Page 5 of Omega Inked

I know I should be focused on our mission, but all I can think about is how badly I want her.

Damn my alpha instincts. They're always getting in the way.

I close my eyes and try to steady my breathing, but the fantasy of her lying on the bed, her body writhing in pleasure, is burned into my mind. I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts, but it's no use.

I open my eyes and look down the hallway, checking for any sign of danger. I have to wait for my friends to get here--the other two Enclave artists, Liam and Mercer--but if they take too long, we'll need to move again. There won't be any choice.

Even if she doesn't realize it, Olivia is on the brink of her heat...and once that starts, we won't be able to keep her a secret.

Not in Solstice Bay.

As I stand there, lost in my thoughts, a loud bang startles me. I instinctively reach for the gun I have concealed at my hip, ready to face whoever might be coming at us. But as I turn to face the source of the noise, I see that it's just Liam and Mercer finally arriving.

Loud assholes.

They should be more careful.

Liam has a stupid grin on his face, his blond hair too long and his blue eyes twinkling. Mercer, on the other hand, looks dangerous as hell. His hair is bound back in locs, his dark eyes blazing. I know he has a vendetta against the ACB even worse than mine, and he sounded pissed when he found out they'd busted our new location.

"About time," I say, trying to mask my relief as I holster my weapon.

"Sorry, man," Liam says, looking sheepish. "Traffic was a nightmare."

Mercer rolls his eyes. "Traffic's always a nightmare in this godforsaken city."

I nod, not bothering to argue. We've got more important things to worry about than the state of Solstice Bay's roads.

"We need to talk about what we're going to do now," I tell them. "The Enclave's compromised, we can't go back."

"We'll just pack up and find a new place," Liam says. "We've done it before, and we'll..."

He trails off.

And Mercer glares at me. "What the hell is that scent?"

I swallow hard and shift on my feet, not letting myself get closer to the door despite my instincts to protect Olivia from my friends. "I was tattooing an omega when the ACB showed up," I tell them. "And I took her with me."

Mercer's eyes narrow, and I know he's not happy with my decision to bring Olivia along. But before he can say anything, Liam interrupts.

"Is she okay?" he asks, concern written all over his face.

I nod. "She's fine. But we need to keep moving. We won't be safe here for long."

"Are you fucking crazy?" Mercer says.

"It smells like she's about to go into heat--"

"She is," I say, shoving my hands in my pockets. "I think being around alphas and getting off suppressants has her whole system going haywire...and she led them straight to us."

"What the fuck, man?" Mercer hisses. "You know what that means, right?"

I nod, my mind racing. Of course, I know what it means. An omega in heat is a beacon for every alpha in the vicinity. If we're not careful, we'll have a whole pack of ACB on our tail in no time.

But Olivia is different.

She isn't afraid to stand up for herself, even though I can tell she should be terrified. She's got a smart mouth and a fire in her eyes that I can't help but admire.

I can't just abandon her to her heat. She needs a synthetic claiming mark, suppressants...and more than anything now, protection.

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