find another?
Guilt gnaws at me because I can’t burst the happy tide Mom’s floating in. I mean, break her heart? That’s a hard pass.
But as an Omega, I’m playing by a rulebook I never signed up for. Flying solo’s not an option unless I fancy a strollthrough danger central and get fined or worse for being out unchaperoned.
Yet, I long for freedom, especially with Gary crowding me on the couch and looking at me in a way that makes my skin crawl.
I need Mom to see, really see, what’s going on, but how do I tell her that her slice of bliss might be my personal nightmare? It’s a mental tug-of-war, and I’m the rope.
