Page 21 of Pack Owned
“Liam, we need to finish our talk.” Ryker cuts into my thoughts, his tone devoid of warmth. “Alone. Go into the other room again, Omega.”
My heart stutters. I can’t believe they plan to sell me and my friends off like cattle. Panic claws at my throat.
“Why should I go anywhere?” I challenge, my chin jutting out defiantly. “Afraid I’ll hear something else enlightening?”
Dane steps forward, palms raised, placating. “Just need to recheck your wounds, sweetheart. Get you bandaged up properly after your shower, that’s all.”
Sweetheart? I almost scoff at the forced gentleness. But earlier, he was careful while tending to my injuries. Maybe I can use that to my advantage.
“Fine,” I concede, taking a defiant bite of the apple. “But I’m keeping the apple.” I brush past them, my back ramrod straight, hyperaware of their watchful eyes. Let them wonder what game I’m playing now.
Ryker
The Omega disappears into the back room with Dane, and I force myself not to march in after them.
Liam’s signature crooked smile is painted on this face. “What do you think about our little Omega?”
I ball up my hands into fists. “Fuck! We can’t keep her. We were hired to find her and the others and turn them in to Nexus.” My voice comes out a low growl.
“Hey, accidents happen,” Liam shrugs, the nonchalance in his voice grating on my nerves.
“Screw you! Thanks to your ass, you’ve cut our pay by 3/4ths.”
“Bus went off the road, but something tells me it wasn’t just that.”
My gut twists. “What are you thinking?”
“Kayla was attacked by the Nexus scum. I didn’t wait around to find out why.”
“A guard?” My voice is a dangerous edge at the thought of someone hurting Kayla. But I shove that thought down by its throat. She’s a bounty. Something to turn over and get our money. Nothing else.
Seeing him watch me like he’s trying to psychoanalyze me pisses me the fuck off.
“We can’t keep her, Liam.” The words are a flat statement, icy fury barely contained under the surface.
Liam throws his hands up in mock surrender. “Hey, how about we find out why a Nexus guard attacked a helpless Omega? The company doesn’t know we have her yet, so let’s just wait for a bit. Besides, maybe we can round up the other bounties. There’s two more missing according to our contract details.”
The market for these Omegas is volatile, their value dependent on a combination of factors—age, health, and most importantly, the strength of their pheromones.
Kayla... there’s a spark there, a defiance in her eyes. And that damn scent of hers—vanilla and jasmine—lingers, pulling at me and making me wish for things I can’t fucking have.
The knot in my gut tightens. Kayla may be a liability, but right now, she’s our only lead to the other Omegas, if Nexus hasn’t captured them yet. Slim chance.
“What do you think is gonna happen if we let her stay? She’s a bounty, nothing more.”
“Just… just wait until Monday. One week,” he hurries when I open my mouth to tell him to go fuck himself.
“She might be able to help us find the other two Omegas. At least give us descriptions, but she won’t do that unless she trusts us.”
“I know what you’re doing,” I say. “You think if we find one or both of the others, we can turn them in for the bounty and keep this one. No fucking way. She’s not staying. She’s not your Omega.” Or ours. Yet, my gut clenches at the thought.
Liam raises an eyebrow but doesn’t push it further. He knows better than to cross me when I’m like this.
One wrong move and this goes to shit.
“Shit!” I clench and unclench my knuckles. “We can’t keep her. You know that. Fuck, what if she goes into heat while she’s here?”
“She’s our Omega. Can’t you get that through your thick head?
