Page 37 of Omega Scarred

I raise my eyebrows, glancing between the three of them. "Seriously? This wasn't just about...you know..."

"It is, but it isn't--or at least, it didn't start that way," Fallon says. "Jade...we wanted to bring you in on a plan, and we didn't know if we could trust you. So Rafe started talking to you..."

"I thought I could seduce you and make sure you were on our side," Rafe says.

It hurts, and I can't lie to them. I swallow hard, nodding.

"Of courseI'm on your side," I say. "I hate the ACB more than anyone. I'm part of the Enclave, through and through."

Rafe nods, his expression softening. "I know that now. And I'm sorry for using you like that. But the plan we have in mind...it's dangerous. We need people we can trust, people who are willing to take risks."

"What kind of risks?" I ask.

Hawk leans forward, his eyes intense. "The kind that could get us all killed."

I swallow hard, my heart racing. These guys are serious. They're not messing around.

"But if we succeed," Fallon says, grinning, "we could take the ACB down once and for all."

"How?" I ask.

Rafe takes a deep breath. "We want to break into your father's home and access his private hard drive."

My eyes widen. "That's insane. You'll be caught for sure."

"Not if we do it right," Hawk says. "We've been scoping the place out for weeks, and we know your father's schedule. Matthias will be traveling for the leadership summit in a few weeks, and that's when we'll hit the place."

I wince at my father's name. I wish I could just forget about him, and all the pain I went through as a kid in Solstice Bay--as a young omega, destined to be possessed by someone I didn't love.

But I can't forget, not when it's all tied up with my hatred for the ACB and everything they stand for. And if these guys think they can take them down, then maybe, just maybe, it's worth the risk.

"How do I fit into all of this?" I ask.

Fallon squeezes my hand, interlacing his fingers with mine. "We need you to get us inside."

I nod slowly, understanding dawning on me. "You want me to use my DNA to get us past security. Because...because I'm his daughter."

"Exactly," Rafe says. "With your help, we can get in undetected. And if we're successful...well, let's just say that the ACB will have a lot of explaining to do when their dirty secrets are exposed."

I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of their plan settling on my shoulders.

"You okay?" Fallon asks.

I gulp and try to nod...but it doesn't quite work. I shudder a bit when I feel tears at my eyes, threatening to stream down my cheeks.

I remember it all so clearly--how puberty made me rebellious, how my father switched from a kind and loving mentor to someone who insisted on me being docile. He had a sharp-edged switch in his desk, and I remember how he would call me to his office, make me hold out my hands, and whip me until I bled.

"I never wanted to go back there," I whisper. "My dad...he's a bad person. Bad things happened to me in that house."

Rafe's gaze hardens. "Like what?"

I look at Fallon for just a moment, and he nods, telling me it's okay. Then I hold up my arms, showing them the scars.

Rafe stands upright, his lips curling into a snarl. "Fuck waiting until he's gone," he growls. "We'll go right now and I'll fucking kill him."

I shake my head, holding up my hands. "No, violence won't solve anything. That was whathedid, and I don't want to be like him. We have to do this the right way."

"But he hurt you," Fallon protests.

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